Fun at Phipps

We are having such a fun week!  This cool weather has helped me branch out from our usual summertime activities and try some new things (that usually I'd save for the Fall or a rainy day).  Wednesdays is our usual day to hang out with Adrianne and her crew at Osceola Parklet near our home, but this Wednesday I had the fun of having the van (Doug almost always has it on Wednesdays), so with that fun change and the cool weather, Adrianne and I thought a fun outing was definitely a good idea.  We thought about our summer bucket lists and I thankfully remembered that I'd been wanting to take the boys to see the train exhibition at Phipps Conservatory.  Adrianne loved the idea and so it was a plan!  Not only that, but we have a friend that works there and was able to get us a few free passes to lighten the load of paying for our big families to attend.  Perfect!  We had a great visit.  There's something for every age and interest at Phipps.  It's breathtakingly gorgeous.  And with the trains running through all the major exhibits right now it is very engaging for the kids (plus they have a scavenger hunt for the kids to engage in along the way and the boys loved it!).  We all had a great time.  Here's "a few" pictures...

Lots of pictures of Penn oogling at everything.  Mostly the trains running along the tracks.

The bigger boys liked them too of course.

The fish also brought on "oohs and ahhs."

Koen was fascinated by some big, colorful ones.  I just love seeing kids be in awe of nature.

Had to take the opportunity to shoot some pics of the gorgeous flowers, just a tiny sampling of a handful of the amazing plants on display there.

Owen reading a butterfly fact in the butterfly garden to the attentive older kid crowd.

There was a huge train display in one room.  It was set up as if dinosaurs had escaped from a museum and took over a village.  Really interactive and impressive as there were so many details!

Even and erupting volcano!

A mine and quarry.

We loved the outdoor garden which had really changed since I was there a few years ago.  They had so much more for the kids to do.  Koen LOVED this part.  You could use natural elements to build a fort.  He could've done this all day.  Adrianne and I got involved to help secure the tepee, but the big boys did the rest.

Penn was happy to have a digging buddy in Claire in the pebble digging area.

Just another overwhelmingly beautiful flower I couldn't walk by without taking a picture.

More fish in the India Garden.

A walk through the desert.  Watch out for prickers, Penn!

Isn't that just gorgeous?  The boys were more interested in the trains running through it, but I just love how lush and colorful it all is.

This was probably the most intense railroad find.  A tram running to a mountain in the middle of a pond.  And when you pushed the button to activate the train and tram, you heard yodeling too!

After 2 hours at Phipps, the kids had completed their scavenger hunt, claimed their sticker prize at the gift shop and it was time to head out.  Adrianne and I took them over to picnic at Anderson Park at Schenley right behind Phipps.  It was a lovely, special day.  Thanks for sharing this fun adventure with our kids, Adrianne.  We had a great morning with you all (as usual)!