Boo at the Zoo!

     When I was a little kid, picking out your Halloween costume was always one of the most exciting things about the holiday. For weeks before October 31st, we would plan and scheme and create fabulous costumes. As I look back through pictures and memories, I think of all the various outfits I wore door-to-door in my neighborhood. From a Geisha to a cat, to a bunny and an Indian – even a princess! (For those of you who know me personally, this may come as a shock!) But perhaps my favorite costume – I am guessing it was my favorite, as I wore it three years in a row – was a Lego! Yes, a Lego…it was legit.

(Above: proof of the Princess costume; Below: the legendary Lego costume!)

     But, even now that I am too old to get away with trick-or-treating, I still LOVE to see all the kids’ costumes. Last year I saw dozens of Hannah Montanas, the various witches and wizards of Harry Potter, and all the different kinds of Transformers. So far this October, I have enjoyed it just as much! Friday, I worked at the 19th annual Boo at the Zoo in Fort Worth. Here, scary and cute costumes alike get to dress up alongside the wild animals that roam the zoo.

     Families come from all over to enjoy this event. For one weekend in October, regular admission to the zoo allows kids to not only tour the park, but also play games, win prizes and candy, watch shows, and be entertained by clowns! I and several other EXCEL participants went and helped out at this fun and lively event.

(Zahira Duarte and Sara Frederickson also helped out at Boo at the Zoo!)

      My station was called “Scardy Cat,” and it was so much harder than it looked! It was played with hollow Frisbees that were thrown at wooden cats. The goal was to get the middle of the Frisbee to land around the cat’s tail. But, did you know, most kids do NOT know how to throw a Frisbee?! I can’t tell you how many people were hit by wild discs flying every which way. The important thing though, is that the kids had a blast. We had several that came back over and over again…they just couldn’t stand the thought of not accomplishing the difficult task lassoing the statues!

      It came as no surprise though to see that there were several duplicates of costumes. Toy Story 3 has definitely made its mark on this generation, as I lost track of the number of Buzz Lightyears, and cowboys and cowgirls who called themselves Woody and Jessie. There were also several creative and homemade outfits…an adorable little girl dressed as a strawberry, the Cheshire cat and the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, a unicorn, and even a peacock! There were so many kids though, so I am sure I am forgetting several costumes worthy of recognition.

     Even though I was exhausted at the end of the afternoon, I had a blast. Seeing the kids excited to show off their new aliases for the day with their sticky, candy-coated fingers was priceless. It brought back many of my childhood memories of trips to the zoo, and made me feel like a kid as I experienced the excitement of Halloween once again. I hope you find your own fun way to enjoy this holiday!

(Martha Cano, Me, Zahira Duarte, and Ryan Schexnayder in our Boo at the Zoo t-shirts, all very tired from the event!)

~Melissa