Branson trip

For the past two years James' mom has taken a week off work to watch our kids so James and I could have a little vacation together.  Last year we went to Boston.  This year we went to Branson for a few days.  Here's some pictures of our day at Silver Dollar City.  Sometimes it's a bit hard for us to go to an amusement park together because James likes roller coaster/dropping rides and I like spinning ones.  I did convince him to go on the swings though.  It was funny because he said he didn't like it because the only thing holding him up was material anyone could buy at Home Depot!

We did find the perfect ride for us!  We actually rode it twice(along with the swinging back and forth pirate ship).  I forgot what this one is called but you sit in the seat and lean forward and a bar like thing comes up to your back.  You then spin as you are swinging back and forth(like the pirate ship).  It was fun!

These pirate ships James didn't like very well.  They went in a circle as well as up and down.  I loved it!

Just incase you are feeling sorry for James because he had to ride all my rides, I will tell you that he convinced me to go on some interesting ones too.  I just don't have pictures of me because I had the camera. :)  We went on one called "fire in the hole."  It had sentimental value to James as it was his first roller coaster.  It's an inside roller coaster and most of it's in the dark.  I was so sure something was going to jump out at me!(which I hate!).  Oh, and as we were waiting in line I kept noticing that people were getting of the ride wet.  James kept telling me it wasn't a water ride.  Yes, at the last, dark, drop there was water at the bottom and we got soaked.  Speaking of soaked, our next ride was the log ride and we sat in the back again.  Well, I sat in front of James so I got all the water and he only got a little when we plunged down to the bottom of a big pool of water!  Also at Silver Dollar City we took at bread making class.  It was really fun and I learned alot!  When we go back I'm going to see what other cooking classes they offer.
The next day James dragged me to another scary event... zip lining!  He saw a buy one at half off on Groupon and bought two for us!  So I had to go.  I have to admit I was a little nervous.  I'm not that excited about falling.  But this wasn't too bad.  The worse parts were climbing up the very tall, circular staircase to the top of the tower(had to do that twice) and going across the two, very shaky, high bridges.  But we both made it out ok so that's all that matters! :)

After zip lining we went mini golfing. There were alot of interesting ones to choose from but we chose the dinosaur one.  Here's the hole that's in a cave with water...

I told James not to climb the side of the volcano but he didn't listen! :)

The absolute best part of this mini golf game... I WON!!!  James and I have played mini golf more times than I can count in our 7 years of knowing each other and he as won EVERY TIME!  But not at the dinosaur one!!  I prevailed!!  It was close though... this is how bad I am, I had 3 hole in ones, James had none, and I still only beat him by one! :)  This is how happy I was...

James was a bit of a bear(er...dinosaur) about losing...

The next day we went to Springfield to watch a Springfield Cardinals game.  On the way there we stopped at Lambert's, home of the throwed rolls, for lunch.  The food was good(and huge!) but I was a bit disappointed in with the throwed rolls.  They make a really big deal out the roll throwing but the guy was just tossing them to people!  I was expecting rolls flying across the room!  We did talk to someone who said they had been there when there were rolls flying across the room so I guess we just got a dud roll thrower. :)

The last morning there we drove around for a bit.  We were surprised to see Tablerock Lake/Dam was only a few minutes from where we were staying!  We stopped and took a quick picture.  We will probably go back to explore more when we go down again.

We came home a day early because the kids were still at Grandma's house in St. Louis and we thought we could get alot done with them gone(and we did!).  We went shopping for a big bed for O and I saw these beautiful clouds!  Little known fact about me... when I was younger I wanted to grow up and take pictures of clouds for my job(I also wanted to be a mailman because I thought the only time they worked was when they delivered mail to my house but that's another story!).  I took these pictures while we were driving to our 3rd furniture store.  Isn't God an amazing God to make such beautiful things out of nothing! :)  Enjoy.

a bit of a blogger hypocrite

I realize it's been over a month since I've posted anything.  And alot of things have happened since then.  I'm going to try to blog about all of them.  I have realized something though... I have become a bit of a blogging hypocrite!  You see, even though I haven't posted in over a month I've still check all the blogs I follow!  I even check my friend Andrea's blog even when I know she only posts twice a week!  So, I'm going to try to be better and post more(even twice a month is more than I currently am doing!) but it is summer and I make no promises. :)
My friend did tell me a secret, you can change the date each post so it looks like you actually posted when you should have!  What a great thing! :)  So below are a few new posts.... enjoy!

Grandma's birthday weekend

We finished Pandamania on Thursday evening.  Friday afternoon we all got in the car and headed to St. Louis to celebrate James' mom's birthday(it was a big one, not sure if she would want me to share. :)  As we were driving there, James' brother, Bill, and his family, Darlene and cousins S, A, and J, were driving to St. Louis from Nashville.  It was suppose to be a big birthday surprise but Uncle Bill's car broke down and James had to go help while the kids and I waited at the restaurant with Grandma and Aunt Kim.  We did all manage to get to the hotel that night and get settled in but it was a late night for the kiddos.  We got up the next morning and walked over to the Arch.  It was so nice that all of us were staying in the same place and could walk there!

Here's O with Grandma(or "Gram" or "Grammy" depending on how O was feeling at the moment!)

We also walked(or "flew") down by the very high river!

S Loves the water!  Unfortunately no one else in his immediate family does.  I have a feeling I'm going to have to start to like going to the pool soon.

Cousin S                                                          Cousin A

 

and O                                                                  and S were "measured"

Another fun activity... "swinging"!

Oh, James thinks he is so funny!! :)

After the Arch we all climbed into our cars and drove to the Transportation Museum.  I, personally, would have called it the Train Museum as all the had were trains there besides a small airplane and boat at the entrance(which you really couldn't walk to safely) but maybe they have plans to expand.  It was a really neat place!  You got to go in some of the trains.  Here's part of the group.

Aunt Darlene, Cousins S, A, and J, James, the kids, and I went on a little ride.  It was a good time to do so.  It was really hot and a very sunny day so the ride was a nice break.

This was a cool part, you could go inside the engine and look at all the controls.  Uncle Bill even helped S pull the rope for the "choo choo" sound(very technical term).

I had to put this picture in.  S was in one of the trains standing up on a platform with seats.  An older gentleman came through with his wife and grandchildren.  He started talking to S.  I'm not sure why S was so irritated but he was!

Family photo

Group photo(all but Aunt Kim who was taking the picture and Aunt Darlene who I think was taking pictures too)

After the Transportation Museum, we went out to Uncle Buddy's restaurant to eat and have a birthday party(Grandma's brother)!  Here's Grandma getting some help blowing out her birthday candles!

And the cake

and the party

The next day we went back to the Arch for a grandchildren/cousin photo.  Try to get 5 kids to look at you all at the same time- it's hard!  This is the best photo I got.

After the "photo shoot,"  James, Grandma, the kids and I went up in the Arch.  Everyone else chickened out. :)  Aunt Kim said something about it breaking down and people getting stuck 3 times last year.  I figure that's good odds, only 3 times it got stuck with running 364 days a year! :)  Anyway, here's the little trams(for lack of a better word), that take you up to the top of the Arch.  We barely got there before it left so I missed the announcement to not stop and take a picture.  Oops.  I heard it on the way down though. :)

At the top!

Waiting to get back on to go down(safely)...

The ride down...

While we were up in the Arch, the others walked around.  I thought this was a really good picture of Aunt Darlene and her kids so I stole it from Aunt Kim!

This pictures not in order but I thought the joy of having powder doughnuts in bed had to be shared!

We all headed home after lunch.  It was a really good weekend and everyone had fun!