Ride the Ducks.... in Branson

My daughter, Neleha, loves ducks. In fact that is probably an understatement. I think she would be a duck if she could. It was no surprise to us when she requested to go to a Branson attraction for her 5th birthday. "Ride the Ducks" features the actual DUKW amphibious vehicles used in WWII. Of course they have since been modified to carry a bunch of tourists rather than gear and troops. Ms. Neleha was ecstatic as we arrived to enjoy the land and water tour of Branson courtesy of "Ride the Ducks".

Every passenger receives their very own "Quacker" which we were encouraged to use throughout the tour. The tour lasted about 45 minutes and included a wonderful history of Branson as well as the DUKW. Our Captain was kind enough to not only let each kid aboard the Duck drive while we were on the lake but he also had everyone sing "Happy Birthday" to Neleha while she was driving. Great times!

Graduate school presses on but when your baby duck has a birthday one must put away the books and take a ride all around Branson. Neleha had a wonderful time as did the rest of our family.

Missouri's 2008 Tax Free Weekend

For the Tax Free weekend we hit the local Wal-Mart so we could "Save Even More & Live Even Better". The tax break happened to correspond with a big school supplies sale so life was good. We stocked up on the usual items elementary kids need, pencils, scissors, glue, backpack, folders, etc... The girls had a great time fighting the crowds and seeking out the supplies of their choice. Backpacks always seem to be the most important and second most important is folders both of which displaying the recent kid trends. The big trends this year was High School Musical and Hannah Montana.

Tax Holiday Weekend Applies to:
Clothing under $100
School supplies under $50
Computer software under $350
Computers/computer equipment under $3,500

A BIG THANKS out to Missouri for the well needed tax break!

Ozark Empire Fair 2008

How much fun can be had at the Ozark Empire Fair? That is all a matter of perspective. If you like the greasy fried food that is typical of a fair then you just might enjoy it! Really how can anyone turn down a foot long corndog that has been smothered in mustard????

If you like watching a grown man wrestle and thrash around in a kiddie pool with an old and retired alligator, the fair may be right up your alley. The kids have loved the Kachunga show each year and this was no exception.

If you like to learn and observe all things to do with the miracle of birth in regards to farm animals then the Fair's birthing barn is the place for you. Our kids enjoyed the chicks, piglets, and especially the calf who they got to watch enter this world. Yes I mean what I said, they watched a cow give birth. In fact the fair administrators plan to have such event occur a few times throughout the duration of the fair, they begin with a fully line up of full term heifers and just wait and watch. Certainly a highlight of the festivities.

For me though it was the entertainment on the Grand Stand that drew me to the Fair. After all it is not a common occurrence to see "Weird Al" Yankovic for the cost of the fair admission ($10). He put on a great and hilarious show in front of a sold out crowd. More good times ......

Of course if nothing I have mentioned is appealing enough there is always the rides, and they have a great array of them. Our kids thoroughly enjoyed them....

Showing off the Twins at the New Student BBQ

The New Student BBQ is one of the more relaxed events Student Council hosts each Summer and Fall. In the past we have always enjoyed good food, good games, good company but not until this year did we get to enjoy TWINS!!!! Yes I may be very biased but having the twins at the BBQ made the event so much better. Quite simply I thought it would be a great opportunity to show off our new babies and indeed it was.

The BBQ itself was a big hit reaping as many attendees as in times past. The food was great, the games were fun and the new students appeared to enjoy themselves.

For me personally however, the BBQ was a good hit for another reason, I got to show off my new babies. I truly enjoyed watching my sweetheart talk about the twins with my peers and even some of my professors. In fact I think some of my professors assisted Kristy with changing some diapers. Certainly good times were had.....

Twins...Variety Pack...to go

Our TWINS have arrived!!!!
Life in graduate school is so crazy in and of it self. The thought of simply being married in graduate school is by far a maniacal endeavour. Add a job and now you have the making for a ticking time bomb. So how about throwing in a variety pack of twins, now that is what I call FUN!!!!

