My great friends Christina and Baby Isaac accompanied us on a trip to Longwood Gardens, one of my favorite places in the world. When I'm there, I forget that the world isn't entirely beautiful, I forget there are places where nature's beauty isn't allowed to flourish, and I completely lose myself in the beauty of a carefully ordered and painstakingly but lovingly tended world.
Highlights:
These two beautiful people!! (so beautiful, they are in here twice - which I can't fix tho I even tried to edit the HTML; sorry!)
These flowers were amazing close up. Two different colors, several different kinds of petals on each flower. 
The color of brand new leaves in Spring is so cool, so much lighter than Summer green. This is the view from the deck of my favorite treehouse. Notice the cheeseball slightly to the left.
The children's garden area is amazing. There are several fountains and lots of water play. Kids are encouraged to play in the fountains as long as they don't get in. We got plenty wet without getting in anything.
Total cheeseball. I love that scrunchy faced smile! This time, sticking her finger in the mouth of a lizard. I've no doubt if a real one would hold that still, she'd try the same thing.
One of my favorite stained glass windows.
Allison blowing the 'smoke'.
This is what's hanging over the 'smoke'. Kind of a dark but way cool little corner in the garden.
Longwood gives out a kids map with instructions for the Children's Garden and it says kids can pick the flowers in here. I've never seen anyone do it and I've never been brave enough to tell one of my kids to do it. Would you?
End of the trip: We dropped off the Howdens at their house and on the way home, Allison said the following:
Bye Bye Ki-tina (Christina).
Bye Bye Baby I-yick (Isaac)
Bye Bye Baby I-yick brmmm brmm (car)
Bye Bye Baby I-yick toys.
Bye Bye Baby I-yick rattle.
Bye Bye Baby I-yick blanket.
Bye Bye Baby I-yick mouse.
Bye Bye Baby I-yick mouth.
Bye Bye Baby I-yick nose.
and then she sang "I love Christina, she loves me. I love I-yick, he loves me. We happy fam-i-ly. We happy fam-i-ly. Happy Birthday I-yick. Happy Birthday Ki-tina."
It was a great (first part of the) day.
Part Deux:
o Instead of napping, Allison took off her diaper and wet her crib.
o Chris' disciplinarian/asst. principal at school called to tell me Chris is suspended tomorrow because he's been late 12 times this semester (that's since Jan 21st).
o The paperwork for a food order I did got lost.
There is definitely opposition in all things, and there's nothing like teenagers and toddlers to make you appreciate the good times.
