Springfield, Missouri

FANTASTIC CAVERNS

Our first stop after arriving in Springfield was Fantastic Caverns. This ride-through cave, discovered in 1862 by a farmer's dog and originally explored by an all-women crew, was such a fascinating and exhilarating experience. As the tour progressed, we could feel the magnitude and depth of the cave. The immense stillness down there was magical.

TRU BY HILTON

After our cave adventure, we checked into Tru by Hilton Hotel. This is a great place to stay, whether you’re solo or traveling with kids. They offer so many hotel perks and amenities. The

kids loved the lobby area that had a pool table and board games.

GAILEY’S BREAKFAST CAFE

Several Springfield locals told us Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe was one of the best breakfast spots, so of course we had to check it out. This Springfield restaurant is SUCH a gem. The entire aesthetic of the restaurant was relaxed and welcoming. On the weekends, they feature live musical guests which just adds to the experience.

We were in awe of the food! They offered all of the traditional breakfast favorites, like fluffy pancakes, French toast and breakfast scrambles. In addition to all the go-to breakfast entrees, they offered a wide range of vegan and vegetarian options.

BLACK LAB COFFEE CO

After breakfast, we explored downtown Springfield and made our way to Black Lab Coffee Co. I heard the coffee scene in Springfield was vibrant, and this particular spot had been on my list of coffee shops to visit for a while.

The overall vibe of the shop was cozy and inviting. My son Kailand said it was the most relaxing coffee shop he’s ever been to. As a coffee connoisseur, I ten out of ten WOULD recommend making a stop at this cute shop when in Springfield.

DICKERSON PARK ZOO

The weather was absolute perfection for a day at the zoo. Our first stop was the petting zoo area. The kids enjoyed feeding the goats and llamas. My favorite creature was the donkey, who would do just about anything to get a handful of treats. In addition to a wide variety of animals, Dickerson Park Zoo has a train, several playgrounds and a restaurant/snack bar.

Branson, Missouri

SHEPHERD’S ADVENTURE PARK

Our first stop in Branson was THE spot to go, whether you’re a leisure seeker or adrenaline junkie! This adventure park offers a scenic zip line tour, ropes course and their brand-new mountain coaster. We decided to thrill ourselves on the Copperhead Mountain Coaster, and it was fantastic. This fast-paced ride takes you through the scenic and beautiful Ozark Mountains with exhilarating loops and turns. We also loved that, as a driver, you can control the speed of your ride depending on if you prefer a high-speed or relaxed ride.

Following the epic mountain coaster, we decided to check out Shepherd’s PumpkinFest for the rest of the day. Let me just say, it was the best decision ever because this place had it ALL. This epic fall festival had a petting zoo, a large indoor and outdoor playground, a bounce house and bounce pad, a rock wall climbing area, an ice cream parlor, and more!

DANNA’S BAR-B-QUE & BURGER SHOP

After a full day of fun, we were starving and decided to check out Danna’s Bar-B-Que & Burger Shop for dinner. I don’t eat barbecue often, BUT when I do, it has to be good. Danna’s understood the assignment. Kailand chose one of the shop's infamous cheeseburgers and said it was the best one he’s ever had. My other son, Maddox, went with his usual chicken strips, but ended up sharing the ribs my daughter Audri and I ordered. In the words of Maddox: “We give this spot a 100 out of 10!”

CLUB WYNDHAM MOUNTAIN VISTA

We checked into the gorgeous Club Wyndham Mountain Vista resort in Branson, and we were in awe. This is such a perfect spot, especially if you have kids! The resort offers a plethora of amenities, including multiple outdoor pools, an indoor pool and a recreation center with a game room, as well as daily activities planned for the whole family. They also have multiple room options, including suites like the one we had. The kids loved that they had their own room, and I loved that the space also included a washer and dryer!

WONDERWORKS

Branson has SOOO many entertainment options, which can feel a little overwhelming. I’d suggest planning out the spots you want to see and purchasing tickets ahead of time.

We decided to spend our day at WonderWorks, the upside-down museum.This whimsically fascinating place features more than 100 hands-on displays and interactive exhibits with an emphasis on science and art. You can easily spend HOURS here because there is something for everyone. A few of our favorite interactive displays were the Bed of Nails, Astronaut Training Simulator and the Wonder Art Gallery.

Pro Tip: Do a height check at home before visiting this spot so you know which rides and exhibits each kiddo can do.

BILLY GAIL’S

We arrived at our lunch spot, Billy Gail’s, ready to EAT. This Branson restaurant is known for its southern down-home cooking with favorites like fried green tomatoes and fried pickles. The fried pickles were our favorite!

SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE

After lunch, we went to the cutest, old-fashioned candy store that had all the nostalgic favorites. They also had freshly made fudge and saltwater taffy. We all recommend adding this spot to your itinerary when you visit Branson, especially if you have a sweet tooth.

