oh to branson we go!

Memaw and PawPaw wanted to meet up with us this summer, somewhere between Texas and Ohio.  As it turns out, Branson, Missouri is about halfway between us, so they planned out a few days in Branson!  We packed up the car with snacks and digital entertainment options, and set out for our 11 hour drive to Missouri.  It wasn't a bad drive at all - the kids did better than I did!

Our hotel was away from the hustle and bustle of the main road that cuts through town, so we hopped in the car to drive around and see the attractions.  There was the usual - go karts, bumper cars, carnival rides, ice cream stops, but also some unique atttractions - like Ripleys, the world's largest toy museum, and the Titanic museum.  Branson is known for its family-friendly variety shows (think Osmonds), and the theaters lined the streets.  I even saw a poster for Barry Williams - yes, Greg Brady!

The Hollywood Wax Museum - with John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis carved into the side, and King Kong up top!

Branson likes its odd buildings - check out this restaurant with a giant green pepper, tomato, and meatball out front!

For our second day we headed down to the riverfront area, and passed the strangest fudge shop.  We couldn't figure out what the heck was sitting around the roof!

Only when I zoomed in through my camera did I see the weird faces - maybe these things scare away birds?  I have no idea.

The kids absolutely loved the hotel pool, which came as a shock to no one.  It was relatively empty most days, and indoors so it wasn't too chilly to go in.  I tried out the greenish hot tub, and had a relaxing soak.

Britton making friends with the only other swimmer - luckily, a kid her age!

Branson doesn't have a lot of chain hotels or restaurants, but oddly enough, Branson has a Rib Crib.  So we made sure to hit it up before leaving town.  We had stopped at a souvenir shop before dinner, and the kids got these miniature kitten figurines, which they played with throughout dinner.

With our limited time, we decided to do two major outings:  Dixie Stampede and Silver Dollar City.  The Dixie Stampede was Sunday night.  When you arrive, you walk through the horse stables to get inside!

Then, when you sit down inside, they serve you dinner while you watch a horse show.  And in our case, also a dog show.  The interesting thing about dinner is that it is served without utensils and you use your hands to eat.  Seriously.  We had chicken, biscuits, soup (in the little handled bowls below), potato wedges, and an apple turnover for dessert.  The show itself was very impressive - acrobatic maneuvers on horses, dancers, lumberjacks, and rescue dogs showing off talents.  Very entertaining, especially for the kids!

Our last full day, we headed out to Silver Dollar City - an amusement park set in the 1880s.  I enjoyed getting to see the blacksmith, the potter, and the glass blower, but the kids weren't really interested in watching only demonstrations.  So we did find some rides to entertain them!

Barrett really wanted to take a train ride (he loves Thomas the Tank Engine now), but the train whistle scared the crap out of him and Britton every time it sounded.  This was a real train, after all. So below, he's giving me the thumbs up, and Britton is bracing for the next whistle!

Next up, the hubs and I venture through Oklahoma and make a pioneer pit stop.......