Arkansas

After leaving Louisiana I went to visit my sister Heather, brother in law Danny, and nephew Caleb in Harrison, Arkansas. I took 700 pictures while I was there so these on here are just a little sample of all the stuff we saw & did there.

Friday June 12- I flew from Louisiana to Houston then onto Arkansas but because of flooding in Dallas I spent most of the afternoon in Houston. I was supposed to meet my dad at the airport in Arkansas but he never made it because his flights were canceled. Luckily Heather, Danny, Caleb, and Lucy(Heather's dog) were able to pick me up that night at the airport. We went out to dinner then went to their house to get some sleep.

Saturday June 13- I was still pretty tired from all the traveling the day before but Danny, Heather, and I went to check out the little mall in Harrison. Caleb was spent the day with his friend at the zoo in Springfield, Missouri for her birthday. Caleb came back home and soon my dad finally got into Harrison, a day late because of crazy travel problems.

Sunday June 14- The boys went for a car ride while Heather, her mom, her sister Kelly, and I went to do a spa! My sister Heather has recently got into selling Beauty Control products so it was fun to go with her and see what it was all about.

Monday June 15- My dad, Caleb, and I spent the day in Branson, Missouri while Heather and Danny were at work. It was really hot but we toughed it out and played a game of dinosaur miniature golf! I'm really bad at miniature golf so I became the official score keeper when I accidentally overshot and lost my ball on the 5th hole!

Caleb was telling us the names of all the different dinosaurs

Caleb probably cheating

Caleb & my dad trying to cool off in the shade of a dinosaur

After golfing we drove down to the Branson Landing, my favorite place in Branson. We went into the huge Bass Pro Shop, a harley shop, and had some ice cream.

Tuesday June 16- There was a huge storm in the morning but we were still able to make it out to Branson that afternoon to go to the Branson Zoo & Aquarium. Caleb LOVES animals, especially snakes & dinasours, so we thought it would be a good place to take him. We pulled into the parking lot and realized we were the only people there....strange. After paying we walked into the building....I nearly vomited from the horrible smell of animals. I have never seen such a dirty place before! I was really starting to doubt whether it was even safe to be in there when we started seeing the animals. I was pretty nervous the whole time we were there and kept telling Caleb to not touch anything but there were some really cool animals in that place. I have never seen so many snakes before...it totally creeped me out but Caleb was having a blast looking at all of them so I had to keep going.

I took a picture of every snake for Caleb
(I had to close my eyes while taking the pictures, I was pretty scared)

Caleb(happy) & me(terrified)

I was so glad to get out of that place! It had some really cool animals but man was it smelly!


Wednesday June 17- Caleb went to daycare while we went out for a motorcycle ride. My dad rented a Harley so I rode with him and Heather & Danny went on their bike. We rode to a little town called Jasper, it was hot but we made it!

It was pretty hard to take good pictures while on the back of the bike but it was beautiful and so green there!

It was way too hot to wear our jackets but we kept our helmets on even though we were the only ones...there's no helmet law in Arkansas.

We went to Colton's for dinner in Harrison and I had my very first chicken fried steak! It was different but I liked it.

Thursday June 18- I slept most of the day, I guess all the sun on the ride wore me out! My dad rented a Honda motorcycle so I rode with him to Eureka Springs. We passed by some chicken farms, which really smelled but otherwise it was great ride. When we got there we all pilled into Heather's truck so she could show us around. There are so many historic houses there and there are natural healing springs all over the town. It's kinda like a hippy town in the middle of Arkansas...strange I know!

Me, my Dad, and Caleb by one of the springs

We ate dinner there at Local Flavor then headed back to Harrison.


Friday June 19- We got to spend some time with two of Heather's sisters, Nichole & Kelly. But since Kelly had a rodeo to go to she couldn't come with us to Springfield. So Danny, Heather, Caleb, Nichole, my dad, and I went to a motorcycle shop there and then went to dinner.

I was so proud that I got a picture of both signs. Sarah can be my witness that I am horrible at taking pictures in a moving car!

Saturday June 20- We went to Promise Land Zoo, it's a petting zoo & drive thru zoo! As if I hadn't seen enough animals yet, we got to see lots more and very close.

Caleb with another snake


Danny feeding the animals (before they ate the bag right out of his hand!)


Me, Caleb, and a tortoise


Buffalo...but no wings!


I learned I am scared of Emu's. A little too close for comfort!

We went back to Eureka Springs for dinner at Sparky's, we had some really good burgers there! On the way back we stopped to take some pictures outside of Booze Brothers because my dad loves the movie Blues Brothers.

His glasses fit perfectly!

Sunday June 21- My dad & I had to say goodbye to Danny, Heather, and Caleb...I always hate that part. We drove to the airport but made a quick stop at Sonic because I am addicted! I was so glad to get home finally after being gone for almost a month, but wishing I was still with my family down south! I can't wait to go back and spend more time with them again!

Louisiana

I went to visit my sister, Sarah in Lafayette, Louisiana from May 26 - June 12.
I flew into Lafayette during a lighting storm which caused the power to go out at the airport and that's when I began to realize Louisiana is very different from home.


Humidity: It was super hot during the day there so we spent most of the day inside. But the humidity at night made for some awesome sunsets.







Bugs: I have never seen so many huge scary bugs in my entire life. There was a cockroach inside the apartment one night that was so big that it wouldn't even fit into the vacuum tube! Sarah & I had no idea what to do when we saw the bugs but luckily Sarah's roommate Jai came to our resuce with a shoe! One night sitting out on the balcony I was attacked by this critter:

Frightening, I know!



Food: I think I ate my body weight in Buffalo wings, they are way better than the ones we have here! I am still having cravings for some WOW(world of wings)! Of course I ate at Raising Canes and went to the fair that was across the street, just for the food! Corn dog, chicken on a stick, lemonade, caramel apple, funnel cake, no wonder my stomach hurt so much that night! We also cooked a lot and baked some delicious desserts at Sarah's apartment!


Cowboys: One Saturday night I went out with Sarah's roommate Measie to a place called Cowboys, and that's what the place was full of! I have never seen so many pickup trucks in a parking lot or cowboy hats & boots in one bar! I had so much fun listening to Jamie Bergeron play some Cajun music. I even tried to learn how they dance too, I'm sure it wasn't pretty but I had fun anyway!


School: Since Sarah's had summer school the last week I was there I spent a lot of time shopping and sleeping while she was at her classes in the morning. But on the last day I was in Louisiana I went with her and Hilary to check out the campus before heading to the airport. Sarah had told me there were alligators at her school but I still couldn't get over it when I saw them there!




Mousey: It was good to spend time with Sarah since she couldn't come home for the summer because of summer school. I am sure she was glad to have me there but also glad when I left. So she could have her bed to herself again & not have me borrowing her clothes everyday!



This is the only picture Sarah & I took together the whole time I was there, on the way to the airport.

The time flew by really fast but I had fun doing and seeing things that I would have never done here in California.