Flashlight Tour--Take Two

Since we had so much fun at the Desert Botanical Garden's Flashlight Tour last year (you might remember me referring to it as the best thing we had done in Phoenix), we thought we would try it again this year.  In July, Mack left for a three month tour of out of town rotations and so I knew we needed to squeeze it in before then.  To be perfectly honest, it was not nearly as impressive as last year.  Can we all take a collective breath and say, "Budget Cuts?!"  We also probably went too early, since we only needed our flashlights for the last fifteen minutes.  But in our defense, there were a LOT more stations last year, a LOT more walking, and they took out all but one of the kid centers.  So we were expecting it to take a bit longer.

Despite all of this, the kids had a great time, and that made their parent's happy.

 Here they are checking out the tarantula.  It was gross.

 Last year we had very few takers on the opportunity to touch the King Snake.  This year, everyone touched it except Brisbane.  You can kind of see the look on Jessenia's face (behind Mack's arm) after she had taken her turn.  Snakes are cool (from a very far distance).

 We have a bit of an obsession with geckos at our house.  There used to be a Geico billboard right outside our neighborhood.  Anytime we pulled up to the intersection, Brisbane would yell, "GECKO!  GLASSES!  GECKO!  GLASSES!"  And he would keep repeating it until you said, "Yes Brisbane.  The Gecko is wearing sunglasses".  They took the billboard down a few months ago and Brisbane was crushed.  Thanks a lot, Geico!  Ruining a kid's life like that!  But we have found a new Geico billboard a little further away that we don't pass as frequently and Brisbane now says, "GECKO!  Glasses all gone."  (Since that Gecko is not wearing glasses.)

 The one kid area.  Here the kids tried their hand at dam building again.  I think they have improved over last year.

And then we saw the tortoise and we were heading home.  We really don't get out enough.  Maybe next year.  (I just laughed as I typed that.  Do I honestly think I will get out more with twins than without?  Didn't think so.) Maybe in ten years.