Branson: April 22, 2011

daredevils!!!

Highlights from today:  (click here for pictures)

• It was a fairly restful night.  Campbell woke up at 1 and ended up in bed with me and she slept well until 5 (Robby did make sure that I wasn’t laying on top of her when he got up to go to the bathroom).  At 5, she stirred again and had to have some milk before going back to sleep-she sleeps better if you have your arm over her arms and your leg over her legs. 
• As we were loading up the car this morning, Robby walked out to see the boys peering with their little faces pressed up against the lady next door’s room.  I noticed that old people here in Branson seem to leave their curtains open in motels-what is that about.  Anyway, she came outside and Robby apologized but she told us her life story-from south of Fort Smith, spent an extra night here due to storms, sister lives in Fayetteville, golfball size hail there, brother in law is a truck driver, going home today, went to Silver Dollar City yesterday and saw 7 shows, didn’t like the Indian show.  Now you know her life story too.
• We had eaten some of our bread from yesterday but decided to still walk over to see what was for breakfast.  I noticed that the slogan at this hotel is “the quiet place”-ha!  We messed that up!  They probably won’t let us come back here again.
• As we were killing time this morning driving around since we were an hour early before the park opened, Anderson noticed something.  “Mom, I saw the capitol”-who knew, the capitol of Missouri is in Branson. We didn’t see what he was talking about but I wish I knew.
• We stopped by the Disney store and Reagan was in heaven playing with all of the dolls.  The boys even went on a walk while Reagan and I stayed and finished our shopping and list making
• We made it to Silver Dollar City before the park opened and had a few minutes to look around.  We were the first ones at Fire in the Hole and Reagan was ready to ride.  They are all short enough that they have to have someone ride with them so first it was Robby and Reagan, then Robby and Graham.  Robby is having to do all of the riding since most aren’t for pregnant people!  Anderson didn’t want a turn on the Fire in the Hole.  He was pretty adamant about not wanting to ride as soon as we walked up-he was scared last time and must have remembered it.
• Next up was the roller coaster-Campbell watched them go by and go by again and again and she even raised her hands up in the air just like the big kids were doing.  By now she wanted to get out of her stroller so we headed to the ladybugs and bugs.  She rode the bugs with me and Graham and thought she was something else.  Next was the swings-since Robby can’t ride the swings 3 times in a row we had to take a few breaks.  First was Anderson and Graham was busy throwing a fit because he thought that he should be on the swings. 
• We then had a lemonade and Graham and Robby rode the swings next.  While they went on the swings, Reagan and Anderson did the teacups by themselves.  Next up was Reagan and Robby on the swings and then lunch.  The kids had hot dogs and we split some type of french fry type nachos. 
• Usually we give Anderson Zyrtec each morning and didn’t today and I could definitely tell a difference (well, maybe).  He was much, much wilder today and could hardly listen.  Maybe that Zyrtec calms him down-everyone is getting double doses of it tomorrow. 
• We then went to the ball area.  Graham, Reagan and Anderson started off together but soon we couldn’t see any of them.  Then we saw Reagan and Anderson but not Graham.  We did catch a glimpse of him and I tried to follow him but soon I lost him again (this was on a big rope, slide, multi level play area).  Robby found him a few minutes later, soaking wet, shooting water guns about 10 feet from Robby’s look out point. 
• Then Graham decided that he needed balls in the pond to shoot at so he tried his best to get the balls out of the ball room to throw in the pond.  This was not okay.  I stopped him a few times and soon started playing with Reagan and lost that boy again.  We saw him running towards the pond with two balls-by the time Robby got to him he had thrown the balls overboard.  Needless to say we can’t come back to Silver Dollar City.  Ha!
• The new attraction around here is the Half Dollar Holler.  It was a tree house (with one entrance and one exit-that would have been nice at the other area) and the kids did it a zillion times before riding the swings.  They had little swings that they could ride by themselves-they each said they were their favorite (even though they only went about 2 feet off of the ground).  There was even a carousel but no one seemed to interested in it so we pressed on towards the swinging bridge and to the car.
• We then headed to Ozark Missouri.  We did see a Russell Stover candy place and Robby and I took turns running in.  Then we did a happy hour run through Sonic to buy a giant coke to split between 6 people-one coke now so we didn’t have to get one at the restaurant.
• Being in Branson makes you get old real quick, we walked into Lamberts for supper at 3:30!  Oh, well we didn’t have to wait in line.  The food was so much that it was just sinful.  All 6 of us could have eaten from my plate alone.  Plus we had Robby’s plate and 2 kids meals.  Of course the highlight were the rolls.  The boys each devoured 2.  After Campbell saw the rolls being thrown, she turned around in her highchair and raised her hand trying to snag a roll
• Branson Landing was our next stop for a quick walk around.  I was disappointed that we couldn’t find the Disney Store there anymore-must have closed.  But we did see a Build a Bear Workshop and Ridemakerz (like build a bear but build a remote control car) and Reagan and Anderson decided that they wanted gift cards to those places.  We did find Campbell some Sunday shoes and when I told her that I bought her new shoes-the girls said “yea!” 
• We walked by the water fountain and saw the water show and touched the water a bit before experiencing a natural water show of rain showers as we rushed to the car.  Since our supper was so plentiful, we all just split one cup of custard from Andys-you have to go when you are in Branson. 
• Back at the hotel, the kids had baths, played and then were sent to bed.  Zyrtec-less Anderson had a hard time listening so he helped move the bedtime up a bit earlier for everyone.  They are all wired when we turn off the lights but in a few minutes, everyone is snoring (well, except for Graham tonight-he is going strong and is about to be put in the pack n play-Campbell is on the bed).  Campbell is worn out because she spent her time at the hotel tonight practicing walking-she would take about 6 steps before falling-improvement!