We're Off to See the Wizard!

Breakfast! Very excited about the biscuits and gravy.
I think Grace was upset because the baby touched her or
something. Luckily, her tantrums are like summer squalls
and pass quickly.

Sorry for the radio silence, we didn't have internet access last night.  Yesterday went much smoother. Rosalie is doing fine.  We were excited to begin our day at the Oz Museum.  So excited in fact, that we got there an hour before it opened.  So, we set off to see the sights, such as it were.

This one's for you, Art & Nathan.

A cornfield, just like our pop-up book.

Believe it or not, there was actually a pretty neat historical site - Beecher's Bible and Rifle Church in Wabaunsee, KS. About the only thing I remember from my entire year of AP U.S. History in high school is that Beecher's Bibles were guns.  (Art and Nathan can probably say the same thing.) Wouldn't you know, we found one of the churches to which Henry Ward Beecher (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe) supplied guns and Bibles in order to drive out pro-slavery folks from Kansas.  This beautiful, little church is still in use today.

After our quick detour, we headed back to Oz and by the time we found parking (a lot of it was roped off for their big 4th of July parade), it was 10 a.m. The girls loved the museum!  They had life-size dioramas of scenes from the movies and a quirky collection.  I liked that they had 1st editions of all of the Oz books. But the way that everything was laid out was kind of like they had two different curators working on the displays. There was definitely a storyline that pulled you through the dioramas.  But, then there were just walls and walls of display cases full of memorabilia that were just kind of a jumble of objects with no descriptions.  We still had a great time and got some postcards to send to Jane's friends.

Scenes from Oz

Some of the actors who portrayed the Munchkins
left handprints and footprints in the cement.

I think Grace actually took this picture.

Spooky woods! (Note the ruby slippers.)

I'll get you, my pretty!

Up, up and away!

Grace took this one, too.

On the Road Again

After that, we had a five hour drive to St. Louis.  We popped Little House in the Prairie on the CD player and were off.  My Aunt Linda and Uncle Steven live in Fenton, Missouri and let us stay over en route to Kentucky.  On our return trip, we'll be spending a few more days.

A quick drive by of Truman's museum and home place.
They were a little snooty there-when asked if they had
a souvenir penny machine there was a disdainful, "No!"

Missouri has the neatest rest stops. This little device
is a 3-in-1 sink from the future. You stick your hands in
there and it squirts soap on them, then it sprays them
with water and then it dries them. It was amazing!

Quick! Run to the bench and back then get in the car!

The truck that Tony Stewart's car is on!  We told Grace it
was Maccarrying Lightning McQueen. She was jazzed!

These last two photos go out to Suzanne!

Meet Me in St. Louis

Surprise! Happy (almost) Birthday, Jane!

Rosalie meets Millie.

A feast!

We arrived to a hero's welcome.  Big hugs and kisses for the girls and us and - surprise - Uncle Steven had baked a birthday cake for Jane!  They had bought all sorts of coloring books and games for the girls to make the car ride more bearable.  They made hot dogs and homemade potato salad and we ate out on the back porch and watched as the greenbelt behind their house came alive with lightning bugs and cicadas.  Aunt Linda had strung Chinese lanterns around their awning and one by one they twinkled on as the sun went down.

Aunt Linda shows Grace the dot game - she taught
me how to play that when I was a girl!

Cheese!

Jane caught a lightning bug!

Is he in there?

We sat outside talking and reminiscing.  The girls drank out of Muppets from Space juice cups that I remember from when I was little (Arthur and I drank out of the B. C. comic cups).  Then we sang "Happy Birthday" to Jane and had delicious cake and icecream.  Once we cleared the table, Uncle Steven took the girls out to the front yard to catch lightning bugs.  Jane caught two (at least), Uncle Steven and I each caught some and Grace carried the bottle.  After we watch them light up for a while, we let them go.

Take the Old Man's Pile

Aunt Linda bought that little dress for Jane, seven years ago!

The girls then went inside and Aunt Linda taught them how to play a card game called "Take the Old Man's Pile" which even Grace could play because it mostly involved matching numbers. Aunt Linda talks to them like they are adults and the girls feel so special spending time with her. Jane got to stay up and play an extra hand while I readied Grace and Rosalie for bed.  There are some privileges that go with being almost seven!

The girls bunked down on the couches in the basement, after rolling the balls around on the pool table for a while.  Arthur did a few loads of laundry and I conked out with the baby. It was a good day.