Cemetery Picnic

 The second Saturday in April is the annual cemetery association picnic/meeting/work day.  There was beautiful weather for it this year.  The cemetery looked beautiful - freshly mowed, new & old graves mingled together, with bluebonnets left to flower, iris and rose bushes starting to bloom.

 I enjoy the old stones and rusty, old fences.  The kids enjoyed the picnic and running around in the cemetery.  And no, it's not weird to picnic at the cemetery once a year!

All Aboard the Birthday Train!

 Rebekah really loves trains, so we decided that riding the Forest Park Miniature Railroad might be a good way to celebrate. 

Waiting for the train...

Here it comes!!!

 Getting ready to roll.

 I think I'm pretty good at arm's length photography,

except when I'm holding a baby.

I always cut off the baby at the bottom.

I'm slowly getting better, though...

I think...

 Sarah doesn't like wind blowing on her head.

 Rocked to sleep!

 Rebekah enjoyed every bit of it!

What a fun time!

Then we came home for a late nap, birthday cake made by Grana,

playing outside before heading to bed very sleepy.

 Will she remember this day?

Maybe if I say, 

"Remember the time we rode the mini train for your 2nd birthday?"

The Arboretum: The Family Pictures

Today Grandpa took us to Dallas Blooms at the Arboretum.  We have a super fun time!  I didn't really try to pose the kids too much - just took pictures where they were with a "look at mom" thrown in.  We did see plenty of kids dressed in their Sunday finest with parents trying to pose them.  We saw them and we chuckled...  In other posts, I'll show the amazing flowers and the educational opportunity.

 Elizabeth was running around chanting, "It's pink, it's pink..."

 Looking at the giant goldfish.

 Um... I don't think that's a path...

 Yeah... Dad made Rebekah cry with that one.

 Oh, look, I was there too!

 

The Arboretum: The Educational Stuff

Today Grandpa took us to Dallas Blooms at the Arboretum.  It's been several years since I've been and they have added a lot to it, including the educational displays.  In other posts, I'll show our kid & family fun and the amazing flowers. 

 Our first educational display was the bugs.  Of course, David spotted some rolly-pollies and tried to step on them.  Then they saw these:

What keen observers children are!  Those are ladybug larvae!

Elizabeth spotted this full grown ladybug (above) on the flowers.

Can you find it?

Then she found this one on the bricks coming out of the restroom!

She stopped traffic around it as it walked on the walk.

They have installed a "Texas Pioneer Adventure" at the back of the park.

 Bekah: Wha dat?

Grandpa: That's a wash pot.

 David was especially interested in the Indian tepee.

 Also a new exhibit is the Fairy Tale Castles.  We didn't see all of them today, but here are a couple.

 See the pinkish castle behind the flowers?

So we did get some learning done today after all!