STL

This past weekend we were able to take our first trip to St. Louis. Ryan was asked to come give their staff a 4 part training following the recent church plant school. None of us had ever been to St. Louis, so the boys and I tagged along for the ride. It is about an 8 hour drive for us. The boys always do great on the drive, but this trip was a little rushed since it was just a weekend. We drove all day Friday, Ryan did a session that night, three sessions on Saturday and then we drove all day Sunday. 

While short, we had a great time. I took the boys to a really cool place, Magic House, on Saturday morning. There were tons of hands-on things for the boys! We also were able to enjoy some adult conversation with the other missionaries in St. Louis after putting the kids to bed or during and after dinner. The STL staff took great care of us and we are already hopeful of going back again someday! 

Rest stop along the way.

 Magic House

There was a huge tree slide of sorts that started on the second floor and went to the first.

This picture proves a point. Ben insists he is older and wiser than he really is. He couldn't stand on the hole a little smaller because he insisted he was tall enough for that one. Obviously not!

Amazing water table.

 

The 2 year old and under area.

 A fully stocked grocery store.
It had a cash register with play money and the scanner beeped when you moved items across it!

 Shopping

 Automotive shop.

 Veterinarian Clinic - Nate loving on a cat.

 Ben getting the cat's measurements.

 The fishing pond.
The kids could "catch" a magnetic fish, take it off and then put it back in the pond on the other side of this area and then watch it float back down to the pond in the river in the floor with plexiglass on it. I don't know if that makes sense, but it was super cool.

Awesome sand table.

Net tunnel in the littler kids area!

The tunnel led to the slide.

Nate crawled up to the top of the slide on his own, but got his foot caught under himself. He screamed! I had to climb up, free his leg and then he slowly slide down. I had enough time to grab the camera, but forgot the flash so it is blurry.

 Head gear was a fan favorite when playing with friends for some reason.

 The best part of home - your own bed!