My daughter and I and enjoyed the new version of A Christmas Carol by Disney. We saw the 3D version.

My daughter and I took a 5 day trip to the eastern Missouri Ozarks. We tent camped at the KOA just outside Eureka. The main reason we chose this area was the St. Louis 6 Flags. Our SF Great America season passes give us free admission to any other SF park.

My daughter enjoyed the camping. Her favorite activity was riding her bicycle around the campground with the new friends she made there. At night in bed before falling asleep, she liked watching old Yogi Bear cartoons & Tom Sawyer streaming from YouTube on the magic TV. She also went swimming every day in the campground’s pool.

We spent 2 days at the Saint Louis 6 Flags. Oh course her favorite rides were the roller coasters with ‘The Boss’ being at the top of the list. She also really like the Tony Hawk cars spinning coaster but thought the Screaming Eagle was boring compared to SFGA’s American Eagle. She doesn’t like going upside down, so we skipped all the coasters that do that.

We were able to visit some other sites including Meramec Caverns, The Magic House Children’s Museum, and the St. Louis Arch. On the way home, we stopped at a Route 66 landmark in Spfld. IL that happens to sit in the front yard of the Southern View neighborhood I grew up in.

Today my daughter rode the American Eagle at Six Flags Great America. It was her 1st time to be allowed to ride the ‘must be 48″ tall’ rides. She loved it and wanted to ride again as soon as we got off. As a precursor to this gianormis coaster, she also rode the Viper her first time.

At 6 years old, she riding some of the biggest and the best roller coasters in the world. I knew those smaller, but still good, Woody’s this year at Indiana Beach were a good warm-up. She also got started 2 years ago with the smaller kiddie coasters.

I remember when this coaster was built in 1981. At the time, it broke all the world records. It still holds some for “double train” wooden racers and I can attest that this ride is still plenty thrilling. The speed and acceleration of a runaway train dropping down a cliff, the vibrations, the noise, the wheels lifting off the tracks… What a rush!

Previous World Records:
• Fastest roller coaster until 1988 (7 years)
• Largest drop on a roller coaster until 1988 (7 years)
• Tallest wooden roller coaster until 1985 (4 years)
• Fastest wooden roller coaster until 2000 (19 years)
• Largest drop on a wooden roller coaster until 1989 (8 years)

Current World Records:
• Fastest racing wooden roller coaster
• Longest racing wooden roller coaster
• Tallest racing wooden roller coaster
• Largest drop on a racing wooden roller coaster

Today, I traded in my 2007 Chevy Aveo LT for 2009 Chevy Colorado WT. The Aveo was a good car. It had lots of options for the price. But for a long time I’ve wanted and needed something with more utility.

I was able to switch for almost the same payment; only a lot more years again. I traded 2 years of additional payments on the Aveo for 4 more than that on a Colorado. I like the truck and plan if possible to keep it forever so the years owed are not that big of a deal to me. I like the low payment.

For a base model truck I purchased, the 2009 Chevy Colorado has some nice features. The bed liner is at the top of my list, but the leather wrapped steering wheel is also nice. The fog lights and cruise control are surprising features to get at this price point along with the 16″ wheels and tires.

I paid under 15 large for this truck which I think, with the price of vehicles these days, is a good value.

The truck only came with a basic radio, but it sounds good. Speakers are nice. I plan to upgrade in future with a decent cheap CD/Mp3 player. I don’t need a booming stereo anymore. 20 Watts RMS is plenty.

My future upgrades plans include… Class III hitch, CD/MP3 player, Mud Flaps, Hood Bug / Rock Deflector, Door Window Rain Guards, Fender Flairs, Rear Window Tint, Alloy Rims. The trailer hitch has already been ordered.

With the 10k to 15K I saved over buying a pricer Colorado model, I can afford to add only the aftermarket options I want; like a top for the bed which those better models do not even come with.

Purchased the $24.00 parking, saw a pirate play, rode the Ferris Wheel, explored the pier, had lunch at Bubba Gump’s, rode the free downtown trolley shuttle, went to the Children’s Museum, built a bear, had Haagen Dazs ice cream, came home to the suburbs in bumper to bumper. A perfect Chicago day.