My Girl

We spent the day being models with some friends at an abandoned hotel site.  The building looks like it was very close to being finished (with carpet, toilets, a furnished kitchen), but the Japanese are very superstitious (I heard they were warned not to build on what was considered "sacred ground" and didn't listen, but then the workers were getting ill and dying - I also heard a bee hive moved in to the entrance and apparently that was a warning from the gods not to build there), so they abandoned it and it's so amazing and sad to see this huge building with a beautiful view, wasting away.  

The abandoned hotel is right next door to some castle remains.  

Lydia found some wild flowers growing on the grounds. 

She ended up pulling the whole plant up when she tried to pick a flower.

Sleeping Soundly

I just thought this was really sweet.  

I rarely get to see how she sleeps - only when I have to go wake her up.  

Blocks and Dolls

Lydia mostly uses her blocks to make roads.  

I usually do the tower building and then she makes the road 

in order for one of her dolls or cars to get there.

When we make a tower Polly Pocket moves in right away.  

My Little Pony often lives there too.

I guess the paper dolls that came out of one of her books work too.  

New Nail

Lydia is so proud of her new thumb nail.  She tells almost everyone she meets the story about how she slammed her finger in the door and then lost her nail and how now she has a new one!  The best response she has gotten is from a lovely lady from our church who said: "Isn't God good?!"  She was so sincere about this response and it came so naturally to her to praise God for something as simple as a new thumb nail.  She's right.  God is in all the details.  It's so easy to forget and take all that He does for us for granted.  I'm so thankful that there are other believers who remind us not to.

At home with the new 35mm lens!

Lydia is a great model for the camera.  I think she was almost as excited as me about the new lens.  When she thinks she's doing something cute she tells me to go get the camera and take her picture.

She often gets really close to the lens so I can get a good picture of her.

Her favorite activity right now is throwing everything off the bed and jumping off after it all.

She also loves to read books.

Playing with Speedy is more fun lately too.  I don't think he even minds too much - even when she uses him as a drum.

He's a good sport.

The Wonder Museum

I don't know if Lydia even looked up to see what was 

happening as she turned the handle over and over, 

but she enjoyed the action.

Lydia was like Alice in Wonderland sitting in these chairs!  

They should serve little petits fours when you walk in.

She tried to climb the rock wall...but didn't get very far.  

I think they were missing some key pieces. 

 This was a track where you push a button and wait 

for the beep and then run as fast as you can.  

It shows you how fast you ran at the end.  

She did this over and over again.

This lady came up to help her figure this activity out right 

away.  She seemed to enjoy it as much or more than Lydia!

This was my favorite activity and I didn't even get to try it!  

Oh well, we have a year pass to the Zoo now 

and 3 tickets to get into the Wonder Museum, 

so I'm sure I'll get a chance.