Branson Landing & Swimming!

Our second full day of vacation started with a trip to the Branson Landing. I had not told the girls that there was a Build-a-Bear store there. I think they knew something was up when I told them to bring their critters along today! It was a very hard decision, but an hour later the critters have new clothes! We then splurged and ate at Joe's Crab Shack.



We checked out the Bass Pro Shop for Daddy and then since it was getting very hot we headed back to the pool! The girls really enjoyed themselves and Mommy even got in on the fun!

After the Acrobats

We zipped back to our hotel after the acrobats and the first thing out of the girls' mouths was "Can we go swimming?" I somehow convinced the girls that after we ate we could go for a walk and check out the playground. The grounds here are very beautifully landscaped with little bridges, ponds, sitting areas....they even have a small putt-putt golf course.



I dragged the girls past the pool and up the pathway to the pond. There was another family there who were feeding the fish. We stopped on the bridge and a turtle came up to see us. Across the bridge was a little waterfall that the girls posed by. I walked on to the playground while the girls took off running! There was one little boy playing there with his Daddy. The girls had a chance to burn off some extra energy before bedtime.

Of course, it seems everyone needs to check their email before bed.

Chinese Acrobats

WOW! What a day! I only wish that I could post the photos of the girls watching the Acrobats...they were on the edges of their seats with their eyes focused and their mouths dropped open in awe! Thankfully I was feeling better, still not talking with my full voice yet and it still hurts to cough, but it was all worth being here today! Wish I could say the same thing for Daddy. He missed the performance as he was back at our hotel with his head in the toilet bowl! Lots of beautiful Chinese children here. I just wish I felt like visiting with the families :( Mark arrived back at the theater in time for the question and answer session and photos. After some quick photos we headed back for our room. Me to take something for my splitting headache, the girls to relax and watch another movie and Daddy another nap. The tuna casserole is heating up in the oven right now and we are going to eat soon and all get a good nights rest! (Oh, did I mention it was rainy and overcast today.)

Branson we are here!

After getting the dogs to the vet and picking up some last minute things we headed out to Branson about 11:30AM. I had taken some Ibuprofen before we left, so I am good to go?! Along the way, even with DVD's to watch, the girls periodically were asking, "Are we there yet?". It has been many years since I have been in this part of the "woods". The mountains here are beautiful....too bad they have all the advertising for the shows as you arrive in Branson. *grin* it is still beautiful and so much better when you hear the girls in the back oohing and aahing!

We arrived and checked into our digs. Nice! Did I really get this on the cheap? The girls were quick to make their sleeping arrangements and spot the nearest pool.





We hurried to WalMart and the grocery store to stock our fridge. As we were walking through the store, I was getting dizzy with all the items....or maybe the store had nothing to do with it? Hmmmm....I am feeling a little under the weather. By the time we came back to our rooms, I felt like I was freezing, actually I was burning up and it hurt so bad to cough I was trying everything not to! After trying to rest in bed, and warm up, I decided that I should see if there was a Minor Emergency Care facility close by. A quick check with the concierge we found there was one just a couple of blocks from us. A another quick check, there is another one across town by the hospital.

We pulled up at the Minor Emergent Care parking lot at 7:45pm....the door has a sign that says they are open 8 to 8pm. Good we just made it! I jump out, walk to the door (or was it crawl at this point?) grab the handle and Click....it is locked! Closed!! The next step was the Emergency room around the side of the building. Three and one half hours later, I have two scripts for medicine, one very sore arm from needles and we are headed for our room. The nurse asked me when they were checking me in if I knew my temperature was 102? Nope....I just thought it was the humidity. Diagnosis URI.

It's a dog eat dog world.

Tomorrow we leave for our trip to Branson, Missouri. The girls have been packed for over a week. I worked the last four days so I could have a week off and not have to use vacation time. Of course, yesterday afternoon I started getting a real scratchy throat and before the day was over, I had almost lost my voice. This morning I have barely been able to talk above a whisper. While I don't really want to load up a van full of things to take and the kids, I really DON'T want to tell them that we are canceling our plans. I will pull up my boot straps and do my best.

Kendalan and Pugston have built a pretty strong bond. She would pick on him all day long while her sisters were at school. Well, she did pick on the cats too! I think all this activity keeping the critters in line wears a girl out!

Pugston has come a long way from when he first arrived at our home. We gave him all we could and tried as hard as we could, but we were one day of taking him on to a new home when an ice storm struck. Pugston was reprieved and he made the most of it!! I have to say that he is turning into a pretty good member of the family. Now if we could just get him to stop eating toys that the girls leave on the floor!

Sunday afternoon fun at the park

We met up at the park Sunday afternoon to ride the merry-go-round, the train and to meet up with some other families who have children from China. It was a beautiful day and the girls and I had a great time on the merry-go-round. I took lots of photos of the girls in motion as we rode. You can see the smiles on their faces!

The girls also love to pose as Dorothy, The Scarecrow, The Tinman and the Cowardly Lion.






I am not sure what this "ride" is called. I guess it is like a multiperson teeter-totter...whatever it is the girls enjoyed it after we got it balanced out well!





And the train is always a hit! While we were waiting for the train to come back we visited with a gentleman who told us he was waiting for his third ride of the day. He also shared that one day he rode the train 22 times! This ride was going to be his 1048 trip on the train! WOW! He has a goal in life! And a fun one at that!!



We are gearing up to go on our short family vacation in a couple of weeks. We are going to Branson, Missouri for the 2009 Adopted Chinese Children Reunion. We will see the Acrobats of China perform and hope to meet up with some families that I have known over the internet for several years. Of course, we are also going swimming which is at the top of the list for fun things to do this summer according to the girls!

Dance recital

Tonight marked the end of weekly dance classes for the girls. Last August we signed up the girls to dance and/or tumbling classes that are held in Carbondale weekly. The first month we had Kendalan and Jordis taking the little girls dance class, ZoraLin was in the weekly tumbling class and RaeAnne was in the big girls dance class. After the first couple of months Kendalan decided that she did not want to be in dance class, Jordis decided she wanted to be in tumbling and ZoraLin wanted to add dance class to her curriculum. So while Kendalan sat on the sidelines RaeAnne and ZoraLin learned dance routines and Zora and Jordis tumbled. Tonight was the season finale with a dance recital.

It was a long day as the girls had a dress rehearsal from 9-12:30. We then had to round up all the different clothes that they would be wearing for different dance routines. Then we had to rush back to the gym so the older girls could get their hair french braided for the dance! (Yes, I do not know how to french braid) The gym was full of parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, family and friends!

Each girl received a certificate and a trophy for their year of weekly classes, dedication and determination to learn the routines and have fun at the same time!





The girls did a great job learning their dance routines and having fun at the same time. We are very proud of our girls for their accomplishments!