STL City Museum

Our last day at my sister's house the boys had a golf trip planned so we headed to STL City Museum and O.M.G is this place the coolest. We attempted to find every nook and cranny in here - they are EVERYWHERE.... No map - just explore! Stories, slides, tunnels, scooting places, crawling places, squeezing places, running places, DARK places - this place has it all and so full of adventure. People were wearing knee pads and dusty covered bums everywhere. Yes, there were some things I choose not to venture and wished KingB was there but SportyB would take my hand and say 'don't be scared mom, I'll protect you' during some of our adventures.. Here are the pictures from that day

This is the first floor - that is SportyB standing in front of that huge whale. If you go into the mouth of the whale it takes you to all kinds of tunnels. People would be coming out from all over the place, you would see grandparents coming out from UNDER the whale to try and get out from where they were. Where I'm standing to take this picture, there is this slide that takes you underneath the ground back behind this whale - that would be one that I didn't do but it didn't stop SportyB. He was guiding 6ft tall men to where this slide came out on the other side so they would know where they would end up before they would go down it!

Another view of the first floor.

You see the tunnels up in the ceiling of this floor? They could wind around the entire ceiling in these little tunnels. Another one I opted not to attempt

Ok this one, I can't believe I did, yes I know I'm a chicken, but it's a 7 story slide. You see on the right hand side WAY up at the top of this picture by the window? That is the beginning of this slide.. it's SO fast! and you go around and around and around and around and around and around and around (yes that was 7 times). Heading up to the top we almost turned around thinking we were going the wrong direction but we were determined to find where we would end up.

Yes, they even had a floor of museum stuff (hence the name) that we walked around. Pretty interesting stuff in there

The kiddos being cute

The end of the day - BabyB doesn't seem to be happy. Boy was she ever ready to go at closing time, she was honestly sleeping before we made it around the block - no joke!

Of course we had to monkey around

Hanging out while SportyB was climbing around in the ball pit

Yes they even had a train - only those UNDER 54" aloud to ride

3 story triangle slide

Climbing over through the tree branch to the other side of the room

More Monkey's - everyone had to participate. I think SportyB is even making a monkey face

They had this room that would be a skateboarders dream, ramps and slide (of course with hidden dark tunnels) galore. Here is a video of SportyB enjoying one of the ramps

After we left we went to Show-me's for dinner (a favorite of Matt and Jenn) and caught up with the boys. Then the boys continued their 'bonding time' at one of Matt's volleyball tournaments. We had a blast and I can't wait to head back. We had to make our 12hr trip home the next day but I think the kids slept 80% of the way home - busy vacation!

Trip to the Magic House

We decided to head to the Magic House on the second day visiting my sister. We had a great time, I don't recall ever going there as a kid but boy do I wish I would of. SportyB and KingB had fun going to all the different rooms doing all the different activities. One could stay busy in there for a very long time. Here are a few photos from that trip

BabyB had fun with this - at one point she had her feet up on it!

Aren't they cute, in the little pumpkin carriage

We had fun on these chairs - each chair plays music from the different music groups

SportyB and I did the Electrostatic Generator but we didn't think fast enough to get a picture through the window.. darn!

After our day playing we headed to Uncle Matt's parents house for some swimming (of course both kids crashed in the car on the way there). Mom Toth made my FAVORITE beef stew (this stuff is to die for!) Yes, in June she made it knowing we were coming - wasn't that the sweetest thing!! Thank you Mom Toth - YUM I don't even think there was enough for left overs.

Stay tuned, one more fun day in STL coming your way.. I'm trying to catch up. I have to before July is over - HA. Started my job this past Monday so I've been busy trying to get back into the groove of things. KingB has been a big help with the kids - Thank you honey.

Six Flags

We had a very busy few days while in Illinois visiting my sister. We only had a few days but had a BLAST the short time we were there. We arrived last Sunday night and headed to Six Flags Monday - we hit the water park first. After it closed we headed to the car to eat our picnic dinner, change and re-energize to head back in to ride some rides. It was a VERY hot day but we had fun. It wasn't busy so while my sister and I rode some rides with SportyB the big kids ran over to the Big Coasters to get those in. BabyB even got to ride a ride! At the end of the night the park does a light parade that SportyB really enjoyed (although it woke BabyB up with their BOOM BOOM BOOM of the drums) Here are the photos from our trip to six flags.

