Columbus & Stanton, Gpa and Gma B.
We were up early again (I was up at 5 for some reason, but enjoyed the quiet). The kids had a good breakfast and we let them swim before we checked out... after all, we had started early!
We left on our own time schedule and managed to hit COSI by eleven. A fantastic time was had by all. It was rainy and a little cold outside, but we were in a museum so we survived ;) We ate a late lunch at the Olive Garden, hoping that would knock the after effects we were still suffering from chick-fil-a and other American snacks we ate along the way.
Then we were off to the next Holiday Inn Express in Troy, Illinois by three. It was a long drive, but the kids were tired after all the excitement so they slept through most of it. We got in at nine, dropped bags, and immediately walked across the street to cracker barrel for a late dinner. By this point our stomachs are still revolting against fast food. Lesson learned.
The next morning we stopped to get some travel food that wouldn't make us sick: lunchmeat, cheese, fruit, carrots... and we had a picnic lunch at eleven in Stanton, Missouri, along the creek outside of the Meramec Caverns.
The caverns were AWESOME! It reminded me a lot of Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, TN.
After the tour we had some ice cream and we were off again to meet Gpa and Gma B in Springfield by four, which would be easier with the time-traveling we did when we crossed the Illinois border ;)
We met up at the mall and exchanged hugs, walked around for a bit and chatted. Then we followed them out to dinner at Lamberts, home of the throwed rolls. The food was delicious, home-cooked, and there was more than enough to go around. It did wonders for our poor stomachs. We made it to the farm by eight and took a walk. The kids were asleep by nine thirty after a beautiful sunset and some tire swinging.
We left on our own time schedule and managed to hit COSI by eleven. A fantastic time was had by all. It was rainy and a little cold outside, but we were in a museum so we survived ;) We ate a late lunch at the Olive Garden, hoping that would knock the after effects we were still suffering from chick-fil-a and other American snacks we ate along the way.
Then we were off to the next Holiday Inn Express in Troy, Illinois by three. It was a long drive, but the kids were tired after all the excitement so they slept through most of it. We got in at nine, dropped bags, and immediately walked across the street to cracker barrel for a late dinner. By this point our stomachs are still revolting against fast food. Lesson learned.
The next morning we stopped to get some travel food that wouldn't make us sick: lunchmeat, cheese, fruit, carrots... and we had a picnic lunch at eleven in Stanton, Missouri, along the creek outside of the Meramec Caverns.
The caverns were AWESOME! It reminded me a lot of Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, TN.
After the tour we had some ice cream and we were off again to meet Gpa and Gma B in Springfield by four, which would be easier with the time-traveling we did when we crossed the Illinois border ;)
We met up at the mall and exchanged hugs, walked around for a bit and chatted. Then we followed them out to dinner at Lamberts, home of the throwed rolls. The food was delicious, home-cooked, and there was more than enough to go around. It did wonders for our poor stomachs. We made it to the farm by eight and took a walk. The kids were asleep by nine thirty after a beautiful sunset and some tire swinging.
