The Turner Family: Dogwood 2009

Hello Everyone... I am sorry that it's been sooooooo long since I posted anything on the blog. I began to type this post... about 3 weeks ago! So I apoiogize for being so tardy with the updates! ..... We went to visit the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. Specifically ... we knew that the Historic Dogwood was in full bloom this weekend! It usually is during Palm Sunday week! Any of you who have known us for 4 years... We have been visiting the dogwood and taking a "family picture" since 2001- when I was pregnant with Maddie. Then we had just Maddie... then Maddie with Sydney in my belly... then both girls last year... this year we chased Sydney and Maddie around under the tree. When we woke up this morning, I told Maddie that we were going to the big tree. She said, "Can we go inside the tree? I like to go inside the dog tree at the candy garden." Then she was very animated as she told Q what we were going to do today. "Botanical Gardens" was a little tough to remember, I guess. Or maybe she was confusing it with "kindergarten." Who knows.

Seeing the giant dogwood is really amazing. It's gorgeous. It is something that I really look forward to, every year! I also love having our family picture made there. I'm pleased that Maddie's already got some "memory" of it, and I look forward to continuing the tradition for our family. We timed our trip today with the Moyer family. Phil is a friend of Q's from high school. He married an amazing girl- Amanda- a gifted photographer and artist- a favorite friend of MINE... And they have two precious boys... Pierson is nearly 3 and Payne is 8 months or so. Amanda took some awesome pictures of us (in the hospital!) when Syd was born, and we roped her into coming with us last year to be our family's private photographer. This year she and Phil had their first family photos at "the tree." They hope that this is the start of THEIR family tradition... Since we love them so much we will be happy to share the tradition year after year!

Anyway, at the tree, Maddie found a little caterpillar. Ya'll know Maddie loves LOVES LOVES creatures that crawl... slither.. scamper... etc! She was in love. She wanted to take him home, but we talked her into letting him stay behind on the tree. Then we met some more on the walk out of the park. We met about 12 on the walk out! Only... sadly... one didn't survive our encounter. Sydney gripped one a little too tight... She didn't want to put him down OR let him share with Maddie.