Party #1

My cousin, Angi, informed me of a brilliant idea her family used, and I'm implementing it in my family now. From now on, every 4 years will be a big birthday party for my kids, and all the other years will be low-key. I think it's a great way to keep the budget in control and stress levels down, and it will keep the kids from getting too greedy about birthday stuff. So the big birthdays are perfect. 4 is when you start getting excited for your birthday to come. 8 is when you get baptized. 12 is when you go into young women's or get the priesthood. 16 you can drive and date. Perfect!! Plus, I don't have to stress about not being creative enough. My little family is too last-minute and impulsive to plan ahead for holidays and birthdays.

This year Talea turns 4, so it's the BIG year. Shira wanted to have a joint birthday party with Talea and Sophia (Sophia's birthday, 05/05/05, is the day after Talea's, 05/04/04). Sophia is Talea's cousin and best friend, so it sounded good, but when it came down to it, it was going to be too much driving and headache for too little of party, and Talea was dying to go to Wildlife Safari, which is a drive-thru zoo. Besides, kids are free until 4 years old at the Safari, so we had to go on Saturday before she cost us $12! After all, I have cheap Cluff blood coursing through my veins.

This is Talea and Sophia. They get soooo excited when they get to see each other.

So Talea ended up having 3 parties over 2 days. The first party was with Jeremy (Hyrum's head installer at work) and his family at Wildlife Safari. We headed out there in the morning and played with them there until lunch time when they had to head back home for other obligations. We pet the animals and got up close and personal with many.

Here's Jeremy (our head installer) and more of the gang. Recognize the elk hat? That's right baby. He and Hyrum were sporting theirs that day.

This was a huge accomplishment for Hyatt, to pet a 4-month-old llama. He is terrified of most animals.

Yeah, this lioness was only about 5 feet away.

This crazy emu kept belching at us!

I'd hate to have to rope one of these cattle! These are cows from Africa.

While we waited for Party #2 to start, we played on the Safari playground and rode the elephants. Talea was thrilled, Kiersa was asleep in the Bjorn, and Hyatt was scared, but toughed it out anyway.


All Kiersa wanted to do was eat and sleep, eat and sleep. What animals? Who cares.

After all that action, it was time for a break! Lucky kids can just go anywhere!
Here's a few more shots of our fun that day.