Monkeys at the Zoo and Busch Stadium

As soon as Braden got out of school the first day, Friday, we loaded in the car and headed to St. Louis for one final road trip of the summer!

We try very hard not to travel into bedtime, but this time it couldn't be helped. Poor Braden passed out before we rolled into town, so only Mason was greeted by all the lights of the city and got to say "Hello St. Louis....where is it?"

Saturday morning we hit the zoo! Mason's second visit to the St. Louis zoo was a lot more exciting for him, thanks to Baby Einstein videos he is very familiar with the animals we got to see (bears, zebra, giraffe, lion, monkey, alligator, elephant, tiger, and cantaloupe or what you may call antelope)

Daddy pointing out the tigers

Mom talking about the boa snake crawling right towards where we were

It was a lazy day for the lions, the large male barely moved except to twich his ears at flies.

Braden was the one to spot the female lion relaxing in the tree above the male.





Blake got a great shot of the giraffes in the background, just below where Mason's arms are. He will deny it, but he has a great eye for photography! Who's artsy fartsy now!

Mason didn't quite make it back to the hotel for nap, he crashed in the car. As Blake was dropping us off at the front door, Pop was helping Nan and Rhyan unload. Mason woke up and with his little power nap, he was not going back down.

Blake took them for a swim in the pool, while I walked a few blocks over for a little recreational shopping (major score on Braden some school clothes for next year!) By the time I got back, Mason was cranky, and very much needed to nap while Blake and Pop took the "big boys" to ride the Metro. That's what Braden asked to do the entire drive. Nice when you can entertain so cheaply!

Needless to say, Mason's late nap kept us from seeing the first pitch with the rest of the gang, but our hotel was just across the street, so it was no big deal for us to walk over and join them!

This was Rhyan's first and Braden's sixth trip to Busch Stadium. I think these two really enjoyed each other's company!

Mason with a mouthful of water...at home we usually ahve to hold his nose to get him to swallow it!

This is Mason's FIRST Cardinal shirt that was not passed down to him! It is his very own. Blake took him for a potty break and came back with it!

The night ended with us eating chocolate ice cream in our hotel lobby, until almost 10 p.m. Grandparents are such a bad influence!