Disney Sweetens the Deal

We were hoping to take the boys to Disney World this Fall anyway, but when I got the offer for the FREE dining promotion, we went ahead and made our reservations!  We won't be going to see Mickey until November, but I am already SO excited!  We all still talk about our trip to Disneyland last Fall and what a wonderful time that was.  The boys will flip when we tell them we're going to visit Mickey's house in Florida! No, Carter & Davis do not know about the trip.  We will tell them when it gets closer to avoid a daily "Are we going to Disney World today, Mom?!" question. 

If any of you are thinking about a Disney World trip this year, it's worth checking into this dining plan offer. For our family of four, it is a value of over $850.  Considering how expensive it can be to eat in the parks every day, this is a huge convenience and money-saver.  *The extra-good news is that Grandad & Grandma Nancy are going to be vacationing with us, so we will all be able to enjoy the magic together with plenty of of adults to help keep track of the boys. Can't wait!

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

After hearing from several mommy friends that the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was worth the drive to Colorado Springs, we decided to check it out for ourselves!  The zoo did not disappoint and the highlight was being able to feed the giraffes!  We had never been this close to a wild animal before (I guess giraffes are wild?) and it was a thrill to feed and pet them!  Sean's funniest comment was "Their ears were a lot harder than I thought they'd be."   So, there you have it!  Our giraffe experience in a nutshell.  :-)

 You can buy lettuce leaves at the zoo and feed the giraffes until your heart's content.  Incidentally, the people next to us decided to put a lettuce leaf on their toddler's head & that turned out to be a bad idea (duh!) as the giraffe nibbled a little bit of blond hair along with the lettuce.  Live and learn, people!

 Check out the super long giraffe tongue reaching down (above Carter's head) for the lettuce!

 We had a great time exploring this zoo & would love to go back sometime.  The only downside was the fact that it started pouring rain at lunch time, forcing us all inside for a $40 lunch!  (I told Sean that this was good preparation for our Disney trip coming up this Fall!)

 Did I mention the zoo is built on the side of a mountain?!  Lots of good exercise to be had while you're checking out the animals.  

 Sean assessing the progress on the zoo's new elephant habitat.  Is he an engineer, or what?!

 What's a trip to the zoo without a ride on a zoo train?  We were bummed to miss out on the Sky Ride (a ski lift ride to the top of the mountain) which was also closed due to rain.  Maybe next time!

 Three Beilmans in a circle, looking for Tigers...

 ...and two Beilmans in an Otter cave!