Spring Break Day 3: Taking a Safari

Today was our day to take a safari, to the Wildlife Safari Park  near Gretna. This year I bought a membership since it was the same cost, practically, for our entire family to go once. This way we can go several times during the season.
We arrived right at opening, 9:30. It turned out to be a great idea bty as there was a line to check in when we were leaving! Anyway, The kids quickly jumped up and had their heads out the window pointing at the Elk, awwwwing over the little white tailed deer, and making fun on the bills on the pelicans. The safari does have something new this year which was a huge hit with the kids, a petting zoo! They had 3 week little baby goats on display that had so much energy I was begging them to share (with me, not with Asher who seems to have an endless supply lately). They were SO CUTE! Asher even tried to pet the roosters. I guess they will be getting chickens soon and at least one goat was due to have babies like yesterday (she was huge!). The petting zoo area was the kids' favorite by far. Funny, they thought it was so cold hiking up to see the wolf (that we never saw) and the black bear, but they stopped complaining in the petting zoo. We stayed there a good 20 minutes before moving on. You drive through the safari with the exception of the Bald Eagles, bear, wolf and now the petting zoo. It was chilly this morning, but it was not unbearable.

It took us an hour and a half to drive through. We could have stayed longer, probably, if the weather was nicer and I did not have 101 things to do before my big trip.

After the safari, we came home for lunch, then made chocolate chip cookies. No chilly day in spring is complete without some baking. Alivia had the "wet" ingredients, Addison the "dry" and Asher did the chocolate chips. It was really a team effort, and I am shocked they turned out. :)

The kids played outside while I mowed. Seriously, I need to mow on our rider more often. It took me a couple minutes to figure out how to actually mow. It rained before I could move on to the trimmer (shoot). Grandpa Bill and Grandma Bet gave me a quick run down on how to run that thing. Seriously, Chris has too many tools, and I am not sure I want to use them.

Speaking of Grandma Bet and Grandpa Bill...they have the kids for the next 1 1/2 days, then Chris parents have them for 1 1/2 days, before I return just in time for Easter. Addison and Asher jumped in the car and Asher yelled, "Sleep tight Mommy!" Alivia struggled to get used to the idea. It is sad to see her like that. She is not good at separation. That is okay, I am not either. But, sounds like we better get used to it.

Meanwhile, Chris had an intense day, taking a tour of base (which sounds HUGE), meeting with some important people, getting a feel for what he is to do there in Florida. I guess he is going to working at CENTCOM for the remainder of his trip, checking in at his employer's facility as well. He has a little workstation in Florida now, and it sounds like he will be sharing some time there and here. It also sounds like they do not like him spending too much time here and being there most of the time. Chris, who likes to stay in the confines of his little box, is a little overwhelmed. It is a lot to take in, a new position at work (new job essentially), new city, new base, tons of new people, new culture, etc. Give him a week and he may turn around. He finds Tampa to be beautiful yet HOT! Hey, we had at least the hot part on Monday. And, if you catch it at the right time, Nebraska can be beautiful. Okay, I can be beautiful if I try hard enough and I am in Nebraska. Okay, now I am stretching it. Anyway, I am looking forward to getting down to Florida myself so I can see what it is like and see if it is somewhere we want to move to (gasp!). Me in Florida?! The idea scared me to death, but I am up for adventure most of the time. I am not saying anything on this one and letting it play out. Chris is the one that really has to decide if this is what he wants to do. We are a family unit here or there. Obviously, our extended family is here. Chris and I have never lived away from our parents, so that would be a huge deal. There would definitely have to be some more money put into the travel budget, that is for sure. Anyway, we will just see how this plays out.

Happy Easter! Will post when I can.

Today's rundown in pictures...

The Greeting the kids made for Chris' big 40th birthday on Friday!