A Zoo-tiful Day!

Between Christmas and New Years, we got to take Kirsten to the San Diego Zoo!
Gotta love Zoo pictures!!!

We somehow picked the most crowded day I have ever SEEN to go to the Zoo, and it wasn't even a weekend! There were masses and hordes of people everywhere, and it took us forever to find a parking spot. Being there on such an insanely crowded day made it hard to see very many animals, but we spent a few hours there and managed to see some of the newer exhibits I'd never seen before.

I thought the new Elephant Odyssey was very cool! I loved the massive elephant statues that you could take pictures with.

Kirsten had a blast! She's at a great age for the Zoo now, and enjoys it much more than she used to. One of the highlights for her was riding the Skyfari. She kept pointing to it the entire time and wanting to "go uppy sky!" And she smiled for the entire ride!

We had fun being seeing Kirsten's reactions, and playing with the new Nikon to get some nice shots of the animals:

*Why does such a gorgeous bird have to be the stinkiest thing in the entire zoo? The flamingos are located right smack in the front of the San Diego Zoo, so they're always the first animals you'll see. One step in the gates, one deep whiff, and you'll know you're at the Zoo.

*The polar bears were really active! It's rare to see them play together like they were!

*The monkeys are always high on my list of favorites at the Zoo.

*I discovered the amazing new trick with the camera of focusing really far so you don't have to see the wires in the gate very much. Niiiiiice!

*Kirsten took one look at this guy and asked, "Scary?"
I guess I could see why she would ask.

*Awww. . . seeing elephants always reminds me of the time I rode one in Thailand. One of the most amazing days of my life!!!

*I just want to hug him and squeeze him and take him home with me! Why do they have to be so darn cute?

*Another cool travel story. . . I held a koala at the Australia Zoo! Love those cuddly little guys!

One of the best things about going to the Zoo that day was meeting up with my new friend Kim and her cute little girls, Azure and Skyla. I actually wrote a review and hosted a giveaway for Kim's awesome bows and hair accessories (read the review here and see her Etsy shop here!), and we became fast friends!

Kirsten had a great time climbing around with Azure!

Me and Kim have a ton in common, and it was so much fun to meet her in person! I never thought I could become friends with someone from reviewing their creations, but I'm so glad I did!

So we had a fun few hours at the San Diego Zoo!

After we left, we took Kirsten to the Corvette Diner, one of my long-time favorite fun places to eat in San Diego. They actually have a whole different location now, and it was different but still really awesome! We sat in a room that actually had glow in the dark tables, and all the waitresses sang and danced. If you live in the San Diego area or visit down there, you MUST take your kids there! I can't think of a more kid-friendly restaurant, and the food's great too!