SYMPHONY NIGHT

Since last night was such a hit, we took the kids back for more music (and running down hills) tonight. This evenings concert was the symphony, accompanied by Trace Adkins (on one song). Our verdict was too much narration that was too loud vs. music that was beautiful but too quiet. The kids were far less interested than they were in the Navy Band, but they still had fun, still got dirty, and still got to stay out past dark. And they still made us proud by standing still with their hands over their hearts for the national anthem.

Telling me what shapes he sees up in the clouds...

Manu, James, Leo, and Cora playing with a strangers spaniel puppy.

Glow sticks are ALWAYS a hit after dark, no matter the occasion.

RUNNING DOWN THE RIVER

The model of the Mississippi River from Memphis to Vicksburg, located behind the Mississippi River Museum (which opened last year), is finally filled with running water. We noticed it the other day when driving through downtown, so we planned ahead and took the kids adventuring in their swim suits today, and packed some toy boats for river model floating. It was a huge hit! We only wish there was some shade... And a park bench...

(That would be the museum/boat in the background, which we toured after the splashing)

Jumping off the I-20 bridge at Vicksburg...

She ran back to the complete other end of the model, grabbed James' hand and said "Dames! I gotta show you some-fing!", and dragged him back down to the bridge. I had a pretty good idea what she wanted to show him...

Once they got tired of jumping off the bridge, they started jumping OVER the river.

This is what the model looks like from the top of the boat.

The Captain and Pilot

150TH ANNIVERSARY

There were SO MANY events going on in the park over the weekend, but we knew the kids would only be able to handle a few, so we picked the camel infantry (their camel, Douglas, actually just carried the musical instruments) and touring the Shirley House. And running through the tunnel a few times.

Smelling a magnolia flower

Petting a camel. NOT Douglas, obviously. Reenactment people, reenactment.

Cora was scared to stand solo with the camel, but not James.

We bumped into one of Cora's buddies from school, Addisyn. They played Ring Around the Rosie for a while.

Gramma taught them how to smell the rosemary growing in the garden.

Checking out the cannon, wondering what gun powder is and where it goes...

Behind the Illinois Memorial.

Meeting a mannequin with an apple, just like her.

More interested in the doll and buggy though.

Inside the Illinois Memorial, one of our favorite places to visit in the park.

NAVY BAND

This weekend our national park is celebrating it's sesquicentennial anniversary of the assaults on Vicksburg. There have been programs throughout the week, and planned for the entire Memorial Day weekend. We plan to attend a few events this weekend, starting with the Navy Band performance tonight. We met the Kennedy and Sanchez families for an evening of music outside the visitor center, where we picnicked for dinner and let the kids run wild until well after bedtime. We saw our friend Ashley there as well, and our kids had fun playing with hers - they may even have made it on TV, since they were all climbing the cannon and rolling down the hills in the background behind the park ranger they were interviewing. Hanging out with our friends and honoring the many service men and women in attendance of the concert was a great way to start the weekend!

(James took this picture for us!)

Towards the end of the concert I asked the kids to sit still for 2 seconds so I could take a group photo. James immediately obeyed and told all the other kids to come join him. They all sat, but nobody would look at my camera. When I said 1, 2, 3 to try and get a quick smile from them, Leo yelled "Go!" and lunged forward to get moving again. Meanwhile Cora was being her usual creepy self rolling her eyes up into her head (and yes, she does that when she's angry/annoyed with us too...) No wonder the boys were playing a game of pretend that involved chasing a witch (we *think* they got that from Scooby Doo, which they watch at school sometimes). By the time I corralled them all for another chance at the photo, Leo was no longer interested in sitting down and Will was too distracted by the hills, but Manu suggested to James and Cora that they all make "mad faces". Yeah, totally believable guys...