Today marks the one year date since my thumb was amputated. Hard to believe. A year ago today I was driving from Fairfax to Charleston. We were almost done with our load in when the forklift got my hand. Ahh thinking about the pain still makes me want to barf. Crazy how much my life has changed in the past year....
-left the circus!
-got to spend all summer at home
-moved to nashville!
-spend my days with giraffe
-featured segment on CNN Headline News
-rescued 2 dogs
-got lasik!
-learned to be ambedextrus
-lost 25 pounds!
And so much more. Tonight I am going to the Katy Perry concert with some friends from work. I'm sure I will have a few drinks in remembrance of my right thumb. Feel free to do the same :)
Another day at work....
Floating in the elephant pool in my wedding dress
Mr. & Mrs.
Damani
Our growing family
Sept 2011
My brothers and HUSBAND :)
My hubby to be
Happy birthday Nicole! Home in Minnesota for a short weekend
Happy St. Patty's Day!
Table numbers-- sorry it's sideways!
Puppies LOVE the puppy park!
Homemade Zucchini Lasagna from the Martha magazine. AMAZING.
Tired Lucy w/ the kong
Hyacinth's from my garden!
New Dishwasher!
Justin & I on my bday (I was sick!!!!)
Bday celebration #26!
Suki
Suki's Bum
Suki
Siri. 4 months old. 8 feet tall
Damani with no neck
Bucking Siri
Love. Damani.
Old Kitchen :)
All done :) Cabinets look amazing. Cream color.
Cabinets Primed......
Buttoned up so I can dance in it
Love!
Got my veil :) :) :) :)
5 baby meerkats came up from the tunnels last week! SURPRISE!
Siri :)
Pretty Binti
Handsome Damani
My beautiful vintage birdcage veil
Our independent Siri
Lucy and her Kong
Honeymoon Piggy Bank Cashed in!
Snuggly Puppies in their new bed
Mom and me at the Zoo's 5k
The boy.
Sleepy Sof
Bouncy Bouncy
Grandpa, Auntie Kate and Sophia
Siri's Big Girl Poop
Bought my wedding shoes!!!
I couldn't resist. New shoes for Sophia, my 3 mth old neice
Snow fun for the giraffe
105 lb lap dogs
Look how she's grown!
Gorgeous Siri
You'd think this was the only couch in the house. Wrong.
Christmas Party
Danny me and Kyle
Santa Visited Nashville
Mike Wolfe from American Pickers on the History Channel!!
Siri
The big girl is eating solid food!
Amazing organic Cali breakfast!
My cousin and Auntie
Carlsbad, Cali
Santa Monica
Cali
Pretty Face!
My Grandpa
My family!
Snowy Minnesota!
Neonatal Exam. Can you find me? It took 3 of us to hold the giraffe!
Finally got to meet Sophia!
Cinton
Sophia in her uggs!
Olive
Lucy
Looooove this one
Feet out! Binti says, "What the hell???"
Head and feet out! Keep pushing!
Baby just after she dropped from Mom
Pili checking out what the heck just came out of her :)
Nursing
Poor Olive
Lucy says, "please let me inside!"
Sophie with her grandpa
Every little girl deserves a pair of Uggs
I'm going to spoil this child!
Proud Dad
Sophia Elizabeth Meinhardt
born Oct 24, 2010 at 6:30 PM
We won!!!!
Raining at the game
Wes!
Julie!
Well Said
Throw up pumpkin
Giraffe Carving
My big tall giraffe
Philly
Kyle and I prom pose
The big kiss
Fat Face the dog, Quinton, me, Cati
Getting Lauren into her dress
Rehersal dinner at Lauren's wedding
Bridal party- Lauren, Quinton, me, Meg
Pulling weeds isn't so bad when you have this handsome face to keep you company!
Pili's 6th Birthday
Lauren's Bachelorette Party- We went to a drag show! The tall curly hair lady is really a MAN!
Friends from work
Babies on the way home from the park
Sleepy Olive after a day at the park
Go Steelers!
The picture captured in the photo booth. He's proposing :)
Still in shock!
Show the ring!
Cry!
He proposed! And Im in shock!
