St. Louis...still?

I have had several questions about the car trip. 8+ hours in the car with a 3 and 5 year old. It actually was around 9 going there and 10 coming home.

I think that's one of the reasons I was so surprised at how well the trip went. The drive was so easy. I brought a ton of things along to do and staggered when I gave them to them. We stopped about every 2-2 1/2 hours. One of the stops each direction was for lunch at a play place. After that stop, Noah was allowed to play with his Leapster with the headphones and Aaron slept. That lasted about an hour and a half. When Aaron woke up each time, we stopped for a snack and bathroom break and then broke out the movies. Winnie the Pooh movies tend to be the favorites in the car.

I had also bought Noah a Mandala book. Are you familiar with these? They are pictures of just round patterns of different shapes that you color. Along with some new markers (there's just something special about new markers) he was amused for over an hour. I got them both a clipboard to put their activities on. Noah still picks it up every time we go somewhere in the car.

We also had bought some books on CD packages from the Scholastic book orders...they're too expensive if you buy them any other way. These kept Aaron occupied quite well too.

One of the reasons that it was good that we fixed the van instead of getting a car...if squabbles started, we could move Noah to the back and they were separated for awhile.

All in all, the drive was way better than I had anticipated. I am a lot less worried about the 24 hour drive to Disney next March because not only did they do well on this trip, they will be a year older and that much more able to handle it.

What are your ideas for amusing children on long car rides?

W (almost)W# 14 St. Louis Zoo

Animatronic dinosaur display











Noah, T Rex, Aaron, Odin




































I love back shots Noah, Odin, Aunt Jenny, Daddy








































Noah, Aaron, Daddy, Kira

(warned you about the back shots, didn't I?)













The only family shot from Vacation 2008

The Magic House

On Thursday, we visited two fun places. The first was the St. Luis Zoo. The second was the Magic House.

Remember the City Museum that was NOT a museum. The Magic House is not a house full of magic. It actually IS a museum. Figure that one out. A Children's Museum to be exact.

We pretty much live at the Children's Museum here in Grand Rapids and we visit one wherever we go. They are just so much fun. The Magic house was a bit different from any other one we've ever been to.

For starters, most children's museums we have gone to are usually housed in warehouses of some sort. This one was in a house. As we were going through, I was actually spending time imagining how I would make this house a home if it were mine.

They had all the standard exhibits...

The water table (for the daddies AND the boys)















The kitchen play area (which Kira LOVED)














Downstairs there was a Lewis and Clark Expedition that had tents, tee pees, and dress up clothes. There was also an actual expedition area that Noah was the only one old enough to go through.














Noah's favorite exhibit was also the one I thought was the most creative. First they went fishing with fishing poles (for fish lures with magnetic ends)



















Then they run across to the other side of the room














Drop it in the pond















and watch it "swim" back across the ground to the original location. They had a plexi-glass type cover so you could actually watch your lure return to the pond. Noah and Odin spent a lot of time with this exhibit (while the daddies were playing with the colorful bunnies nearby














Some of the other favorites I couldn't get a picture of. There was yet another three story high winding slide that both the boys loved. There was a shadow room that was cool because you stood in front of a big green screen, made a body pose and a camera took a picture. You step away and your shadow pose is still on the wall. Very cool.

I know I am starting to sound like a page from the St. Louis Tourism Council but this is really another place that you HAVE to see if you ever go. There were a lot of exhibits just for the little kids (like this light table and the sand area that Aaron and Kira enjoyed).














so I recommend it for all families with younger kids.

Grant's Farm

Saturday morning, before we left, we visited Grant's Farm. The "Grant" refers to Ulysses S. Grant. Purchased by the Anheuser-Busch Family, it is home to the Clydesdale horses.

We got the only GOOD picture of the boys from the trip while we were there.

It was such a nice little place. The animals are all very well taken care of. The trainers had an elephant do a little presentation about how to recycle and even had the elephant PLAY THE HARMONICA.



