Still snowing in May!!!!

Yes, you read that right!!  We got a snowstorm on May 2nd!!  14 inches of brand new snow!!!  We had taken a family vacation down to Branson, and drove through a snowstorm to get home, to find that we had 14 inches of brand new snow.  Thankfully, we didn't have to drive through that much, and by the time we got up here, the roads were clear.

Now, today it was 75 degrees! 

Matthew was out back, looking at his "strawberry" plants, and came in all excited, and said, "Mom!!!  We are going to have LOTS of strawberries!!!  The strawberry plants REALLY grew over the winter!!"   Hmmm.  So, I went out to check, and what he was looking at was the asparagus plants!!  His strawberry plants might be an inch tall.  :)

Down in Branson, we had a delightful time!!  We did Silver Dollar City for 2 days--as we got some tickets where you buy one day, and get the second day free, if you keep your ticket!  More on that later.  Silver Dollar City is an old fashioned amusement park, where the workers all dress up in the 1800's.  I don't know how they did it, with long sleeves and long dresses, because I was hot, and it's not even summer yet.  They have fun stuff, like a glass blowing demonstration, a blacksmith demonstration, etc.  Plus all the fun type stuff for the teens with roller coasters.  They had a brand new roller coaster, that was wooden that goes upside down.  The young fellas enjoyed it.  I don't do roller coasters.  So, I took Sam on "Fire in the Hole".  13 times.  Yes, you read that correctly.  We went 6 times, in a row the first day, and 7 times in a row on the second day.  I had the ride memorized.  Back to the buy one get one day free tickets.  So, over and over, I told the family to keep your ticket!!!  Well, poor hubby threw his (thinking it was a different ticket).  Then, he said he wasn't going to pay for another day for him, and that he would drop us off, and sit in the car.  Well, long story short, we called the travel agent that we worked through, and they got us another ticket for him.  We talked to one of the service agents at Silver Dollar City, and she said, "Don't worry about it."  And I had been saying the exact same thing--you are on vacation, you aren't supposed to have stress!!

We also saw Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, where they serve you a huge meal, with soup, a small cornish hen, baked potato slice, bread, pork slice, and dessert--all to eat without silverware, while you watch the show.  It was great, and I think the boys had a blast!

We also went through an Animal Safari, that you drive through the park, and you can feed the animals, like ostriches, emus, wildebeest, camels, bison, llamas, etc.  Then, in the walk through park, they had peacocks, a giraffe (that Sam and Matthew got to feed, and when Matthew ran out of food, the giraffe thumped him on the head!), and there were also some lions and tigers and bears, Oh my!!

 Matthew feeding the giraffe

This emu followed us around!!

Rick and a bison--look at it's tongue!

The zebra was a bit scary--but it was just begging for food.

We did roll the window up after this!

(They said you can have your windows rolled halfway down)

We also went to the Sight and Sound Theater, and saw the Joseph presentation.  I don't think it was as dramatic as the Noah, but it was still very good, and it is a wonderful story!!!  I would recommend it.

The fellas outside the Sight and Sound Theater

with the Lion and the Lamb

Matthew fighting Goliath inside the Sight and Sound Theater

Dan and Andrew went on a zipline!  They enjoyed that, but not the ride in the tram coming back - lol!  I guess she was a crazy driver.  Matthew was scared just going up in the tower for their zipline ride.

We also went downtown at night, and saw the dancing waters, and it was beautiful and fun!!

We were hoping that while we were gone, we would catch the mice in the traps.  No such luck.  But, Friday night, we caught one mouse, and last night we caught another mouse.  We are hoping that is all there are, and that there isn't a family.

Saturday, we met Josh and Brittany at the church, with some other people and cooked the spaghetti dinner food (that was on Sunday).  The youth did this as a fund raiser for Feed My Starving Children.  Then, I left, and took Brittany and Elise, and Sarah and Claire, to my niece, Hannah's, bridal shower.  Whew!  We've been busy since we've been home.

The boys (Sam and Matthew) are still on medication for strep throat.  This is their 5th time!!!  They will go back in to get retested.  Hopefully they will pass with flying colors!

Blessings!