Family Time in Branson

Once we left Nashville, our destination was Branson for a week with my family. This has become quite the tradition each time we're home to spend this week in Missouri all together! Thankful that even in my TCKs' lives, there are things they can look back on as "always occurring" and stable. Love making memories with family.

Part of going to Branson is visiting Silver Dollar City. We just love this amusement park, and my kids will often times say it is better than Disney...hard for me to imagine, but I think it's because we always go there with Grandma and Grandpa.

Grandma and Sissi with her stuffed horse.

My dad and Gwangi.

We love the train ride and seeing the goofy show with the train robbers each time. It's always a little bit different, and yet the same.

Another favorite ride is the White Water Rapids.

This time, one of the shows was the Harlem Globetrotters. What a great show they put on, and Sissi got called up from the audience to participate.

Sissi, down front doing musical chairs. She won!

And they gave her head and wrist bands.

Then, all the players came out and showed us some pretty cool basketball moves.

Cannot believe he's standing on the basketball hoop.

The skit they were playing out came up into the audience, and of course, we got wet!

After the show, the players stayed to give autographs. Sissi had them sign her sweat bands.

They were all great with her!

Such personality!

Definitely a highlight of our day at Silver Dollar City.

My parents own a week at a place in Branson, so we get to use the pool and all the surrounding areas on the resort. Each day at the pool, they met a girl named Laurie. They had such a good time with her, that by the end of the week, she and Sissi were a bit teary-eyed saying goodbye.

Grandma and Grandpa with Sissi.

Waiting in line for the log ride.

My mom and Sissi and I did a cooking class together.

Some of the recipes we were able to make and eat.

The lady running the class was interesting and has written several cookbooks about good, old fashioned home cooking.

I loved the natural light and decorations in the kitchen window.

Visiting the Christmas Shop.

As close as I could get to taking a picture of the Outlaw roller coaster. Indy, my dad, Krypto, and Sissi went on the ride, but Gwangi, my mom, and I took a rain check.

We DID get wet!

Saying goodbye to Laurie on our last day. She came over when Sissi was still in her nightgown to say that she had to leave. Even though they were only a year apart in age, Laurie sure had her beat in height!

Family picture on our last day together. So glad we had this time.

Nashville

After we left the Outer Banks, we started our trip to the West. We took a day and stopped in Nashville to see my grandparents and while we were there we made time to visit the home of the 7th President of the United States, General Andrew Jackson.

This year was the 250th anniversary of his birthday.

We had studied General Jackson in our homeschool this year, so it was neat to visit his home and read the displays at the museum, comparing it to what we already knew about him and his time in history.

His carriage.

It was a very warm day, so here we are taking a break and listening to the audio tour on our devices.

Coming up to the house for our tour of the inside. No pictures were allowed, since the items are over 200 years old, but it was lovely and I highly recommend you go and visit some time.

Walking out into the garden. His wife, Rachel, loved this garden.

I could have taken so many pictures of the flowers, but some of my favorites are the day lilies.

Some of the family headstones in the Jackson family garden.

This is the monument to General Andrew Jackson. It was simple, and he was laid to rest next to his wife, that he loved so dearly.

This was the original house that the Jacksons lived in on the property. When they moved to the great house, they gave this house to the property's overseer.

Walking around the Hermitage property.

The Hermitage from the front.

My oldest, Krypto.

My middle guy, Gwangi.

and my youngest, Sissi.

As we were leaving the gift shop, Sissi just had to have her picture taken in the $20 bill. Cute, huh?!

That evening we were with my grandparents, Grandpa John and Grandma Jackie Palsgrove. They had moved up to Nashville to be closer to family just this past spring, after we had visited them in Florida. Who knew it would be the last time we would see my grandfather awake and able to communicate with us all. He passed away on August 13th.

A picture that Sissi drew of my grandma.

The picture that Sissi drew of my grandpa, with the Chick-Fil-A stuffed cow.

Outer Banks - June 2017

In early June, we took a trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to visit some friends. We were gifted with a place to stay and some time to relax and catch up, while also catching up with friends, some new and some we've had for awhile.

These incredibly perfect purple hydrangea were growing outside of the house we were staying in...couldn't have been any more of a surprise and a lovely way to "come home" each day.

We made a point of taking the kids out to the beach a couple of times. The weather was just right and they enjoyed some time in the ocean.

Sitting on the beach, and relaxing, while the water comes up and covers them.

In the house was a puzzle, and we love puzzles...here we are just beginning.

We were able to visit a new friend that works at a local non-profit. She taught us how to work the loom and make carpets from old clothes and materials.

The kids were all interested in her work and watched as she taught them the mechanics of running a loom.

Then, it was our turn to try our hand at the loom

Even the boys jumped in and got quite a bit accomplished on their rug.

Sissi's completed project.

Then, we went to Jockey's Ridge State Park.

Sissi has been working on different National and State Park badges each time we visit somewhere. She really enjoyed the assignments they gave her at Jockey's Ridge.

What a neat sand dune to walk around.

Earning her badge. Turned out that our Ranger was from Winston Salem, so we got to have a neat chat with her about "home."

Another trip to the beach before we depart the area. Thumbs up from all the kids, the sure like the beach.

Me, walking on the beach, looking at my feet and enjoying the lapping of the water over them.

Family shot on the beach.

On our last day, we went down to visit Ocracoke. To get there you have to take a ferry.

We were able to get some local ice cream...

...and check out the boats that were at the pier.

On our way back to see our friends, we walked by the Ocracoke Lighthouse.

You can't go in this lighthouse, but we can take a picture.

The morning, before we left the Outer Banks, we finished up the puzzle. I had to take a picture before dismantling it to put it back in the box.