Pfeiffer Family News

St Louis Butterfly House

2009-09-12T16:48:00.003-05:00

The gang visited the Butterfly House for a little family outing. More than a thousand live tropical butterflies fly freely in the glass conservatory- there are so many, you have to be careful where you walk. The girls absolutely loved it!

Julia was brave enough to stick her head in the glass bubble to watch the beetles. Yuk. Climbing on the catapillar outside the glass atrium.

Backyard Fun

2009-08-08T17:54:00.007-05:00

Thank goodness for a sprinkler on a hot, summer day!

Oh, the joys of a stick and a rock.

Evelyn, the wild jungle girl

Julia made a new friend, Slinky the Frog. Good thing frogs don't like to sleep in human beds...

Play Date

2009-07-30T16:38:00.006-05:00

A little play time at the park behind our house: Ellie and Evy loved to race!

hmmmm..... Gabe is such a kid!

Boone County Fair 2009

2009-07-30T16:07:00.005-05:00

The kids had a lot of fun at the Boone County Fair. Jake and Gabe ate deep-fried oreos (they skipped the deep-fried baloney sandwiches... yuk!).

Talking to the bunnies.Gabe didn't make one basket! And poor Evy didn't get her stuffed Marge Simpson doll (Melissa was so sad).

Having a blast on the teacups!Our little farmer

St. Louis Zoo

2009-07-30T15:58:00.002-05:00

Note to all: never go to the free St. Louis Zoo on a weekend during summer. It took FOREVER to find parking. But the zoo is quite beautiful with tons of animals to discover.
That's a big kitty.

Friends at Last!

2009-07-26T16:17:00.008-05:00

Yippee, Gabe and Melissa came to visit! We couldn't think of anything better than to take them first to Cape Girardeau, Home of the Throwed Roll, and the Mississippi River.Julia, in front of the old court house (where Mark Twain sat and wrote his stories)What a bunch of beautiful girls!Little prairie girls pretending to pick berriesJulia says her favorite thing about Gabe and Melissa visiting was catching fireflies. She caught eight by herself!

at the fountain

2009-07-26T16:01:00.001-05:00

There are a few fountains around town that provide hours of laughs and giggles. We frequent them often :)

On the Road

2009-07-26T14:06:00.005-05:00

For our five year anniversary, Jake and I decided to take a road trip to Nashville, TN. We dropped the girls off with the Meadors and headed across Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Some beautiful back roadsDowntown Nashville on the Cumberland River

We stayed at the Opryland Hotel which had amazing indoor gardens- very convenient for romantic strolls.

Jake counting the records at the Country Music Hall of Fame

Watching the line-dancing at the Wildhorse Saloon

We met up with Jake's cousins, Gino, Karen and little Elizabeth
Rocking away while waiting for our table at Cracker Barrel

July 4th

2009-07-26T13:39:00.004-05:00

For the holiday weekend, we visited the Meadors gang down in Cape Girardeau. This was our first time experiencing the fun of legal fireworks.

Showing off their lootThe very patriotic Meadors Family (minus Nathan)

Watching the neighbor's fireworks display

Julia absolutely loved the sparklers

Fun in the sun

Ellie and Nathan

A Few Old Easter Pics

2009-07-25T09:11:00.000-05:00

Grandma Gaye was able to visit us this easter for some egg hunting fun.

Favorite Activities

2009-07-24T17:37:00.000-05:00

Columbia is a great family town with tons to do in and right outside of the city. Here are some of our documented favorites:

Osage Beach at Lake of the OzarksRiding the Ferris Wheel & Train and Playing Games at Miner Mikes Taking long walks and riding bikes on Katy Trail (it runs all across Missouri)

Sweet Sisters

It's Been Awhile....

2009-07-24T16:52:00.000-05:00

Due to requests from family and friends, I'm updating the Pfeiffer Family blog with lots of pictures. Here are a few of our litttle house in Columbia:Jake very pleasantly posed for the living room pictures.Another shot of the living room (notice Jake playing on-line poker:)

Julia and Elise's bedroom

Playing in our little backyard

Beautiful Snowy Day?

2009-01-28T13:05:00.000-06:00

Usually I love the magic of a fresh snow, how it transforms everything old and ugly into something pristine. But this snow storm caused a bit of damage...

The view from the front porch was just gorgeous, until we looked over at the barn:

One would think a barn just a few years old could withstand a few inches of frozen rain and snow.

I think the car is keeping the barn from completely collapsing. Who needs a new car anyway?

Our New Temporary Home

2008-12-28T14:12:00.000-06:00

Mark and Bethany purchased a new home, and so we moved with them (at least for now). Here are some photos of the mansion on a hill :) Our neighbors happen to be Rush Limbaugh's only brother, David and his family (we have yet to meet Rush, but they did have Dick Cheney as their dinner guest the week we moved in). Their kids have become great friends with the Meadors kids.
The view from the front porch

Orchard Fairies

2008-12-12T20:09:00.000-06:00

It's cold. It's foggy, but playing outside is still a must.

Autumn Beauty

2008-11-05T00:43:00.000-06:00

I have to say, as humid and muggy as it can get in summer, it's all worth it in fall: crisp, cool, and colorful!

