Splash Kingdom Fun

Last weekend Maddie and Cameron came for a visit and Saturday we headed to the waterpark. Emory and Cason each had free tickets from earning all A's at school burning holes in their pockets, so they were excited to go with Maddie. 

It was a very pretty day and the kids all had lots of fun! 

Emory worked up the courage to go on the big slides with Cameron going with her up the stairs. After a couple of times of going with Cameron she was a pro and no longer scared to go on her own. 

The boys and the giant bag of popcorn. 

The bubble machine! 

The New Pecan Park

Pecan Park updated there playground equipment a couple of weeks ago and the morning of July 4th we went and checked it out. The kids had a lot of fun and loved the swinging swing. 

Eli's First Movie

Last week we went to the Summer Movie Camp at the movie theater, where they show a kids movie in the morning for a discounted rate. We went and saw Small Foot. This was Eli's first time going to the movies and he was super excited until about 45 minutes in. Then he was full of popcorn and over the loud movie, so Eli and I spent the rest of the time in the lobby. Eli did exercises. 

Family Road Trip 2019 - Day 6

Day six was spent driving home. Along the way we saw a crop duster. I remember looking for crop dusters when I was a little girl driving through Illinois. 

A combine working in the field. 

We spotted this hawk on a sign during one of Eli's along side the road bathroom breaks. 

The colored states are the license plates we saw during our trip. I am not sure why the picture is not right but I am to tired to download it again! We also saw an  Ontario, Canada. Emory got tired of just coloring the states so she started making patterns. 

We had a very busy, fun and adventurous vacation! We logged many miles and the kids saw parts of the country they had never seen before. Eli saw a lot of tractors and yet he still ask to go to our local  John Deere dealership to see tractors weekly. Highlights of the trip for me were: spending time together, that brisket, the Passion play, watching Emory relive what she had learned at school in the Bible Museum, visiting Antique Archaeology, Amish country and seeing the countryside. 

Family Road Trip 2019 - Day 5 (part 2)

After the Pavilion we drove down road to the Rock Island Arsenal which sits in the middle of the Mississippi River. After checking in and getting clearance (paperwork and prove of ID) to be on the base we were able to pass through the gates. 

The kids got see an Army base. They remember stories that Grandma used to tell them about living on bases when she was a little girl. After we drove around we went to the Memorial Field. 

Cason is very interested in cannons, tanks and rocket launchers and was eager to check everything out. He also wanted his picture taken in front of everything. 

After walking around the base for a little bit it was time to head back home. On our way out of town we passed this beautiful old building, I think it was a church at one time. 

Tug boats on the Mississippi River. 

We drove for many hours and ended up staying the night in Poplar Bluff, MO. 

Family Road Trip 2019 - Day 5 (part 1)

Bright and early on day five Bradley headed over to East Moline, IL and the John Deere Harvester Works facility for a tour of the facility. 

This giant Harvester sits at the entrance of the facility. It is huge! 

Bradley learned everything there is to know about combines during the tour. While he was touring the rest of us were getting ready and packed. Once he returned to the hotel we headed to Moline, IL to check out the John Deere Pavilion. 

The Pavilion was also free so again we were not sure what to expect. 

They had a couple of big machines sitting out front. 

The Pavilion was very hands on with a lot of interactive activities for the kids. 

Another huge combine. It was very very tall. 

Eli spent a lot of time driving tractors and baling hay!

They had three different big machine simulators where you operated the machine. 

Eli also spent some time playing at the block table.