Tulip Time

This last week was the annual Tulip Festival in Orange City. Apparently, the tulips were happy about the cooler weather we've had this spring because they were in perfect form for the festival. It is quite beautiful really to see seas of tulips in the park and on main street. The festival is always a good time, but it was even better this year because my wonderful friend Jessica and her hubby, Jonathan, and their little boy, Nathan, came to visit! Jackson and NeeNee, as Jackson called him, became fast friends as they are only 5 weeks apart in age. We spent our days at the park, riding rides at the festival, talking, and the bigger boys played some golf and shot some guns. Good times for everyone! This is Jacko and I at the park where the tulips were looking so lovely. We had a rough time trying to get the boys to sit for a picture with the tulips without them sitting ON the tulips so Jess stepped in and saved the day- and the tulips. Jackson looks thrilled and Nathan is looking longingly at the swings.
Another awesome display of tulips. I wish I could take better pictures, you know, the artsy pretty kind without random passers-by's butts in them. But you can get the general idea with my mediocre photography skills.
This is a perfect example of the differences in the boys' personalities. If you look closely at their faces, Nathan is laughing and smiling gleefully and Jackson looks a bit peaked. Nathan is quite the adventurous fellow and was quick to get into the swing of everything. Jackson tends to be a bit more reserved and is a bit of a chicken at first, but once he tries it out he usually warms up to it. The first thing he said when we got down the big slide was, "Again?"
As the smallest adult member of the party, I got voted to be the chaperone on the little truck merry-go-round. I sort of wanted to yack after, but it was worth it since the boys had a ball.
More pictures to come in another post...