The Butterfly Garden at the Hilbert Conservatory is open for the season (much roaring from the crowd please).  I’m not sure which I love more: the Christmas Train Exhibit or the long spring and summer of butterflies.  I can tell you for certain: Sara prefers the TRAINS.  Sara has been historically, and as of today is still…afraid of butterflies.

There is a rain wall this year and everything!  It’s so awesome.  But oh no, Sara swears she’s never going back.  I’m drawing the line in the sand here: no daughter of mine is going to fear butterflies.  And I don’t care how fast they dart at her head.  Kelly will need to stop trying to pick them up, but that comes with time.

There were countless chrysalides in a clear case where we could see butterflies emerging in several different stages.  We even saw one sprout out entirely and fly.  I mean thank you!  Crazy cool!  Sara who has been fascinated with the whole caterpillar to butterfly thing took one look at the case and screamed.  MAN!  SPOILED!

Oh well, can’t win ‘em all.  The opening of the butterfly garden also means that White River Gardens is blooming, so in the intermittent rain and wind, we headed out into the gardens (to get away from those nightmarish butterflies).  Because of the weather, we had all of the grounds to ourselves, which made for some sweet exploring.

And some fun with the camera, even without much sunlight.

Apparently cement frogs spitting water are not at all frightening.  Because we were on a roll, we finished off the morning with lunch and music at Johnny Rockets and a trip inside Barnes and Noble.  Sara announced she’d really like the Berenstain Bear book on being afraid of the dark, and Kelly could really use Mercer Meyer’s book on getting over the fear of the dentist.  She made such valid points that I bought the books.  Surprisingly, there are NO kids books regarding the fear of BUTTERFLIES.  Hmmm…