Fun Visiting Family

Tonya and I just got back from visiting my parents in Joplin, MO. It had been almost eight months since the last time we had seen them, so we figured it was time. Once we arrived we realized that nine hours in a car is way to long to drive. For the last two hours of the drive Tonya couldn't sit still, was bouncing all over the passenger seat, and kept counting down the mile markers. Every single one.

Once we were settled it was nice to be down there and with my parents. The first night in town they took us to a great chicken wings place named Hackett's. I will tell you this, if you are ever in Joplin, you have to go there to eat. My Mom, Tonya and I shared 30 wings with three different flavors and I really couldn't decide which flavor was my favorite. They were all good.
The next day, Saturday, we traveled to Silver Dollar City. This place is a small amusement park down near Branson that has a few roller coasters and a bunch of shows. The day we had to enjoy the park was perfect. It was around 85 and low humidity, so standing in the shade you were comfortable. We enjoyed the roller coasters and the food and had a fun time walking around. After the park we got into the car to head home and decided to drive through Arkansas. The thing that's weird about the Joplin area to me is that you can drive through 3 different states in about a half a day. On our drive through Arkansas I realized that it is a state I don't need to visit again. Not that it's a bad state, but I don't need to see that many cows in one area again.
On Sunday we enjoyed a morning at my parents church and then went for a ride through the other two states that border Missouri near Joplin. We started heading to Oklahoma and ended our trip traveling through Kansas. Again there are a lot of cattle in these states, but they seem to be easier on the eye than Arkansas.

On Monday, we kept it pretty low key. We waited for my Mom to get out of work, then headed out for a short drive around town to do a little sight seeing closer to my parents house. In all we had a great time visiting my parents and even though the drive was long, I am sure we will visit sooner than later next time around.

One thing Tonya was extremely excited about was the recipe she got from my mother. It is a recipe for rice pudding and Tonya is already thinking about making it this weekend.

Also the school year is about to start for the both of us. Tonya is still teaching second grade. She is extremely excited about the year to start and tomorrow I am going in with her to work on her classroom to get it ready for the kids to start a week from Tuesday. I am starting classes as well on Sept. 8th. I am really excited myself, because I had to take a semester off and it was hard not being in class. I have been trying to stay on top of my writing and reading, but it isn't the same as being in the classroom. As usual I am not looking forward to being in a classroom with a bunch of young kids, but I am looking forward to the classwork.

I will try to keep you updated with our progress through the school year and I will also keep you updated with the exciting trip information that Tonya and I have this coming year.