Crazy Camping Trip

Last weekend the weather was beautiful so we decided it would be the perfect weekend to go camping.  Well, the weather was beautiful but that's about where the fun ended! It was the first time we took all 3 kids camping and Emily's first official camping trip. Again, the power of 3...any 2 of our kids together are fine but when you stick all 3 of them together-look out! We camped at the Lake of the Ozarks and searched until we found a campsite that was a little away from others and a basic site (there aren't as many of those as there used to be!). The one we found was a bit rocky and had a slight hill which we thought would be fine and the area was gorgeous...but several skinned knees and falls later we now know it wasn't be best choice! We also brought Shoney with us to enjoy the camping trip which also proved to be eventful. She must have found something out in the woods because she spent all of  Saturday getting sick in my car and all over our campsite...ulgh. We also tried to get our feet wet at the public beach and thought it was odd that no one else was in the water at all...then Michael found the sign that said they no longer check bacteria levels and swim at your own risk...well no one was really enjoying the sand so off we went to find something else to do! OK, so the positive was that all 3 kids went right to sleep thank goodness! There were several times in this day that we looked at each other and said maybe we should pack up and go home! The best part of the day was eating smores! When we woke up Sunday we decided to go for a hike because lets face it our kids are very early risers and louder than we'd like! The hike was going very well and I felt relief for the first time of the trip...until Emily and I caught up with Michael and the others. Shoney was using her paws to bat at a something and they thought it was flies...of course not, Shoney managed to nose into a bee hive and we were chased on the trail. We couldn't lose the flippin' bees, we kept moving, kids crying and it took forever for the bees to stop. Once we were able to regroup and assess the damage, Who knows how many stings Shoney had, Michael had 5 bee stings, I had 2, and Jacob had 1...somehow Emily didn't have any and I had scooped her up and carried her and Megan was in the lead and didn't look back when we said to get going. Here we are a week later and my stings still itch...speaking of itching, I somehow managed to get over 200 bug bites on this trip as well...and yes a week later I'm still itchy! After finishing the hike (I have to say, our kids were troopers!) we packed up and salvaged the trip with Imo's buffet, ice cream, and new bling for their crocs. So you may be asking...will they ever camp again...the answer is yes of course...but not until next year!

Believe it or not this picture was taken on the trail after the bees! We had decided at this point to tell them we were going to get ice cream after we were done! The trail was pretty because it followed the boundary of the lake and seeing the water 

Jacob was trying to help Emily say cheese! Shoney is so done with pictures!

This was the group shot...and then I realized we never take Shoney's picture so they posed again!

Emily loved walking Shoney...or should I say Shoney loved walking Emily!

Here were the girls finding sticks and leaves to catch on fire! I also should give Megan major kudos...she loves camping and had many disappointments along this trip but she didn't get down, she just went on and made the best of it! She also said she loves camping so much she wishes she could just live in a tent...ahh to be young!

Jacob was "helping" pound in the tent stakes!

I finally caught him, he tried to avoid pictures!

Megan enjoying a snack with a funny face!

And clearly Emily could care less about what all was going on...she is very carefree! This picture reminds me to just relax and smile a little more!

Prison Break 2013

We had a great time on Saturday doing the Prison Break 5 Miles to Freedom race!! I was very nervous but it was super fun!

Here we are all dressed up to start the race! They handed out prison garb to wear for the start of the race and it was complete with a warden yelling things at us! Mike, Jon, Laura, Alicia, Michael, and I had a great time and next year Jenny won't have a test and Matt won't be injured so we can all do it together!

Here we are after the race sweaty and gross!

I am super happy with the shirts!

It was awesome. Before the race they allowed us to walk through one of the housing units and explore which was super fun. It was hard to imagine what it would've been like when the prison was a real prison. I had a lot of fun reading about it after the race and would love to take the tour soon.

The race itself was just plain fun! They start you off in two lines and lead you into a pitch black room and tell you to just keep walking and you have to find the map and pass it forward. Once that happens we go out to the road and stand like the warden says...until someone finally says forget this I'm leaving and off we go! The 5 mile race included the following obstacles: climbing walls, mud pit, climbing through tunnels, tires, hay, under tarps, and the finale of the best slip and slide ever! Laura and I went at the same time (not so smart!) and I was going very fast and I was afraid I would run into her so I flipped over to my tummy but I just kept flying!

Here we are on the bottom of the slip and slide...it was awesome! Michael apparently was one of the first 5 or so down because Sue and Jenny weren't able to get a picture of him! Jon went super fast head first and made it all the way to the sidewalk!

