Zoo Pumpkin Bash

Today we made our annual trip to the Woodland Park Zoo Pumpkin Bash. It has become a tradition of sorts to dress the kids up in adorable Halloween costumes & spend a few hours outdoors surrounded by nature & animals every October. We weren't brave enough to test the limits of 10-month-old Jacob, so he stayed at home with my Mom. Of course, we had to take a few rides on the 1918 historic wooden carousel with hand-carved horses & visit Gerritt's favorite meerkats. We all got quite a show from diving pinguins. We made a mistake of renting a single occupancy stroller so Gerritt & Sophia kept arguing whose turn it was to ride (the arguing got more intense & loud around the kids' nap time). It turned out to be one of those gorgeous sunny fall days. It began to rain only in late afternoon allowing us plenty of time to enjoy the festivities. The combination of light, beautiful natural surroundings & Halloween-inspired decorations make the Woodland Park Zoo one of my favorite places to photograph the kids in the fall. Even though she had the choice of wearing the monkey & bumble bee costumes, Sophia insisted on being the butterfly again, just like last year. Gerritt wore the dragon costume I bought almost 2 years ago & was saving while waiting for him to grow into it.

Another dragon!

Gerritt is ready for fun!

Sophia & Mommy riding the carousel

So happy!

Riding the monkey

Gerritt's favorite meerkats

Gerritt & gorilla

Sophia & lion

Pinguins!

Halloween magic

Beautiful fall day

My cute dragon

Surprise found in the woods