Almost spring

While I am grateful that we haven't experienced devastating weather like some portions of the country, I do have to tell you that our spring has been grim-- cold, rainy, muddy, windy-- very much like fall. Friday, though, was a textbook beautiful spring day-- the kind that makes the bleak winter worth it. Sunny. Breezy. 65 degrees. The kids and I celebrated big time.

First, we had lunch at my favorite dive- a place that has its menu posted on the back wall and the most expensive thing you can order is $3.25. As we waited for our grilled cheese sandwiches, the best fries I have ever had in my whole life and I am no stranger to french fries, and a giant chocolate milkshake that we all split, Harry gleefully stacked jellies.

Jack did this thing he does where he smears ice all over the table and then licks the melted puddle off his fingers. I call it "trying to get the flu."

The kids were happy to eat the best junk food lunch in town (and so was I).


We spent the next 5 hours going to the zoo park, the zoo, the zoo park again, and our favorite playground on the way home. Then the boys went to bed at 6:45 and slept until 6:45 this morning. Perfection.
Jack rediscovered the swings

And whatever this thing is

How funny is Harry's Angry Birds shirt?

Instead of walking around the zoo in a logical pattern, I let Harry and Jack go wherever the heck they wanted, so we started at the back of the zoo and zig-zagged around after that, with no kind of sense to our journey. It was great to celebrate the opening of the merry-go-round with a couple of rides

We also made sure to hit up the concession stand for the first time since last season


Even better, all of the animals were finally on exhibit after a long, cold barren winter at the zoo. We saw all the bears (Jack's faves), the rhinos (my fave), and the brand new born-in-December lion cub (Harry's fave). The giraffes were all tranquilized and groggy looking because they have been sparring with each other and need drugs to hang out in their tiny yard-- a real bummer. The tiger prowled hungrily in front of the observation glass like he always does, looking, I think, at everyone's Crocs and thinking, "Mmmmmm, fat people in rubber shoes. Delicious." Even the flamingoes were hanging out on the lawn instead of in their sad winter cage.

Today, though, it was cold and windy again, but Friday made us remember that winter doesn't last forever, even in Wisconsin.