Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

My wonderful friend Beth invited us to come with her to the Fairchild Gardens this week. It was GORGEOUS. The weather was gorgeous (it was actually supposed to rain, but didn't and just stayed overcast, so it was cool and breezy and so nice), the gardens were incredible, and I had such a great time!

Ruthie on the princess stairs. Do you see her head? I told her to stand up and smile, but she sat down and said 'cheese' haha.

There are real live alligators in these lakes!!! We didn't see any, though.

Cool plant.

There were lots of workers out and about gardening and such. One saw us at the entrance and asked Ruth all about herself. She drove past us later on a golf cart and said "Hi Ruth!" and it made Ruth so happy.

Is this not the most stately and beautiful thing ever?

This was the amazon area.

Beth had never been in the butterfly house before, so we decided to go in. Besides being attacked by mosquitoes--it's pretty moist and warm in there--it was INCREDIBLE! Seriously, I am SO SAD the pictures don't do it justice at ALL. I raved and raved about it to Sterling and then when he saw the pictures he was completely unimpressed. There were HUNDREDS of butterflies. Sometimes you had to slow down when walking so that you didn't run into them or crush them underfoot. It was phenomenal. I have never seen anything like it. I felt like I was in an enchanted fairy dreamland the entire time. I want to take Sterling sometime now!

The lady told us what these were called, but I can't remember now. She was very specific that only MOTHS have cacoons and butterflies have...something else. 

Butterflies are just too small. But I guarantee there were at least fifty in this photo.

At least I got lots of chances to take close-ups because there were so many! 

There were so many! I am so disappointed you can't see them! 

Will and Caroline

There were FOUR (that you can see) right in front of my face when I took this picture. 

This place was high security. You had to open three doors to get in, and could only open them once the door behind you had closed. On the way out they only had two doors, but the funny old Asian lady had Ruth and Will dance around in front of the mirror to make sure they weren't taking any butterflies with them!

This thing was super cool:

Ginormous tree!

Ruthie made a new friend.

Okay, this was another one of my favorite parts (minus the nasty spider webs. They have weird diamond-shaped spiders here that make some intense webs--they are always in our back patio) it looks like we are in England or somewhere cool like that! I wanted to call it Light way to Life, or whatever Anne of Green Gables names her pathway. It was SO BEAUTIFUL!

Gnarly tree.

They had a tree to tie wishes to, how cute!

And back to your typical Miami.

We saw this big guy on our way out! Wild and free!

Ruthie took one last turn going up and down the princess stairs.

Will was out. Poor kid was teething and I didn't know it yet. Also--true Miamian, I have my umbrella with us!

I know, I know, picture overload, and you really can't tell how amazing things like this are by the pictures anyway--but I am so glad Beth invited us and it was such a relaxed and enjoyable morning! We had a great time and I really want to bring Sterling back one day!