As many of you know I absolutely LOVE Taste of Texas. We usually make it there sometime in March and July to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday. Well, I have had gift cards that were burning a hole in my purse. If you haven't been to Taste of Texas you should know that you just can 't show up anytime. If it is past 6pm, most likely you will wait. On a weekend that could be 2 hours. Since Kevin had off for President's Day, I figured it would be perfect - Monday night. The minute the girls got up from their nap we headed over. No wait!! We enjoyed our yummy salad and bread (although I think they don't use as much yummy cheese in their bread anymore - just a sprinkle on top), and I was enjoying my steak. The girls started talking about how they really wish they had a "girl waiter". Miles was doing an excellent job, but they wanted a girl. So I say a waitress nearby I asked her if she could just say "hi". Then I quickly told her why. Next thing I knew she was asking if the girls wanted a tour of the kitchen. Yes, this girl did! It was nothing like I expected. I had never been in a kitchen in a restaurant. Kevin wanted pictures, but there was no way. I was just trying to keep myself and the girls out of everyone's way. It was loud with dishes clanking and busy and small (space wasted could be more tables and more money.) The sweet waitress brought us to the dessert area and the dessert guy got out a plate of sugar cookies half dipped in chocolate and offered the girls one. Allie was fine. I think Maddie touched one or two before I could grab her hand. Yummy! Fun night.
Then today, a little over a week later, we got a special "treat" at the zoo. A sweet newlywed in our Sunday school class is a zookeeper. She works in the forest area of the children's zoo - owl, deer, turkey, porcupine. She offered to let the girls pet some "critters". They have a special restricted area where they house animals that they take out on little tours to schools, churches, etc.
We started with our zoo favorites. Today the baby giraffe, I think Gerbye will be one in July. was eating a stick. Hard to hold in your mouth and chew at the same time.
He dropped it a few times and had to spread out to get low enough to pick it up.
Showing off his stick!
Then it was time to meet up with Callian. The area has reptiles and some rodents. I was a little surprised with the first animal she got out - a baby crocodile! (again I knew I wanted pictures, but there was a balance to that and helping the girls pet the animals right - Callian was busy holding the animals.) Both girls did pet him. Callian was holding his jaw, because even babies have sharp teeth. By the way, you start with reptiles so when you pet the reptiles you don't smell like a tasty rodent. : )
We also saw an armadillo upclose. Who knew they were hairy underneath.
Some type of lizard, I don't remember what type.
Tortoises
The softest animal ever - Chinchilla.
Some kind of giant rabbit
This is Ernie the porcupine. He is awesome and trained! He can wave and shake hands. Amazing. They don't shoot their quills, just prickly if you run into them, since quills are underneath.
Some other rodent thing - looked like it was in the kangaroo family, but not. I will
The girls had a chance to feed the deer as well. They love shelled peanuts. They ate right out of the girls hand. Completely trained. The deer share a space with the turkeys - Ben and Franklin, who love peanuts too.
Maddie, oranguta statue, and Allie
Another super fun day at the zoo!
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