Museum of Transportation

Aunt StacyAnn and Grandma Allen came to visit us a couple of weeks ago.  We had a very nice visit and Grandma got to go with us to the Museum of Transportation here in Des Peres, MO.  They had an amazing collection, which mostly consisted of trains.  We got to ride on a small scale train and a trolley car.  We also got to go inside some old train cars and engines.  Owen, who is already a connoisseur of such things, had a wonderful time.  Here are a few pictures that we took:

Bridal Cave, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Deep underground lies an amazing world of rock formations, underground lakes, and mysteries: Bridal Cave near Camdenton, Missouri along the banks of the Lake of the Ozarks. Bryce, Owen and I spend the past weekend on vacation in central Missouri. 

We stayed two nights at resort and spent the time together as our little family. We enjoyed a tour of Bridal Cave, where Owen loved the "neat rocks" but had a hard time with waiting for the tour guide to explain the formations and talk about the cave. We also went swimming when it wasn't too cold outside and took turns giving and receiving massages (Owen is a very good masseuse for a 2 year old).



Marley & Me

Released - December 2008. 

First watched - September 2010. 

At this moment - one of my favorite movies.  

Synopsis:  A young married couple, just starting their careers decides to get a dog, Marley.  Marley is a nightmare.  He is spastic, eats everything, and hates thunderstorms.  Most sane people would get rid of a dog like him, but not Josh & Jennie.  He becomes part of their family.  The movie follows their careers, family and life while Marley is with them. 

Why do I love this movie?  Let me tell you a story.  An eight year old girl and her little brothers want a dog, so their parents take them to the pound where they find a very happy puppy.  She comes home with them and they love her despite the fact that she chews through everything, including the wiring on their dad's cars, she won't stay in a fenced yard, she hates cats, and is terribly afraid of gun shots and thunder.  Her name was Goldie and she was my dog.  Nearly every morning and afternoon for over 5 years I got to take her on walks.  I had to go looking for her when she ran away, clean up after her when she chewed things to bits, and love her.  I really think that during that time she was my best friend. I always felt safe when she was with me and I was never really alone.  I loved watching her chase rabbits, prarie dogs, and cats.  I know that she was often times a difficult dog to have, but I loved her and I missed her when she went away.  This movie reminded me of that special bond that can be forged between a dog and his/her owner.  They really can be more than just a pet, they can be part of your family.  Thank you Marley & Me for reminding me of my Goldie and the special friendship we had.

Mommy Time

Being a stay at home mom is awesome!  Owen and I have been having so much fun together.  Today we walked to the park, holding hands and "talking" the whole way. Owen kept jabbering and I tried to understand him and keep up with what he was trying to say.  He kept pointing out all of the cars, and he thought they were all BLUE.  I don't actually think we saw a single blue car : ).  We've been working on colors, but so far, unless we specifically tell him otherwise, everything is blue.

After the park Owen had a bath, since he got quite dirty at the park.  His favorite bath toys today were his family of six rubber duckies.  He has two normal sized ducks and four small ones.  Today he gave them names: Daddy (the blue normal sized one), Mommy (the yellow normal sized duck), Me (translation = Owen), Owey (translation = Harvey, his best friend), Kayzee (I've been working on a afghan for my new niece and he keeps asking whose blankie it is), and Baby.  He also reminded me of his Grandpa Royer as he tried to stick all of the baby ducks to his tummy using suction.

Now we're waiting for Daddy to get home so we can have dinner and Owen is watching Dinosaur Train, one of his favorite PBS shows.  It has both Dinosaurs and Trains, so it is often asked for.  Thankfully, we have a DVR with our cable, so I can record the episode in the morning and watch it whenever Owen has earned TV time.  Somedays I can't imagine being a mother without modern technology.

Going to the Zoo

Owen and I went to the St. Louis Zoo yesterday.  He liked pushing his stroller around, seeing the animals, and being with Mommy.  His favorite place this time was the reptile house.  He loved being able to climb up the risers to see all of the snakes, turtles and frogs.  Here are a couple of pictures I took with my cell phone:

A Friendly Parrot along the path.

It's a snake - Owen was excited!

Mr. Lizard eating his lunch.