Baby Elephants

The elephants at the zoo had their babies! that's right, two new elephants!!

and they are too cute! Last night was "members only" night and we had so much fun! We took dinner with us and ate there!! When you ask Ellie who she saw at the zoo she says with joy, "baby!" (pronounced bobby) then she holds her hands up in hte air and in her deep scary voice says "big!" (because the mommy walked by the viewing window and Ellie got a great shot of the big butt!!)

HAVE I MENTIONED THAT THE PITTSBURGH ZOO ROCKS MY SOCKS OFF??!!

LOVE IT!!

~

ps. now Josh asks to listen to the "no trucks in heaven" song

my Diva!

Picking out her own outfit...

Pirates shirt

pink shorts

dora socks

with pink crocks!!

the first time i have done this!!

she didn't even know...because she couldn't see it

she's too cute!

The Big Cheese!

We got it on camera! He likes funny voices

and he perfers to be played with right after he eats.

Other attempts at trying to get the grin!

"sneeze"
"what?"
"i could spit up at any time"
"you're going to have to be more entertaining for a smile from me!"
"are we done taking pictures yet?"

hanging out with Ms Kelsey and Zach

and eating dessert with berries in it...

the dress is...still wearable. sad moment. zach has been wearing a head band around

and josh wants to be just like him!

cheese!

Matt smiled at me today!! and it wasn't just gas!! it was a real smile!!! but it will be a while before i can get him to smile and capture it on film! i'll keep trying!!
hope you're smiling right now! :D

Ribbit Ribbit

When I tried to dress her today, she cried because she didn't want to take off her "ribbits" too cute!

"giraffes don't say anything, they just have really long necks!" (hey Dunnes, we miss you!!)

no trucks in heaven!?

Josh and I were headed to the dentist together (he actually let the dentist look in his mouth!) when we got behind a police car. While an adult would slow down and drive extra cautious, this just brought Josh excitement and pure joy! "If only he would turn on his lights!" thought Josh. So, this prompts a conversation about the law. I tell him the difference (in four year old language) and similarities in state law and God's law which gets him thinking about heaven. I think its instinct for him to think about heaven when he hears God's name mentioned.

"How do trucks and cars get to heaven." said Josh
"there are no trucks and cars in heaven." I said. A look of pure sadness came over Josh's face as I realize these are his idols and Gods and he wants to worship them for the rest of his life.
He must have thought I was crazy because he took it another step farther:
"well, what do they do at the construction sites? (thinking: how do we get to the sites and how do they move dirt?)" said josh.
"there are no construction sites in heaven either."
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Cor 5:1
more sadness. i bet if he knew the word, he might have proclaimed "blasphamy!"
instead he says, "there are no construction sites in heaven!, why?"
"Well josh, Jesus has prepared everything for us already." after another puzzling look, I said, "everything is already built, there are lots and lots of rooms." (I think of the song "Big House" by Audio Adrenaline and I am thankful for the lyrics to help explain this to josh in a simplier way...)
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

he seems ok with this for a bit and then another (random) question:
"how many chairs does God have?"
"One for everyone." I reply, with emphasis on "everyone" in awe of the amount.
"woah!" said josh!! "does he have a table?"
"a big big table with lots and lots of food!" (more lyrics from "Big House"...so i'm starting to think that i sing that song so much he is just referencing that mentally for asking his questions. especially since ellie knows the hand motions too.)

After reading a post from my good friend Lee about her little girl (Yaya, as Josh fondly calls her) and her questions about heaven, I am amazed at their questions and interest in heaven. I am also amazed at how much they can understand, or try to. I also realize what a huge thing (three things...i mean children) that has been entrusted to me to teach and the trust they have in our answers.

little firecrackers

Levi (one of my friends babies) on the left and Matthew on the right...
i wonder how many more little firecrackers there are out there...

i almost forgot to post zoo pictures!!!

The Pittsburgh Zoo

ROCKS MY SOCKS OFF!!

I love this place. I might even love it more than the kids do!

We asked the grandparents for a membership to the zoos as the kids birthday present! What a great present this is already turning out to be and I know we will continue to use it. One of the best parts is yet to come in the blog...i will explain later. :D

When you get to the zoo, after coming in the gates, you have to ride the loooong escalator! even zach got scared at the top! Josh, on the other hand, loves it!Ellie trying to be a flamingo!

My monkey man!
looking at the crocs!
Josh trying to be a flamingo!
ok, so this is one of the best things about the zoo membership!

it's called the zoo key. the ordinary man has to pay for the zoo key.

members however, get theirs for free!

at each animal habitat there is a green box to insert the "key"

if you put it star side up, a childs song about the animal plays and ellie breaks out in her groove!!

if you put it in square side up, the famous pittsburgh adult teaches you about the animal in a fun way!! looking for the key box was a great way to keep him interested, invested and kept him going!! So much fun!!

watching the elephants!
then moving on to the zebras!

this is just a precious picture...and so is the next one!!

i don't know who was more excited about the elephants...

but i can't wait to go back!!!

the boyz playing "tag, you're it!" while holding their pants up!
before going into the aquarium, this fish "tank" was outside.

josh actually leaned in and kissed one of the HUGE fish!!

matthews first trip to the zoo!

just inside the aqurium...josh being goofy!

the penguins were the best part of the day!

they played the whole time!!

in the fish tank!

"now mommy, this is where the big white bears are and

that is where we are going next." (he was totally right by the way!)

that is a scuba diver in the fish tank!

they were cleaning the glass and also the plants!

it was weird seeing them in there!!

so, we leave the aquarium and head to the polar bears.

there was a zoo keeper there and josh wanted to know when they were getting into the water. she told us that they are land animals and therefore, only in the water about 10% of the day. I was so sad (i really wanted to see them in the water and i was sad for josh!)!

then, we went around the corner to the next viewing window...and they had dove in!!!!!

you can see the bear to the left of josh's head in this pic, then it swam right past josh!!

so we ran down to the tunnel!

this is the polar bears swimming above us!

I could have spent the whole day in there!!!

i didn't even ask her to do this,

she just loves zach that much!!

where are the sea lions??

the sticker on the glass asks you not to throw pennies. it was weird.

ok, so this is the playground. and the reason i dressed the kids in orange.

it's easier to see them in a crowd! ellie stuck to the stairs, josh loved the slide!

he touched the deer this time!!!

(when he went with grandpa,

he didn't want to touch it. only ellie did!)

josh touching the kangaroo too!!!

and ellie BEING a kangaroo!!

boing boing!!

remember these from gym class??!!

ellie actually figured out how to use it!

the sea lion viewing tank