A play-day at Capaha Park.

Party #2

2008-11-05T00:25:00.001-06:00

Julia turns 3... again. We couldn't pass up her real birthday without another celebration. More cake, more Littlest Petshops, more fun.

Playmobil,Ponies and cake, what could be better?

Yummy purple frosting

Julia's very own dolphin playmobil set. Yipee!

A Little Piece of Home

2008-10-20T00:07:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we visited the local apple ranch for their annual "Harvest Days"festival. No where near as picturesque as Sierra Glen, but still lots of fun for the whole family.

Julia, the cowgirl, on her first horsie-ride

Our sweetie-pumpkin

Should I eat an apple or a corndog, hmmm....

julia turns 3!

2008-10-06T14:46:00.001-05:00

We decided to throw an October birthday party while Gary and Joyce were still here: Julia and Nathan both turn 3 in a few weeks, and Gary turns 62 on October 15th.
Just looking...

Nathan just can't wait to eat his yummy cupcake.

Nathan couldn't contain himself... a new geotrax train!!

Julia showing off her new Littlest Petshops and My Little Ponies

I'm three! (in a few weeks)

Hanging out with Grandma Joycie

2008-10-04T20:39:00.000-05:00

It's been so fun to have Joyce around this past month (a whole month!). We were very sad to see her and Gary go yesterday... Here are a few memories:

Swimming at the neighborhood pool

Cold Cousins

Silly, silly

Cooking up something special

Even Ellie is helping

Going on a group walk

Bathtime fun

Story time fun

We love you grandma!

Fair Time

2008-09-20T07:38:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we took the girls to the Cape Girardeau District Fair. Very similar to every other fair I've been to except for a few special, extravagant treats: fried oreos, fried twinkies, and fried snickers. We watched in awe as they dipped the fat encrusted twinkie in hot oil and hand it to the next customer... couldn't quite get ourselves to try this delightful dessert, but I'm sure they're quite tasty...

It was great to have Grandma Joycie around - there's always lots of laughter.

Julia's winnings from the duck game.

Date Night With Julia

2008-09-19T20:13:00.000-05:00

We took Julia out for "special Julia time" with Mommy and Daddy. We played along the river then ate at one of our favorite restaurants: Buckner's Brewery. It has great river views, and more importantly, it's extremely kid friendly. They give kids a themed activity packet: pirate sticker scene, coloring sheet & crayons, and pirate cup- makes for a very enjoyable dinner and a very special Julia time.

First Day of School

2008-09-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

Had to document Jake and Julia's firsts...

(This is for Jason and Gabe)

Since Bethany was starting homeschool with the three older kids, I started preschool homeschool with Nathan and Julia.

Around the House

2008-08-29T17:54:00.001-05:00

My mom asked me what we do around the house, so I tried to capture a few different activities.

This is our house... for now

Our Neighborhood: Whispering Oaks

We play outside,

play inside (they have a massive toy room!),

eat,

dress up and shoot "bad guys,"

play with Ellie,

give Uncle Jake foot rubs,

and do A LOT of P90X... go Mark!

Do I Contradict Myself?

2008-08-19T15:26:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite poets is Walt Whitman. I don't necessarily agree with most of his philosophizing, but he writes it so beautifully. One quote, in particular, has always been a favorite of mine: "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes" (from Leaves of Grass). It always gave me an excuse to change my mind, but now, after having two baby girls, it has a whole new meaning for me.

We spend the whole first 18 months of a child's life playing peek-a-boo (what's behind the hands? oh, it's Mommy!) and reading them lift the flap books (what's behind this door? oh, a cow? Open this drawer... look, a kitty!). Their whole life at that point is full of surprises (what's under your shirt? Oh, your belly... tickle, tickle!) Then, when they get to the fantastic age of two, we tell them: "now, don't open this kitchen drawer; these are Mommy's special things," "don't go behind this door; it's off limits!" "if you open this cupboard again, you'll get a spanking!". Poor kids. To them, under every couch, in every bathroom drawer, inside every no-no box waits a surprise just calling out to be discovered (just like we taught them for 18 straight months- such great learners! such good listeners!). Do I contradict myself?

Since we've arrived at Mark and Bethany's, Julia (with her new buddy in tow) has explored every possible nook and cranny of this house. She's scavenged through bathroom drawers to find all kinds of goodies, wiping them all over herself and Nathan in the process (yeah, for Desitin; it's not easy to clean off of anything, especially carpet). She's emptied countless no-no drawers -to poor Jordan's dismay. And our favorite- she and Nathan decided to strip naked and use Jordan's special art pens to write all over their little bodies. That was also fun to clean. Every day there's a new mess and a new no-no, and we're loving every minute.

Trail of Tears Park

2008-08-14T08:10:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, we went to Trail of Tears Park just outside of Cape. The park has hiking trails, camping sites, and lookouts over the Mississippi river. We tried to hike a trail, but the trails didn't accommodate strollers (what kind of park is this?), and Jake got everyone freaked out about Poison Ivy... we were all convinced that every plant we touched would poison us. So we decided to forgo our hiking adventure and have a relaxing picnic by the lake. Here's our photoshoot:

Views of the River and Illinois Floodplain

Sweet Sisters

Things You Won't Find In Missouri

2008-08-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

Toilet Seat Covers in Public Restrooms- Living at the ranch, I hated how strict the Tuolumne County Health Department was; now, I'm wishing they were here.

