Just got back from a super complicated vacation. I'm going to make it more so by showing you pictures in reverse. Ha!
But here's a quick rundown before we get to the pictures:
Kids and I drove to a campground in Missouri, just north of Kansas City. We camped, swam in the lake, and took a walk in the dusk.
Next day, I briefly slowed down at Jim's parents' house in SE Kansas to boot the kids out of the car and zoomed off quickly the other way. They stayed there 2 or 3 days and did stuff like fish, hunt for frogs, drive the lawn mower, ride Aunt Rosemary's horse. I spent that time at my parents house reading 3 novels cover to cover. It was glorious.
The grandparents handled a transfer and the kids spent 2 or 3 days with my folks. They did stuff like art, play games, playgrounds, and visit my Grandma. I spent that time in Wichita at a super cheap motel reading more books and shopping. It was glorious.
Then I picked up the kids and we drove to pick up Jim at the Fayetteville airport (yes, Arkansas), which is not in Fayetteville at all. We went on to Branson (yes, Missouri) to spend a week swimming, riding the Ducks, swimming, playing miniature golf, swimming, fishing, watching all the TV channels that we don't have at home, and swimming. Both sets of grandparents joined us because they just couldn't get enough of us (and we begged them :) )
After that week, we drove to Jim's brothers' house (yes, Iowa) and spent a night in the Easter Egg dome home and did stuff like drive the lawn mower, 4 wheeler, and skid loader, and go up and down in the dumb waiter.
Then, finally, HOME!
And here are the pictures, in reverse order because that's how my computer did it and its a pain to switch them around...
"Can I push that button?"
A swan at the College of the Ozarks
Fish Hatchery
Our favorite spot by Table Rock Lake
Throwing rocks
Looking for fossils
Dam
(ha!)
Kowabunga!
Trout
Adam drove the Duck!
Laura drove the Duck!
Also took a short run while in Wichita. Dad teased me about going to see the Sailboat Museum. Turns out that I ran right past it!
There's a tiny Pioneer Woman statue along the Arkansas river, just like the one in Ponca. (This area, by the way, didn't feel very safe, so I only jogged a short way and went back to my car. Its a shame; it is clear that a lot of money was spent to make it pretty.)
River was dry
Lazy man's marshmallows
Love our new tent!
