Ahh...the Oregon Zoo

August is in love with the zoo right now...

Which is super exciting for me since the boys are all spaced out about 4 years, it has been awhile since I had a kid crazy to explore the sounds and movements of nature. (although to be honest every time we go I get sad seeing the poor animals locked up)

Every chance we can we go "see the animals" And here in Oregon that often means braving the weather! The great thing about going to the zoo in the rain is that the animals are much more active...so this past weekend we did just that and I had all three of my boys there!

It has become customary to take a photo with the bear at the gift shop entrance. We acted like tourist and bought an umbrella (Mitch didn't have his rain coat)

August has quite the collection of zoo keys, which fit in the different information boxes around the zoo and talk about whichever animal you are viewing...

The mountain goats and 3 bears were busy exploring their spaces

There was this nifty wood carved mural and I walked right by it, the boys pointed out that it was new! 

Hello, you think I would have realized that, but I didn't

Now we have a picture of them at the "new" mural

Brayden and his nine year old self are getting pretty ridiculous when it comes to picture taking. He is always acting something out or pantomiming. It makes it hard to even see what he looks like anymore. He's always a blur in my photos: Exhibit A (below, Brayden the baby eaglet)

 The bald eagle sitting in the rain :(

Maybe he likes the rain though? We have several eagles at the High Desert Museum and when we go see them its snowing??

This is a mosaic tile piece depicting the life cycle of the salmon...I guess it always reminds me of my water sign and the fact I'm a pieces when I see fish swimming at each other. This one is pretty cool

To be true to our experience I added almost every picture of us stopping at the various key boxes...

This place is usually crowded, so I was excited to take pictures without a bunch of people in the way. I love that little tunnel thing off to the left there. The boys can spend quite awhile there just climbing up and down in the "hollowed log"

Brayden "the blur"

The sweet otters nestled up in their beds

 I was not happy the picture came out so blurry, having August nose-to-nose with the otter was adorable.

 This thing freaked me out...Usually the mountain lions are laying around. This guy was pacing and prancing around. (they were doing construction at the zoo and I think he was agitated)

 Still, this was a sight I'm not used to! FACE TO FACE

EEEWWW!!! I really do not like snakes, and actually when I found out I was having a boy that was one of the things that ran through my head...(we are never getting a snake)

 Turtles I'm okay with. I like turtles

The boys climbing up out of the log

 I just really liked this leaf of the ground

 Sea otters are the best. They are always out playing. No matter what. This guy didn't disappoint. He swam by the window cleaning his teeth...

These were some of my favorites *** As always ***

The Sea Lion was laying down below so they got a really good look at him

 Penguins are always fun, but very stinky this time!

 Each penguin has a name band on their arm so the kids kept trying to call each penguin by their name...Which was super awesome on this side of the glass...

I can't imagine what the penguins were thinking

 See the rain drops? That's how we roll

 This place usually has an insane line and crowds! This is such a difference! Don't get me wrong I love people, but I DISLIKE crowds.

 Boys comparing their hands to their primate brothers...

 The two orangutangs were out and slightly active. He ate some grass and then plopped on that branch and ate some leaves. EXCITING stuff

This was one of the little guys that made me sad. I don't know why these animals warrant such reaction from me, but seriously its depressing. He was just sitting (in the rain) rubbing the grass between his fingers...staring at us, staring at him. *sniff*

 And then across the way...this guy! He made me laugh. Just sitting with his feet pushed against the glass. Too cute! I was waiting for him to go to the bathroom or something (because we used to always catch the animals right before a bowel movement.)

 I guess there was one angry monkey. This was a broken glass in one of their enclosures.

The hippos got up and went for a swim..

 My boys always take a picture by the bat sign... 

This is Mitchel, Brayden, and August with Brent at the bat sign each when they were around two years old

And present day! (no Brent)

This snake kept rubbing its body all over the back wall, August was mesmerized by this

 FLAMINGOS

Not as pink as the lawn ones

 They were setting up the zoo for the Christmas time zoo lights, so there were little things here and there

 August is very interested in bugs...so this is always a highlight

 The birds...

Tiger claw. Fascinating stuff

This cute little squirrel statue...the boys really enjoyed it. Then Brayden tried ripping it off the bench (ugh)

Stamps! Usually for re-entry to the zoo, but we use them as our grand finale symbolizing the trip is now at an end.

I keep hitting the wall of realization that with a teenager, nine year old, and four year old my days of zoo visiting are numbered. 

It is weird to see Mitchel at 13, but remember him at 3 making monkey noises  and sitting on my shoulder to see the animals better...oh time, you sly devil.