We took a tram around the property where we saw a lot of beautiful animals so close that you could touch them (but didn't, of course)














Daddy got up close and personal with the camels. (They got a little close and personal with each other too but that's NOT a G rated story.)















But by far, the BEST part was the baby goats. Oh my, the baby goats. I would drive 9+ hours again just to get on video the experience of the baby goats. There were swarms of them in this pen. Aaron was by far the biggest fan.

Noah started to feed them...














but then preferred a little more distance.



















This was Odin's second time visiting and he knew the ropes.














This is what happens when you try to feed a goat and take a picture at the same time.















Aaron had a love/hate relationship with the goats. He went from being scared,
"This is TERRIBLE!!!"...














to loving every minute of it.














He liked grooming them with the brush














and when it snuggled on his belly.



















They really liked to eat Daddy's coat















As we were walking through, the lady who interviewed us the day before was there, filming another segment for her report. She not only remembered our kids names from the day before, but said that when she went through the footage from the day before, Noah's quote from the City Museum was her favorite shot they had gotten the entire day. I will post it when it comes out.

Of course, Noah had to get a souvenir before we left. Filling a tube full of little animals can make any little boys dreams come true.















We did go to see the Clydesdales before we left, but nobody could feel their fingers anymore and we decided it was just time to go...so no pictures of the Clydesdales.

We have been to petting zoos before, but this was like nothing I had ever seen. I literally couldn't stop giggling for the entire time we were in with the baby goats. I really would make the long drive again just to go to Grant's Farm.

City Museum

Okay, if you have ever been to the City Museum in St. Louis, please let me know how you would describe it.

If not, I can't possibly begin. I would have to direct you to their website for some other pictures. Here is the sight when we walked in the door.














Kind of like something from out of Dr. Seuss.

It is so NOT a museum.

Let's start with the cave inside. Little bitty tunnels, completely pitch black, everywhere, where people have no idea where or when they will come out. Some tunnels are big enough for grown-ups, some only small enough for a five year old.



Noah deciding whether to go into the little hole in the lower right (he didn't)













Aaron and Kira















Now imagine a coil from a mattress, enlarge it big enough for an adult to crawl through, and spiral it around up three stories. Have Noah climb up the coil, and then slide down the same three stories on a conveyor belt.




























Next, find out that there is actually going to be a circus act up on the third floor. Go with the family and watch Daddy get picked, along with three Daddy Look-Alikes to become part of the act.














The favorite area for our boys was the BIG BOWL. Noah discovered that he could hang from the pipes in the ceiling and DROP down the entire height to the floor. I had a great video of it, but for some reason Blogger won't cooperate...maybe later.

Here's the hanging...















Followed by the slidging














The boys (Yes, all three) played on this thing for at least 45 minutes, and then had sweat pouring down their faces.



















Believe it or not, they even got Mommy to go down. I was scared.














Do you get the impression that this isn't a "museum" yet?

While we were there, a woman from a local TV station was doing a story on tourism to St. Louis and stopped and interviewed us as to why we picked St. Louis for a vacation. It will air around May 21st and I will post a link when it comes on.














There is also an aquarium within it as well, where a sea turtle came and posed for the camera.














Noah liked the tube that he could climb right through where the sharks were swimming.



















Did I mention the train running through the middle of the third floor?














How about the iron climbing structures on the outside that ran the entire height of the warehouse?














Once again, I can't really give you a good idea of what this place is about. It is actually made for older people in my opinion. I would not recommend it for kids under 5 because a lot of the climbing is somewhat challenging. But I would definitely suggest visiting the City Museum if you venture to St. Louis.

Not Very Wordless Wednesday

We're off to









We're traveling by










It will probably take








We're so















We're going to see





















We''ll have fun in the hotel










We're going with














We'll be back















Promise to miss me? I expect there will be hours worth of blogs in my reader when I get home.
I look forward to it.

Have a wonderful rest of the week.