Spending some time at the gardens

Tuesday we met my aunt Cher at the Gardens so we could see the butterflies and explore the children's garden together. Joshua loved the butterflies as usual while Matthew could have cared less about the butterflies yet enjoyed any plant that was within his little reach (no worries, no plants were harmed just tugged on with love a bit). Since my aunt hadn't seen the children's garden Joshua gleefully led her through the grand tour and had her join in playing with him at his favorite spots. No visit would be complete without a stop by the giant horse; amazingly this visit Joshua didn't declare the horses gender for all to hear which is what he normally does when visiting this sculpture :) We even got to have lunch with my aunt and she spoiled the boys with gifts for their birthdays - gift cards to Target (always a favorite as it means picking out and buying a special toy) and stuffed panda bears all the way from the San Diego Zoo in California (apparently they are celebrating a new addition to the panda family there). It was another memorable day at the gardens complete with amazing weather!Someone turned into a caterpillar.

Trying to coax a butterfly on to his finger with no luck.

Plants are apparently way more interesting than butterflies, at least to a one year old who isn't strapped in a stroller and has a taste of freedom.

Posing with "mad mom" who Joshua thought looked more sad than mad.

Matthew loved climbing on the eggs in the tree fort.

Posing for a picture without much success.

Playing in the sand. Not sure Matthew was groovin' on the feel of the sand on his bare toes.

Peeking in the little tree house.

Lunch and special birthday gifts.

Matthew and his new panda.