We're Going to the Zoo Zoo Zoo!

On March 21st we took a trip with Grandma Lisa, Aunt Laurel, and our cousins to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  We had a ton of fun.  Here are Grandma Lisa, Annamae, Gavin and Nathan on the train that travels around the zoo.

The zoo is set up into many different "loops" that are based on the continents.  In the Asian Loop there was a Moon Gate that led to a beautiful Koi Pond and pavilion.  Nathan was really excited about the fish and now wants one (is there anything they don't want?).  We learned that one Koi was reported to have been alive for 265 years.  Nathan had to think about who he would pass on his Koi fish to when he was that old.

In the Asian Loop there was also a misting forest with Bamboo.  The zoo didn't actually have and panda's there, but there was a cute statue of some.  The kids liked to climb on the bears.  In fact Gavin spent a lot of time that day to try and find "lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my!"

Nathan was excited about seeing the Komodo Dragon.  I was just glad that there was glass between us and the dragon.  Even though they look lazy and slow they are very dangerous!

There was a neat aviary where you you could walk with the birds there.  Some of the people who were already there shared their cups of nectar with us.  This lorikeet was wary, but still couldn't resist the nectar.

There was  a kid's play area where we could also go in and brush some pygmy goats.  These goats are really cute and really friendly.  Some of the goats looked pregnant, but it turned out that they just look that way because they have four stomaches. 

Gavin dressed up like a tiger.  Isn't he cute!

At mid-day we left the zoo to have a picnic lunch in a shaded area of the parking lot.  Yummy.

When we returned we spent some time in the Africa Loop.  These cool looking animals are called bongos.  Funny.  They are in a river which is covered in duckweed.  This is an environmentally more friendly alternative to algae.  The bongos seemed to like eating the duckweed.

Rhinoceroses!  Crazy...

Sting Ray Bay.  Tons of fun.  Nathan, Laurel, Alec, Gavin, Annamae and Grandma Lisa are all trying to pet the wings of the Sting Ray's.  We spent the dollar to buy them food which gave us enough to share a little with each person.  It tickled and was a little scary when they suck the food out of your hand, but was worth the dollar we spent on it.  Nathan was upset because he didn't get to pet the big sting ray.  I explained that the reason it probably got so big was because he was more careful.  The explanation didn't make him happy.

Gavin is happy to finally get to the Gorilla section.

Scary Silverback Gorillas.  These remind me of possibly the worst movie ever.  Congo.  If you have seen it then you know what I am talking about.

Gavin and Nathan are looking at the endangered Florida Panther.  It was playing with a fish frozen in a cup.  Not appetizing to me, but apparently gourmet food for a panther.

The Wiz!

After dropping our friend Hassan off from our sleepover we went to watch The Wiz at the Performing Arts Center.  Our friend Emily got to dance as a munchkin.  Here is Emily in her cute costume after the matinee performance.  They also had some additional numbers in the beginning with Jazz and Hip Hop.  Gavin enjoyed in and had lots of questions.  Nathan was really only interested in the part that had Emily in it.

Gavin, Emily and Nathan after the show.  

Family Fitness Fun Day

This weekend we had the first sleepover with a school friend!  Hassan came to stay with us for Friday night and the next day we went to Family Fitness Fun Day at Kanapaha Veterans Memorial Park.  There were a ton of different games to play and when we were finished they gave us snow cones, water, granola bars and free t-shirts!  I love free.

Here are Hassan, Gavin and Nathan with some other children playing the tug of war!  They were pulling against two workers from Gainesville Health and Fitness Center and won!

Here are Nathan and Hassan doing the sack race.  Gavin was pretty far behind them but he really enjoyed the race anyway.  The boys had so much fun they went to the end and back even though they only had to go one direction.

Getting ready for the football throw!

Mmmmm!  Snow cones after all of their hard play.  Nathan and Gavin had a ton of fun with their guest.  

Cee Cee's Birthday Party

We went to visit our friends in St. Pete for a birthday party.  It was a fun event at Marshall Street Park.  Here is Nathan on a swing.

Gavin on the climbing rock.

Nathan found a toy that you shoot a ball out of the cone to a friend who catches in theirs.

Cee Cee blowing out her birthday candle.

Cee Cee, Josiah, and Nathan waiting in line for the pinata.

Nathan's Blue and Gold Banquet

Here are pictures of Nathan's first Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet.  I was unable to be there because I was driving the support van for the Campus House Spring Bike Ride to Anastasia Island.  Jonathan however took some great pictures so that I could enjoy it even though I was not there myself.

Here is Nathan smiling about the fact that he won a nice trophy for his Pinewood car from the Pinewood Derby.  He won first place out of the Tiger Scouts and third place for the pack.

Here are the Tigers getting their Tiger Badges for completing all of their tasks for the year.

Here is Nathan helping with the closing flag ceremony for the Banquet.  Isn't he grown up and handsome!

Nathan's Limo Ride

Nathan won a limo ride for participating in a school fundraiser.  Here are some pictures of Nathan and the other three boys who got to enjoy the trip. Sean, TJ, Khameron, and Nathan.

Here are the boys on the inside of the limo.  Nathan was the only student who was not a fifth grader, but he didn't seem to mind.  He was so excited.  They boys all had fun using the champagne glasses to drink bottled water.

Nathan getting out of the limo to enjoy his lunch at McDonald's. 

Here are the kids eating lunch at the newly build McDonald's on Archer road.  TJ's dad met us there to enjoy the yummy lunch.

At the new McDonald's there were these fun table video games.  Here are some pictures of the boys taking turns playing a video version of pool.

Fort DeSoto

In February Aunt Diane came to visit.  When she comes we sometimes like to visit a yummy breakfast dive called Skyway Jack's which is  a little distance from mom's house.  After breakfast Grandpa Paul thought it might be a nice idea to go and visit Fort DeSoto, a beautiful beach south of St. Petersburg.  Here are some pictures of our experience.

Nathan and Gavin wading in a pool trying to catch some little fish.

Nathan and Gavin found many interesting sea objects on our excursion.  We found some starfish, many small shells and this sea urchin.

Grandpa Paul and Granny Frannie walking on the beach together.

Gavin spent a lot of time writing the names of all of his family members in the sand.  He is so proud of his newly formed writing ability. 

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of Aunt Diane because she and Nathan both had some wanderlust and they disappeared for much of our time at the beach.  Perhaps next time I will get some pictures before they have a notion to leave.