We recently took a trip to our lovely MO Botanical Gardens. The kids have discovered a little creek with tiny shells at the bottom of it. It's the perfect size for an eight year old to take a flying leap.
It must have been 20 minutes of Lily and Lindsey testing their leaping skills and then stopping for a dig in the muddy river bottom.
I have a hard time saying "no" to this type of activity. I was such a mud and water junky as a kid. My best friend and I would create a river of mud in her front yard. It was full of the red, sandy dirt you find sometimes in CA. Makes THE best mud. (Sigh) We would just roll in it. We had beauty contests. The muddiest contestant always won (AKA me because Tiffany's mom wouldn't let her get her hair muddy--The injustice!!)
And, according to family lore, on a family road trip we stopped at a river with rapids. I was 2 years old and scrambled out of the car and ran straight for the river. My dad proceeded to "teach" me the dangers of the river by tying a rope around my waist and putting me out in the rapids. Yikes! That is some serious old school parenting and I would not recommend it.
Lily has inherited my love of water and mud. So who am I to say no. Even if she is in her brand new hand made shirt.
(The truth is, I think Dave is the one who let them get in the creek. I might actually have said no if I had gotten there on time :-))
These gardens are sooooo lovely. One of our favorite things about the St Louis area.
That looks like *so* much fun!
I'm just imagining a kid-version of you (not too hard since I know Lily) covered head-to-toe in mud and grinning. :) That makes me giggle.
Posted by: Carrie Gunnnnnn | June 15, 2009 at 10:30 AM
We have a membership there. My kids actually don't care if we don't go into the childrens garden. They love all the other stuff there is to do there as much!
Posted by: Olivia | June 15, 2009 at 11:02 AM
The MO botanical gardens are magical. We got to visit them last year. We all had so much fun!!! Can't wait to go back.
Posted by: Laura Zarrin | June 15, 2009 at 04:57 PM
They look like they are having so much fun! Perhaps someday we can visit the MO botanical gardens! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Rebecca | June 16, 2009 at 04:07 AM
Hahaha... that story about Grandpa cracks me up. And the fact that Tiffany wasn't allowed to get mud in her hair so you were always the winner of the beauty contests. SO FUNNY!
I miss you guys and think of you often. You need to post some pictures of that baby Grant. I HAVE to come visit sometime soon.
Love you!
Ellie
Posted by: Ellie | June 17, 2009 at 11:27 AM
the leaping pictures are fantastic, and the gardens look so beautiful and fun
Posted by: Marissa | June 18, 2009 at 12:31 AM
And she's wearing a lovely top made of lovely fabric...a great addition to the beautiful gardens.
Posted by: Robin | June 25, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Laura, your story reminded me of my older daughter and my nephew, giving each other mud baths in the summer. I have some darling pics I need to dig out and enjoy again, of happy kids covered in mud!
And yes, we live in CA, land of the red clay dirt!
Oh, and I LOVE the blouse your girly is wearing made out of your pretty fabric!
Posted by: Sivje Parish | July 04, 2009 at 04:33 PM
I love the pictures and I love that Lily likes the mud and water. Me too!!!!!! Clothes can be washed and so can kids and nothing will replace the memories.
By the by, I remember you floating in the Shenandoah one hot day at Harper's Ferry. You survived.
Love ya,
MUff
Posted by: Aunt Muff | July 06, 2009 at 11:30 AM