Friday, September 25, 2009

Another Day at the Zoo

So we went to the Phoenix Zoo again on Wednesday.  Fry’s has been doing a “Free Fry Wednesday” at the zoo through September.  The last time we went the zoo was pretty empty (though it was 105 degrees which probably accounts for the lack of people).  This was not the case this time….it was so packed!!!  There were so many cars in the parking lot I had to park really far away and walk.  Thank goodness I brought the stroller…I just can’t carry Christian once he starts getting tired.  This zoo is so huge it would probably take three days at least to see everything!

We decided to look at areas we didn’t see last time (though it took longer this time because of the people there).

We started in a more desert area.

IMG_1200 Here is a rhinoceros iguana 

IMG_1203And some huge tortoises! 

The next area was supposed to look like a Columbian Village…

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Here’s Christian climbing the cute frog statue.

After we stopped for lunch we went into the Phoenix Zoo’s “Monkey Village” which has an open area for the monkey’s that’s gated off so that the monkey’s don’t get out and everyone is told not to touch anything…not even your own face…then they have sinks at the exit/entrance and instruct children to wash their hands as they leave so as not to get sick. It is gorgeous and green inside (which is something that I really miss) and you’re right by the monkeys which is really neat. IMG_1217 This little guy was right next to me and so much fun to watch!   Then we went over and saw the orangutan's. 

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This little girl was so sweet to watch. 

Here’s my little sweetheart peeking out of a tree like a bird.  I am so glad I get to go on fun adventures with him.  He’s such a darling little guy.

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Monday, September 21, 2009

Day at the Circus

My whole life I’ve wanted to go to the circus and used to love watching the movie “Jumbo” with Doris Day and Jimmy Durante and anything on TV that showed a circus but I’ve never had an opportunity to actually attend one physically.  Jared came home from Fry’s about two weeks ago with a child’s free ticket to the circus for this past weekend.  We decided to grasp the opportunity and go since we’ve both never gone (probably due to the fact that we’re both from the tail ends of large families). 

 

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The tickets were only available one hour before the show started so we got there right at ten to get our tickets. This circus was for the Shiners organization that has various orthopedic IMG_0986and burn hospitals around the country for Children who need costly treatments.  So they had a lot of volunteer clowns that were shriners walking around the grounds before and after the show.   They had some fun free things like clowns painting simple things on the kids’ hands and making balloon animals and such.  Christian picked a lady bug and a sword.  Go figure.

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They also had elephant rides for a cost there.  It was a little expensive for a ride but I figured “how many times in your life do you have an opportunity to ride an elephant?”  Riding an elephant has been one of the things Christian has mentioned that he “wants to do someday”.

IMG_0996 “Hi Mom”

IMG_0990   “This is a pretty slow ride…”

IMG_0994  “Check out how high up we are!”

 

 IMG_0997 Here’s Christian waiting for the show to begin.  He was being such a good boy!

 

Here’s an album of all of the shots of the acts.  No video’s were permitted so I only could take stills.

 

This is a shot of Christian and I after the show.  It was pretty hot which is my excuse for the flat hair.  As you can see I’m getting bigger all the time.  I wonder how much good my exercising does when my body just hangs on to any weight it can.

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I’m so glad we went.  It was an experience that I hope Christian remembers.  It was great fun!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Exploring the Zoo

I am so lucky that though I really don’t know many people here in AZ that I do have one good friend from high school and college who’s family moved here while she was on her mission so that she came back to her family here instead.  I had a great day Wednesday.  She invited Christian and I to join her, her sister, their kids, and her mom to the zoo.  We had a great time!

kids on overlook

This zoo is rated one of the top 5 zoos for kids in US.  They are doing some construction that should be done soon which is good because I’m intrigued to see the fisher price petting zoo area.  It looks amazing (they’re fixing the water line so it’s closed off in that area).

   Kangaroo pouch 2    There are also a few different children’s playground areas.

 

There is a children’s walk where there are some gorgeous statues of various animals.IMG_0835

Isn’t this elephant statue just gorgeous?

IMG_0837Christian enjoyed the lion.   

Clam Shell kids 1   Here are all the kids in a clamshell. IMG_0851The closest I want my boy to one of these!  

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Peek-a-boo!

 

I was really impressed with the openness of the habitats that the animals were able to roam about in.  It was beautiful. IMG_0813

Isn’t this area for the monkey’s beautiful?  If you look close, you can see the monkey swinging from the rope.

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You can come up very close to these wallabies though they don’t want you to touch them.  It was amazing to be so close.

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This is probably the best shot I’ve ever gotten of a zebra… usually all I get is the backside view.

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Checkout this area for the African herbivores…it was so incredible to see them all roaming freely among each other.  

IMG_0861 Aren’t giraffes simple beautiful?  It was nice to see them all mingling together.IMG_0869

I love this area for the cheetah…it’s so lush looking!

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This area for the flamingos reminds me of paradise.

 

One thing about the zoo during this month in AZ…it was HOT!  It is great that this zoo has a splash area for the kids to play in.  Christian had a blast in there!

lydia and christian christian in the water IMG_0874  

IMG_0890Thank you for inviting us Sherrada we really enjoyed it!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Lizard Friends!?!

Saturday night when I was about to go to bed I was in Christian's bathroom washing my hands and low and behold a lizard popped out of the drain and wiggled quickly across the floor and under the vanity. Of course I screamed out of shock...it happened so quickly!!! Jared came in the room and we could not figure out where the little creature went to put it in a jar and take it outside.

I was freaked out thinking about all of the family and friends of this lizard living in my bathroom and asked Jared to set a spider trap and just see if it could catch the thing (thanks for the idea Rachel).

It worked!

So for any of you with lizards...spider traps may work for you. I feel kind of guilty about it because I would have rather been able to give the lizard it's freedom (though not it's freedom to roam my apartment) and put it outside. Now it's stuck on a spider trap forever.

I guess we'll have to see if any more lizards pop up (I hope not, at least for a while).

Thursday, September 3, 2009

I hate creepy crawling things!

So I was in the hall bathroom and I found something interesting……

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I accidentally stepped on this….I guess it’s an albino lizard.  YUCK!  At first I thought is was a piece of a plastic grocery bag—then it started moving!!!  I realized on closer examination that it was a lizard that either was dying already or I squished it.  I feel disgusted and terrible.  For now it’s in a jar so that Jared will be able to tell me what he thinks. I think I’ll call the management and see how common this is.  I really don’t know what to think.  I knew there would be lizards here…but in my bathroom?  Yuck! (I hope there aren’t any friends or family hanging around).