Let's try that again....

I posted the information about our trip last night with these pictures, but realized later I must have been super tired because it came out very odd when I actually posted it. So I am not going to try to do any fancy picture placement, just straight down. And I will be more coherent now as I am not tired:)

We surprised the kids with a trip to the Bay Area on Friday after school. We stayed in a hotel with an indoor swimming pool, and then went to the Oakland Zoo the next day. Here are the oldest three in the fold out bed. We had to graduate to the Embassy Suites with so many of us. Ben and I had our own room, and the five kids were in the living room. Honestly, we only told the hotel that we had two children as they make you get a second room past four people. Yeah, not happening! So we were a little sneaky, but I think they noticed anyway and didn't really care. It's hard to hide a family of 7!

At the zoo. You can see Nathan's monkey backpack here. What a lifesaver! He likes to run, run run, and without this he would have been lost in the crowd multiple times. We did get quite the attention, not only having twins but having a child on a "leash." Most parents looked at it longingly as they chased down their own two year olds. With five kids, we have to be creative. Which Ben will post later about:)

The girls did so well. They slept almost the whole time, ate, and were content in the stroller. We got the regular oohhs and aaahs that come with sporting two of a kind. But we have mostly started to tune them out or all you do all day is stop and let people gawk. Our Valco stroller is officially the best Craigslist find ever. It saved us on this trip!

Kids looking at more animals. Nathan LOVES looking, and constantly wanted to climb into the fenced areas. Thank goodness it's not possible. He especially wanted to romp with the honey bear. No fear, that kid!

In the reptile house. Emma and her face! Classic Emma lately. But she did have fun, promise.

Mr. "Cheeeeeeessssse!!!!" He looks so grown up here.

Bailey and Emma posing.

Addison and Nathan in the stroller. We had to eventually pull Kate out and strap Nathan in. He can only handle so much:) Where is Kate? hee hee, you'll see later.

Play area at the zoo. The kids loved this probably more than anything. We could have gone to just a park and they would have been happy. But we did get in to the Oakland Zoo for free since we are Sacramento Zoo members (thanks, Mom!) So, they got some educational stuff in their brains as well.

It was a great trip that we really needed. It was nice to get away and just have some fun, despite the enormous amount of work it takes for only 24 hours! We do make quite the site out and about, which for other people, we were the highlight of their trip!