Annmarie Gardens. Again.

We can't seem to get enough of the Annmarie Sculpture Garden in Maryland. We went at the beginning of the summer to see this year's fairy houses (as seen in this saturday outing post) and were looking forward to returning with friends. I convinced my friend Kirsten and her kids to meet us there one day in August and we had such a fun time. Our kids match up well in ages so everyone seems to have a buddy when we get together. It's great.

First we made our way through the woods to find all the fairy houses and a few sculptures.

All my kids need for hours of entertainment is a forest and their imaginations. And maybe a few props. The fairy woods at Annmarie are amazing. They continually add more fun details and play structures. On this visit, the kids pretended to operate a restaurant and served us countless dishes.

The kids also entertained us with a play. It was quite the production. It started on the stage and then moved around the forest. There was a queen who was rescued from an evil witch. Oliver played the part of a dinosaur.

I think the rescue was taking place here.

We had considered making a stop at the Calvert Marine Museum, but instead we decided to stick around Annmarie and let the kids have some fun in their Art Lab. I LOVE this space. Someday I will have a dedicated art space in my house. I loved the way they organized the art supplies. The kids all loved making something using recycled objects and various art supplies.

Sunflower sunset.

There is always something new to discover around here. A few weeks ago I found out that there are acres and acres and acres of sunflower fields in the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Maryland. A trip was definitely in order. It was a ridiculously hot and humid week (can't complain much because this has been a beautifully mild summer for weather). We arrived near sunset to avoid some of the heat (of course that humidity never goes away at night) and it also turned out to be an unbelievably gorgeous time to see the sunflowers. The evening light was beautiful (proven by the fact that I could not stop taking photos). It turns out that a giant field of sunflowers is really fun to photograph.

 Pretending to be butterflies.

 Playing "What time is it, Mr. Fox?" (Oliver, in the background, had apparently given up.)

 "Hold you! Hold you!" (Meaning "hold me")

And some photos taken with my phone while the girls were taking pictures with my camera...

 Little House on the Prairie anyone?