Missouri

jam, jelly, preserves

How do I describe Missouri? I've really only ever been to Cape Girardeau, where John's aunt Dana and grandma live.

The tallest magnolia tree ever

It's a pretty rural area, where cell service is spotty. High-speed internet is not always available. Not everyone has DVR, so you have to watch commercials. There's a lot of wood paneling and trees. Lots and lots of trees. It really is the country.

Hush puppies are not good for you. But they are good.

It's a different experience for me. I grew up in Garland, a suburb of Dallas. I've never lived more than 10 miles from a major city, where there was a gas station, Target and grocery store on every corner.

It takes some getting used to. But I like being able to unplug and not feel like I have to check my email or take phone calls. I like having to make do with playing Bookworm all day or driving 3o minutes to find a nail salon. I don't know if I could live there, but I like visiting there.

Boom!

In Cape, you get to eat salads that aren't salads (broccoli salad, pasta salad, potato salad), make fried foods, eat homemade vanilla ice cream, watch hours of TNT, take naps, go out 20 times a day to the store, wear no makeup because there's no point with the humidity, eat 3 desserts, and shoot off $750 of fireworks.

What's not to love?