The Knoxville Zoo

Let's swing over to the Knoxville Zoo!

(50% off if you have a valid Idaho Falls Zoo membership)

Testing our monkiness--

Not a bad attempt for Mitchell.

I'd expect more from a rock climber.

Impressive for a young monkey.

Except being a monkey hurts her palms too much. 

Here's our friend!

King of the 6 foot swing!

Mr. Gibbon!

He was making the loudest noises!

He liked us.

I could tell.

A different kind of swing...

A different kind of monkey.

Making our monkey home.

Where's the monkey in the middle?

I bet they'll make me do it.

Peek-a-boo!

Can you tell who is Cora and who is Mitchell?

(Just kidding the other one is Britta!)

Respect the elderly!

He oddly did not do Kung-Fu or give us wisdom from the universe.

Let's go trap animals for the zoo!

(Umm, No Ashley, that's not it...)

Ok, let's just go on "safari" then.

If animals volunteer,

we'll bring them back with us.

Walk like an Egyptian--lion!

There weren't any lions.

(I guess they were short on volunteers at the last safari)

So we had to amuse ourselves at this exhibit.

WATER BREAK!

WOW, it's hot in the South.

I mean to say, 

people from the South are hot.

Mitchell making friends, wherever he goes!

And then hiding from them!

Still, he has grace!

Seriously, those break dancing classes 

are really teaching this kid to MOVE!

Crossing into a different continent of creatures.

Closest Mitchell has gotten to holding anyone's hand.

Although it was a gorilla.

A lot of lion hype for a place without lions.

(I'm a little disappointed, can you tell?)

Yes, we get it with the lions...

'We love lions'

Not enough to put them in our zoo...

but we will build shrines 

to all the lions out there somewhere.

P.S. I guess the girls look cute in the pictures too.

Even though their faces are clearly 

distraught about the lions too.

(It's just really hot. Come on!)

Hey! Rhino statues!

Located right next to an exhibit of RHINOS!

Not teasing us with statues of animals that we won't see,

 but actually having rhinos!

Which I failed to photograph,

because I was caught up in the lion thing...

Ok, I'm over it.

Really.

 Speaking of being over it...

Britta doesn't like being "copied".

(She wanted to be the only "Robin Hood")

CHECK OUT THIS BEAUTIFUL ELEPHANT!

(I'm not even thinking about the lions anymore.)

She was so close to us and played 

with her ball for such a long time!

It was so nice and cool in here.

We really loved this part!

She didn't let us down.

WHOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!

These guys spent their own money on a zipline!

Worth every penny to see them so happy together!

(They are now flying like eagles!)

These guys opted for a less extreme train ride...

Cora really wanted Colette to come with her.

And Colette really, really wanted to go too.

Reptiles!

(Except Cora)

The kids could create their own virtual reptile that would walk around the exhibit!

So cool!

Here's Mitchell's green lizard.

Cora's purple snake.

Britta's green frog, "Bob."

And Colette's orange frog, "UR MOM."

Lovely.

Cora dove into the aquarium!

Britta contemplating her life as a mermaid.

I hit my head so hard!

I thought it was bigger.

Richard almost left me here.

So, I almost left him here!

😘

Mitchell's hand in a heat sensor.

Looks delicious to a snake!

But, they are already eating!

It took FOREVER, but was totally worth watching.

It looked excruciating to both parties!

I think if eating was this hard for me,

I would be a lot skinnier!

Which, I guess, is why snakes are really skinny!

HA.

You know you want to see it!

Time-lapse of a snake's dinnertime

Fake alligator eggs.

(She really was excited! Poor lamb.)

OK, the stillness these alligators are capable of...

Is there like an extract you can give to toddlers?

Like an alligator-sit-still extract?

I'd buy it.

I see something Japanese!

Happiness and joy.

Black bear exhibit.

"Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica."

What a beautiful girl.

Such a hot day.

I wish she would just jump in!

(And let me join her.)

What a cool zoo!

Loved the bears!

Snakes eating mice!

Elephant playtime!

Living with the monkeys!

Water park!

Crazy cool rides*!

*for an extra fee!

(but no lions)

I just had to mention one more time.