Branson 2012

by Chrissie Wainright on June 1st, 2012
No CommentsComments

5/31

It has been an incredible month!  We took our first family vacation that wasn’t to Cali or Texas to visit family.  Serenity, Donovan, Eric, my Dad and I all went to Branson!  Eric had heard it was a fun place to visit from a friend at work.  And he thought Serenity would adore staying in a hotel, so off we went!  Thanks to my Mom loaning us her huge car we had a comfy and easy trip.  We spent the first night just exploring the hotel, which had a Splashatorium.  I think both kids would have been content with just that.  They splashed and swam until Donovan’s lip started quivering and I took him to bed.  Serenity just kept going!  The next day we spent having at Silver Dollar City!  It was the perfect amusement park experience.  The day was pleasant and there are so many trees there we had plenty of shade.  There were enough people there for Serenity to make friends but not so many that we ever had to wait for a ride!  She got to try out little rollercoasters, a cool swing ride, and a huge treehouse.  Eric kept trying to get her to choose her favorite activity, but she just loved them all!  I think the butterfly ride was a special hit, especially since she rode it with some other girls she met in line.  The swing of course she loved, and since there were no lines she just kept saying, “one more time!” and the operator would start it up for her again.  She went through the little treehouse dozens of times, pretending to be various animals.  Donovan had fun too!  He got to ride his first carousel, and was thrilled!  He kept patting it. =)  He also liked the little toddler sand area, mostly the rake tools.

 

We visited the Splashatorium again in the evening.  Serenity’s getting much more comfortable in the water, although she is still timid about putting her face in, sometimes she will do it.  She loves to kick around using a swim ring or kick board.

 

The next day we left our awesome hotel, (which also had a playground, a mini-golf course, and a game room that Eric and I enjoyed).  We rode the Ducks first.  It’s actually a refurbished military vehicle that drives on land and in the sea.  So Serenity got to drive the Duck on the water!  My favorite part was when he drove it right into the lake.  I think Serenity’s favorite part was blowing the duck whistle that we all got.  Then we went to the Butterfly Palace, which was completely awesome.  They have a room full of butterflies to watch, and have magnifying glasses and pith helmets for the kids to use.  Oh, and little ride on ladybugs and bees!  And there’s a room filled with bungee cords to simulate a banyan trees root systems.  Just the perfect little maze for kids to weave in and out of.  And our favorite place, the mirror maze!  It’s full of mirrors on hexagons, and Serenity and Eric loved it so much they went again.  The second time, the maze thwarted them and they went halfway in and back out the front instead of all the way through.  Serenity chose a purple butterfly pendant as a souvenir.

Donovan's favorite place at Branson.. the ball pit of course! There were vacuums to suck up all these balls, and things to shoot them, and they'd fall down every now and again. So fun! We all loved it =)

 

We stopped briefly on the drive back and a spot where we could stand in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas all at the same time! Serenity loves states and maps so much we thought she'd especially enjoy it =)

Dad came with us to Branson, and I'm so grateful he did! It made everything easier and more fun. Plus, Eric and I got to have a date while he watched the kids in the hotel room!


Categories: Uncategorized