The Denver Zoo

Earlier tonight the whole family went to the Denver Zoo to see their holiday light display. It was amazing!

We all ooohed and aaahed over the millions of twinkling lights. Every tree and shrub was covered. Stars and globes hung overhead. Lights outlined the shapes of every imaginable animal, and many gave the illusion of moving. Sam was incredibly impressed, and we were having the best time. We had no idea the animal houses would be open!

We walked into the first house and there it was - Sam's first in-person encounter with an elephant. Two elephants, in fact, using their trunks to shove food into their mouths. Sam gave a little scream and then trumpeted his little heart out at both of them. Also in that building were two hippos, who were actually wallowing (I thought that was an exaggeration of their day-to-day lives, but there they were). Sam liked the hippos but 14-year-old Miranda was just blown away. I was watching her face as she scanned the water looking for them. The second her eyes registered on the huge, floating head she jerked back and her mouth fell open. She attests that it was the most amazing thing she has ever seen.

We went on to see several other animals, including camels (Sam didn't care) and sea lions (Sam barked and clapped his hands at them). Once he realized how amazing the zoo was, Sam couldn't stop squealing or pointing at everything he saw. The park benches wowed him just as much as the animatronic giraffe. (That reminds me - we saw giraffes, too. I thought it was awesome when the biggest giraffe bent his head down and stared directly at me and Sam, and then it started getting scary. After a few minutes I ended up backing out, terrified.)

Between the lights, the delight on Sam's face, and the Christmas carols sung in the car, I am definitely getting in to the holiday spirit!