Wordless Wednesday and a Grandmother's Love

Look at the LOVE between them! 

Sweet Slobbery Kisses

You know at 93 years old that was a load to hold!  

GaGa's last cross-stitch project, a quilt for Lesse

The Queen & her Princess

So believe it or not many many moons ago I use to despise travel, the thought of loading up my then one child and driving for hours just sounded disgusting.  Then when Lesse was very little my GaGa moved 6 hours away, that is the farthest we had ever been apart.   It took me a while to work up the courage to travel to see her and instantly I grew a love for traveling with my kids.  I now am very much thankful that I did, because over the past 8 years my kids have so many memories of traveling to see GaGa, what we did with GaGa, and especially memories of GaGa.  

Today my Wordless Wednesday post displays the love and memories that we developed from traveling to see GaGa.  

Meier Horse Shoe Pines Tree Farm in Jackson, Missouri

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree Much pleasure doth thou bring me! Of course, that beautifully

decorated Christmas tree brings us all pleasure, rather it is the joy of decorating it, the joy of watching our children decorate the tree, or what is under that tree Christmas morning.


Finding the PERFECT Christmas tree can bring us more joy and a day full of Adventure. Many of us have replaced the idea of a LIVE Christmas Tree with plastic trees that fold up, collapse, and store so easily. I discovered with replacing the live tree we also replaced much of the excitement of finding the PERFECT Christmas Tree.

My little man and I dropped by Meier Horse Shoe Pines Tree Farm last year to visit a Christmas Tree Farm and see what it was all about!

With 14 acres of Christmas Trees and three varieties (White pines, Scotch pine, Virginia pines) to choose from you are sure to find the perfect tree, or the tree you will fall madly in love with. Meier Tree Farm takes the extra step to make finding that perfect tree more of an adventure!

The Tree Farm's personal greeting team will greet you upon arriving; a floppy eared dog begging to petted, a few roosters making their presence known, and a pin full of sheep nestled just at the edge of the tree field. While words may make this sound like a zoo, I cannot put to words how picture perfect it truly is.

While we could have spent hours visiting the sheep, chickens, and the floppy eared puppy, we were there to check out the Christmas Trees and to see how many Perfect Trees are there. I have a HUGE secret for you! It is not about the tree, it is about finding the tree, and Meier Horse Shoe Pines makes it perfect for you. With a horse drawn wagon, take a ride to the tree field, pick your own PERFECT tree and you can even participate in the cutting of your tree. Gentlemen, let me give you a bit of advice, this place adds the "romance" to Christmas, and you could earn a few extra brownie points from that special lady with a visit to Meier's Tree Farm.

We also discovered another delightful treat at Meier's Tree Farm, the gift shop. I almost felt sorry for the owner, but Moms and Dads; folks that own a Christmas Tree Farm have close connections with that Jolly Man and tend have that same spirit about them, and it is a good thing. My little man must have looked at every ornament, Christmas decoration, and train in this adorable little shop. He declared immediately that he would be returning to buy his favorite ornament (a light up snowman).

You will also find inside the shop custom-made wreaths and garland, made right there in the shop, that will give your house that extra Christmas feeling.

Visit Meier's Tree Farm's website or Facebook Page for hours of operation, special holiday events, and for directions to find your perfect Christmas Tree!  

Meier Horse Shoe Pines in Jackson, MO

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree Much pleasure doth thou bring me! Of course, that beautifully decorated Christmas tree brings us all pleasure, rather it is the joy of decorating it, the joy of watching our children decorate the tree, or what is under that tree Christmas morning.




Finding the PERFECT Christmas tree can bring us more joy and a day full of Adventure. Many of us have replaced the idea of a LIVE Christmas Tree with plastic trees that fold up, collapse, and store so easily. I discovered with replacing the live tree we also replaced much of the excitement of finding the PERFECT Christmas Tree.

My little man and I dropped by Meier Horse Shoe Pines Tree Farm last year to visit a Christmas Tree Farm and see what it was all about!

With 14 acres of Christmas Trees and three varieties (White pines, Scotch pine, Virginia pines) to choose from you are sure to find the perfect tree, or the tree you will fall madly in love with. Meier Tree Farm takes the extra step to make finding that perfect tree more of an adventure!

The Tree Farm's personal greeting team will greet you upon arriving; a floppy eared dog begging to petted, a few roosters making their presence known, and a pin full of sheep nestled just at the edge of the tree field. While words may make this sound like a zoo, I cannot put to words how picture perfect it truly is.

