We are back from our fun filled vacation and trying to get back into our former routine. I must confess it hasn't been easy for me. The house somehow got so dirty and cluttered while we were gone! I guess staying in hotel rooms where your room has been magically cleaned for you while your'e out and about spoiled me pretty quickly.

     We started in Claremore, Oklahoma with the Will Rogers Museum. My husband is a big fan, but we were all thoroughly impressed with the museum and I would recommend it to anyone passing  through northeastern Oklahoma. Then onward to Branson, Missouri we traveled and arrived at our hotel early enough for the children and hubby to play in the indoor pool. Next morning we went to the Butterfly Palace (a bit pricey, but for me worth it as I love buttertflies) where we saw over a thousand exotic butterflies flying in a large beautifully landscaped room with feeders all over so you could observe the butterflies close-up and even have them land on you. My husband's favorite was the Blue Morpho and mine was the large White Morpho that looked like a tissue being bobbed around the room by someone holding an unseen string. After lunch, we headed out to Big Cedar Lodge on Table Rock Lake for a sales presentation on time shares (long groan here and told hubby never again will I waste over two hours of my life willingly being manipulated for a discount on hotel fares, just not worth it for me as I feel we live sooo conservatively year around). 

     Anyway, kids played at the pool when we got back to the hotel and I got to relax a little. Next morning we went to a camp that my husband had worked at as a college student called Kannukuk and toured. It's a wonderful christian camp for both boys and girls that focuses on athletics, christian discipleship, and responsibility. They have a large number of homeschooled children attend and the director and his wife also homeschool. I could possibly see sending our children in the future for a week.  We spent the afternoon at Silver Dollar City riding rollercoasters, walking up hills and down hills, riding more rollercoasters and more walking up and down hills. I enjoyed watching the kids have fun more than anything! After SDC, we went to the Dixie Stampede which is primarily a wild west show with a large meal that you eat with your hands. Sounds odd I know but it was great and we loved it as a family. The whole next day was devoted to SDC and I'm sure you know what that looked like (rides, waiting in lines, amusement park food, kids tired and bickering, adults tired and bickering, need I say more...).  After SDC, we drove over two and a half hours east northeast into the Missouri Ozarks. Now, I'm originally from southwest Oklahoma which is the lower region of the Great Plains and traveling through the Ozarks at 30 and 45 mph speeds because of tight curves and hair pin turns was not easy and I seriously think I wore a place in the carpet of the van where I kept putting on my imaginary brake. 

     Our cabin on the mountain was beautiful and the outside scenery even more beautiful. I think this was my favorite part of the vacation as we got to relax and enjoy God's creation. On our way back we stopped at the Missouri home of Laura Ingalls Wilder and museum. As we walked into the museum, the first thing that I saw was Pa's fiddle and I cried. Silly to some I know, but if you've read all the books I think you would understand. It was the best way to end our vacation for me and well worth the stop. We were all ready to get home and as I said we're still trying to get back into our routine with school. Thanks for your kind comments and well wishes ladies. Blessings, Julie