THE BUTTERFLY PALACE AND RAINFOREST ADVENTURE

Our very last stop on this Missouri weekend road trip was The Butterfly Palace and Rainforest Adventure. This magical oasis showcases over 1,000 butterflies, a mirror maze, tree maze and exotic reptile area. Being immersed in the habitat of these beautiful butterflies was such a calming experience and the perfect way to end a fun-filled getaway.

At the end of our journey, we all agreed that this was by far one of our favorite road trips! We crammed a lot into such a short period of time and can’t wait to go back for round two soon!

Thanks to Visit Missouri for sponsoring this blog post. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Find YOUR M-O at VisitMo.com

"Hey mom, can we go to space today?"

I pride myself in being the fun mom who's always ready for an adventure, so when I found out there was an epic space museum only a day trip away from us, I packed up the squad and we were off to space.

The Cosmosphere Science Education Center and Space Museum located in Hutchinson Kansas was the perfect place to not only learn about astronauts and rockets, but be fully immersed into the history of space for a day.

We started our exploration at the Hall Of Space Museum in CosmoKids. We were instantly in awe of this hands-on, interactive play experience. Some of the STEM based activities included a Gravity Well, Wind Tunnel and the Orion Spacecraft.

Inside the spacecraft, the kids could experience what it's like going to space. With windows and a countdown, this simulation felt SO real!

After exploring the spacecraft, the boys moved on to the interactive Mars Habitat building area and Audri went for designing her own air rocket. As a kid who loves engineering, crafting and designing, this was by far her favorite activity in CosmoKids. All materials and instructions are provided and once your design is complete you can actually launch your rocket.

Next on our list after exploring CosmoKids, was Dr. Goddards Lab! This interactive live show that included explosive surprises while taking us on a journey of the history of rockets was captivating. I loved how engaging each experiment was while also giving little tidbits of facts about how rockets were invented and tested.

The Cosmosphere Hall Of Space, featuring the largest U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world was, in the words of Maddox "magical and awesome!" We explored the X-plane, Mollett Early Spaceflight, German and Apollo Galleries.

What sets the Cosmosphere Space Museum apart from other museums we've visited is the significant artifacts in each gallery. Instead of just reading about facts, we had an up close and personal view of artifacts like Kansas Astronaut Joe Engle’s X-15 flight suit, Apollo space suits, Apollo 11 Moon rock and the XLR99 rocket engine from the X-15 program. The flown spacecraft were SO interesting. We saw the real Apollo 13 command module, the Gemini X, which astronaut Michael Collins (who also flew on the first Moon mission with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong) and the Liberty Bell 7! In addition, we were also able to see the Russian spacecraft. It was incredible seeing so many “real” artifacts.

After grabbing lunch in the cafe we enjoyed our final activity for the day; a movie in the Carey Digital Dome Theater. This theater is not your average movie experience, with a two story dome and 4k digital projection you feel like you're in the film. We enjoyed viewing Into The Wild, a visually captivating documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman.

Our visit to the Cosmosphere Space Museum was one of my favorite adventures this year. We left feeling as though we took a trip through history and experienced the magic of space. When you plan your visit, be sure to spend the ENTIRE day exploring because you'll lose track of time in this epic adventure!

*Thank you to the Cosmosphere Space Museum for sponsoring this post.

"It's ok to fall apart sometimes. Tacos do and we still love them." This little quote has been the theme of my life lately. Falling apart and picking up my little toppings and tucking them back together. "What is wrong with you?" a question I ask myself often but turns out, living through a pandemic for over a year can take a major toll in the mental health department! So, I'm showing myself massive amounts of grace, taking time to rest and doing what I do best; EATING!

These tacos have been on repeat for us lately because they're easy, comforting and DELICIOUS! So, if you're also on Team-Fall-Apart and want some tacos to go with it, here's the recipe!

EASY OVEN BAKED TACOS

What You'll Need:

• 12 Taco Shells ( I love the white corn version but any kind will do)

• 1 16 oz Can Of Black Beans (Drained & Rinsed)

• 1 Small Red Bell Pepper (Diced)

• 1/2 Of A Red Onion (Diced)

• 2-3 Cloves Of Garlic (Minced)

• 1 4 oz. Can Of Diced Green Chiles

• The Juice of 1 Lime

• Seasonings of Choice (I always add a healthy dose of salt, fresh ground black pepper, paprika and garlic powder)

STEP 1: Add a drizzle of olive oil to your pan and sauté peppers and onions over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.

Add drained black beans and green chiles. After adding desired seasonings and lime juice, simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes. I like to mash the black beans a little as I stir and mix for a thicker consistency but that's totally optional.

The Goya Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base adds a nice punch of flavor to this recipe. I usually add about 1/4 cup but this step is also optional.

Step 2: Place taco shells to a nonstick baking dish. Fill each shell with your black bean and veggie mixture and top with cheese. This recipe could EASILY be vegan if you topped with dairy free cheese.

Bake tacos at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and tacos are crispy!

And that's a wrap! Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Cheers to falling apart, indulging in yummy tacos and knowing life won't always feel so heavy.