...And a Garden

While we were at the Arboretum today, we also visited the Rory Meyers Childrens Garden for the first time.  It's fairly new. However, there is an additional admission fee to go into it, so we hadn't been in yet.  It wasn't too crowded, so we let Mia and Quinn explore it.  There's a lot of interactive exhibits.  There was a small play area built to look like vegetables.  They enjoyed the celery slide and had to climb in and out of the pea pod several times.  There was a neat hedge maze as well.  There was way too much to do in one afternoon.  I like that, though, because it means we can come back many times, and they'll find something different to do each time.

 He asked if he could get in the fountain.  :)

 Two peas in a pod!

 He loved pushing the button to make the tornado simulation.  He did this for quite awhile!

 Crawling through a log like a bug

 Constructing a flower

A Village...

We haven't been to the Arboretum at all this year.  How did that happen?  We kept meaning to go in the spring but didn't.  Then, it got too hot.  I was definitely ready to go at the beginning of fall, but we just couldn't work it into our schedule.  The kids always like the Pumpkin Village that the Arboretum does in the fall, so we went over there today since it was the last day for it.  I knew that this would be the case before we went, but there were many rotten pumpkins.  We had to watch the kids closely so that they didn't climb or sit on any that were gross.  There were still enough good pumpkins that it was nice to see the village, but it's definitely time for the gourds and pumpkins to be cleared out of there for the season.  

 Daddy helped out since Quinn was too short.

Things That Go Roar!

Wesley had to work the today, but I wanted to take the kids to the zoo.  Darvey and Kenda came with us for a little while.  Mia was so sad when they left.  She cried and moped around the zoo afterward.  She felt better when she got to ride the little kid train around a couple of times.  We got to see several more animals, so they couldn't help but enjoy that.  Mia and Quinn got to pick out  a stuffed animal when we left.  She perked up with delight when she talked me into letting her get a purple hippo.  Quinn was pretty happy with his giraffe, too.

Mia has surpassed the emperor penguin in height!

Quinn is well on his way, too!

 Annual fall picture on the rocks by the meerkats.