Considering Expansion?

Enlarging your home is a great way to add value, give yourself more space, and make better use of the house. While the expense can be huge, the reality for most people is that it is dwarfed by the costs of actually changing homes. However, if you do plan on remodelling your home - whether it’s adding a room up, down or out - you need be aware of a few different things. Read on to find out more about the expansion issues you can’t ignore. Let’s get started right away!


Pic from Pixabay.com

Signing Off
It’s amazing, but even in this day and age, there are people who decide to build additional rooms in their home, without getting the proper clearance from the local authorities. Even though restrictions can be pretty lax in some states, the simple truth is that there are constraints. For example, although your plotlines indicate your land, the buildable area is subject to setbacks, to ensure the street and garden space have a sense of uniformity. Ultimately, if you do go ahead with building work, you could end up having to take it all down or modify it if the city and county offices find out.

Plans
Planning is a vital part of any project, and without a proper schedule, budget, and architectural work, the likelihood is your remodel will fail. You’ll need to look carefully at your finances, plan ahead and save a contingency fund, and also get a broad range of quotes to compare. Have a survey done to make sure you stay within guidelines set down by the city.

Hiring Builders
No doubt there are plenty of construction firms in your local area who would happily do a job for you. Never, ever take the first building company you come across. Neither should you race for the cheapest option. Good building firms cost money - it’s a simple fact of life. Unless you have implicit trust in the cheapest company and the work they will do, there’s a high chance that saving a small amount now will cost you a fortune in the future.

Fixed Price
Fixed price contracts are almost always better for the customer. The truth is that when it comes to construction, most projects will encounter problems, and without a fixed contract you will find your bill just goes up and up. What happens when your budget runs out? Well, the likelihood is that you end up with an unfinished project, whole areas of your home unusable, and months - possibly years - before things get back to normal.

Heating
You might live in a cozy home right now, but open it up and add some rooms, and things might be very different. Heating can be a problem in several different ways. First of all, a large space takes more energy to heat than a small one. Secondly, there might be limits to what you can do with your current heating system. For example, if you learn about mini-split HVAC systems, you'll find out they are best suited for new rooms when extending the ductwork of the rest of the house isn't possible. It’s little things like this that often determine the success or failure of a project, so make sure you cover all your bases beforehand.

Bathrooms
A lot of remodelers get way too carried away with building new rooms. It’s easy to see why, of course, but it’s also a big mistake. When the time comes to sell up and move on, you will find that buyers are looking for homes with something like one bathroom for every two rooms. So, if you want your remodeling project to pay for itself - or even make a profit - make sure bathrooms are at the top of your want list.

Structure
Finally, it’s easy to get sucked into planning and designing your rooms - it’s the fun part, after all! But before you even consider the aesthetic and cosmetic details, ensure you understand the importance of structural work. It always has to come before the fun stuff, and you should aim to build from the outside inwards.

As you can see, it’s one thing to add an extra room or two to your home. But when it comes to an extension, you have to pay attention! There are plenty of issues that can easily get in your way. And, at the end of the day, if you don’t understand what can happen, the chances are you will end up with an expensive mistake on your hands. Let us know how it goes!

Win $10,000 on Monday playing Swag IQ! (US & Canada Only)

On Monday, February 26th, Swagbucks is putting up over $10,000 that you can win playing fun trivia games! SwagIQ (available for iPhone and. Android) is a live, multiplayer trivia game show you play from your phone!

Each weekday, Swag IQ broadcasts a live game. Simply tune-in at the appointed time by launching the SwagIQ app and log-in with your Swagbucks account credentials. If you don't have a Swagbucks account, you can sign up for one here and then download the app!

In celebration of Swagbucks's 10th Birthday, they're going to broadcast 4 shows throughout the day and give away at least $10,000! It will likely be more since the more people who sign-up via SwagIQ prior to each game, the bigger the grand prize!

1st Game Show: 1:00 PM Eastern Time/10:00 AM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $1500.
2nd Game Show: 4:00 PM Eastern Time/1:00 PM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $2000.
3rd Game Show: 7:00 PM Eastern Time/4:00 PM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $2500
4th Game Show: 10:00 PM Eastern Time/7:00 PM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $4000

To play SwagIQ, download the app to your iPhone and Android today. 