While we could have spent hours visiting the sheep, chickens, and the floppy eared puppy, we were there to check out the Christmas Trees and to see how many Perfect Trees are there. I have a HUGE secret for you! It is not about the tree, it is about finding the tree, and Meier Horse Shoe Pines makes it perfect for you. With a horse drawn wagon, take a ride to the tree field, pick your own PERFECT tree and you can even participate in the cutting of your tree. Gentlemen, let me give you a bit of advice, this place adds the "romance" to Christmas, and you could earn a few extra brownie points from that special lady with a visit to Meier's Tree Farm.

We also discovered another delightful treat at Meier's Tree Farm, the gift shop. I almost felt sorry for the owner, but Moms and Dads; folks that own a Christmas Tree Farm have close connections with that Jolly Man and tend have that same spirit about them, and it is a good thing. My little man must have looked at every ornament, Christmas decoration, and train in this adorable little shop. He declared immediately that he would be returning to buy his favorite ornament (a light up snowman).

You will also find inside the shop custom-made wreaths and garland, made right there in the shop, that will give your house that extra Christmas feeling.

Visit Meier's Tree Farm's website or Facebook Page for hours of operation, special holiday events, and for directions to find your perfect Christmas Tree!  

Travel Gadget Monday Lay-n-Go

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was sent this funny looking activity mat/travel bag this weekend to try out and give my mommy opinion on. 

I am loving this travel bag for D's toys! 

I am often hesitant to review products, because I find myself beating my head against the wall wondering how I am going to word my post about this gadget.  Anyways as I ripped open my Lay-n-Go package to check this new activity mat/travel bag out I was caught by surprise, this things says it is suppose to be 18” but look so tiny.  Well that is already a win win for me, as we just have too much stuff and a lack of storage.

I decided that I would dig out D-mans box of Kid K’Nex and try using this handy little bag for storing these tiny little pieces.  We still used the K’Nex box; that box just does not travel to well and I am sure we have spilt half of our pieces while on the go!

I laid the little mat down in the floor, instantly D came running, and together we decided we really liked this little bag.  The bag is easy to convert from a toy mat in the floor to a cinch sack on the go, score for this momma that has too much stuff!     

Lay-n-Go makes a few different sizes of this fun bag, the Lay-n-Go Lite which is the one I  received, Lay/N/Go Cosmo which looks like something that I might need, and the Lay-n-Go 5’ activity mat that I am wondering if it really wouldn't work also as a laundry bag for while traveling???    Just my curiosity!  

Check out the Lay-n-Go products on their website, Like them on Facebook, enter to win their Facebook Holiday Giveaway, and or follow them on Twitter….these handy little bags have some fun and creative ways to store stuff.   You can also enter below to win your very own Lay-n-Go LITE 18.

~Becky

Disclosure:  Giveaway is only available to US Residents.
Disclosure:  I was given the lay-n-go product to review, but all thoughts, opinions, and photos are my own.  

Heaven Just Gained our Best Angel

Christmas 2011

Many of our readers have heard us speak of our beloved GaGa.  We have been road tripping to GaGa for six years, spent many hours on the phone with GaGa, drawing pictures with or for GaGa, and teaching our GaGa how to make the perfect funny face.  

Tonight our GaGa finished growing her Angel Wings as Mr D-man puts it and is now painting rainbows all over Heaven. 

While my heart aches as I have just lost my best friend, my secret keeper, and the person who taught me many of the important things in life; I also know GaGa is dancing on the streets of gold. 

We appreciate all the prayers, thoughtfulness, love, and everything else that everyone is sending our way.  I can never put into words how awesome and supportive you all are and how much I appreciate you!  

Thank You & May God Bless you all!

~Becky, Lesse, & D-man 

Sugar Buzz Bakery in Cape Girardeau, MO

It is a Foodie Friday; my kids are hyped up on sugar from the Sugar Buzz Bakery in Cape Girardeau, MO. 

We found a tiny piece of Heaven right here in @VisitCape! #tmom #travel #food via beckydavenport

This is probably the one of the few times I have allowed my kids and my taste buds be influenced by a commercial, but we saw this place recently on a commercial and immediately Lesse screamed “Mom, we must try it!”  I agreed, as we had to be in Cape Girardeau early the other morning and well what better way to kick off a holiday weekend than with Cupcakes for breakfast.

Our affection or addiction to bakeries, cupcake stores, and sweet shops happened months ago while Lesse and I were on our Mom and DaughterRoadtrip to Chicago.  Lesse had only one place she wanted to visit in Chicago and that was Sprinkles!  Now every time she sees a bakery she tells me “mom I wonder if it is as good as Sprinkles” well Sprinkles being world famous and on the Food Network, it is hard to compare. 

