Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Goin' To The Zoo Zoo Zoo

The Wednesday before Christmas the Grands and I made a trip to Birmingham to go to the Zoo. It drizzled rain all the way from Berry to Birmingham. We decided if it was still drizzling rain when we got to Birmingham that we would go to a movie. We met Dave at the Cracker Barrel on 280 and picked up Lawson. It was still lightly raining so we went in Cracker Barrel and ate....hoping to give it time to clear up! Pops, who constantly watches the weather, had informed us that there would be a break in the weather after lunch.
Boy, did those kids eat. They love Cracker Barrel and Lawson, who is a picky eater and also doesn't like to spend his time eating, did not want to be outdone by John Brady (his hero) and ate bite for bite alongside JB3.
After lunch we walked outside........no rain....hooray! We quickly headed to the Zoo. John and I have a membership so it was easy sailing through the gates. Lawson always spends 15 minutes right inside the gates. He loves the birds and the big goldfish. We made our first of many group shots.






Lawson says.......hey, MeMe, get a picture of me doing this. So I did. I just know his Mom is going to want a copy!






As we headed into the Zoo the next thing we saw was this peacock. It was unusual because we always see them strutting around and it was just sitting on the fence watching us! It actually started following us and would just show up.....always sitting on a fence. The kids even noticed it and it turned into a joke with them.






Headed to the monkey house. You can tell that it had been bad weather by the wet cement but.....it was great because we felt like we had the Zoo to ourselves. I do not like the Zoo when it is crowded and you have to make the kids stand right beside you all the time. You can see they were enjoying being able to have a little room to skip.






The kids got all excited because there was a new baby girl. They said ...Oh, she had a girl just like Aunt CC is having a girl!






We had several funny things happen in the Zoo house. Fun memories. The funniest.....Lawson and JB3 went one window ahead of us girls and Lawson had his face and body pressed right up against the glass (I know, I bet you are thinking of the germs. The exhibits need to be that germ proof glass because I always want to slather them in antibiotic germ killer when we leave). Well, the little monkeys in that exhibit had just been sitting there......not sure if they were bored or if something about Lawson set them off.....the monkey grabbed one of the swinging ropes and swung right into the window! It made a loud crashing noise, Lawson and JB3 screamed, me, Emma and Abby screamed and the monkey just turned around and walked off......and we all started laughing....you know the kind of I can't walk or talk laughing!
























Lawson really was happy.....he is just going through a little picture taking phobia, right now! We will take any suggestions on how to get a smile without scarring him for life!












The monkeys are Abby's favorite. The Lions are JB3's favorite. We got to see one of the babies.





Awwww.....MeMe loves this pic!






The Zoo was decorated for the Zoolight Safari






We rode the Carousel


















Got them all caged up in one spot...but you can't have them....they are MINE!






Awww again.........





Lawson volunteered for this picture. He sat down on the log and said....MeMe take my picture with my knee up like this.....so, of course, I took the picture immediately!






It just makes MeMe go...AWWWW. I love you






For some reason this picture reminds me of an album cover picture of a country band. So far....Abby is our only musician but the boys do like tractors!


















A little story right here. We got in a short line to make Alabama/Auburn pictures. I got Em, Ab and JB3 and made a quick Alabama picture with Lawson standing beside me. Then we moved to the Auburn scene to make Lawson's pic. I did not realize that the "little man" had his feelings hurt because he wasn't in the Alabama pic with Em, Ab and JB3. He and his Dad are Auburn fans but he is just a little fella that adores his cousins and wanted in the pic with them. He started crying and wouldn't make his picture in the Auburn scene. We did not have time to redo the line to make more pics ......we finally got him over it!












The kids decided they wanted to ride on the very back of the train.






I have riden the train for years....I mean years and never given it a thought that the wall right beside the train belongs to the monkey house. Abby decided to get on the 2nd row of the train with her MeMe and I am so glad she did......because as she climbed in the row with me she glanced up and what did she see but the Gorilla! We often see the gorilla from the inside of the monkey house but you usually have to get up against the glass and look sideways or look down and you get tired of that quickly.






It was the most amazing view. We were mesmerized. The gorilla was on top of it's habitat and we were so close.






The kids started calling to the gorilla and it turned around and looked at them. It had a head of lettuce in each hand calmly eating as it watched us.






Abby was so thrilled.....really, we all were, but Abby loves monkeys.












We really were this close






This little stone house , on the train ride, reminds me of my childhood. It has always been there and I remember it from riding the train years ago. I wonder what this was at one time.


We stayed at the Zoo for 4 hours. It was a great day. We had to leave at 4 for them to get ready for the Zoolight Safari. We decided that we wanted to go back to see the lights. It was an easy decision for me since you get in free with your membership. We ran to Wendy's and got some chicken nuggets, for a snack, and waited for nightfall.


As soon as you walked in they had "SNOW" falling. Lawson was amazed.


The lights are gorgeous and so Christmasy!


We did not stay long since we had been there all day and had already rode the rides.








Petting the white baby deer


We left the Zoo and headed to 280 for Dave to pick up Lawson. The little man did not want to leave his cousins. He told me he wanted to "go to "Tutaluta" with John Brady and then in desperation he told me that "I couldn't take him home because he was "HUNGRY".....I knew he was desperate then!!!! Dave got Lawson and we headed down 459 to Tuscaloosa but we only made it to Bessemer before the older kids said they were starving. We stopped at Taco Bell and ate and then headed home.


IT WAS ONE OF THOSE.....GREAT TO BE A MEME DAY!

1 comment:

Kim Lawson said...

The kids had an awesome time!! Thanks for taking them!