Baylor requested to go to the Gardens this Wednesday morning, and as we had been cooped up with colds for the past week, I was more than happy to oblige him with an excursion. As it turns out, the Gardens weren't very busy that day so it was a perfect time for us to take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the Christmas trees.
The African baobab tree is pretty cool, but Baylor and Mollie looked at it like, "Hm ... not sure this is really a Christmas tree."
In the conservatory, they had a gorgeous display for Diwali that I hadn't really noticed before.
I could have looked at it for hours ... something about the rich colors and patterns really captivated me.
But, we moved on and saw oranges hanging from a palm tree, which Baylor thought was pretty cool.
And, of course, we had to stop at the Japanese tree. I helped out a lot when they redid this tree a few years ago, so it holds a special place in my heart. I haven't done much in my life that I can point to, but I had a bit of pride in my heart when I was able to tell my kids, "Mommy made the star up there ...
... and probably about a hundred of those paper cranes. And I taught all the people who made the other cranes."
I hope this tree is around for a long time in this state so I can show it to my kids when they might remember it.
Anyhow, we moved on to the arid desert and English garden areas to see the train setup. They have a neat display of local buildings made to scale out of natural products, and I was happy to see the Gardens finally represented in their own display.
The weather may have been chilly outside, but there were beautiful blooms to be found inside.
The kids had fun watching the train loop around the English garden area.
After watching it go around a couple times and having Baylor comment on how "beautiful" it is, we headed onward to the rest of the Christmas trees.
I have always loved these felt ornaments, and I was finally able to snap a picture of them in great natural light.
Baylor saw me taking pictures and said to me, "Smile for Mommy." I love this kid!
It took us a while, but we found my other favorite tree. I don't know why I like it so much or if this is how they actually decorate, but I LOVE the Ukraine tree. It just seems so elegant with the white and silver decorations, even if they are cobwebs and spiders.
After seeing all those beautiful trees and the awesome train, Baylor's favorite part was still riding the elevator.
Then we went and visited the turtles. Baylor said they were "happy to see you".
Even Mollie was able to check them out.
After a quick trip to the gift shop to buy tattoos, it was time for us to head to Meijer and then go home for lunch. Baylor looked tired.
But not quite as tired as Mollie looked.
It was a fun little morning trip ... just me and my kids. Someday I hope they feel the holidays are as magical as I think they are.
No comments:
Post a Comment