Musings on John's Visit to St. Louis

I'm sorry that I'm a bit late posting this but its been CHAOS here due to some work stuff that I have going on which has been keeping me occupied day and night!

So, back in November, John came to visit us in the big city! We had a great visit ... the night he arrived, my friend Stephanie came over and we all played wii & laughed at our crazy kiddos! See Spiderman climbing over John in the background of the next picture. Yes, my kids are greatly entertaining!!!


Stephanie who will kill me when she sees I posted this here as well as on FaceBook! She's my best bud at work & keeps me sane when work gets insane. And she gets me which is so nice!

Paul helping Meighan play baseball ...

Meighan getting instructions from her 'coach' (AKA Daddy) ...

It was COLD the day we spent at Forest Park so we all bundled up nicely ... I've got to get used to the actual winter that we're experiencing here. I'm a girl who didn't even own a winter coat in VA ... now I need to buy one and QUICKLY. And a hat. And gloves. And snow boots.

Silly, silly, silly & sillier ...

St. Louis in all his glory -

The St. Louis Art Museum which we visited for the first time with John. It's a very nice museum and we had a great time. The kids were really good which surprised me since they had to be quiet & aren't that interested in art ...

Forest Park - It's so beautiful.

Megs and John looking over the park -

See, they occasionally like each other. They even hug each other when they aren't ready to kill each other. Yes, we're having lots of sibling fighting these days but I hear that its par for the course and to get used to it!

Our beautiful girl -

John and Alex spinning webs & Meighan doing gosh knows what -

Walking up to the Arch ...






My favorite guys ...

Alex saw a helicopter which he LOVES and is now wanting to ride in ...


Next, was Stephanie's birthday. The kids immediately ushered Stephanie upstairs and into the tent when she arrived at our house for her birthday celebration. She was a good sport & ended up having a blast with our kiddos.



The kids helped with her cake ...

Paul and John took the kids to see the Science Museum here in St. Louis. I was at work and missed it but these pictures are making me want to go ASAP. They said it was a very cool museum and definately more modern and interesting that the one in Richmond which I think is old and in need of massive upgrades.








Just before John flew out of town, he and Paul went back to the Arch so that he could actually go up in it. When we'd gone the weekend before, the lines were massive and they decided to wait. So here are pictures they took while visiting the Arch.

The baseball field ....


View from the top - yikes. Makes me sick to my stomach to look down like that.

Doesn't he look sad to be leaving?


Okay, that's it for the moment. I have more Thanksgiving photos to post which I'll do soon. And some layouts to share.

Sunday Musings - Part 1

First up, a recap of the NKOTB concert ... It was FANTASTIC! I went with a bunch of ladies - Carmen, Nicole, Danielle, Stephanie and Michelle. We went to dinner at Maggie's which is near Scottrade so practically EVERYONE in the bar was heading that way too. It was a lot of fun to just hang out and chat over dinner.

This is a photo of all of us ...


This is Michelle, me and Carmen at dinner -


This is me and Stephanie -


This is Carmen and Stephanie once we got to the concert ...

And here are the guys on stage. It was a lot of fun - they did just as many old school NKOTB songs as they did new ones. Since I love both, I was a happy camper. They certainly know how to give a good show! It was a blast!

Guess Where I'm Going To Be Tomorrow Night?

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!

Yes, they are all grown up and performing at Scottrade tomorrow night. And I'll be there with the girls - Stephanie, Carmen, Michelle, and Nicole. I'm so excited! Yes, I know I'm in my 30's and its probably insane for me to be excited about seeing NKOTB live. But, I can't wait. I feel like I'm revisiting the late 80s, early 90s. And I'm loving it!

Sunday

Post Election Musings.

I am very pleased with the election of Barack Obama as our 44th President. I believe in him and feel very strongly that he will take this country where it needs to go next. However, I also know that there are many people who are not happy with his victory and wanted to say that I know how it feels to lose an election that you feel is of critical importance to the future of this country. I've felt that way for the last eight years so I can relate to all the feelings. I feel that the differences between Democrats and Republicans are not so large. I think we all care about our familes and friends. That we all want what is best for our nation and its future. We just have a different philosophy on the best way to to do that. I hope that we will find a way to come together to do what is best for all of us. I am so hopeful for our country and its new leadership - to build bridges across party lines is never easy but I truly believe that Obama can do it if anyone can ... I also want to say that I was impressed with John McCain's concession speech. I know that it was a difficult night for him but I was proud of him for being respectful and honorable at the end. I wish his supporters in the audience had been the same but I understand the difficult emotions that they must have been going through at that moment. I'm trying to be hopeful that his supporters might do as he asked and 'help [Obama] lead us through the many challenges we face.'

The fact that we now have an African American President Elect is an amazing thing and we should all be amazed at how so many people in this nation brought this to be with hope, determination, love, support and patriotism. Even those who don't support his politics have said to me that it is an amazing thing to have witnessed and are excited about the page in history that was turned today as the result of this election.

I am excited for Obama but I do not envy him the road he has before him. This nation is a mess and needs strong leadership. I believe that he is the right man for the job but I know that it will be rough terrain in many, many ways.