Thursday, April 3, 2008

Our adventure in the botanical gardens



Ahh, look at this serene view at the Huntington gardens near Pasadena.

So peaceful...until we came.


These are the most innocent ones...okay so Brenna and Dallas and Kate should be in there too...hmm...I wonder who I'm exempting?


Monkey #1...

How can I climb on the beautiful Chinese building that is supposed to be full of tranquility?



Okay, jumping pictures a bit. This was the kids favorite part. When the moms took a (figurative) chill pill and let em get wet...clothes and all. Pure child heaven.

See how its done people? And I think my kids drank a gallon of that unsafe water even though I told them no and warned that they would get 'the runs' which will usually stop them from slurping up puddles on the ground.




Monkey #2...

The Ringleader. Where he goes, his sister follows. So probably all at the peaceful garden know this boys name since I was calling for him 40 steps behind and yelling for him!



But we sure did some running. Okay, so the Chinese gardens were much better than the Japanese gardens. Everyone has raved about the Huntington gardens and this was our first time...but I have mixed review if bringing children. Or if just you are bringing my children. Like the huge bridge made for decoration only that was very clearly blocked off. While I was taking a picture, Darby had scurried herself up to the top...and wouldn't come down. That sneaky Darby, I need to chain her to me. While all the other tourists were pointing at her and she was just smiling.

Or the fact that my children don't want to stay on the marked paths, but want to go exploring. Even if that means trampling fancy plants. On the way home on the freeway, while they were all sleeping I was able to contemplate my reactions to all the chaos? Am I too strict? Not strict enough? Why do they tune out my voice? Why am I so quick to get angry when they are just kids? Is it like in church when your kids are being really loud and you are all embarrassing and think its terrible, but really nobody cares or is watching you and if they are watching they understand? I was hot and red faced most of the time when Luke was a baby, but now it takes much more to rattle me in sacrament...sort of. Or at least I'm getting better at it. So as much as I joke about my monkeys, really I am still trying to figure out this mothering thing too. I want to diffuse the situation and not escalate it by my reaction. Now how can I better do that? Deep, I know.

This is one of my favorite pictures...Dallas all wet. So cute.

Darby drenched as well.


In their natural state of running.

In the un-natural state of sitting quietly...but don't they look cute?

Miss Baylie Mae's Birthday is tomorrow...probably by the time you read this post. Happy Birthday Baylie, I can't believe you are 1! Holy cow.

Five seconds after this picture 'they' told us my kids couldn't climb the trees...What can I say, we are rule breakers. Hopefully this is not foreshadowing of their teenage years. No comments from those who knew me as a teenager.

4 comments:

Lindsey said...

I was hoping you had posted them already!! So cute pictures!! I love the one of Darby climbing up--I think I missed that--she got pretty high. You got to give it to them for being so athletic. Its really impressive. The Chinese garden was the best. Dallas had a blast with you guys. Thanks! Happy Birthday Baylie. We love you!

Heather said...

Cute Pictures! I'm so glad you have a camera again. Happy Birthday Baylie! I love the picture of her running after Luke and Darby. She'll be climbing up the wall with them in no time. Christy has a leash/harness thing that she's used on her two youngest boys. They hate it.

cori said...

i love reading all about your days. and happy birthday baylie! such a cutie. and the mothering thing. i don't know either. i stopped thinking about it. i am nunb to it all. as long as they are safe, happy and healthy, i could care less. and also, no hitting, biting, or yelling at eachother. oooohhh.. that gets me red in the face.

christy said...

i just try to take the kids to kid friendly places only and I probably would have put them in the stroller. i can't have them running 4 different ways. it freaks me out. i take the double jogger to the zoo and maybe let avery and tristan out occasionally. i just can't take too much out in public but they get to run crazy in the fenced in back yard at home. as for the harness, i've only really used it at the airport. the kids put it on eachother though and pretend to be dogs. now i take the double jogger to the airport too.