Pinecrest Azalea Gardens, Oak Ridge MO

Pinecrest Azalea Gardens have been blooming up beauty since 1963, and as Mr. Smith, one of the ground’s caregivers explained there is three different seasons at Pinecrest.  Spring begins with the blooming of more than 300,000 Jonquils and Daffodils.  Followed by numerous Azaleas, and Rhododendrons spread throughout the grounds, the colors truly leave you in awe.

Pinecrest is open daily daylight hours only; the flowers begin blooming in late March through June, however, the grounds remain open and beautiful through summer.  The gardens are located on Torre Lane off County Road 472, for complete direction visit Pinecrest Azalea Garden’s website or call (573) 979-1112.  

7 things to do outdoors with your kids this summer!

Of course the inspiration behind this post are those 2 adorable smiling faces that seem to melt everyone’s heart, but their momma’s…hey remember I deal with 24/7 and I know the truth behind their smile!
I like many other mommas’ tired of the whining, the fighting, climbing over the clutter, and managing to balance the check book in the middle of it. Today I am going to share 7 outdoor activities, that I have or plan to do, that are simple, make you giggle, and will enlighten your kiddos to the simple things in life…of course remember folks I am not educated in psychology, I am educated in being free-spirited, and fun loving! Continue to Read More

Crawdad Fishing in Missouri

Do you want to know the key to successfully helping your kids make friends, well I do not have it, but I have discovered Crawdad Fishing brings like minds together.

First, what is a Crawdad, well it is this little crab looking thing that in other areas can grow rather large and is good to eat, however, where we go crawdad fishing they are like an inch long and hide under the rocks on the bottom of creeks and streams.  

Now how do these things bring friends together, I have no clue, but pack a bucket, a few fishing nets, and you will see a couple of kids work together to fill those buckets full of crawdads.  Let us face it boys will boys, and girls will be girls, and in life it is only about having fun.  

We spent the afternoon at Castor River on the edge of Marquand, MO and we thoroughly enjoyed the nice beach area (it is not sandy), the shallow water, and of course as I have always said about those Marquand people their smiling faces!   

Have an Adventurous Day!  

~ Becky  

Ozarks Float Trippin Guide

Open publication - Free publishing - More big

Discover Missouri Nature with Kids

“Mom, are there alligators here?”  Yes, those are the rambling words of my darling 4 year old as we walked along the boardwalk at Big Oak Tree State Park. 

Really I felt like a total fail as an Adventurist…I mean come on we have visited nearly all the Missouri State Parks in Southeast Missouri, and many conservation areas, but yet my little man still wonders if Missouri has alligators. 

So with my pride between my tail and my embarrassment at an all time high I started to do some research on how to teach my little one about what wildlife we have in Missouri.  Obviously, we already subscribe to River Hills Traveler…good thing or Emery & Jo would have my head, but we also have subscribed to the Missouri Conservation’s FREE Xplor Magazine for kids, but I have DISCOVERED something new for curious kids like mine.  Continue to Read More

When the Outdoors come Inside Your HOUSE

This is the “adventure” that was not an adventure; it was more of a nightmare, that I have survived and learned a lot from. I normally would have thought that this nightmare or close encounter like this would happen on the hiking trails, but the story I am about to share happened inside my house.
Spring and warm temperatures tend to get the creatures crawling, and the last thing we think about is where those creatures are crawling to, or at least that was me until 2 years ago.
With two young children, the doors to our house might as well be swinging back and forth, only swinging doors bring in unwanted friends. I am fine with the occasional June bug, mosquito, or moth, but there are some creatures that can visit elsewhere.
On warm April night after having the doors swinging back and forth, I had tucked my little “angels” into bed, flopped down on the couch, grabbed the remote, and was ready to relax. Our dog, the older dog Bobby who is deaf, blind, and lazy, was snoozing in the living room floor, and I glanced down at him and thought what an odd piece of trash. I got up to grab the piece of trash only to discover that trash had, eyes, a tongue, and scaly skin…AGHHH I had a snake in the middle of my living room floor. Holy Moly, panic took over, praying the slimy nasty little thing didn’t slide down the hall, I stepped out to my garage, and grabbed a shovel. From here, I will not disclose where the snake went, I will only say he did not return. Continue to Read More

Burning off Spring Energy in the Great Outdoors

Spring has sprung, and in our house, we are ready to RUN. Okay well maybe not all of us, but this Momma is ready to run the energy out of my little ones.
You often hear the phrase “kid tested and mother approved” well I am going to pull that age old phrase out of the bag and give you our “kid tested and mother approved” places to exhaust our energy filled kids!


