Signature St. Louis

There are some things that are definable about St. Louis. Most notable for all is probably the Arch. 

The Jefferson Expansion Museum is currently closed/relocated to the Old Courthouse, which turned out to be really interesting. It is the courthouse where the first Dred Scott trial took place. Cami had just been studying about the westward expansion and slavery in school and she was fascinated. 

 The girls did the Junior Ranger program both at the Arch and at the Courthouse - and got sworn in as "junior national park rangers." It was pretty awesome - considering their dad started his college career intending to be a park ranger! 

If you are a true fan of baseball, another iconic St. Louis landmark is Busch Stadium,home of the Cardinals. If you are from St. Louis and a baseball fan, it's a pilgrimage and a homecoming all rolled into one. 

 Cami had the best ever escort to her first Cardinals game - besides her dad! Cousin Stephen, Uncle Mike, and Uncle Tony! 

Two St. Louis signatures all rolled into one

And what would a Midwest ballgame be without a rain delay or two! My little California girl was a trooper - the smile never left her face....

The day culminated with the final signature St. Louis venue - Uncle Mike's house for dinner. Uncle Mike and Aunt Kathy's house is where we all always seem to end up. It's the place I first met the Yingling clan, and the place our big kids always wanted to hang out at every time we visited. 

 Katie felt right at home with her peeps

 and decided that Steven's beard and mustache were "really soft and really black" 

 so she needed a mustache just like his! 

 BBQ'ing under an umbrella is simply foreign to me but I suppose that if you live here, if you want to BBQ, you improvise - a lot. 

But the pinnacle of Uncle Mike's house - the absolute thing that sets it apart...is Uncle Mike's basement. 

Its where the kids ALWAYS wind up. Even though there have been no adolescents /teens/little kids living in the house for 10+ years, it's where those kids always congregate. 

The third round of Yingling kids setting up shop in the basement. 

Our St. Louis signature icon day. 

I love that my kids embraced them all!