Lions, & tigers & bears...oh my

It has been ten days since our last post -- way too long. So much has been going on the past two weeks. I was out in Las Vegas for a week for training with my job. Amy went back to Kentucky with the boys to spend some time with the family in Paducah. When we got back to North Carolina, I was swamped with work again, and Amy was adjusting to having the boys on her own again. So we have both been going 100mph lately.

On Friday we made a conscious effort to get away. I took a vacation day from work, and Amy and I loaded the boys up to make our first trip to the North Carolina Zoo over in Asheboro. The NC Zoo is a pretty interesting place. Asheboro is a small town right in the heart of central North Carolina, equidistant from Raleigh, Charlotte & Greensboro -- the three largest cities in the state. It is a natural habitat zoo so we got to see many, many animals as close to their natural setting as possible. The boys got their first glimpses of polar bears, sea lions, a seal, kangaroos, box turtles, giraffes, an ostrich, pink flamingos, bears -- you name it. It was a gorgeous day to get away and well worth the trip. Here are some shots from the zoo trek. Cheers!




The polar bear was quite entertained with the trash can and plastic toys at his disposal. This bear was rescued from a circus in Mexico. While he doesn't have as much freedom as he would in the North Pole, he is pampered a lot more than in his last life as a circus attraction.

The kangaroos were all about vegging out and sunning themselves, mate!



Yes, apparently a bear does it in the woods and in the water, too.



Amy & the boys strike a pose in front of giraffes and an ostrich.



Gus & Owen are intrigued by a wild goose that propositioned them for food.