Dallas Zoo

 Our new friends, the Z family invited us to spend a day at the Dallas Zoo. It is a fantastic zoo- much bigger than SLC or Phoenix with some really interesting animals and enclosures. The Z family is really great. They have 3 kids- K, who is almost 6, A, who is 4 like Birdy and G, who is just two weeks or so older than Bear. We've had so much fun getting to know them and they have been so welcoming. (Can you tell I'm saying all this because I feel like saying "Look, see? We have friends! We aren't all alone in this big crazy place 1,000 miles from family and all that is familiar!).

 They have almost-life-size elephant statues near the African Savannah exihibit. The kids loved "riding" the elephants. This is Birdy's new friend. It is cute because she insists that we call her by her first and last name always...

 They have a pretty, wide-open elephant enclosure. It is next to a building set up like an African Safari base camp with a giant covered deck and big chairs. I'd love to go to the zoo and just sit in those chairs and watch for an hour or so.

Near the base camp building is a cafe with big glass windows that open directly on to the lion enclosure (as you can see). Very cool to be just inches from a sleeping lion!

One of our favorite things was the Giraffe enclosure. The viewing deck is up high, right at eye-level with the giraffes. You can even buy food to feed them (next time!). They had an adorable new baby giraffe and we got some fun video of him running. There are few things as cute as a running baby giraffe (your kiddos are going to want to watch this one!)

We had to cut our trip short. It got too hot and the babies decided they were done with skipping their nap. We definately need to go back and see the rest (but maybe when it's a bit cooler?)