The Memphis Zoo or Bust

We decided to take a little day trip on Thursday to the Memphis Zoo. My mom, dad and I took my two kids plus my 3 nieces for the day for a lightning fast trip. Riley had to be back for soccer, but we couldn't even think about going without our animal lover! We rushed in, saw the monkeys, ran over to watch the Sea lion show, saw the pandas, ate lunch, ran here and there, and then it was already time to go! We are going to go back soon so we won't be so rushed! Hope has a broken toe, so I was really worried about her having to stay in the stroller all day, but that was just silly. She ran all over that zoo. She has become quite good at walking and running on the heel of her foot. (The toe was broken on Wednesday at school when it got accidentally slammed in a door to the indoor playground. She has not complained once since. The toenail is going to fall off soon and it so hurts me to look at it, but she has been a trooper!) We all had a lot of fun on our quick trip. Everyone had a favorite part of the trip. My favorite part was just watching Hope take in the Memphis Zoo for the first time. I grew up going to the Memphis Zoo when we lived in Jonesboro. We went every Mother's Day, and every time we visited my Aunt Frankee. I have lots of good memories there...and even one traumatic one...keep reading!

Say hello to my new favorite picture of Hope! Hope never ever ever just looks at my camera and smiles. She can look at the camera, or she can smile. You just can rarely get both. When she woke up that morning, she said "Mommy, I had a dream that I looked at your camera and smiled!" She knows it drives me nuts that she won't do this! So, at the zoo, I reminded her of her dream, and she just looked at my camera and smiled! This made my day!

Here is my overly dramatic TRAUMATIC story about the Memphis Zoo. My Aunt Frankee is an amazing photographer. She has taken some of my all time favorite pictures of my family. On one trip to the zoo, she was taking pictures of me and my sister. She sat me on this wall ( I think I was about 4!) and took some pictures, and then she and Jennifer got distracted, and walked away! Really, they did! They left me on this wall. I of course had to sit Hope on the wall for a picture. But, I did NOT walk away! :-)