Disney World 2019

We enjoyed a trip to Disney World this month!  This would be considered our summer vacation, since we generally try to go on vacation when everyone else is in school.  While we don't necessarily homeschool through the summer, we do not typically travel anywhere since things are busy and it is hot.  We had a great time, spending 5 days at the parks.  Here are a few pictures of our fun week!

First & last ride always involved the bus.  WDW does a pretty good job of transportation.  It was nice to just hop on the bus and go from place to place. 

The Lego Store at Disney Springs.

That's a LOT of Legos. 

Disney's Animal Kingdom. 

It was SO hot.  Look at this red face... 

Epcot... 

We interrupt this vacation for laundry... 

It was terribly crowded, even in February.  

I cannot imagine trying to go in the summer, it must be nuts. 

The People Mover in Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom... 

We went to the Luau at the Polynesian Resort.  

It was really fun!

Toy Story Land, Hollywood Studios 

Our resort (the All Star Music) had Guitar Hero in the Lobby.

This became a favorite... 

An Unexpected Detour….

Our lives took a detour last week when James' father, Jim passed away without warning.  It was completely unexpected.  We drove out early last Sunday morning, in a blizzard, and traveled intensely all the way to California to unite with family.  We are all saddened by the loss and I think many haven't fully processed the enormity of what has occurred.  The funeral was a lovely celebration of his life and we were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people who came to pay their respects and offer support.  While this was a sad reason that we went California it was also a wonderful opportunity to see so many loved ones we haven't visited in a long while.  I personally met many extended family members for the first time and was blessed with an opportunity to spend more time with those that I had met before years earlier.  It is not coincidental I think that funerals become family reunions.  There were tears, yes, but also much laughter and rejoicing as we gathered together and counted our many blessings.  

We will miss Gramdaddy but are confident that we will meet again in eternity.

Finding Clarinda...

I've been working sporadically on my geneology.

I love it when my dad comes to visit because we can usually convince the other to do some pretty interesting things.  Like drive 2 hours to a lonely cemetery...just because.  On this last trip we finally discovered where one of our lost relatives were buried.  In an unmarked, completely abandoned cemetery in the middle of a forest.  To get there, we parked our car along a small dirt road in Nebo, MO.  We used our GPS... climbed through a barbed wire fence (it didn't say no trespassing-so here in MO that is an open invite!  LOL) We hiked through a forested area...down into a deep ravine, crossed a creek bed...way back up another big hill...across a cow pasture (watch where you step!)...and back into the woods...  And here is what we found. 
The ruins of Chatham Cemetery.  

We knew that Clarinda was in an unmarked grave...  so we never technically found her... but we found so many lost and abandoned graves.  The cemetery has been reclaimed by the woods.  An amazing sight to see and depressing at the same time.  What happened to the families of all these other people?  They were sons, daughters, parents.  I just find it incredible that they are not missed by somebody...anybody.

 

Chatham Cemetery, Nebo, MO

Road Trip'n (again)

 I'm always game for a good road trip.  I think my Mom is too or she wouldn't agree to go with me time after time.  So, off we went, on a road trip, to visit Papa in Virginia.  No trip is complete without a self portrait.  Which gets harder and harder the more people we add to it...but we made it work!

 It was a rough first day.  Maggie kept yanking out her ponytail (and hair!) and was giving me the "how could you torture me with a road trip" kind of face....

 Kayley did what she does best.  Watches movies and sucks her thumb.

 oh, look!  There is my new car!

 We stopped at a tourist info center and Kayley found a bug.  Which the docent there promply scooped into a bag and told Kayley she could take it home and have it.  Uhm...Ew.  Kayley thought it was great.

 It took two days but we finally made it!  Yay!

 We saw this cool double decker bridge somewhere in Frankfort, Kentucky.

 And this is the side of a truck.

So!  There are more posting than can be contained on this page, so make sure that if you want to see MORE of our adventures that you click the "older Postings" link at the bottom!

National Mall

 We headed down to the National Mall...and we were pretty excited this day that Daddy would be arriving to spend a few days with us!  Doesn't Papa look excited?

 I'm excited (look, that is the Potomac river out the window).

 Yup...everyone in the backseat is pretty excited!

There is this obnoxiously long bridge that crosses the river...it is actually pretty freaky.  You can feel it move and shake, and of course...not stopping.  So, here we are stuck in traffic on the bridge.  Haha.

 Look!  The 'National Waste Water place'..

(Yes-THAT is where the President and First Lady's poo goes!)

 Iwo Jima Monument.  

Who knew that it was in the middle of a bunch of traffic?

 The Air Force Memorial.

 The Pentagon off in the distance.

 Waiting for Daddy at the airport.

 After we picked up Daddy...(sorry-no picture, my hands were full!)...

we headed to the Pentagon Mall where we took the metro to the National Mall.

 

Papa. 

Look, the capitol!

The Grotto.  A pretty, cool, little resting spot on the capitol grounds.

We stopped in the National Arboretum for a few minutes and we were pretty excited when we walked in to spy a cacoa tree!  We've been studying chocolate for several weeks!  (More to come on that later).

Washington Monument in the background...

 Look, here comes the president!  He always travels in an entourage of 3 helicopters.  They are going to land on the lawn of the White House nearby.