Our twins arrived without any problems. My sweetheart did such a wonderful job and she has made me so happy. Our baby twins are a far greater blessing than I ever expected to obtain in graduate school. I am not sure if I have Forest Institute to thank for my twins but all the same they arrived while I was smack dab in the middle of my doctoral education.
I certainly have many concerns with sleep, being able to study, maintaining my employment and of course hanging on to sanity, but look at these babies!!!!!! It is all so worth it.

From a family of 4 to a family of 6 in a matter of 3 minutes :)

Twins, variety pack, ready to go....

A Transition Item

According to certain theories of psychology a transition item serves to assist an individual with a dramatic life change. The item serves as a means to assist in coping with the many adjustments that will be a result of the life change. In terms of our situation, while Mommy and Daddy are busy with the twins, Molly and Neleha will be busy with their transition item. At least that is the plan......

Thanks to our local Sam's Club we were able to purchase this very unique cabin style playhouse. Having Dale, Tove and Gary here to help me put it together was most welcomed. Relatively, it went together pretty quick, especially the roof, of course it had begun to rain and Gary, Tove and myself didn't feel like taking a warm Missouri shower if you know what I mean. The kids loved it and we got it just days prior to Kristy's scheduled delivery, perfect timing for a transition item.

Earlier.......

Firefall .... A Concert in the Sky

I have heard about this Firefall event hosted by the city parks department ever since the first week I arrived in Springfield. For the last 2 times we have allowed the opportunity to pass without regard. This year however, I think we have caught the American Independence Spirit. We decided that this would be our year. The event takes place near the Springfield Airport and so we headed out for the short drive across the city. I am not sure what we expected but I know what we found. An $8 fee for a carload and a massive gathering of families all gathered in a big open farming field, sitting in their lawn chairs and listening to local bands set up on a grand stage. The great gathering was encircled by many fair style food vending wagons which included my favorite carnival food, the giant corn dog.

Although the food and music was nice and relaxing, we of course were gathered for a "concert in the sky"as they put it. A concert was indeed what we got. Not only was the fireworks truly a joy to experience the show was accompanied by the Springfield Symphony playing tunes in sync with the exploding fireworks.

The event came at a great time as we just entered our Summer Break. Certainly a wonderful way to begin our short, but well needed, vacation from class.

photos obtained from www.news-leader.com

Springfield's World Record "The Giant Fork"

In front of the 3-story building inhabited by Noble & Associates, a Springfield ad agency, the "World's Largest Fork" is appropriately stuck in a garden of leafy greens. . Originally placed in front of a restaurant that failed on South Glenstone, it was purchased and moved to its current location. The brick and glass building is the company's "Idea Center" -- Noble does a lot of work for the food service and retail industry, so the fork makes sense...

There are no signs directing anyone to this magnificent monstrosity yet it is not far from the Forest campus and so I tend to bring any of our visitors to see our local claim to fame. This week my sweetheart's grandpa got to cast his eyes on the biggest utensil ever.

The 35 foot stainless steal fork is certainly a sight to see.

World's Largest Fork
Address: 2215 W Chesterfield Blvd, Springfield, MO

Directions: From FIPP go East on Battlefield then turn south on Kansas Expressway after about one block; turn right on W. Chesterfield. Turn right on Cox and then into the Noble & Associates parking lot on the right.

Springfield's 4th Replaces a Mall

When I first arrived in Springfield there were 2 malls, one we shopped in and one we avoided. We no longer have to worry about avoiding the North Town Mall anymore however, it no longer stands. What is left behind is far from a vacant lot, in fact, in it's place is a massive, energy efficient, 184,212 square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Although this is a new Supercenter it is actually just an upgrade from the store pictured above. It was the last of the regular Wal-Marts left in Springfield. With the Grand Opening of Springfield's newest Supercenter the count is now up to 4, one on each corner of the city. I know some are not big fans of this retailing giant, but I have a very long and personal history with Wal-Mart. Because of this I could not be anything but ecstatic that this Superstore was opening it's doors today. You can of course bet on the fact that I was there, opening day, to enjoy all 184,212 square feet.

