Giraffes and A Painting Kangaroo

Last week we visited Tanganyika Zoo. It is our second time to go. I absolutely love this zoo. It is small and interactive. You can get up close and personal with nearly all the animals for free, animals like my beloved giraffe. First off let me say if I lived closer to this zoo I would be volunteering to stand there all day with the giraffes, they are just magnificent and friendly. You can see the stupid joy on my face. HA!

If you pay $1 you can feed the giraffes (and most animals for that matter). So we did. Leighton was talking a big game the whole night before and way there that she was going to pet all the animals...well, as you can see fear won out.

Micah on the other hand recognized the giraffes right off and started yelling and pointing "giafe, giafe!" Bless that boy, he is definitely my son. He was all about being brave and feeding and petting the "giafes." Love him.

My stupid joy. Random fact but did you know the giraffe Micheal Jackson had came from here (or the family that owns this place?!) yeah, well he did. You know in case it comes up on Jeopardy someday I am ready. HA!

Next Leighton was ready for the "monkeys" aka Lemurs. Once again talking a big game on holding one. Now here the lemurs come and sit on you. You don't get to pet or touch them, only because they don't want them over stimulated and hating humans. Well, a freak out ensued, but in her defense she did MUCH better than last year!

The Albino crocodile/alligator (I don't know which one...don't care, he was pretty cool) Lo was really scared here as most nights we have to spray her room for alligators to keep them at bay. It's really an infestation around here. ;)

Ah, bunnies, now that is something she was on board with! And um, when did MW get so big?! Where is my baby?!

Final stop was the Red Kangaroos. Leighton was mad because she couldn't pet one because they all were napping too far off the path, so a zoo keeper brought one over to paint with her! How cool. You can watch the video below of the kangaroo painting with Leighton and they let her keep the painting. She loved it.

Lo painting with a Red Kangaroo from Michele Keethler on Vimeo.
Thanks Grandma Rachel for taking us!