Family waiting outside the booth. Notice the picture on the screen
Stef, andy, mom, me, Greg
5k! Andy, mom, me
Taking a nap with the babies
Our giraffe cake toppers!
Tapir
This is the dress I LOVE--- in Champagne! Pictured in white
Smile
Love my Dre Dog
I Love my ring :)
kayaking at the cabin!
mom and me
Bike ride in Minneapolis
Almost sister in law, me and sister in law
In Minnesota and ENGAGED!
Kennywood Amusement Park
Greatest Sandwich ever- Primanti Bros!
Pittsburgh
First of the summer vaca pics
Cake from Justin's uncle
Quinton and I at work
who says you can't ride a giraffe?
Pancakes taste better when they have animal faces on them!
We're Engaged!!!!!
My amazing ring
Mom and Auntie Lynns 40 year old dress
Love my boy.
Bell pepper grown in MY garden!!!
Before.
After.
Front deck
Mailbox
Front side garden
Found this totally dead too!! This is my favorite one
Calla Lillies in front garden
Front deck
I found this in the dumpster at the zoo totally dead!! Now look at it!
Side garden in back yard
Back deck
Back deck
See how legs fold when they lay down. Back right leg is out like a kick stand to help get back up
Enrichment Award!
I love when Damani lays down!!!!
from left: olive, lucy, mannie, lily
guard doggies
Backyard Garden
Lauren leading the giraffe onto exhibit
Mock Blood Draw
Mock Blood Draw
The Fam
mom and me
Preggo Teresa, me, Nicole and Stef
Meinhardt Sister's!
Dre Dog
Tapir Baby 1 month old
Love from the boy before I start my crazy day of cleaning and tours
Concert Night
Wedding Season!
Just bloomed
The boy with all his enrichment in the barn
Olive's new toy
Lily and Lucy
I finished!!! 2 Hours 34 minutes and 30 seconds
Mile 9
Mile 8
Awesome Friends
Marathon Day Mile 3.5
Love his mouth!
Giraffe we saw on the side of the road driving back from the wedding
the bride, marianne
me and justin at the wedding
college buddies at a wedding from this weekend
My freshly painted shutters and porch swing. Previously a horrible faded red color
The girls loving the sun and warm weather
One of the reasons I don't like living in the south. 90 in APRIL!!!! it's nonsense!
Anyone know what this is? It just bloomed in my front yard!
Damani's dinner
28 pounds of wild herbivore grain, hackberry leaves, carrots, lettuce and sweet potatoes
Olive
The most handsome face in the world
Love those lips!!
my amazing antique fireplace mantle purchased at a steal from craigslist!!
Flowers from Justin
St. Patty's Day
Green beer!
Lauren Kyle and I on St. Patty's day
Kyle is my new handsome BFF that works Hoofstock at the zoo
my new tattoo on my left inside ankle
Sleepy Warm Olive Oil
niehoff family + me and jb
at the baseball game
Binti and Damani sharing a puzzle feeder
Ice Skating
A Dyson Vac from Justin!!!!!
What Could it Be???
My Surprise Bday Cake
Erin and I won the International Association of Giraffe Care Professionals Enrichment Award!!!!
I Love Giraffe!
Feeding the giraffe at the Phoenix Zoo
Baby Wallaby
Phoenix, AZ
Rhino
Rhino at Tuscon, AZ Zoo
Collecting urine
Catching pee on a giraffe
Crossing the finish line
5k Zoo Run Run
Treating a skin condition on damani
Snow Fun for Giraffe
Our new serval
my amazing Tiffany's necklace from Justin!!!!!!!
Christmas Morning Hugs from Lulu's
Christmas Necklace
Our Tree
Snuggle Buddies
Justin Vacuuming the ceiling. I have found my OCD match!
The Most Handsome Man in the World!
Love Love Love!
Justin me and Sherri
Turkey Dinner
Justin and his parents
Flowers from Justin
my favorite! Sunflowers!
Thanksgiving Table
18 lb turkey!!
Lucy and Lily
Lorikeets
Olive sleeping with her ball
Sweet Face Damani
Me and my newly engaged couple!
Lauren's Engagement Ring!!!!!!!
