MBG Garden Glow 2016

We met Arline at MBG for Garden Glow.  It was a beautiful evening and it was absolutely packed.  As usual, it was absolutely fantastic.  It would just have been so much better if we hadn't had to shuffle the whole way around!!!!

Maggie wanted her picture taken in the tunnel

Some of my favourite pictures are the trees lit up rather than the Christmas lights

The Gatehouse was absolutely beautiful

Our smallest Christmas tree......

Since we are going to Little Rock for Christmas this year, we did not go to cut a tree.  One more tradition hits the dust.....
Ben and  I went to Lowe's and got this little tree.  I put it on top of Ben's bench in front of the window.  It looks lovely.

I was pretty sad that we wouldn't have a big tree this year, but I have got used to it and now I love it.  It may become our new tradition....

We have a "Permit holder" in the house

I took Ben over to Deer Creek to take his Permit test.  He was pretty nervous about it since he didn't pass last time.  He had read the book more thoroughly this time and passed easily.  We had to wait another hour to apply for his permit, but I got the address changed on my license too, so we killed 2 birds with 1 stone!!!!  As soon as he got his Permit, Ben had to call Sam to let him know!!!!!

Ever since we got out of the DMV, Ben has been driving as much as he can!!!!

I figured since he's using my gas, he'd better figure out how to fill the tank up!!!!

Ben's school assignment

Ben is doing Child Development this year and his current assignment was a project "my birth".  He had a page of questions about his birth that we don't have many answers to.  Sam and I had some information for him, like his birth height and weight, but not much else.  It became apparent that this was very uncomfortable for him and so I went to talk to him later.  He said that it doesn't bother him that he's adopted, but he just didn't want to bring all the details up at school.  I think that's entirely understandable.  I emailed his teacher and asked if he could do an alternative assignment.  She was very understanding and just said they would give him a pass on this assignment.

It did give me an opportunity to talk to him about his adoption and I gave him our adoption book to look at.  Adoption rarely comes up with the kids.  They are completely open about it and their friends know.  I can see why Ben didn't want to discuss in a class setting though.  We are very lucky that they are both easy going and secure in our family.

November trip to MBG

Maggie and I met Arline for our November garden trip.  We have been so lucky with the weather this year, it was another beautiful day.

They have already started putting the Garden Glow ornaments up.  Maybe not too surprising since Thanksgiving is at the end of next week

They have a bunch of cacti in the Linnean House right now, this one was covered in flowers

Cacti always remind me of my grandmother-she had a whole windowsill of them

Some things are still blooming in the garden.  We saw some flowers that had to have been there all year, we just hadn't noticed them before

Some of the roses are still hanging on

Garden Glow set up by the Climatron

There's always something flowering in the Climatron!!

I love these little fern-lings....

Absolutely beautiful day to be in the Japanese garden

My first general election

Well, I got my first opportunity to vote in the election.  I admit there wasn't much to choose from, but I voted anyway.

I was shocked when I woke up on Wednesday morning and Sam told me Donald Trump won!!!

Trip to the zoo

We were supposed to be meeting Arline at the Gardens, but she was on call and had a donor. We were faced with a beautiful day and nowhere to go.  I suggested the zoo, and to my surprise the kids agreed.  We hadn't been to the zoo in forever, we used to go all the time.  I thought it would be so busy, but you can see here that there weren't any people around as we walked in

Of course, we had to go to look for the alligators first, but they weren't outside

We went in the monkey house, certainly hadn't been in there for a long time

The lion looks pretty happy sleeping in the sun

Ben and Maggie by the kangaroos

The kangaroos, think I had forgotten we even had them!!

Fries and soda-happy children!!!!

We took a trip through the River's Edge, my favourite place

The butterfly house was packed with people, so couldn't get too many great photos

Got some great pictures of Ben and Maggie.....