New flooring

When we moved into this house we were really happy with the carpet in the living room.   It was an upgrade from what the builder would usually put in a new house.   However over the last 5 years with a growing number of girls in the house and our dog and 2 cats the carpet has started looking bad. I have tried to shampoo it regularly and that helps for a short period of time, but I can't keep up with the ever puking cats!  

So we decided to put down wood floors!!   I have always loved the look of wood floors.   I have been told by about an equal number of people that I will either hate them or love them.   So I am anxious to see how much I love them!

Also we had the cheapest of cheap linoleum on the floor in our kitchen.   It is the same in our bathrooms and our laundry room too, but in those rooms it does not get the wear and tear it does in our kitchen.    So we also have put tile in our kitchen!   I love the look and I hope that it will wear so much better than the linoleum.

Just a little whine

Yesterday was my 3rd dose of Chemo.    I usually have a bite to eat before chemo, but yesterday I had to drop the girls off at their Taekwondo camp and I was running late so I decided to skip the food.   As it was they were starting their new computer system yesterday and were running 2 hours behind, so I really could have gotten something to eat.   Now today I am very nauseated and I am taking all the medications I have to see if I can alleviate it.   So far it hasn't gotten any worse, but hasn't gone away either.

Learned a lesson here...eat!!

Last day in Branson

So our last day we thought about going back to SDC for a few hours.   But a few five girls decided that it just wouldn't be a trip to Branson without visiting our their favorite store "Justice!"    So they each could pick out two outfits.   Daddy even came in and helped for a while until he decided there was way to much neon in the store!

We then had brunch at Bob Evans and on the road again!   Ah but Mom had a plan.   I saw the Fantastic Caverns sign and I just couldn't resist.   So we took the tour!   It has been a couple of years since we have gone through the cavern and it seemed to us that they had changed the tour somewhat.  The girls enjoyed learning about stalactites and stalagmites.   It was really worth the extra time to go.
Fantastic Caverns is a fun family event.

We were all excited to see home.   I think it took us 10 minutes to unpack and put our suitcases away. The girls were in their jammies in record time and we all lounged around playing with electronics or catching up on emails.   Maybe we will try to get one more trip in to SDC before I start my weekly chemo treatments.   If not we really want to see the Dixie Stampede at Christmas time and I think that SDC has some special things at Christmas time too.

This is Jordis' hair after we took out the Angel Halo.

Silver Dollar City!

Thursday dawned bright.   The sun is shining and the birds are singing.   The girls are chanting, "Silver Dollar City!  Silver Dollar City!   Yes!  Today we are going to the great City of Silver Dollars!!   We kind of had a late start, only 20 minutes later than we were planning, but we noticed that where we parked was quite a bit farther than we would have if we were there earlier but it was still pretty close.

We headed in and took a photo by the front gate with the flat doctors that our daughters are doing right now through their orthodontist's office.   Then Mark and I went to rent our rides for the day.   Rides for the day you may wonder?!   Yes, you can rent a "scooter" for the day.   This has been a blessing for Daddy to scoot around on when we have been there the last few times.    He gets so short winded that he just can't keep up with us and this makes him the leader of the pack!   So since I knew that I was not going to be able to keep up either I was resigned to ride my scooter.  And you know what?   I LOVED IT!!   It was so great to have as I knew that I would be totally worn out by the middle of the day and I did not want to tell the girls that we would have to leave early so my trusty scooter and I were a team!

We rented our scooters and were headed into the park when I saw a booth that was doing hair.   The hair is called Angel Doo's and Kendalan and Tessa was interested in having it done.   So Mark and the older girls took off to ride a ride or two while we had the girls hair done.   The ladies doing the hair was telling me how easy it is to do hair this way.   And the best part...we also received a DVD with the instruction on it.   The girls looked so cute after their hair was done and we received many completments throughout the day.   Jordis decided in the early afternoon that she wanted her hair up like that too as it was so much cooler and an easy way to keep your hair out of your face and off your neck.

We then headed down to the swings, tea cups, the boats etc.   The girls ran from ride to ride. It wasn't long before everyone was hungry.   We found a place that we all agreed on and after lunch we were going to ride the train.   Dad, Zora and Tessa went to get a bracelet for Zora.   We were going to wait for them, but it was taking them forever.   So we started looking for them.   They got lost and we were waiting in line for the train when they finally found us again!   After the train ride Dad decided it was time to go back to the cabin and have a nap.  

So we girls headed over to the Lost River Ride!   It was time to get WET!!   We waited in line for a long time but it was worth the wait.   We all got drenched!   Then I took them over to the Huck and Finn boat ride and they got even wetter!   We then headed back to the first rides they were on to dry off.   After we all were fairly dry we decided it was time to go get Dad and eat.

Red Lobster was our choice this evening and we managed to stuff ourselves!   Then back to the cabin and time to hit the hay.  

Wednesday in Branson

I think that the drive down to Branson was a little hard on me.   I am not sure if it was the driving or the sitting and not moving much or just the being in a different area.  I didn't feel too good Wednesday in Branson :(    I really felt bad for the girls.   Dad took them swimming for several hours.   Then they went to McD's to get food and some WIFI time.   The WIFI in our cabin is slower than paint drying.   Frankly it sucks as one of my daughters put so eloquently.   I just love the fact that my children have such dirty mouths sometimes.  They don't get it from their Mom.  

