Hogle Zoo

We meet up with friends from sunny Arizona at Hogle Zoo. It was HOT, HOT, HOT! Wish we had a nice swimming pool like the sea lions had to cool off. Construction is finally finished and Rocky Shores opened June 1. Rocky Shores now has otters, sea lions, seals, a polar bear, grizzly bears and eagles. Their new homes are amazing and probably super expensive which must be the reason for the hike in admission to get into the zoo! I ended up buying a year pass and it will have paid for itself next time I go to the zoo. I figure with 2 kids in school all day, the little girls will love outings to see the animals.

Becky and family are visiting from Gilbert, AZ. They have "thin" blood and the heat probably didn't bother them. 

First up on our trip was the elephants. I don't remember this elephant spitting water but it was refreshing even if it is a little gross to have an elephant spit on you. Jonathan, Jack, Isaac

And then another picture with the girls: Jonathan (7), Lexi (3), Jack (6), Madison (7), Isaac (5)

Becky and I have both had recently baby's.  Lilly (3 months) and Avery (6 months)

And then one of all of us with the crazy wacky group of kids.

Jonathan and Maddy will be in 2nd grade.

Jack 1st

Isaac starts Kindergarten this year

I didn't get any pictures at the bird show. It was amazing. We enjoyed this bird show more than the Tracy Aviary and they specialize in birds. I love having birds (as long as they don't poop) fly over your heads. I duck every time even tho they are pro's and would never probably hit us.

After the bird show, we ate lunch by the carousel. Got suckered into paying for the carousel and then headed to the new area of the zoo. Here are 2 sea lions or seals (can't tell the difference) soaking in the sun.

And then we got to see the Polar Bear. He wasn't out and about in his fabulous villa instead he was inside eating some fish. The animals aren't use to people always watching them so the zoo keepers give them some down town behind the scenes to relax. Rizzo ( I think is his name) was behind glass that only we can see in to give him some privacy.

The 3 grizzly bears came out just as we walked by them. Well 2 did, 1 likes to hang behind the scenes away from the crowds as well. They are siblings and 3 years old.

We walked around and saw the other animals, most of them were sleeping or staying in the shade. It was 100'. Lilly didn't like the stroller as much as I wanted her to and snuggled in the baby sling next to me to sleep. BOY we're we both sweaty. The zoo has lots of mister's as you walk around, they were nice and refreshing. While we were feeding the little girls, Lexi got soaked~she dried off soon enough. Next time we go, we'll hit the zoo earlier and see if we can watch the animals getting their breakfast instead of taking afternoon naps.

It was so fun to see Becky again. We meet at UVSC and were in the same ward at Branberry and graduated together. When we both lived in Draper, neither of us had kids. They moved to Arizona; we moved to Idaho and then back to Utah. We use to coordinate vacations so we could get together. This is a trip when Maddy was 8 months old and Jonathan was tiny tiny, probably 3 weeks.

We are secretly trying to hook Maddy & Jonathan up. One day! Thanks for squeezing us in for a visit while you are on vacation.