Tree Trimming at the Zoo!

Today we went to the Brookfield Zoo to decorate a Christmas Tree with Jack's Cub Scout Pack. 

I've never seen anything like it - there had to be two or three hundred trees set up around the zoo, with each designated to be decorated by a group, be it the Cub Scouts, Girls Scouts, Church groups, etc. 

Jack's den had it's very own tree, and the boys did a great job of making cub-scout-logo-colored paper chains, out of foam, to help make them weather-friendly.

 
The ornaments were a bit of a bust - this is what happens when you put a bunch of guys in charge of making ornaments.  I think I may have found something to volunteer my talents to next year!  There were too many cute trees for us not to raise our game up a notch (or twelve).  See?

But the boys worked together, over the course of about ten minutes, and had the tree done, which is a miraculous feat in and of itself. 

Particularly when some of them chose to do other things like test the wind resistance of their jackets...

And practice their climbing skills on the Zoo's light poles.

There were a bazillion kids there, but the place is so enormous that it didn't feel crowded.  Except for the zoo playground that is.  Marc  feared for Molly and Ben's lives when they first got there, but eventually the crowd lightened up.  By the time Jack and I finished the tree trimming, Ben was an absolute pro at climbing the rock wall and sliding down the slide. 

We didn't see any actual animals, unless you count these...

Or these...

Or maybe this little critter, who was so excited about the Carousel that he ran out and hugged the first "Daddy-ish" looking legs he saw...

The guy must have been a dad, because didn't even flinch!

He still didn't quite get it until we found the*right* Daddy-ish legs...

Yep, those are juuuust right!

It was a great day all around - Jack was a little sulky at times as is his tendency during the most 'wonderful' time of the year.  But I told him there was no place I'd rather be than at the zoo with him.