It's really easy to play, too: 
The game show host will ask a series of multiple-choice trivia questions. You’ll have 10 seconds to answer each one. Get it right; you get SB and move on. Answer them all correctly and you can win a grand prize! If more than one player wins, the winners split the grand prize.   

Get it wrong; still play along. Some questions have a bonus SB award attached to them. If you answer those questions correctly, you get those SB, even if you’re out of the running for the big money. And, if you’re in a groove but miss a question, you’ll have the option to rejoin a game by redeeming a few SB.  When you get to the end of the game, you can claim all of the SB that you've earned. 

You can use all the SB points you earn playing SwagIQ to get PayPal cash or gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and more!

7 Household Problems That Need To Be Dealt With Immediately

Maintaining your home can get pretty pricey, that is no secret. Because of this, most of us put off repairs and maintenance for as long as we can, so that we can still afford to pay the bills and put food on the table each month. However, some household problems shouldn’t be pushed into the future. If you do, you could end up paying even more money, which, as we’ve already established, is something that you can’t afford to do. Here are some of these jobs that you really can’t afford to put off.


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1. Damaged Roof
Your roof is there to keep your home protected from the elements, and if it’s not doing that properly, you have a problem. Even a little leak in your roof can lead to mold or even flooding that can destroy your property and cause electrical problems. Although the leak may be small, fixing a roof is a dangerous job, so don’t be tempted to do it yourself. Always call a professional, to keep yourself safe. They might also identify other roof problems that need immediate attention.

2. Peeling Paint
If your paint starts peeling off your walls, it can bring down the look of your entire home. Unfortunately, it also leaves your walls exposed and leaves them vulnerable to mold and dry rot. If your paint has started to peel off, scrape it all away, and apply a new coat. Your home will look refreshed and will be protected.


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3. Plumbing Problems
There are lots of plumbing problems that you can repair yourself, such as unblocking the toilet, but if you’ve noticed a leak, this should be dealt with immediately by professionals, such as ABC Home & Commercial Plumbing Services. Never try to deal with a leak yourself, as you could risk making it worse, and cause damage to your property. The job itself will also be a lot more expensive, so it’s not worth the risk.

4. Electrical Problems
If you’ve noticed a problem with your electricity, it could be serious, so this should be dealt with as soon as you can. Never attempt to fix any sort of electrical problem yourself. Sure, you can change the odd switch here and there, as long as you know what you’re doing and remember to turn the electricity off first, but anything more serious should be left to someone that really knows what they’re doing. If you don’t call a professional, you could electrocute yourself or even start an electrical fire and completely destroy your home, which, of course, is going to be costly.

5. Unexplained Heating Costs

It might be a bit chilly outside, but you shouldn’t need to spend too much on your heating. If you’ve noticed that your heating bills have gone up a lot, and you’re not really sure why, you need to call in a professional, as you may have a problem with your furnace. Not only is this costing you unnecessarily, but it could also be leaking carbon monoxide, which can be deadly. You should also make sure to have carbon monoxide detectors installed.


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6. Pests
There are a lot of places in your home that pests can sneak in and make nests, such as in your basement, your attic, and your garage. If you’ve noticed any bugs or rodents in your home, you should start investigating immediately, before the problem becomes too huge. Just make sure that you’re careful, as wasps like to make nests in houses, and can be dangerous if disturbed. If you find a nest or suspect that there could be one in your home somewhere, call a pest control company, rather than trying to deal with the issue yourself. This ensures that the job is done properly and that you aren’t put at risk in the process.

7. Shifting Foundation
Over time, the foundation around your home may start to shift. This occurs as the soil around your home expands and contracts. While the shifting may only be slight, it could also be catastrophic and could cause major damage to your home. You’ll know that your foundation is shifting if cracks start to form anywhere in your home. If you start to spot cracks, make sure to call someone to inspect your home. It could be nothing, but it could also be something huge, and a foundation repair company will be able to tell.

There are lots of odd repairs and maintenance tasks that you can push off, but there is a lot that can’t be left to the future. This list will help you to distinguish between the two so that you don’t risk yourself or your home.

Don’t Get Ripped Off When You Move

Unfortunately, when you move to a new home you will sometimes find different people and different services that you work with will seek to rip you off in some form or another.  You can stop this from happening by simply refusing to let it happen.

To see how to stop yourself from being ripped off during a new move, make sure to read on.


