Family visit to Missouri by way of Pennsylvania

It has been an exciting week.  I drove a rental car from North Carolina to Pennsylvania to see family.  From there I took my mom and aunt (my mom's sister) to Missouri to visit my cousin.  My mom does not fly very often and my aunt has not flown in an airplane in over 35 years.  This was quite the adventure for them ("and me").  It was great to see them experience the travel and new places.

Arriving at cousin Pam's home in St Louis.  There was snow on the pumpkin!

We had to see the St. Louis Arch.  Unfortunately the weather was not that pretty, but we made the best of it.

St. Louis Arch with cloudy sky made for a creative black and white shot

Cousin Pam is a huge horse person.  We had to visit with one of the carriage horses at the arch.

Pam got all of us tickets at the historic Fox Theater in downtown St. Louis to see Stomp.  We were in the 4th row at center stage.  It was a wonderful performance.

The Fox Theater also known as "The Fabulous Fox" is an iconic St. Louis venue.  It was built in 1929 by movie pioneer, William Fox, to showcase the films and elaborate stage shows of his Fox Film Corporation.  When it opened in 1929 it was the second-largest theater in the United States.  The theater has a Wurlitzer pipe organ that cost $75,000 to purchase in 1929.  It was restored in 1981.  There is a second, smaller Wurlitzer organ in the theater's lobby.

Fox Theater

Inside the Fox Theater

Ceiling of the theater

Selfie of all of us at Stomp

My mom Dianne, me, Aunt Barbara, and Cousin Pam

There was also a visit to the St. Louis Butterfly house in Faust Park.  The park is on the former farming grounds of Missouri's 2nd governor, Frederick Bates.

Pam is a horse gal, and we had to see her horse, Gesa.  She is a dressage horse from Germany.  Pam has had her for 16 or 17 years and done a lot of work with her.  When she first arrived from Germany, Gesa had many, shall we say, emotional issues; but Pam has done wonders with her.

Gesa and Pam coming into the barn

My aunt, mom, Gesa, Pam, and me

Our last full day in Missouri, Pam and I put up her Christmas tree and decorated it.  It was a little early; but since we were all together, it was fun to do this Christmas activity.

Christmas tree with Pam's cat Cricket under the tree.  Cricket appeared to approve of our work.

The trip came to an end too soon.  What a fantastic time.  Aunt Barbara was even ready to go again, in spite of not being a fan of flying.