4th of July road trip

We hit the road to visit our dear friends T and B, and their adorable kiddos, P and R, in St. Louis over 4th of July weekend. David and I went to law school with T & B; we were in each others' weddings, and we've stayed close during the nearly 14 years (gulp) since graduation. And between us, we've birthed a kid in almost every year in the mid-aughts: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Several years ago, when Jacob was just 1 and P was a baby, we took our first road trip together (to the beach). Since that year, we've taken turns visiting each other just about every year. We LOVE going to St. Louis, because it is a super fun city with tons to do with young kids, and of course because T, B, P & R are awesome.

On our first full day there, we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Now I love the little botanical gardens in our little town, but the Missouri Gardens are really a sight to behold. Not only are they lush and gorgeous, but they have an amazing "Children's Gardens" with incredible play areas -- swinging bridges, swinging vines, caves, puppet theaters, play markets, and splash fountains.

In the back of a conestoga wagon at the Children's Garden

Notice anything about the girls? Much to the delight of every female in our group (and the eye-rolling of the males) the girls were all wearing coordinating elephant dresses!! B is a rep for Hannah Kate, the company that makes these dresses, and she is the one who tipped me off to that elephant fabric in the first place. I ordered Caroline's dress, which I love so much I was moved to blog about it, from B, and B ordered one in a different style for R. I then found one for E when Hannah Kate had their sample sale a few weeks ago. So, that is how The Triplets were born, and the girls had tons of fun parading through the gardens in their finery.



The gang:



It was a HOT day. And I feel like we know hot, living in the deep South and all, but wow, it was hot. We did not pack swimsuits for fountain play, but we really didn't need them, because even though the kids all got soaked, their clothes dried in about 15 seconds once they left the fountain.







After the Gardens we had lunch at a really fabulous pizza place called Pi, then B and I went shopping while the boys hung out with the kids (a much treasured tradition during our annual visits - for B and me, anyway); and then T&B's babysitter, Mary Poppins, arrived (and wow -- does she live up to her nickname!) and it was time for the grownups to go out and play.

I need to wrap up now as I'm kind of sneaking in this little blogging session when I really should be doing other things (such is life in the summer), but I'm going to post more pictures from the visit later. T & B (and P&R), if you are out there, thank you so much for an incredible time!