A Day Trip to Montgomery

So what do you do if you are not going to the beach for Memorial Day?  You go to the Montgomery Zoo on a day trip.   We have been told many great things about this zoo, and it did not disappoint.  Except for my wallet.  We thought that the Zoo was free with our Birmingham membership, but it was only 25% off.  Ok, not so bad, but so many cool things to ride here...A Skylift!  A Train!  A Horse!  

The skylift was about the coolest thing I have ever done at a zoo.  Basically just like a ski lift, but it takes you over top of the animals.  We went over the african habitat with gazelles, and I am just going to end my list with that comma as I don't know any more names...then went over the giraffe area,  and even over the cheetah area.  Really neat ride.  Magan was terrified for the kids, so I just quickly pushed Sam and Davis ahead of us so they could ride alone...otherwise Magan would have wanted to hold all three of her babies in her lap while riding.  Sam and Davis thought it was so cool to ride by themselves too.  

And the playground area at this zoo was great too.  Lots of fun things for the kids, and very well shaded.  The boys loved the spinning ride where they had to hold on (don't know what this would be called).  And our cowboys took some horses out on the range.  Sam has the cowboy look with that red hat of his.  :)

The rhino did not disappoint either.  Right as we got there, he got up from his swimming pool, walked over to another pool area and unloaded about 20 gallons of pee...to the laughter of at least 3 little kids...and 2 adults.

The waterfall in the picture below is just one example of many really need viewing areas of the animals.  The black bear is sleeping out of the picture, but this was an open viewing area (no glass) into his living space.  I mean like I could have easily run and touched that sleeping bear and perhaps made it back halfway before being mauled.  Such a great zoo.  :)  And last we got to ride the train.  And again this is a giant step for Magan to let them ride apart from her, but she did well, I held her hand and told them our kids would be OK.

And after seeing the signs for the Hank Williams Museum for years on our drives to/from Dothan, we finally stopped in.  We saw a couple of Kawligas (...you know the one that "fell in love with the Indian Maid over in the antique store") and also Hanks car.  The one where they found him dead at 29 on January 1, 1953.  No one in any genre has ever been able to match the hits that he had in such a short 5 year period.  His "Health and Happiness Show" (with Ms. Audrey) helped our little Sam get to sleep many times, probably often as we drove past this museum in Montgomery.  

Lovesick Blues

I got a feelin' called the blu-ues, oh, Lawd

Since my baby said goodbye

And I don't know what I'll do-oo-oo

All I do is sit and sigh-igh, oh, Lawd

That last long day she said goodbye

Well Lawd I thought I would cry

She'll do me, she'll do you, she's got that kind of lovin'

Lawd, I love to hear her when she calls me

Sweet dad-ad-ad-dy, such a beautiful dream

I hate to think it all o-o-ver

I've lost my heart it seems

I've grown so used to you some how

Well, I'm nobody's sugar daddy now

And I'm lo-on-lonesome

I got the Lovesick Blu-ues.

Well, I'm in love, I'm in love, with a beautiful gal

That's what's the matter with me

Well, I'm in love, I'm in love, with a beautiful gal

But she don't care about me

Lawd, I tried and I tried, to keep her satisfied

But she just wouldn't stay

So now that she is lea-eav-in'

This is all I can say. 

I got a feelin' called the blu-ues, oh, Lawd

Since my baby said goodbye

And I don't know what I'll do-oo-oo

All I do is sit and sigh-igh, oh, Lawd

That last long day she said goodbye

Well Lawd I thought I would cry

She'll do me, she'll do you, she's got that kind of lovin'

Lawd, I love to hear her when she calls me

Sweet dad-ad-ad-dy, such a beautiful dream

I hate to think it all o-o-ver

I've lost my heart it seems

I've grown so used to you some how

Well, I'm nobody's sugar daddy now

And I'm lo-on-lonesome

I got the Lovesick Blu-ues.

Last Days of School

And the End of the School Year is here...Davis has finished Kindergarten, and Sam has finished 2nd Grade. Aunt Pam joined Magan to visit the boys at lunch in their final week.  Maybe now they can sleep a little longer in the mornings...at least Davis can maybe.  

I don't know where this picture of Davis scubadiving belongs, but this is him practicing for the summer.  Davis was the letter K in his kindergarten graduation.  "K is for kindergarten...Hip Hip Hooray" Davis said at his turn.  Mrs. Garrett told Magan that it was crazy how different having him and Sam in class were.  She said it was hard to get Sam to say a word, but ... well Davis would tell her everything.

This is Davis' best bud Drew.

Sam busted his lip on his knee...Yeah, I don't know how this happened, shortly before school had ended. 

And this is Sam's field day where Magan said it was very hot, and aparently there were a lot of ants in this field too.  

Mother's Day/Scouts/Random Other Stuff

Too many just random pictures here at the end of the year, so here goes the hodge podge of pictures

Happy Mothers day to the sweetest Mom.  We took her to Macaroni Grill to get the fresh mozzarella that she craves so much.   Afterwards we dropped Mom off at Pottery Barn, and after screams of delight I realized that there was now a ToysRUs at the summit, so of course the kids talked me into going.  

And we went back home to visit family on Mother's Day.  We went to Hanceville in the morning, visiting with Nanny, then went to lunch with the Ratcliff crew, then went to see MawMaw, then on to Granny's.  Fun day, but lots of driving.  

Sam was awarded his Wolf Badge, and has graduated to being a Bear.  And I guess I have graduated to being the Bear den leader...its amazing how these volunteer jobs just don't go away.

And Belle's buddies Cohen and Ansley...She always has fun at the Dean house.

Sam's latest Duct Tape creations.  And I am pretty sure Davis got ahold of the camera for some of the pictures below.