Branson, Mo

WARNING:PICTURE OVERLOAD

In the middle of May we took a little family vacation to Branson, Mo. We drove. It was about 22 hours of driving, plus stops. We drove to Lyman, and stayed with Aubrey our first night. We stopped in Echo Canyon and took some fun pictures.

The next day we drove about 10 hours and stopped in the middle of Nebraska and got a hotel.

The kids had a blast in the hotel jumping from bed to bed (mom doesn't allow jumping on beds at home, but it was different at a hotel, so they had fun)

We made a few pit stops along the way and they had some fun toys

It was a little rough sleeping in the car for the kids, but they managed, thanks to our pillows

We had the funnest week. It was totally relaxed and a REAL VACATION. We didn't even have internet in the room. But they did at the front desk. We woke up the first morning to the fire alarm going off, only to go outside and have it pouring rain. It was a little scary, but thankfully nothing big, the neighbor was cooking bacon and set his off and it went through the whole building. I LOVED the rainstorms, they are real rainstorms. Big, warm rain drops. You can see them bouncing off the fire truck and the parking lot.
We went to one show. The Baldknobbers. It was the first show in Branson years ago when it started. It was really good. The kids enjoyed it too, so that was a major plus.
We spent lots of time in the pool. Not many others were there, so we got it pretty much all to ourselves.
Jennilyn mostly enjoyed getting in the FREEZING COLD water, and climbing out and sitting on the chair and getting down and getting back in the pool, and over and over and over again.
Jayden loved it. It was about a foot and a half deep at it's deepest part, so he could walk through the whole the and just LOVED it.
I think Chris had the most fun tho. Playing in the water with his kids. (He had to work for a bit while we were there, so he took his laptop to the pool area, because he could get the internet there, and he worked by the pool then we came and brought him lunch and then we all went swimming. I think we could get use to that! :)

After swimming one day it was so hot so we went and got ice cream cones. I wouldn't give them to the kids while we were in the car and they were almost completely melted by the time we got back. They sure enjoyed it tho, as you can see.

We took a "Ride the Ducks" tour. This is the bus/boat. It drives on the road and then drives right into the water to take a boat ride. It was fun.
Jayden was having a blast
Jennilyn was a little exhausted
We went to the Fantastic Caverns. It's a HUGE cave. It was pretty awesome. It took the kids a few minutes to get use to it, they didn't like the darkness, and low ceilings. But it was amazing.

On our way home from the cave we stopped at Lamberts. It's a famous restaurant known for the roll throwing. When the hot rolls come out of the oven someone comes out and says "Hot Rolls" you raise your hand and he chucks it at you. Hopefully you can catch.

After a week of fun we headed home. We took a little detour to Independence, Missouri and got to stop at the visitors center there and then went on to Liberty Jail.
They had a little play area in the Visitors Center with a little log cabin and a horse and wagon. The kids had a blast! Aren't they cute Pioneers?

It's amazing the horrible conditions that Joseph Smith and others endured in that Jail.We stayed the night in Omaha with my cousin Sabrina and her family. She has a little boy and the kids had fun playing together. Sadly I didn't get any pictures. Thanks so much Sabrina it was so fun.
We made it home. They kids are pretty much sick of the car, but they were AMAZING! I couldn't have asked for anything better.