Grandma's First Visit to Missouri!

Last week we had a special visitor all the way from California! Wayne's mother came to spend a week with us. This was her first visit to Missouri and we wanted to make it a special time for her. Right away the boys roped her in to reading to them. And they read, and they read, and they read! I don't think Grandma knew just how much these boys love to read!

The next day we took Grandma to the Mississippi river. But first we had to wait for the train to pass. And wait. And wait. And wait! It was a long and loud train! But the boys were excited to see it!

We then threw rocks in to the river, watched huge barges go by, and enjoy the beautiful and sunny day.

No visit to Missouri is complete without a visit to Lambert's Cafe, the home of the "throwed" rolls. We caught a roll or two and ate a pile of food! Always a favorite destination around here!

We also spent a day in St. Louis. First stop: Grant's Farm! We had to feed the goats. Thankfully no goats tried to eat my kids today.

The boys were so excited to get a chance to see the animals and pet a few. Nathan spent a lot of time "talking" to the miniature horse and donkey. "Hi neigh! Hi!" says Nathan.

But no trip to St. Louis is complete without at trip to the top of the Gateway Arch! I have avoided the arch for years, mainly out of fear of the tiny washing machine-like elevator. But today I took one for the team and conquered my fear of tiny, high spaces and made it to the top. Boy, what a view! I had to call my mom to prove I was actually in the arch. It only took me 32 years since my last visit to the arch but I made it to the top!

On Grandma's last day in Missouri, we decided to visit the Bollinger Mill and covered bridge, one of only four covered bridges remaining in Missouri. It was a beautiful fall day out at the mill. We could have stayed all day had we only packed a picnic!

The boys were especially fascinated with the large mill stones. Try as they might they just could not  get that big stone to budge!

We hope that Grandma had a wonderful visit to Missouri! And we hope that she comes to visit us again soon! (because plane tickets for 4 to California are EXPENSIVE!)