Trip installment #3

 Our next stop was Independence Missouri.  We went to the Visitors Center there and they had a lot of fun things there for the kids to do.

 We stayed here for quite awhile and just let the kids let loose!

 Jed and Drew played checkers and the girls and I played "pioneers." 

 We went through the Reorganized Church's temple or the Community of Christ as it is now called.  Pretty interesting. 

I felt like Independence is kind of like what Palmyra, New York, was when Joseph Smith lived there.  There is a lot of religious excitement there.  Different churches all over the place and just right next door to each other.  It was so interesting to see the different break offs of the Church there too; all right next to each other and all wanting that temple lot. 

I didn't get many pictures there at all, I don't even have one of the temple lot.

I came away from that stop feeling so grateful for my ancestors faith during a difficult time for the church after Joseph Smith was killed and there was so much confusion about who the next prophet was.

 Yet another fun bridge.  We drove to our condo that night, singing our hearts out in the car and having a jolly old time together, not to mention getting slightly lost... to late in the night.  The next day was Sunday and we got to rest and relax in the condo and watch conference on the ipads.  Who knew conference wasn't on the radio and tv everywhere in the world?!

 We got to explore the new surroundings in between conference sessions.

 That was the condo there on the left, right on the banks of the humongous Lake of the Ozarks.

 We spotted fish and turtles in the water.  How fun is that to see turtles in the water!

 There was this little playset right there at the condo too.

 Even ClaireBear got to join the fun and swing in an actual swing for the first time.

                                       We also played some shuffleboard.

      We made friends with fisherman, these were our catfish friends.  We first met them fishing from their boats for bluegill, which were their bait for what they really wanted: catfish. 

 This day they really hit the jackpot.  They caught tons of catfish--they were so huge!

 We saw them pretty much every day after that.  They were die hards.  They taught us the ins and outs of catfish fishing....and the boys just couldn't resist the thoughts of catching a catfish of their own.  So we went to Wal-Mart and got us outfitted to catch us a catfish...but Donna and I were prepared to have a girls night out if they really caught one and wanted to have it for dinner!

 While they were fishing, I went down and did some laundry in my dream laundry room.  I think I have Jed almost convinced that we need another set of washers and dryers.  How nice would that be to do 4 loads at a time?

 Plus while I waited for the laundry I had a great view through this sun room.

 Jed also took the kids for a dip while I finished up the laundry.  I can't believe those tough guys.  It was a little chilly outside for swimming, but who can pass up a pool?

     Jody and Donna had found a nice place for a hike, so we did that later that day.

                                                Such a pretty place!

                               Madelyn picked wildflowers along the trail.

 There were so many oak trees everywhere, I love the looks of their leaves.

 Her bouquet got bigger and bigger, we took it back to the condo to brighten the place up!

                                                 Lily and her daddy!

                                    Drew caught a lizard at the playground.

                                         Lily had a chance to hold it.

                                                      She loved it.

  Playing in the leaves--something we miss because we don't have any!!