Family Vacation

PRECIOUS MOMENTS CHAPEL

EMILY WITH HER NEW HAT AND BALLOON ART

EMILY JUMPING IN

LAUREN JUMPING TO G'BEE

THE DECKERS AT DINNER

SNUG AS A BUG...IN OUR HOTEL BED

As you can see from the pictures...we had a great time last week in Branson. Mom and Wes wanted to use their timeshare and had booked a few nights at Big Cedar. We booked into a hotel in Branson and went up a day early with the girls. Thursday we traveled at a leisurely pace and made a stop in Carthage, MO at the Precious Moments Chapel. It was very much worth the detour. I have always wanted to go but never "got around to it." It was a great break for the girls and the grounds and chapel were amazing. We only had an hour or so to spend so I would like to go back sometime when we can.

Thursday night we arrived in time to grab a quick dinner and get checked in. Tom went ahead and took Emily to the hotel pool while Lauren and I unpacked and then got ourselves ready for bed.

Friday morning we went to Branson Landing and really enjoyed wandering around. There is a Bass Pro Shop there so of course we had to make time to visit! The girls enjoyed walking around
and shopping a little. Emily got a fun new hat and Lauren was dazzled by all the water features!

Friday after a long nap (the girls and I snoozed for 2 ½ hours while Tom ran around town)... we loaded up and went to Big Cedar to meet Mom and Wes. We splashed in the lazy river and played in the pool until hunger got the best of us.

Saturday morning it was up and back at Big Cedar where we all loaded up and headed to the fish hatchery. Leave it to Tom to find the free nature things to do! This is a big fish farm where they raise brown and rainbow trout. You just wander around and look at the thousands of trout and feed them. It was cool and the girls enjoyed it. City folks don't see things like that everyday! Then after lunch, Tom, Emily and Mom got the award for most water time... I think they played for 4 ½ straight hours! Lauren and I took a break and came back that afternoon for some pool time. Emily informed us that evening that it wasn't enough ... she wanted to live in the pool I guess.

We had dinner at the Big Cedar restaurant Friday night with Mom & Wes and then we ate at Branson Landing Saturday night... the steak house was a two hour wait and it was already 8:30 so with two hungry girls we opted for pizza.

Diane and Kevin came up that evening so we got to spend some time with them as well. We all went down to the marina to feed the fish and find the ducks. I had brought a big bag from home with bread, corn tortillas and crackers that we wree saving for fish food. We sat on the docks and started feeding the fish. Pretty soon a turtle showed up and then another. Another few minutes and a duck started swimming our way. By the time we finished throwing out all our "food" we had quite a few new friends...three ducks, five turtles and hundreds of fish. Once again...big fun for us "city folk."

Sunday morning was go home-home day as Emily and I dubbed it. We would go home every night from Big Cedar to the hotel but we agreed that home-home was what we called our house in Shawnee. Ahhh the wisdom of a five-year-old. We wanted to do one last fun thing so we opted to ride the ducks. The girls got duck quackers that you could blow and make yourself sound like a crazy duck and we heard them all the way home! Too funny. They really seemed to enjoy the trip. None of us had ever done the car/boat thing and it was interesting. They took us through Branson and gave us a little speech on the attractions and then out to Table Rock Lake where they drove the car/boat into the water. We were all very relieved it floated and did well. It took
about 30 minutes longer than normal due to some downtown traffic congestion and Lauren finally crashed. She took about a 40 minute nap on the ride.

We finished off Branson with a quick lunch and then headed out of town... I wanted to leave by noon and it was more like 2pm when we finally got loose but we had a good time. Lauren is usually a really bad traveler. Emily was also when she was small. We haven't ever made it all the way to Tulsa, and few times to OKC without a good crying jag out of Lauren. She just hates her
car seat and being on a trip. Well, miracles happen! Both girls did an amazing job traveling. They weren't whiney or gripey for the most part and no crying. We were absolutely amazed. We are hoping that Lauren has finally outgrown the traveling issues like Emily did. Maybe we will actually get out more now!

I think we have about decided this could easily be our annual family vacation spot. I always thought Branson was kind of cheesy...maybe it still is and I've just gotten old enough to appreciate it. There is so much to do yet staying at Big Cedar you could easily do nothing but enjoy nature and the water park options! Either way I would say this was one of the more fun
weeks we have spent together and we really enjoyed all the family time. Wes isn't much of a pool person so he observed and stayed dry...but mom, well she is probably still trying to get all the water out of her system from all the endless hours of grandkid fun!