Summer Vacation, part I

We had the hardest time deciding what to do for a summer vacation this year!  We decided not to make the trek to Colorado and try something different.  We thought about Yellowstone and made plans for that but it just never felt right.  We talked and talked and talked until I didn't even want to take a vacation anymore!  We finally settled on Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and Branson, Missouri, since they're only a couple of hours away from each other.  We had been to Eureka Springs before with Josh's parents when Maddie and Ryley were really little.  It was a beautiful place and we kind of planned the whole trip around the lakes near each place since the boat would be vacationing with us this year.  Daddy couldn't bear to leave her home.  ;)  Branson was just someplace we had wanted to go and since it was so close we figured this was the perfect time. 

We found a nice cabin big enough for all of us on Beaver Lake near Eureka Springs and it was available so we booked it.  We found another place in Branson right on Table Rock Lake and it was available too so we booked it.  And that's how we decided what our vacation would be this year.  Plus everything was within 8-9 hours of Dallas so we wouldn't have to keep Sawyer occupied in his carseat for too long.  He does NOT like to be in his carseat.  (That's pretty much what nixed the Yellowstone idea.)

We left on Saturday morning, August 25.  We got in later than we had planned thanks to the many stops of our small bladdered children and a boat cover mishap, but we eventually found our cabin and decided we'd better get the boat into the slip since we didn't want to deal with it on Sunday.  The kids were hungry and tired of being in the car but after briefly stopping at the cabin to unload all the luggage out of the boat we headed off to find the boat ramp.  It was in a state park several miles up the very long and winding road (cue Beatles music) and the ramp was so freaking steep and narrow I was a nervous wreck by the time we got the boat in the water.  The ramp was also quite some distance away from the boat slip we had rented at the cabin so I got the privilege of driving the car with all the kids and towing the empty trailer back to where Josh would end up after parking the boat in the slip.  Mind you, I've never driven the car with the trailer other than through the parking lot to back it down at the ramp at Lake Lavon.  My first time was on this crazy winding road and then down this crazy steep mountain to the cabin Main Office.  Needless to say my nerves were EXTREMELY frazzled and by the time I saw Josh walking up the hill from the boat slip I was nearly in tears.  We went and dropped off the trailer at the cabin and headed into town to get some dinner and find a grocery store.  By the time we got back to the cabin we were all more than ready for bed. 

I wish I had taken pictures of the cabin we stayed in because it was so awesome.  It was a two story built onto a hill so the top level is the entry and then you can walk out onto a balcony from that same level and you have an awesome view of the lake.  This picture was taken from the balcony. 

 

We woke up on Sunday to rain but we were headed off to church so that was OK.  We found a Branch in Berryville, AR, about 45 minutes away.  It was a pretty eye opening experience for me and the kids to go to a Branch.  The addition of our kids easily tripled the amount of kids in the Primary!  The members were all very nice and welcoming.  It was a great experience.  We spent the rest of the day at the cabin recovering from our crazy day of traveling and boat launching.  I even got to take a nap, which hasn't happened on a Sunday since Sawyer was a newborn. 

The next day it was still rainy so we made a trip to Walmart out in Berryville again and bought a few games and things.  It was also Josh's birthday so I wanted to get a cake and a little present for him.  His main present for this year was currently sitting in a boat slip at Beaver Lake.  ;

We played games and watched movies for most of the day and then decided to try and find a nice place to eat out for Daddy's birthday dinner.  We found a steakhouse in Eureka Springs and headed over there.  We unloaded everyone and went inside.  Daddy took one look at that prices on the menu and said we weren't staying.  Hahaha.  We loaded everybody up and ended up at a great little BBQ place off the highway.  Definitely more Daddy's style anyway. 

This crazy kid still doesn't eat much.  He probably finished off one of these crackers and then had a half a cup of mandarin oranges.  Wish we could get him to eat some meat or something!

It was mighty good!

We headed back to the cabin for some cake.

I had Maddie snap a few pictures of Josh and I out on the balcony before it got too dark. 

 

Sure do love this man!