Fun Family Weekend

We spent a great weekend in Branson.

Friday evening we saw the "3 Redneck Tenors" show. (It was good... and gave us a little taste of what we would see later at Silver Dollar City. You'll see what I mean.)

We stayed at the Port of Kimberling Suites in Kimberling City (a tiny suburb of Branson). The next day I toured the marina property and the owners were nice enough to let us take one of their boats out. Unfortunately we didn't bring our fishing poles and it was too cold to swim. So we just cruised the lake.

Daddy taught the girls how to drive the boat. Notice how, after a short time, Allyson is telling Nicole "Go back to the right," as if she's the expert on driving a boat. (Little did we know...until later.)

Then it was Allyson's turn to drive the boat. Things got a little interesting here.

The next night we moved into one of the cabins. The picture is a little blurry (and messy) but you get the idea. There's a small bathroom in the hallway and a small bedroom in the back. In the front there is a deck with a small barbeque and firepit.

The girls were so excited about having their very own loft.

The next day we just relaxed in the morning and then went to Silver Dollar City. The girls love going there. Today was a perfect day with hardly anyone there. The weather was a little cool but definitely not cold.

As we were entering the park, we had a rather obvious reminder that we are living in the Ozarks and, sometimes, the stereotypes do hold true. Sorry guy, but when you dress like this you're just asking to have your picture taken ... and not in a good way!

It is Harvest Fest at SDC and they have tons of craftsmen there. One guy was building sand sculptures. It was unbelievable. He'd been working on this one for about twelve days.

After looking at a few shops we hit the kiddie rides. We were surprised to find that Allyson is now tall enough to ride some of the bigger kiddie rides...with an adult. And Nicole can ride by herself on all of the kiddie rides! That means we ALL got to ride the swings.

Warning: this video may make you sick.

Daddy got Dumbo duty. But he didn't seem to mind.

And, I don't know how, but Nicole roped us all into riding the Racing Regata. I can't believe Allyson was big enough for it and that she actually liked it. And I can't believe Britt and I didn't puke. 

(I didn't have a chance to take a picture but this is from the website.)

Allyson can ride this one by herself but she couldn't seem to figure out how to work it. 

So big sister helped. 

The kiddie coaster is one of Nicole's favorite rides. But it hasn't always been that way. A couple of years ago she freaked out as everyone was boarding and we had to get off. Now she loves it, can ride by herself, and thinks she is pretty hot stuff. 

(She's in the second car. You can see her better if you click "watch on YouTube" and see it full-screen.)

 I rode a couple of rides with the girls but Daddy won the trophy. After the swings, teacups, two times on the elephants, the racing regata, and a second trip on the swings, he was definitely done. And Allyson was not happy. Notice how she figures out a way around the problem. (It didn't happen, though.)

We can't end on this unhappy note. How about this quick little jig from the Barn Dance?

Allyson's 3rd Birthday

Today our sweet Allyson turned three years old. She has made every day interesting, fun and maybe a tad bit dangerous. As Nicole has often said, she is the answer to our prayers and we are so thankful for her every day!

This morning Britt and I went into her room singing "Happy Birthday." She let us finish the entire song and then asked, "Why you singing dat?" I wish I had it on video, it was so funny. We explained it was her birthday but she didn't quite seem to understand. But by the time when we went in after her nap in the afternoon, she jumped up and said, "It's my birthday!"

Because her party wasn't until evening (Nicole was in school) we let her come downstairs first thing in the morning to see the big surprise from Papa & Grandma. It was a new kitchen!

Later we took her out to lunch and for a haircut.

Then to Toys R Us to spend money from Papa & Nana. 

We realized when she tore the packaging off a grocery cart that we had found one of her gifts. We spent the rest on new items to go with her kitchen.

Britt took Allyson home for a nap while I purchased the gifts she unknowingly picked out. Then it was off to buy party favors and get Nicole. When I got home this is what was waiting for me.

We had been talking at lunch about how her birth was pretty crazy and painful as it all happened so quick (within 22 minutes of arriving at the hospital) and without medication. In the card he wrote, 

"On this special day of our second daughter's birth, I just wanted to stop and recognize the joy, pain, frustration, and fear of that wonderful day. I wanted to say thank you for enduring the discomfort and pain of bringing our precious Allyson into our lives..."

Wow. I don't know about you but that brought me to tears!

So, after nap was the big party. We chose Jump Mania because Allyson loves it there, she can run and jump to her heart's content, and it's basically a padded room which makes us feel she's just a little bit safer. It's filled with bounce houses which are some of Allyson's favorite things.

Darcy and her big sister, Holland, play with Allyson

Unfortunately several friends couldn't make it on this night but having a smaller group ended up being just right for everyone. 

This is Zion. His sister, Essie, is one of Nicole's best friends. 

This is Darcy. She is one of Allyson's best buddies.

This little guy is one of Allyson's newest - and oldest - friends. A couple of days ago I was pushing Allyson on the swing at the park and a man next to us mentioned that he remembered her when she was in my tummy. At first I thought he might be a weirdo but I finally remembered him from our Lamaze classes! We had become pretty good friends with Toby and his wife, Jodie, but never stayed in touch. We took the opportunity to reconnect and Jodie brought little Luke (who has a birthday coming up soon) to the party. What a small world!

The presents were a little overwhelming to Allyson but she received so many great gifts. 

Luke's family, who had no idea she got a new kitchen for her birthday, gave her a chef's hat and apron!

Holland and Darcy gave her a new "My Little Pony" which she adores. Here she opens up the grocery cart from Papa & Nana and Zion sits next to her while she opens his gift.

We went with a Strawberry Shortcake theme  as that is one of Allyson's favorite characters/videos lately. 

Getting into the goody bags.

My friend, Andrea, made the cake. I love out it turned out!

 Everyone else did, too! (Somehow the candles were blown out before any pictures or video was taken.)

 After the party Allyson got to open a couple more gifts from Papa & Nana. We didn't have large enough bags or enough paper to wrap them so decided to save them for an after-party surprise. 

The girls slept together ... until we had to stick Allyson in her crib because she wouldn't go to sleep. But at least they were still in the same room. 

This is the card Nicole made for her little sister.

Our Sweet Birthday Girl!