Alligator or Crocodile??

I got this super neat Lego Creator - Ferocious Creatures Set for my birthday, from my Aunt, Uncle and cousins. It is really fun to build with, but it can be a little tricky.  My cousin Charles and I built a dinosaur out of the same set because it is a 3 in 1 set with instructions for 3 creatures.  The set has four hundred and sixteen pieces. I would rate it 9 out of 10 stars.

Facts About Alligators
* There are two types of alligators:
    - American alligator - can weigh over 800 lbs 
        and can be over 13 feet in length
    - Chinese alligator - can weigh about100 lbs 
        and are usually around 5 feet long
* The name 'alligator' comes from 'el lagarto',
        a Spanish term meaning lizard
* Alligators are only native to China and
        the United States of America.  
* Chinese alligator currently only live in the
        Yangtze river valley and are extremely
         endangered.
* Small alligators often will be found in  
          large numbers close together.

While researching alligator facts, I found some interesting information about the differences between alligators and crocodiles.  Actually, I found that the above creature I created is a crocodile instead of an alligator.  Go figure!

Alligators vs. Crocodiles

Alligators and crocodiles are different species but are easily confused. The United States is the only place where crocodiles and alligators live together in the wild, although crocodiles are almost extinct in the United States.

Alligators                          
- Native only to the United States and China
- Have a broader snout / show only one set of teeth when mouth is closed
- Like to live in fresh water such as ponds and lakes.

Crocodiles
- Native to the Americas, Asia, Africa, & Australia
- Narrow snout / show both set of teeth when mouth is closed.
- Prefer to live in salt water or brackish water.

I found this image and more info at the website below...

http://www.boredkillers.com/difference-between-alligator-and-crocodile/

Today I'm going to tell you about our Family's cats. The cat on the left is named Eleanor, she came with the house when we moved in. She has an attitude most of the time and thinks she's a Queen. My sister has adopted her and thinks she likes her the most. Also  Eleanor likes to bat at sticks. The other cat is Socks, he was a stray that found us. It's very strange,when he first came I thought he was a special breed, he was extremely skinny. After we fed him he fattened up. He is very adventurous and likes to explore, he always comes back with marks of bravery.  Socks is my Dad's and sisters cat.  He got his name because he has white paws. 

Caddo Indian Mounds

 When my family and I were driving through Alto, we decided to stop at the Caddo Indian mounds . Here is some of the history of the mounds. In the past, Caddo Indians picked the spot for permanent settlement about 800 A.D. because the land had ideal qualities for starting a village and ceremonial center.  The land also had good sandy loam soil for agriculture, it had lots of natural food resources in the surrounding forest and it was close to the Neches river. The Caddo  farmed squash, corn, beans and other crops. Also they would hunt turkey, deer, rabbits and squirrels and other animals. The Caddo gathered wild plants such as berries, roots, and nuts.  Caddo people built earthen lodges with thatched roofs (top right). No one lives in these dwellings any more. The mounds were used for burying the dead community leaders and there houses.  In the13th century,the site was abandoned.   


Some helpful web sites I used are http://www.texasindians.com/caddo2.htm , http://www.bigorrin.org/caddo_kids.htm and http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/kids/caddo/mounds.html







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Goat

Some friends of ours found a stray goat and they couldn't find it's owner. So they called and offered the goat to us.  Naturally we found a home for it.  That night we kept it in a dog pen and the next morning we built a pen for it.   My goat is a female named Gertie. If you've want to know more about goats here are a few facts. ENJOY !

*Girl goats are called Nannies, boys are Billies and baby goats are called Kids.
*Goats are sociable animals but the Billies fight alot.
* Scrub goats are goats that aren't a certain breed.
* One of the oldest domesticated species is a goat.
* Goats have been used for their milk,meat, and hide.
* Goats have a four-chambered stomach.
* Unlike cows, nannies utters only have two teats.
* Goats likes to eat leaves, weeds and some grasses.
* Goats are good swimmers.
* Most goats live eight to twelve years.

helpful websites for me were: http://www.facts-about.org.uk/facts-about-goat.htm  and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goat