"San Abarbara" Zoo with Jeff's Family

Jeff's parents came out the week of Father's day to visit Ben and Aprilanne's new baby. The Tuesday after Father's Day, we took a trip to the Santa Barbara Zoo. Jackson insists that it is called the "San Abarbara Zoo" - like the San Diego zoo.

We got wise this time and decided to bring both of our strollers. I wasn't up for carrying anyone at any point during the day, and it ended up being great. Charlotte was able to nap whenever she wanted without being elbowed in the face, and Jackson was able to ride as much as he wanted, which was good. On the way in, his finger was pinched incredibly hard by one of the gate hinges. He was in so much pain that he asked to go home - and this kid has a HIGH threshold for pain, and would never normally think of asking to leave a zoo.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is beautiful. It is small, but it is right on the beach and the landscaping is beautiful. The giraffes have a billion dollar view of the ocean. Unfortunately, we weren't able to walk through the whole zoo because of renovations.

The have a kids play area with a giant spider web and a large hill covered with Astroturf that the kids (and Adults) had fun sliding down. I even tried it, and was amazed that the kids (and Ben) kept going back for more. The friction really packed a ton of heat!
















Charlotte had fun too. She enjoyed all of the attention from everyone, liked being outside, and even started noticing the animals. She is now steady enough to sit on Jeff's shoulders and is really proud of herself.













Jackson made some discoveries at the zoo (that he hasn't stopped talking about). He found a 3-toed sloth in the caymen/turtle exhibit. He was so excited that he found the sign and the sloth first. He had never seen a sloth before, and was thrilled. He also loved the gibbons that swung around in the treetops of 50 foot trees, making whooping noises. He was also happy to discover how closely he is related to all the monkeys and apes that he is in love with.

On our way out, we found a little gopher digging up the lawn. It kept peeking out of his hole to pick grass for his burrow. When the boys got too close, he quickly pushed dirt out of his hold and covered it up.

After the zoo, we visited the old courthouse and tried to climb to the top of the tower for a great view of Santa Barbara, but we were a few minutes too late. Our family headed home so that I could prepare for my knitting class the next day, but Jeff's family went to the beach for a few more hours before heading home. It ended up being a great day for everyone.