This isn't worth your time...

(I can't even tell which kid this is, so I think I can totally post it here, because its just a darn cute picture!)

Well, maybe it is. I'm not posting any sort of an update, since I currently have too many proverbial juggling objects currently suspended over my head, which would contradict the laws of gravity, were it not for the fact that they are proverbial. But it doesn't change the potential that at any given moment one or more of them would come crashing down onto my head, crushing me emotionally or at least causing some amount of neck damage. And I don't like chiropractors.

But I am posting some pictures I took at the zoo yesterday!


Random?

OK, I'll give that to you. But I have always heard from other out-of-towners (say that part with a MN accent) that the zoo here isn't all that great. And while there is a special place in my heart for the Minnesota and Oakland zoos, I have to say that this zoo is pretty good. I thought it was my first time there, but in a few of the spots I had some odd and vague memories resurface, so at some point on one of the many family pilgrimages to Utah in my childhood, we must have visited the Hogle Zoo.

So yesterday I took my class on their final field trip of the summer. We have gone on one per week for the past 14 weeks, and we have seen and done all sorts of fun things, and I am really done with taking groups of 15-20 kindergarten age children out in public. But at the same time, I am now pretty well versed in Salt Lake area activities for kids.

The zoo is one that I would recommend. Especially with all their little babies born in the past few months.

Like the itty bitty giraffe!

And the teeny tiny meerkats!

Of course, Its not just baby animals that were oh so fun to see!

There was a ferocious tiger... giving himelf a bath...

(You try explaining to kindergarteners why the kitty is licking his bum... I just love to see GIANT cats acting just like house cats)

And there was a not-so-cuddly Rhino who came up close to us when the kids were all yelling at him...

(I think he could smell that one kid... you know the one.)

And the bears were actually being active. This one reminded me of the bear that used to eat out of our garbage cans in Warroad (but I'm sure its a totally different species, this is just how I would imagine them when I could hear them at night outside the window.)

Of course, my usual favorites weren't active in the least, since it was entirely too hot for them

I've never seen a sadder group of arctic avians. Even if it was only a mild August day in Utah, they were positively lethargic.

Then again, as the day went on, many of the zoo inhabitants were getting lethargic...

(I think this is called a black footed sand cat or something. Whatever. Fully grown it still looked like a leopard kitten, and I want one!)

Because after all, who wants one of these wandering around their yard:

OK, so maybe that would be fun. At least it would keep away stray cats and unwanted neighbors.

Of course, so would this guy:

But they might also frighten away visitors that you do want to see. Like that baby meerkat one more time. (I seriously couldn't get enough of these little guys)