Pickle Springs Natural Area
I am suppose to tell you that this place is absolutely breathe taking, historical, geological, but I will leave that up to the experts. As I am only an expert on finding a place to exhaust my children in wide open spaces, but I will note this place will not only exhaust those with short legs, I was exhausted also. Continue to Read More

 

Alley Spring near Eminence Missouri

Visit Alley Spring Website  for more details on location & hours! 

Elephant Rocks State Park.....Natures Jungle Gym

Take a climb along Missouri’s Elephant rocks; Nature’s jungle gym, hidden away in Missouri.

The 7.5-acre Elephant Rock natural area may be small compared to many Missouri State Parks, but you will find much to do while there.  The giant red granite boulders make the perfect playground for kids of all ages!  Scramble, jump, climb to the top, squeeze between the smallest crack, and hear your echo from the top of the mountain.  A perfect photo backdrop, an outdoor jungle gym for children of all ages, and a trail specifically designed for people with visual or physical disabilities.  Continue to read more....

Memories at Dillard Mill in Davisville, MO

I often get questioned on why I am so passionate about not only travel, but about traveling in Missouri. While I love to travel for the excitement, the chaos that comes along from traveling with the kids, and of course the adventure of seeing something new, my passion for travel is driven by making memories. I have found family travel not only brings us together at that very moment, but also brings us together in our memories.

Continue to Read More

Vacation on a Dime in Missouri State Parks

Recently I was reading a post by a fellow Mommy Blogger about State Parks in Illinois and bringing fun back to nature. I applaud her for being uniquely different, and speaking out that fun can be focused around real things.

Many of us forget about visiting our State Parks, and even more of us don’t realize how affordable it is to visit or stay at a state park. I know when I first started “adventuring” with kids; it was hotels or no go! I know I am pathetic! A few years back for my birthday, Ryan surprised me with a weekend at Sam A. Baker State Park. While I still had to cook, clean up after my kids, and spent a majority of my time outside in the woods, I felt like I was worth a million bucks.

Here is the scoop, several of Missouri’s state parks have various types of lodging; I personally prefer the cabins. Why you ask, probably not a huge shocker to my readers, but I am not a very good camper. In fact, Ryan now refuses to take me camping! However, you can still get close to nature without throwing out a tent and sleeping on the ground…for all that do tent camp; I applaud you and please keep camping! Other than not being a good tent camper, I have found a family staying at State Parks can be more affordable than hotels. Continue to read more here

Thompson Ford Access

Ha Ha Tonka State Park and My Great Rescue



The view of the Castle from across the park

I had originally planned to save this story for a later date, but today while flipping through photos the memory of our day at Ha Ha Tonka came flooding back. 

I am not going to share the facts of Ha Ha Tonka State Parks in this post I will save that until a later date; I am only going to share our emotionally fantastic day at Ha Ha Tonka State Park. 

Our Family at Ha Ha Tonka State Park

I had always wanted to visit Ha Ha Tonka State Park, but it has been one of those places that we had always said when we visit here, or when we are headed there, and seemed to always put it off.  When we were offered, the opportunity to stop here during our road trip to the Missouri State Fair it more than excited me.  As a want-to-be photographer, Ha Ha Tonka is more than a dream place to visit.  The remains of the onetime castle is spectacular, the view from the overlook is more than breathtaking, and surrounding greenness just tops it off.  However, my great photos are shadowed by my little man’s great adventure at Ha Ha Tonka.   

My Prince Charming & The Great Rescuer

After “adventuring” all around the castle remains we were off to the trails to see the fire tower and the rock bridge.  As we headed down the path my little prince charming Dillard (3) grabbed my hand, looked up to me, and said “Mommy a long time ago when you were small and I was big you had long long hair my horse John Deere and I rescued your from that castle.”  Tears came to eyes for more than one reason.  Every little girl, no matter your age, wants to be somebody’s princess and my little man reminded me that in his eyes I am a princess…yes that makes a momma’s day!  My second thought we didn't have to entertained by theme parks, we have our imagination and that makes this momma proud.  My final thought was YES he gets its, he understands how beautiful this place is, he sees why we love these places, and he LOVES them just as much as I do….that more than makes my day that makes my heart swell. 

What a View!

While I want you to visit Ha Ha Tonka State Park, I want you see its beauty, and want you to see how great Missouri State Parks are….I really want your kids to have the chance to explore, imagine, and create an adventure of their own.  I know one day Dillard will realize that his horse John Deere and him really didn’t rescue Mommy from that great big castle, but for today he can vividly describe the massive structure, the beauty that surrounds it, and his GREAT CASTLE RESCUE. 

~B~ 

to see more photos of our trip please Our Photos of Ha Ha Tonka State Park

****Our visit to Ha Ha Tonka State Park was part of our road trip to the Missouri State Fair sponsored by Missouri Division of Tourism....and Thank You for giving Dillard the chance to see where he rescued me from a long long time ago!