16 things to do this summer in Southeast Missouri

D-man Bird Watching at the
Cape Girardeau Nature Center 

Welcome to Summer Friends, I know our summer is fully running with softball games, fishing, and summer school.  Yes, I am one of those mean moms that make my kids go to summer school, with good reason of course! 

If you are like me summer means you are trying to entertain a gang on a budget, so I have created a list of a few great places that will keep you and your kiddos intrigued and busy!

Cape Girardeau Nature Center- Rather it is a quick break for the afternoon or check out all the awesome programs they are having the Cape Girardeau Nature Center is often our sanctuary from the heat. We can stop in and check out the animals, entertain ourselves with interactive exhibits, and if I am lucky, my wild ones might actually learn something. The nature center is good for all ages REALLY, even I find myself gazing at the latest artwork displayed.

Cape River Heritage Museum -- Learn the Cape Girardeau River Heritage, the history of what Cape Girardeau use to be, and just check out some awesome artifacts from the Cape Girardeau's past. This museum is good for all curious ages, but it is a museum of history, so your visit is what you make it. My kids loved the Pilot House and Fire Truck, of course who wouldn't be.

Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Museum -- Discovery stories of the Native Americans, the Mississippi River, the boats, the railroad, and much more. Crisp museum is a great for a short afternoon outing kids are always intrigued by the talking exhibits and you never know they may learn a bit of history.

Discovery Playhouse -- Need I say more than Discovery Playhouse, well of course I do! Discovery Playhouse is full of interactive displays, bright colors, and ways to keep those little imaginations turning. Discovery Playhouse also host weekly programs like music morning, check their website for more information. I am going to throw my Momma opinion here, Discovery Playhouse is PERFECT for my little man that is four, but my little woman who is almost 9 does tend to get bored about thirty minutes after we get there. Now do not get discouraged by that keep in mind that every child is different and if you have never visited your older kids may love it.

LeBounce -- The giant indoor bounce house also now offers Bazooka Ball. Hours of fun, leads to hours of peace and quiet....I speak from experience! Follow their facebook page as they often offer special prices and daily deals!

Southeast Missouri State Aquatics Center -- I know it is summer and we are suppose to be laying beside the pool working on our tan, well let's just face it when it is 106 outside the last thing I want to do is lay on a hot pool deck. Catch your waves inside; they even have an indoor zip line!

45 Reasons to Visit Missouri

The Civil War in Missouri - Discover the history of the Civil War right here in Missouri.  

Get a little creative with love of art!  (photo of Creative Ewe Cape Girardeau, MO) 

Did you know Sikeston, MO is farthest north Cotton is grown?  p.s. Sikeston is home of the "throwed rolls"

Find your moment of "glory" at Elephant Rock State Park

Who Let the Dogs Out? ...Many of Missouri State Parks welcome your pets!  

Discover the life "Underground" in Missouri Caves

Exhausted Kids Welcome - Find the perfect place for a family friendly hike in Missouri State Parks.

BARGAINS Galore on the path of the 100-mile Yard sale   

Cheers to Missouri Wine....who could disagree?  (pic:  Rothbrick Winery in Jackson, MO) 

The Missouri Department of Conservation welcomes TREE PEOPLE. (photo at Cape Girardeau Nature Center) 

Have you seen the view from the top of the Ferris wheel at the Missouri State Fair?  

From Missouri Mines to Swimming Holes....History become recreation at Silver Mines Recreation Area.  

The Great Mule Jump at the East Perry Community Fair 

Finding Life in the Midst of Chaos

Our house is mass chaos as we have begun packing and moving home to my parent’s family farm, there must be boxes stacked everywhere I turn.  In the midst of all this, I keep telling myself I should not feel this overflow of pure JOY that keeps bubbling out of me.  I should be sad, but I am not…..I am truly at PEACE with my decision to move back to my roots. 

Yesterday, D-man and I traveled home for a few hours to finish the “business” part of moving back home.  We took a brief break to drive through the cows with PaPa, I glanced over and saw my son grinning ear-to-ear and pure joy beaming out of his eyes.  I thought to myself this is LIFE!

 

Today we played hooky from packing and decided to attend the Cousin Carl Farm Show in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  PaPa thought the kids might enjoy seeing a few tractors, but I really believe PaPa enjoyed watching the kids see the tractors.  While we climbed around on the tractors, I watched the kids and PaPa interact I realized this is LIFE!    

Over this past week, I have truly realized it is not what we have it is how we use what we have.  I have never cared for fancy things, a glamorous lifestyle, but I do realize I have forgotten how special the little things are. 

Sugar Buzz Bakery in Cape Girardeau Missouri

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

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

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. 

