Santa-Cali-Gon Days

Three years ago, when Trea and I had just started dating, we decided to hop on his motorcycle one Saturday and drive to Independence, Mo., to visit the Truman Presidential Museum. And because Trea was driving, we spent the entire day experiencing the journey, rather than focusing on the destination, and when we finally arrived at the museum, we barely had time to look around before it closed. As we were leaving, a museum employee asked us if we were in town for the festival.

Me: What festival?
Him: Santa-Cali-Gon Days.
Me: Santa what?
Him: Santa-Cali-Gon Days. Y'all should go. It's awesome.

OK, random stranger, you talked us into it. We went to the festival, and we LOVED it. We had no money and had not planned on staying the weekend, but we decided to be spontaneous and just go with it. There was a carnival, carnival junk food, tacky crafts and Mark Chestnutt in concert! We had a fantastic time. And since 2007, we've been reminiscing about our perfect weekend at Santa-Cali-Gon Days and dying to go back.

So to celebrate Trea's 30th birthday and to relive the good old days, we spent Labor Day weekend in Independence. We stayed at a breathtaking bed and breakfast -- a 110-year-old mansion that was the highlight of our trip.

We had a lovely suite, complete with a sitting room.

And we woke up each morning to fresh brewed coffee right outside our door.

And went downstairs to a full three-course breakfast at our private table.

And then we went to Santa-Cali-Gon Days.

Because where else can you get chicken on a stick.

Practice your dart skills.

Win a sweet prize for your girl.

See Scooby end it all.

Test your manly muscles.

Stir funnel cake batter with a DeWalt drill.

AND ride a ferris wheel.

Only at Santa-Cali-Gon Days. 

It was just like it was three years ago.

We went back to the Truman museum and saw the replica oval office.

Just like three years ago.

We love Independence, Santa-Cali-Gon Days, and, of course, Harry Truman!