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Get the home you are moving into professionally surveyed
Before you move into your new home it is imperative that you have it surveyed. It is important because somewhere along the line there might be an some aspect of the home that is not noticeable or not as it should be, and whether you know about it or not, once you officially take the home on as your own these problems become yours. Thus, the need to pay for these problems to be fixed becomes your problem too.

So, to save yourself from inheriting a home that has something wrong with it, make sure to get it professional surveyed before you move into it. What a surveyor should do is check your new home from top to bottom, checking it for any hint of a problem that may cause you a big problem in the future, such as instances of water damage, or foundation issues.

Work alongside a lawyer during the transaction process
During the transaction process of you buying a home from another person you will work alongside a lot of people who will all want some sort of cut. To stop yourself from potentially being ripped off by any of these people, you should make sure the transaction is made alongside a lawyer. By doing so you would be able to be sure that nothing untoward is taking place in regards to the money you are paying.  He/she can help to make sure you are not taken advantage of, such as paying for unnecessary services.

When you move, choose a trustworthy moving company to help you
Could you think of anything worse than your worldly belongings becoming lost, broken or stolen as they make their way from your old home to your new one? No, you couldn’t. Unfortunately, however, when you work alongside inexperienced movers, there is always a chance that this could happen.

So, make sure you're not working with beginners and make sure you are working with a trustworthy moving company, such as those found at https://www.mybekins.com/locations/oakland-ca-movers/,. By working with a company who has a proven record of helping people move home in as easy and stress-free a way as possible, you will be able to feel confident that your belongings will not be altered in any way during the moving process.  This will also keep you from having to pay any unnecessary costs.

If you take heed of the advice above, others will find it hard to rip you off the next time you move. And this will make it far easier for your new home to quickly become home sweet home!

Introducing Swag IQ - The Fun Way To Earn Money!

Want to earn money while answering fun trivia questions? SwagIQ (available for iPhone and. Android) is a live, multiplayer trivia game show you play from your phone!

Each weekday, Swag IQ broadcasts a live game. Simply tune-in at the appointed time by launching the SwagIQ app and log-in with your Swagbucks account credentials. If you don't have a Swagbucks account, you can sign up for one here and then download the app!

Our game show host will then ask a series of multiple-choice trivia questions. You’ll have 10 seconds to answer each one. Get it right; you get SB and move on. Answer them all correctly and you can win a grand prize! If more than one player wins, the winners split the grand prize. 

Get it wrong; still play along. Some questions have an SB award attached to them. If you answer those questions correctly, you get those SB, even if you’re out of the running for the big money. And, if you’re in a groove but miss a question, you’ll have the option to rejoin a game by redeeming a few SB.  

The first public game is today at 4PM Eastern Time/1PM Pacific Time. So, tune-in then win up to $1000 playing SwagIQ. The host will review how to play before the game starts!

Omni Nashville Hotel #TravelTuesday #OmniResorts

My sisters and I recently took a rather extended road trip from western Illinois to Tampa, Florida where we boarded a cruise ship for a 5 day Caribbean adventure. On our way, we were able to stop and get a taste of downtown Nashville, Tennessee with a visit to the Omni Nashville. We pulled in around 4:00 in the afternoon, and were greeted by an employee who offered to help with luggage, parking, et cetera. From the moment you step foot (or drive) onto Omni Nashville property, you will feel pampered. I wasn't even allowed the chance to open the front doors, as a bellhop hurried over to hold the door for me going in and out. Checking in was an easy process, with Paul making sure that I knew all the necessary details including parking, the need for a key to access certain floors via the elevator, and offered assistance if I had any questions later on.

Our guest room was quite a delight. A plush king-sized bed, a corner couch, desk for any business you might need to get done, and an oversized bathroom are all among the luxuries you will enjoy during your stay.

Once we had unpacked a few things, we took a walk around the property to get an idea of the size and all the offerings. There is a cafe on the main floor (perfect for folks like me who need several cups a day to survive!) as well as a steakhouse and a Southern cuisine restaurant. We also discovered the Mokara Spa and one of the best-equipped fitness centers I've ever seen in a hotel. Literally any machine or fitness tool you can imagine is in here, from kettlebells and mats to machines for just about every part of the body (triceps, biceps, etc) in addition to the standard treadmills and bikes. I could easily spend a couple hours in this fitness center!

