Thursday at the MN Zoo:

This past Thursday was BITTERLY cold around here.  The high was probably 14, but the wind was so awful...gah.  We decided to go the the Zoo because it's mid-winter, in MN, and right about now is when we start to go stir crazy.  Maybe this will be the winter that actually never ends, right???  So, the tropics trail at the Zoo is a perfect solution.  Warm, moist air...peaceful animals, bright colors, interesting sounds.  Perfect.

They LOVE this bamboo door guard (designed to keep the birds in their appropriate sections from flying to another one.
So, we just stand here and I let them play with it until they are bored.
People look at me like I'm crazy as they use the door as...well...a door, but hey man...my kids are happy.  I'm not going to try to force them to enjoy animals when little wood pieces all strung together are making them happy.  :)
I'll ride this train until the tracks end!

What you can't hear in this photo is Finn's high-pitched scream at Cora for ruining his fun, somehow...

She was hanging over the railing, simply enjoying the sights and sounds of all the birds in the trees below.

A VERY big hit that day were the two divers cleaning the seal's pool.  

Then, after this lovely trip to the tropical zoo, I stupidly went to Costco, where I seriously almost started crying as I was loading my goods into the car without gloves on..the wind so so wicked.  Weak people are simply not allowed to live out here.  Ever year I feel like I baaaaaaaaaaarely make the cut, again and again.