Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Okay, so I'm probably dating myself with this one. I just got back from my "mini-vacation". So I'm thinking about how to describe my last five days and Ferris Bueller came to mind. If you've ever seen the movie, (it came out in 1986, what?!) you remember that Ferris took one day off from school and managed to do about thirty different activities in an eight hour span.

Thus was my vacation.

Teacher: (taking attendance) Bueller?....... Bueller?.......Bueller?

Girl: Um, he's sick. My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.

The girls and I left Wichita at noon on Wednesday and headed for south central Missouri, destination: Lake of the Ozarks and my little sis, Jessy. The drive to her house was good, with only a few pit stops. One of which was to stop and admire an old church that sits off 54 highway. It sits alone in the middle of nowhere. Beautiful.

We finally arrived in Osage Beach around 6:00ish. We had Jessy meet us at the outlet mall (convenient, don't you think?!) so she could lead us to her house. She lives on the lake and the drive into her house is so confusing I litterally need her to guide me in.

We spent the next couple of days swimming, sun bathing, boating, jet skiing and relaxing. She took us into town one night so we could enjoy the good eats at The Pasta House. The rest of the time we spent in the seclusion of the wooded hills with a great view of the lake from her deck. I enjoyed sipping my morning coffee on her patio funiture, gazing at the lake. Thanks for everything Jessy! She and Rodney looked great, life at the lake really agrees with her:

Saturday morning we woke up early and headed out. The next stop was to head north three and a half hours to Chilicothe, Missouri. This was a special part of the trip for me, to see my nearly 93 year old great-grandmother, the girls' great-great-grandmother. We spent the time catching up and taking pics for the scrapbooks. Here's one:

My grandma, the girls' great-grandmother, is the one standing behind us. My great-grandmother, the girls' great-great-grandmother, is seated next to us.

After a couple of hours in Chilicothe it was time to move on. This time we headed west to Kansas City. A quick pit stop at my older sister's house along with a quick dinner at the Pizza Shoppe, (thanks Jenny!) and we were off to Paul's parents' house. The girls are spending the week with his mom and dad, so it was my duty to drop them off. After an hour visit with them it was time for me to head southwest to Wichita. I left Platte City at 8:30 p.m., anxiously awaiting my stop in Emporia and the local Starbucks. When I arrived at 10:30 p.m. they were closed. I was nearly devastated. After I recomposed myself I continued on in the dark to Wichita and my husband. Finally at 11:30 p.m. I was home again. Thirteen hours,850 miles, and two regretable meals at McDonald's later.

Sloan: What are we going to do?

Ferris: The question isn't "what are we going to do," the question is "what aren't we going to do?"

Cameron: Please don't say were not going to take the car home. Please don't say were not going to take the car home. Please don't say were not going to take the car home.

I'm glad I got away for a few days to see some faces and spend some time with my girls, but I'm really glad I took the car home.