Family Vacay Day 2: The Wax Museum

The wax museum was very fun and we got lots (and I mean LOTS) of fun pictures..............

This is where they make their money, your not allowed to take your own pics here so we bought this one.....



I did manage to get one before I realized I wasn't supposed to (oops)!

Were off to see the wizard....the wonderful wizard of oz....

Life is like a box of chocolates.......

I Dream of Jeannie........ 

My boys and.........Batman!

Daddy punching out Jim Carey aka the riddler!

Silly kiddos....

Honey....you shouldn't mess with an angel!!!

Well Helloooooooo Mr. Hefner.........

Rocky Balboa......

An Ice cream cone from Elvis......

Rylie and Marilyn!

 Men in Black........

Captain Jack Sparrow....

Twilight!

 Yes Leo.....your the king of the world!!!!



Family Vacay: Day 1: Butterfly Palace and Ripleys!

We couldn't check into the hotel until 4 pm so we had planned on going to The Butterfly Palace first. We thought we had gone too far so we ended up turning around and driving about 15 minutes or so to get there, come to find out had we just gone another mile or so in the direction we had been going we would have been there............and yes we had a gps, it just wasn't taking the address we were inputing!

My kiddos....

a nice lady offered to take a family pic for us......

They had this interactive thing, it was supposed to be like being in some kind of tree in the tropics.



They had a cool mirror maze, it was completely dark except for some green lights so it looked as though you were in a tropical rainforest at night. It was really cool..........

 you really couldn't tell if there was a mirror in front of you or if it were in opening which is why they say to feel with your hands and DO NOT RUN..........

well, my son......took off running and.........BAM.....

right into a mirror....it knocked him down and it was red for a couple of days. Crazy kid, maybe he will learn but I doubt it!

Then we went into the butterfly room.........

 and there were butterflys flying everywhere, it was very pretty!

The Butterfly Palace was fun, I definitely recommend it and would go back!

Next we went to Ripleys Believe it or not museum.........I was not so impressed, they had some cool things but I don't think we would go back........

Rylie on some contraption.

A fish with fur....apparently they lived in an extremely cold part of the ocean and adapted fur....weird!

My kids with the world's tallest man.

and with a rather large man!

and a big ball of yarn???? Not sure if this is supposed to be the biggest or what? By this point we were tired and cranky and ready to get to the hotel so I wasn't paying too much attention to the details!

The kids were wound up after 6 hours in the car and Chet was cranky so the first night was a bit rough but after that we had lots of fun!

Family Vacay: Day 1: the drive and the hotel

So last Thurday morning we loaded up to head to Branson.....a 4 hour trip! It took us about 6...we had to give an estimate, wash the expediton, buy a stamp, eat breakfast.....well you get the point! We left the house around 8:30 and arrived in Branson around 2:30.

All ready to go!!!

Finally asleep......we were almost to Branson when they finally took a nap!

We saw some amish folks going down the shoulder of the highway.

We also found Evan's Road on our way down to Branson!

Owen watching the scenery.

 Our Hotel Room:

 We had them put a crib in the room for Evan as you can see he ended up in bed with us the first 2 nights....the third he did sleep in the crib all night but he just didn't like that crib and I don't blame him....I think it was probably 30 years old!

 My kids were so excited to have their own bedroom in the hotel with 2 beds, the first night Rylie slept on 1 and Katelin and Owen in the other. That was it for that....the next 2 nights they all slept on the fold out sofa in the living room area!!!

We Will Never Forget!

I'm certain that anyone reading this can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing 10 years ago today!

Chet and I were weeks away from our wedding, I was possibly pregnant with Rylie but i'm not sure. We were living in a rental house in Shawnee. Chet was 34 and I was 21. Matthew was 16, Cheston was 11 and Jakee was 9. My sweet niece Haylie would be turning 1 in less than a month! Chet's mom (who is no longer with us) was living with us. Chet was working for Elite Tree Service and I was working with my mom at AGA Group (aka Jim Hissong Ins.)

That exact Tuesday morning was a typical one....Chet and I were up and getting ready for work, we were in our bedroom. Then Chet's mom in a panick knocked on the door yelling a plane just hit the World Trade Centers. We turned on the TV and watched. We thought we were seeing a replay when we realized we weren't. Another plane hit the other tower. Shock. Sadness. Disbelief.

Chet and I went on to work. We had a little TV playing all day with the news. The morning was met with more shock, sadness and disbelief as the world heard/watched as the news of one tower collapsed and not long later the second tower collapsed. Then the world hears the news that a plane crashed into the Pentagon and another crash in a field in Shanksville,Pa.

There just are no words for the magnitude of this tragedy. To this day it can still bring me and i'm sure millions of other to tears. All the people who lost their lives......2996 to be exact.....fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, spouses, brothers, sisters.....friends! While their weren't many, a handful of children lost their lives in this tragedy. Firefighters and Police Officers trying to help, running into the disaster while everyone else ran out. The heroes on flight 93 who prevented the plane from hitting the white house. And I always think of all the unborn babies who never even had a chance. Also all the unborn babies who will never know their daddys. They are all kids now about Rylie's age.

I will be thinking of all of these people today, I carry them in my heart everyday. I am actually surprised at how this is alot tougher for me to type than I thought it would be. 10 years later still such a shock that it actually happened. It was incredible to see how America came together through this tragedy.

We Will Never Forget!

A boy and his mower!!!

 " I wanted a ride on mower not a push mower....come on mom we do live on 4 acres!"

 "Oh wait....this pull cord makes a horrendous noise that drives mommy and daddy nuts....I LOVE it!"

" Huh, what was that....did you tell me to stop....sorry I can't hear you!"

Sooo....you think you can dance???

This boy of mine thinks that he can........

Rylie and Abby weren't going to let him steal the show.....

Then they all joined in.........

My O....he is going to be a lady killer one day.........

or star on broadway in a show titled "lady killer"......just teasing, despite the story these pictures tell, he really is all boy!!!