Apparently (again) I lacked in the photos that day - I'm hoping my sister has some great photos and will send me some of the pictures she got from the day/trip HINT HINT

Road Trip

KingB surprised me with a very last minute road trip as I was offered a job ({YEAH} at the place that I interviewed with.. you remember the one with that CRAZY test?!?!?) and was due to start on June 22nd. We decided to head North to visit some friends and my sister. To help break up the trip we decided to stay Friday in Knoxville to hit their zoo in the AM - once we arrived in Knoxville the kids had J.U.S.T fallen asleep and it was only another 2 hours to Lexington so we decided to just head straight to the Vos's in Lexington, KY for the weekend with their family (Rob's sister decided on a last minute trip to their house also with her two boys). It was great catching up and hanging out. The boys played some golf, the girls did some shopping and the kids had a ball. Sunday was Father's day and we headed to a local pool during the day and KingB wanted a nice dinner before hitting the road to my sister's house so we ate at PF Chang's with the gang - here are a few photos (apparently I only remembered my camera on one day)

BabyB enjoyed her time at the pool

SportyB loved all the different activities they had - including the slide

Happy Father's day KingB

The kids with their daddy during dinner

A group shot after dinner before we hit the road

Our view as we headed to Illinois

During our drive to Illinois the kids crashed - I looked over from the front seat to find BabyB sleeping in this position in her car seat - hilarious!!

SportyB asked if he could turn his movie off and go to bed

Stay tuned for our Ill trip.....

Spagetti Dinner

We all know KingB is the cook of the house and I think BabyB is learning just how good of a cook daddy is

It's just easier this way - clean her up enough to take her up to the bath

I had a fun little video but it's 102MG and the uploader only allows files 100MG and smaller and I don't know how to edit a video to make it shorter.. sorry I will post it on my webshots in June pictures :) Look for it there

Canoe trip

Before my sister and her hubby left town I had the bright idea for us to go on a canoe trip. Everyone seemed excited and off we went. Well.... it might of ended up being a little more work then we bargained for as we had to canoe UP river first - oopsy (next time I will look into one that will drop us off up river so we can coast, canoe down river). All in all we had a great time (I think everyone would say the same) and saw LOTS of neat wildlife. The lady we rented the canoes from told us about the Manatee's and where they liked to hang out so to keep an eye out for them and what to listen for so we could see them. So we are cruising along paddling UP river and all of the sudden I hear the noise that we were suppose to be listening for and stopped paddling to look down and notice our canoe was RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF THEM... AAAKKK I freaked.. I was afraid they would come up for air and tip us over.. get us off get us off is really all I remember saying. It was really neat to see them though as this was my first experience so close.

We saw tons of turtles lounging around in the sun

Our fellow canoe buddies

KingB and myself in our canoe

one of the manatee's we saw

Jeep ride down there

Of course we had to get a picture of us together

Yup - that is one of the several alligators we saw while on our trip.. THAT is why I freaked while over the manatee as I didn't want to tip our canoe!! I didn't want to become lunch

Also just wanted to wish Uncle Matt-Stinky-bottom-Bob (as SportyB calls him) a Happy Birthday today

June 7th Part 2

We had such a great turn out for BabyB's birthday party - lots of friends and family and her mood was great. She got a little nap in after church before her party which was perfect! This was the day I noticed her fourth tooth!

This was her hat that she was suppose to wear but for the short amount of time that she had it on her head we weren't fast enough to snap a photo

These were her cupcakes that I made - YEAH me.. lol

This was her cake

She L.O.V.E.D it all icing, cake and ice cream

hmmmm every girl has to have chocolate on their birthday

She had fun getting messy

This was the bib that Nana made for her 1st birthday

SportyB and his friend Rachel were helping open BabyB's presents

After we opened presents and had cake and ice cream we all went swimming.. She is currently on her sugar high and very exciting

This was when she shoved a fist full of ice cream in her mouth and did a shimmy shake afterwards.. she then cried for a second - brain freeze is my guess

sitting so tall

her mouth is filled with ice cream (thought I was kidding when I said shoved a fist full didn't you!)

My sister helped me make the party favors. We did flowered white chocolate pretzel sticks - yummy.

Here is a short video of the first little bit of her eating her cupcake

We had a great day - thank you to everyone!!