Tuesday On Safari

So, it is on occasion that we visit our local drive-through zoo. I have come to believe that the drive-through zoo is more appealing than the large walk around zoos. All the kids can have their animal map, drink, snack, jacket, book and other various items of interest. When they don't want to hold it anymore, I do NOT have to be the duffle bag. Cup holders, empty car seats and yes, the floor holds all the items that they would normally give to me. I love drive through zoos!

We are lucky that our local safari also has a small walk around area to see a snake or two, some ducks, a cheetah or many little goats to pay a quarter to feed and other assorted small animals. Sometimes we leave all that junk in the van and get out and wander around the small areas, too.

It is funny to be driving along and see an animal walking on the road, coming up over a hill... The kids always seem to scream and holler because they can't quite conceive of how we will drive on the road with these wild animals!  I only worry about the rhinoceros, which was hiding on this trip.

Seeing the hippo was a big treat for us. Usually, we only see it stick its nose up above the water and then go back under the water. I so badly wanted to get out of our van to get a better picture, but there are signs posted all over to stay in your vehicle with the doors closed. Bummer. But, we are really working on following directions over here in our treehouse. I sure don't want to have to explain why I don't have to follow directions!!!

This trip, we were surprised to find animals wandering in different areas. I knew that this was possible, but every time that we have been there the animals were in the same fields as the last time we visited. So, this time many of the animals were "out of order."

This Bison made me laugh. I had just been telling the kids to quit hollering about the animals on the road. The animals are often in somewhat of a hurry to get off the road or walk just along the edge. Not this big ol' Bison! We sat and waited somewhat patiently for almost 10 minutes for it to get to moving. We were kind of in a hurry, though. The safari's hours are until 4pm and we arrived at the gate at 3:15!! So, we were in a mad rush to drive through the whole place. But, we sat and waited out this furry creature and eventually made our way by.

Llamas. Have I told you about my favorite story to read to kids? I will. We will revisit this animal. Llama. Isn't that a fun word to say? Llama Llama Llama Llama. It is fun to say, but NOT to type.

I think that these crazy birds are my favorite creatures. They come right up to your car and say hello. The crazy one in the mirror? Yea, attacking the van with its beak. Wasn't too keen on its reflection - I wouldn't be either if I were looking like that! The other one only popped its head up a couple times. Other wise it stood there with its head down kind of making a grunting and groaning sound. I hope it does it again the next time so I can record that noise. Strange.

Isn't this animal interesting looking?! It is only about 3 feet tall at the shoulders!

I am holding a little give away today. You really should enter. I have only 2 "followers" and a few other people who comment now and then. Your chances of winning are spectacularly high! Feel free to share the love and tell others about the contest. 

What is the prize? Well, I am giving away a lovely "Gazebo Scents Gel Pomander" in vanilla fragrance that is basically a pretty air freshener. The animals were especially stinky so, it made me aware that perhaps I should share some lovely scent to make up for all the stink that was posted today.

Sorry. The kids really wanted me to take a picture of the elephant pooping. They really wanted me to share it with you all. They found great humor in it all... just like all kids do with bodily excrement. I am sorry.  I have to tell you more. Branch said, as this big boy was peeing and pooping, "WOW! That is the biggest poop I have ever seen. Isn't that the biggest poop? And he keeps pooping. That is a LOT of poop." It wasn't much longer before we found pooping everything else, but when we got to the camels... sorry. sorry. sorry. This is to be an accurate record of our family life. When the kids get older and want to know what they were like when they were little. SO SORRY. Bud says, "Hmmm. Those camels poop perfect black balls. They look like very big olives. They sort of bounce when they hit the ground. Hmmm." 

Tonight, we had tacos for dinner.  I served black olives on the side. I wonder if they remembered. I did. Hope you can still enjoy black olives with your relish trays!

OK, so to enter the contest. Leave a comment (you do that by clicking on "jumping in the leaves") with 

1. Your name
   
2. Your favorite animal and why (not necessarily one pictured here)
   
3. A random thought about the weirdness of childhood.
   

Just enter once... your chances are high anyway! If you are dying for a second chance to enter... provide a link to this post on your blog and let me know in your second post where you mentioned this tasteless (ha ha ha) post on your blog so that I can read about how exasperated you are with the strange discussion I have had with myself and the blogosphere about my lovely and polite children.

Thank you for not being to prim.

Contest winner will be decided Saturday morning the 24th of January.