Branson, MO Family Trip

Daniel and I just do not know how to give up on trying to get away a few days.  I guess we are glutens for punishment.  This trip was partly planned because I think I was mentally desperate to get out of the house a little before I am trapped here by baby girl #2.  haha  So, we tried again and took a 2 hr trip to Branson.  We had so much fun!  The hotel was advertised as being kid friendly, and it actually was!  I could have stayed a few more days, but we were happy to get back.  We were scared when we booked it to reserve more than a few days because it could have been yet another disaster.  I swear I would go back in a few weeks, but I feel that the weather is starting to turn and we need nice hot days to enjoy that much pool time.  

Ok, so the first picture is actually from today.  Eliza spotted that butterfly from 50 yards away and made a mad dash for it.  I was very proud of her because she tried to reach out and catch it, and changed her mind without me reminding her not to touch.  

This is my favorite photo from the vacation because it looks like she was trying to drown Daniel.  haha  I didn't even know it looked like that until later that night when I was reviewing pictures.  The pools (regular and kiddie) were steps from our room and we spent a lot of time there.  They had a wonderful snack bar and we ate soooooo many snow cones together.  

Eliza loves a zero entry pool. 

Surprisingly, she also loved shuffle board. 

The second night they had a community smore party.  Eliza loved it.  

She was eating her marshmallow and graham cracker (she doesn't like chocolate) really slowly.  We finally saw that it was because she was only eating between the graham crackers, so we took pity on her and let her have just the marshmallow.  haha 

For the first time in a year and a half she fell asleep next to me for her nap.  Ok for the first time in that long when she didn't have a fever over 101.  She was one tired baby.  I loved it because I got a nap to.  

We decided to go to the Promise Land Zoo while we were there.  I am so glad that we did.  Eliza loved feeding the parakeets.  They sold little chopsticks with peanut butter and seeds to feed them and the birds were so friendly.  They didn't care that there was a toddler on the other end of the stick. haha 

The zoo was very interactive and you could pet a lot of the animals.  Eliza liked the kangaroos.  

The first night they had a pizza bar at the resort and we made a couple pizzas and cooked them back in the room.  She was very professional because we had just made little pizzas at home a few nights before.  

Making sure she got the rest of the marshmallow off her fingers.  haha 

We lost power for a few hours a few nights ago and we were very worried about what Eliza would think since it was right before bedtime.  She did really well.  We hooked her up with a flash light that Poppy gave her a few years ago (that she plays with all the time) and a head lamp light.  She enjoyed playing around with them and we put a Disney movie on with our laptop and our bedtime routine did not get that messed up at all.  I think it was easier because she does play with the flashlights a lot.  She takes them into dark rooms and explores.  haha 

Here is my proud little girl and the first pizza she made.  She is getting so good about helping cook meals and it is making her want to try more foods, which is great! 

July/August 2016

Time has been going by so quickly.  My pregnancy is going really well although I have way more aches and pains than I remember last time.  Although it has been less than 3 years since my last pregnancy, I have still forgotten so much!  Eliza is growing her vocabulary so quickly.  She is also calling me "Holly" and Dan "Daniel", it drives me nuts! The heat index has been really high right now, so we are trying to stay indoors as much as we can, this has been hard.  I have started taking her to The Little Gym and she loves to go "exercise", I wish it was more than once a week.  Eliza has also started some epic tantrums and I hope this phase ends quickly, no joke. These are a few pictures from the last few weeks.  

Here is the obligatory 11th wedding anniversary picture.  We managed to get out of the house for the afternoon. 

Ok, so here is a picture of Whitney.  She is our new cat and is very timid, but sweet.  We don't know if she will be a great outdoor cat, but she is very good with Eliza and is cute to look at.  We are slowly transitioning her to the outside and we hope she decides to stick around.  

Powdered donuts are a big hit right now.  haha

I am trying to involve Eliza more in the kitchen.  Right now she is doing really well with stirring raw veggies for veggie bakes.  Here we were doing eggplant and she says "stir, stir, stir" and gets right to work mixing the olive oil with the eggplant.  We also have her making caesar salad and she loves to butter her toast.  I also have her help me cut strawberries with her little plastic knife.  Cooking is important to me and I have found that she is more likely to try foods that she helps make. Also, don't say the word "salad" because if there isn't one for her to make - heads will roll. 

She loves to climb this rock at the playground.  She just likes to terrify everyone around her.  She can only do it when Daniel is with us because he has to climb up and get her.  haha

Not really sure what she was doing here, but evidently Donkey needed a nap. 

She likes to bring me flowers after her walks with her Daddy. 

She was a little apprehensive of the rain.  haha  It is hard to have rain and no lightning where we are, so I took advantage. 

Bedtime means lots of books, a few beanbag chairs and some off key singing of "The Wheels on the Bus", "Itsy, Bitsy, Spider" and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat".