beyond the front porch

what happens when i have access to a fully functioning car during the day?

1. the kids and i pack a lunch and head to the zoo.

it was a nice change of scenery from our usual walks around the block or a trip to the nearby playground.  the animals we saw were quite active, and since we have a zoo pass we didn't feel pressured to see everything in one day.

the giraffes were close enough to touch.

the 3 in the back wouldn't stop bickering.

 we went through the dinosaur exhibit, which didn't turn out as fun as emma expected.  those dinosaurs were big, and looked and sounded very life-like.  after we handed our tickets, she had a change of heart about going through with the whole thing.  but after calming her down from her hysterical crying (hello, i'm the mom with the screaming, inconsolable child), i convinced her to go through the whole thing.  she didn't look at one single dinosaur, eyes firmly planted to the ground, while gibson seemed to enjoy the whole thing.

hiding behind the tall grass...ready to pounce.

emma didn't even glance at these cute babies.

 to make up for emma's negative dino experience, we stopped by the poop on scoop exhibit on our way out.  she liked that a lot and was quite fascinated with the massive size of the elephant poop.  glad to know that poop makes her smile.

doing her business...

 2. 3-4 mini grocery trips during the week turn into 1 big trip.

without a working car during the day, any grocery shopping we do is by foot (and i can only carry so much in one trip).  it has been a great way to get exercise in for all of us, but it is nice not to have to take multiple trips to the grocery in a week's time.  on the plus side, wednesday is produce pick-up day through our CSA program, and that same morning is the farmer's market just down the street from our house.  i really love the accessibility we have to locally grown, fresh produce.  i'm really going to miss those when winter comes.

our city fresh wednesday pick-up.

 3. we actually get to go to playgroup.

it's been a while since we've made it to playgroup.  at first it was a nap schedule thing, and lately it's been a car thing.  so, it was definitely a treat to get out and hang with our friends.

the squirrel and my nephew...ready for a showdown.

baby buddies - only 2 months apart.

captivated by a captive locust.

 there are some great perks to having an extra working car around, and a week with it seemed like a luxury.  however, i will say that i would still choose to walk (or bike) to destinations whenever possible.  although...this may not be as practical in the winter time.  but still do-able.