Reptiles and Rock Climbers

Rollins has been wanting to go to the Kentucky Reptile Museum in Slade, Ky for 2 years now! That boy loves wildlife and is a reptile fan for sure! So for his birthday this year we rented a 15 passenger van and loaded up for a road trip to Slade! The trip there was fun for sure! The boys made a great version of the Harlam Shake!

We did not to what to expect when we got there but all the boys were excited for sure!

 The "Museum" is more like a collection of little barns all housing different kinds of snakes and reptiles.

 He loved every second of it!

Especially the snake milking! The facility is primarily a Venom extraction site for all of the country for medical research.

serious business.....the dude was missing lots of fingers....and said he has been legally dead too many times to count.

 oh and there were no public bathrooms.....but luckily we were all boys and I have the bladder of a camel.....

We all got Gator hats.....

and headed up the road for a pizza picnic

 We were in Ale 8 country.....seriously......it was the drink of choice!

There was a basketball court so the boys started playing....

 and having a ball...

 and these professional rock climbers on a rest day started watching them...and before long they were cheering for them and knew all the kids' names....and the kids loved these guys who they nicknamed Mario and Mosquito

and before I knew it Mario and Mosquito were asked to play a game...Mario's team...versing Mosquito's team!

It was the best time...the kids laughed and laughed!

We went to Slade to see the reptiles but the memory will be this game...with these nice guys who took a moment to have some fun with these amazing boys!

 Rollins even took them over some of his birthday cake!

 Wow...what a day! Full of fun and friendship....laughter and memories!

 We rode home...and the kids talked non stop abut their day...and the fun they had...and it was all worth it...every second of it...for this boy...for his smile...for this kind of raw...true happiness....

and I was a happy Moma in the front seat surrounded by the laughter of crazy boys for the whole trip home!

Hope you had a great birthday party, Rollins!