Branson

A couple of highly belated posts, to say the least. We visited Branson, Missouri the first weekend in December. The place we went to visit is called Big Cedar Lodge and is a Bass Pro resort. Very cool, a lot of amenities and the weather was definitely much warmer there than at home!

We went to spend the weekend with Lucas's side of the family for the weekend and as a bonus, we flew into Tulsa and drove over in order to see my brother and his family. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with family as always - just can't get enough of 'em!  Here we are at Bouncetown - where everyone got in on the fun!

 Who says White Men Can't Dunk?

We had a couple of funny stories from the weekend I wanted to share. The first is a bathroom story, just to warn you. The main floor bathroom in the suite was unusual to say the least. It had some R-rated fixtures of female forms holding up the wash bowl for the sink and as part of the toilet and the bidet. William and I were both a little surprised the first time we walked in. William wanted to know "Why is this potty for a girl?" I had absolutely no reply to that one. And secondly how do you explain a bidet to a 3 year old? Well, I didn't and he didn't ask thank goodness. As it turns out, I should have explained it.

The next morning I realize at one point that I do not see or hear William and decide I better look for him pronto! Well, he had taken himself to the bathroom (Good job!) and mistakenly pooped in the bidet. I wanted to both laugh and cry at that one! Poor guy, how on earth could he have known? He merely picked the "toilet" closest to the door! So, I made sure not to scold, but just cleaned it up and advised that next time we should use the potty with the lid! Lesson learned, for one of us anyway. =)

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Tinsel the Elf and Santa

One of the very special activities from that weekend was the grandparents arranged for an Elf to come and read William a bedtime story.  Her name was Tinsel and William was immediately starry-eyed! As he and Tinsel came into the living room where the adults were all at someone asked who was with him. "Santa Claus"  was the answer.

William was totally entranced while she read him a story. After the story, she said she had a special gift for him from Santa, but that Santa wanted to know that the gift was going to a good home, so could William please give his new toy a name.

The gift was a super soft stuffed raccoon.   As we all stood around in hushed anticipation, "Winkle in July" was the response.  WTH? Cue eruption of smothered laughter! Even the elf was startled. "What is his name?" she asked again.
"I don't know, what was it..?"  apparently it even surprised William.
"Well, I didn't name him, what was it you just said?"
"I don't know. I sink ..."winkle in july." And so it was.
As someone pointed out, sounded more like a racehorse than a stuffed animal name. Or something worse.
By the next day it had already been shortened to "Winkle".  WOW, is all I can still say!

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Meeting Santa

The next day was to be a tree lighting ceremony and one special child would get to help Santa light the tree. But, it was not to be due to weather. So, they moved the event inside and everyone got to have fun making sand art Christmas trees. And amazingly enough, William's name was chosen as the first child to get to meet Santa and sit on his lap! I still think Grandma and Grandpa rigged this one, but they'll never tell!

making our sand art tree