Feeding the Ducks and 1st time to visit the Butterfly Show @ Krohn

Today and Thursday are the only days when it is predicted not to rain during the day ... so I decided to take Audrey to the Butterfly Show.  We left early to feed the ducks at Twin Lakes before the show.

Feeding the ducks or as she calls them ga ga.

The ga-ga's

Pretty Twin Lakes.

Pretty Krohn Conservatory.

I could not get a good picture of Audrey on the Butterfly Bench as all she wanted to say was "blue", her favorite color / word at the moment.

Kelly, one of my co-workers cracks Audrey up every time we see her.

And Dave H is a favorite too.

We are going to Dave H wedding tomorrow!  Topic for another post.

Kelly brought over a B-fly for the kids to see.

Miss A ... ok I'll hold it.

Get it off.

Random cuteness around the showroom.  This year's theme is Butterflies from Brazil.  This is the 16th annual show.  Audrey particularly liked the music and I thought the color and design was great.

And Val is so much fun. 

These pictures don't really show it but these girls were dancing.

Hunting Easter Eggs in Hinkle Garden with neighbors

Sunday afternoon was our neighborhood's 4th (or possibly 6th) annual Easter Egg hunt in Eden Park across the street from the Conservatory.  This area of Eden Park is called Hinkle Garden and is a beautiful section of a cluster of magnolia trees.

Each participating family donates a dozen candy filled eggs the week before and then we brought potluck lunch for a big picnic.  The little kids start the hunt first.

Erin F. gave an egg to Audrey.

As did this little neighbor girl too.

Audrey's first picnic lunch!

The lineup for pictures.

I think my hair makes me look a little like Diane Keaton in this picture.

Afterwards we walked up to Twin Lakes to feed the ducks.  This is the new playground they are constructing adjacent to Twin Lakes!  Super timing for Miss Audrey.  Speaking of timing and summer happenings ... Mt Adams successfully raised $32,000 to keep our pool open this summer!

Mt Adams Walking Tour and Winning tickets at today's silent auction to save our neighborhood pool

Audrey will now ham it up for the camera.

Which only encourages me to take more pictures.

Sunday morning we stopped by Bow Tie Cafe for breakfast.

And then took the Architreks Mt Adams tour which was part of the fundraising weekend to "Save Our Pool."  We have taken this tour with Jim S. before but still learned new info.... including this is where one of the cannons was set up during the Civil War.  Never needed.

Miss A would not wear this hat for

 this 2 hour walking tour.  Of course it probably would have helped if her parents had worn hats.

Our neighbor Erin F really likes babies.

Erin helped keep Audrey entertained with Cheerios and animal crackers.

Time for sippy cup after this long tour.

Then lunch at Longworths.  1st time with a booster seat.

I believe she prefers booster seats to high chairs.

To me this picture just seems a little like looking in to the future.

Sunday evening Chelsea babysat again and we went to dinner in Mariemont followed by a movie (Winston Churchiill: Walking with Destiny).  After dinner I received an email that I had won tickets to Peanut Butter and Jam sessions (for Audrey and I) as well as Reds tickets behind home plate for John.  These were silent auction items for the "Save the Pool".  One of our neighbors is delivering the tickets tomorrow.

Oh, and a really interesting piece of info we learned this weekend included history about our house.  We purchased Jim Steiner's book Immaculata on Mt Adams A One Hundred and Fifty Year History  and on page 85 we read:

The McCabe Clan grew up on lower Hatch St. at the Ft. View intersection.  both McCabe daughters, Catherine Laboure and Ann Maureen, joined the Sisters of Charity.  their father worked for the Burger Brewing Company and was instrumental in helping William Crowley start Crowley's Highland House in 1937, just across the street from Immaculata and an unofficial part of the church since then.

Peanut Butter and Jam

Since music really is her thing Audrey and I go to as many music classes/events as we can.  This morning we attended our 2nd Peanut Butter and Jam Session.  PB&J as described by their brochure:  Providing children, ages 2 to 6, and families the opportunity to enjoy classical music together!  This series is educational, entertaining and interactive!  "PB&J" is an award-winning concert series that will touch, teach and enrich your life!

Since she sits on my lap I don't always see  what she does (and she is an expressive child) but people tell me she is fun to watch sometimes.

I didn't feel at liberty to take a lot of pictures and we couldn't stay long afterwards but here are a couple of pictures of the setting for today's event. 

Today was the first of the Spring series of 6 shows.  The 6 Spring Concerts are "Mapcap Music Making" and their description is:  The Madcap Puppets join the Peanut Butter and Jam musicians to tell exciting stories set to chamber music.  you won't want to miss the musical magic and fun with the clarinet, violin, piano and puppets!

Since Miss Amanda's Musikgarten takes a break for May and June this will be a nice series to attend.

Opening Day, 1st lunch at Skyline and meeting the Easter Bunny!

This past Thursday John went to the Reds Opening game and Audrey and I watched the last inning while she had dinner.

It was pretty exciting as Ramon Hernandez hit a home run to win it in the 9th.  Picture of a new Reds fan!

Friday April 1st marked Audrey's first trip to Skyline.  We met one of John's running buddies, Steve at the Oakley Skyline.

Audrey perusing the menu.

And explaining the finer points of Skyline to Steve (and this was the first time she met him.)

Saturday morning we went to Kenwood for Audrey to get Easter picutres.  She was not intimiated by the bunny at all.  here she is touchig his cheek.

And smiling up at him.

She doesn't look so enthused in this picture.

And this is the one I purchased.  She is pointing at me as I was singing to her to get her to smile for a picture.

Sunday afternoon we were heading up to UDF for ice cream.  Not a great picture of John and Audrey but we really pleased with how the front potted containers are starting to bloom.

The hyacinths came up first and the muscari are starting to come in.  Not sure if there is any hope for the daffodil (cyclamineus narcissus) that I also planted  in these containers.

Audrey and I this morning before we walked to Hyde Park Mother's Group (ironically meets in Mt Adams).  Unfortunately we didn't know it was cancelled but we delivered Butterfly Show posters for the Conservatory which ended up being fun.  Megan at the dry cleaners gave me some helpful tips on how to sooth toddler molar pain (frozen waffles) and Lily (her daughter) made Audrey cackle.  We also lit candles at Immaculata for 3 firends health concerns.