Bluff Dwellers' Cave in Noel, MO

One of Missouri’s “cool” places (literally) is ready to welcome guest for the summer!  Bluff Dwellers' Cavern in Noel, Missouri is not only ready for summer, but they are excited for summer. 

The Bluff Dwellers' Cave dates back to 12,000 BC the time of the Paleo-Indians, in 1925 the cave was rediscovered by Arthur Browning.  The Bluff-Dwellers Cavern has been open for tours since 1927, which is like 86 years…to me that is a big enough historical fact to make me want to go visit the cave! 

Bluff Dwellers' Cavern is fun for all ages, and they claim it is perfect for ages 2-102!  Okay, that is a score considering you can take the toddlers and grandpa!   The cave has knowledgeable staff (obviously bigger history experts than me), interactive tours, a museum with 700 locally found arrowheads and a Mineral and Fossil collection, and a play area for children.  

To fully enjoy the cave, museum, and the day allow around an hour and half for your visit.  However, to make your visit better compliment of Bluff Dwellers Cavern I have two FREE Passes for one of my lucky readers!  Follow instructions below, share with your friends, and take a trip to Noel, Missouri to visit beautiful Bluff Dwellers' Cavern!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other area attractions include:  

Floating on the Elk River – enjoy the beautiful bluffs by raft, kayaks, or canoe!

Shadow Lake - a great place to enjoy the river and have some refreshments, but is also quickly becoming a destination of its own for its unique club atmosphere on the weekends.

Noel, MO -  Also known as Christmas City U.S.A since 1932.  Every year the Noel post office receives tens of thousands Christmas cards, so that folks may receive their Christmas Greeting from “The Christmas City”  Read more about the Christmas Postmark here. 

Have an Adventurous Day!   

~Becky 

More Photos:

Disclosure:  Photos have been provided by Bluff Dwellers' Cavern.  The giveaway is sponsored by Bluff Dwellers' Cavern, a huge thank you to them.  

Sea Life Aquarium Kansas City, MO

As I flipped through pictures tonight D-man yelled “Mom, there is that favorite place we went on bacation!”…love the words that come out of my 5 year old's mouth.  I also often wonder how many favorite places he happens to have, but tonight his favorite place was Sea Life in Kansas City, MO. 

I can always tell how big of an impact a place had on my kids by how long they continue to talk about the place.  It has been 9 months since we visited SeaLife Aquarium in Kansas City, Mo and with just one image, D-man could tell me all the details of our visit.  To word it exact he loved watching the jellyfish, seahorses, touching the slimey things, and the stingrays were cool too….I would say Sea Life also educated my little man.  

With over 5,000 sea creatures and 260,000 gallons of water we had the opportunity to get up close and personal to sharks, hold crabs, touch starfish, make our imaginations explode while watching seahorses, and stand in awe as we watched the beautiful yet poisonous jellyfish. 

Sea Life Aquarium in Kansas City is not an all day adventure, the aquarium is perfect for a rainy afternoon adventure, cool when it is too hot to play outside, and a great place to kill a few hours.

The aquarium is located next to LEGOLAND and in the Kansas City Crown Center. 

With smiles and giggles, Sea Life Aquarium in Kansas City, Mo earns this Traveling Mom’s seal of approval! 

Have an Adventurous Day! 

~Becky

Disclosure:  Our visit to the Sea Life Aquarium in Kansas City was sponsored by the Kansas City Tourism office.  A big thank you to them for giving us the opportunity to visit, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own (or my children's)!  

Happy Holidays 2012

Happy Holidays from our gang to yours!  May your days be filled with love, laughter, and a few comical moments!

Love,

Becky, Lesse, & D-man

Grapevine Texas and the Reasons to ESCAPE there.

So sometimes in the midst of all this holiday hustle and bustle, you think about just wanting to escape, or at least I know I do.  What if you could escape and still take care of some your holiday traditions, holiday shopping, and kick back and relax. 

Grapevine Texas, the Christmas Capitol of Texas, also sits right in the heart of the fifth largest wine producing state in United States; I know need I say more?  Well now probably not, but I am going to give you a list of six reasons that will make you itching to escape to Grapevine Texas. 