Caitlin!
at the game with a thumbs up
me and Julie
Tailgating Professionals
Go Mizzou!
Jumping for joy on the Mizzou campus!
Date at Opry
Pumpkins!!!
Love this boy
New Halloween Puzzle Feeder
Giraffe Puzzle Feeder
We fill it with their fabority treats- veges, grass, grain, water and they use their 18 inch tounges to get it out
Eland
Justin holding a wild cloud cub
Trimming Toes
Trimming Giraffe Toes
Lauren grilling us some kabobs
silly faces
justin and the tapir
Cloud baby
the boy
Things I do to get a good yummy branch
me and Quinton
Lauren, Justin and me
Lauren's Bday
Bath Time!!!
The Boy
Downtown
Lauren's Bday!
Kigali
RIP :(
Binti
Clean Giraffe Stall
Lazy Lu
Erin scrubbing tops of walls inside the barn
Rain Rain Go Away
Pili
Damani giving Lauren kisses
On the platform doing a mock injection
Climbing up to the platform
Ugh, I hate cutting browse!
trimming Damani's hooves
The boy
Damani and Binti
This is where we train. Damani is "boxed" in and I am standing on a platform.
Clouded leopard cub
Buddies
Lucy
Olive
Ball
Lucy at "Rex in the City"
Spooning Dogs
Lauren and I
Drag Queen Bingo
Another shot of binti as a baby. I think she was just born in this one
Damani
Cloud cubs
Binti now
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Binti as a baby
Lucy Smiling
and this is a real picture!
Damani's Heart Bed
Cloud Baby
Morning Smooch from the boy
Love it!
found this under my crawl space!!
Power Washing the outside of my house
Olive's new giraffe toy....Before...
Look mom!
Tired after a good kill
Front Deck
Back Deck
Living room- new paint and tv!
Guest Bath- New paint!
Backsplash dad put up- over the sink as well
Love my YELLOW kitchen!
Dining Area
My Bathroom- new paint!
My Bedroom- new paint!
Kare Bear and I
Clouded Leopard Cub
Front porch swing!
Puppies love their backyard
MY HOUSE!
Love the lake
Kari and me
Cousin Picture
Mom and me at the lake
give that bride a beer!
Kari and I playing dream phone the night before her wedding!
feeding the king
Damani
Lazy Boy
I found the perfect halloween costume for lucy
Baby Clouded Leopards
Suki playing in the water
Swimming Time!
Tired babies
Look, lucy is smiling
one of our new baby clouded leopards
Mock Blood Draw on Damani
me and lauren
Played Too Hard
Sharing Their New Pig Toy
My New Flower Pot Holders
Lucy and Lily cooling off
Lauren's Great Dane- Fat Face
My girls
Lucy's Agility Lesson
My New Home
Yard for the DOGS!!!!!!!!!!
Back Porch with sweet grill!
Kitchen
Laundry Room behind
My Bedroom
Family Room
walking onto exhibit
my kids
cutest baby ever!
Baby Lynx
Binti
Bottle Time
Olive doesn't like this game
Lucy
the goat whisperer?
Our new baby camel
The girls
Lauren and the new baby lynx
Our new baby anteater
My favorite NYC billboard
hailing a cab in NYC
boulder field in the pocono's
the real statue of liberty
times square
party in times square
so happy to be in nyc!!
taking a ride in central park
eating dirty nyc hot dogs on the museum of natural history steps
The boy
Hanging Out At Work
these boots were made for walking
Lucy's new toy
Having too much fun
Liz, me, Lauren and Quinton
Katy Perry Concert
And now....
Then....
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Loveless Cafe
Piano Bar
Hadari and me
2398 pounds, 16 feet resting
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Damani in the morning
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Sweet baby
Queen Mags
Maggie loved car rides
Mega-tounge
Just got done playing fetch
Clawing the tree
Anteater Premier
Green Beer
Downtown St. Patty's Day
Lasik!
Sweet Boy
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Damani's hair-do
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Binti licks his mane overnight and when we come into the barn in the morning he always has a sexy new spiky hair style :)
babies now on exhibit
same ones that i had pictures with a few months back
Romeo and Houston
belly rub
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Houston the tapir
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Tapir
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Damani's Hoof Prints
Painting w/ Damani
The Dress & Heels That KILLED!
