Yesterday was a big day full of lots of adventure and activity. In fact, I was so tired that I went in to lay with Caroline while she went to sleep last night and Gulley came in and woke me up an hour later. What can I say? The zoo makes me tired.
We started the day with some tattoos.
Rode public transportation which was a great reminder to me of why I am not a fan of public transportation.
It would be fine except for all the people.
Then we made it to the Dallas Zoo. Everyone warned us that the Forth Worth Zoo was so much better than the Dallas Zoo, but we didn’t feel like driving an hour to Forth Worth so we took our chances with the allegedly far inferior Dallas Zoo.
It totally paid off because the kids got to see penguins and a gorilla, both of which cannot be found at the San Antonio Zoo.
Other than that, they rode the carousel and we saw a bunch of birds. I am convinced that birds are basically zoo filler. It’s basically a cheap way to provide something else for people to look at with minimal investment. Why pay to ship in a tiger or a hippo when you can just put some brightly colored pigeons in a “natural habitat” and call it an exhibit?
After paying $8.00 for a zoo cheeseburger that Caroline didn’t eat and realizing the temperature had reached 101 degrees, we decided it was time to take our lives in our hands and hop back on the DART system to get back home.
Later, we headed to the pool to meet our dear friend, Hite, for some swimming and the hopes of flat wearing the kids out so they’d go to bed at a decent hour.
Unfortunately, somebody’s kid decided she needed to go to the bathroom after ten minutes at the pool so we left in search of a restroom and ended up at a neighborhood park with a splash pad.
And after a full day of activities and fun, we all still love each other.
We’ll even share towels.
At least until we get in a big argument over whose turn it is to sit in the “way back” of Hite’s car and it all turns ugly. Fortunately there is no photographic evidence of this unfortunate turn of events.
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How fun! Public transportation makes me want to grip my little bottle of germ-X with fear. By the way Caroline is still 100% rocking the bangs!
Welcome to our neighborhood! I heard the Dallas zoo made some improvements but I haven’t seen for myself. The Ft Worth zoo is great but understandable you didn’t want to add to the drive. Next time you should try it!
If you ever make it to Toledo. . .the Zoo there is the best ever!
Be Blessed,
Amy Honestly
When we took our eighth grade to DC, we managed to get about 50 kids on and off the subway without losing a single one! I always thought I’d see the car pull away with a student’s face plastered against it, but never did!
By the way – Caroline looks fierce in tattoos!
Your life is very hard. I can see why P was so sympathetic.
I’m hitting a park and pool today and Friday is splashpark day! WOOT!
I can’t believe you went to the zoo in ths heat.
Love it! My grandparents used to take us to the San Antonio zoo when we visited them in Universal City. I am not scarred too badly from the lack of penguins or gorillas.
Love the pictures of the kids playing together…best buds…for now, anyways. 
Looks like a great day!
-FringeGirl
I love Caroline’s tattooed Harley chick pose and expression! And what kind of pool DOESN’T have a restroom?! Ewww…
We live in the Dallas area and I think that when you are under 10, any zoo is fine. It’s just that sad kangaroo habitat that backs up to I35 that screams you should go to the FW zoo. Guess you didn’t know about the gorilla that got out about a year or two ago and ran amuck. Oh, and DART… I had the same idea a couple of years ago with my little ones. What a great adventure that would be! There is that moment when you realize not everyone is riding the train for the fun of it. A bit eye-opening!
We love Dallas because there is an endless amount of things to do, but there are those little details to think about it. Sounds like everyone had a great time. (look at dallaschild.com for some other stuff to do too.)
How about public transportation with the smell of garlic? It was supposed to keep people from getting colds but personally, it made me a bit nauseous (a foreign duty assignment we had).
You really need to come to the Omaha Zoo. It’s the best in the country. Maybe someday if the Aggies ever make to the College World Series you could come up and take in the Zoo.
Of course my Longhorn loving hubby thinks you might as well just plan a trip without waiting on A&M.
He thinks you are better off waiting for a A&M vs NU football game…it’s only one hour to Lincoln.
The backseat smack down must have been from all the heat and exhaustion and you know, wanting to eat. That had to have been the reason! Looks like a fun trip! My mom used to take the Dart bus to work every day. I have no idea how she survived. She did not pass that tolerance gene on to me. I’m not too heartbroken over it!
You and Gully can take a lonnnnnngggg road trip and come over our way to Indianapolis…we have an awesome zoo too!!!
BTW…just posted my favorite summer songs…thank you for the prod.
Keep a peckin’-love, love your stuff!!
Sitting in the “way back” of the car is VERY important. Believe me. I know.
Welcome to D/FW! We go to the Ft. Worth Zoo all the time, and it’s fabulous. I rode the DART one time, and that was enough. One public transportation that is fun, though, is the Trinity Railway Express between Dallas/Ft. Worth. There’s so much to do around here!
I agree the FTW zoo is better and not just because I live in FTW. You should make the trek to the Stock Yards in FTW they run steers down the center of the Stock Yards the kids would love it and the train is there too an old steam train.
I so enjoy seeing the fact that Gulley was pouring in the caffeine early on…with her coffee outside the public transport stop. The only way to travel public transportation and have it’s destination be a zoo is to be stoked up high on the coffee bean.
