Visiting the McBee's

We decided to leave the great northwest behind us for a week and traveled to Missouri to spend some time with our good friends the McBee's :) It had been several years since we last saw them, and we were SO excited to spend some quality time with them and introduce our kids! We flew down on Wednesday, and thankfully both kids did very well on the plane :) Julie and the kids (Martin, 9 and Morgan, 6) picked us up at the Kansas City airport and we made our way to their home in Columbia. The next morning saw us packing up the cars with both families and heading to St. Louis to do some sightseeing. We spent Thursday at the Gateway Arch and went to the zoo on Friday before heading back to the McBee house. Saturday saw us playing at Big Surf waterpark for Martin's birthday, with a stop at Cold Stone on the way home :) YUMMY! Hannah and Michael loved their first waterpark experience - Hannah spent most of the day in the kiddie pool going down slides and riding on the teeter totter, and Michael enjoyed a long afternoon snooze on Julie's shoulder :) Mommy and Daddy loved the waterpark too, and were incredibaly thankful to Julie for spending time with the little kids so that we could enjoy some of the "big people" rides! :) Sunday brought us to church where we were able to meet some of Stephen and Julie's friends and Hannah was invited to attend Sunday School - she was thrilled to find out that they were coloring, painting, and using stickers to decorate what she believed to be her new hat :) Sunday evening we left the kids with Stephen and Julie and went on a date. Michael wasn't a big fan of this plan, and decided that the quickest way to get Mommy and Daddy back was to demand to be fed ALL of the bottles Mommy had left for him and then cry for more. . . . . . It worked, but luckily for us we had already gotten in dinner and a movie :) We spent Monday relaxing at the McBee's house, and Tuesday it was time to head back to Washington. We had a GREAT trip and are so thankful that the McBee's opened up their home to us :)

Martin thought it was great to be able to carry Michael around :)


Hannah, Martin, and Morgan enjoy the view from the top of the Gateway Arch


Family picture time - - -so of course, Hannah made a run for it! :)


Road trips are fun :) The kids entertained themselves in the back of the van while the adults got some quality "catch-up" time! After a long day of car rides and "best behavior" at the Arch, Hannah was glad to get some time to let loose in the pool.


The St. Louis Zoo


We got to pet the stingrays, and even fed them!


Some of Hannah's favorite animals THIS week were the penguins and giraffes (they now join a growing list of animals that have been dearly loved on various zoo trips, including elephants, lions, kangaroos, and monkeys). If she could have crawled in the pens with the animals without being stopped, she would have done it - and as you can see from the giraffe picture, she tried!


When the big kids got airbrushed art on their arms, Hannah thought she should be able to join in :) She sat very well and watched her pretty "fishy" appear. For the rest of the week she would periodically lift up her arm and say "Fishy, arm!"


Martin and Michael enjoyed their time in the grass together during our picnic lunch. When we got back into the zoo, the kids each made a special friend at the Build-A-Bear at the zoo. Hannah made St. Louie the Penguin, Martin made Juiles the Stingray, and Morgan made Bluey the Parrot.


Before we left the zoo for the day, the kids had fun squishing pennies - - Hannah didn't actually care about the pennies so much as the wheel that turned :)


Our last evening in Columbia - Stephen made some fabulous smoked ribs while the kids played in the backyard.


I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful it was to see the Mcbee's again! Stephen and Julie have been a huge part of my life since I was just 14, and I am blessed to be Morgan's Godmother. To be able to spend time with them again and introduce them to my family was so great and I am thankful to my husband for suggesting the trip and making the travel plans :) We are both thankful to the McBee's for their unending hospitality and friendship! We can't wait to see them again sometime!!