Touring the Fulton Fire House

Bear with me as we bounce around a bit between locations! Boone and I usually would spend a week or so in St. Louis and then head to Fulton for a week. On the weekends, we would see Jeff wherever made the most sense! So, while we were in Fulton, my friend Kelly and her sons Cooper (Boone's age) and Hudson (born last June) came to visit and play. Jeff's dad, Bruce, made a few calls and got us a tour at the fire house so the boys could see the fire trucks!

We toured the bunk houses and the boys got a little snoopy.

Checking out the trucks in the garage.

Boone loved all the freebies.

With grandpa

Kelly and Cooper

Cooper and Boone talking it all over.

Trying on the boots!

Bruce and Boone checking out Rescue Randy (the CPR dummy!)

You can't really tell, but I had to jump in the truck to get Boone to climb inside.

Boone with grandpa

Ice cream with grandpa

Books before bedtime.

We stayed pretty busy with visiting family in Missouri. We loved the opportunity to spend so much quality time with family since it is a rare thing with how far away we have lived.

Nomad life in Fulton

Once we got to Missouri, we spent time in both Fulton and St. Louis. We thought our time in Missouri would only last a few weeks, but it ended up that we bounced from place to place for several months while Jeff worked in Kansas City.

Jeff's dad is home in the afternoons most days now, so he spent a lot of time hanging out with Boone and taking him around the farm. Boone loves helping with the cattle and riding in the mule.

One evening, Bruce arranged with one of his employees for us to go over and see her horses and maybe have Boone ride one.

Boone checking out the horse.

Now he looks at it with grandma. He was never too excited about getting on the horse, which was so funny because earlier in the day, he had rode in a combine by himself with a church friend of Bruce and Carol's. The combine was much bigger and noisier than the horse, but for some reason, it didn't bother him at all.

(These next couple of pictures I took from Carol's Facebook album! Hope you don't mind Carol!)

As ridiculous as it was, I decided to get up on the horse and try and show Boone that it was not scary. I look ridiculous since I was pregnant, but it all turned out OK. Oh, the things you do for your children.

Boone climed up with me and sat for just a bit.

Riding in the mule with Grandpa.

Hanging out with Rambo. Sadly, Rambo has gone missing with all the cold weather recently! I'm hoping he's just hanging out in the hay barn, but we aren't sure! :(

(OK, back to my pictures!)

Celebrating Grandpa's birthday!

Helping blow out the candles!

Summer St. Louis Visit

We headed back to Missouri for my cousin's wedding and Jeff's family reunion. Jeff wasn't going to be able to come back for the whole time, so I decided to drive our car back. Carol offered to fly up and drive back with us since it is a long drive! I was very thankful to have her with us!

I didn't have anywhere else to put this picture! Boone and I made Jeff a little breakfast for father's day!

Once Carol got to Denver, we decided to go check out the Hammonds candy factory tour. It is a fun place and the tour is free! Hammonds is sold all over the country in places like Sur La Table and William Sonoma. Their specialty is those big candy canes that you see in fancy stores.

Grandma and Boone in front of a truck outside of the factory.

These next pictures jump to our first couple days in Missouri. On Saturday morning, we went pick blueberries outside of St. Louis. We grew up going blueberry picking on the 4th of July each year, so it was fun to go this year around the same time of year.

Boone "helping" pick berries with Sybil. Really, he just ate a lot of the berries (and he didn't car what color they were... lots of green berries were eaten that morning!)

It was a HOT morning, 

Mom with our blueberry bounty.

Playing at the playground after we were done picking!

Later that night, we went to my cousin's wedding at a beautiful country club in St. Louis. The weather was perfect and the wedding was beautiful. I was glad Boone and I could come back and be with my mom's side of the family.

On Sunday after church, we grabbed some food and went to a local park and played.

Boone loved getting to show Nana and Papa how he rules a playground.

After the park, we went to the Creve Coeur Days parade. Growing up, we always went to the parade and I marched in it in high school with the band. It has gotten quite a bit smaller, but Boone loved all the freebies they handed out.

And of course, we had to hit the zoo once while we where in St. Louis.

Boone looks upset, but we were in line for the train, which is his favorite part of the zoo.

So loved by all his grandparents

Before we left, we had the opportunity to get together with my aunt and uncle and cousin and her kids. Boone loved playing with the bigger boys.

Next stop: Fulton!