I can’t believe you guys went to the Dallas Zoo in this heat. I live in the Dallas area and all I want to do is be inside. My teenage boys take the rail down to the hockey games but they catch it in a suburb of Dallas and it’s not quite as bad as the line you were on. Not my favorite thing but it sure beats the traffic!
Glad you guys had a great time. With two at A&M this year maybe we will catch you at a game!
Amy is correct… the Toledo Zoo is awesome. You should come and visit our neck of the woods. We have Mudhens baseball, Lake Erie Islands,lots of great metro parks, Maumee State Park,and Cedar Point which is a huge amusement park
Love the towel sharing. My kids would be fighting over every square inch. Hope they slept well for ya!
Welcome to DFW! If you are still around and have time, I’d recomend you take the kids to the Dallas World Aquarium. First of all, it’s indoors – meaning air conditioning. Second, well, it has air conditioning. It really is pretty neat and they have tigers and alegators. I’m sure your bunch would love it.
Here’s their site:
http://www.dwazoo.com/d/
Have fun while you are in town!
I am with you girl…I am at my parents at the beach with my 2 sisters, brother, one of my brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, 8 nieces and nephews and my 2 kids…
it would be nice if they COULD share a towel so we wouldn’t have to carry 400 with us when we leave the house!
Hope you are having fun!
Paige
You’re such a Texas girl with your disdain for public transportation. So funny! Last week I took my girls to Chicago on the train and we had so much fun watching the people. I’m a big fan of public transportation (as long as I don’t have to do it every day).
You’re so funny. That Caroline is such a little poser, always giving you a cute lil face for a picture
Seeing the pictures makes me even more excited to see you all. I am glad you are having so much fun. Get ready for more fun and food…..I made the best chicken salad and pimento cheese ever and my homemade brownies too!!! I thought it would be a good early birthday present that we could all share and enjoy! Nina is waiting by the phone for me to call her when you get here.
Love you all!!!!
What is it with kids wanting to get in the “very back” as Kate calls it? We adults will fight for “shotgun” and the kids want nothing to do with it.
Aw, how sweet they are sharing that towell. I refuse to believe there would be any agruing after this moment.
What fun! I love all your pictures, but the one of Caroline jumping into the pool is my favorite – it screams, “summer!”
Oh wow – - – I believe our Indianapolis Zoo has that one beat – - – we have sharks THAT YOU CAN PET and polar bears, walruses, giraffes, zebras, elephants, tigers, brown bears, lions – - – well, we have the WHOLE SHEBANG.
Those kids sharing the towel are just about darlin’
Love it!! Good, old fashioned summer fun.
birds = zoo filler should be patented. Don’t let Conan steal that from you.
Giant pictures of Willie… now tattoos? This has been quite a classy trip! Texas girls know how to take a quality vacation! Love it!
You and Gulley have the best adventures. I love going to the zoo. Such fun.
I believe the only public transportation I’ve been on is the Metro in Mexico City. It was a little scary but pretty cool. And my dad is 6’2″ and 300 something pounds so nobody dared mess with us. I think the bus or taxi would’ve been much scarier! Us Texas girls do have to avoid that public transport.
What a wonderful summer post! (You really should try the Fort Worth zoo sometime!)
Oh, honey. The Fort Worth Zoo is one of the Top 10 in the nation. The Dallas Zoo? Well.
They did give us 20 tickets for the monorail and carousel.
And I am so, so, so with you on the birds. Ugh.
Looks like a fun day!
I haven’t taken public transportation in years, but I am pretty sure I would die of fear if I grabbed a taxi or a bus around here. They are driven by people whose life insurance is paid up and haven’t a care in the world.
I’m so glad you’re in my neck of the woods!!! If you feel like meeting a total stranger who just loves you and your writing to death – just hop on over to Frisco! We could so be best friends.
Dallas has alot of cool things to do…but the best thing during the summer is the pool!
I don’t know why you were worried about the Dart when you had Caroline’s fiercely tattooed guns to protect you!
Seriously though, you should have gone to the Fort Worth Zoo. It is stellar! I also grew up there, going to the zoo often, so I am partial! The Dallas Zoo is ghetto though, they have a bad track record of animals escaping & mauling people. However, you win an award for going to any zoo in this heat!
At some point you have to go to Fossil Rim in Glen Rose. You actually drive through the wild life park and pet & feed zebras, giraffes, & all kinds of exotic animals. No bird fluff since it is open air & free range! Plus they have a huge petting zoo section for the kids. Just be sure to bring your hand sanitizer!
ok, so i am not understanding the dislike/fear of public transportation. i would suggest you never consider a move to the bay area (san fancisco, berkeley) where i didn’t drive a car to work for 30 years because i used to walk and use public transportation just like everyone else. i’m smiling at the fond memories of it and that you don’t like it.
i’ve been to the san antonio zoo and liked it. never been to the dallas zoo. the san francisco zoo is great.
your pictures are beautiful.
i took my kids there when they were little…i am glad we are past the zoo days. looks like you guys are having a great trip though, i love your writing, you have such gift! i enjoy your posts very much!
We moved from Dallas a year ago to California, and I totally miss the penguins and gorillas at the Dallas Zoo. The gorillas are so great!
How funny! we were at the zoo the very same day, and also took the DART. If you were on the Red Line around 3-ish we were the ones with the screaming 2 yr old! LOL
No photographic evidence? It’s like it never even happened!
I concur! Fort Worth Zoo is vastly superior to the one in Dallas. Don’t take my word for it…just check out the stats. Just sayin’.
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