Meet me in St. Louie

Greg, my dad, Makenna, Kate and Ty were the brave souls who ventured up into the Gateway Arch. Mom and I explored an old abandoned church and the Union Station while they got in touch with their claustrophobic sides. Mom and I have both experienced MRI tests in the past and knew better than to ride to the top. We were happy to let our favorite people tell us all about it.

The Cathedral Basilica was beyond incredible. Photos don't serve it well at all. The colors were rich, the details endless and the craftsmanship flawless. We were all blown away. I loved seeing all the original architecture throughout the city and wish I could have had the time to appreciate more of it.

 The Science Center was so awesome, we returned there on Tuesday when the weather changed our plans to visit the zoo and botanical gardens. The highlight was the real science experiments for Kate. We used forensic science to examine finger prints to solve a crime. It was fascinating.

We ate great BBQ,enjoyed a meal at The Hard Rock Cafe and grabbed snacks in museums. Through conversations around the dining tables, I learned Ty may have more of my DNA than I originally suspected. Stories about my dad's childhood sound awfully familiar. I think inviting my parents along was an excellent decision. We enjoyed each others company and shared great experiences.

 Greg and Dad took a tour of the Budweiser plant for Greg's birthday today while we spent some more time in the Science Center. They appreciated the Clydesdale horses, the architecture of the building and facts about the role Budweiser played in the prohibition. It was strictly educational. Ahem.

Someone got a new raincoat while his sisters shopped "for girl stuff". He and Makenna passed some time together while Kate worked through another experiment at the Science Center.

The weather did not fully cooperate but it wasn't bad. As result of some unplanned cooler and rainy weather, Makenna's dream of shopping in a Lush store came true. On top of that, we discovered an American Girl Place in St. Louis too. Let's just say Kate's upcoming birthday has already been well celebrated. Two months early. And her daddy has asked to remain blissfully unaware of just HOW celebrated.

Makenna has recently decided she is interested in decorating in retro/vintage style. She requested lunch in an old diner and to see The Loop area. Her diner request was well received. We all enjoyed it.

All in all, it was a great get away. We squeezed as much fun as we could into a mere 48 hours. We have more fun plans for the week ahead and would love to return to St. Louis in the future. The city has so much to offer. And the fact most of it is free, is impressive to say the least.