My Big Backyard

Alesia is on vacation this week, so I'm working from home with the boys.  Jack went to school today and I wanted to do something fun when we picked him up.  It was an overcast day with temps in the 80's, which seemed perfect for My Big Backyard at the Botanical Gardens.  The only time we've been Marshall couldn't walk, so it wasn't much fun for him or much fun for Jack because I had to man the stroller.  Today was much different as you can see in the pictures.

The musical playhouse

Just a swingin'

Checking out the fish in the fish pond

Marshall was plenty happy with the dirt on the ground

And here's where the trouble began.  It started out as an innocent step onto a boat.

Joined by a very curious little brother.

Who had to test the water.

And then it was all over.

Their shoes were waterproof, so I was okay with a little wading.

He wasn't.

I think we've found the bad influence in the family.  They were the first ones in and several other parents glared looked at me like I was crazy as they shooed their children away from the water.  The boys were finally joined by a couple of other children who were content with just wading.  I should note that this was the creek, where I'm pretty sure it's okay to wade around.  There were no signs telling us otherwise.  This was not the fish pond, where you are not allowed to get in.

Before we left, Marshall had to get "rained" on in the rain simulator.  As if he wasn't wet enough.

At this point he figured out that it's really not fun walking in wet clothes, sloshing in wet shoes and especially lugging around a soaked diaper.  He was ticked that I wouldn't carry him.

But the fun didn't end there.  As soon as he saw this puddle right by our car, he jumped right in.  Lucky for me, I anticipated a mess after the rain that morning and brought extra clothes and a plastic bag for the wet ones.  It was an awesome afternoon!