Baby Bella's Blog

Friday, July 18, 2014

St. Louis 2014

The family was up early and on our way to St. Louis for a "working vacation." We settled in, in the shadow of the Arch. The kids indulged in their complementary sugar boost and admired the view.

We do love St. Louis.

The City Museum

With work behind us, we headed over to highly acclaimed City Museum for our evening entertainment. The kids certainly enjoyed the ride as it turned out to be their first limo ride. The hotel provided complimentary transportation to the Museum and we were fortunate in that the car available was the House limo.

I think St. Louis is loving us back.

The City Museum - Rooftop

Sitting eleven stories up on the roof - or should I say partially sitting and partially hanging - is a school bus. One can walk onto the bus through the rear door, walk down the aisle, sit in the drivers seat and open (yikes) the door.

Yes, there is a set of steel bars that keep you from walking down the step towards the door but the door opens. Insanity, I say!!!!!!

And Isabella. Yes, climbed aboard and walked the bus not once, not twice but three times. Insanity, I say!!!!!

The City Museum - The Airplane

For starters, this is unlike any museum I have ever visited. Boring it is not. Quiet it is not.

Next up, we were off to visit the outside adventures. It just so happens that this adventure involves wire tunnels, iron ladders, crawling, climbing, heights and the shell of two airplanes. It was at this point we should have turned around and said, "I don't think so." Well, two of us did. Two of us didn't.

My fear of heights is well known and two members of my family have given me grief about it for years. And today, blessed today, the tables were turned. I saw panic, I saw fear, I saw terror in their eyes, I saw them shake, I saw one of them cry.

Stopping at the first airplane, they were all smiles.

And then they had to exit this plane and climb in an open air wire tube up to the next airplane. This is where the fear and shaking started.

Whew, we made it. Relief and smiles on the wing. If they had only known what was to come.

The only way off this wing was to climb up and then down an open air wire tunnel that is suspended between the airplane and the seventh floor of the museum building. Yes, you are seven floors up with a school bus perched above your head. It was here that I saw panic, terror and tears.

Make no mistake about it, my hat is off to them for doing it. They swear they will never do it again and the look on their face as they exited onto to solid ground made a believer out of me.

Hamster's Wheel

Completely scared out of our wits outside, we made it inside to experience the four floors of fun - including the Hamster Wheel.

The City Museum - Inside Out

A wonderful experience with the kids and a must do on every parents list. There is something to do on every floor of The City Museum. It's a good thing we ate our Wheaties.

Skateless Skate Park

Never heard of it but it isn't a typo. The Skateless Skate Park was one of our favorite indoor activities at The City Museum. There is something to be said for running, climbing, sliding and falling.

The City Museum - Slides

The museum has slides everywhere - inside, outside, top floor, bottom floor and on the roof. They even have a 10 Story Slide. You can choose the stairs or the elevator to move between floors but you may also choose a slide. Almost every floor has a slide to the next level.

Word of caution, not all slides are created equally. Skyler headed down a slide on his backside and ended up going head first and finished sliding on his elbow. There is a red spot where the skin used to be over his elbow. Ouchie!