Zoo and Aquarium

The day of the family dinner our plan was to head to the World Wildlife Zoo and Aquarium.  It sounded like a great zoo and you could even feed giraffes and let’s be honest that is the only reason I wanted to go.  When we got there it had rained overnight and we found out that it was too slippery to let the giraffes out, we made the hard decision to leave and come back the next day.  The kids were not thrilled but Grandma Dawn bought them all something in the gift shop and that seemed to help them forget they were upset. 

I loved these tortoises

So did Joel and Cecilia

Vincent thought they were cool too

Joel liked to talk to them

We all liked to watch him eat

Joel wanted a closer view

Joel and a goat

Joe, Vincent and Jill surrounded by goats.  Uncle Joe bought food to feed them.

Kasi saving Kennidy from the goat that was eating her.

Cecilia liked to give hugs

Kasi and the deer

Kennidy and the deer

Joel, Brad and the deer

Cecilia just looked at the deer, the goat wouldn't let her close

Beautiful birds!

Kangaroo

The next day we (Joe, Jill, Kasi, Brandon, Kennidy, Brad, the kids and I) all returned to the zoo.  It was hands down one of my favorite zoos I have ever been too.  They are improving the enclosures of a lot of the animals.  You could feed the giraffes and the camel.  All the birds and monkeys were really active and seemed happy.  There were a lot of areas where you could get really close to the animals, it was really neat.  The petting zoo was so much fun with deer, goats, sheep, and even giant tortoises.  Joel loved the tortoises and kept talking to them, petting them and following them around.  When we all went to feed the giraffes Vincent freaked out and was crying and was mad that we made him do it and it was gross and slobbery.  Seriously kid?  Sorry I made you do something really cool and your hand got a little wet.  Joel wasn’t so sure about it and Cecilia got to help me and Brad!  She seemed to like it.

Kasi and a camel

Giraffe looking for food

Vincent not sure this whole thing is a good idea

Jill and Brad smiling while Cecilia is concerned about the large animal sniffing her butt.

Look at that tongue

Joel and Mommy feeding the giraffe

Brad and Cecilia feeding the giraffe

that tongue is just funny!

The kids liked all of the exhibits but were pretty excited to see the fish, sharks, etc in the aquarium.  They even got to touch stingrays!  Again some of the children were more excited about it than others.  We had a great time at the zoo and it was fun to see the kids interacting with their aunts and uncles.

They were so loud!

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Petting stingray

On the way home from the Zoo Vincent had to go to the bathroom.  We had just passed an area with restaurants, stores etc and we were too far from my grandparents house for him to just hold it.  Being a farm kid he thinks anywhere outside is suitable to pee, especially a farm field.  We happened to be near a cotton field that had already been picked, so we stopped.  Brad went with him because he wanted to see the cotton field, on the edges of the field quite a bit of cotton was left on the plants.  We were all fascinated and Brad grabbed a handful of cotton for the rest of us in the car (Brandon, Kasi, Kennidy, Joel, Cecilia and I) to look at.  We spent the 20 minute drive back to the house cleaning seeds out of the cotton and giving it to Brad so he could stick it to his beard.

Brad and cotton

Being a goof!

Vincent thought the cotton field was pretty neat!

Brad's new beard

That evening the kids got to open Christmas presents from Grandma Pat and Papa Ron.  It was their first Christmas present opening of the season and they were very excited!  They had a very full day and were quick to fall asleep that night.

Vincent

Cecilia

Crazy drivers

Joel

Cecilia and Aunt Alyse

Playing a game on grandma's phone