Guess where we are going?

Yep-NADAC champs for the third time. This time I'm only taking Legend. But I'm also taking Nadin. Yes-letting her skip school already. Because you know, dogs. 

This time we allowed ourselves a travel day, instead of leaving after work. 

It was so much better. We drove through the afternoon and arrived with plenty of time to unload and decorate our stall.

We also got a quick view of the shopping and raffle-lots of fun to be had this week!!

And we are settled in for a good nights sleep!

Close up of our stall posters...

Fall weekend

Saturday afternoon Cheri joined up and we spent the rest of the day down at the Branson Landing.  It was great weather and they were having some craft booths in addition to the regular shopping.  This was Nadin's first trip so she got to enjoy seeing the river and the fountains.

And as she prepares for her first Halloween she checked out some costume options.

I'm not sure the store clerk was too impressed with us trying on the costumes for a photo op, but we are probably not the only ones so he will just have to live with it.  After all, it's not his first Halloween! Then we all enjoyed a nice evening dinner outside.

Sunday we headed up to Fair Grove for the annual craft fair and heritage festival.  We brought Lyric which Nadin thought was the best idea ever.  We enjoyed lovely weather again and nice crafts.  Nadin got to experience her first port-a-potty (not so good) but also her first chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick (very good).

Siblings

Thus far, everyone seems happy with the arrangement.

Ponies, ponies, ponies...and a few flowers

The is sort of self-explanatory

Another weekend gone

Our week was filled with the usual stuff-school, work, homework, running and dog stuff.  Thursday though, the exchange students headed off early on a field trip to Kansas City and Oklahoma where they spent their days visiting museums, historical sites and a Native American Pow Wow.  The report is that this was mostly boring, but they had a fun time getting to know each other in the van and and hanging out in the evenings doing silly teenager stuff.  The other downside was Nadin spent part of the trip not feeling well-best we can tell due to a combination of allergies, caffeine withdrawal and and overload of fast food.

Meanwhile, Jerry and I attended a family reunion in St. Charles on Saturday, wandered along the riverfront shops for a bit, had a BBQ dinner and went to the casino.  Then we headed back to Springfield and hit the 24 hour gourmet doughnut shop for a late night snack and today's breakfast.  Then off to the airport where we were to meet the van and collect our kid.  Which was running late.  We finally headed home around 2:00 AM and to bed at 3:00.  

This morning we all slept in.  Nadin spend the day catching up on homework.  I cleaned house, worked in the barn and groomed the horses and went for a run.  Jerry worked and watched football.  And that's pretty much how things go around here!

Exciting things coming up in the next few weeks though!

Weekend activities

Friday night we went to the Japanese Festival here at the Botanical gardens.  This was a recommended cultural event so we decided to give it a try.  The weather was nice and the gardens pretty but overall this is a pretty overrated event.  I certainly don't understand why anyone would need to purchase the weekend pass option.  There were some native dance and music demonstrations as well as a few children's activities and a booth or two selling bonsai trees and festival t-shirts.  And they lit lanterns around and in the gardens and water.

These are just low light cell phone photos, but you get the idea.

Would be a pretty place to go back and take photos during the day.

Saturday I got up early and went to run a 10k.  I put in a respectable and pretty comfortable 55:05 for third place in my group.  Of course, this race was timed by Act Now Racing who never posts results before awards ceremony and always takes forever to get the ceremony started.  I just went ahead and left before I know where I placed because we had other plans so now I'm trying to see if I can still pick up my medal.

After heading home for a shower and snack, the three of us headed out for a much anticipated trip to Silver Dollar City.  Unfortunately the perfect weather and the fact that it was Cox hospital employee and volunteer day made it super, super crowded.  We did a little looking around and managed to get in only 3 rides because of all the lines.  But Nadin loved the rides and is excited to go back and do more of them, as well as see the Christmas light display they have during the holidays.

Today we are just hanging out and catching up on housework, homework, football, agility, reading and relaxing.

Sweet sixteen

Nadin celebrated her 16th birthday here in the U.S. and I think it was a success! We had a few presents here this morning.

And then off to the family farm where my grandparents live and we were joined by parents and sister. We had more presents, good food and a tour of the houses and property. And plenty of visiting. 

And tomorrow, a day off school and work!

Fire Tower Trail at Roaring River

Today we went on a really nice hike at Roaring River state park.  Lots of good pictures!

And of course, a selfie...

Then we had ice cream on the way home and out for a pizza dinner!