I kind of just hung out at the cabin watching TV and wishing that I felt better.   I was a little concerned that I may have caught a bug as my white cell counts are low and I am much more susceptible to picking up a infection.   My girls are the best girls around!!   I love them SO MUCH!!   They were so kind to me and they kept themselves very busy doing all sorts of things to give Mom quiet time.   They walked to the play area and they just walked around the campgrounds and up to the store.    They played games and kept their electronics busy.   I know that they wanted to go do something more fun, but I did not hear a peep of complaints.

By early evening I was feeling like I was ready to go eat.   So we decided to go to the Fall Creek Steak and Catfish House.   Home of the Tossed Rolls.  The girls really get into trying to catch the rolls and then they eat so many they don't have an appetite when the food arrives.   After we ate we made a quick trip to Wally World and picked up more snacks and a few things that we forgot and back to the cabin we went.  

I gave the girls some glow sticks that I saw one day at the check out counter.   They had a great time turning off the lights and there were squeals of laughter throughout the cabin!

Retake on Branson

So last time we were here it was snowing.   This time it is 93 degrees and it is over the top!  I think we can live with this kind of heat.   I just wish that Mom had a energy pill to make me feel like zipping around.   I was overtired from the drive down yesterday.   Of course, we had a minor crisis on the way out of town.    We were actually in Lawrence when it dawned on me that I had not grabbed our annual passes to Silver Dollar City.   So we had to backtrack to pick those up.   So instead of leaving at 9:30 AM we finally left at 11:45 AM.    It could have been much worse and when we checked in at our Wilderness Cabin the lady said that she has had several say that their tickets are still at home.   I would like to think that they could look us up on line and have the codes!

So we arrived about 6pm and Mom was exhausted!   Stupid Chemo!!   This whole dose has done different things to me than happened last time but the timing has been off some.   I supposed it is building up in my body and will cause things to happen just whenever and not on a specific day.    Last night I was freezing!  Like teeth chattering freezing.   Of course, everyone else was hot.   So I cuddled under the blankets and finally warmed up about dawn this morning.  

So that brings me to this morning.   I had no energy P.E.R.I.O.D.   How does one get going when it is like
the plug has been left unplugged for weeks and there is no electric source to plug it into?   Fortunately my family has been so great at being able to keep busy and not make me feel like I am ruining their fun.   Which I still feel like I am doing...but hey.  I am here!

Out to eat tonight and then to Walmart to get a few snacks, drinks and some things that were forgotten when we were packing.   I am going to give it the old college try tomorrow and we will go to Silver Dollar City.

As for the Wilderness Cabins.   The girls were pretty excited to see that their bedrooms were in the loft!   And even though the place is "rustic" it has air conditioning, bath room, TV what more could you want!!

Daddy's home!!

Dad drove with Bubby to Kentucky this week.   Nick is doing a preceptor job for the same company that his Uncle Colin works for.   Not a bad gig if you can get it.   They left bright and early Tuesday morning and were in Kentucky by supper time.   Mark then flew back to Kansas City today.   Then when Nick is ready to come back to Kansas, Dad will fly out and ride back home with him.

So we were without Daddy for a few days here at home.   I had a different girl in Daddy's place in bed each night.   They start kicking me and out they go!!   Fortunately I did not have to kick anyone out.  I did have to push one over to their side of the bed before I could even get in the bed, but that was just a minor glitch.

Dad's plane was on time and he was walking off the plane when we all saw him.   The girls ran up to him giving him big hugs.   We headed right out to the parking lot and then decided to go to Legends to find something to eat.   We had not eaten at T-Rex for several years so that is where the girls wanted to go.

We arrive at 3:20pm and the hostess took us upstairs and put us way back in the corner.   Here ya go your waitress will be with you shortly.   We check the menu all out and Mom had decided that the girls were all going to drink ice water instead of a $5.00 soda.   Unbelievable!   We sit and waited and waited and waited.   We saw another smaller family come in and be seated and they took their drink order and they received their drinks and then they were ordering their food.   In the meantime we are still sitting here waiting for someone to come over our way.   Then a lady that looked like a mnager walked almost over to our table and stopped at the table behind us and then she took off after something.   It has now been 30 minutes since they seated us and no one has been back to our table!!   Finally the hostess who seated us brought up another larger family and seated them behind us.  I hollered at the lady.   She tried to ignore me but I was not going to let her get away.   I yelled "Miss" she finally stopped and turned around.   I said we have been sitting her for 30 minutes and no one has come to take our orders or anything.   She said I will go find someone.  5 more minutes and the only person in the area is cleaning a table.   So we decide to walk out.   Yes...this is something that I NEVER do.  But this was ridiculous!!   We went back downstairs and I went to the hostess  table and I asked to speak to a manager.   They finally found us a manager and she found us a better place to sit and a fantastic waitress.   They brought us a free appetizer and the waitress said that they would not charge us for sodas for the girls.   And they took our food orders and put them in right away.   The waitress took the girls and showed them the sharks in the tanks and then took them upstairs and showed them the clown fiish parents and their babys'.    It was a bad situation that turned into a great time!!   I will not become a regular complainer but today they just pushed the envelope too much.   And especially as expensive that this place is...the service should be so much better than it was.