M was thrilled with the views of downtown Nashville from the hotel. I'm not a city girl, but there was something about seeing the skyline light up at night that was just gorgeous. We even found a small balcony seating area that gave us a wonderful view. You will also find the pool outside on the rooftop, which I'm sure makes for an incredible swim. (We didn't have a chance to actually try it out).

The Omni Nashville is located right downtown, so you're in easy walking distance of many attractions and restaurants. In fact, the Omni is actually attached to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, giving extra easy access. We had time to stroll a little bit, simply enjoying the southern "big city" charm.

If you're heading to or through Nashville at any time, or maybe want to vacation in Nashville, I recommend checking out the Omni Nashville. You will find high quality service, classy and stylish accommodations, and easy access to all the Nashville attractions.

Understanding The Tradition Of Giving

People have been giving each other gifts for a very long time. In the early days of society, expressing your appreciation for someone was a much simpler job, with very few options out there for people to choose from. In most cases, gifts of the past would either be food or money. With few options available, people started to build rules for their presents, with each item having its own reason to be given. Nowadays, things have changed, and you have a lot more choice in this area. In reality, though, a lot of people still care about tradition when it comes to the gifts they receive, and will be unhappy if they don’t get what they want.


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Birthday Milestones
The first area to consider will be the most common event which occurs in people’s lives. Birthdays are very important, and most people will be very excited for certain milestones which are significant in life. Below, you can find some examples of these times, along with the gifts which people often give with them.

The 18th: In a lot of places, becoming 18 means that you’re officially an adult, and this means having a lot of new freedoms. A lot of parents will choose to buy their children cars, computers, and even property for this birthday. As an alternative, setting up a savings account for them could be a great way to start preparing them for adulthood at this age.

The 21st: Though it doesn’t mark becoming an adult, a lot of people will see their 21st birthday as a much more significant date than their 18th. Traditionally, ornamental keys are often given when someone reaches this age, symbolising the start of their adult life. Alternatively, a lot of people also like to get jewellery for people when they reach this age in their life.

The 50th: It will be quite a long time until you get to experience your next big birthday milestone. Being around for 50 years is a big achievement, and a lot of people will want to celebrate this day in their life. Jewellery is the most popular gift to give when someone hits their golden years, though a lot people will also want to give something with a little more personal significance.

The 100th: Most people throughout the world won’t live until the ripe old age of 100, instead passing before they get the chance. When someone gets to this point in life, giving a special coin to the recipient has been going on for years. Along with this, people at this age will often get a message from their country’s leader, and this is a great thing to be able to deliver.


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Special Events
Birthdays aren’t the only time in life when you will be expected to give a gift, and there are loads of events going on in people’s lives which will be very important to them. Giving the right items at these times will be critical. If you ignore this, you could risk your gift being disliked, and this could cause bad feelings on the big day.

Weddings: When people get married, it will be the job of their friends and family to make their new life easier for them. In most cases, the best way to handle this sort of present will be using the list of options which they will have prepared. Kitchen goods, homeware, and anything else which is useful can fall into this category quite easily. In the past, food and drink were the biggest gifts on days like this, especially back before industrialism.

Religious Ceremonies: Most religions will be packed with ceremonies and rituals which only occur once during someone’s life. A Christening, for example, will often be heralded with gifts like candles and bibles, as these are related to the event itself.

Funerals: The end of someone’s life isn’t a time which most people will associate with giving. In reality, though, this is a great opportunity to give in someone else’s name. Charity collections will often be done during these ceremonies, and this is the best chance to have to pursue this goal. Of course, like a religious event, this sort of giving requires subtlety and respect.



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Something Nice
As the last area to consider in all of this, it’s time to think about the times in someone’s life when they will deserve a gift because something nice has happened to them. Making sure that you get this right will be a challenge, and a lot of people will find it hard to know what to give. Below, you can find a couple of examples of times like these, along with the gifts you might want to give.

An Achievement: Whether someone has scored well in a test or gotten the job they’ve worked years for, rewarding an achievement can be hard. For your children, medals and other trophies can be great, and you only have to view the page before buying something like this. As people get older, you will have to be more careful, as it will be easy to come across as patronising if you give the wrong gift.

Expression Of Love: Finally, as the purest form of appreciation for someone, giving someone a gift because you love them is as good a reason as any. When doing this, the most important thing to have in mind is the things your other half likes, whether this is chocolate, clothing, or something in between. You don’t have to wait for valentine’s day or a special event to do something like this. In fact, gifts often go most appreciated when they are a surprise.

