Fall + Family = FUN!!

For the past two years that we have lived here, David's parents have come up to visit for their Fall Break. We always enjoy the time and this year was no exception! I decided we were going to do something extra fun for all of us and we spent the entire day on Saturday at Silver Dollar City in Branson. David had never been and has always wanted to go. To add to the fun we made it a BIG family affair by inviting my family and most of them were able to go!! So we were a party of 3 grandparents (my dad & David's parents), 5 kids (me, David, Erin, Eric, & Christy) and 6 grandkids (Ryan, Emily, Elicia, Ellie, Bailey, & Nate). It was a BLAST and I know we will do it again sometime next year! Our camera battery died within the first hour (before we even got to the big rides) so I didn't get many pictures, but will hopefully get my dad's and Paul's soon (hint, hint!). Enjoy these for now:

Ryan's first ever ride...the Elephant March...he loved it:

Three grown men in the spinning teacups! Papa, Grandpa, & David were riding with Nate & Ryan. The teacups are the extent of my dad's ride experience:
Elicia & Jani on the Wings of Wonder:
Ellie & Erin on the butterflies...Ellie finally was tall enough to ride a few rides and she lived it up:
Ryan & Jani and me & Elicia on the Happy Frogs:

It was a PERFECT Fall day to be outside. Couldn't have asked for better weather. A few of my day's highlights:

*Riding with Ryan on his first ride

*Riding the new Giant Swing next to Bailey and screaming and smiling at each other

*Eating way too much junk food since the moment we got there (can you say warm apple dumplings, giant cookies, funnel cake...yum)

*Riding both BIG roller coasters (Wild Fire & PowderKeg) with Emily and David and then watching the video of us on the rides. That girl is BRAVE!!!!

*Riding Fire-In-The-Hole with Elicia...yes I said Elicia, she is 3!! It's an inside roller coaster and is pitch black at times. She didn't make a peep the entire time...just squeezed my fingers to death!

*Riding the Train together as a family

*Watching the kids grab any adult so they could ride a ride...they didn't care who went with them, they just wanted to ride!

*Enjoying both sides of our families together...we are truly BLESSED!