Children's Garden

We are so lucky to have so many great places that we can take the kids, and they just keep getting more! I love Botanica Gardens. They are beautiful and it is so peaceful out there. However, it has never been a place that I took the kids to to spend much time. They like the butterfly house ok, but it will only hold their attention for so long. And the flowers just don't cut it for the kids....unless they can stand in the middle of the flower beds or stomp/pick the flowers. Since that's kind of frowned upon there, we don't usually go more than once a year. I recently got a membership, so we've started going a little more frequently. Eli does love to run around all the paths, and the fountains are always a hit as long as they are allowed to splash in them. But, Botanica just recently opened a brand new children's garden. It's awesome! So interactive and so much for the kids to do. I think the kids would spend way more time there if I let them. The couple of times we've been this summer, we can't stay too long because this pregnant mamma just about melts (EVERYONE just about melts it's been so hot this summer). Plus, it's still so new it's usually pretty busy. Looking forward to it now that school is starting back up and one of these days it will get a little cooler. Anyways, it's safe to say the children's garden is a big hit, and Botanica is going to be one of those places that we spend a lot more time at now.

I think this is Eli's favorite thing there. They have these little streams running through and a big huge rock. The kids can "paint" with water on the rocks. The second time we went here, Eli sat and did this for like 30 minutes. He would have kept going too, but I was ready to move on!

I love these two, and it just melts my heart when I see him holding hands with his buddy. Elliot and Eli are great buds (probably partially due to the fact that she's an older woman:) and can tell him what to do and he does it.....so the like is mutual because Elliot has someone who will do what she says and Eli has someone that likes to play with him all the time!). I gotta say, she may only be 5, but she's been a lifesaver many times. Eli is always with Elliot when we are together, so I can always count on her keeping an eye on him and making sure he stays in line. All I have to do is look for Elliot, and I will surely see Eli too.
Our kiddos LOVE to read. Eli bypassed the colors, the huge caterpillar, and all his friends and found a book and plopped up on the butterfly to take a look.