Gabrielle's 1st grade field trip 2 Luray Zoo...

yesterday, i went with Gabrielle & her 1st grade class on a field trip 2 the Luray Zoo

the bus ride was a long & bumpy 1...& of course Gabby picked a seat in the back - the bumpiest in the house! ~lol~

these BFF's played lots of hand slap games & were just being plain sweet the whole trip up

the class lined up 4 a pic when we arrived

there were lots of animals 2 see...monkeys, a tiger, all kinds of birds, wallaby's...

lemurs (or King Julian 2 most of the kiddos - u'll know what i'm talking about if u've seen Madagascar), a porcupine, a bobcat & a lynx...

there's a petting zoo section with goats, donkeys, a camel, yaks, deer...u can buy pellets & totally overfeed all those animals ~lol~

inside is the reptile center...all kinds of snakes, lizards, turtles & frogs...even 2 gators & an alligator turtle that they guess is 190 years old (it's 190lbs!)

we went back outside 4 a small show & demonstration...1st we saw the difference between a baby rat snake & full grown 1...then they brought out an armadillo that was born in the zoo

fun fact that we learned - armadillos can hold off on having their babies if the time isn't right 4 them - for up to 5 years! they also always have 4 babies - & they're always the same sex...either 4 boys or 4 girls - always!

the kiddos had a blast on this trip...they really enjoyed checking out all the animals!

on the way home, Gabby immediately went 2 sleep on me...she was a little teary too - she wanted me 2 stay & have lunch with her once they got back 2 school, but i had 2 get 2 work...so i chucked it up 2 her being upset about that...but it turns out she was trying 2 get sick!

Curtis called after picking the kiddos up from after-school care, saying Gabby was complaining she didn't feel good...by the time i got home, she was asleep in bed & felt a little warm...i woke her up 4 dinner, but she wasn't interested at all...she slept on thru the rest of the night, then woke up at 4am vomiting...she still felt a little warm when i left her home with daddy this morn, but she was back sleeping again

Jaden also went 2 bed with a migraine last night & Corinn said she "didn't feel well"...but i'm hoping it's all totally unrelated (& that Corinn is just wanting some attention too) & that this isn't the beginning of some virus or the flu!

say a prayer 4 us...that the sickies run their course thru Gab quickly & that they're then gone from our house completely!

thx lovelies!!!
♥

*side note about the zoo:

2 b honest, i struggled with the whole visit...i totally appreciate that this is a rescue zoo & that these exotic animals were once abused or not taken care of - that they're giving them a better life...but it's really hard 4 me 2 see these animals in little 4x4' pens or being fed pellet after pellet as field trip crews come in & out...some have barely enough room 2 walk/turn around in their cage, let alone run & feel free like an animal should

i don't know, maybe i'm not seeing the whole situation...maybe there's tons of room in the back somewhere & they do make sure the animals get plenty of exercise...they seem like nice people that genuinely care 4 the animals...i just felt sad touring the place :0(