More of our trip to IL

While I was in IL for the weekend of our family reunion, I decided to stay into the next week a bit and get to visit with my Mom and Dad and Aaron's family in St Louis too!  I also got to see 2 of my siblings since they were not able to make it to the reunion either.

First we stayed at my family's house for a couple days. 

We had to eat at Monical's while we were there.
Us with my brother Matt and his wife Sherri

Collin getting his first taste of Monical's pizza!
He loved it and ate about 5 pieces by
himself-they're the square pieces not the slices!



One of my other favorite things in Bloomington-
the Constitution Trail
Grandma and Brady enjoying a nice evening
(with me and Collin close behind)



Then we got to surprise Erica for her birthday and showed up in Edwardsville.  She said it was the best present ever! :)

We went out to the Cheesecake Factory for her birthday (no pictures of that) and spent a couple more days there with them.

My sister and nieces came to visit us there since we didn't get to see them at the reunion either.  I have awesome in-laws that makes my whole family part of their family and lets them come and visit me there whenever I am there!  We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch and played all day at the house together before they had to go back home that night.

 

Sadie, Brady and Ava trying to figure out what flavor of wings
they want on the little flavor wheel



Rub a dub dub-4 cuties in the tub!

We threw them all in the bathtub together, got their jammies on and the girls had to head home.  Melissa stopped to get gas and the kids were already asleep before she got out of town! 

Before we went back home, we decided to eat at the City Creperie (YUM!), do a little shopping in St Louis with Grandma and a visit the Magic House.

I took a really funny video of Brady playing around in one of the empty dressing rooms at the mall while Teresa and I were trying on clothes.  Let's just say he was spanking himself and jumping around.  I can't upload it though because it was on my cell phone and I don't think Blogger can figure out how to read it!  Darn it!

Here's our pictures from the Magic House, the Children's Museum.

I have to say it was quite large and quite impressive.  Brady loved everything and Collin was dying to get in there and play with stuff too!



"This is President Gray-get Air Force One ready!"



"I'll tell you how I'm going to solve this budget crisis.."



Climbing on the 3 story beanstalk from Jack and the Beanstalk



You can catch a fish in the big pond

Then you can release it at the other end
and watch it go back "downstream" to the pond. 
How clever is that?

They even had a whole section for 2 and under
and Collin had a blast in there

 

Construction site



We could not get Collin away from these mushroom
drums from Alice and Wonderland!

me and Brady touching the static ball in some "hair raising fun"



I'm so glad that we decided to spend the whole week and got to have so much fun.  I think everyone had a good time, except Aaron who was home by himself the whole week! :( 

I took this picture in the car about 45 minutes from home.  We had to take a major detour off the interstate through the country because of all of the flooding in MO and IA along the river.  I think the country roads rocked them to sleep!  Don't worry-I slowed way down to take this picture and there was no one behind me!



So peaceful!  Look at little Collin's hand
holding onto his car seat

It is good to be home and not in the car.  I am also happy we will get to see family again at the end of August for Collin's birthday.  And this time they have to come to us! :)