Ahhh, my children. Hard to believe that Belle turned six in June and Ben turned 18 in June! I can't believe I have an 18 year old! I don't feel older. Dan and I will celebrate 21 years of marriage in August and in September, we will have been "together" for 26 years! I am glad we started young or I would feel old!
So, we started the summer with Ben coming to England for 2 weeks before we all headed back to the states. We arrived to find it hot and sunny. We got the boat ready, had a cookout and headed for Missouri for a week of tubing and fishing. Along the way we were able to stop and visit with my grandparents and go to Bass Pro Shops in Springfield Missouri. Our week there with family and friends went very fast. We caught lots of fish and tubed every afternoon. Nobody got hurt and we all enjoyed ourselves. We even fit in a day at Silver Dollar City. We went back to Illinois where Dan returned to work and the kids and I visited with family and friends.
Table Rock Lake and the good life! I wish every day was this relaxing.
Yes, this is Caleb standing up while tubing! My middle child can be somewhat extreme with his tubing skills. Luckily, his best buddy, Weston Kinsinger, matches him stunt for stunt. They can be pretty much inseparable. We took him along for the week in Missouri, and Weston, you are a wonderful kid and I could take you anywhere! He is very easy going and ready to do anything. Thank you Weston for helping make our week that much more enjoyable!
Bella with Grandma Lucy!
Ellen and Vicki outside of their cabins.
Some fun times off the dock. Yes, that is Caleb again!
Dave, Dawn, Jess and Vicki on the boat
Missouri has gotten a ton of rain this spring and my Mom's yard was saturated. We didn't find this out until after we had parked the boat in her yard and the wheels sunk. I then had to drive the SUV in 4 wheel drive to pull the boat out. You can see the tracks behind Weston. We then all took our shoes off and tried to push the ruts back down. My mom wasn't even at home in Missouri when we did this! I'm So Sorry MOM! We had to get it out once it was in. But never again. We will check first the next time. (Yes, there will be a next time) :)
Below is the family at my sisters camper on the lake outside of Galesburg. We went for a cookout and some fishing. Everyone went for a swim before dinner. Lots of fun. The one on the left is my niece who is getting married the end of September.
My mom enjoying the swimming
Belle fishing on Table Rock.
Molly, her dog, Yukon and Belle in the family room at home.
Ah, to be at home.
Many days of swimming in our pool and having friends over to visit.
Maggie & Joanna Strubhar with Belle
Dan's parents new camper set-up. Their old one burnt to the ground in the spring. Thankfully, they had just gotten home when they received a phone call that their camper was burning. It was electrical they found out. We went out and had a nice relaxing day of eating and fishing.
Tubing on Clinton Lake! This is somewhat extreme. That is Caleb flying through the air on the left. This was after a thunderstorm and the wind was still quite strong. He never fell off after an hour of this stuff!
Oh, did I mention, we like to FISH! Caleb with his bass.
Dan and Caleb on the Cable Car crossing over Amber Valley. You had to get on one of these to get over to the Park. At the park they had two underground caverns that you tour, an ice cream shack, a restaurant, exhibitions, fossil factory, gift shop and two play areas. The Heights of Abraham opened in 1780 and visitors from all over the world come to ride on Britian's first Cable Car. I know that in 2008, the Henderson's, the Americans, were there!
The Cable Car up close and we are on the next ones in. Going over is an uphill climb. Not to bad of a trip. Beautiful scenery of the Amber Valley and the village Matlock Bath.
Caleb and Bella in a small impression in the rock outside the cavern.
The beginning of our 1/2 hour walk through the cavern. It was mostly downhill to begin with and that means....... stairs to get out! We had 160 stairs total. The last 80 are all at one time! Daylight shining at the end of the staircase keeps you going!
People coming down on the other side of the Cable Car.
Dan and Belle headed back down the walk to get to the park after exiting the cavern.
The view outside the cavern on the side of the hill. Notice the castle on the opposite side?
Yes, Dan is bent over at the waist. I have to say that while we were walking, he was bent over most of the time! I love situations when being short comes in handy. I, of course, did not have to bend over once, nor Caleb, but he didn't like that being pointed out to him. He is still "not" patiently waiting for his growth spurt to happen. :)
The Village of Matlock Bath! Wow! There were so many shops, cars and motorcycles! Looks like a great place to spend the day shopping. The picture below is another picture of Matlock Bath.
Caleb in the Cable Car heading down this time. It was quite fast and much scarier than going up the cables.
I must say, it didn't make my stomach woosy, but it was much more disturbing riding on this small cable, going downhill, at a fast rate of speed. It was over fast, and all we could do is imagine all the different positions that Dan's mom (love you mom) would have found in the car, trying to hide. She doesn't like heights, bridges, fast boats...... that kind of thing. If you are timid about heights, at all, this is not for you! 
