On one of the chillier days while most of the family was golfing, Arty and I and the boys ventured off to the local zoo "The Little Zoo that Could". It's really named that I promise! And it really is tiny but it's quite amazing and I'd go back there in a heartbeat. First off because it's so small, there's very little walking so it's a constant animal after animal experience. The zoo seems more like an animal rescue zoo since it's not really planned out. There are tigers literally right next to monkeys and then these miniature horses on the other side- and just separated by chain fences. Sadly for you I was so interested in all the amazing animals- white tigers, lions, leopards, panthers (never seen those before and they're pretty freaky looking), regular tigers, bears, monkeys, lemurs, crazy loud birds all flying around in a house you walk through, lizars and komodo dragons, and so many more.
My boys were in heaven. Normally they run (literally) from animal exhibit to exhibit and barely stop to see the animals. This zoo was no exception besides that the zoo keepers gave them little cups of food pellets to feed to the animals. Yep, heaven. And in case I haven't convinced you to track down this tiny zoo, you can also do "meet the animal experiences". Most zoos do this too but with baby white tigers??? We watched through a window as an 8 or 9 year old girl and her mom bottle fed, played with, and cuddled the tiniest little white tiger. Jealousy! Unfortunately none of my kids were old enough so maybe in a few years we'll have to go back. They also have a kangaroo meeting experience.
Taylor's dad was on a mission every night to find "authentic" southern food and we hit the jackpot when he found Lambert's Cafe. We had to wait almost an hour outside since it's so popular but luckily the entire front of the restaurant has a full-on wooden train play area for the kids (or for anyone who considers themselves a kid).
And once you're inside the insanity and obesity fest begins. Lamberts is home of the "throwed rolls" and that's literally what they do. You order your drinks- which come in those crazy large trucker mugs you see in the picture (the yellow and red ones are sodas- the blues are hot chocolates- monstrous!) and then they start bringing you around the sides that come free with your meal- fried okra, collard greens, others I don't remember and then the throwed rolls come out. Some large waiter guy will come into your area and holler "throwed rolls" and you just put your hand up like Ethan here...
(so they were being nice to Ethan in this picture... since they'd already beaned him in the head once with a roll and a second time spilled his hot chocolate all over the table.)
And the literally chuck the rolls at you. Rolls the size of your head- flying through the air. And they don't care if you drop it and they have to throw another. I was full on just rolls and hot chocolate and then all the monster sized portions came out. Let's just say Lamberts isn't helping with the obesity crisis in this country. But a fun experience none the less.
Taylor got to take long weekends but ended up having to go back to work in Utah the week between Christmas and New Years. Thankfully there were lots of aunts and uncles and grandparents to help out with the boys and entertain them.One day the boys and Grams and I took a ferry out to Dauphin Island. It would have been annoying that we arrived at the ferry 45 minutes early except that the boys were so excited..
and perfectly happy to entertain themselves climbing all over the rock walls.
They'd have stayed here climbing all day.
Have you noticed you get more pictures when I'm bored but they're not.
They loved the ferry ride. We got out of our car and went up to the observation deck. We spotted dolphins once and lots of birds fishing in the wake of the ferry.
How cute are these two? Unfortunately Miles is not trustworthy walking around a moving boat but he was happy to be carried by Grams.
On Dauphin Island we visited their "estuarium" and saw lots of fish that inhabit Mobile bay and the gulf. Again I was more interested in the fish so you only get a picture when the kids were playing and I was bored.
Lots of adventure and a fun part of the country to explore. December is really their off season since it was just in the 50's and 60's and thus hard to enjoy the white sandy beaches and the ocean. But it was nice to kind of have the place to ourselves and to be warmer than Utah.
and perfectly happy to entertain themselves climbing all over the rock walls.
They'd have stayed here climbing all day.
Have you noticed you get more pictures when I'm bored but they're not.
They loved the ferry ride. We got out of our car and went up to the observation deck. We spotted dolphins once and lots of birds fishing in the wake of the ferry.
How cute are these two? Unfortunately Miles is not trustworthy walking around a moving boat but he was happy to be carried by Grams.
On Dauphin Island we visited their "estuarium" and saw lots of fish that inhabit Mobile bay and the gulf. Again I was more interested in the fish so you only get a picture when the kids were playing and I was bored.
Lots of adventure and a fun part of the country to explore. December is really their off season since it was just in the 50's and 60's and thus hard to enjoy the white sandy beaches and the ocean. But it was nice to kind of have the place to ourselves and to be warmer than Utah.
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