Life is in the blood and The Big Wheel

It is that time of year again, the annual KSHE blood drive!  The station has been doing it for 21 yrs now and Josh proudly goes each time (that we have been living here in the STL AREA). He did miss last year, but that was cuz we was out of town.  They give you a nice goodie bag for just trying to give, a T-shirt (they have become collector items too) coupons to DQ, a fun heart shape ball and the satisfaction that you did your part to help someone else out.

*side inspirational note* Thinking about blood and how important it is, how it can be life saving or life ending.  Thinking on how God sees blood, how important it is and symbolic.  Thinking on how important it was that Jesus shed his blood for me and for all, to give us the ultimate gift of eternal life. * Just some things to ponder*

Josh tried to give Friday, but because he had been stung by a wasp at work and his hand was swollen up they told him to try again the next day. my poor guy but we are lucky he didn't have to go to the ER : (   So we decided to make it a family day and we all head out to the blood drive and then down to Forest Park to ride the Big Wheel.  I have been asking to go since the begging of summer, but got all the excuses: It's too hot, the lines will be too long, we don't have money, he has to work...blablababa but he finally agreed to go!  Here is Saint Louis we are going all nuts over celebrating stuff for 2004, the 1904 World's Fair and Olympics.  So they brought out the Big Wheel as a reminiscent of the BIG BIG Ferris Wheel they had at the 1904 World's Fair.  But sadly, it will be gone in the fall, so this was basically my last chance to ride.

Often our family outings are not planned out well, mostly they will come about from a conversation of the night before and we wake up wondering, OK are we or aren't we and we are just half prepared.  Friday I did some shopping for food for the weekend and just happen to get some stuff for a picnic so that was settled, it was just the fact that I had to make the stuff first before we left.  I also made cinnamon rolls, a treat for us for breakfast.  After getting us all dressed and sun blocked on and loaded up, we had to make a stop at the Gas Station.  One of the Saturday Six question was on how much did you pay for your last tank of gas, well with drinks for everyone it came to $32!  This van is a gas guzzler! We are paying 1.74 here folks and that is a drop, and then and then.. gurr I see it for almost 10cents cheaper closer to the city! That stuff irks me, there should be a standard or something lol.  Anyways, I org intended to donate blood as well.  The last time I tried was just after 9/11 and my iron was too low.  So this was going to be my first time but since I am on meds still from the dentist, I couldn't.  I still got the goodie bag for trying : )  and had to hear the kids fight over that heart ball thing!  We was at the blood drive for about an hour and half.  Sorry if the Pics gross you out of Josh LOL.

The drive down to Forest Park took about 45 min, about right with all the traffic cuz of it being a Sat and nice day out.  Josh dropped me and the kids off at the Wheel and he went to park the van.  It didn't cost that much, $12 for two adults and four kids, ooh and a large bag of Kettle Corn (yummy).  The line was long but not insane long and they had out interesting markers with facts about the 1904 Wheel to preoccupy us.  As we inched forward you could see the kids excitement mount!

Ferris Wheels have always had a special place for me.  As a kid in Wis. almost every summer we would travel out to Bay Beach and ride the one there. They always seemed to be so big and go so high and then as soon as we was stopped at the very top, MY DAD WOULD START TO ROCK THE SEATS! And this would scare us but it came to be expected and part of tradition. Josh tried to mimic this on our trip on the Wheel, act like he was going to. He would start to shake the seat just a bit to get a reaction out of me lol.  Sophia loved it soooooooo much that she literally threw a fit when we had to get off, with tears and all.

We hiked back to the van and Josh decided to drive around to find a picnic table or nice shady spot. BIG MISTAKE!  This must have been like MEGA Saturday out at the park, about every inch of picnic area was taken by family reunions or church parties. And with the Zoo and the Jewel Box and the Munny and the Museum in Forrest Park, the parking was about impossible.  We basically found a spot where we org. had parked.  So we sat on the high curb near the shade and the side walk.  VERY HIGH foot and bike traffic area.  I try and imagine if Central Park is like this in New York but I also know and proud to say Forest Park is bigger in sq. footage.  As we drive out of the park and on the way to the highway we pass the fancy homes next to the park and I off handily say it would be neat to live that close to Forest Park.  Josh says it would be nice to live in the less expensive areas next to any park.  Yet I know there is something prestigious about claiming an address so close to Forest Park, it would be kinda cool, NOT THAT I CARE, just saying.

We had a wonderful family day.  Hardly any fighting and yelling at the kids.  A warm fuzzy memory day for us all.  And to top it off, I made pigs in a blanket.  Sophia and Lilly had to help with dinner ya know, so that was easy for them to help with.