Sunday Funnies

Jonah, what did you see at the zoo?
Monkeys.
What were they doing?
Swingin' in the trees.
What kind of monkeys were they?
Grease Monkeys!

Noah, did you like riding to Maryland with Daddy?
Yes 'Mam.
Do you think you want to drive a truck when you grow up?
No 'Mam, that is too much sitting for me.
What do you think you want to do when you grow up?
I think I want to be a logger.
Do you really think you want to work in the logging woods?
Oh no 'Mam, I don't want to work...I want to be the BOSS!

Riverbanks

This week my Mom and I took the kids to Riverbanks Zoo.  I love the Zoo and wish it were closer so that we could go more often.  My Mom loves to take pictures (108 that day actually) so be prepared for lots of photos in this post. 

We began our adventure with a picnic in the park.

Jonah was too busy climbing tree roots to have any lunch.

This was one of my favorite exhibits.  We got up close and personal with a gorilla!  I'm not sure if we were watching him or if he was watching us.  Either way, it was amazing.

The elephants were out playing in the water and sand.

The kids even got to ride on one...

Well, sort of!

Actually, Jonah was much closer to riding this turtle than anything else.  I turned my back for about 30 seconds and when I caught up with him, he was INSIDE the turtle pen! 

Micah spent most of his time relaxing in the floor of the stroller.

Noah learned how to milk a plastic cow.

Micah relaxed a little more in his second outfit of the day.

Noah and Jonah fed the goats.

Jonah wanted to make his last, so he fed them one piece at a time.

This picture of Noah next to the giant crab cracks me up,

And this picture makes me smile.

We were all exhausted, dirty, and hot at the end of the day, but boy was it worth it all!  I love the zoo and I loved seeing my kids love the zoo.

Busy Busy Weekend

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity. My step-brother Michael travels the NASCAR circuit working for Sprint. This weekend was the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte, NC. He was able to get tickets for Joe, Mr. Jimmie, and Noah to attend with him. Saturday morning Joe, Noah, Jonah, and I headed out to the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, about 200 miles away. We met Mom, Mr. Jimmie, and Michael at the motel about 2:30 Saturday afternoon, just in time for the guys to change into "official" NASCAR shirts and hats, grab their tickets, get a quick picture, and head to the track.From all accounts, they had a great time. Michael was even able to get them each a NASCAR Sprint FanView. This allowed them to hear in-car audio, real-time stats, and view live race video on a hand held screen. I know all of this because it is all Joe has talked about since the race. Of course Noah's favorite moments were the fireworks and watching the crash. He even bought a truck that hauls race cars. The guys came back from the race about 10:30 and we finished watching it on television. Mom, Jonah, and I hit the indoor pool and spa while the guys were at the race. This was Jonah's first time in a pool. It only took a little while for him to learn how to splash and get a big reaction from Mommy.Jonah, Noah, and I had another swim in the pool Sunday morning while Joe packed up the car. On the way home from Charlotte, we were going right though Columbia so we decided to take the boys to Riverbanks Zoo. We had a picnic lunch and then toured the zoo for about three hours. Jonah slept in his snuggli on my back for the majority of the time. Noah seemed really fascinated with the snakes and other creepy crawly things. I guess that is all a part of raising boys. The giraffes were my favorite, and I think Joe could have stood at the elephant exhibit for hours. I wish we didn't live almost two hours away from the zoo. I think I would have the kids there every week!

We got home about 5:30 Sunday evening. Everyone was exhausted from the hectic weekend, but pleased with the memories we created. Many thanks to Michael for making it possible! He will be in our prayers as he travels to the Pocono Raceway to prepare for the race this weekend.