Bourbon St w/ My New Boots
Bourbon St.
womanizer
The One and Only...BRITNEY!!!
Bar Hoppin
Zoo
Mardi Gras Remains
Olive
Lucy
before: another reminder
see the skin that is attached to my hand, i hardly could grip anything. it's all gone now!
My Harry Potter lightning scar
After Pics
giraffe kisses
the girls
Ringling Bros. Red unit
Ahh, memories
Mini Horse Act
Painting at the circus
Ice Skating!
Fighting over rubber chicken
The girls
Lucy with the ball
Lauren and Steven's Wedding
6 week old tiger
Mei Loves the Scrub Brush
Ming the Clouded Leopard
Sam the Cougar
Target Training w/ the Hogs
Begging For Treats
Lucy & Olive
New Years
Dre's Snow Boots
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The Fam
FYI- I think it was 20 degrees outside
Craig me and Lauren
At the bar last night
My Girls
jenga
susie q
Sleeping Babies
Ugly Sweaters
Dierks Videoshoot
My Babies
Family Picture
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Whitetail
African Wild Dogs
our girls
Pili
The Boy
Our Tiger
Our Clouds
LuLu
Yum-O
Lauren and I
Thanksgiving Day w/ the Giraffe
Damani watching me scrub tops of walls
Queen Binti
Hanging Out at Work
Lauren & I
Pili
Damani
Olive
Snuggle Puppies
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My babies
Olive
the newest addition to my family
Lucy Sleeping
Gabe w/ his pumpkin
Training for guests
Target training Damani
Me, Elena, Erin and Damani
Lucy the Pig
Tinkerbell and the Ladybug
Lauren and I with our pumpkins!
The Boy
African Crested Porcupine
My Mammal Curator....
She is missing part of her thumb too!
Lazy Lucy
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Lucy Love
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Playing in leaves
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One Year Ago!
Binti's baby picture
6 months ago
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dre dog
maggie
brothers
grandma and me
me and the groom
A few beers before the wedding
Lauren, Quinton, and me
Work friends out at the bars for Lauren's Bday
The girls at PF Changs
Lauren and I
Erin and I
Giraffe Keeper from Minnesota! How funny!
Lucy and her new squirrel
A present from grandma Kathy
Loves the bed- just like her momma
Cleaning Damani's Stall
All 3
Lucy's New Toy
Damani
Damani's Hoof Trimming
Going to the Dog Park
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Pili's Skin
Damani's Skin
(much darker then the ladies)
Feeding Pili from up top
The Girls: Pili and Binti
Damani
Damani and his puzzle feeder
Binti in the AM
Feeding Binti
Binti & Pili
Lucy
my new baby
Wild Dog- not one of ours, but I figured most people didn't know what they look like.
Dixon & Singwah Playing with their house
Dixon
Singwah
Binti
Female Giraffe
Lulu Cooling Down
Hog Dinner
Primate Play House
D Love
How Cool is This?!
Love Dance
My Babies
Saying Goodnight to Damani
Kigali our Mountain Bongo
Morning Kisses
Lulu Painting
My Babies
Baby Pygmy Goat
Moon Pie & Twinkie
Baby Clouded Leopard
Snacks!
Giraffe Barn
Emilia and Her Baby
Giant Anteater
I Love This Boy
Feeding the eland
Damane (Da-mon-E)
Dixon
White Cheeked Gibbon
Our African Elephants
Porkchop & Lulu snuggling
Red River Hogs- My favorite!!
Feeding the Giraffe's
Dining Room
My ZOO cake!
Clouded Leopard
Picture: Thailand Zoo. Nashville Zoo and Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand work together to breed clouded leopards in captivity. This is a full grown male- about the size of the ones I got to wrestle w/ at my interview!
About Me
- Kate
- I'm a mom to 2 dogs & 4 giraffe. Runner. Minnesota Lover. Auntie. Dyson Addict. Britney Fan. World Traveller. Wife to Be. I worked for the circus and now am the lead giraffe keeper at the Nashville Zoo. I live for flea markets and would love to someday be a professional picker and open up my own shabby chic store.