the zoo times two

So...I haven't been to the zoo in like years...since Allison's rehersal dinner like almost 6 years ago....but, now I have gone twice in the past week. Really, I can't say enough about the Ft. Worth Zoo...it is fantastic! Someone told me top 5 in the U.S. and I believe it! Wednesday's are half off and so it was just $6 for me and Kinley to spend the afternoon seeing all the animals! This time we went with Kristen, Avery, Ben and Sawyer. I was so excited to go with them because they LOVE animals so much, especially birds. They know how all of them sound. It was a blast watching them get so excited at everything! I wish I had some video to show...I think Kris got some...it was hilarious!

The Flamingos were a favorite this time and Avery made the best flamingo noises.

They all loved the giraffes...

and the swans (or geese...whatever these are)

Everyone helped Aves feed the fish

Sassy's favorite by far was the Parrot Paradise where the parakeets fly around you everywhere

Ben is showing us where the elephants are



We had to stop by the flamingos at the end again for everyone.

Hope you guys get to take a look at the animals in the Zoo soon too!

Woodland Hills Park

Allison, Kristen and I all grew up in a neighborhood called Woodland Hills. All our parents still live there and it is so much fun now to take all our kids down to the park that we used to go to all the time growing up. Monday Kris and I took the babies to the park in the strollers to play on the playground and feed the ducks. It was so much fun...we just missed Allison and Ella!

Barstads on the way to the park!

Kinley in her stroller

Ben threw his bread like a champ!

Aves

All Kristen's kids know what kind of ducks they are feeding...so Ben says "Quack, Quack" and Avery says..."Look, its a Mallard!"

Sassarina

Kinley super excited about the leaves


Bing (Kris) handing out bread

Ben may be trying to stop Kinley from eating a stick off the ground.

Kristen and Jeff got engaged in this park on a bridge similar to what is behind her....such memories!

Trying to keep Ben and Kinley from getting in the water..hello can't they read the sign!?






After the park..we drove some tired babies through McDonald's for some ice cream...happy Matching Monday!

Ft. Forth Zoo

This weekend Mendy and Alex were both in town and they had planned to go to the Ft. Worth Zoo on Sunday and asked us to tag along. It was Kinley's first time at the Zoo and I was not sure at 9 months if she would really care about it at all..but, she just loved it! She was super excited about the mammals...monkeys, tigers, lions, any kind of deer, sheep, etc...but, the birds, fish and reptiles did not interest her as much. When she would see the animals she would just start talking and pointing and kicking her legs. It was so cute!


Mendy and Alex acting like monkeys on our way to see the monkeys!
This was disgusting...we saw this monkey catch his own poo in his hands and then crawl up and sit down and eat it.....gross!


A flamingo pic for Gary



Kinley petting the armadillo in the Texas area

Alex, Mendy, Kinley and I weigh the same as 99 chickens, 8.3 goats, or .6 cows!


Group shot on the crocodile


Mendy is a turkey vulture and Alex is a bald eagle


Gorgeous Lion....but, not kidding...this lion came down from the ledge to the edge of his area...looked us right in the eyes and charged at us and growled. I have never seen or experienced that before...terrifying...even though I knew he couldn't get to us. Maybe it was my mother's instinct.

Get it...Asian falls..haha!

Kinley and Uncle Alex make a cute matching pic!

We loved the zoo and we have another fun zoo trip planned very soon....stay tuned!

An Engagement Party Gift

So, I am so into creating my own gifts lately and last night I went to an engagement party for my friends, David and Ashley. They are getting married this summer and the party was SO much fun! We ate, drank, toasted, watched them open presents and then danced the night away! It was a blast! Wish I had pics from the party...but, instead I have pics of the gift I made them. Ashley said it was their first gift with their new last name :-)


First I painted a plain canvas a neutral khaki color (since I am not sure what their home decor will look like)

Next, buy a cute frame...

then tie a ribbon to the frame...

get some self-adhesive vinyl, cut out your design on a Cricut, and press it on the canvas

The finished product! Such a great party engagement gift!