A Trip to Missouri

Growing up we didn't really do a lot of traveling...unless it was to The Show Me State. I think we visited Missouri at least twice a year (most years). My dad's sister and her family as well as my grandma live in Bolivar, MO. A sweet little town in SW Missouri. With our seven children and their six we were quite a crew! All staying under one roof. You can believe that many memories were made every time we were together.

Our family has continued the tradition of traveling to Bolivar a couple times a year. This past week was MEA here in Minnesota (schools are off on Thursday and Friday for teacher's meetings) so we packed up and headed south.

This was Naomi's longest car trip...obviously I was crazy nervous about how this would go. Would she scream the whole way? Would she sleep the entire car trip and then not at all at night? How would she adjust to new surroundings and being held by new people? Seriously I could go on (who knew I would be such a nervous mommy!). I even asked my women's small group to pray about these things. Prayers were answered in the way that I had hoped! Naomi (being the super baby that she is!) was perfect in the car. She even stuck to her eat/play/sleep routine while on the road. And then at night...she slept perfectly! Honestly, I'm a little nervous for what our next child will be like...yikes!

Uncles Daniel and Broseph eating at Lambert's Cafe Home of Throwed Rolls. If you are ever passing through Sikeston, MO, Ozark, MO or Foley, AL you MUST stop and eat at Lambert's. It's a charming southern experience...and the food it AMAZING!! I would suggest fasting prior to eating there, and don't plan on eating again for at least a day.

Naomi's fist trip to Lambert's. I see many more in her future. She even got a balloon!

Honestly one of my favorite parts of being on vacation is the food! And let me tell you...we eat well when we are in MO. First, we always eat out at amazing restaurants. And second...our family knows what they are doing in the kitchen. Above: breakfast omelet, hash browns and coffee made by Uncle Lou and Aunt Shelly. YUM! Other delicious things we ate: Grandma's cherry cobbler and chocolate pie and Uncle Lou's Pancakes.

Great Grandma Violet and Naomi Wynne

The highlight of our trip was of course spending time with family.

Mom, Great Grandma, Naomi and Grandpa

Four generations!

Great Aunt Kathy and Naomi

Mom and Naomi at Mary's soccer game.

Mary Grace debuting her goalie skills!! Nice work Mary!

Spectators: Faith, Jeffre, Elizabeth and Daniel (sorry Dan, I cut your head off).

Naomi spending time with cousin Faith.

"All this outside air is making me sleepy."

Mary Grace working on not gagging.

After tiny went to bed we finished off the trip by carving pumpkins.

Carving team Elizabeth and Jeffre

Intense concentration by Jeffre, Elizabeth and Faith

The trip was a blast! Lots of activity, laughing, singing, storytelling and just hanging out. Naomi and I loved it all! Now we are glad to be home, back to normal life...and I'm pretty sure Daddy is over the moon that we are home.