Toledo Zoo

We squeezed in probably one last family of 4 outing. We actually had a really busy weekend with a day at the Toledo Zoo on Friday, a day at our friend's house on the lake on Saturday, and then Sunday an afternoon in our friend's pool and dinner with them. I was ready to lay on the couch on Monday!!

We had visited the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo this summer and LOVED it, although it made the Detroit Zoo seem super lame in comparison. We had also heard good things about the Toledo Zoo so we made the trip. 

I did NOT like that they only had a 'digital map' option, come on, I'm paying $100 admission you can give me a paper map. 

First up, seeing the otters and waiting to watch the hippos get fed. 

Watching the hippos get fed was pretty cool

A bear enjoying a bath

Petting a crocodile

Doug said his favorite part of the day was carrying Jeanie on his shoulders 💗

37 week bump

Frogs in the conservatory

Tired daddy

You could also feed the giraffes for $5

It was fun. I think I did like it better than the Detroit Zoo, they had some good exhibits and more interactive things to do. Both of those zoos needed some help when designing the layouts though, its frustrating to have to back track all over the place to find exhibits (which would've been easier with a map) but anyway, that was one thing the Fort Wayne zoo really did well. 

Anyway, it was a hot, fun, nice day with the family. 

around the yard

Part of staying in our house still means that I'm ready to get rid of all these bare patchy lawn spots and create a "lush oasis" for our backyard and a place for the kids to play. 

The before, with the neighbor's tree.

This was a huge bare spot, and we chopped our neighbor's tree down (with his permission) that was hanging over onto our side. But it created a big spot where we could only see his sheds. Doug planted these climbing hydrangeas, which in several years though (unfortunately) will be tall and lush and a beautiful visual. 

(there is fencing between those poles so the hydrangeas will be able to climb up and branch out.) 

After planting the hydrangeas and the fresh sod.

Several years ago, mom and I dug up all the stuff around the deck and planted violets, but sadly none of them stuck around. And it's just been this yucky dirt and bare spots for years. 

We laid sod all around the deck and also later planted some shade grass seed when we ran out of sod. 

Sod is actually pretty hard to take care of. We watered it forever for weeks, but one too-close grass cutting and it messed some of it up. Sigh. So we are going to see how it grows back next spring, and maybe come then, rip of some of those spots and do the grass seed instead. But hoping it grows back better!

This very splotchy spot in the back gets a lot of downed leaves and not much sun. 

Another leafy, weedy area by the side of the house. Cleared it all out, laid down some weed barrier, and then covered with pond rocks. 

Looks so much better!

Also laid 18 bags of brown mulch around my flower beds, and 8 more of cedar mulch on the other side. Seems like I'm always pregnant when I do my mulch beds and it's so much work! But it makes everything look so nice.

And finally blooming:

Blooming!:

And my garden growing away:

40

Starting off 2021, and knowing I was turning 40 this year, my goal was to be "40-fit-and fabulous".  Like the next day I found out I was pregnant, so the "fit" part has taken on a slightly different spin, haha. I actually do feel pretty good for being 8+ months pregnant, but anyway, at least I have the "fabulous" part down, lol!

I had a very nice 40th birthday. Started the day with breakfast with my family before church. Doug (and kids) got me a National Parks shirt, gourmet chocolates, sweet cards, 3 gallons of my favorite icecream Eskimo Kisses (!!), and two other things deserving of a little explanation. He knows I am a fan of Lauren & Arie from the Bachelor, so he worked so hard to write to them and ask for them to send me an autographed picture for my birthday. He didn't actually hear back from them, so he printed a picture and wrote a note to me "from them", haha! But I really appreciated the thought. Also, when I was a child I wanted harp lessons, but harps aren't cheap and not really practical so I got piano lessons instead. But at some point I must've mentioned this to Doug and he got me a gift certificate for 3 harp lessons! So thoughtful. It just made me feel so special how he makes my dreams come true. 

We went to church and then after lunch we headed to a friend's house. We had Liz's 40th at her house and it was just so fun with the kids running after chickens and the book club girls and their families hanging out, so it was so generous of her to host for me too! My brother and his family have been in town for 3 weeks as well, so it was so wonderful to have my family there too. 

No super great pics, but such good memories and nice times being with a lot of my favorite people. 

My family 💓 (missing napping baby Juliette)

And all my generous gifts, wow!

I'm so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family, and a new little blessing joining our family soon. I'm excited to see what the next decade holds.