Oh the places you'll go...

As promised, the rest of the pics from our Utah/California trip... not ALL of the pictures mind you, but the ones I'm willing to put up :) Enjoy!

Grandpa took Serenity and me to an Antique shop... She was so cute pushing a little teddy bear around in this buggy, I wish I could have gotten it it for her... the owner thought she was so cute, she gave her the teddy bear for free!  This car would have been the best souvenir.. but it was already sold.

  

The girls had a ton of fun and Gigi and B-Pops house.  They were even the first people to use my grandmas giant tub in her bathroom.  Both girls loved being outside in the backyard.  I was worried it would be super hot there, but the weather was perfect.  Serenity and her cousins ran back and forth, for hours it seemed, along the side of the house, and Scarlette Jo enjoyed watching them! It really is the perfect house for their great-grand kids to come visit!

  

  

Other highlights of the CA trip... 

My grandpa made me one of his famous maps... he just loves to pull out the old pen and paper and draw people maps any chance he can. My favorite part about this picture is he is looking up the directions on his iphone (which I could have done on mine...) , and then he drew it out for me... Imagine what the kind of maps he drew a few years ago before this handy feature! HA

AND this Menu from a french restaurant we went to... mmmm yummy...  

Scarlette Jo and I enjoyed a beautiful evening on the beach for my good friends wedding! 

 

  

The girls also had a blast at the Riddle Ranch (my sister's home).  Serenity learned how to collect chicken eggs (whoops sorry she broke one Josh...) and feed the baby chicks... and Scarlette learned how to ride a lawn mower (without the blade on...) Josh did insist however, that she wear noise canceling ear muffs...

  

 

  

The girls got to see quite a bit of family in Utah.  Tanner's little sister loved playing with them on the swing set.  Preston turned 18, so we joined a bunch of his friends at the a fun center for the party.  They also saw my grandpa Bill, and Tanner's grandma, and of course their Granny Kim and Grandpa Damon.  One of the highlights of the trip for ME, was spending time with some of my good friends!  

  

  

On one particularly wretched evening, Ashley saved me and we went out to eat with the girls! 

  

We also went to the Aquarium with Ashley and Jason!  It was so fun!  One of the best moments was going to the Otter Outpost... there were signs all over the place advertising the otter exhibit in the "native to utah" section... Since none of us have seen otters in the wild in Utah, we were pretty skeptical of the exhibit.  Rightly so, because it was EMPTY!  

 

 It was fun to see the babes next to all these beautiful animals!  Scarlette LOVED watching the animals, and Serenity loved posing for pics... 

  

    

 I wish I had the patients to wait it out for some good pics... but I got a couple of the animals...

  

  

 Other note-able moments if you will... Both girls really grew to love chocolate... not sure how it happened, because I am NOT a fan...

  

and Serenity's strawberry addiction got a little out of control...

 

 The traveling took it's toll on everyone...

  

 

 All in all it was a very eventful and busy trip, and in the end, the girls were definitely glad to get a break from all the excitement.  

                 Jess

NC Zoo

Now that everything is a little crazy, and we trying to get ready for our move, we may only have one or two more trips to our beloved NC zoo... So, I figured it's about time I shared some of our zoo pics, and stories! This past year the girls and I would go to the zoo every other week, when we could get away with it.  The North Carolina Zoo is awesome! It’s basically a resort for the animals.  

The first time we went Serenity fell in love with the monkeys, mostly the Gorillas.  There are two little baby gorillas that are about Scarlette’s age Apollo and Bomassa.  For some reason Serenity does not like Apollo.  She only ever seems to wants to see Bomassa ha.  There are three female gorillas: Olympia (Apollo’s mom), Jamani (Bomassa’s mom), and Acacia. The male gorilla died just a few months after the babies were born.  Acacia is Serenity’s favorite.  Acacia LOVES little kids! Every time we go see the gorillas, she always comes over and interacts with the girls.  Serenity even named her gorilla stuffed animal Acacia!

Acacia saying Hi to Serenity

Olympia and Apollo

Acacia

Jamani and Bomassa

The Chimps are also fun to watch.  They have a huge exhibit, and they are always swinging on ropes and jumping from tree to tree.  BUT, since the chimps are not nearly as friendly as the gorillas, we don’t spend much time there. 

 

see... no monkeys visit the girls at this window...

The zoo also has baboons; in my opinion the most disgusting of the monkeys, but their habitat is partially indoors, so it’s fun to go in there when its chilly out.

Serenity getting no love from the baboons either...

 

The giraffes are the most annoying animals at the zoo.  They are rarely wandering in their habitat because they can’t handle the cold.  Unless its at least 65 degrees, they are inside by the heater.  There must be something good about them though, because they are Joey's FAVORITE by far!

 

The lions have a beautiful habitat.  The female lion is just SOO photogenic that I don't even have a picture of the male...

 

One day, when it was probably 35 degrees outside, I took the girls to the zoo.  I didn’t even THINK about it.  When we got there, it was closed!  The local news team was there and interviewed me about why I came to the zoo on such a cold day.  I told them “The zoo has polar bears, so I figured we’d at least be able to see SOMETHING.”  Looking back, I really don’t know why I would take them to the zoo in near freezing weather, other than it’s really nice to get out of the house sometimes and just take a walk.  Going to this zoo is basically like going on a gigantic hike.  It’s miles of trails up and down hills all through the mountains, it really is a work out, and really beautiful.  I guess I figured working out in the cold keeps you nice and toasty right?? … but I guess the warmest option for the babies probably isn’t sitting in a stroller. That being said... they DID look pretty comfy!  

 

Both babies really enjoy the Elephants.  Serenity, not even two years old, knows which trails lead to which animals already.  She gets so excited when she knows we are heading to the “elephantes!” When we took Aunt Liza to the zoo with us last week, she was so impressed with how Serenity could navigate her way through the zoo.

 

Over the past few months of being a season pass holder, we’ve been able to visit the zoo with tons of friends and family!    

  

I love this pic of Serenity and her little friend Charlotte!

I’m so happy that both the girls enjoy the zoo as much as I do!  It’s been so fun being able to take them as often as I can, and seeing their love for animals grow with each visit! 

Scarlette's first couple trips to the zoo... she looks so small!

 

Our last trip to the zoo...      

 

The best part of the zoo however, COULD possibly be how the girls pass out immediately after getting them in the car to go home...

 

I know you are all thinking (well some of you anyways), that there is a zoo in SLC, but I'll still miss relationships the girls have with the Gorillas here, and how beautiful all the habitats are! SLC's zoo honestly can't hold a candle to this one!! BUT... I guess we'll just have to get season passes to the aquarium! 


      Jess  

Couldn't leave out this guy.... HA