Dallas Texas from behind my Missouri Lens

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

Amidon Memorial Conservation Area in the Fall

Yesterday afternoon, the kiddos, my Gal Pal Carissa, her kiddo Abs, and I all decided we would take a last minute road trip to Amidon Memorial Conservation Area near Fredericktown, MO.  

With our bags full of snacks, my camera, and backseat full of giggly kids we hit the road for an Adventure.  I have been to Amidon Memorial Conservation Area (also known as Pink Rock) several times, but always during the summer to enjoy the “natural water-slides”.  My goal for this trip was to shoot some amazing photos of our kiddos, well after one tumble into the water, a wet camera, fear I had lost my Iphone I had total success!  

My photos are all shot with Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP  Digital SLR with 18-mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode.  Often people ask me how I get such amazing photos and how much did I invest in my camera, to be honest my camera is quite affordable.  The average retail price is around $450 with the standard lens; the camera is a great camera for on the go and beginner photographers.

Escape to Marquand, MO

I often refer to my visits to Marquand, MO as escaping back home; I grew up only a few miles down the road from this little town and know many of the folks there.

A few years back I “accidentally” visited Marquand on my way to a tractor show, what I mean by accidently is I was headed through there and happened upon their Annual Pioneer Days, and just had to stop for the fun of it. Since my accident visit, I continue to go back, and go back, and well I call Marquand my personal sweet escape, because really there is nothing like driving down their backcountry road and rolling into Marquand.  Continue to Read More 

4 Kid Pleasing Stops in Kansas City

Spend the day amongst the animals at the Kansas City Zoo. Get face to face with Nikita the Polar Bear, watch as the 800-pound bear practices his backstroke. After spending hour’s well maybe not hours, but my kiddos spent thirty minutes or more admiring Nikita, head over to be greeted by eight-year-old Sumatran Tiger brothers Manis and Langka. The big kitty cats have a brand new habitat on Tiger Trail that they are proud to show off. Next, stop the catch the amusing, comical, yet very intelligent Sea Lions. This group of Sea Lions put on an amazing show that kept my four year old not only still, but begging for more thirty minutes.
The Kansas City Zoo not only gives you that up close and personal feeling to the animals, but also offers unique ways to see the animals. Several of the animals’ habitats are open and children are able to pet the animals or feed them. The Kangaroos, however, are in a field at a distance, but open range giving you a feel that you are actually in Australia.  Continue to Read More

6 Family friendly attractions in Independence, MO

In the historical town of Independence, MO located just outside of Kansas City, you can make history come to life and enjoy history as a family. Independence has a unique Mormon history, many of the frontier settlers passed through here, and Independence was home to our 33^rd President Harry S Truman "The Buck Stops Here."

 Discovering the Life of our 33^rd President

The Harry S Truman Library and Museum brings history down to a child’s level. A majority of the Truman Library and Museum is aimed toward the older visitors and bringing the history and events surrounding the Truman Presidency. However, tucked away on the lower level of the museum is the “Harry S. Truman: His Live and Times” exhibit. This area is perfectly designed to enlighten the brains of those who are not old enough to remember Truman’s famous line “Buck Stops Here”. There is four interactive stations giving children the opportunity to learn what it was like when Truman was a Postmaster. Children can make their own campaign buttons, unlock the secrets to Harry Truman’s jobs, and dress up and pretend to be President Truman.  Continue to read more

Living it Up at the Munger Moss on the Route 66 in Lebanon, MO

While I am not a Hotel Snob I will say I am the first to pull into a Holiday Inn or other big name hotel.  Why I don’t know I often spend days in cabins, tree houses, or other odd lodging facilities, but I forget about the old Ma & Pop Motels.  

Well I was recently invited to visit the Munger Moss Motel on the Route 66 in Lebanon, MO.  While making my decision rather or not I could travel that week, I was flipping through the motel’s website and glancing over photos, hey we all check out the place before we go right.  Well the first thing that caught my eye was the Munger Moss Motel sign; it looks similar to the hotels & motels on the well-known child’s film Cars.

