Granby Zoo

Family time or vacation time is limited for us this year with the start of the business etc., so we have decided to make a few day or weekend trips here or there to make sure we keep our priorities in line.  This weekend we spent a day at Granby Zoo.

The ride is about 1.5hrs from where we are, so we packed up the truck with a stoller, lunch, swim gear and the not-so-sure about video player for Buddy's long drive.  I always vowed against this whole 'tv in the car thing'.  I never had one growing up and I survived long trips.  Trips from Vancouver to Sycamouse for a family vacation or to Lethbridge to visit my sister and family.  But at that time, I was the KID and surviving for me was easy ... my parents?  Not too sure how they survived!.  Now I'm the PARENT and I realize why people invest a hundred or two of that green stuff in a DVD player if they can.

Anyway, Wall-E kept Buddy company while we made our way to the zoo and when we got there, the weather was perfect, the parking wasn't even close to half full, and we had remembered everything. Well, everything except Buddys hat.  So that was the second investment ... this time for health and not sanity!

Once we got there, we enjoyed visiting Afrika, South America and Asia.  This was the first time Buddy experienced 'wild' animals outside of books, puzzles and tv.  He was in awe at the size of some of them I think.  And I was in awe of how many of them he knew by name.  Mr. De Waff.  Zeebrwa. Yion.  I loved listening to him say the ones he knew and repeat the ones he was seeing for the first time.  First times with this age is sooooo much fun for me.  Maybe that's why I'm an Early Childhood Educator!

Granby Zoo has a load of activities.  Not only do they have the zoo, but they have a huge waterpark - Amazoo.  I think part of the reason we chose a day trip here was because of the variety.  At 2 and 1/2, variety is your best friend.  And for Buddy, it was perfect!  After a visit to the zoo, an hours nap (in a stroller!  How comfy!) we made our way to Amazoo despite the change in weather.  The clouds came out with a bit of a wind, but that didn't stop us from getting a little wet ... (Well, it didn't stop Mommy and Buddy ... we twisted Dad's arm for a lazy river ride!)

Obviously not a pic of our family on the lazy river ride, but just an idea of it ...

Trying to make the most of water time with Buddy ... man, I was COLD!  Buddy was too.  His purple lips told me so.

Once we decided that our water excursion was done, there was only one thing that would help the transition OUT of the water.  A train ride.  We had purposely left that until the end of the day knowing it would help twist Buddy's arm to have a smooth transition.  Bribery?  Yeah, maybe.  Or maybe smart parent planning!  You choose!

So we headed straight for the train ride.  The rain held off and we enjoyed the last hour of our family day together.  There's nothing better than ending a day with a train ride and ice cream.  Oh yeah.  We threw that in there too!  :0)  Here's a bit of video of that train ride ... just click on it. 

From 2009-08-09 Granby Zoo

And a couple of pix to finish our day ...  and more HERE.