Rushed... Heat... Frustrated

The first day in Branson, after we dropped our bags off at the patio home, we went to Silver Dollar City. Our tickets allowed us to go in at 3 p.m. and then use them again the next day. We went in and instantly the girls started asking for toys and wanting to get this and that. We had told them they could spend their own money but we were not going to carry their items the whole time. Note to self: Strollers would have solved so many problems. Kylie started crying she didn't want to walk after 50 yards of walking.


The older two wanted to ride a roller coaster so Donnie took them. Kylie and I walked to the kid area. (or what I thought was the kid area) Kylie loved the tree house and swing ride.

After Donnie and the girls were back we stood in line at the train. We waited for about 20 minutes and they said they had to shut it down due to engine problems. By this time it was close to dinner and the girls were hungry and hot. We brought cups so we kept filling them for a dollar. They just couldn't cool off.

We found the Lost River of the Ozarks. It's a big 6 person tube ride. We were drenched. Of course I picked that day to wear a white shirt. Note to self: Don't wear white. We walked to another big roller coaster. Donnie and Kendal got in line. Kirsten, Kylie and I waited and waited and waited. Donnie and Kendal come back down. They shut down that ride because a grown man was scared. This man got on the ride and right before it took off he wanted off. Since they run on a tight schedule they are required to shut the whole ride down and reset the timers. So Donnie and Kendal were disappointed.

We did find the big swing though. Kendal and I were able to ride that and almost pee ourselves.

Kendal and I on the end. Debating if this was really worth risking our lives!! I was so scared her tiny body would fly out of this thing. Seriously there is a tiny belt and a big bar that go across you. You were more of a seat belt in a car! How is this legal and safe!? Donnie didn't get a picture but I put my arm across her body the whole ride. I don't know what my arm going to do but it made me feel better!

 By this time it was almost 6:30. We had planned to eat at 7 because it was July 4th and they had a special. Several shops would have $5 meal deals instead of $8.99. I am always a penny pincher so I wanted to watch 30 minutes. Note to self: Should have just eaten!

Since the shops closed at 7 I told the girls they could go buy the things they wanted so we wouldn't have to carry them around the second day. It was time to find the meal deal places and the lines were INSANE. The line to the firework show was wrapped around a couple of buildings and the fireworks didn't start for another 2 hours. Donnie and I both felt like we could just go eat somewhere else and come back the next day. We thought it would be faster then standing in the food line and the firework line for the next two hours. 

We rode the tram to the SUV. Donnie reaches in his pocket...NO KEYS. Somewhere in Silver Dollar City the truck keys were laying there. We do not have a smart phone. We have the free cheapo phone. I wanted to cry. It was hot, we were hungry, we had no drink. It was about 7:15. Donnie had cracked the windows so we tried putting my purse in to push the unlock button. We tried putting his belt in and it wouldn't move the button at all. Donnie got a stick and pushed the button. It wouldn't unlock because it was on alarm mode. I really wanted to cry now. I didn't know what to do. People were driving by and looking at us funny. Trams were going by and waving at the girls. I found an 800 number on our ticket stub to the SDC office. They sent out three men. Not one of them could get the door open. They did have a list of numbers to call. I called six different companies. It was the fourth of July. I had a bad feeling people were busy. Not one of them answered. We waited and my phone rang! One of the six called back and was willing to come out to help. He charged $60 which really really stinks but at that point we didn't care. My purse was inside with the spare set of keys. Around 8:30 we made it out of the parking lot.

We typed in Walmart on the garmin. Going in a few circles and passing up a turn..around 9 o'clock we were eating at a McDonald's and the five of us were in wonderful moods. I think if given the option I would have packed up and headed home that night. I was so d.o.n.e. We were all done.

Back at the house we were able to take showers, relax, play some board games, laugh and remember that we loved each other.  That was the end of Day 1.... There were a lot of "shoulda coulda woulda" comments that evening. I guess it made for a great story. Exhausting.