Pit Stop #2

We took a short drive, short as in less than 15 hours, to Atlanta after visiting my parents. I grew up in the country. I didn't drive on the interstate until I was 18 years old. I didn't drive in high traffic on the interstate until I was 19 and I about died of a panic attack. Then I moved to Rexburg. It's much less populated there, meaning much less traffic. So all the times we drove across the country and got grid locked on the interstate in St. Louis I thought it was ridiculous. St. Louis has always been my worst traffic experience. Even driving through all of Salt Lake City at rush hour wasn't as bad just a snippet of St. Louis any time of the day. Then we drove through Atlanta. I'd been there plenty of times before since we would take a trip to Six Flags almost every year with my family growing up. But I never paid attention to traffic, usually because we wouldn't get there til the middle of the night and there wouldn't be any traffic. Oh boy. Atlanta was something else driving through it! It was insane, seriously insane. I don't ever want to live there ever. I don't ever want to live anywhere close to there where I would have to drive through there on a regular basis, heck, even just a once in a while basis would be too much for me. I've decided I like small towns. I like the country. I like living where there aren't any people around. Now I just need to find some land backed up to a national forest and make sure I don't get any neighbors. Swan Valley, Idaho is sounding pretty good right now.

Anyway, we went to Atlanta to visit Michael's brother Chris. Chris is getting his master's degree in engineering at Georgia Tech, so they are living in Atlanta. We stayed the night with them and I got to go to a relief society activity at their church and make a mason jar garden. I planted cilantro because we always buy cilantro and end up wasting some because we can't use it fast enough. If I grow my own, we can use it at our own pace and always have some. We'll see if it actually grows. And if it survives the drive down to Florida.

We also got to go to the zoo. We drove right past the Braves baseball field, which was very exciting. I've always told Michael that I wouldn't care to go to a baseball game, but now I think I would. It would be fun to sit in the stands and just plain feel American. And eat a ball park hot dog and nachos of course. Is that me talking? Must be the cravings...

Ivan just loves Chris and Laura's kids. It was so fun for him to see all of his cousins so close together.

Charlotte is thrilled to be in the carrier. That sure didn't last long. 

All the cousins. From left to right - Jane (blue jacket), Charlotte on my back, Megan, Ben, and Ivan. Then there's Chris. 

Pumba!

Lots of baby lions. This was one of my favorite exhibits. 

Brothers carrying their boys. 

Aw, they're holding hands!

There were a bunch of gorillas at the zoo. I don't think I've seen that many before. 

This is where we had lunch. There was an adorable baby monkey inside this exhibit that was going wild! He was so full of energy and he ran all over the place. It was really fun to just sit and watch him for a bit.  

They had baby pandas! 

This is how supermom looks. Haha

Alligator snapping turtle

Charlotte loved all the goats at the petting zoo. I couldn't keep her from petting them if I wanted. 

Ivan and Ben, partners in crime. This is over at the playground. There was a hand washing station and air hand dryers, or whatever they're called. Ivan thought it was pretty cool to pick up the wood chips and watch the dryer blow them out of his hand. Any time you walked too close to this thing, it would start automatically. So anytime Charlotte got close, it would start and she would freak out!

This zoo has got to be one of the best I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot of zoos. The only problem with this particular visit was that is was crazy busy. There were tons of school field trip groups, tons! So that was kinda crazy. And we were expecting a little warmer weather, but it turned out ok.