ST. LOUIS: ROUND 2, PLUS THE OZARKS!

dave is gone practically all of june, so we decided to take a mini-family vaca to have some special bonding time before he left. it ended up being one of my favorite trips ever. everything worked out perfectly and we had a fabulous time, just our little family.

 

we left thursday afternoon to go to a cardinals game. hallie won free tickets from a school fundraiser and it ended up being a beautiful afternoon. dave + hallie are total partners in crime. they just chummed around together while I schlepped around the food and whatnot. and took pictures. i promise i was there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

meanwhile, henry + aunt kathy = BFF forever

 

 

 

and now, ozark pictures!

 

henry was a total water bug, which shocked me. but he loved it.

 ^^^not a good picture. of any of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ^^^beer in the hand, that's my girl!

 

 

 

the end.

ST.LOUIS: THE ZOO + GRANTS FARM

pictures as promised!

actually, BUMMER. apparently I deleted a ton of pictures on accident. this is all i have!

so i will go into more detail with mah wordz.

we headed to st. louis after Mackenzie and Maggie's dance recital and made it there in time to play and just hang out before not getting any sleep that night. apparently henry can't sleep without his crib companions - bear, the other bear, puppy, monkey and elmo - and had a really, really, REALLY hard time sleeping both nights. it was rough.

the next morning we were up and at 'em early, headed to the zoo. we had an absolute blast. it rained on us all morning (cold!), but we hung out in the sting ray exhibit for a looong time, petting sting rays and sharks. we had to pry hallie away.

around nap time, i took henry on the train and he had a nice snooze. we stayed at the zoo for 6 and a half hours and probably could have stayed longer. both kids (and adults) loved it. best day ever.

 

^^^ the only picture i have. nice.

 

the next day we went to grant's farm. it was a beauuuutiful day. the animals weren't super cool to look at because, hello, we were at the ZOO the day before. but we had snowcones, got freaked out by the goats and rode the carousel a ton. it was a really good day.

^^^ picture of henry at grandma lucille's house in the puddle, just because.

LEFT MY HEART IN COLORADO.

okay, so that's pretty dramatic and not at all true.

 

but man do i love colorado. it put on quite a show, what with its insanely beautiful weather, fabulous friends and amazing family.

 

and i already miss this joker:

 

 

 

 

VACATION: THE LAKE, PART 4

oh my gravy.

 

i'm going to combine my remaining pictures.

 

so, so many.

 

we always go to the dogpatch, arcade and go-karting. it can get stressful with a sleepy baby, but this year was just perfect. it wasn't too hot and i didn't get in a huge wreck on the go-karts. win.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we also celebrated hallie, vinnie and henry's birthday (poor maggie!) and the fourth of july. the fireworks were INSANE this year, and we were able to enjoy them from the comfort of our screened-in porch. fabulous.

 

 

 

 so there you go! i didn't want to leave. i kept pushing back our departure date. and i already want to go back.

 

the end.

 

VACATION: THE LAKE, PART 3

LAKE TIME

 

my favorite.

 

i love tubing. hallie loves tubing...in a perfectly straight line minimal, gentle waves. i spend the majority of the time talking about HOW MUCH FUN we are having and to ENJOY IT, WHEEEE! sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

so much fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VACATION: THE LAKE, PART 2

we always get in a great routine when we're at the lake. sleep in, late breakfast, tube/jetski, pool, lunch, nap (henry)/school work (me)/chillout (kids), more pool/lake, supper, pool, bed.

 

perfection.

 

henry did great in the pool and hallie is a little fish.

 

i'm not sure how to split the pictures up, so i'm just going to wing it.

 

prepare for lots and lots of pictures.

 

POOL TIME: