Hello all from sunny Columbia, MO!!!
The kids are currently napping and we got the laptop to work the last two nights in St. Charles and here in Columbia...so I thought I would do a quick update as to our trip.
After leaving Oklahoma City we stopped in Springfield, MO for the night. That is the town where I went to college (Missouri State University). First of all...my memory SUCKS!!! I really think that I never went anywhere around town...because I don't remember hardly anything. Second...Springfield and the campus especially are so small!!! I remember being stressed out thinking I wouldn't be able to make it to my classes on time...and Jeff and the kids and I walked around basically the whole campus in about 20 minutes. Either the campus has shrunk or my world has grown... We met and had dinner with one of my best friends from college, Renee, and her husband, Greg, and their kids, Maddy (8) and Gage (4). It was so nice reconnecting. After I graduated...I saw her one other time...and lost track of her (with the help of a controlling and abusive ex-husband). Luckily - I managed to find her a few years ago...and we've e-mailed a few times since then. I told Jeff that I was scared that we wouldn't hit it off since it had been so long since we last talked...and the last time we did talk wasn't under the best of circumstances to my best recollection. However - it was just like old times...no one could hardly get a word in!!! We met for dinner at 6:30 pm and before we knew it, it was 9pm and the kids were miserable... I really hope that we get to see each other again soon...or at the very least stay connected. She is a great lady!!!
Wednesday we went to St. Charles and checked into yet another hotel. We went to my friend, Bobbie's house for dinner - and her daughter, Paige, and Kendall got to run around and play. Unfortunately...we weren't able to stay very late...because Carson was just plum exhausted and was extremely fussy the whole night.
Thursday we went to Grant's Farm with the kids and my friend, Michele, and her daughter, Ella. It was hot as blazes...but so much fun. I can honestly say it has probably been at least 20 years since I was last there...and it was so fun getting to watch the girls feed animals and play with each other. Once we left there, we went back to the hotel for the kids (okay...me too...) to nap, then we went to Michele's house for dinner. Her husband, Scott, was out of town on business, but his mom, June, was there helping Michele with their new baby, Spencer. Their house is BEAUTIFUL!!! Jeff said the best part was Scott's "man cave"...all decked out with a full wet-bar, pool table, HUGE couch, and big-screen TV...plus TONS of sports memorabilia hung all around the room. It was really nice!!! Too soon...we had to get back to the hotel and get the kids in bed...
So this morning we drove to Columbia, had an early lunch, checked into the hotel, and went swimming in the indoor pool for about 30 minutes. Now....the kids and Jeff are asleep as I type this entry. Tomorrow we head home. We made reservations in Chattanooga, TN (which is about 9 hours away)...which would make our drive on Sunday only about 7 hours... keep your fingers crossed for us! When I get home I'll post lots of pictures!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Oklahoma is OK!!!
Hello friends!!! I am currently downstairs in our hotel in Oklahoma City while Jeff is upstairs napping with the kiddos. I'm actually doing laundry right now...we tried to be smart when packing and only brought enough stuff for like 6 days each - and knew that would mean we would have to do laundry in Oklahoma City and in St. Louis right before the wedding (on either Thursday or Friday morning). Anyway...I figured as I am having to wait for my clothes to dry...I could post a quick update on our trip. No pictures this time (there is no way to be able to download the pictures from the hotel's computer - oh yeah - we can't get our laptop to connect to their network...). Anyway...
We were on the road by 8:30am on Thursday morning (about 30 minutes later than I wanted...and about 30 minute earlier than Jeff expected...so it worked out well). The kids did GREAT!!! We had hoped to make it to Birmingham, AL...and we actually made it all the way to Tupelo, MS (which is about 2 hours farther). Now...it was 9pm (our time) before we actually finally stopped for the night...and close to 9:30pm before we all were going to sleep...but considering how long the kids were in their car seats they did fabulous!!! So...the next day...we decided to see if we could push the kids again and actually get to Oklahoma City on Friday night (rather than Saturday afternoon as we had originally planned). And we did!!! And we got here about the same time...maybe 30 minutes earlier... So after we got the kid's beds made and stuff kind of arranged - Jeff went over to his brother, Jerry's, house for a few hours while the kids and I slept.
