Adventures on the Mississippi!

One week from today, the girls and I are heading out to Missouri for an adventure! Probably not as big as the adventures that Tom and Huck had in the mind of Mark Twain, but very big adventures all the same. We are going to see FAMILY!! Some that I haven't seen since I was last there 6 years ago!!! Yep, it's been too long!

And while we're there, I hope to visit a few other places that I've NEVER been to as well. I was born in Hannibal, MO, home of Mark Twain. We grew up right in the midst of some really great culture and history, but sometimes when you're so close to it you don't really appreciate it like you would if you lived far away and came out to visit it. (Case in point, ME!) Sorta like my friend who told me she'd live here in Northern CA all her life and had never been up to see the redwoods. Tragic.

I do have a few vague and distant memories of summer fun in Hannibal. We didn't realize at the time that it's such a big tourist attraction! I remember going "frogging" late at night with my brothers. Just us and a flashlight and a smelly pond. Dad let us catch frogs to enter into the Frog Jumping Contest at the Tom Sawyer Days festival that weekend. Yes, frog jumping. They also had fence painting contests, and my favorite, the Tom and Becky contests!! Kids would dress up in these amazing costumes and they would be judged and voted on to see who would represent the town for the next year. (A hill-billy Miss USA, if you will. But I was enthralled. I wanted to be Becky Thatcher!!)

I don't know that any of the Tom Sawyer fun will be happening while we're there, but we do plan to visit Hannibal and see some of the sights!!

I'm older now, and much more appreciative!!! Hmmm, do you think my girls will be?? We'll see!

Here's my list of things to do/places to visit:

The light house (a long climb up but worth the view!)
Lover's Leap (depressing, but a good story)
River boat ride??
Mark Twain Caves
Dip my toes in the mighty Mississippi!!
Mark Twain's home

Looking forward to making lots of memories!! Hurry up, vacation!!

I need to pack.....

Sibling Birthday Love

Well, our baby turned 5 this week... Amazing how fast the years fly!! My dad told me a few months ago something that will always stick with me, mostly because it came from him and it was such sincere, loving, heart-felt advice. He said, "One of the best things you can do for your children is to just keep making lots of happy memories for them. It ties you together forever." So true, Dad! If I can make half as many memories for my children as you and mom did for us then I'll be satisfied!

So this concludes "birthday season" at the Smith house, at least for now!! How I enjoy seeing you all grow and develop and learn and blossom into the amazing people God has created you to be! Lord, let me be a Godly example to them and never lead them astray....

Happy Birthday, Ya'shar!!

Happy Birthday, Ya'shar!!!!

Chili's Birthday! (Again...)

OK, I am officially "Chili's'd out!" No more Chili's!!! Ya'shar was so impressed with all the singing and clapping that went on at Chili's on Rea's birthday that he decided he wanted to get in on the action, too for his big day! So when we asked where he wanted to eat on his birthday, he chose Chili's. We tried to explain that they would sing to him at ANY restaurant that we ate at for his birthday, but he wouldn't budge. (sigh) :)

Fun at the Car Wash

After our lunch at Chili's we had lots of "errands" to run. You know, one of those days when you all pile in the car and run here and there doing all those things that you've been meaning to do for weeks but now you finally have time to get it all done.... One of those days! Those days are actually some of my favorites. Singing in the car, being silly, talking about upcoming vacation plans, McDonald's drive-thru for smoothies, and of course the car wash. These pictures (except for the one she's in!) are Ni'ke's debut as a self-proclaimed "picture artist." Please to enjoy.

(It would seem that one little birthday boy wasn't too happy. That was probably after he was told that after dinner, then dessert, AND a smoothie that NO, he could NOT have some candy.)

House Party!

I had every great intention of baking/decorating a cake for Ya'shar... I decided that 4 hours to make Scooby-Doo come to life on a cake was not as favorable as a Baskin Robins ice cream cake. He agreed. :)