Nature Center kind of day

We haven't been to the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in a while so we decided to head on out there today.....


When you first walk into the nature center you walk through a butterfly garden. Lots of swallowtails.


They were really pretty. Lots of milkweed in the garden, too, which I think is supposed to attract Monarchs? So we'll be back to see them, too. The nature center offers a program where you tag the Monarchs (I think) and let them go. We may sign up for it.


New addition since last time... A huge microscope! It was cool.


Oh, no! There's an alligator in here!


Oh, no! It ate Ariel!


Mom, I look dumb. I feel dumb. Do you have to take my picture?


Rachael dressed as a snake and went and hid in a log with a book of riddles about woodland animals.


We discovered that Rachael is as tall as an anklyosaurus.


And that, despite his love for his sisters, Trevor is all boy. He was nice enough to do spider with Rachael, though, because there were only two swings.


After Ariel got off the swing, her troubles began. Her brother and sister took over the swings and she pouted. "There's nothing to do, mommy. It's boring here."


So I offered to play some "soccer" with her in the tennis courts. But "It's not fair mommy, I can never kick the ball!"


"STOP takin' my picture when I'm whinin' mommy!"


Even though we were all good sports and kicked the ball to Ariel lots during our game, she was determined to be unhappy. We finally finished with a tied game. Whiny Dragons-3, Flaming Peppers-3. Can you guess who was on the Whiny Dragon's team?


This was probably why she was so grumpy. She needed a bit of a nappy nap. (With her sis, of course!) We had a great time and, really, poor Ariel, we just laugh at her when she gets all grumpy. Her grumpiness was really solved when Trev and Rach decided to change the name of their team from Flaming Peppers to Flaming Poopy Squirts. Then Ariel smiled through her thumb and Trevor exclaimed "Ariel..... I see you smiling!" and Ariel grumped "No, I'm not! Stop it!" then she started smiling more and her bad mood evaporated.