Right now I'm at Stone Castle Inn found in Branson, MO. It's a cute hotel, each room has a painting above each bed and the outside of the building has several stone structures. It's split between three large buildings, like links in a chain set in a giant parking lot. The first building has the lobby and check in desk. Food is served in the second building which also houses the main pool, hot tub, and game lounge. The last of the three buildings is mainly rooms, cleaning storage lockers, and also has a pool for guests. Everyone's trip to Branson began yesterday morning.
Tuesday was the Oklahoma Homeschool Band's (OHB) Christmas concert. So all the families loaded up for the rehersal and concert, and all those who drive long distances to go to the concert also planned to stay overnight. I stayed the night with my sister at our Stage Band (jazz) Director's house in Edmond, OK. This was the preview for today's adventures...
TODAY...began
at 5 am
when my darling sister woke me up so she could take her shower and do yoga. For about 20 minutes I made my attempt to sleep but failed and drug my body out of bed. As I've been sealing my clothing in plastic bags on this trip Ihad to get all my clothes out then grab the clothes for today and repack what wasn't for the day. Later I would realize that I would need to unpack to repack my pajamas. Figures. I got dressed, got coffee, stripped the bed with Beth, then we quietly tidied up the room. All of this before our hosts came out to check on us.
Just after
6:30 am
we piled into Mr. Rye's truck and hit the road. I gave dirrections as his navigator and we arrived a few minutes before departure time. The night before we had written on my family's suburban (The Tank) with chalk paint, so when they arrived a few other cars in our caravan painted their's as well. Then after driving to Branson for an hour and a half, the truck needed gas. At this stop we met up with one more car, and painted 2 more cars. Again, at the next stop we joined up with another car and 2 more cars were painted. By now all but two or three cars have been decorated.
About
11:00 am
the caravan arrived in Joplin, MO for an early lunch. The plan was for the group to meet in the Starbucks parkinglot then have an hour to eat wherever they wanted and regroup to continue to Branson. Plans never quite work out so it was more than an hour, but not too long before we were back on the road. Antiscipation ran high as turns became more frequent and billboards for our hotel, dinner reservations, and concert building came into view.
Hours ahead of schedule we pull into the Stone Castle Inn, so we gathered in a bunch and went over rules then dispersed to do as each pleased. After unpacking and settling into my room, the boys went to swim, Mom is napping, Beth is chilling, I'm writing this update before heading down to play Apples to Apples with the gang.
We'll be eating
at 6:00 pm
then going putt putting. I'm looking forward to the putt putting. If I have time (and brain cells left) I'll try to write more after we settle in for the night.
Have a great evening!
Trombone 3 out!
Love,
Jessie Bear
John 13:34-35
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
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