Then Saturday morning, Jeff and the kids and I ran around for a few hours - visiting some of Jeff's old haunts and eating at a restaurant that he loves, Johnnie's hamburgers. However...before we even left for the morning...Kendall was playing in the room and fell over backwards off of a chair and almost split her upper lip (it was swollen rather large for a while and there was a trace of blood on the underside of it) and skinned up the area just between her nose and upper lip. Then...at lunch...I was bringing her into the bathroom to change a poopy diaper...when she got two fingers on her right hand smashed in the door...bad...she screamed and cried for a long time...but she could still bend her fingers so we didn't feel like we needed to bring her to a doctor. Rough day all in all for the little one...
That afternoon, we picked up Jerry's wife, Angela, and their daughter, Cheyenne, and they played tour guides and we went to the Oklahoma City Memorial. Let me tell you...it was so incredibly moving. I've seen pictures of it, of course, but it really is something to actually be standing there...and there are park rangers that will answer questions, etc...and to really try to picture where the Murrow building once stood...very humbling. Not to mention the empty chairs...one for each person that was murdered that day...including small ones for all the children that were murdered as well...
Then we met Jerry in Bricktown (kind of like the Landing in St. Louis, or Ybor City in Tampa) and had dinner. This is my first time meeting my brother-in-law...and let me tell you...there is DEFINITELY family resemblance!!! It is really kind of weird in a way...seeing so many of my husband's features on his brother's face...
Sunday morning we drove with Jerry and Cheyenne to Guthrie, OK, which is where Jeff was born. In fact...we even drove past the hospital he was born in...which is now closed...and boarded up...and looks like a building you would find in a horror movie!!! haha
Today, since Jerry and Angela had to work, we took the kids and Cheyenne (who is 14) to the Omniplex - which is a "hands on" science museum. It was so much fun and the kids (specifically Kendall) really enjoyed themselves.
Kendall and Carson have both really been little troopers...they've been such good little kids too...not too whiny or fussy...especially considering Kendall's day on Saturday...
Tomorrow we leave to go to Springfield, MO and we will (hopefully) meet up with a girlfriend I went to college with, Renee, and her family. If nothing else - we plan on driving around the campus and see if I have any memory left at all...it has been 12 years since I was last there...I honestly right now can't remember a thing!!! Then Wednesday we will head up to St. Louis and see a few more friends that night and on Thursday, before we head to the wedding on Friday. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to update my blog once again later this week...but no promises...
We were on the road by 8:30am on Thursday morning (about 30 minutes later than I wanted...and about 30 minute earlier than Jeff expected...so it worked out well). The kids did GREAT!!! We had hoped to make it to Birmingham, AL...and we actually made it all the way to Tupelo, MS (which is about 2 hours farther). Now...it was 9pm (our time) before we actually finally stopped for the night...and close to 9:30pm before we all were going to sleep...but considering how long the kids were in their car seats they did fabulous!!! So...the next day...we decided to see if we could push the kids again and actually get to Oklahoma City on Friday night (rather than Saturday afternoon as we had originally planned). And we did!!! And we got here about the same time...maybe 30 minutes earlier... So after we got the kid's beds made and stuff kind of arranged - Jeff went over to his brother, Jerry's, house for a few hours while the kids and I slept.
Then Saturday morning, Jeff and the kids and I ran around for a few hours - visiting some of Jeff's old haunts and eating at a restaurant that he loves, Johnnie's hamburgers. However...before we even left for the morning...Kendall was playing in the room and fell over backwards off of a chair and almost split her upper lip (it was swollen rather large for a while and there was a trace of blood on the underside of it) and skinned up the area just between her nose and upper lip. Then...at lunch...I was bringing her into the bathroom to change a poopy diaper...when she got two fingers on her right hand smashed in the door...bad...she screamed and cried for a long time...but she could still bend her fingers so we didn't feel like we needed to bring her to a doctor. Rough day all in all for the little one...
