The Day the Cherubs Met the Cast of Madagascar

Today was the long anticipated trip to the zoo.

Today was also the day in which I took two happy pills. I had to ride a bus full of eight year olds, after all. The source of a million temple poundings. I don't know how bus drivers do it. They are the true heroes.

Fast forward 38 minutes...

The cherubs are separated into four groups. Each group has a designated "mom in charge." Again, true heroes. Anyway, this particular group was no more than 100 feet through the entrance before finding trouble.

Oops. Apparently, no one in this group saw the big white sign with bold, red letters.

Then they made their way across the path and found more trouble.

Um, excuse me? Would anyone actually like to look at the animals today?

Here's one of my TA's. Another true hero. Teenagers; just can't stop texting. Kidding. She's trying to get a picture of Melman the Giraffe.

How close can you get to a giraffe?!? (without zooming in, mind you)

Or a lion.

Or a cheetah.

Or King Julian, the lemur. Thank you, Madagascar for introducing cherubs nationwide to the absolute adorableness that is the lemur.

During our riveting tour centered around animal adaptations, the cherubs' fearless leader, yours truly, suddenly had to use the restroom. I'll never learn. Not wanting to walk all the way back to the entrance, I discovered this eyesore behind me.

Now at first glance, Pit Stop seemed to be wearing a halo. And I swear I could hear angels singing. However, once I got inside, I realized the angels I was hearing weren't singing as much as screaming a blessed warning to just run the other way. Or go in my pants. I heeded their warning and got the bejeezus out of there.

And then the dryheaving began.


Time to carry on.

Let's go visit Gloria and the other hippos.

Whatchu lookin' at, girl!?

And then the rain started.


Lucky cherubs don't melt. Though a few tarnished. Poor things.

And of course, we had time to play on the playground. How incredibly fortunate for the cherubs. They don't have ANY playgrounds ANYWHERE at home.


Then it was time for a class picture. Before posing, we spotted this boa constrictor.

It's just a worm, I know this. But it was HUGE!!! Nine years of CSI has taught me lots of things, like how to commit a crime and not get caught, but more importantly, how to accurately measure something when a ruler is not handy:

See. All those Thursday nights in front of the t.v. are finally paying off.

NOW we can take a class picture. This was my last threat of the day. "You better all smile! Don't make me throw you to Alex the Lion!"



What a good lookin' bunch. I think it's clear they take after Punky Brewster up there in the right corner.

Until next year...