the Houston Butterfly Garden

In late July, Nonnie and Papa treated the kids and I to a Houston Museum date!

Here is Ava on her way out the door. She insisted that Bitty Baby rode in her backpack.

We went to the Butterfly Garden inside the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Before the actual garden, there is a little bug and garden-life exhibit.

Ava LOVED the frogs!

Most of the insects where on display at the kids' eye level. This was so awesome for them!

There was even a PINK katydid. Ava was excited. Colin liked everything. He has tons of questions and was not freaked out at all...unlike his Mommy. :0/ YUCK!

The butterfly hatchery was cool too! We saw some "new" butterflies and even a few trying to wiggle out of the cocoons. So beautiful!

As soon as we entered the garden, the butterflies were EVERYWHERE!

The kids we alittle startled but it only lasted a few minutes.

Colin was trying so hard to get a butterfly to land on him. I don't think he stood still long enough for them to even want to land on him. lol

Yes, Colin and Papa Chuck are matching on purpose.

I LOVE it!

The "vintage-leopard" butterflies likes Gi Gi's dress.

This bug was CRAZZZYYYY looking! The kids wanted NOTHING to do with him.

Right before this picture, a butterfly landed on Ava's hand.

She jumped and said "hey, fly!" and pulled her hand in.

pressed pennies...always a must.

yes, we have a collection of these TOO!

With Aunt Nicki's museum membership, we got in FREE to see the Paleontology exhibit!

They were discussing how cool it would be to catch a catfish this big!

We found out that the dinos with the extra black iron structures on the outside of the bones are the REAL BONE!
Ah-Mazing!

After the museum we took a little ice cream break then headed to the train station.

You know how Kindergarten teachers' minds work...once you go on a field trip, you have to have a project to go along. :)

A few days later, the kids and I made "stained glass butterflies".

Mommy glued the left wings and Ava did the right ones...

Each one of Colin's wings had a different red, white and blue pattern.