grand rapids | frederick meijer gardens

The little ones getting a ride

Nice face, Avery :)

Kathryn and Eli checking out the train display

This is the best we could do with 4 kids

Throwing pennies into the wishing well

Getting ready to play Red Light, Green Light

Green light! Avery is not competitive. Not at all.

The power tongue

Now he's just showing off

Isaac wearing a hand me down from Vivienne. Scott bought that coat for her when she was just a few months old because it was a good price, little did he know about her affinity for pink. It seems comical to me to think about her wearing it but I'm thrilled Isaac is getting some use out of it. 

Walking with Mama

Our primary objective was to get a picture of us with our children.

My darling girl

Hands in pockets is a thing now

Learning about plant life

Walking along

The giant horse was a huge hit

Pat pat

The perspective is great

Despite how it looks, she had a pretty good time

A new favorite

Boys up the hill

Sister joined him at the top

Kathryn and her boys

Cute boy

Cute, goofy boy

Coming back down the big hill

Eli playing

They did not want to leave the horse area

But there was an old farmhouse to explore, a la Little House on the Prairie

The pink sparkle shoes did not make the trip. So sad.

Pumping water together

Walking through the arbor

Please note that the sign says, "Hops."

In case you haven't noticed, Eli is a mini Kathryn

Eli fetched Viv when she was dawdling behind

Our big adventure out of the house was to Frederick Mejier Gardens and it was wonderful. The grounds are huge and contain a diverse array of plants, trees and displays. The kids had a great time playing, but as with any ambitious outing, hunger and crankiness took over. All of the kids were losing their composure on the long walk from the back of the gardens to the car. Never fear, a feast of fast food cured their ails, and the Mama's too.

Side Story: The Shanes pray before each meal and have a jar of popsicle sticks with their family and friends names on them. Eli chooses a stick and that's the person they pray for before each meal. It also helps him learn to read names. Well, after three meals, Avery had the system down and announced that he wanted to pray. I had no idea what to expect but was anticipating him thanking Jesus for our meal. So, Eli said his traditional prayer and then we told Avery it was his turn. He puts his hands in front of his face and says, "Baruch atah Adonai elohaynu melech ha'olam asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat." It was hilarious. Kathryn and I were dying. I had no idea he still knew that prayer because it had been awhile since the last Jewish holiday. Avery prayed after Eli for each subsequent meal.