Sprinkler Systems - (no need- thunderstorms all year round)

Someone in a hurry (good 'ol Southern hospitality- everyone will tell you their life story: the cashier, the concierge, the storage unit manager...)

Things You Will Find in Missouri:

Fried Alligator and Okra
Kangaroos on trampolines (seriously, our neighbor has camels, donkeys, antelope and a trampoline in the kangaroo cage)
Same labels, different names. Here's a little game; can you guess the California name for the following items?

Julia showing off her first bite of fried gator tail

A Night on the Town

2008-08-11T12:13:00.000-05:00

On Friday night Mark & Bethany, Mark's partner and his wife, and Jake & I went out for dinner at N'Orleans, an amazing restaurant near the Mississippi. Mark's hospital's fitness center had a "kids night out" and offered babysitting for all of the kids (Jake and I paid a whopping $2 each for Elise and Julia for 3 hours!).

Enjoying dinner

Mark drinking a PINK martini

The view from Cape Girardeau's old courthouse- where Mark Twain sat and wrote his stories.

Home of the Throwed Roll

2008-08-10T08:39:00.000-05:00

Joseph Catching a Throwed Roll

While Joseph and Alissa were still visiting, we all experienced Lambert's, "Home of the Throwed Roll" where dining etiquette is left at the door. Servers stroll through the restaurant with a cart of hot rolls; if you want one, you simply stand and hold up your hands. Sometimes the roll makes it, sometimes not. Our particular roll-thrower didn't have the most accurate arm, and many rolls intended for us landed on other diners' tables- Julia was even hit in the shoulder. They come around with sorghum molasses and hot apple butter for the rolls, fried okra and black-eyed peas as appetisers. The simple, home-town cooking is delicious and plentiful (we had leftovers for three days after), and it's definitely an experience we'll remember .

Norman Rockwell Moment

2008-08-08T08:25:00.000-05:00

Last night we decided to order sandwiches and eat them in the park. There were a hundred or so townspeople standing and singing the national anthem just as we arrived- it happened to be the last concert-in-the-park of the summer. We sat on our blanket, having our picnic, listening to great music, and enjoying the park scene at dusk. There's a ball field there where the old men of the town, nicknamed the "hecklers," actually truck their couches to a hillside above the field each week and root on their favorite teams. It reminded me of visiting Jodi's Grandma and Grandpa Brown in Walnut Creek when we were young. Grandpa Rol would take us to Heather Farms Park to roller-blade while he'd sit in the bleachers with his friends and watch ball games for hours. These simple moments are truly magical and straight from a Norman Rockwell painting.

St. Louis Excursion

2008-08-06T09:44:00.001-05:00

Fun times at the FREE St. Louis Zoo

Ellie is way into wearing hats right now :)

Mark's praying his chin never looks like this.

Super Dad: The backpack, stroller, and baby carrier!

Riverboat Ride on the Mississippi

The city of St. Louis in all its grandeur... We all rode a tram up into that skinny arch- wish I would have read reviews before making that decision. After waiting in line in the hot, humid sun, we entered the arena at the base of the arch and waited in another line, and then another- thankfully, Julia was in an entertaining mood and kept all of us preoccupied with songs and dancing. When the doors of our tram finally opened, we (Jake, Joseph, Alissa, Julia, Elise and I) were quite surprised to all be ushered into a 3'x4' compartment with a tiny slit of a window. Talk about claustrophobic. All of the Meadors fit into their own compartment, how, I don't know. We were all expecting a glass elevator type of ride. Instead, we felt as though we were about to be ejected into space. Was it worth the experience? hmmm

Having fun Joseph?

Discovering the Mighty Mississippi

2008-08-06T07:18:00.000-05:00

The river is much bigger than I imagined- too big for Huck Finn and Jim's rafting adventure. The old town of Cape Girardeau, including the university where Jake will attend, sits right at the edge of the river and expands outward. There's a flood wall between the town and the river, which is a brilliant idea due to all of the thunderstorms. If you look across the river onto Illinois, you'll notice there isn't a wall; there's quite a bit of flooding there - not quite sure why they haven't caught on.

Downtown Cape Girardeau at Dusk

Murals of historical Missouri events are painted on the town-side of the flood wall.

Moving Day

2008-08-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

Eating a little goodbye cake with Sierra Glen employees: Dan the Man, Becky and Bethany- we'll miss you!

Unfortunately, we couldn't fit everything on our 15 foot truck. We had to sell our wonderful patio set and store various items at various houses. Gabe scored the guitar, which I think he's thoroughly enjoying. Thanks to all who helped!! After Jake and Joseph’s 36 hour road trip across the country (no stopping for sleep!) and the girls’ peaceful 3 ½ hour flight, we all made it to hot and humid Cape Girardeau with a very big welcome party.