Short Drive for a Fantastic Adventure

A short drive north of the city limits will bring you to a world away from the hum drum of graduate school. It is not too often one can find a nearby place to go to simply sit back and enjoy a relaxing ride through a majestic series of underworld artistry. In fact there is only one place in America, it happens to be right here in Springfield at "Fantastic Caverns".

Our family finally decided to see just how fantastic this cavern really was and to our surprise we loved the adventure. For a wonderful 40 minute tour we entered a massive cavern carried on a red Jeep drawn tram. We learned the extrodinary history of the cave and many scientific facts regarding cave formations. We truly enjoyed our relaxing tour of Fantastic Caverns so much that we paid the additional $5 to upgrade our single tour ticket to an annual pass. Well worth the money.

A 99cent Foot of Chocolate in Historic Branson

My family loves Branson, I mean LOVES BRANSON!!
We visit this tourist town as often as time and resources will allow. The Memorial Day weekend provided us another opportunity. This time we decided to finally check out the Historic Downtown area. We had often passed through this part of Branson but never stopped to actually check it out. This was finally the day.

Along with the many variety type shops and tourist stuff shops we found candy stores, desert shops, diners, and even a theater advertising an Elvis Show. The atmosphere was far removed from the "Branson Strip" which is full of flashing lights, high priced shows, and chain restaurants. The Historic Downtown area was a more relaxed step back from the long lines of traffic. For me it was the advertised "Foot of Chocolate" for 99 cents that I was most interested in. The Fudge Shop honored their ad, in a rather strange way.

I am not sure what I was expecting when I dropped down my crisp dollar bill, but a foot of chocolate is what I got. In fact it was a foot print shaped piece of chocolate on a stick. I was well satisfied with my purchase. As for the downtown area...... we decided we liked the fast paced, flashing light atmosphere of the strip.

Rib Fest all month long....

If it is not root beer that gets me through those stressful times in graduate school it is food. Springfield has no shortage of food establishments. Most are chains but there are some very unique local restaurants that are certainly noteworthy. However, in the month of May there is one chain that warrants much homage. I had never come across this chain in all my previous travels until I arrived here in Missouri and now I can't imagine a restaurant scene without it.

Rib Crib serves up some the best "St. Louis Style" ribs around but that is not the best part. For the entire month of May from 4pm-10pm a person can land as many ribs and sides they can eat for one low price, $10.99!!!!!!!! I don't even think I could cook ribs at home for that price.

Since we arrived here in Missouri we have made it a point to stop in during the month of May to take part in this tasty festival. I like to call it "Rib Therapy" but they call it "Rib Fest". There are 2 locations here in Springfield, our favorite is the one by the Clinic, they have been sponsors of the RJM Clinic Golf Tournament in past years.

If you miss Rib Fest spare no stress..... they have all you can eat rib night every Tuesday from 4pm-10pm.

To learn more about Rib Crib check out their web site http://www.ribcrib.com/

Missing the Fish....especially the Shark

Springfield has many relatively unknown gems when it comes to things to do. There was one attraction that drew my attention from the first day I arrived in this city, Wonders of Wildlife. This museum offered both a massive fresh water as well as a salt water aquarium along with so many other habitats and interactive displays. We purchased a year pass and used it nearly every week. I truly enjoyed being able to take my sweetheart and our daughters to just go and sit and watch the sea life. I think watching the sharks was my personal favorite but the Large Mouth Bass was also very relaxing.

We renewed our pass back in August but to our surprise we showed up one day for our weekly visit and to our disappointment there was a sign on the door. They had closed the museum for renovations. As time has passed I have come to learn that they are going to be closed for a very long time. In a strange way I am experiencing a very real and personal loss. I have heard that Bass Pro has actually assumed ownership of the museum and so I have hopes that the renovations will be worth the wait. When they reopen the doors I would highly encourage you to see for yourself. For updates check out their website: Wonders of Wildlife

Stuco: a year in review

Exactly one year ago I was sworn into the office of Student Council President. Along with my office I was also provided three companions that each brought to our journey their own unique talents, values and goals. Over the last year we have experienced the good, bad & ugly in our attempt to make this Forest experience a bit more relaxing, enjoyable and enriching. It has been such a fulfilling experience to serve alongside them. Together we have worked to bring about a wave of changes that will certainly have a lasting impact on the future of our program. It is certainly my hope that as they depart they will carry with them some thing positive from our year-long journey in student government, as I certainly will. With all this said I now will begin my second term within this office, I now have three new companions who are clearly up for the great tasks at hand. I am very optimistic that the year ahead will hold for us even more positive and enriching opportunities.

