Friday Favorites: The Week We Went to the Zoo

We had another great week!  We went hiking, to the zoo, and managed to get quite a bit of schoolwork and housework done.



Alec had a very early morning dentist appointment on Friday that got us up and out of the house.  By the time we made it back home I told the boys we'd have a shortened day of school so we could get outside and hike again after lunch.  The weather was beautiful even if it was still pretty wet/slushy out.  Slushy going and soaking wet shoes don't always make for a great hike but we still put in a full hour.




My husband asked me to bake up some cookies on Saturday.  I wanted to try out Nestle's new Espresso chips anyway so I baked up a batch of these cookies.  I also spent part of the day working on the blog, getting the tax stuff organized for the accountant, and planning a bit more of our vacation.



It was so beautiful out on Sunday that my husband and I decided to take the younger two boys on a hike (Ian was with his grandfather).  We hiked 5 miles!  It was wonderful and we got to take my husband on one of our favorite trails that he has never hiked before.





After the hike we stopped for lunch at the Pub 99 and went to pick out a new mattress; I have not shopped for mattresses in over 15+ years and just could not get over the sticker shock!  But I have to admit I LOVE it so much.



The boys and I set aside our schoolwork on Monday and headed to the zoo with a few of our homeschooling friends.  We spent a brisk day looking at all the animals; many of which were quite active!




Alec had karate on Tuesday and I had to take Evan to the doctor's office for complaints of ear pain.  We spent the rest of the day working on schoolwork.

Our new mattress was delivered on Wednesday; it is huge!  I was surprised that it was a good 4" higher than our old mattress but it so comfortable.  Ian had a fun chemistry experiment mixing chemicals and looking for reactions.. they were all clear and it was so neat to see what colors they turned into.



We had a quiet day at home on Thursday and finished up our latest Harry Potter book and watched another Harry Potter movie with some freshly popped popcorn.

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Comments

  1. Kari January 31, 2020 at 6:21 AM

    We need a new mattress as well. I am scared to even think how much they will cost.
    How were the espresso chips? I don't even think I have seen those in the stores yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne January 31, 2020 at 11:06 AM

      The espresso chips are really strong; my husband and I (who aren't coffee drinkers) liked the cookies but our younger two boys would not eat them. I couldn't eat the chips by themselves though. I think they would be great with a chocolate cookie base too. I love that chocolate and coffee mix.

      Delete
  2. Andrea NineJanuary 31, 2020 at 6:40 AM

    Yay to zoo time, and snow and Cookies!! Have a sweet weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Megan RussellJanuary 31, 2020 at 7:37 AM

    We recently bought a new mattress and bedroom set. I was surprised that the mattress was as expensive as the bedroom set - a king size bed frame, chest of drawers, dresser with mirror, and two night stands! But having a good mattress is well worth it! Also the cookies look delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne January 31, 2020 at 11:07 AM

      I walked out of there, looked at my husband and said "for that price I could have had the new living room set I've been eyeing!"

      Delete
  4. the 4 M'sJanuary 31, 2020 at 7:54 AM

    Thinking of getting a zoo membership again. I know we all love the zoo and they have made some improvements again to the Atlanta zoo. We went hiking with my sis n law a couple weeks ago when it was cold (35 or so) and we enjoyed it: we were all dressed for it so it was fun!
    www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne January 31, 2020 at 11:08 AM

      I really enjoy hiking when it's cooler out (just not in the teens or single digits though as I can not winter gear up enough for that!).. it's only in the past few years that I've really bought the proper gear for being outside in winter and it really does make all the difference.

      Delete
  5. Michele MorinJanuary 31, 2020 at 9:12 AM

    I love walking outside when the air is crisp and the ground is frozen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne January 31, 2020 at 11:09 AM

      Me too! Though I must admit that most things have just been wet and muddy this year which can make hiking a bit difficult.

      Delete
  6. Amy JohnsonFebruary 1, 2020 at 9:53 AM

    Isn't it unreal how much mattresses cost? And furniture too! Ugh, I love new furniture but I don't want to buy it. I love going to zoos. We always try to make it to the local zoo wherever we travel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 1, 2020 at 12:14 PM

      Yes I want a lot of new furniture but just can't stand the thought of parting with the money (especially since it seems like nothing we buy really lasts anymore!).

      Delete
  7. PamFebruary 2, 2020 at 9:28 AM

    You must be from RI I recognize the zoo!

    ReplyDelete
  8. DawnFebruary 2, 2020 at 9:33 AM

    I love giraffes. Your zoo trip looks great. What science are you using? The experiments look fun.
    Blessings, Dawn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 2, 2020 at 10:38 AM

      The experiment was part of a kit we bought called MicroChem Kit by Quality Science Labs.

      Delete
  9. NY Foodie FamilyFebruary 2, 2020 at 11:12 AM

    We usually visit the zoo in the summer when it's so hot, the animals are laying down sleeping. This is a good reminder to try and go when it's a little cooler out! Those are some beautiful hike pictures. I'm all about the waterfalls! Hope you had a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 2, 2020 at 5:27 PM

      I love hiking near water too; even if it's not a waterfall I find I'm drawn to that trickling sound of water.

      Delete
  10. Donna @ Modern on MonticelloFebruary 4, 2020 at 1:15 PM

    The zoo is always fun in the winter months and less crowded. Thanks for sharing your week with us at #HomeMattersParty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 4, 2020 at 2:09 PM

      It was also 1/2 priced! You just can't beat that.

      Delete

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