To Buffalo We Go!

This year for the 4th of July, we drove out west to Buffalo, NY to visit the zoo and one of our favorite restaurants ever- Texas Roadhouse. The kids did very well on the hour and a half drive. Jack often says, "I love this van!" We took out the middle seat and pushed the two ends together so the kids could sit close together. They like to hold hands or poke each other and laugh. Jack also shares toys with Callie when he's in the mood to.  

We planned our trip so we would arrive at the zoo a little before lunch time, then have a picnic, then enjoy the zoo until dinner. So far, so good!

We gave Jack a disposable camera to take pictures of the animals he saw. He was pretty excited. We showed it to him and asked him what it was and he said, "A real camera!"

Part of our plan for the day involved getting Callie to take a nap in the stroller. She has never done this before, so we were kind of taking a chance. We actually ended up having to push around two strollers because our double stroller does not allow for Callie to lay down. It wasn't a big deal though, and it actually worked out quite well. Callie took a short nap and then was ready to enjoy more animals!

Here are Jack and Mom riding an old-fashioned horse-drawn wagon! (Well, minus the horses.) Jack is giving a nice, cheesy smile!

Callie was getting a little cranky, but we got her some snacks and she was good to go!

Sorry for the blurry picture, but it turned out to be cute, anyway. We were going for that "peeking out from opposite sides of the tree" look. 

There was a carousel for the kiddos to enjoy while exploring the zoo. We had to try it out, of course. They don't look it, but both kids were pretty excited to ride. Any time Callie sees a carousel she gets very excited and says, "Horsies!" (It sounds more like, "See-sees!" but we get the idea.)

After the zoo, we stopped at a nearby park to try out the swings and the slides. The kids had tons of fun and expended lots of energy. Then it was time to eat!

There was a "balloon guy" at Texas Road house making balloon shapes for the kids. He made Jack an Elmo balloon. It actually looks a little creepy, but Jack loved it!

The guy made Callie a little heart/flower thing, but she promptly began chewing on it, so Mom had to confiscate it until after dinner. 

Here's the family enjoying our delicious dinner. (Callie is trying to reach for the bucket of peanuts that looked enticing.) After dinner we made the drive home, full of good food, tired from walking and exploring all day, and ready for a good nights' rest! No fireworks for the kids, but they've got the rest of their lives to see those- no rush! Happy 4th of July!