Family Vacation

September brought the long awaited date for our vacation in Branson, MO. We left our house on Saturday morning and landed in Branson that afternoon. We stayed at a beautiful condo right on Table Rock Lake. We could look out our back deck and see the lake. It was a very much needed relaxing week! We spent the first day, Sunday, just relaxing and enjoying the peaceful quietness! I think I would like to have a vacation that was a week of Sundays!!!!!
Monday the boys stayed at the condo and enjoyed some kyaking, playing basketball, picking up seashells and doing a lot of nothing. Lauren and I headed to town to the outlet malls and spent some "girl" time together. On Monday night we went to see "Shepherd of the Hills". It was a great evening although pretty chilly! Thankfully we had hoodies and blankets! Alex did great! He was a little scared when they started shooting the guns but got over it real quick!



The boys waiting....not so patiently!

Lauren, Alex, and Andrea.....waiting

Troy and me

Tuesday morning found us out on the Lake on a deck boat. This has become a tradition for us every year we come here. The kids probally look forward to this about more than anything we do! It was a picture perfect day and we had a great time! We always pack a lunch and do a lot of pulling the kids on the tubes. Here we are headed out with our trusty skipper at the wheel!

Alex wasn't to impressed with riding on the tubes...he kept himself entertained by eating anything and everything he could get his hands on!

I love this picture! Andrea and Lauren were the first two on the the tube and the boys looked so cute all in a row watching them.

Alex finally gave in and crashed for a hour or so.

Wednesday our great friends, the Boardmans, came and joined us. The kids were all so excited to see each other. Emily and Andrea are pretty much joined at the hip! We headed off to Silver Dollar City for two days of fun!

Andrea was so excited when she finally convinced the big kids to take her and Emmy on a water ride....none of us adults were willing! They rode the great American Plunge and got drowned!

Ben and Lauren were pretty much drowned rats after about 4 times on the American Plunge!

Troy doing what he always does....on the phone! :)

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get 6 kids looking at the same place with their eyes all open and a decent look on their face?! I tell you it is no easy job!! I think we did it.....?!!

17 years later and still smiling!

The Boardmans

Best Friends! Their shirts say " I found my prince and his name is Daddy!" Lets hope we can keep it that way for a long time!!

Harder than just 6 kids is 8 people! :)

Daddy and his girls

Tyler....10 years

Travis.....8 years

Lauren.....15 years

Andrea.....5 Years

Alex.....19 months

Luke.....13 years

We always have to ride the train and this time was no exception. We got robbed.....AGAIN!

Me, Alex, and Troy

Andrea and Emily with some incredible poodles...they could walk all around on their back two legs! It was amazing!

On Saturday before we headed out of town we went and road go -carts. Here is Andrea. If I judged her driving by how she drove this go-cart....she will never have a liscense!! :)

Troy and Travis making a lap around the track

Well as sad as it is....all good things to soon come to an end! We packed up and headed back home almost feeling more tired than when we left! :) How does that work? When you find out please let me know! We arrived home to 17 people and a semi family reunion at our house! More on that a little later! Hope you all have had a great summer! I am so sad that summer and the warm is soon to be gone! I DO NOT like the cold!!!!