An Ozark Mountain Summer Weekend!

What, you may ask, is all that up there? (click it to enlarge it) It's Branson. Family vacation time! We had a great time, despite the heat. I wouldn't want to hear all about someone else's vacation, so I'll hit a few highlights.....

The picture of the pickup truck in the night, well that was part of a "Cruise" held once a year. Teenagers were driving up and down Hwy 76, jumping out to pour ice onto the road, thus enhancing the 'burnout' experience, while we on the side choked down their smoke. (truck photo above) Teenagers in the back of trucks sitting on lawnchairs. Teenagers with cars that jumped and lifted up and down as they drove. (The pic of Cody and Niki walking at night? That's when Niki's brother had had quite enough of the cat calls and whistles when his sister walked by...so after dinner, he walked next to her all the way back to the hotel. It worked!)

Yes we were the fortunate ones. We, unbeknownst to us ahead of time, were lucky enough to witness such a once-a-year event this past Saturday night.....beginning at midnight! (that'd be Niki, Alex and myself sitting on that rock up there at 12:30am on the highway....)

The event is actually held farther up the street for old muscle cars, the kind you see at car shows. Our end of the highway was for the kids (of course!). Visitors began lining the road with lawnchairs starting Friday, I kid you not. We walked up at midnight, we watched, we jumped away from the road many times, then walked back to the hotel. Passed a car made up of buttons, glass, beer bottles, you name it. There's a pic up there with Niki and Alex in front of it, check it out! Only in the Ozarks.

We managed to get the kids' picture in the coffin at SDC & in front of the big giant banjo at Grand Country Inn. Those are traditional portrait areas, cannot be missed! We watched fudge being made at the GCI, also a tradition.

We did the Silver Dollar City thing all day Sunday. Very hot, but much less crowded that day, thank goodness!! We got to Ripley's Believe It Or Not Sunday as well. While it was entertaining, I was disappointed. We paid (at a AAA discount no less) over $70 to get in. The most exciting thing we did was sit in the Passion Throne, put in our quarter and the chair determined our passion level. John's was 'asleep' and mine was 'braindead'. Stupid lying little chair. Take it back! Saw the worlds largest ball of string and a very large pair of overalls. (all documented above!)

Back from Silver Dollar City Sunday evening, John and I collapsed into bed and slept for a solid hour while the kids hit the pool. We woke up, showered and asked 'now what?'. By nine, we were packed, loaded, checked out. By ten, we were fed (bad mom, I know), had our Dunkin Donuts coffee, and hit the road. Drove through the night, arriving at home at about 1am. Stumbled in, slept until 11am! It was good to be home. Niki was the only veto--she enjoyed having a queen bed all to herself! (thus sad photo of her in hotel) We sprung for two rooms...think it worked out better that way. With teenagers, two beds and one bath just don't do the job anymore! Like it ever did? It's very very good to be home.

And....don't foget, tonight I pick the WINNER of my contest, that fantabulistic CD contest! I am sure a great many of y'all are riveted to your seats waiting to see who wins the CDs.