Mini Vacation, Day 1

...or staycation.  The boys are still in school (blasted year-round) but we needed a break.  Needed.  So off we go to play hooky.  We didn't even tell them till right before we left!



We did the SL Connect Pass which allows you to see 13 attractions (or as many as you can fit in).  We took three days and saw 7 places from Mon-Wed.  We were hoping for 8, but Day 2 we had a sick kid, and on Day 3, the weather got in the way of the outdoor one we were hoping to see.


Day 1 began with Hogle Zoo.

 Sweet Rosebud checking out the monkeys

Daddy and Rosebud signing "elephant" together

as she sees one for the very first time 

All the kiddos looking at the elephants

Mom and baby were very photogenic

We went to a great bird show - here is the bald eagle in

front of our flag

lazy, sleepy tigers

Rosebud doing the slide all alone

After the zoo it was time for lots of cold water and a stop at Red Butte Gardens.

Strider and I had never been here before.  The kids garden was just the coolest thing.

This water feature is actually a snake's head and the whole body is a wire vine-covered maze.

The place was beautiful and Strider and I want to go back on a date.

Last stop on day one was Living Planet Aquarium.

We were just here a few months ago but they have

a new penguin exhibit now.

They were hilarious to watch!

Rosebud spent most of her day like this, pointing at all these
great animals that she has only seen in books, now
coming to life.  It was joyous to see her fascination
of it all.

Tune in tomorrow for Day 2.