Spring Break Recap

I can't actually believe it's over, but it really is. We had a wonderful spring break trip to Branson, Missouri. I didn't take very many pictures, but here are a few to show that we really were there!

First...big, big KUDOS to the Hilton Promanade. Talk about a wonderful place to stay. Our room was absolutely awesome (can't believe I forgot to take any pics of the inside...oops!). Everyone who worked there was so nice. The beds were very comfortable and the shower was wonderful...actually, the whole bathroom was great because it was huge! These first two pictures are the view from our balcony. Branson Landing is such a beautiful area. I can't imagine that we'll ever stay anywhere except there when we go back...we might even have to request the same room! LOL It was cool to watch the fire/water show. It went off every hour from about 9 in the morning until 11pm. Music would blare and the fountain would shoot off water and flames. I meant to take a video of the last show at night when they did the Star Spangled Banner...it was so cool.

We went to Silver Dollar City twice. We went on Sunday and it turned out to be a beautiful day and we had a great time. Sammie went to be measured to ride Wildfire and was about 1/8 of an inch too short. She was disappointed, but she didn't let it get her down. They gave her a token to go to the front of the line when she was tall enough, so that made her smile. Well, that plus the fact that she knew if she wore different tennis shoes, she'd be tall enough! LOL When we went back on Thursday...in new Nike Shox, she was tall enough and she asked to sit in the FRONT!! Roger and Syd have loved this ride for years and Sammie loved it just as much...she said it's her new favorite ride. The bad news was, when she and Syd went back to ride in the afternoon, the lady measured her and said she wasn't tall enough. Didn't make her too happy, but she got over it! LOL We also had fun riding Powder Keg and The Giant Barn Swing...as well as a few other rides. And the food is always awesome at SDC!

We bought the picture from the ride Wildfire so I'll have to scan that and get it posted. Actually, it's a pretty horrible quality picture, but we couldn't resist buying it since it was Sammie's first time on it and her she looked like she was having a total blast!

Here are the pictures I took of Syd and Sammie riding Powder Keg...this ride is awesome. It takes off from zero to 53mph in 2.8 seconds..and what a thrill that is! The first picture is when the ride starts and takes you to where the real take-off is! The second picture is waiting for the green light and I actually managed to snap the third picture right at take-off! It's hard to see on here since it's somewhat small, but the girl's faces are priceless!!!

Another ride we really like is the Giant Barn Swing. It's like a huge double pendulum that holds 32 riders. Hold on tight as you launch through the barn doors at 45 mph, bursting over 7 stories into the sky and nearly upside down! You'll fly a full 230 degrees from one side of the barn to the other! Again, these pictures are kind of small to see the smiles on their faces, but be assured, they love this ride, too!

Another fun thing we like to do at SDC is go to Geyser Gulch. We avoided the water part this time...but there were still lots of people playing in it (and I was AMAZED at the number of people who were riding the water rides...Brrrrrrr!!!!). We did have fun, though, blasting foam balls at each other at the Foam Fort! Syd also decided to pose for a couple of pictures for me!!

Syd and I got pedicures on Wednesday and Sammie got a manicure and pedicure (okay, so they really just polished her fingers and toes, but she was thrilled!). It was fun to have a little 'girl time' with them and get pampered. Syd and I spent time texting back and forth even though we were sitting right beside each other...but the ladies doing our pedicures were speaking amongst themselves in their own language and didn't say a word to us. Not sure if they didn't speak English well or if they just didn't like us! LOL

WE TOOK A SPECIAL PICTURE, JUST FOR KATIEJ!!!!!!!

There were also some other fun times, but we didn't manage to get pictures of any of it! We had a lot of fun shopping at Branson Landing and at the Tanger Outlets. The girls both had money they had been saving plus money that Roger gave them, and they bought lots of fun stuff. We decided it saves us a lot of money if we give them money to spend rather than just randomly buy them things! LOL They think a lot longer and harder about how bad they want stuff when they are spending "their own" money!

Another favorite pastime while there was playing Missouri Lottery Keno at Garfield's. OMG, this was a blast! Roger played one night when the girls and I went to bed early and he actually won $300!! Obviously, we should have just let him keep going back by himself because we weren't as lucky when we were all there! We won a few small prizes, but nothing big...but it was still fun. They draw it every 4 minutes all day long. Sammie also found the "MegaTouch" machine and loved playing the games on there...I'll have to agree, it was a lot of fun, too!

Roger and Syd met up with friends of ours, Neil and Sam, and played a round of golf. Syd was a little frustrated with her game, but I think she still had fun playing at a really nice course. Diana and Beka came and met Sam and I at the hotel and the girls swam in the indoor pool and then we walked around Branson Landing for a while. We also met them for dinner one night at Shorty Small's and had fun...Sammie was quite the little entertainer that evening. I wish I had a video of that!

So, there you have it. The Shrum Familiy 2009 Spring Break Adventure! It was a lot of fun that went WAAAAYYYYY too fast. Time to start planning another fun getaway!!!

Hugs&Smiles!

Kim