Our Mini-Vacation Report

This past weekend we combined 3 plans into one mini-vacation: Going camping in Aunt Diane's RV, Attend the Temple, and Use the kids saved up carnival money to go to a real live amusement park.

The drive to St. Louis wasn't bad at all when you're traveling in an RV with your adopted pet.

We arrived at one campground just in time to get ready for bed; the next morning we headed to the beautiful St. Louis Temple.  Jason and Kayla went first to do baptisms, then we all left Kayla to tend Kyle and Rachel in the RV while we went and completed some proxy ordinances.

The rain nixed our plans to go the zoo, so we went to the Science Center instead:

Look, it only took two grown women about 10 minutes to figure this bridge out:)

...we always have to put the arch together.

...and see the lifesize dinosaur.

That evening, we camped again, this time in the rain.  That didn't stop Jason from making his signature apple cobbler in the dutch oven for our desert, after flame-cooked hot dogs and hamburgers!

Who's not going to let the rain spoil their campfire?

I think this is their favorite part of camping for sure--both of them.

The kids got to give lots of loving to Reggie

The next morning, Jason and Kyle almost had the eggs and sausage cooked over the fire before it started raining.  They were still delicious wet!  We weren't sure if it was going to be feasible to go the amusement park with the rain; but by the time we got there, it had stopped.

The kids had a blast.  The cloudy, post-rainy weather was perfect!  It was comfortable and there were very few lines to wait in for the rides.

Kayla was brave and went on a couple of roller-coasters with us. 

Then she and I got really crazy and tried this ride:

I don't know how high it went, but it was HIGH-- at this point I was thinking-- what are we DOING? 

Then it dropped us freefalling.  It was the craziest feeling.

In the afternoon we decided to take a train ride around the park; 

Some of us were pretty wiped out--

...then it started raining- hard

But were we going to let a little rain ruin our day?  No way!

Let's try this again: No way!

After this picture was taken, Aunt Diane and the kids went back to the RV to take care of the dog and get dry; Jason and I went on some roller coasters in the rain; it was awesome.  Then we headed back home.  I'm so grateful for times like these.