I was so happy after that part!

Here are a couple of super nice people who walked with me! They were great sports and we had fun!

Here we are after the race together.

All finished...I found dirt, hay, grass, and who knows what else when I showered! I cannot wait until the next Prison Break!

Random Pics

Megan was in awe at the store a few weeks ago when she came across the new improved hex bugs that can move in even more directions!

I loved this...already an entrepreneur at such a young age.

"Megan's animal and bug room. If you want to come in you need to put some money in the basket."

This was interesting...Google wished me a happy birthday...I wasn't sure if I was happy about it or not!

The cousins had a great time with balloons at Grandma Dierking's house!

Megan the giant balloon girl!

Ha Ha Tonka and a few randoms!

We decided to go hiking at Ha Ha Tonka a few weekends ago and had a great time. Megan wants to go hiking with just Michael and I in the very near future so that we can really hike!

Here are the kids looking cute...we totally bribed them!

The girls heard the bride way before Jacob apparently!

Here is Michael and Emily jogging!

Jacob jogging!

Megan really loved hanging out looking over the lake. She is definitely our nature girl!

She's also the only one that would actually pose for pictures!

Emily had a great time as well.

Michael kept trying to ruin my pictures though...it's hard enough to get the kids posed and smiling!

Jacob overlooking part of the castle!

Another one of Megan looking over the side!

She was showing Michael everything too!

The Magic House

One of Jacob's goals of the summer was going to the Magic House so a few weekends ago we decided to load up and go on the spur of the moment! The kids were super excited and so were we. It's always a little challenging because by the time you drive anywhere it's almost nap time which we skip which can lead to a little (or a lot) of grumpiness! Overall we had a great trip and the kids were exhausted by the end! Jacob unfortunately had a little mishap with the giant ball of static. He held his hand on it but when the sensation of his hair standing up happened he took his hand off the ball and then when he put it back on it lead to a bigger than ever shock (the worker is supposed to ground it if a hand comes off but she wasn't paying attention...grrr!) The poor kid screamed his head off and wanted to go home (which we talked him out of) and complained about it hurting for the next hour or two. He's had a rough summer, first he fell into the fish water, then the finale fireworks exploded all around him (all of us), and now he gets a huge shock (the light from it was very bright in broad daytime!) Hopefully his year turns around now that school's started again!

Here they are with the story of the elves and the shoes.

Emily climbing up the beanstalk!

Emily and Jacob in the Cinderella carriage!

Low and behold they had a random assortment of dress-up outfits and Megan found a turtle one...imagine that! She loved crawling around acting like a turtle!

Emily posing in a princess chair that talks when you sit down!

All three kids had a blast pulling the cord to make the picture go into the tree!

One of the favorite features at the Magic House is the giant beanstalk in the middle of the stairway that goes up three floors!

Of course Emily thinks she can do anything so she fearlessly followed the kids into the beanstalk...

...And then hated it because she was a little too little to get around. Luckily Megan saved the day with a little coaching from me!

Emily enjoying the construction area!

Jacob loved hanging out too!

Jacob almost whacked himself with the handle because he was digging deep!

Here's the construction crew...it was definitely challenging to get them contained and all in one place to take a quick picture!

More pipework!

Jacob filling the tube with gravel!

This thing is awesome. There are a couple of different places to change the path of the items which changes everything! Basically it's hooked up to a powerful air compressor and you put in puffy balls and scarfs and they fly through the tunnels and then fly back out. This is definitely a crowd favorite!

Here is Jacob pretending to be a judge!

Megan pretending to be a judge too!

Michael saying "guilty" as a juror!

Emily of course had to get in on the action!

Future President! It was fun finding all of the various hiding spots in the desk!

Emily gazing at the model trains! I like her reflection in the window!

Jacob was in heaven! He would push the buttons and then run as fast as he could over to the tunnel areas.

All three kiddos lined up waiting!

I couldn't contain Jacob to stand with his sisters for a picture! As you can see the trains were awesome!

Bubbles!

More bubbles! This takes patience and Megan seems to have it each time...I do not!

Emily trying to make a giant bubble...unfortunately the consistency of the bubbles was not working too well!

Here's our daredevil! Emily went down the 3 story slide in the middle of the Magic House! Megan lapped her a few times on the stairs but both girls loved the slide!

Here they are in the attic of the original part of the Magic House pretending to have tea!

Megan was doing her chin ups in the Rams training room. There were several fun athletic challenges that she loved!

Jacob loved pretending to play football!

Jacob fixing the car!

Megan said her favorite part was fishing!