Weekend Getaway Part 1

We're home from Branson!

Let me just say-we had a FABULOUS time. I'm telling you, the weekend was so great. I'm so thankful that Steve gets along so well with my family. They think he's awesome and he feels the same way about the fam. It's so incredibly cool to me to know how much my family loves and accepts Steve. It truly is a blessing.

Mike, my oldest brother, is a Police Officer with the Kansas City Kansas PD. Jenny, my sister in law, is a kindergarten teacher. My two nieces, Emma (9) and Olivia (4), are the cutest things! They keep Mike and Jenny running though, so a getaway was well deserved! The girls went to Mom and Dad's, and Mike and Jenny headed south to Branson.

Mike has always been a HUGE Christmas fan. He listens to Christmas music as soon as November 1 hits. He loves the lights, the sounds and the meaning of Christmas. He's always wanted to see the lights at Silver Dollar City, and last year suggested we go with them. We had to back out at the last minute because of Steve's job. We were so disappointed! They took another couple with them though and we took a rain check. This year, nothing was going to stop us from going!

Anyway-we packed up and headed out Friday afternoon. We got there first and Mike and Jenny got in around 7:00. We stayed at The Cabins at Grand Mountain, which is part of Thousand Hills Golf Course (we stay in the condos at Thousand Hills for family reunion). Oh my word, the cabin was beautiful! Absolutely wonderful. Since we got there first and because Mike and Jenny have a jacuzzi tub at home, Steve and I took the master bedroom, complete with a jacuzzi tub! HEAVEN!

I forgot to mention-on the way to the cabins, we about took out a deer. I'm telling you, it was a close call! I'm yelling "Deer! Deer!" and Steve's hitting the brakes and swerving. Looking back, it was funny, but eek! Then, when we were walking out to get into the truck for dinner, there were three (we think, it was really dark) big 'ole deer outside the cabin. We tried to get pictures, but they didn't come out. It was too dark. So neat though, so neat!

Friday night we went and ate at Shorty Smalls. During family reunion, we always go to Shorty Smalls on Friday night. The boys (my Dad, Mike and Steve) get a huge chicken fried steak. Well, we decided to keep that tradition alive. The boys had their chicken fried steak and us girls had bbq. It was all yummy. And it was just really nice to sit and have a "grown up meal."

After dinner we went to a "Drive Through Christmas" display. It was two miles of all kinds of Christmas decorations and scenes. It was so pretty! The down side of the two miles is that it was two miles of twisty curves. Yea, this girl gets car sick pretty easy anymore. I didn't think of that when we started. Halfway through, I was white as a ghost and rolling down the window for fresh air. I took a phenegren halfway through but that didn't do me any good. I was so thankful once we got to the end! Whew!

We headed back to the cabin after dinner and we just relaxed by fire and watched tv. I tried some peppermint tea that Jenny brought and let me just say-yummy! I think I'm hooked-I'm sitting here drinking some as I type! :)

Yesterday we slept in and then had a lazy morning. I, like always, got up early. It was ok though, because I took my blanket out to the living room, sat by the Christmas tree, enjoyed the fire and read. Oh my, it was great. Mike got up next (we are Goldens-sleeping in isn't in our blood). It's so funny because though we were in the same room, yea, neither of us said a word. We sat drinking our tea and coffee and just enjoyed the morning. That's just the way we roll, I guess.

After Jenny and Steve got up, Jenny and I headed to the kitchen and made us a feast for breakfast! We brought the stuff to make biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns and bacon for breakfast. Let me tell you, we know how to make a mean breakfast! It was so incredibly good. It was a great way to start the day, let me tell you!

We headed to Silver Dollar City around noon or so. When we first got there, it didn't see too cold outside. It was cold, but it wasn't unbearable by any means. After walking around for an hour or so though, the temperature dropped and oh my gosh-we froze! The sun wasn't shining which made things even worse. I had worn a long sleeve shirt and a hoodie and jeans. The upper part of me was semi warm, but my toosh and my legs were frozen. Everyone else was cold too. That all aside though-Silver Dollar City was beautiful. It was just so pretty.

Steve has NEVER been to Silver Dollar City. He really liked it too and enjoyed seeing all the different demonstrations going on. We ate some wonderful food (oh my gosh-I had the best cinnamon bread ever!) and sipped on hot cider as much as what we could. By time 5:00 rolled around, we were ice cubes and decided we would skip out on the lights and go find some warmth. I wish we could have seen the lights of Silver Dollar City, but it was just so darn cold. We know next time to go later and then we'll stay later. Live and learn.

We went and ate, then went back to the cabin to thaw out by the fire. I took me a jacuzzi bath and put my jammies on! I was done for the night! It so cool though because while I was in the bedroom, I could hear Mike, Jenny and Steve just cackling out in the living room. I have no idea what they were laughing at, but I love that-hearing them all laugh so much.

We did figure something out though that was hysterical. We were getting ready to pay for our dinner when Steve pulled out his ticket stub from SDC. He made a face and said "Hey! Does the back of your tickets say "Good for one senior ticketholder?" Mike and Jenny pulled their ticket stubs out and they didn't say that. We all started giving Steve a hard time about getting a senior discount until I pulled mine out and mine said the same thing! We then got to talking about the price of the tickets and Steve and I's were a few dollars cheaper than Mike and Jenny's! We got the senior discount!!! Oh my word, we laughed and laughed and laughed about that. Too funny.

So that was yesterday. We were all tired and worn out last night. In fact, I curled up with my blanket on the living room floor and was out by 8:00 I think! I even missed Tanner calling to tell me good night. I was pooped!

Since this is such a long post, I'll end this now and do part two tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a blessed weekend!