a birthday & the zoo...

I've been absent from the blogging world for over a week now, and it isn't because I don't have cool tid-bits to share with you all...we've been doing some very fun things! My only excuse is that I decided to re-read the Twilight series and just finished Breaking Dawn last night. :) Enough said, right? So! Here is a re-cap for you all:

Nate turned 28! Like many of you, the tradition in our family is that the birthday boy/girl gets to request their favorite dinner and cake-creation, compliments of me. This year Nate asked for a chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream frosting...easy enough compared to last year's cake- a mint-chocolate brownie castle. ??? It looked more like a Mayan temple, but tasted pretty dang good. Anyway, Happy Birthday Natey! Love you!

We decided Asher was old enough to appreciate a trip to the Phoenix Zoo- he is an animal enthusiast afterall. It was absolutely perfect...we went early on a beautiful Friday morning, packed lots of yummy food & Asher's red wagon, and vowed to keep the trip relatively short- choosing to visit animals that Asher would recognize and enjoy. He loved the tigers, lions, rhinos, and elephants. He also liked watching the ducks and flamingos, I think that was due in part to the fact that you could get really close to them. Surprising dislikes included the giraffes, monkeys, bear & birds.

We were just getting ready to leave when I noticed that it was feeding time at the Sting Ray Bay Aquariam. It cost a bit extra (that's why we are pictured sans Nate), but it was SOOO worth it because you actually get to pet & touch the sting rays! Asher LOVED it!! He would have dove right into the shallow pool if I had let him. :) They kept coming up to his little out-stretched hand- it was so cute! I think they thought his little white fingers were food. haha!

While we were busy petting sting rays, Nate made a secret stop at the zoo's gift shop. Asher and I came back to the wagon and found this humongous present awaiting him...Daddy just can't say no to occasionally spoiling our little guy!

As you can see, the stuffed tiger was a BIG hit. Asher carries it around the house (as best he can) roar-ing.

Other than that, we've just been hangin' out- trying to hold onto the last few days of good weather. It's already starting to get icky-hot...