My Big Backyard!

One little thing I have learned about being a stay-at-home-mom is that you hardly ever actually stay at home! We have had a full week so far and it's only day 3. Today we took a ride down to the Memphis Botanical Garden's new exhibit, My Big Backyard. It is a project designed to bring kids back into the outdoors. And WOW! What a great place for kids! Emily really loved it, especially the timber forest balance beam and the creek. We met some of our friends there and met some new friends too. Below are a few of our pictures from today. We will definitely be going back.

The "Flower Beds" SO cute! This is playhouse lane. One house had dress up clothes in it and the other had chalkboard walls that the kids could write all over.

A view from the tree house giving you a birds eye view of the meadow.

Emily in the tree house at the top of the slide. We did not go down this slide for the record. Maybe in a year or so.

Emily at her favorite exhibit of the day making her latest face. I don't know why but she keeps making this pucker face. I happen to love it.

Now this slide she actually went down. It was in Seedling Circle, a special area just for the smallest kids. She was very proud of herself.

Again, in Seedling Circle playing with the water toys. There was a small fountain where you could fill up a pail and then put it in a doggie bowl for this big bronze statue. Oh ya, and that is my girl standing all on her own, while holding a toy, long enough for me to let go and take a picture! Can you tell I'm proud.

Said statue. The Thunder Creek. There's a big pond at the end of the creek and a sheltered area that makes thunder sounds and flashes light like lightening. Very cool.

The big rocking chairs on the porch. They even had a lemonade stand.

My sweet girl posing for mommy on a tree stump.

On our way out I noticed these hammocks tucked away in the back. Emily was VERY tired, but we sat for a little bit and relaxed. Emily was not into taking pictures by this point.

Seriously mom, I just want to sleep!

Our view of the sky from the hammock.

And she was asleep before we got to the car. :)