Who's That Funny Bird?!?

On our way to take Brianna and Brenson to Little Blue Bible Camp outside of Kansas City, Missouri this year, we took the opportunity to do some sightseeing. Last year, we went to KC on Sunday morning to check them into camp on Sunday afternoon (stopping for worship on the way), and it was A LOT. This year, we did things differently!

The session of camp Bri and Bren are attending began on Sunday, July 13th (they're actually still there, and I can't wait to go pick them up tomorrow and hear all about everything). We left our house on Saturday, July 8th to go to Independence, Kansas to visit The Little House on the Prairie Museum. We arrived at the museum (after stopping for lunch at Arby's) around 12:30pm. 

Brooke and Brecklyn were so cute to remember their bonnets from visiting the Ingalls home in Minnesota a few years ago. Brianna - who wore her bonnet all around back then - wanted nothing to do with her bonnet this time :-(.

Brianna, Brecklyn, Brooke, and Bren inside a replica of the Ingalls Family cabin

Brecklyn and Brooke in the doorway of the cabin

Lovely grounds!

A replica of a covered wagon used by the Ingalls Family

Post Office

One room schoolhouse

The kids were amazed by the one room schoolhouse!

Bren and Daddy

Of course, the kids enjoyed watching the farm animals.

This is something we've been wanting to do for a while, so we were happy to finally get there!

Once we left the Little House on Prairie Museum, we drove to Lawrence, Kansas (about 2 1/2 hours) where we had a hotel reserved for the night. Of course, being home to the University of Kansas, Lawrence provided many, many opportunities for us to see the KU Jayhawk. After we had seen several, Brecklyn said, "Who's that funny bird we keep seeing?" 😂 I couldn't wait to text my parents and tell them what she said!

This year, Sadie is also going to LBBC, so the S family met us in Lawrence for dinner. We checked into our hotel, then walked about a mile to a ramen restaurant where we met up with them. After dinner, we took the opportunity to walk around Lawrence and enjoy photo ops with the "funny bird".

Funny bird or funny children?!?

Miss C has always been Bri's baby!

As we were walking around (seeing all kinds of crazy things because it was Saturday night in a college town), we spotted an ice cream shop. Chris and Ross took the kids to get ice cream, while Tia and I went to the store next door to buy specialized *non-alcoholic* drinks. We got several varieties of root beer and cream soda to try. 

Then, we met up with our cute kids and husbands enjoying ice cream. 

Bren, Bri, Brooke, and Caroline

Sadie and Brecklyn

Ross and Chris

We're not sure what exactly happened while we were gone, but apparently Ross took up smoking 😂.

Once we finished with ice cream, we parted ways for the evening.

Walking back to our hotel in Lawrence, Kansas

The next morning (Sunday), we all went to Bible class and worship in Olathe, Kansas. We ate lunch at a yummy Italian restaurant with the Halls before we all caravanned out to Little Blue to get our kids dropped off at camp. I'll do a separate post all about camp in a few days. 

We drove back to Olathe for worship that evening after getting the kids settled. Chris had made plans to work in his office in Overland Park on Monday and Tuesday, so we checked into a hotel near his office in OP. 

On Monday morning, Chris took an Uber to work from our hotel so we could have the van for the day. Brooke, Brecklyn, and I met Ross, Tia, and Caroline at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead for a day of adventure. 

Brecklyn admiring the windmill

Brecklyn, Brooke, and Caroline with the teepee

The animals are always a favorite!

Learning to work inside the teepee!

The grounds were so interesting!

Our favorite part of the day was when we were able to pet and feed the goats. Brooke definitely found a new friend!

Caroline was pretty unsure at first, but she warmed-up eventually.

Brecklyn couldn't get enough of the goats!

The goat in the photo below loved Brooke and followed her all around . . .

. . . and kept eating her shirt!

We were even able to take a little hayride. I was laughing because I wondered what people thought of Ross with two women and three children, haha.

Watching a blacksmith work

The girls were able to hold some of the blacksmith's work.

Before we ended our visit, we walked around a lovely botanical garden on the grounds. 

Ross, Tia, and Caroline headed back to Oklahoma once we left the Children's Farmstead, while Brooke, Brecklyn, and I went back to our hotel. We had a little rest time, then Chris got back to the hotel from work. We decided to take the girls to The Plaza area of KCMO to sightsee and eat at Chuy's. 

It was a perfect evening for walking around, so we parked the van and enjoyed exploring.

The girls weren't sure what to think of all the fountains. So many questions, haha!

The beautiful KC Plaza

Brooke and Brecklyn

So many pretty sites!

It honestly felt really strange to be there with only two children, but I was determined to make the best of our time :-).

💜💜💜

Chris went into the office again on Tuesday morning, but the girls and I were pretty tuckered out from all the sightseeing and running around we had been doing over the past several days. We slept in a bit, then the girls decided they wanted to go swimming before we had to check out of our hotel. They had a blast swimming and were sad when they had to get out so we could get checked out on time.

Once we got everything packed up and checked out, we went to eat lunch. Then, it was time to pick up Daddy from work so we could drive home that afternoon. 

It feels like we just got home from KC (because it's kind of true!), but I am heading back tomorrow with Tia to pick the kids up from camp. I can't wait to hear all about their week! I hope they've been having as much fun as us!