Garden D’Lights, that is. This is a long-standing tradition at our local Botanical Gardens. Whereas the event used to be free, with a large piggy bank out front for donations, it is now by ticket only. Six evenings are set aside as Free Nights (and a donation of your choice, of course), with the rest having a paid admission. We ordered tickets for one of the free evenings, and the kids and I joined forces with my sister and her brood…and we took on the gardens!
Every display that had green on the bottom and color on the top met with the same exclamation from my niece. “It’s corn!” There was, apparently, an abundance of corn that evening. It was everywhere!
These two girls just melt my heart. Ming Wai doesn’t make friends easily…but that’s ok. Her aunt and I have got her covered. We’ll just grow them! They’re practically half-sisters, if you think about it.
What is it about Christmas lights that make any kid look like a Hallmark card?
And Ming Wai is just glowing.
This was new this year, I think. It’s an aquarium!
It’s a peacock! (And corn!)
It’s a butterfly. (And corn! And more corn! COOOORN!! Even Ming Wai was getting in on the act by the end.)
At the end of the night, we decided to take a shortcut back to our car. This shortcut just happened to lead us right through an Astroturf football field. My brother in law’s eyes started to sparkle. “Hey, Siu Jeun! Come and get me!” And he was off. And so were Ming Wai, Ernie and MiMi.
Siu Jeun wasn’t part of that parade. Why? Because when Uncle J had taken off to the right, Siu Jeun had spotted an unguarded soccer ball to the left. (A little boy and his Dad were on the other end of the field, practicing.) To say Siu Jeun is meant to play sports would be an understatement. My brother in law is fast, but he couldn’t catch Siu Jeun before he had snuck up on the soccer ball and claimed it as his own! It was across a football field from him.
Luckily, Uncle J was able to grab the ball away from Siu Jeun before the little boy noticed…and they were off! Running, running, running…
Ernie got warm, and put her winter gear into the stroller. Siu Jeun got bored, and decided to take the winter gear for a walk. My little dude pushed that stroller all the way around the football field. (That’s what…1/4 mile?)
After that, Ming Wai got tired and decided she’d like a ride. So he pushed her around the field as well.
As the kids were playing, I yelled over to my brother in law, “If Ming Wai is asleep by 9 tonight, you get a plate of brownies! Keep running!!” (Ming Wai hadn’t been asleep before 9 in about a week, and she was beginning to show definite signs of Crazy.)
Two days later, Uncle J had a plate of fresh brownies on his counter waiting for him.
PS – Happy birthday to my Mom!! She attended church yesterday with my sister, to accompany her while Myrnie sang a solo. After the meeting, one of the women in the congregation approached my sister. “Your older sister played so well today!! You must tell her how well she played.” Mom, here’s to being one year younger! Happy birthday. *grin*
My neighbor is in charge of the lights at the BBG and last year they were in the red with overcrowding and traffic stretched to the freeway. They had no choice but to start charging and regulating the amount of visitors per night. However $5 an adult(children under 12 are free) is super reasonable and usually what we would donate in previous years anyways.
ReplyDeleteHeh, I had forgotten about the COOOOORN!!!! :) Glad we could go together, officially this year...instead of bumping into you guys :)
ReplyDeleteWow- this place looks so cool! Just another reason to add Seattle to the list of places I'd like to live.
ReplyDeleteIT'S COOOOOOOORN! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is freakily beautiful. I don't understand why all the plants don't wither and die, but they shore look purty.
Especially all the corn.
Such neat displays of Christmas lights!! The kids' eyes would have popped out of their sockets if they'd seen those. :)
ReplyDeleteThe ones we have here are mostly on buildings... I don't know how much you remember, but they're nothing compared to the ones that you just showed here. The kids still love seeing those, though. :)