 

Well it all worked out and I had my opportunity to head to Lebanon, MO (was I ever glad, I was flying SOLO & needed the vacation).  The Munger Moss Motel was exactly as I had pictured it, yes folks this is a true Ma & Pop Motel, but guess what that’s what makes it so perfect.  

The Munger Moss Motel looks like what I would envision the motel my Mom and Dad stayed at on their honeymoon 42 years ago.  The sign was as neon as you could get, the rooms had those funky colors and mismatched tile, the bedding well lets pull out that tacky pink color and add some silk to it…I think we have “Motel No-Tell”…just kidding!  (I will add the rooms may have been a bit retro, but they were VERY clean)

What really sets the Munger Moss apart from many of the “big chain” motels and hotels is the personal service.  I had the opportunity to get to visit with  Ramona Lehman, her husband Bob and her have owned Munger Moss for nearly 42 years. Ramona shared with us how much times have changed on the Route 66, in the motel business, and the types of travelers she often gets.  

Main Street Music Hall Osage Beach Missouri

Tonight we attended a show at Main Street Music Hall in Osage Beach Missouri....all I can say is WOW what a show!  The kids were in enthralled, I was amazed, and the music was great! 

Momma buys a NEW 2012 Honda Civic

I know several of my readers, most of my friends, and of course, all my family had recently heard about my recent MISHAP with my little red car….it was TRAGIC, I was HEARTBROKEN, and my car was DEAD.

With summer upon us, and gas prices not being cheap I was on a mission to find an affordable, conservative (yet semi-flashy), and most importantly family car. 

100 Mile Yard Sale on Highway 25 in Missouri

Okay so who can seriously refuse a 100 miles of bargains, well I know this Missouri Gal cannot!  For the past few years, my Gal Pals and I have been loading up our vehicles with our gang of kiddos and hitting the 100-mile yard sale that runs from Jackson, MO to Kennett, MO on highway 25. 
Many would say oh this is just another yard sale, but until you actually experience the 100-mile yard sale, and really experience it with kids along you cannot truly appreciate this hilariously fun event. READ MORE

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City

Have you all heard that we now have our very own LEGOLAND in Missouri?  I know right, I am so excited, and already have plans to visit there soon!  My little man has just learned what LEGOS are all about and can build some frightful looking creations, so I can’t wait to see his face at LEGOLAND. 

LEGOLAND officially opened April 29, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri adding another popular kid friendly attraction to the beautiful town of Kansas City....Continue to Read More.  

Forest Park in St Louis, MO

Spend the day or week at Forest Park St Louis, MO. It it always utterly amazing when you discover what you have been missing at a place you have visited countless times. I have probably visited the St Louis Zoo more times than the number of years I am old, but never have I take the time to discover anything else inside Forest Park St Louis, MO.

Over the past weekend, I planned a trip with my family and my Gal Pal’s family to head north to the Zoo, with a combo of kids and my husband chauffeuring us around we knew this would be a fun day.
Continue to Read More

The Tricks of Frequent Travel...Save your SANITY

This past weekend I was on a trip, which I cannot share the entire secret yet about, with one of my dearest longest friends.  While we giggling and really just relaxing (both full-time mommas) she asked me to borrow some shampoo.  I handed it over, and she said “I knew I would be safe with a professional traveler” I of coursed laughed it off, as I am no professional, just have a love to be on the go. 

However, it is no lie sometimes my suitcase does not get unpacked completely before I am repacking it for the next adventure.  Especially this last month as I was juggling Lesse’s cheer, and family adventures in a jam-packed six-weeks…it is a good thing I love my car, because I have spent some quality time with it lately. 

Over the past few months, I have traveled with a variety of people; my family, my gal pal, and even a fellow momma juggling a couple crazy kids.  Each trip someone says to me how do you remember what all to put inside your suitcase, well honestly it has just become the normal to me.  However, as normal I have a few secrets that make it easier, especially if you travel more than just once a year.