Holiday Express at the Zoo

Last night Eli, Elina, and I attended the zoo's Holiday Express program and had TONS of fun.  I really do enjoy all the programs held at the zoo.  They do a wonderful job!  (We were sad that Evie and B had to stay home, but Evie had a fever and couldn't make it.  Bummer!)

First the kids played some games while we waited for the Holiday Express Train to arrive.  Elina's favorite game was a cups game and she was actually pretty decent at it!  (We had to play it today at home too.)

Then we rode on the zoo train, which was all decked out in Christmas decorations.  During the train ride, we picked up Santa and he hopped onto the train with us!  Eli and Elina weren't sure about him because they said he looked different from the Santa we went to visit last week (at Bass Pro Shops).  I was surprised that Eli didn't really want to meet him...not sure if he was shy or just a non-believer.  Elina also told me she thought that the Mrs. Claus there wasn't real because she saw that she was wearing a wig since her hair color was different underneath.  Where's the magic??

Anyway, when we got back to the station, the kids decorated and put together cookies in the shape of a train.  They also had the option of decorating a cookie tree, too.  While the kids were decorating, they provided popcorn to snack on. The funny thing is that Eli decorated the train and the tree, but didn't take one single bite of either.  He was completely focused on eating popcorn.  He was even just eating the popcorn that had fallen onto the table. Elina, on the other hand, made the train and devoured the whole thing!  She didn't even bother with the popcorn.  Eli is definitely my savory boy and Elina is the one with the sweet tooth.

Afterwards, we went into another room and the kids played homemade musical instruments for Santa while we sang "Up on the Housetop."  Then the zoo docents brought out a white ferret for the kids to touch.  Santa also brought out a beautiful parrot.

Then we headed out to the zoo to do some critter carols.  The kids blew on kazoos while the adults sang carols.  We sang to the capybaras (the largest rodents in the world), the gibbons, and the reticulated python.  The capybaras are nocturnal, but since we were there in the evening, we got to see them swimming around!  It was so neat because usually they're barely moving while we're there.  And the male gibbon actually came all the way down to the glass to watch us as we caroled.  It was neat, but kinda creepy.

After all the fun, we walked around and saw that a lot of the bears were out.  Since it was nice and cool, the bears were just hanging out!

All in all, a wonderful time at the zoo!