Round these parts, Binder Park Zoo is pretty exciting. It’s the only place where you can get really, really close to very long, black giraffe tongues. What eight-year-old wouldn’t love that? So on my day off last week, Devin and I made a pitstop in Kalamazoo to pick up Grandma and then headed to Battle Creek and the long-tongued beasts. As you can see below, they also sport a very soft-looking nose. I didn’t actually touch it, but it puts me in mind of a horse’s muzzle. I love petting horse noses. Random fact, I know.

Binder Park Zoo is also home to the most expensive lettuce you’ll find. One leaf = $1. But since it’s for the animals, and your kid gets a big ol’ grin on his face, it’s not a bad deal. I wonder if they’d notice if I snuck in my own romaine next time?

The little baby was Dev’s fave.

Both my mom and my kid had some karmic connection with the guinea fowl.

It was hot…so there was ice cream. Of course!

And then the two of them did a little bit of goofing around…

On a totally unrelated note, the next day we made things with clay, including a camo-shirt wearing guy and a brightly colored brick house. (I learned a long time ago with Playdoh not to let it bother me when the colors get all mixed together.)

*I needed another “g” to carry on my alliteration.