The Longest Day in the World (Or, Do This if You're Looking for a New Way to Get Tired)

The most effective way to get Tired Tired Tired is to start early in the morning.  After your husband leaves for work, drive off with your 8 children and Big Ol' Belly.  Run errands for too long while everyone groans and then...begin the fun!

We packed a picnic lunch and ate at the playground near the Tiny Zoo.

(Aidan's hair is growing long for winter now,  but he loved summertime spikes.)

After eating lunch and playing, we used our pass to go to the Tiny Zoo, where we discovered that Cadence is terrified to the point of tears by small goats. 

Fluorescent snakes were not a problem, however.

Children milling about.  Big Ol' Belly!

Cadence liked the white peacock, though, after we'd left those flesh-eating goats in the dust.

The coyote packs have been unusually large this year.  Because they've also been coming out earlier in the day than normal, Aidan would hear them in mid-to-late afternoon while playing on the trampoline.  Whenever he heard them, he'd rush inside, scared out of his wits.  The Tiny Zoo has a new exhibit with a couple of bored coyotes, and when we showed them to Aidan, he was surprised-- and relieved-- that they looked like dogs.  I wonder what his imagination had conjured up to match those howls he was hearing?

A couple of hours later, we were ready for the next stop-- me limping around like a peg-legged sailor, and this girl sound asleep.

Next stop was the children's center next door.  This was Aidan's first visit when he was old enough to actually appreciate all the magical things inside, and half of our fun was in watching his discovery of it all.

Meat, bread, and ice cream.  Thatta boy.

We spent a couple of hours here, too, but I didn't take many pictures.  Most are of Aidan because...FIRE TRUCK!!!

AIRPLANE!!!!

Then we walked outside in the Storybook Garden for a while.  By this point, I had a roaring headache and my back was ready to jump ship for a new owner.  But, oh, look at this girl! (..who'd ripped the buttons off her shoes somewhere in the Tiny Zoo.)

On the way home, I bought 2 half gallons of ice cream and some cones.  We stopped at another playground to get all sticky, eat ice cream for supper, and play until the sun went down.

Home at bedtime, jiggety-jig.  And snore.