Hopefully, with all of this in mind, your future of giving gifts should be a nice and easy one. A lot of people find it hard to choose gifts for the people they love and care about, often worrying that they aren’t going down the right path. Your recipient will be happy with whatever you give them, though, especially if you follow the right traditions.

Practicing Humane Animal Control

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You may be beginning to notice that increasing numbers of animals are encroaching on your land and becoming more comfortable in close proximity to your home. While this may be amusing at first, as everyone crowds round to see the newest furry visitor to your garden, you’re likely to start noticing that having wildlife on your land can be a little troublesome. Not only do wild animals make a mess (perhaps leaving faeces, digging holes, or damaging different areas of your property), but they could also prove intimidating if you have smaller children or pets. It’s important to understand the reason that they are becoming increasingly brazen in their behaviour and habits. Humans are constantly encroaching on these creatures’ natural habitats. We are destroying their homes in order to use the land to create our own. What’s more? Even if they animals stray further afield to keep at bay from human-inhabited areas, they’re struggling to find sufficient food to survive. The herbivores no longer have the same land to graze on, and this has a domino effect on the rest of the food chain. The most obvious source of readily available food? Cities and residential areas, where humans openly leave an abundance of edible waste for the taking. It’s hard to blame animals for trying to survive in their new conditions. So, how can you go about controlling them and preventing their presence on your land without turning to pest control? Read on for everything you need to know.

No Humane Way to Kill an Animal
Many pest control companies claim that they dispose of animals in “a humane manner”. While there are, of course, certain ways to kill pests that are faster or supposedly less painful than others, it’s important to understand that there is no humane way to kill an animal. Meaning that basically no matter if it does not cause pain, it still kills the animal.. This is why it’s so important to practice genuinely humane methods.


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Cut Off Food Supplies
The easiest way to rid your land of animals is to remove any food supplies. Once they realize there is nothing on your property that will sustain them, they’ll find somewhere else to forage. Now, there are several ways that you can go about this.

Dispose of Waste Responsibly
The main source of food available on your property is likely to be your waste bin. Not only is it likely to have all sorts of scraps of food in it, but this supply will be seen by animals as constant and reliable, drawing them back time and time again. So invest in Bear Proof Food Storage. If the unit can keep a bear (perhaps the largest and strongest native animal) out, they’ll easily keep smaller creatures at bay too.

Feed Your Pets Indoors
Many of us feed our pets outdoors to save on cleaning. But by keeping their food indoors, you remove another potential food source for wildlife. The amount of time and effort you save in clearing unwanted animals off your land will more than compensate for clearing up a little spilt gravy or kibble from your interiors.

These are just a couple of places to get started. Remember that animals aren’t encroaching on your land for the fun of it. They’re searching for sustenance, and if they can’t find it, they’ll quickly venture elsewhere!

Elements Of Home Security

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Whether you are worried about your children’s safety, your own, or you just find you are concerned for the home itself, it is important that you want to try and keep your home as safe along with the people in it. Keeping their home safe and secure is something that everyone wants, but relatively few people really do what is necessary to make it happen. The truth is that there are a number of forgotten elements which you should consider if you want to make your home as safe as possible, and it is a good idea to make sure that you have crossed these off your list if you are starting to worry about your home security. In this article, we are going to look through just a few ideas, so that you can be in a better position to keep your home - and your family, and yourself - as safe as possible.

Security Systems
Although you might not consider it essential, it is nonetheless important that you treat your home to the best security system you can afford. It can actually be quite surprising how little you need to spend in order to protect your home in this way. These days, home security products are much cheaper and easier to get hold of - and yet they provide your home with much more additional security, and help to make you feel much safer in your home at all times. With the right security systems in your home, you will find yourself worrying much less about whether or not your home is safe - because you will just know that it is. It might be worth getting a professional in to tell you what you need to do and what you can skip in order to keep your home as safe as is necessary.

Being A Neighbor
There is plenty to be said for the simple but powerful act of being a neighbor, and being a good one in particular. It is a fact that the more a part of the local community you are, the less likely you are to experience burglary and break-ins. You will also be able to ensure that you have a stronger support network around you should something of that sort happen, which will also help you to feel protected most of the time anyway. Be a good neighbor as much as you can and you will find that others in the neighborhood will also be good neighbors and help keep an eye out on your home. It will also improve the neighborhood itself, which is no bad thing - and helps you in the long run too. Perhaps you can start a neighborhood watch, to help deter someone who might try to break in.

