Benefits of Having a Zoo Membership

We LOVE being members of the Memphis Zoo! As members, we can enjoy the zoo anytime and even parking is free. The membership pays for itself in about two visits (adults are normally $15, children $10 and parking is $5 I believe).

One great benefit to being a member is that you can take your time, and you don't have to rush around trying to make sure you see all of the exhibits. This past visit we went to Teton Trek, Northwest Passage, and the African Velte.

The little man is starting to really be aware of the animals, and it is so much fun to watch! This time was all about bears...he loved watching the brown bears splash and play in the water, and he was mesmerized by the polar bear swimming the same loop over and over!



Another benefit to not paying each time is that he and I can just run up there for a short outing before the morning nap or in between naps. As he gets older, it's not as easy to keep him busy at home!



He especially loves it when Daddy can join us!

In addition to these benefits, members get special pricing for zoo events and invites to members only nights four times a year.

I think we will be zoo members for life!



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Busy, busy, busy!

Well, hello! I feel like I have blinked and September is almost over! I haven't been blogging because I simply have not had one spare minute this month. Although it has been extremely hectic, it has also been very rich and rewarding.

The month began with a bang as I completed my first 5k. My good friend Jennifer and I started the Couch Potato to 5k training program around the Fourth of July, and the Chick-fil-a 5k was the exciting culmination to our training.



What a feeling to cross that finish line with my husband, my son, my mom, and my brother cheering me on! (okay, maybe G wasn't cheering!)



After a Labor Day cookout at my mother-in-law's house that same afternoon, Sean and I hit the road with G for our annual trip to Grayton Beach FL. We left at bedtime, so the little man slept all the way to Mobile where we stopped for the night. The next day, we only had a couple of hours to drive before arriving here...



Grayton Beach, one of our favorite places on Earth!

We return every September since getting married there in 2009. We go with a large group of friends. This year, we graduated to the "family" side of the duplex condo where we stayed with two other families with young babies and another friend and her fourteen year old daughter (prime babysitting age!).

Here are the boys...



And the girl...



The trip was amazing as usual! We arrived after Tropical Storm Lee and had perfect weather during our trip. Here is the fam...



We also spent time in Seaside eating some of our favorites like the Lobster Roll from the Shrimp Shack and a grilled cheese from The Meltdown on 30A.






After a great five days, we returned to the real world! I have started my practicum experience at Delta Medical Center, and I am taking my last class of graduate school! I will complete my internship in the Spring and graduate in May!

The craziness of September continued this past weekend with the Cooper Young 4 Miler


(which I finished in 44:54, just under my goal of 45:00!)
The annual Cooper Young Festival on Saturday



(G in front of our friend Billy Moore's folk art booth- you can view and purchase his art )
And the couples' shower for our good friends, Tommy and Candi, who are getting married in October



Oh, and did I mention that G took his first steps yesterday (with the help of a push toy!)

Whew! What a month! I will try to be more regular about blogging so that I don't have to write so much at once :)

Peace,

Ellen

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