Free Day at the Zoo! (Adult version)

With gas prices so high and things costing so much money, a frugal mom has to think of cheap, or even better, free ways to entertain her kids. So when the Denver Zoo has a free day, the Zelem family is first in line or at least we try to be. First, we have to drive 40 miles to get there in heavy traffic. Second, I gotta find a place to park, which mind you, everyone else and their brother, mother, grandma etc are looking for a spot too. Once I park and get out, I got into an argument with my kids about whether to use the wagon (hard for mom to pull) or the stroller (easy for mom to push) and I lost. Next, I gotta make sure pack all the crap that I have to bring along for the kids-food, water, sunscreen, diapers, wipes, jackets, hats, sunglasses, camera. Finally, after walking 2 miles from our parking spot, pulling the wagon full of kids and their crap, roughly weighing around 100 pounds, we get to the zoo. Yeah! No...wait! Now we must wait in line behind everyone else in town who thought "Free day at the zoo. Let's go!" Lots of kids on field trips, old-timers from the nursing homes, every kind of handicap person you could imagine and don't forget all the other frugal moms and their wagons full of kids and their crap! So finally we get in, maneuver the wagon through the crowds, to check out the lions, the first stop for the day!

Analise: "Look mommy--lions! Can we go see them?"

Me: "OK! Sure let's go."
Meanwhile at Lion Land...
Analise: "Oh how cute! There are playing horsie back rides. Look at 'em mom!"
Me: "Oh....yeah...isn't that...cute?!"

A 1/3 tank of gas roundtrip to the zoo....$25
Snacks and water...$7
Admission to the zoo...FREE!
A lesson in sex ed...unexpected and priceless!