Our Branson Weekend!

For as long as I can remember, the ladies in my family load up the day after Thanksgiving and head to Branson. The guys would go to the duck cabin and the girls would go shopping.  Once we moved closer to home, my girls and I have started going on our annual family girls trip! 

Over the years, we've stayed in condo's, hotel rooms, and this year, we rented a large house that could hold all of us! We had the very best time. 

We left my mom's around 8 in the morning and we drove to my grandma's house so we could see her Christmas decorations and take potty breaks. 

The trip up was fairly uneventful until Gretchen decided to throw up in the car. We had to stop at a blip of a town, pull out suitcases, change her clothes, and wash her booster seat out in the sink. Thankfully, it was a fluke and she was fine the rest of the weekend.

We stopped in Harrison, AR to eat at a little bakery shop.

I told Gretchen not to eat too much, just in case her tummy was still bothering her, but she was all smiles and ready to take on the day!

Addy had everyone in the restaurant smiling!

After lunch, we drove the rest of the way to Branson and went shopping. The girls begged and begged for us to take them to Build-a-Bear. 

They all picked out a pink teddy bear to make. I'm pretty sure if they would have had purple, Meggie would've picked it since it's her favorite color. 

Gretchen always prefers pink.

Megan didn't want to push the pedal to "stuff" her bear so I had to help her. 

Gretchen was a pro, and gave the bear's heart lots of love before she stuffed it inside. 

Then we gave the bears their bath. Once again, Meggie was afraid so her Gee had to help. 

Then it was Gretchen's turn to bathe and brush her bear. 

Once Megan realized the loud air wouldn't hurt her, she decided she could bathe and brush her bear all by herself. 

The girls picked out clothes- Gretchen bought an Elsa dress, and Meggie picked Anna, then we dressed the bears and made their birth certificates and checked out. At this point, it was crazy, and we had four kids going everywhere so I didn't get any pictures!

I was asking Gretchen what else she wanted to do, and I teased her that she could get her ears pierced! I was shocked when she excitedly agreed with me! 

We had gotten her ears pierced right before kindergarten, but they got really infected, and we let them grow in. She has been too afraid to get them pierced again even though I've asked her on several occasions. 

She decided that she'd get them pierced and that we could surprise daddy!

She had her bear, and the Claire's bear that she held on to to help her be brave. She picked out Elsa earrings, but since they were sold out, she settled for Anna. 

We had two people pierce her ears, so she could get it over with, but one girl went before the other girl, so Gretchen had to deal with the pain twice rather than the once and done!

It was kind of a hot mess, and Gretchen cried, but I actually got it on film this time and she is thrilled and has been doing super great with her new earrings!

We had a little photo op before heading to dinner and to our Branson house.

The rest of the evening was spent hanging out at the house. I had a massage in their massage chair, we organized clothes, picked out bedrooms, gave the girls a bath, and put the girls to bed while the grownups watched TLC and enjoyed a fire!

Meggie had a hard time falling asleep so I let her lay on the floor by me, and within minutes she was out! I guess she needed to lay on the floor in order to feel like she was at home!

I carried her downstairs and put her to bed with her sister and cousin, and thought this was the sweetest thing ever!

We had to rest up so we could enjoy day 2!