We decided to explore the big conservatory first, hoping the rain would let up a bit. But it never did. It rained (and often poured) the entire day. Luckily there is lots to see in the conservatory and the kids didn't mind getting wet when we explored a few of the tree houses outside. My friend Jessica was also there with her kids (she and I had split an annual pass) so it was fun to spend a little time with them too. We didn't cover all of the grounds, but the kids loved playing in the indoor children's garden so that's where we spent a lot of our time.
The ride back home took almost just as long and we got home pretty late. Luckily, the kids did great again. And it gave Ben more time to finish painting our hallway without all the kids around.