Trip to Missouri: Part Three

Our last full day in Missouri was kicked off Martin-style with... biscuits & chocolate gravy!  If you are an avid reader of the blog, you know that there are two wonderful food products that I've been blessed to marry into - biscuits & chocolate gravy from the Martin side and sausage balls from the Workman side.  Typically these items are associated with the holidays, so it most definitely felt like Christmas had come early.

If that look doesn't say "OMG, OMG!  Biscuits & chocolate gravy," then I just don't know what does.  Love myself some sweet Hershey dog.

We all hung out and watched some football in our pajamas for a while to let our food settle.  Around 1:30 or so we headed over to the YMCA to watch Jace's football game.  Jace is in 4th grade and quite the little spit fire.  Since he's the youngest and didn't have homecoming festitivites to participate in like the older kids, we spent the most time with him while we were there.  During our stay he educated us regarding his 8 pack (8 pack = being hilarious, awesome, smart, confident, athletic, etc, etc up to 8 different qualities), showed us his impeccable starting receiver skills, his enviable dance skills and really just showered everyone with clever commentary.  He is something else and way too much fun.  It was exciting to get to see him participate in sports since he's been watching his cousins and older brother do it for years.

 Jace man looking fierce.  My favorite starting receiver, most definitely.

After witnessing a 3rd or 4th grader who's jersey read "Pain Train" in place of his last name and an excited father running down the sidelines yelling that "no one could catch" his son - I'm determining that Texas football may have spread to neighboring states.  Jace played awesome- as you would expect of one with an 8 pack.  I think the game wound up in a 0-0 tie.  Clearly it was a defensive battle.  :c)

It looks just like my TV every Saturday.

If this picture had sound, you'd hear Jace bartering to get on the other side of the line because that's where the ball kept going. 

We headed back to Sandy & Kevin's where some of us napped and some of us proved that we spend way too much time playing video games by showing the kiddos up in Madden.  I'll leave you to decide who did what.

Amazing view from Sandy & Kevin's porch.

After a relaxing nap, we headed back into Springfield to watch Street Car Nationals.  Per our resident insiders, Larry, Scott & Craig, Saturday night was the big night.  For 2 hours in the evening the cops let people do burnouts without pulling them over.  How many times in your life do you get the opportunity to witness such excitement?!  We decided this couldn't be missed.  We all loaded into the car and spent the evening in the Culver's parking lot watching and cheering as the parade of old cars showed off their engines - and whatever else goes into producing a burnout.

If you're expecting to be dazzled with some car knowledge - you came to the right place.  I'll caption them in my terms.  Try not to be too impressed.  Here is an old fire-y car.

This is an old lime green car with some weirdos getting a little too close to the windows.

  Here you have an old blue car.

 Ahh, yes.  An old orange truck.  Did you think I was some kind of one trick pony who only knew cars?  Please.

An orange batmobile impersonator.

 Larry's nova.  :c)  (Okay, so I did know one).

The evening was so inspiring that on the way home at a light, Sandy & Kevin looked at each other in their separate cars Meet the Parents-style to signify a race.  Sandy was so amped up about her obvious impending victory that she failed to catch Mike switching her car from drive to neutral.  Needless to say we produced a different kind of burnout and were not the victors. 

By the time we arrived home we were all exhausted.  We spent a little bit more time together since it was our last evening.  It was allegedly "late night," but we were all way too tired to participate in a proper late night.  Instead we just layed around and watched some TV.  Then sadly had to say our good byes since Mike, Ryan & I were slated to hit the road bright and early for our 11 hour drive back to the Lone Star State.

 Dear Future Child - we'll get this behavior straightened out in the next 5 months.  Luckily, Jace has an 8 pack.

It was an incredible first trip to Missouri for yours truly and I look forward to many, many more over the years.  Thank you to the Krueggers, Sechlers and Browns for your hospitality, generosity and fabulous company.  Can't wait til you all move to Texas!  ;c)