branson

This weekend we took a family "vacation" to Branson, MO!  

(Maybe some of you noticed a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that we were going to surprise our kiddos with a family weekend away?  well, this is that trip.  For different reasons we decided to postpone it).

So...this weekend, we surprised them!  

On Friday afternoon, Nathan and I packed Layla and Daisy into our van (Layla was so confused what was going on!  We finally decided to let her in on the surprise :) ).  We went to Kaine and Halle's school to pick them up early...and they had no idea we were coming!  They were BEYOND excited when they saw me in the office and I told them we were leaving on a weekend vaca.  It was so fun to surprise them.

We only live about 2 hours away from Branson, so it seemed like a good option.  We did some googling and found a great deal.  For a really good price, we got a two-night stay at a hotel that included family passes for the whole weekend to the indoor waterpark, two large pizzas at one of the restaurants, a free round of mini golf, $10 to spend in the arcade, and free passes for our family to attend a show.  For the price we paid, it was such a good deal!  

Our kids LOVED the waterpark.  That was definitely the highlight for them.  The only downside was that it was in a separate building, but they didn't mind.

 (photo credit: http://bloggingbabiesandthebayou.com/vacaton-geteaway-great-price-expedia-grand-country-inn-branson-missouri/)

We spent a lot of time in the waterpark...

 

fyi...that is ketchup on Layla's face :)

(We met another missionary family in the hot tub!  They are involved in a campus ministry in Springfield, and we had a great time talking to them!  Halle and their daughter really hit it off :) ).

After we went to the waterpark the first evening, we decided to let our kiddos stay up late and took them to do the black light mini-golf.  It was a super cool mini golf course--our kids loved the black light!

We let our kids watch Saturday morning cartoons for awhile, which might be a first!  They were mesmerized, especially by the commercials.  They loved watching the commercials!  Ha...Nathan and I laughed at how little our kids have seen tv in their lives.  We explained to them what commercials are :)

On Saturday morning, we went to our free show at the hotel's theater.  It was a really neat show!  Our kids loved it (well, minus Daisy.  It was a little too much for her).  It featured pets who do amazing tricks...including a dog that could ride a tricycle!  It was a pretty cute show :)

 

(credit:  http://www.grandcountry.com/amazing-pets)

Our kids loved sleeping in the hotel room...

We went out to eat at Cracker Barrel on Saturday night.  Our kids LOVE eating there.  The girls are always so excited to get pancakes with their very own syrup!  And Kaine loves that they have shrimp on the kids menu.  That kid LOVES shrimp.

This was a first...we were asked 2 times while at Cracker Barrel if Halle and Daisy were twins!  HA!  The first time I almost didn't know how to react...I felt bad telling the lady that Halle is almost six and Daisy is only two and a half...I didn't want her to feel stupid.  But seriously...I have never been asked that!  I guess maybe it was because their hair was the same that night.  So funny :)

Our waitress at CB told us about her church, and invited us to come on Sunday (today).  We hadn't planned to go to church while in Branson, but we thought why not??  So we went to church at this place this morning:

Wow.  What a huge church.  I found out it used to be a theater there in Branson.  It looked like a hotel inside.  Our kids were in awe.

Layla asked me why those people had to wear the blue dresses??  :)

In the lobby of the church.  Fun to visit...very different than what we are accustomed to!

What a sweet weekend away with our kids.  I love the ages that they are at...such good memories :)