The time we went to the zoo with Chuck's co-workers

It's not our usual M.O. to hit up the zoo twice within two weeks, but we're so glad we did - this time it was an excursion with some of Chuck's co-workers (Jenni, Craig, Brenna, Callie, and Wendy) and their families. It was a fun group - most of whom I had met before but don't get to see (not counting facebook!) very often. 

I can't tell you how happy I was to realize that Clyde's leg was resting on a rope (that he was instructed not to touch!) and not just being held in that position as some sort of flamingo-inspired pose. The hand on the hip is harder to explain...

The boys had a great time, as expected. It was significantly less crowded than on field trip day, so we had a little more wiggle room.

Chuck was quite taken with the jelly fish. It started looking a little hypnotic, so I moved us along :).

Taking a spin in the cool safari jeep by the lions. I figure this is a good preview of the boys' high school days when they can get themselves around to school/soccer/friends'/etc. Except minus the cool old-time jeep and add in a less cool old-time Saturn station wagon (excuse me while I take a brief moment to pray that the Saturn is still mostly running by then...). And seatbelts. Definitely add in seatbelts.

The boys took to feeding goats out of their hands as well as you would expect, considering how their mom feels about live animals with, you know, biting capabilities. I obviously opted out of this activity.

Oh, fun new thing at the zoo: dinosaurs! They're strewn throughout the place and they're big and they move a bit and are also LOUD, much to the displeasure of Craig's cute daughter Jaelyn. Bless her heart, she was very vocally opposed to each one - except the T-Rex, which didn't faze her.

The T-Rex did faze me, although I maintain I was just startled (not scared!) when it moved unexpectedly. And Chuck insisted we all pose running away from it. I'm still not sure why I agreed.

Our last (and favorite!) stop was the butterfly exhibit. I'd been a few years ago, but since then they've expanded it and it's a-mazing.

Craig and Jaelyn led our group inside and immediately Craig attracted several winged friends. Hopefully these pictures will provide lots of material for teasing Craig in the break room - isn't that what outside-of-work social gatherings are for??

It was so fun to just be standing sooo still and suddenly have a butterfly land somewhere on you! My favorite was the one on my back pocket :).

Will, Chuck, Clyde: such cute, contemplative butterfly-whisperers!

It's probably for the best that Jack had no idea that a butterfly landed on his shorts :).

After the zoo, we walked over to the park where we met another co-worker and fired up the grill for a BBQ lunch.

Jack mowed down on a hot dog... that was apparently a little hotter-off-the-grill than I realized when I handed it to him. It's all good, he went back for more!

I'm lame and didn't get any pictures with the whole gang - which just means we'll have to get together with them all again! Thanks to Jenni for all the planning; we had a great time.