Botanical Gardens

The kids are on "Spring Break".  They get Friday, Monday, and Tuesday off.  That is NOT Spring Break.  But Mack took today off in honor of the occasion.  And since it is April and I told Mack I don't want any birthday presents but just to create family memories/experiences, we headed off on a Spring Break/Month of Monica excursion.
To the Botanical Gardens.  $8 to get my whole family into an attraction?  Yes, please!  Then I feel like we can eat there and still get our moneys worth.  Love not having to pack a lunch for seven people!  :)  I took tons of pictures.  The trees were gorgeous and the flowers were just starting to bloom.  I told Mack I want to come back in a month when more trees had leaves and the ground flowers had come out more.  It's a date.

 It was a little humid in the Climatron so these pictures are a tad foggy.

 The kids were bugged that we didn't pay to go in the Children's Garden.  It was part of my secret mission to get to come back another day.  Grandma needs to come so we can check it out together.  But they did have these few cute things for the kids to climb all over.

 Love my little girl.

 Reese wanted pictures with the dragons in the Japanese Garden.  Brisbane wanted nothing to do with the dragons. He was still mad about the Children's Garden.

 All the kids with Mack.  Look at all 6 of them looking at the camera!  I am a miracle worker!

 Look at those trees!  GORGEOUS!  I wanted to just sit and stare at them all day.  The kids thought that would be boring.

 This little English Garden was so pretty and the kids loved running around in the maze.

 We let Della and Miriam get out and walk a bit.  Miriam is a girl on a mission.

 All five of my little ducks.

 We tried to get just one picture of Della and Miriam together.  No dice!  But I love this picture of Della sitting crying with the gorgeous flowers behind her.

We stopped for lunch right after this and discovered Della's first tooth popping out!  16 months and she finally got her first one!  That would explain the grumpiness.

 They all really wanted to sit on these sheep.  At a Botanical Gardens.  I don't get it.  But they did it.  And they were happy about it.

 Awesome bridge to nowhere.

 Brisbane was not into giving me good smiles today.  So I finally gave up and asked for a goofy one.  Love my little goofs.

 This bridge was amazing.  So we did a mini-photo shoot with my sub par photography skills.

 Gorgeous girl.

 Reese was really dressed for the occasion with holes in his knees and a hand me down Lego shirt.  Classy kid.

 Jessenia started hamming it up for me and just finding cute places to pose on her own.  She might be my obedient child that will allow me to practice my skills.

 Brisbane was most cooperative sitting on this bridge.  Such a beautiful setting.

 We fed some Koi Fish.  Reese was really troubled that there were animals at the Botanical Gardens.  "This is NOT a ZOO!"

 Loved these flowers.  I wish I had clipped Jessenia's hair back today.  But we were just lucky I remembered it hadn't been brushed and grabbed the brush for her to do it herself in the car.  Thank goodness for that short hair.

 There are no words.  He just is what he is.  And it's a four year old boy.

 Della and Miriam fell asleep after lunch.  It was a tender mercy.  They were SO good this trip. Miriam didn't even scream once!

 Brisbane looks a little lost in the hedge maze.  This was the kids' favorite part.  They ran around in this maze and wanted to keep going back for more.

 I hope they always want to walk holding hands. 

 Turkish Garden

 Loved this red door.

The kids had so much fun.  I was nervous about how they would like walking around looking at plants.  Reese got tired near the end and told us he was bored.  But the kid was panting in between breaths from running around in the hedge garden.  He was full of bologna since he was basically having the time of his life.
Wonder where our next adventure will take us this month...