Rowley Poly Romping: Pictures from Christmas and St. Louis

Yes, I'm a little slow. But things are going to change. Lately I have been making some promises to update friends on what Adam and I are up to. Well I keep my promises, so here's what's been up with us. For the past 6 months or so!

We went to St. Louis and enjoyed Christmas with the Rowleys. Here are some pictures from our adventures. We did the Nativity Story and it was so much fun. I can't remember who was what, unfortunately, but I think Adam and I were either shepherds or angels. Elizabeth-Ann (Adam's sister, standing next to me) put these pics up on facebook, and I'm glad she did because I wanted a copy! Thanks Liz!

And of course, here's us being silly! ;-)

We also visited the Arch and the Lochs on the river. Here are some fun pictures of our adventures.

In the above picture, we are on the steps of the arch. In the front is Adam's brother Nathan, orange is his favorite color! From left to right is Adam's dad, then me and Adam, and Michael, Adam's younger brother.

Here's Adam in the airport terminal, using his Archos, like a mini t.v. with a huge hard-drive for lots of storage. We were probably watching "Harvest Moon," the Family Guy spoof on Star Wars. We also enjoy watching Arrested Development, the t.v. series, and Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, on Adam's Archos. Good times! Don't forget the headphone splitter! It is the perfect airport toy, and you can use it on the plane!

Back to the Arch, it was a little stormy that day. Here's the arch from below. :) So big and majestic!

The design of the arch is just like a famous physics problem, the hanging rope/chain, aka catenary curve, just inverted. There was a contest for the design of the arch and in the end, Eero Saarinen won in 1947.
http://www.slfp.com/View-of-Arch.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catenary

Making our way up the steps... soo many steps. Feel the burn! R to L: Adam's mom Anne, Michael, and Adam.

Here's the Mississippi at its usual lower level. Recently Adam's parents were telling us that the water is as high as the steps that we were climbing. It has completely flooded the parking lot and the road below, as well as the riverboat platforms for some of the casinos on the river. Crazy!

My artsy photo of the gateway arch, along with bronze plaque.

We had to wait in line for awhile, but now we're so close to boarding the pods, we can almost taste it! Nathan and Adam.

About to board through pod door three! Looks like we're on a space ship or something. Maybe a Disneyland ride, like Space Mountain. Or Space Tour!!!

The pod is here! Isn't it so sixties mod?? Very visually tickling. I like the backlit lighting. But a little sterile. Good ole sixties mod.

Boarding the giant egg. The pods can only hold five at a time, so we had to split up. But we're ready for a rockin' ride. "You rockin' rocket rockers!" (Quoting from the new Space Mountain. A little rockin' clicheed.) But the pods really do "rock" as you go up the arch. Hope you aren't claustraphobic!!! Or agoraphobic! Or acrophobic! But you don't really see down as you make your way up. Just when you are looking out the windows at the top!

Nathan makes the best faces. :) And Adam, you are looking hot! My hot sexy lover!

The big payoff! Looking at the bird's eye views of St. Louis.
The courthouse where the Dred Scott case was heard.

The Cardinals Stadium. (Trivia: Did you know that the Cardinal is NOT the state bird of Missouri? False advertizing, man! Anyway, it's the bluebird. The Bluebird of Happiness.)

More of the city and ...

... the river.

The top of the arch is not very big. It's probably just 15 or 20 feet from one side to the other. Here we are enjoying the view from both sides.

Now...
...onto the Lochs!

It was cold and windy, but it was awesome. We got to walk out near the lochs and boats and ride up an elevator to the top floor and watch the boats go up and down. Technology is amazing! Watching the boats was amazing!