Autumn in Missouri

This is my favorite time of year, although it is hectic. Festivals are nearly every weekend, often several, making it hard to choose; Pumpkin or Craft festivals, Twilight Festival, Roots n' Blues, Columbia Art Fest, Heritage Fest, Taste of Rocheport, the list goes on. Football games, the smell of drying leaves, s'mores over the fire on perfect fall evenings, walks on the trail, and if we're lucky fall color and some visitors to share it all with.
This weekend was no exception, and although in print it looks like we ran ragged, it was spread out among us and enjoyable enough not to notice anything but the fun of it all.
Friday night, I enjoyed a quiet evening in with Ethan and Alaina. Bill and Andrew went to the Hickman homecoming game and Jordan stayed the night with her friend Alexis.
Saturday we had a lazy morning, then Bill and Andy were off to the MU game and I had some choices to make. One friend was going to the corn maze (big corn maze) east of town, but the Heritage Festival was on and my friend Julie who just moved here was game to go with her two girls. We chose the festival, and it was very cool. It's just on the edge of town where the Historical Museum is (Chuck and Judy went to the museum with us once). There were dozens of crafts people and reenactors, wagon rides and petting zoo, three music venues, food, tours of the historical Lenoir home and lots of interactive booths for the kids. They got to try out games that kids played in 1800, pound wheels onto wooden cars they could keep, milk pretend cows, try on old time hats and accessories, dip candles, do sand art, and more. Ethan was disappointed we were not there at the right time to see the Indian dancers but all four kids danced to music and had a great time.
After that, Julie and I were still wanting to hang out and let the kids play. Then I remembered that Rocheport was having a festival as well. It was getting toward evening, so the main activity was the wine stroll where you buy a wine glass at one of the B&B's and follow a map to 15 or so stops at various antique stores, cafe's, B&B's and other businesses in that pretty little town. Julie hadn't been there at all so we sweet talked Bill to referee while the kids played at our house and drove in to see the town, sample foods and wines, and hear a bit of music on Main Street.
Jordan went to the MU game also and stayed Saturday night with her friend Kahlea and met us at church Sunday morning. We spent a lazy afternoon, highlighted by Ethan and Alaina hunting for snails and frogs in the yard and the guniea pig enjoying some sun and fresh grass on the lawn. Then Jordan, Ethan and I went back in for a Family Fun Night that her youth group was putting on. Now back to Monday, and looking forward to more beautiful fall days!