That afternoon, we picked up Jerry's wife, Angela, and their daughter, Cheyenne, and they played tour guides and we went to the Oklahoma City Memorial. Let me tell you...it was so incredibly moving. I've seen pictures of it, of course, but it really is something to actually be standing there...and there are park rangers that will answer questions, etc...and to really try to picture where the Murrow building once stood...very humbling. Not to mention the empty chairs...one for each person that was murdered that day...including small ones for all the children that were murdered as well...
Then we met Jerry in Bricktown (kind of like the Landing in St. Louis, or Ybor City in Tampa) and had dinner. This is my first time meeting my brother-in-law...and let me tell you...there is DEFINITELY family resemblance!!! It is really kind of weird in a way...seeing so many of my husband's features on his brother's face...
Sunday morning we drove with Jerry and Cheyenne to Guthrie, OK, which is where Jeff was born. In fact...we even drove past the hospital he was born in...which is now closed...and boarded up...and looks like a building you would find in a horror movie!!! haha
Today, since Jerry and Angela had to work, we took the kids and Cheyenne (who is 14) to the Omniplex - which is a "hands on" science museum. It was so much fun and the kids (specifically Kendall) really enjoyed themselves.
Kendall and Carson have both really been little troopers...they've been such good little kids too...not too whiny or fussy...especially considering Kendall's day on Saturday...
Tomorrow we leave to go to Springfield, MO and we will (hopefully) meet up with a girlfriend I went to college with, Renee, and her family. If nothing else - we plan on driving around the campus and see if I have any memory left at all...it has been 12 years since I was last there...I honestly right now can't remember a thing!!! Then Wednesday we will head up to St. Louis and see a few more friends that night and on Thursday, before we head to the wedding on Friday. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to update my blog once again later this week...but no promises...
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Oops...I did it again...
No no...not the Britney Spears version...the version where its been two weeks again since I last posted. Since my last post on June 18 (um...that would be 2 1/2 weeks ago or so I believe...)...here are some pictures and brief comments as to our world:
On Friday the 20th we drove down to Orlando for the weekend. We went to "Go Diego Go" live on Saturday morning...which was so much fun for Kendall. Carson really didn't "get" it (of course...) and it was a bit loud so Jeff and I took turns walking Carson around the outside of the Arena (it was held in the new UCF Arena).
Then Sunday morning we went to Magic Kingdom. It was fantastic!!! It was hot as blazes and we got rained on at the end of the day...but the kids did great and we all had a great time. Plus - Kendall got to meet a couple of the Disney Princesses and she got to ride on her first roller coaster (a kiddie one in a little-one friendly section of the park) with Daddy. The funniest thing that happened that whole weekend, though, was when Kendall and Carson got to meet Pluto...Carson got a hold of Pluto's tongue...and started to try to chew on it!!! Unfortunately...none of the pictures came out when he was doing it...but here are a few other ones.
The next weekend we celebrated Carson's first birthday a few days early by having a pool party for him on Saturday. Unlike his sister, who barely touched her cake on her first birthday, Carson tore into his cake and was covered!!! I can't believe my little guy is already a year old. It really doesn't seem possible...
What is it about babies wanting to feed thier mommy??? Oh...and the two little hands you keep seeing pop into the screen are the dear children of a dear friend of mine, Gabi & Kennedy.
Then this weekend, we left on Friday the 4th to go to Mom and Dad's for the weekend. Denise came over with her little Daisy dog, and my friend Maria came over on Friday for a small cookout and to watch Rally swim in the pool for his first time.
Group hug!!!Then we went to the zoo on Saturday:
We just got home today...just in time for me to start obsessing about our 11 day trip to the mid-west. The idea of driving for basically 5 of the 11 days doesn't exactly thrill me...especially since I'm not altogether positive the little ones will be happy with it...but I am excited about seeing some friends and family that we haven't seen in a long time and attending my cousin's wedding in Missouri.
So...as we'll be on the road for basically the next 2 weeks...most likely you won't hear from me again until after the 21st. I might try to jump online and do a quick post as to our progress along the way...but no promises... :)
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