Springfield trip

Charles had a CLE/conference in Springfield, Missouri, this year, so he decided that he would take the family and turn it into a vacation. While Charles was in his classes, the kids and I explored Springfield. The first day, Thursday, June 19th, we went on an animal safari. I drove the kids through the park and rolled the windows down so that they could feed the animals. The first animal we saw was this ostrich. The kids were so scared that they crouched down in the front seat so that the ostrich wouldn't see them. This first picture is of the ostrich looking into the car at Charlie on the floorboard of the front seat. By the end of the safari, Charlie and Jane Gray were feeding the animals out of their hand, even the ostrich. Charlie's favorite animals were the bulls; Jane Gray liked the deer and emus. Thursday afternoon, we went to the Bass Pro shop and saw lots of fish, turtles, and snakes. We even got to see the fish being fed by a diver. The next day, I took the kids to the Discovery Museum. We had so much fun that the kids didn't want to leave. Mommy, however, was exhausted, and, after lunch with Daddy, we crashed at the hotel for naps. We left early the next morning so that Mommy and Daddy could be back home in time to attend "An Evening with the Mannings". Thanks for the tickets, Aunt Nicki!