Here is the trip summarized.... well as best as I could summarize a 2 week trip....
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| Anita & my mom |
In June of 2010... My family and I took a trip across the states to Branson, Missouri. It is a tiny little tourist town... much like that of Vegas...but in the hills... and its more geared for families. We went on this venture to celebrate my Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary.... 50 YEARS.. I am so encouraged by their relationship. Anyway, we all crammed into my parents mini-van and drove all the way there. And it was a fun adventure. We did stop in Ennis, CO to visit my Mom's cousin Anita and her family... but it was a quick stop and we were off again. I think it took us a total of 2 days to get there... and I was sure glad to get out of the Van and walk around.
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One of my favorite things was
taking pictures of the signs
along the way... this one was in Kansas... How funny is that. But I guess they know how to market... because that's really why we stopped! |
When we arrived in Branson, it took us at least an hour to navigate our way to our hotel... Branson has like one main street called the Landing... (I think). Where all of the shows are lined up... and sure enough we got there around evening when everything is "happening"
After finally getting to our condo/hotel and "moved in" We planned on meeting the rest of the family for dinner at a little cafe that was recommended by one of the Locals. It was a little place that had the All-American Menu and all of the Waiters and Waitresses sang to their tables... kinda like American Idol... but not. Actually one of our waiters had made it on to the show but wasn't voted into the top 24 or something like that... Any way we had fun listening and laughing with family. Check out its review here
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| MEL'S HARD LUCK DINER |
Branson Day 2: THE BRANSON BELLE
Today we celebrated my wonderful Grandparent's 50th Wedding
Anniversary... The reason we all traveled here. We all went to the
SHOWBOAT Branson Belle Dinner Cruise. It was a lot of fun. We had
assigned seating and when we entered to boat we had to find our tables
and sit and wait for the show to start.
There was a group that had actually just got married on the deck of the boat and their dinner reception was the Show... kind of strange if you ask me but I guess its not up to me... it was their wedding.
There was a group that had actually just got married on the deck of the boat and their dinner reception was the Show... kind of strange if you ask me but I guess its not up to me... it was their wedding.
The show was really fun!
Something like "high school musical" not the story line but the style
of show. Like the kind that would be really really fun to be in. They
did a Disney montage and I enjoyed it the best out of the shows we went
to while we were in Branson.
The food wasn't awesome but it wasn't great either... but they really know how to serve!!
During the Intermission we had the opportunity to walk around the deck
The food wasn't awesome but it wasn't great either... but they really know how to serve!!
During the Intermission we had the opportunity to walk around the deck
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| Bonnie & Joe sat behind me during the show |
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| Gammie & Papa with Grammie's Sisters (Pattie & Marylin) |
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| Happy 50th Grammie & Papa |
Branson Day 3:
I was super excited to just relax and hang out by the pool... and that's exactly what we did. I got up and swam in our hotel's pool then got ready and we went to another Hotel across town where the rest of our family was staying. We met up with my Grammie's Sisters kids and they took us around and showed us the town. We took family photos and I remember it was really really HOT!!! I couldn't wait to swim again.
One of the funniest things happened while we were getting ready to all go to the pool. We were taking turns changing in my Aunt's bathroom when it was my Dad's turn to go in....(I was already in the pool swimming when this happend.. so I am just relaying the story.. Its too funny to leave out)
Appearntly he was taking like FOREVER to get ready and when he finally came out he was in my mom's swimming suit and my Uncle Shane was rolling on the floor laughing so hard... my mom said she had Never seen him laugh so hard in his entire life!!!! I mean look at that picture... HAHAHA. I was so bummed I was already at the pool because it became the story of the week. We laughed and laughed and laughed then showed the picture to friends who weren't there and laughed some more.
My Dad probably regrets this decision now.. knowing that it is going to be a memory none of us will forget. But I am so glad that he did...At the pool all of us cousins had fun trying to take a Great Jumping Picture... we too a million and two pictures....I taught my cousins Karrin & Kyrsten how to dive... Dillon got unburnt...and just had a great afternoon at the pool....
