There's No Place Like Home

So I took my litttle people back home to St. Louis last week-it was a lloonngg trip.  But a good one.  My kids love staying in a hotel which we did on the way there and back.  They also love getting new toys which they did on the way there and while there and probably on the way back, if I think about it long enough.  Whatever gets you through, you know?

If you are ever in need of a road trip with a guaranteed destination full 'o fun, check out the 'Lou. 

The zoo, art museum, history museum, Science Center and Arch museum are all FREE.  Not to mention there are a gazillion yummy restaurants filled with delights only to be had there...toasted ravioli, St. Louis style pizza, Ted Drewes frozen custard and Pork Steaks!!  Yum.

Tons of fun for kids and adults alike.

My kids have a new favorite place in this world and it is the City Museum in St. Louis.  Not free and not cheap but TOTALLY worth it.  It is hard to describe it and pictures do not do it any kind of justice.  It's an early 1900's building downtown, about 10 stories high, filled with an amazing collection of recycled materials, mosaics, slides, 3-story trees, aquariums and airplanes and school buses welded to the roof that you can climb on if you dare.  Oh, and a working ferris wheel.  Need I say more?

We visited the art museum to see the mummies.  Very cool.  And breezed through the Impressionsists, 20th Century and ancient weapons/armor on the way out.

My family thoroughly enjoyed my little people and for the most part, my trio were muy bien.  Except for Gogo asking me on the drive there and back every 20 minutes "Are we almost there?"  And when I had to tell her no, we still had _ hours to go...she would begin to cry.
And except for the incessant fighting between D and Gogo.  Just like every other day of our lives.
And except for the "potty talk" from both of them in front of my grandmother.  A wonderful woman, who for all the years she helped raise my sister and I, the most basic of kid/mommy words never came from her mouth.   Words like "pee" or "butt".  No, my friends.  She said "potty" or AT BEST "tinkle" and "bottom" if she must.
Well imagine her surprisehorrordisgust when the Ultimate Naughty Word to Come From a 5 Year Old Girl's Mouth hit her...penis.  Yep, you read that right.  Which led to a quick Come-to-Jesus between me and the kids and that is for another post altogether.
Suffice it to say, my grandma gave each child a lecture pep talk prior to our leaving town. 

Beyond all that, the trip was great.  My kids got lots of love from the fam and I got to take lots of pictures from a moving vehicle (please don't turn me in).
I also got to sneak out 2 nights and drink beers with dear friends and laughed until I hurt.  I had t-rav 3 times, pork steaks twice and Mr. Twist almost daily.  Filled to the gills with joy and happiness.