The Toledo Zoo

So it's been many years since I lived in Toledo and in that time the Zoo got a new slogan, but I can't get the old slogan slash jingle out of my head every time I talk about the zoo. So here it goes... pretend I'm singing it to you... The Toledo Zoooo - It comes ali-ive for youuu! I spent many a summer day at the zoo growing up.  It didn't hurt that we only lived about a mile away from the zoo and always had a membership. I remember walking to the zoo and then knowing that after we were done looking at the animals that we still had to walk back home. Ha! The things we remember from our youth.  I also have vivid memories of when the Panda Bears were loaned to us from China - that was an exciting summer and I totally had a shirt with the pandas on it. If you were a kid in the 80's in Toledo you did too. I'm sure. And I also always loved the koalas and wanted to hold one. And at least 3 of my birthday parties growing up were at the zoo.  My mom pointed out to me the area that my birthday parties took place as we walked past them on Friday. (I always got to pick out what animal I wanted on the cake.)

On Friday we decided to take Adalyn on her first trip (of many) to the Zoo! Thanks to my parents yearly membership it was a nice inexpensive day for us:) - Well, unless you count how much the food and drinks were!

 Mom always gets a picture of the grandkids in front of this polar bear. Adalyn's first of many pictures!

 A real polar bear up close and personal eating some ice cubes on a swimming break!

 Waiting in line for Adalyn's first train ride! We rode through Africa! (Oops! Adalyn's bow is so big that it is right in front of mom's face!)

 Some of the animals on the African safari train ride. They have special giraffes that have funny spots.

Sweet baby! She had this sweet watermelon bubble outfit on (that I got at a consignment sale!) and she got soo much attention and so many compliments. I guess northerners aren't used to the way that southerners get dolled up for a play day! (HA! I'm actually referring to us as southerners??!) {And really it wasn't like she was in a dress... it was a bubble outfit!}

  This stone elephant has been at the zoo for forever. We have many pictures of me on this elephant growing up. (They even have soft ground around it since everyone sits on it.) Little known fact... The elephant's trunk broke earlier this year and my uncle's stone company fixed it and it looks good as new. No one would ever know that it had surgery!

 Three generations! (My mom used to come to this zoo as a child also.) Adalyn looks like she was posing!

And this chimp was posing too! It was too funny. He was showing off!

We had a great time at the zoo and even though the temperatures were high, it was very pleasant. We missed seeing the 3 week old baby elephant and I was so sad. I guess that means we'll have to go back soon!  I'm sure this will be the first of many trips for Adalyn to the Toledo Zoo...It comes alive for you! (I'm ignoring the updated "I love my zoo" jingle...and taking it back to the 80's.)