Howdy from Branson

What a month. We've spent the past week down in Branson with most of Ryan's family. It has been so wonderful to visit with family and so much fun to watch my kids interact with their cousins and grandparents. I will upload pictures later, after I download them from other's cameras, since I accidentally left mine at home.

I have the cutest kids in the world. They have been so fun on this trip. Even when they have whined and acted like they are the most picked-on kids in the world. We have had such a fun time with our extended family in town! A few of the main events:

• Seeing the Shanghai Circus, where we watched Chinese acrobats do amazing things. Brynlie said it was the best show she's ever seen.
• Attending Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. Yes, you heard me right. And loving it! Great food and great entertainment. Who would have thought Ryan and I would EVER enjoy a vacation in Branson? We've come a long way, baby.
• Going on the boat numerous times in Tablerock Lake. We've been tubing, water skiing and wake boarding behind the boat. I learned how to drive the boat really well. Not bragging or anything. OK, I kind of am. And I tried to get up on the wake board, but to no avail. I am determined to get up on that board before the end of summer!
• A tire popped on the trailer while on the drive down. It took an hour for Ryan and his Dad to change the tire, while standing in the intense humidity and sweating like pigs.
• The tube popped so we had to hit Walmart and get a patch.
• Bonnie's Mother (Ryan's grandma) went into a coma in the hospital this week, and had previously requested no food or fluids when her health declined. We are keeping in touch with the other family members, and hoping that Bonnie can make it back to Utah before her Mother passes away.
• Sat on the "beach" (with sand flown in, since we don't exactly have an ocean near us), letting the kids build sand castles and chase fish while we got our melanoma on.
• Went to an amusement park, where the big kids enjoyed crashing into each other on go-carts and the little ones ran back and forth between all the kiddie rides.
• Laughed at all the ultra-cheezy billboards and pamphlets for "Jubilee" Country Crap.
• We've watched movies, had a birthday party for Logan (a couple weeks early), eaten more junk food than we've ever consumed in a week, slept in until 9:00 in the morning, read (I finished the book "Uglies" and Brevan read the 5th book in the Fablehaven series), gotten sunburned, had our condo "neighbors" yell at us because we let our kids run wild and make noise (what do they think vacation with kids is all about?), become better acquainted with our extended family (especially Erin's family that lives in Oregon), played tennis, swam in the condo pool, laughed and giggled and had a perfect week together. Except for the dang humidity. On those super humid summer days, I wonder why on earth we live in Missouri.

I guess I still need to update the blog on the rest of our busy July. Basically, it's consisted of 4th celebrations with good friends, swim meets for the girls, cleaning and cleaning to prepare for our house to be shown, and signing paperwork for our new house. Someday I might get around to uploading the pictures of all our fun times. We get possession of our new house on Monday. I can't even begin to think about that yet. So much work and stress next week, so I choose to think about nothing but my fun vacation right now!