Hogle Zoo

A few weeks ago we met up at Doug's parents house for a birthday lunch for our sister in law Callie. While there, Doug's parents announced that they are going on a mission (they leave June 4th) to Hong Kong.

Afterward they took anyone who wanted to go to Hogle Zoo. Our niece Kassandra rode along with us because she and Abi are really close friends.

We got there first so I took some pictures while we waited...

Maddy, Abi, and Kassandra

Maddy had fun looking at a map and figuring out where we were going...

discussing it with daddy...

Abi and Kassandra... both My Little Pony lovers...

Abi on the rhino...

Little Lizzie with Maddy.. both of our girls adore Lizzie..

our little Maddy bird

Ian, Abi, Maddy,and Kassandra

I have to say that I have always been a little sad that my expectations of my side of the family as far as my kids go haven't been what I thought they would be- my nephews and nieces are all pretty close in age and when they were littles we got together all the time and did fun family things so much. But since my kids are so much younger than them it is not the same. They are the only non teenager kids on the King side. 

So, it has made me so happy to have kids that are their age on the Van Wagenen side even though Lizzie and Ian and Alex will be moving to Michigan soon. 

It makes me so happy to see the girls have cousins to play with. 

This is Alex walking around holding hands with Maddy. They are only a few days apart.

Grandfather holding Lizzie and Maddy 

Abi and Kassandra taking a break..

Maddy got to have a turn in the wagon...

Abi and Kassandra both got on a zebra on the carousel...

Maddy always chooses one that is benchlike...

Doug and Ian

We had a lot of fun!