Add THORNS to the list.

After a 2 year-hiatus, the Smith family has returned, yet again to the Bunker Hill Resorts.   As stated by the placard hanging in the mess hall, "Time Stands Still at Bunker Hill". Truth.

Our ventures on the Jacks Fork River, are extremely reminiscent of Girl Scout Camp in the Summer.  We stay in perma-tent-like cabins which have been updated!  We finally have AC.  Usually, the near 100 degree weather makes our little trip to BFE Missouri a little bit miserable.  The only way I could convince Matt to take our 3 littles on a 5 hour road trip to play in a river, was the newly installed air-conditioning. And we never even turned it on.  The weather was perfect as perfect could be.  Hot enough in the afternoon to swim, cool enough at night to sleep.

We even ventured over the hills and through the woods to find a cave.  We made this hike 4 years previous, while I was pregnant with Brock, on THE hottest day of the Summer.  The entire trek to the cave, I kept remarking about how I couldn't believe no one died from heat stroke that day.  I mean, my over weight and out of shape husband and brother, my 50+ year old mother, my sister and her husband dragging their 2.5 year old, my other brother smoking the whole trip and my gravid self all made it!  The only one that didn't surprise me was Leah, and she did beat me back to the top by a few steps.  This year?  It was in the 70's.  The only one having a problem was my sissy little city boy.  The spider webs, and bugs, and heaven-forbid thorns! Oh My!  Seriously, don't mention thorns, he is terrified of them.  The inside of the pitch black, 15 degree cooler, eerily still cave didn't sit so well with the kid either.  Looks like we need to get out more, and away from the sheltered suburbanish lifestyle Brock has grown accustomed to.

And yes, you are seeing right.  On our way out, we needed a few supplies and stopped in, what is the only option out in the boonies of Missouri, Walmart. There, we discovered t-shirts that really captured the spirit that is Bunkerhill - and most Smith family vacations: a bald eagle with an American flag backdrop, a wolf howling at the moon, and a tie-dyed herd of mustangs.  During this trip to Walmart, my mother remarked on the way Curtis walked and suggested be might be pigeon-toed (something I brought to her attention the day he started walking, but whatever.)  We continued to discuss this idea, and were interrupted with an obviously well-educated opinion from, what I can only assume, is a regular Walmart patron who lives in the surrounding area: "They all walk like that at that age. Don't worry."  Really?  They ALL do?  Do you realize that it appears you haven't showered for days, your missing teeth, and you are informing a mother of 5, grandmother of 4, and caretaker of many, along with a family physician who is trained to know what "normal development" is for a toddler, that "they all walk like that."  I mean, I am not trying to be a snob, it was just a bit too ridiculous.  And she just continued to follow us and talk.  The only more 'people of Walmart-esk' moment was when the man in a straw cowboy hat strolled by with his ragged little dog in the child part of the cart.  One trip to Walmart and my site-seeing was done for the day.

Overall, despite missing a few family members, Leah running a marathon, and Timothy getting stuck at work, it was a great time, some quality bonding, and some new experiences for the boys.  I guess, despite the thorns, Brock enjoyed himself.  Just the other day, out of the blue, he informed me that "Bunkerhill is his favorite".