The Korenaks from A to Z: Family Vacation 2015: St. Louis Zoo

Thursday evening I got no sleep as the lightening crashed and the thunder roared in St. Louis. I was up all night looking at a radar covered in red and green, trying to figure out how I was going to break the news to Zane that we weren't going to be able to go to the zoo on Friday. It rained all night and into the morning, I worked on alternate plans, and tried to think of ways we could at least sneak in to see the penguins and polar bears in the midst of a huge thunder storm. And then, as we were leaving the store after buying ponchos, the clouds broke, and the sun shone on our zoo wishes.

We went ahead with our original plans and it was one of my favorite zoo days ever!! There were a few sprinkles at the beginning, but nothing that our $0.97 ponchos couldn't handle. We spent a solid three hours seeing all of our favorite animal friends. We went through the new elephant trails and saw all the new bear exhibits. We didn't get to see the Hippos, but we did get to see scuba divers cleaning up the hippo poop, which was just as interesting. Turns out a lot of cleaning goes on at the zoo on drizzly, cloudy mornings. All the animals were out and playing in the cool June weather.

Of course the Wamser clan met us there and everyone was so excited to be together again. I miss them dearly!

Best buds!

While we waited for Michelle we took Jangle into the bug house to see some creepy critters.

The new bear exhibit was lots of fun and the bears were out playing in the rain.

Family photos with the elephants is a must!

Once we had been through River's Edge we met up with Aunt Trina and her kids. Then it was time for the main event, penguins and polar bears! The penguins never disappoint. The pure joy on Zane's face when he sees the Rockhoppers, and as he gets splashed by stinky penguin water, is worth all the struggles to get there. He absolutely loves it and I love seeing him so supremely happy. This trip he had Jangle with him, who needed lots of photos with the penguins. I think our family photo with the penguins might just make the Christmas card this year, is completely sums up our life.

In his St. Louis Zoo penguin shirt, in front of the penguins, BEST.DAY.EVER!

The brand new polar bear exhibit is right outside of the penguins and thanks to the cloudy/drizzly day there were no lines. Kali was out and playing in his big habitat and Zane could not believe he got to see a real life polar bear, "just like in the Arctic." The exhibit is huge and lovely, so glad we got to see it.

From there we headed to the carousel then on through the chimpanzee exhibit, where everyone was out and running about. The sea lions were all swimming, except the one who was napping underwater.

Of course we had to make our way up the hill through the snake house, by the lions, tigers, and zebras before calling it day. Rowan had no fear putting his head up against the glass beside a boa constrictor, but don't get him near a dog, silly boy.

Before we left it was time to get the last penguin in Zane's penguin set, a St. Louis Zoo Humbolt Penguin. He has been patiently waiting since our last trip for this guy so he could have one of each kind of penguin from the St. Louis Zoo. He knew just which one he wanted and quickly named him Gru because he had a long nose like Gru from Despicable me. Rowan was persuaded into getting a polar bear, instead of yet another penguin for our house. It was bitter sweet walking back to our car as I knew how much Zane would miss his penguin friends. We had lunch at one of our St. Louis favorites, Rigazzi's, with the Wamsers before saying our sad good byes and heading on down the road.