Avoiding Paranoia
Although you want to be cautious, you should be careful not to be overly paranoid with home security concerns, as doing so is rarely the best. When you are paranoid, it actually has a way of making these things seem more likely to happen.  The best thing you can do is work at making your home secure and then allow that to ease your mind, knowing you have done what you can. That’s all you really need to do anyway.

Visiting St. Louis? Check Out Their Zoo!!

Hey neighbors!!

We recently had the opportunity to visit the St. Louis Zoo.  Yes, it is winter, but we managed to hit one of those weekends where there was no snow, and you could actually go outside without a jacket.  It was actually pretty nice out, and apparently some other St. Louis residents thought so too!  I was amazed to find out that the zoo is free.  Yes, I said FREE!  There are some options you have to pay for, but to wander the zoo and see the animals is totally free.  A few things there is a fee for is their train, which will take you to different areas of the park.  Yes, we took advantage of this to get from one side of the park to the other.  Nice little ride, that gives you a chance to just sit back and enjoy the view.  A few shows and tours also require a fee.

I honestly enjoyed the Saint Louis Zoo, more than many other zoos we have visited.  The paths are laid out with enough room, to allow several people going in opposite directions.  There are plenty of signs so you know where you are headed to.  The employees we spoke to were all very pleasant when we needed to ask where something was located.

The best part of the park of course are the animals.  Although we did not see any primates out, we saw many interesting and entertaining animals.  Our first stop was Centene Grizzly Ridge, where we saw two HUGE grizzly bears.  One was just sitting, looking around and the other was enjoying a bath.

 Next we moved on to the Penguins.  I personally love to watch them.  We were actually splashed a couple of times by one that was swimming around, and another that was leaping out of the water and then splashing down.

We moved on to the next section of the zoo, which was set up for Polar Bears.  It was so fascinating to stand there and watch the one as he/she swam back and forth.  He would go to one end, then spin around an head for the other end.  He often came up for air, and you could see the bubbles as he released air underwater.  I think we could have stayed there for hours, if there wasn't so much else to see.

We wandered over to the primate area next, but it must have still been to cold for them to be out.  That is when we decided to jump on the train and head over to the other side of the park.  Remember the train does cost, but it is a nice way to enjoy a ride to the other side of the park.

After exiting the train we followed a short trail that was going to lead us to more animals.  I have to tell you a little about this trail though.  Remember I said it was winter?  Well this are has water, rocks and some waterfalls, and because it was the first nice day in several days, some of it was still frozen.  It was beautiful!!

These guys below were sound asleep.  It is hard to even see the second one.

The Bush Dog was a little more active.  He would run out, look around and then take off again.  Check out the teeth on the little guy though.  I do not think I would like to get him mad.

You can find the Rhino in the River's Edge section of the Saint Louis Zoo.

 This is the Painted Dog.  He reminded us a lot of the Harlequin rabbits we used to show years ago.

Anyone ever heard or sung the song, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"?  After seeing them up close, I am voting no.  Although interesting to watch, they do not look like my idea of a pet. LOL!!

We did spend some time watching the elephants.

Now, I want you all to know, that this is just a portion of the zoo that we saw.  There were several areas that we did not even make it to, so I am hoping to take another trip and finish our exploring.  We completely missed the Red Rocks, Historic Hill, and the Insectarium.  I do want to share a couple other animals/birds that many people at the park found just as fascinating as the others that they came to see.

Now, the zoo offers other activities and programs as stated before.  The day we were there, you could Adopt a Sloth.  I was very tempted!!  You can rent strollers and wheelchairs if needed.  They have restrooms scattered through the park, as well as gift shops and places to eat.  Yes, we wandered one of the larger shops.

If you live in Saint Louis, or are visiting the area, be sure to take some time to visit the Saint Louis Zoo.  It is definitely worth your time.  Plan on spending a few hours so you have time to see everything.  Or, you could take two trips!  We really enjoyed our time there, and would LOVE to go back in the future!  You can find out more about hours of operation and other information visit the website, HERE.

Be sure to follow them on their social media:
Twitter - HERE
Facebook - HERE
Pinterest - HERE
Instagram - HERE

See you next time! At the Fence


** Please not that the watermark on the photos "For Thy Pleasure" is my own watermark from my photography.  All pictures are mine.**