Sunday, September 26, 2010

A Beautiful Summer (Fall) Day

I was quite elated this morning when my sister called to let me know that her ex-husband called in sick for his visitation today.  (Long story on this one, and not sure it's a story I should tell in this format).  So, I got an unexpected fun day with Baby-J ( who is 3 and I really should quit calling her a baby.  It was supposed to be a beautiful day outside today so J and I decided to go to the zoo with a picnic and then play at the playground before ending our day with frozen yogurt.

I should have gone to Subway for our picnic - they have fresh fruit options and your sandwiches can be made to order.  Unfortunately I went with Wheat Montana instead.  Chips instead of fresh veggies & fruits (I didn't eat them).  Didn't really like my sandwich, so I ended up tossing out at least half of it. Half of the zoo was closed for refurbishments (which begs the question, why wasn't the price to get in 1/2 off then???). 

The animals were pretty scarce - I think it was just too hot for them (it was upwards of 90 degrees today).  Boris the Grizzly Bear was out putting on a show - she was essentially just sitting in front of the fence and checking out all the people that were checking her out.  Right across from her, the wolverines were enjoying mealtime, so they were out putting on a bit of a show.  Other than that, the animals weren't out at all.  J just wasn't interested though - she just wanted to play on the playground.  So, I think next time we'll just go to the park.  But, at least at the zoo, I get to walk the trails so I can get some exercise in at the same time.

The sensory gardens were beautiful and there were quite a few trees whose leaves were changing to a glorious red color.  Not to be missed.  That's one of the reasons I love Fall (even in 90 degree weather).

After 2 1/2 hours at the zoo, I was ready for something cold and refreshing so we headed to town for frozen yogurt. I'm now officially in love with Red Velvet Cake froyo.  And I don't even like Red Velvet Cake.

I'm so glad we went out to enjoy the day - there won't be many more beautiful ones like this left before Winter rears her ugly head.

10 comments:

CindyS said...

It was a chilly weekend here reminding me that snow will be falling very soon. And I call my 24 year old cousin my baby girl (I was 15 when she was born) and now she's pregnant. I told her that she would always be my baby girl though.

CindyS

Dev said...

Cindy - I don't feel so bad then! As for snow, we always get it right around Halloween - which is getting closer everyday.

Christine said...

Hi Dev!
Thanks so much for following my blog! It's been so long since I've "heard" from you. Were you on blogging hiatus for a while or did I just lose my link to your prior blog somehow? Anyway, it's nice to "see" you again.

I always find it amusing that you can take kids to fancy places like zoos and amusement parks and boardwalks, and all they need to make them spectacularly happy is a simple playground. ^_^ I'm glad you got a fun day outside with your loved ones.

I've been consumed with weight loss in recent months and have successfully taken off 34 lbs. since April 1 and have about 23 more to go to my goal. I've had an exercise regime for the last 6+ years working out 3-4 days a week, but in the last year have upped that to working out nearly every day and doing harder things. It's made a big difference. Anyway, I'm always interested in chatting up about healthy food, exercise, and healthy living in general, so drop me an email anytime!

All the best! : )

Dev said...

Hi Christine ~ Yes, I was on hiatus. Almost a year, believe it or not! I got sidetracked with everything else in life and then just fell off the radar.

Congratulations on the weight loss! That's a huge accomplishment. I'm starting from scratch, so have to get back into the habit of exercising. So far, so good.

Christine said...

Welcome back, then! : )

Thanks for the congrats on the weight loss. I hope I didn't come across boastful about my success?! It was my intention to come across encouraging and inspiring.

I have been unhappy about my body for YEARS and can't believe I'm finally making the changes that are working for a healthier me. I do think I was at a success-advantage because I already had an exercise regime in place when I got serious about weight loss back in April. If I had to make changes in my diet AND start exercising regularly for the first time, it would have been even more challenging than it already was. However, even "starting from scratch" you can get results and establish those healthy exercise habits pretty quickly. A year ago I thought I was doing great and the best I could exercising four days a week. Now I get antsy--okay crazy is more like it-- when I miss one day and sometimes have TWO workouts in one day. Who is this crazy person??! LOL.

I'm so glad you are doing well with your exercise plan. Keep up the good work! You can do it, Dev!

Dev said...

Christine ~ Not boastful at all. And if you were - so what??? You should!!! It's a great accomplishment - never feel bad about bragging about it!

Christine said...

Aww, thanks, Dev. You're very sweet. :)

nath said...

While the animals were scarce, the scenery looks beautiful, Dev. Lots of colors :)

Dev said...

Nath - The colors were beautiful! It was an amazing day.

Teena in Toronto said...

It's been a couple years since I was at the zoo.