july fourth?

I know.  School is getting ready to start.  But, since I've neglected the blog the entire summer, I thought I'd start where we left off.

We began our fourth of July with some shrinky-dinks.  A blue ninja with some fireworks--Diego's 

go-to drawing at any time.

Then I dragged the kids to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in the pouring down rain.  It's free on July 4th, and I was so happy for the rain.  I knew it would keep the crowds away and the temperatures down.  The kids, of course were not as enthusiastic about it.  I don't get it.  What kid wouldn't want to play in the rain all morning?

We brought as many umbrellas as we could find. and the gardens lent us a big one.  

But it was just easier for me to walk around without one.  And it turns out what I thought was a rain jacket was really a wind breaker.  (Not waterproof.)  Oh, well.

But look at these amazing lego structures.  A buffalo and its baby.  The birds up above were also made out of legos.  There were lego animals throughout the grounds so we had to hunt for them.

 We ended up inside at a table where the kids could make their own lego squares to display.  Carmen and I made a little house.

Diego's plan was to fill up the whole square, but he compromised with a letter D.

And Joaquin pretended that he had made this amazing picture of dandelion seeds blowing in the wind.  That must have taken more patience than any of us have. 

We decided not to see any fireworks this year.  Too many people, too late, too loud.  But I'm pretty sure this will still be a memorable fourth.