Bonnie Springs

This Saturday we went back in time to an old mining town from the 1880's that has been restored and turned into a ranch called Bonnie Springs. And while my camera has been on its last leg for awhile now (I dropped it back at Disney World and broke the cogs that open and shut the lens), wouldn't you know the ONE time I really, really want to take pictures it decides to die once and for all. I was so, so, so sad. These pictures are all I got of one of the wildest, rootin' tootin' things we've done in awhile.... Check it out more here.

The best way to describe it is was like a visit to Frontierland at Disney. It was like wandering around a deserted ghost town that they'd opened back up-- with a shooting gallery, barber, restaurant, saloon, cemetery, one room school house, horse back riding, and a little choo choo train you can ride on out into the desert to enjoy the scenery (Zachy's fav), etc. It's nestled back against Red Rock Canyon so the scenery was AMAZING and totally picturesque. They have random shows (and hangings) on Main Street with Deputy Jesse, so the kids got to participate in catching Mad Dog the Bandit in this one.

Posing for a picture with Mad Dog once they'd caught him. Lucy was a little scared of him, but Zachy crawled right up onto his knee. I hope that isn't indicative of his future as an outlaw. We decided to take a picnic and make a day of it and meet Paisley's family as well.

Checking out an old wagon from back in the day...

Heading into the Saloon for an old west melodrama!

And then my camera died....But a word about after the melodrama: We headed to a petting zoo that was, well, W-I-L-D. I thought I was either in a 3rd world country, or literally back in the 1880's. I had expected a few nanny goats and some sheep, but what we got was an "interactive petting zoo" where basically, you go into this enclosed paddock where there are all these wild animals roaming about. They had deer. Yes. Live DEER running around that you could pet. They had these HUGE pigs with tusks. Roosters. Hens. Llamas. Sheep. Bunnies. And a wolf (although he at least was in a cage). And mice. Lots and lots of mice everywhere. Lucy and Paisley kept chasing the deer trying to pet them, but naturally they were scared out of their wits and would run and jump over things to get away, and if I hadn't been carrying Zach he would have been tackled by a wild deer. Just imagine the PICTURES!!!!! Aaaaahhhh!! It was INSANE. I guess there's always next time...