How I Got Giraffe Spit on my Hands...

Fun Times in the Sun

More from our trip to AZ. We went to a place called "Out of Africa". 

This place http://outofafricapark.iarbiz.com/pJZtYCmFcMY=

They let Daddy hold a snake. Gross. 

On our safari, we saw a herd of zebra. And an ostrich. Both up very close.

And, up close, we also saw tigers! I don't know if you can tell from this picture, but we were VERY close to these two napping tigers. I think if they weren't so hot and lazy, they might have made the short jump over the fence and bitten our faces off.

As it was, they seemed pretty content to lay there and not jump over the fence or bite our faces off.

It was so deep under the water I could not get a good shot of it, but that is an alligator she's smiling at. (Not a crocodile, she would never smile at a crocodile.)

This was before the Tiger Splash show, which was very cool. Elsa informs me that when she grows up, she would like to be one of the animal trainers who goes behind the fence and romps with the tigers. I said no. She said it was her dream. I said no. She informed me that I don't have any say about what she does after she is 18. Won't she be surprised?

And this was a snake. It was big. Adele was petting it toward the back, but then it lifted its head and slithered forward a bit. Some of the other people there moved back because the snake's motion was unnerving to them. Adele followed the head and got as close to the front of it as they would let her. I think she would have kissed the darn thing if they had let her. Who does she belong to?

Ben was not scared. But he was not very eager to get any closer either.

My dad put us up in a hotel while we were there.  This was the breakfast room (full hot buffet every morning). The morning buffet was Benjamin's favorite part of the trip, I am pretty sure.

And the pool was Elsa's. I know who she belongs to.

We also found a little train that circled a very pretty little park.

One day, we had so much excitement that Ben had to be carried in.

Easter 2012

We spent Easter this year in Phoenix getting our children spoiled completely rotten by my dad, aunt, and grandma who live there. This is Ben with Poppa Bob at dinner the night we rolled into town. 

 My two sweet darlings in their Easter outfits. Ben was not especially inclined to pose for photos at this time.

 And this is WHY Ben was not especially inclined to pose for photos. Each of my children racked in three baskets each this year from Poppa B, Aunt J, and Gma Edie. I didn't hear any complaints.

The Phoenix Easter Bunny is a hard worker, and good egg hider. 

This is Grandma Edie, the kids adored her. They could not get enough hugging and snuggling in with her. I thought I got some pictures of that, but I must not have. 

 Ben and Poppa Bob with their Hawaiian shirts. They were both wearing them with khaki shorts and in case you are wondering, NOPE it was not planned.

After the morning festivities, we learned there is a Phoenix tradition of Easter hikes up to a little place called "Hole in the Rock" which is actually a hole that's in this rock. I was told that they do an Easter Sunrise service there, which I imagine is beautiful, but we had driven 12 hours just 6 hours prior to the service so...we didn't make it. Still, we hiked up and surveyed the lovely scenery. 

 You can see most of the city from up here. Also, if your husband takes your three year old baby girl out to the edge in her Easter shoes, you can have a heart attack too. It's pretty awesome!

 This is Elsa and her Aunt J. Resemblance?

 And after our climb, we spend the afternoon lounging under the misters on Poppa Bob's back porch and enjoying a big old barbecue lunch!

Adele's Third Birthday

I guess today, the month anniversary of Adele turning three, would be a good day to post pictures of her party for you outta state folks that couldn't be here. 

She is going through a "Tangled" phase. She LOVES Disney movies right now, and Tangled is at the top of her list. 

We had the party at a park near our house, and her big sister was eager to escort her to the park. She traveled by wagon, so as not to mess up her pink boots. 

 This was the windiest weekend in the history of birthday weekends, so we had to shelter the cake in the box and really lean in close to get those candles blown out!