Austin Zoo

Everyone has traditions. I have a good one I like a lot followed by one that's no good. November I blog every day (well, that's the idea anyway) then Christmastime comes around and I disappear from the blogging world for a month+ and come back with a dozen posts all at once. It's not intentional, it just goes that way. I guess after carrying through daily posts and then the busyness/fun through all of December where we're too busy making memories to post about them, playing hard all day with the kids then staying up late into the night giggling with family, when's a girl to post. This year especially, we had the ward Christmas party, school parties I volunteered for, treat deliveries and caroling, packing and Christmas shopping, driving cross country, driving further to California, seeing all Vegas family and friends, Christmas, birthdays, anniversary, wedding with all its associated parties and dinners and set-up, New Years, then driving home and having family visit a couple days later for a baby blessing here. And then I had a slew of pictures of to sort through and edit (little OCD). And then another part of this tradition is that I start my posting marathon with a long paragraph apologizing for and justifying my discretion. But how could I just skip over all this good stuff just because it happened a month ago? So sorry but just deal, this is my journal, memories I absolutely can't leave out. There's lots of pictures to look at or don't.

So to start things off here's a zoo trip we took back in the beginning of December...

I got some tickets with an online deal to the Austing Zoo and Animal Sanctuary. Having dragged my family an hour out to a sad little dirt path zoo in south Austin featuring a guinea pig pen back in September, I wasn't hoping for too much with this trip. But it wasn't half bad, we had the place to ourselves, and the kids enjoyed it.

ROAR!

I bought this coat back in Georgia, so you can argue that Texas was in my subconscious or I could tell you that we are not that Texas but I've been surprised how much orange we happen to own.

Not a great shot but this tiger was just beautiful. Look at those eyes! Can't help appreciating and being amazed at the Artist's hand when I look at some of these animals.

Our deal came with bags of feed. The kids loved feeding the animals although some of them were very pushy and Weston was upset when a goat climbed on the fence and ate the bag out of his hand.

I guess it wasn't Weston's day, I found this on him when he got in front of me. See his hair too? the mystery was solved when I noticed they had roosters up in their trees. But he didn't notice and was quickly distracted by a boxing kangaroo and the ginormous tortoises. Overall, a great outing. Sorry fam for taking you to the wrong zoo, now I know.