Silver Dollar City--I'm going to work there

As a little girl I had bright plans to be a teacher, artist, or...Silver Dollar City worker. Specifically, I'd be the lady in her pretty olden'times dress who drew pictures of balloons and kitties all over little lacy girlie umbrellas for sale. Each of us had one when we were younger. I saw the umbrella lady again and watched her for awhile. She does unicorns!

Shawn got to be a little kid:
I got freshly squeezed lemonade and time in an olden-times schoolhouse:
I'd never heard of their culinary/craft school; it was all brand new. Apparently one can sign up for a couple-hours class...such a cool idea. They're shipping the kitchen to me as I write.
Also here's Sissy's apple pie process. I haven't made a pie since cooking class in 7th grade. It's not too bad. It's worth the minimal effort! Good job, Sissy. Let me know if you find out how to properly "crimp" the crust...& next time we'll do fresh apples.



She sent 2 pieces home with us but I didn't share.

Silver Dollar City-always as fun as the first time

How refreshed are we after a weekend getaway!! We become accustomed to the day-ins and day-outs of child-rearing that it's easy to let the core partnership fall by the wayside. We are really fortunate to live close to Shawn's parents, and they were happy to take W for Easter so we could go be boyfriend and girlfriend.

We chose to visit my sister and her hubby in MO--they've just bought a new home and it was all fancy and clean just for us. Now I want to tile my kitchen...

Bonus is that they live so close to Branson, MO, which was a favorite vacation spot of my parents as us girls were growing up. So many fond memories. Silver Dollar City, an 1880's themed-park located in Branson, is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment, which was recently featured on Undercover Boss. I'm impressed CBS preserved and presented the company's Christian values so marvelously. I was even able to meet and chat with one of the gentlemen interviewed in the show (he was given a college scholarship and will pursue a business management degree in the fall; such an inspiring story).

I just walked right up to him and shook his hand. I also walked up to people's babies and waved at them and raved about their cuteness. Not always the best reception there. But the pigtails! I just can't help it.

Geyser Gulch-if ya wanna get wet

Saltwater taffy, if ya wanna get fed
roller coasters, if ya wanna barf

Perhaps my favorite thing, besides Sissy's cinnamon rolls, was getting to lounge in the mornings--not have to rush to meet my sweet boy's needs...Shawn even brought me Fruit Loops in bed!
I'll see about weeding through some more photos and posting more tomorrow. Can't wait to take Wilder to Silver Dollar when he's a little older--and I'm ready to go back and be not pregnant so I can tackle some (tame) rides.

Mini-getaway

Didn't want to keep you hanging all weekend--we are on a mini-getaway while WildMan stays with Papa and G'ma. I'll fill you in on the trip when we return; here's an iPhone photo of us this morning. Have a fun, blessed Easter!

Dinosaur poop & other things

Imagine this: 8-months pregnant girl awkwardly flumping down the slide with her toddler. More than once. That wore me out. I wonder what the baby was thinking?

I did the splits in the kitchen because there was a melted ice cube on the floor. No signs of preterm labor, thankfully. But, ow.

Wilder woke up with his leg caught in the crib spindles so I used some lube (yeah, that stuff) to get it out. Fire department call averted. Thankful for friends who let friends call all panicked when their husbands are in meetings and can't help.

Spilled all of Wilder's Easter eggs on the curb while loading back into the car after today's hunt. You'd think it would be worth it for the chocolate in the eggs, but there was just squishy taffy--smart girls knew it wouldn't melt in the sun.

Wilder found greater intrigue with a crumpled, germy! Mountain Dew can than the eggs anyway. By the way, you can see that his Africa is healing up nicely:
All the mommas and their "under two's":

Thanks for all the pics, L!

Recent outing to Museum of World Treasures was a bit of a dud--not the trip itself because we always have a blast with our friends (Old Chicago pizza afterward!), but the museum was a little, um, low budget. The lady held up what looked like a rock and said it was petrified dinosaur poo. I didn't believe her.
I will give the museum props for trying hard to make the program fun for children by offering finger painting (Wilder's first time) and a moonwalk.We sure are lucky to be doing all this cool, fun stuff. Enjoying the time before new baby throws things for a big loop!

Black and white

Oh that all things in life could be black as black and white as white!

Black and white from each of us:

Wilder's new kicks:
Daddy's hankie (he wears one in his back pocket every day):
My new $8 purse from Target (it'll be filthy in a week but it was only $8!):
The living room floor has officially been spring-initiated as it is now covered in sand and toppled over tennies from multiple trips to the park:
And after a morning of squirrel chasing and stick collecting, I am, yes, you guessed it, off to nap!