On a another note our little Spring Party provided a wonderful opportunity for me to enjoy an evening with my sweetheart. She and I got to spend time together and to hang out with our Forest friends and to simply enjoy a night on the town. This is not easy when your expecting twins, so we soaked up the fun. Good Times.........

Crashing for a Year

The Student Council has just completed their 4th Community Crash event. These events originated out of a mistake the Student Council made due to some assumptions on our part that opened an outpouring of debate that may very well be the first outright Scholar 360 debate ever. From that experience it was identified that a more appropriate avenue should be opened to address current diversity concerns within a safe environment. The Community Crash was born. Our first event went beautifully, the movie was perfect, the discussion that followed was rich with heartfelt concern and genuine openness. It was very clear however that we had only begun to touch the surface of the many concerns regarding diversity that we face during our Forest Institute journey.

We decided that the Community Crash would continue each term and the movie selection would be based on the current needs of the student body. At first we simply based the selection on our own perceptions of this need. However, by the third event, we were receiving topic recommendations from students.

Our most recent event held tonight was a continuation of those events in the past. There begins with some hesitation as the discussion is initiated. Slowly the discussion starts to roll and before long everyone is desperately waiting their turn to participate. Along the course of the discussion it is typical to feel some tension which rises and falls from input to input. Some participate much, others very little. But in the end we all leave with a better sense of the world around us. It certainly has proven to me to be a most valuable experience each term.

Spring Term Begins...Good Time for a Battlefield Visit

With Spring term now upon us many changes are certainly expected. These changes certainly will come in the form of new classes, new course assignments, and new clients (for those in practicum). I look forward to all these as they will each be enriching and most beneficial. However, one change that I have looked forward to since Labor Day 2007 is of course the Spring season. The warmer weather, the flowers, the trees full of bright green leaves, the dark thick grass, and of course all the new baby wild animals flourishing our undeveloped areas. I have discovered a very unique place to enjoy the wonderful changing seasons that can be had here in SW Missouri, a National Battlefield known as Wilson's Creek.




My family purchased an annual pass to the park last fall when we learned that we could see amazing foliage during that season. Our most recent visit proved to be just as enjoyable. The trees are filling, the animals are everywhere, and the wild grass can be seen all around. The history and legacy of this area amazes me and our kids love to watch the movie at the visitors center each time we stop in at the park. The park itself is very extensive and provides walking, biking, and horseback riding trails as well as a driving trail that circles the entire park. The park is located just about 4-5 miles from the academic campus of the school and is well worth the visit.

Kid's Night at Texas Roadhouse

Although my duties and tasks as a graduate student bring me much fun and joy, it is the joy I find being a husband and father that make my life truly worth while. Within this role I am often seeking ways to unite and strengthen my family. The other day my daughter brought home a flyer from school that stated that Texas Roadhouse was sponsoring the school by donating to the school some of the sales of a single night. What a fun and delicious night it turned out to be. Best of all, it was a night of family fun!

From clowns making balloon animals to a Texas Sized Armadillo playing games, this night was made for kids. On top of this they also had face painting and build-your-own sundays for the kids. My wonderful wife and I along with a friend from school all got to sit back, enjoy some perfectly cooked steak, and watch our children have the times of their lives... Texas Style.

While we were there we learned that Tuesday night is always "Kid's Night" at Texas Roadhouse and with a nearby location to the school, it certainly may be a valuable resource for other family based Forest Students like myself...... a love for steak and fun is a requirement though!