Most summers, while growing up, my parents would pack up the family car and we would head off to a new vacation destination. I remember most of our vacations, but details of some stand out more than others. One such vacation was a trip we took to Branson, Missouri. I don’t remember how old I was, but I was definitely old enough to enjoy the roller coaster ride at Silver Dollar City.  I’m quite sure my sister and I rode it multiple times.

A few days ago my family and I were walking the streets of Silver Dollar City.   I was the one enjoying the smiles and laughter on my children’s faces as they enjoyed various rides.   I was the one experiencing their joy from the sidelines and taking them on some of the bigger rides, just like my parents did all those years ago.  I took them on their first water rides, exiting each ride dripping from the experience.  I took them on their first swing ride, listening to Lili laugh hysterically as I screamed.  We saw the blacksmith and glass blowers at work.  We heard the music play from the various shows throughout the park.  Then, as our day was coming to an end, I headed toward a ride called Fire in the Hole.  It was the very ride I enjoyed so much as a kid.  And just like that time so many years ago, I smiled and laughed at each turn and dip in the dark, than delighted with that final plunge that took me down the last drop with the surprise splash of water at the end.  With much laughter and another wonderful memory embedded in my mind, we exited the ride and our day at Silver Dollar City came to an end.

I could go on about our Silver Dollar City trip and how I was actually running to Fire in the Hole to get out of the torrential downpour. After all, it was one of only a few rides that is  indoors or covered and could keep operating in the rain. Not even the rain could dampen my fun and the adventure of reliving a childhood memory.

Silver Dollar City was only part of the adventure though.

Our vacation was only 2 full days in Branson. We stayed at a campground with a good friend, her kids, her sister and her niece. They brought their RV and we rented a small cabin just across the road from them. We talked, we laughed, we ate yummy food, made s’mores and enjoyed each other’s company.

Dave, the girls and I headed into Branson and rode the Ducks on our last day. It gave us a chance to see a little more of Branson. The highlight of the Duck tour was Table Rock Lake. OMG! That lake is spectacular and we may need to go back for a lake vacation. The downside of the Duck ride was the little duck-bill quackers they hand out to each passenger.  It’s basically a duck-bill shaped kazoo.  They are great fun, but kids consider them great fun for much longer than adults do. Yes, the quacker fun has continued here at home.

I can’t end this post without talking about our little cabin in the woods. The pictures on the campground website made the cabins look pretty nice. Campgrounds are businesses and they want to show the best of their grounds and cabins. We went into this knowing that the cabin wasn’t going to be as nice as what we saw in the pictures.  In this case, we were wrong. The cabin was lovely. It was small and cozy, but well-kept and with each day we spent in the cabin, I found myself desiring even more, the life we were living for those few days – a cabin in the woods; sitting on the porch eating breakfast in the quiet morning hours; spending evenings outdoors listening to the sounds to cicadas in the trees; and just enjoying the peacefulness.  I’m so happy we had time to get a small taste of that life.