The Zoo!

I think I've only been to the zoo a handful of times in my entire life. Somehow, I managed to make two trips to the zoo in one week. Because I made a trip to both the Woodland Park zoo in Seattle and the Washington Park zoo in Portland during that week, I am now able to provide a thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of both zoos. Let's see which zoo comes out on top:

First off, the Seattle zoo is cleaner, more educational, has a greater variety of animals, (all of which seem to be more active and happy), and the zoo has a more convenient layout. Most importantly, however, the Seattle zoo allows you to not only view animals, but to impersonate them as well:

Here I'm a spider, facing troubles with the law for "prowling."

And look! Mike has developed into a beautiful butterfly!

And here I am as a zebra. Cute, right?


While the Portland zoo is smaller, dirtier, and honestly less fun, it does have two reedeming qualities:

1) MEERKATS!!!!

2) One thing that the Portland zoo will have more often than the Seattle zoo is Keyton. He makes the zoo more entertaining than all the tigers, monkeys, or hippos combined. Here is Keety feeding the lorakeets with his grandma Banana. (Note: this is also one of maybe 3 picture in existence where my mom looks normal.)

Here is Keety using the skills he picked up with the lorakeets, attempting to feed the penguins through the glass. What a guy!

Another great thing about the Portland zoo, and I think Keety will agree, is the petting zoo. Keyton was happier chasing these goats around than he was viewing the "zebahs," which, by the way, was what he seemed to be looking forward to all day.


In the end, the Portland zoo obviously comes out on top thanks only to Keyton's ability to take your mind off of the fact that you are viewing wild animals trapped in concrete cages that are too small for them and that smell like poop. Oh, and the meerkats don't hurt, either.

Mission Day

Each spring, Seattle University sets aside one day for faculty and staff to focus on the school's Jesuit Catholic mission in order to explore it in greater depth and to expand their understanding of it. Typically, Mission day is a time when the students at Seattle University are free to sleep in and relish in the fact that they need not go to class. However, Mike and I decided to take the day a little more seriously and pursue our own special mission.

Mission day began at Volunteer Park Cafe, a lovely neighborhood coffee shop that serves up some delicious treats. Mission one: eat copious amounts of food.

Then, it was off to the park to take advantage of the windy conditions. Mission two: get the Nemo kite off the ground.

Mike clearly needed my help. I found that running around like a lunatic really encouraged the kite to stay in the air.

Finally, mike succeeded in the mission, and was flying the Nemo kite with ease.

Look, we rock at flying kites! Mission accomplished.

Lent

Lent is the 40 day liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter. The 40 days represent the time Jesus spent in the desert, where, according to the Bible, he endured temptation by Satan. This year, since we do go to a Jesuit university, we have all decided to properly recognize Lent after years of neglecting such a momentous religious event.

Natalie is showing a lot of self-control by giving up studying during Lent. No more Indian Law, Contracts, or Constitutional Law. It's just Grey's Anatomy for the next 40 days around here.


Katie is making quite a large sacrifice during Lent and will be giving up running. Her coach (and waistline) won't be happy, but Jesus will.


Mike is also observing Lent, and will not be eating vegetables until Easter. Surprisingly, he doesn't look like he is having too hard of a time with it.


What are YOU giving up for Lent?

The best foraging find yet!

That's right. As if life couldn't get any better, they are now making meerkat cereal!

Meerkat Mike no longer has to forage for scorpians and millapedes. Hooray!

Jumping on the bed turns into an existential dilemma

When Mike was in Portland with me, he couldn't hold back his urge to jump on my mum's bed. What is it about those things that are off-limits to us that make us desire them so strongly?

Kyle saw the photo, and decided to take immediate action.

However, his plan quickly backfired. Unfortunately, he is taking his unchecked wrath out on poor little me!

And sure enough, mom has decided to disown me. She sent me an e-mail stating a simple, yet hurtful, message:

My family relationships are declining swiftly. How could this situation possibly be rectified? What could ease my pain? As always, Mike has some great advice:

HELP -- I Can't Stop Eating!

I also can't figure out how to turn this picture around. Boy, do I have problems.

Meerkats!

Meerkats are all the rage this season. Here's Katie and mom looking lovely and buck-toothed.

Larry and mom are the love-bird meerkats.

Mike makes the cutest (and tallest) meerkat of all. He is good at watching for signs of danger.

And here are a few meerkat poseurs. Losers.