a drive, a party and a safari

So it's spring break!!!!!!!! Waaaaahooooooo!!!!!!

Can you tell this homeschoolin' mama is happy, happy, happy!?!

And to top it off, when we go back to school Monday, we only have 4 1/2 weeks to go!!! Suweet!!!

We headed out of state to visit our dear friends, Gary and Freda {and their family!}, this weekend for a few days. It's always easy and hard to go there. Easy because we love them dearly and miss them so much {it's been two years since we've seen them}, and because we love being back where we used to live. So many memories...both girls were born there and it was our first church out of seminary. We love it there...quiet, slow, easy.

But it's hard because we have to leave. :( And they spoil us ROTTEN.

Rot.

Ten.

And so we feel bad that they spoil us. Well, the kids don't feel bad about it at all. But Jase and I do. They are so good to us, love us like we're their own and well, it just does our hearts good to be around them. Even though I gain 10 pounds every. single. visit. We eat and eat and eat. Oh, my. Is it ever good.

We came into town on Saturday and soon after, headed to a birthday party for one of their grandsons. It was a gorgeous day. The kids had a blast playing and I snapped away. Which made me pretty happy too.

On Sunday, Jase took the girls to church and I stayed back with the boys. Later that afternoon I shot some pictures of Jessica's new baby boy. Swoon. He is gorgeous. I snuck a few kisses from him. And then we went out to eat and let the kids play outside and just had ourselves a grand ol' time.

On Monday, our last full day there, I had another session planned for a friend and after that, we headed to a safari. This brought back tons of memories from South Africa {where Jessica was with us too...} and I'm telling y'all...I laughed till I cried, nearly wet myself and got sneezed on by a zebra...all safely within the confines of our van.

This place was cool. You got a bucket of food and drove your own vehicle through the property with the windows down. The girls rode with John and Jess in the vehicle in front of Jase, the boys, Gary, Adisson and I. We could hear Jess screaming and the girls laughing. Good times.

First up were the emus. Heaven help me. I was DONE and we hadn't even started. These jokers were seemingly evil. Just look at 'em. Scary, huh?

Soon after, we came up on the llamas. I've fed llamas before and we took pics of them at Honey Camp several years ago. But man. This one fell head over heels for Jase. I mean it. He would not stop...

So we decided to just start driving away, because we were ready to move on and llama dude had gone back to our other vehicle. And when we did that...he did this...

And Gabe had to belly laugh as llama dude RAN beside our van for like 100 yards.

And Jase had to stop and feed him. Again. Dude was hungry.

And then, those darned zebras came. Kennedy fed them first.

Then us.

And then I got sneezed on my head by that there zebra when he so rudely put his entire head in my face waaaaay inside our van.

And this time, Gabe just looked like "Whoa, what the hockey just happened here!?!"

Hey there's Kennedy!

And behind me, is Joel!

Who's about to feed a ram because his mama was too chicken to do it!

But as it turns out, his sister wasn't too chicken...

And then this big ol' elk took a cue from llama dude and he got all up in Jason's business too.

And then,

the end.

Whew, we made it.

What a fantastic first weekend of spring break! We love you, McNabb family! Thanks so much for the memories!