SDC - National Harvest Festival

We decided to take a "Fall trip" and headed to Silver Dollar City on September 14-15th.

It rained the first day we were there. Still, even though we had to carry umbrellas and it was chilly - we had such a great time. We got a little damp, but the weather felt invigorating and by about 4:00pm the rain had stopped. The air smelled fresh and new. It was a great day to be outside.



The first show we went to was the Saloon show. It was a really good one (they change it a lot) and featured one of our favorite SDC regular performers. We call him "Mr. Bean" because he looks so much like Rowan Atkinson. He was hilarious in this show and we can't wait to see him at Thanksgiving as Mr. Scrooge again.

We also saw the show "Headin' West" which always plays there this time of year. It's one of our favorites and leaves us with the feeling that fall is truly beginning.



Powder keg!



Waiting for Jeff and Capri to ride "Fire in the Hole!!".






I think the sign says it perfectly.



During the Harvest Festival there are a lot of extra craft and demonstration booths. Our favorite was this one, it was unmanned and full of different varieties of pumpkins and gourds. There were free seed packets, we picked Lime Basil and Chantenay Red Core Carrots. I can't wait to plant them next spring.






By the second day, the rain was gone. It was sunny but not hot at all.







There were some really fun outdoor lumberjack shows going on as well. We were able to see the log rolling, pole climbing, and log splitting. I told Jeff that it's pretty cool if somebody asks you your job and you say "Lumberjack". That's the kind of job that people immediately think, "Whoa, Awesome".



One of the special features this year were chalk drawings done by this amazing artist (you can see her in the picture corner). We took this picture for Mar-Mar, we knew she would appreciate it!



Summer, we'll miss you. It's hard to beat flip flops and spray parks. However, we're happy to welcome you Fall and all the beauty you're sure to bring.

Surprise

A few weeks ago the kids got up for school, got dressed, and Jeff pulled them aside with some serious news.



PS - They would NOT have gone to school, or anyplace else for that matter, with their hair like that!



Sable's HEAVEN is Osceola Cheese, AKA "Cheesetown".





It was Oz's first visit to SDC.



He loved it!

"Spring Break"

For Spring Break - OK not really Spring Break because in our school district what they call "Spring Break" is actually today (Friday), the weekend, and Monday which is ABSURD - we decided to yank Capri out of school on Wednesday and Thursday and head to Branson. Take THAT Parkhill School District!

Silver Dollar City wasn't going to be open Wednesday so we decided to drive that morning to Springfield - spend the day there and then head on to Branson. Our first stop was Osceola Cheese, aka, "Cheese town". Osceola Cheese is one of our most favorite places in the WORLD because they offer free samples of pretty much all the cheeses they sell which you can get for yourself via a toothpick and eat as much as you want. They also have samples of lots of other crunchy goodies like kettle corn and veggie chips. It's delish.

Once we reached Springfield we went to Bass Pro Shops. Not my favorite place in the world, but the littles love that kind of stuff.




We had some time to kill before dinner so we drove around till we found a park where we tried to get as hungry as possible. Lambert's Cafe was where we headed next, and anybody who has eaten there knows to show up hungry. It's the original restaurant where they "throw the rolls". But they also have "pass arounds" where numerous servers walk around with big bowls and kettles full of different things like fried okra (which Capri LOVED), black eyed peas, fried potatoes with onions, etc. and will give you a HEAPING spoonful whenever you call them over. The portions are also GIGANTIC. So for your $9 - $12 plate (kid's meals are less and they still can get all the rolls and pass arounds they want too), you certainly get your money's worth. Plus it's just a whole lot of fun!





After stuffing ourselves, we finished our drive to Branson and checked into the hotel.

The next morning, early, we got up and got ready to head out to Silver Dollar City. My trip to the front office to get breakfast for everyone revealed some not so great weather. We knew it was probably going to rain, we had NO idea what was actually in store for us. When we were all ready to go, we opened the hotel door - it was pouring and it pretty much did not stop for the rest of our time there.
Luckily we had enough brains to buy 4 umbrellas before heading to SDC. If we hadn't had those, we wouldn't have been able to stay in the park at all. HUGE puddles had already formed everywhere and it wasn't long before all of our pant legs were soaked halfway up our calves. Sable fared worse, she rode in the stroller and her pants were nearly all soaked. We did our very very best. But finally gave up at around 2:00, after arriving at 9:30am. For those who know us, to NOT close the park is something we never do. But our socks were LITERALLY soaked through our shoes and not in a it's so hot isn't it great to be wet way. It was cold and windy and there weren't any indoor shows going on - only a couple in covered areas. Sable did get to ride Fire in the Hole for the very first time - which is a true milestone in a Runyan's life.
This is LITERALLY the only picture I got. If you blow it up you can see how wet she already is, and this was near to the first thing we did that day. Poor baby. But I'm NOT lying when I say this little baby DID NOT cry or complain about the weather ONCE. The only time she cried was when she fell down running to get on a ride. That's it. She is and has been since the day she was born a true traveler and trooper. We've always said, "We can take Sable ANYWHERE" and we aren't making it up.









When we made it back to our car, we changed clothes - I felt like such a smart cookie to have packed each kid an extra outfit. Once dry, everybody immediately started saying what their favorite part of The City was. Rain aside, we love the place!
Because we left the park early, we drove home earlier than usual and actually had the chance to go to Osceola Cheese again. This has NEVER happened, so it was kind of a neat treat.






Notice my flip flops with socks in the pic below. ALL of our shoes were sopping wet and these are the only other ones I brought for myself.



All in all it was a good trip, and one that will certainly never be forgotten. Which is kind of the goal of a trip right?

Silver Dollar City - Video Blitz

Yeah, I know, this is a LOT of videos.

Believe it or not, there are those who actually like watching these things.

I happen to be one of them.

Course I'm biased and think my littles are awfully cute.

Capri did ride American plunge with both me and Jeff, but for the life of me I can't get that video to load.

SDC (That's Silver Dollar City to All those Unfortunate Enough to Have Never Been)

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