Day 6

After breakfast and packing out of the hotel we let the children run at a park for a few minutes before heading out to my cousin-in-law's parents' house. The cousin and wife weren't there, but their two girls were waiting for us. Their grandma was baking a coffee cake, and kindly entertained Bob and I while the children went exploring outside. After we all had cake and lemonade we took the girls into town.

We went out to Mansfield to the Laura Ingalls Wilder house, which was nice, but not as "magical" as I had once imagined it would be. The children enjoyed seeing items that were mentioned in the books (which the older ones have read), and playing outside with their cousins.

Then back to Ava where we grabbed a burger at McDonald's and then went to the drugstore for ice cream. This place ought to be famous, if it's not. They sell ice cream cones at 5 cents per scoop, in a dozen flavors, with a smile. After the dessert we took the cousins back home, and headed home ourselves. It was about 2 1/2 hours from there, driving through Branson.

We pulled into Huntsville at 6pm, and my allergies immediately flared up. Supper at Pizza Hut and then home to air out the house and go to our very own beds.

 Children play at Wilder house.

 Wilder's retirement home, built by Rose after she sold her first book.

The rock house wasn't open when we got there, so I got a few pictures through the windows.