This past Friday we were invited to the opening of the new Elephant Odyssey exhibit at the San Diego Zoo.

The exhibit is amazing and I can see why it took four years and $45 million dollars to create. I really liked the focus on conservation, recycling and saving the elephants.


The Odyssey spans 7.5 acres and I'm sure I walked all of them. Much thanks to my husband and Deb's husband, The Rock, for wrangling the children while we drank Pink Elephants socialized. The food was great, flowers beautiful, the costumes were superb, the elephant cakes (not made of, just shaped like) were amazing and the kids got to touch snakes, birds and alligators.


I can't remember where Jenn and Bridget were when we took this picture, but they were there too. It was nice to get together with the girls!

(left to right Sondra, Tonya, Sugar, Deb and Charity,)

Tyler and Toots (Deb's daughter, who has decided Tyler is her brother) got his and hers Grim Reaper tattoos. (sorry, Deb!)


Everyone got super cute bags to take home with one of the best pieces of swag ever: a picture frame made of real elephant poo!

(yes it's real poo, no it doesn't smell like poo and yes I'm enjoying typing the word poo)

Thanks so much to Drew and the zoo for the invitation!

A Lesson in Physics

Scene: The family is outside their home enjoying the late afternoon sun. Mother and father are seated in lawn chairs. Son has been riding his bike up and down the cul de sac, but stops to take a break.

Tyler: "I'm hot."

Phil: "I know something that will cool you off."

[Mother can tell by the tone in Father's voice that something bad is about to happen and thinks "this oughta be good."]

Tyler: What?

Phil: "Run down the street as fast as you can and the breeze will cool you off."

Tyler: [hands on hips] "That doesn't make sense."

Phil: "Sure it does, the faster you run, the cooler you'll get."

[Mother looks at son with pleading eyes and thinks, "c'mon kiddo, don't fall for it." Child shrugs shoulders and takes off running. Father laughs hysterically. Mother scowls at him.]

Phil: "What?" [still laughing]

Me: "That wasn't very nice."

Phil: "I was teaching him a lesson."

Me: "What? That his dad is jerk?"

Phil: "No, a lesson in physics."

Tyler: [yelling, voice fades as he gets farther down the street] "I can't feeel anyyythinggggg."

Father is still laughing hysterically at his own joke.

Phil: "My stomach hurts."