Zoo memories

I have been working on a five-part series entitled Spring's Precious Miracles.  Each day I focused on a different aspect of spring and how to involve children in learning about it.  I discussed butterflies, birds, flowers and foliage, weather, and animals.  Since the South Texas State fair opens today, I incorporated that into the article on animals since there is a petting zoo and livestock at the fair.  That is how I came across this picture of Katie on her first trip to the fair.

It seems like just yesterday since our first trip to the fair with a child.  We have gone to many petting zoos, fairs and carnivals since 2000 (when this picture was taken).  Here are a few recaps of family outings at the zoo:

1.  When Andrew was a baby and Katie a toddler we evacuated to Waco for a hurricane.  My parents went with us, and one day we all went to the zoo.  While visiting the petting zoo, my dad was holding a map of the zoo and a goat came by, snatched it right out of his hand, and ate it in a matter of seconds.  We still laugh about that.  Here is a picture of us at the Waco zoo:

2.  Unfortunately this is connected to a hurricane evacuation, too.  This time it was Hurricane Rita, and we were staying in Richardson with my cousins.  When we went to the Dallas zoo, they let us in for free since we were "evacuees".  We had so much fun since it was a cool fall day and most of the kids were in school.  It was almost like we had the zoo to ourselves.  Here is a picture from our trip to the Dallas zoo:

3.  Of course we have had many trips to the Houston zoo.  Each year that the kids were in kindergarten we went with their class on a field trip, and we have gone several times to meet up with relatives.  When the swine flu scare first came out, the children were not allowed into the petting zoo during their field trip.  Here is a picture of the kids with their cousin Ricky on our most recent trip to the Houston zoo, which was last November:

Hopefully we will not have anymore hurricane evacuations for a LONG time- we have had our share.  The last evacuation (Ike), the closest we got to a zoo was riding in paddle boats at a park with ducks.  We were at the house of the brother of my good friend in McKinney.  Pete had stayed home for work.  Here are a few pictures of that:

I love strolling down memory lane.  Do you?