The Southern Sweets Dessert Company in Cape Girardeau Mo

I know it does not come to a shock to you all that in our house we have love for sweets, well maybe not Momma so much as those rotten sweet tooth sidekicks of mine!

Last fall the kids and I stumbled upon this cute little ice cream parlor located in the Spanish Street Mercantile on Spanish Street in Downtown Cape Girardeau.  Well we have waited to give this little shop a proper food review until we have thoroughly tested the joint over and over and over….okay we became addicted to the place. 

Yesterday we were Downtown bumming around, stopped off at the little shop one more time, and we decided it was time to give our favorite Ice Cream Parlor a review.  Except this little Ice Cream Parlor is no longer just a little Ice Cream Parlor…..Eeeek They have EXPANDED & renamed themselves The Southern Sweets Dessert Company.  This brings a completely new problem to the table for us!  We have just thoroughly investigated, tasted, and fell in love with their Homemade Ice Cream, and now they have added in a completely new menu! 

The Southern Sweets Dessert Company now offers dessert bread, cookies, muffins, candies, cakes, pies, and coming soon homemade soups and sandwiches.  I can go on and on about how yummy their food is, how fun their shop is, and how great their service is, but you would think is obvious if we continue to go back.

  

The Southern Sweets Dessert Company is located 26 N Spanish St Mercantile in Downtown Cape Girardeau; you can visit their website for a complete menu. 

~Becky 

The Southern Sweets Desserts Company in Downtown Cape Girardeau. 

Betty Boop at The Southern Sweets Desserts Company in Downtown Cape Girardeau. 

Banana Nut Bread at The Southern Sweets Desserts Company in Downtown Cape Girardeau. 

Pecan Dessert

Donuts Anyone?  

Lesse Says Chocolate Ice Cream is the BEST

Cape Giradeau Missouri at Sunrise

To my own shame I woke up extremely early this morning unable to go back to sleep, the truth is I miss my kiddos like crazy.  This morning I made the best of it and headed to Downtown Cape Girardeau, MO to catch the sunrise over the Mississippi River.  There is nothing more breath taking than a peaceful morning, and there was a sweet reminder of my little man as I watched a tugboat come down river….I could faintly hear in the back of my head his squeals of excitement. 

I leave you this morning with a bit of Cape Girardeau Missouri Eye Candy and this Bible Verse, that was gentle reminder to me that this better days ahead!  

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11

The Riverfront Park 

Sunrise over the Mississippi River

Shopping Downtown Cape Girardeau Missouri

In my latest transformation from "married" momma to "single" momma, my eldest sister has a mission to teach me to be more "frugal".  I have always been "frugal" but I have never truly been a HUGE Thrift store shopper.  I would occasionally head downtown with the kids or the family and do some antique shopping, but nothing intense.  Well to my surprise, my sister happens to be a Thrift Store Diva...she hunts down the bargains, knows for the good loot, and is a mad case of "I gotta get the good stuff".

Today she buzzed me, she had a few errands to run in Cape Giradeau and so did I, so we decided we would stop off at a few of the Downtown Stores and do some shopping.  I mostly windowed shopped today, but I made notes for my future shopping expeditions...okay really I photo-logged everything that caught my eye!  

Our first stop was The Semo Safe House Thrift Store , my love for this place is all profit goes back to help local folks in our community.  Let us face it life can be tough and sometimes you just need a helping hand, well this place is a helping hand!  I snapped pictures of while visiting...my sister, however, walked out with a bag of goodies, some for my kiddos.  Ha Ha she said they were in "need"!

Cateye Glasses Studio Cape Girardeau, Mo

Cateye Glasses Studio

Serious Artist @ Cateye Glasses Studio in Cape Girardeau 

Last week D and I made our second visit down to Cateye Glasses Studio in Cape Girardeau, folks, from a Mom with two “artsy” kids I am so excited Cateye Glasses Studio has opened up in here. 

Often when we think art we think about those typical art galleries that we have to be quiet in or the old man will shhhh us.  NOPE, Cateye Glasses Studio is not only for adults, but it has great place for kids and a lot of programs designed just for kids…busy kids like mine!  

Ride the City Cape Girardeau, MO

Many of you know that the kids and I love to go biking, in fact just this week we were out biking the trail in Cape Girardeau and got caught in that nasty storm riding 2 miles in the pouring rain…..truly loads of fun.

I find biking to be the easiest way to fit in my daily exercise, especially now that I am a single mom juggling kids, life, school, and work. 

The kids have been riding since long before they can remember; Dillard use to nap in his bike trailer, and Lesse road the Tour de Corn when she was 7.