Sugar Buzz Bakery in Cape Girardeau Missouri

It is a Foodie Friday; my kids are hyped up on sugar from the Sugar Buzz Bakery in Cape Girardeau, MO.

We found a tiny piece of Heaven right here in @VisitCape! #tmom #travel #food via beckydavenport

  

This is probably the one of the few times I have allowed my kids and my taste buds be influenced by a commercial, but we saw this place recently on a commercial and immediately Lesse screamed “Mom, we must try it!”  I agreed, as we had to be in Cape Girardeau early the other morning and well what better way to kick off a holiday weekend than with Cupcakes for breakfast.

Our affection or addiction to bakeries, cupcake stores, and sweet shops happened months ago while Lesse and I were on our Mom and DaughterRoadtrip to Chicago.  Lesse had only one place she wanted to visit in Chicago and that was Sprinkles!  Now every time she sees a bakery she tells me “mom I wonder if it is as good as Sprinkles” well Sprinkles being world famous and on the Food Network, it is hard to compare. 

Wordless Wednesday and Star Gazing in the Park

The Pure Joy of just living life as we go!

These photos were shot the night of the Leonid Meteor Shower (November 16, 2012), the kids, one of my favorite gal pal, her daughter Abs, and I bundled up and headed out to the Cape Girardeau County Park in Cape Girardeau, MO for some brisk star gazing.  While we only saw a few falling stars; we saw a lot of laughter, a lot of love, and a lot of good time!  

Happy Wordless Wednesday! 

~Becky 

Travel Tuesday at the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum in IndependenceMo

Happy Travel Tuesday Friends, today I would like to be spending it running in circles at the Harry S Truman Library Museum in Independence, MO.  Do you know why?  Because the “Buck Stops Here”…You got it folks, this state of an art museum has something for everyone and you could truly spend hours roaming through it. 

This past Summer when it was warm outside…sighhh…The kiddos and I had the opportunity to spend a few hours at the Truman Museum and as you know my sidekicks are often  have 10 X more energy than I do and  they loved this place.  They loved it so much that they begged to stay and then begged to go back.

The museum is divided up into sections and several sections were way over the head of D-man who is 4 and Lesse who was 8, but others sections captivated them and held their attention for much longer than I expected.  I honestly felt sorry for the lady who accompanied us to the museum as D kept her trapped at one exhibit for probably 30 minutes. 

Making Truman Campaign Buttons

The section of the museum that I felt was focused more toward the youth is the Harry S. Truman: His Life and Times, this is permanent exhibit highlighting the personal side of Harry Truman our 33^rdPresident.  Children get the opportunity to see the life of Harry Truman from just a boy until his death in 1972, they learn about his first job, his family, and his political career. 

The exhibit Truman: The Presidential Years was way over D-man and Lesse’s head; however, momma was very much intrigued by this exhibit.  The Presidential Years focuses on the major issues and events of Harry Truman’s Presidency.   During the Truman Presidency, if you are history buff like my Dad…NOT ME, you will recall President Truman while in office made the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan, much of Europe was in extreme poverty, and the Cold War turned hot.  You could spend hours wondering through this beautiful, very informative, and well-designed history lover’s paradise.

The museum also has temporary exhibits that change out through the year, while we visited we got a glimpse of Tracing the Truman’s: An American Story, focused on Independence, Missouri and it’s two most famous families. 

The Harry S Truman Museum Library and Museum is open Monday through Saturday  9:00 am to 5:00 pm,Sundays from noon to 5:00pm, and they run special summer hours.  The museum does cost to get into and is often closed on holidays, for a complete list of details, and information visit their website. 

 

Have an Adventurous Day,

~Becky 

Learning about the Whistle Car Campaign

Did you know Harry S Truman worked in a Post Office?

A view of the museum.  

Disclosure: our trip to the museum was sponsored by the city of Independence Missouri, but all thought & opinions are my own.

Gadget Monday with ShaveTech

I saw this handy dandy razor and I instantly decided I would track the thing down.  The razor claims to transform the way today’s travelers think about electric razors.  Well I travel and I shave regularly, so I decided I would check it out, of course like so many other gadgets this thing discloses “any man who has ever tried to get a good close shave while traveling….yada yada yada”.  I stopped at the any man, as I don’t follow rules and often buy men’s razors, because I like my legs to be smooth especially when I am decked out in my skirts (don’t tell my Momma this). 

