Valentine's in Tucson

(standard post warning after a long weekend event... lots of pictures! Maybe only the Michigan outlaws will want to see all of them...)

For Valentine's Day we headed down to Tucson to visit Great-Grandma Walcott. We left Saturday morning, after a rough start and meltdown at Dunkin Donuts. Once we arrived, Uncle Bobby and Aunt Sarah watched our munchkins so we could go on a proper date, which involved lunch, gelato, and visiting Ron in the hospital. Romantic, I know!

When we arrived back at Grandma's, Uncle Bobby (it drives Paige nuts that a full grown man is called "Bobby," but that is who he is) was in the midst of getting our kids completely wound up before bedtime. He was doing this when I was 5 years old, and not much has changed since then!

They finally wore him out...


Luke just enjoyed watching...



The next morning we emptied an entire bottle of bubbles


Notice anything unusual about this photo? I didn't until after I took it...


Aunt Ruth thought huge amounts of chocolate would be appropriate just before bedtime (notice a theme here with aunts / uncles and bedtimes?)



After a day and a half of our kids, Grandma and Aunt Marge were completely worn out (Sorry Grandma, but this picture is too funny not to post!)


The next morning we headed to the Tucson Zoo




They got way closer to this giant pigeon than I was willing to!


Ever wonder how people get eaten by the animals at the zoo? I must have said "Do not climb the fences" about 100 times. Good thing there were only zebras in this enclosure...


Luke chillin' in the stroller


The wildlife wasn't only behind the bars. This guy's beard was rockin'


We of course had to stop and examine every pipe, tube, and drain along the way...




Hatching from an egg..


The fam. Well, minus me and Luke...


I think they had more fun sliding down this cement block than looking at the animals. From the polish on the surface, it was obvious that they weren't the first to think of this...



And no trip to the zoo would be complete without ice cream



When we drove up to the zoo, even Paige noticed that "green" vehicles has reserved parking spots at the front of the lot (don't get me started.) But apparently Tucsonians have a different definition of green. When we left the zoo, these were parked in the "special" parking.


And then there was this parked next to our van...


As I was taking the picture and commenting about "what kind of genius would ruin a nice car by painting it such a hideous color," the owners walked up to their car. Whoops!

We drove back to Phoenix Monday night, watching a Wonderpets movie most of the way. We made the traditional stop at Carls Jr on the way. The kids were hungry, Noah stating that he just wanted a "handful" of fries. Ella got some chicken stars, which she wanted ketchup with. When we told her that there was no where to put it in the car, she thought for a second and said:

"Well, here's what we can do..."

Then she sang, to the Wonderpets tune...

"We can put some ketch-up onnnnnnnnnnnn... a nap-kin!"

Paige and I were rolling on the floor. I wish I could have recorded it so you could hear it...