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| This is my Dad and Uncle Shane showing off their jumping skills.... CHECK OUT THEIR FACES!! |
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| My Dad doing a back-handstand thing into the pool.... hand stand thing |
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| Me and my Sister... I LOVE HER |
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| Karrin, Kyrsten, Arianna, me & Dillon |
Branson Day 4:
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| Kyrsten, Tina, & Karrin |
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| Birthday girl Stacy! |
There were two circles drawn in the dirt... one on the inside of the other and the kids had do circle around the outside circle and when they said go.. they would encourage their frogs to make it to the inner circle... Kyrsten actually one the first round.. and poor Karrin had a dud for a frog... He didn't even jump once.
The show was ok... but my favorite part was getting to see a lightening bug for the very first time... and to be honest that was way more entertaining than the show. I think it was because the show was hard to follow and they talked with such heavy accents that it was hard to understand. BUT dispite the strange story we had a great time.
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| Our wonderful cheering section in the back rows.... I love this picture! |
We met up with our hotel buddies ...Bonnie & Joe at "JOE"S CRAB SHACK" for lunch! And it was a HOOT to see my dad and Joe together. It must have been something they ate because they were both full of it!
Back to Shopping... We went into Charlotte Ruse..a cute little story that was having a sale on shorts and vests.... So I was actually walking back towards the dressing room to try on a pair of jean shorts when I saw them... There was a rounder full of these aqua/teal dresses. I thought to myself that they would be really great bridesmaid dresses... but being un-engaged I tried to push the thoughts aside... but I mentioned "How great would these be for bridesmaid dresses" to my mom... and she made me try one on... AND I was hooked. I made Arianna try one on too... and then I saw the price tag. They were origionally $40.00 and on sale for $19.99!WHAT A GREAT DEAL!
I texted a couple of girls that I thought would be in my wedding to see what their sizes were and bought 6 dresses that day. But it was even better when I got to the counter they were part of the "TAKE 50% off any on sale item" So in the end the dresses averaged about $15 a dress! How awesome is that. I remember having to spend over $100 for a wedding I was in for just one dress! it was a great day. Bonnie took 2 of the dresses and bought them for me too... So even at this early point in David & my wedding journey we were receiving help! That night I called Dave and told him not to panic.. or feel stressed out... or pressured to ask me to marry him....but that I got Brides maid dresses.
I mean realistically even if I hadn't married him it wasn't that much of a loss of money when you think about how many dresses we got.... But we did get married so it was a good leap of faith and it didn't even stress David out :D
Branson Day 6: Silver Dollar City
Today
we went to the amusement park in Branson! It was the park's 50
Anniversary just like my Grandparents so they were able to get in for
free with the proof of their marriage certificate. Awesome!!!
Admission is like $50 a person so for my family to go it was going to be
$200 for the 4 of us!! that is crazy to me... but it was the plan...
While we were in like there was an older couple that asked us if we
wanted to get in for free because they had two guest passes that would
expire next month... WHAT A GOD MOMENT! We were in the right place at
the right time.... my sister and I walked right in not needing to pay a
dime and we saved $100 because of that older couple. I wanted to get a
picture with them but by the time I had thought of it they were gone...
off somewhere into the park. We rode the 3 roller-coasters...ate ice
cream...went to a show.. and had the time of our lives together.... |
| Joe & my Dad Dana |
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| Kyrsten with her LARGE ice cream |
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| Grammie & Papa |
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| MY FAMILY.. Shawna, Arianna, Me, Dana |
Branson Day 7:
On our final day in Missouri... on our way out of town we stopped at the Famous Restaurant Lambert's... as you can see from the picture... HOME OF THE THROWED ROLLS.
I guess the histroy is that one time when it was a new little restaurant it had a day that was so busy... And a man really wanted a roll and the guy bringing around the rolls couldn't get to him so the man said.. "Just throw it to me" and It kinda stuck.
Its true... waiters walk up and down the isles and if you want a roll the will just toss it to you... and the ROLLS are like fresh out of the oven so if you aren't careful the will break apart in your hands when you catch them... IT was really a cool experience.
My sister ordered a salad that eneded up being bigger than her whole head .... it was CRAZY
IT WAS A GREAT TRIP AND I AM SO GLAD THAT WE GOT TO TAKE IT AS A FAMILY.......
I hope you enjoyed my walk down memory lane... it was a long blog post but I think it was worth putting down in words... :D
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