The @Shavetech Razor is smaller than our IPod! How cool is that???? #tmom #travel via beckydavenport

First thing first, I love how small and cute this razor is, shame they don’t design it for women in PINK, but just the same the white razor is small, in fact smaller than Lesse’s Ipod.  Now here is the selling point, this razor charges from a USB….meaning you can charge your razor from your laptop or computer.  I know crack me up, I can see all these men sitting in airports charging their razors.  The USB adapter ideally makes this product perfect for folks that travel overseas as they do not have to worry about converters.  

The USB charge last 30 minutes when fully charged, you should be able to get close clean shave in 30 minutes, unless you are Big Foot or something.   Now I would not say that the ShaveTech Razor is ideal for your first shave, I would more say this is a maintenance razor, meaning it will keep you smooth while on the go, and it is easy to travel with. 

Now ladies and gentlemen I know you are wondering if I used this razor to shave my legs, Yep I sure did, as I said before I typically break all the rules of society….it is called women’s equality.  I will be keeping my ShaveTech Razor in my travel bags, as I can see this handy little gadget working well on my travels….after all who wants to travel with shave gel, razors, wax, and all those other required items to make us look pretty!  I would also add this to my list of fun holiday gifts for those men on the go, after all we want them to come home looking pretty also!  

You can get a firsthand look on how the ShaveTech Razorworks, how to buy it, and a complete list of facts about the product on their website.

Have A Good Day!

~Becky 

Disclosure:  I was given the ShaveTech Razor for a review, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Wordless Wednesday: D & and the sighting of Antique Cars

Today my Wordless Wednesday post was shot at Marmaec Springs Park near St James, MO.  I know the idea behind Wordless Wednesday is for the photos to self describe what is going on....I believe these 4 photos do!  

However, I want to take a moment and share a bit of the story behind the photos.  We were out and about one day and stopped off that Marmaec Springs Park near St James Missouri, D had just climbed up on the edge of the fence to get a good look at the river when he spotted a few classic cars that he had see earlier that day in Cuba, MO.  Needless to say D is like every other man in the world and he loves things that GO!  

Happy Wordless Wednesday Folks! 

~Becky 

Travel Tuesday at the Missouri History Museum in St Louis MO

Today is Travel Tuesday…woot! Woot!  I have decided that I am going to share one place each Tuesday that the kiddos and I have found worth traveling to!

Today’s Travel Tuesday Destination is The Missouri History Museum in St Louis MO.  I know blah right this is a museum full of history, nope that is a negative!  I was blown away with the Missouri History Museum when I visited! 

While the Missouri History Museum is loaded with Missouri History, Missouri information, and well all the good stuff about Missouri.  The museum is also loaded with fun for kids; we found the museum to be very interactive, colorful, and fun for our whole family.

D could not get enough of the audio tour, while I am not sure he remembers anything the they told him, he sure looked mighty cute standing there so intrigued by the presentation. 

Lesse being that she is a bit older and could put together pieces of Missouri History with stuff she had learned in school.  Lesse recognized the exhibits on the St Louis Cardinals, loved learning about how houses use to look, and I caught here intrigued by the exhibit on the Great Fire of 1849. 

For me, of course I loved the exhibit on the 1904 World’s Fair, but my favorite part was that my kids had the opportunity to touch, learn, and feel at home in the Missouri History Museum.  

These are the things that I wish I would have known a long time ago about the Missouri History Museum.

• Admission to the museum is FREE…that is right parents, a majority of the museum is free to visit.  A few special exhibits do cost, and you can find more information here.   
• Plan PLENTY of TIME…I was a fail at this and thought we would only spend an hour at the Missouri History Museum.  Shortly after I arrived at the museum, I realized my kiddos could spend hours and was mad that we were leaving so soon. 
• The downstairs of the museum is geared more towards a little older crowd than, my gang, but the upstairs watch out as it is full of FUN FUN FUN! 
• The Missouri History Museum has been active in the St Louis community since 1866….doesn’t that mean they are part of history and experts at presenting history!
• You can DINE at the museum!  Okay, so had I been thinking researching, and knowledgeable prior to our visit I would have planned to arrive at the museum mid morning monkey’d around for a while then grabbed a lunch break  at Bixby's inside the museum then off to discovery some more Missouri History!

The Missouri History Museum is located in the Forest Park Area of St Louis Mo, near the St Louis Zoo. 

Have an Adventurous Day! 

~Becky 

Part of the Audio Tour

A camera exhibit that catches you by suprise

Kids area with Puzzles

what would you look like 100 years ago

Punching the Time Clock