You can come too

We went to the zoo today. It was probably one of those "Mom and Dad are enjoying this more than you, kid" kinda trips but regardless we took advantage of half price Tuesday and the humid free day; taking in the sad but exciting exhibits. I think once you've seen the real thing in person the zoo just isn't the same. But Isabel didn't know the difference, about anything really, she was just excited to be walking around (a skill just one month fresh).

A little rant here: The zoo is so pathetic really, seeing the skin folding over the giraffe's meatless bones or the small bald eagles quarters, or the blue paint behind the monkey's "tree" or the mounds of dust balls collecting outside the otters cage, it is all just really depressing. You know what's really cool is chasing a giraffe though the tall grasses in Kenya, or seeing an eagle fly over the Port Susan Bay in Washington, or have a real live monkey walk all over your dinning room table and cling to your dress skirt begging for after dinner scraps. That's what I want for Isabel, none of this viewing the elephants with the freeway speeding behind but real, up close and personal animals, hippos that bump the bottom of your boat on safari; more of that!  Rant over. 

Besides the let down of the zoo, our day brought back memories. Not of trips to the zoo but of days packed with summer. Growing up at home my mom would always take us to the water-slides or the river; our days smelled of sunscreen and a little sweat and after a full day of activity we slithered back into the car and dragged our weary bones home. I'm pretty sure being on the other side of the scenario this time I was even more bone weary and still smelled of sunscreen and dare I say a little more sweat than the childhood me, but I felt happy as we dragged tired happy selves into the house. It was our turn today, our turn to create a day of fun for little Isabel, our turn to chase her around, herding her like cats to the next exhibit, it was our turn to lather on the sunscreen and pack the picnic lunch and create some excitement, faux tree and all.

Spring has sprung

Thankfully, we don't have a very long winter to sit though, nevertheless, I've been itching for Spring; for some fresh dirt, some bloomin' trees and warmer weather. It's official it has arrived! Spring for us means a break from school, trees blooming end of Feburary/beginning of March: shouting loudly "I'm here". There are still many vines and trees that lie sleeping but the hope of more is present, mmm new life!

Since we have a break from routine we are soaking up the warm weather with lots of time outside, dining alfresco, Dan's favorite. 

We've also spruced up our trees out back and planted a small garden. These last four years I've been planting in containers; fun, but not nearly as fun as planting in the ground. I've been salivating for some space to make my own. Today we broke ground. 

These next few months are some of my favorite in Tuscaloosa, warm and sunny minus the humidity. We've taken it upon ourselves to soak it up before May marches in with scorching, humid days.