A Visit to Eloise

But this morning, Birdie appeared no worse for the wear, and since the weather was about as close to perfect as you can get, this morning, we headed off to the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden.  As our longtime Fans know, this is a favorite destination, so it was not to be our first time at the EBWG, but it was our first visit this season.  The thistle, rudabeckia, cone flower, and phlox were all in bloom.  We walked all about listening to the birds, and a Joe (who likes to stay 12 steps ahead in the day's plan: "When are we walking to the car?", "And then I'm going in the blue car with Daddy, right?", "To Teddy's party*, right?", "Calara, you're going to go in the bronze car with Mommy.").  The bambini were plenty tired after we'd summited "Spook Hill," so-called after the same in The Berenstain Bears Bears In The Night, but by then, it was time to get rolling on down and into the afternoon.

Follow the leader.

Big Tough.

A single halfway decent shot of the bambini together.  (Take 56)

"Can you give your sister a kiss?"

Imagine both little heads turning toward the camera with gazes of smiling wonder.  (You have to imagine it, because in your imagination is the only place it will happen.)

*It is the summer of birthday parties for Joe as it would seem everyone in his class is turning four.  Teddy's birthday party was today, and we have been discussing it for days.  For.  Days.  Specifically, we have been tacking down the difference between Teddy's birthday, and Teddy's birthday party.  It is impossible to say how many times Julie or Ted has said that they did not know when Teddy's birthday was, but that his party was not today, but Sunday.  After a beat, Joe would inevitably say, "But today is Teddy's birthday, right?"  Dearest Readers, you might be thinking that we should have just said "Yes, today is Teddy's birthday."  But you know where that road leads?  To "Why aren't we going to Teddy's party today?" Land.