ackdoc » Parenting

Welcome to Oz

Greg — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:58:02 +0000

Another fabulous show by the Nantucket Skating Club. Great because…

1) my kids did so wonderfully out there,
2) it forced me to get on skates for the second time in my life,
3) I didn’t hurt myself, and
4) it was such an entertaining show.

But beyond great because…

of all the community involvement and how many people came out to support the skaters!

Charity on Ice — Maddux’s Pair Skate with Dorothy Hamill

Greg — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:14:06 +0000

Thanks Dorothy!

Ssssnakes in the Sssquamp!

Greg — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 01:00:39 +0000

Toothless and Ruthless

Greg — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:14:58 +0000

After hanging perpendicular for about three weeks… Carley lost her first tooth!

UPDATE:

One day later, another tooth gone. And we watched the movie “Tooth Fairy” as well.

Here, taken with a proper portrait lens (instead of the distorting wide angle lens above), is another view:

“I Can Hear It!”

Greg — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:30:33 +0000

Wild Animal Safari

Greg — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:28:47 +0000

Pine Mountain, Georgia has a drive-thru zoo: Wild Animal Safari. It’s been there for years. Over the years I’ve seen signs for it and, like the various alligator parks in Central Florida and Cherokee Indian dance shows in Gatlinburg, TN, I’ve driven by them without much thought. This past week I loaded into a gas-hogging SUV with my father, brother-in-law, seven kids, and five large bags of Safari Chow.

This place is crazy. I don’t think it would be legal in Massachusetts. After buying tickets and being warned that you drive your vehicle through the park at your own risk, you enter the gates of a 200-acre park, with a 3.5 mile winding one-lane road, over hills and around a small lake with water the color of Georgia red clay. As soon as you enter the gates, hoards of large animals line up to stick their heads inside your vehicle and to bless you with Holy Slobber. In exchange for chunks of food. Animals like the Yakatusi, the Nilgai, the Rhea, the Black Buck Antelope, the Watusi, and the North American Elk. Lots of Elk.

One memory the kids will never forget is when the three-story Giraffe stuck its head into our vehicle, allowing them to pet its head, dripped about one cup of spit onto my head, and then took an entire bag of our food, eating it, bag and all, and dropping a few pieces to the flock of ostriches at its feet.

The park also has Bear, Wolves, Hyena, Tigers and Ligers (one of the rare cases of a Tiger-Lion hybrid in captivity, sounds like a big zookeeper Oops to me). But these are, fortunately in a separate walk-through and properly caged part of the park.

Here are some pictures from the park, and if you’re ever in West Central Georgia, and need a little Giraffe Hair Gel, find this place.

Maddux in the Surf

Greg — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:18:15 +0000

Today, during the twenty minutes of sunshine…

The Radish

Greg — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:36:36 +0000

Amy’s ride on the Fourth of July.

UPDATE: Click here to visit Xtracycle’s website. This pic made their homepage!

James Turned Eleven Today

Greg — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:03:26 +0000

Everybody say “Happy Birthday!”

School’s Out for the Summer

Greg — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:00:23 +0000

A big Congraduations to my oldest James. Last day of school. Last day of 5th grade. Last day of Elementary School!

(gulp)

James has posted a photo gallery of his class and the festivities.