The whole fam shoved off bright and early on Tuesday, July 5th for our 3 night family vacation in Ridgedale, Missouri.
My parents had discovered Big Cedar a few years ago when they went over Thanksgiving. We decided this would be a short and quite different family trip for us. Scheduling is hectic with Caroline's activities and my high travel standards:) We usually go to a beach somewhere, but we changed it up this time and laked it!
Big Cedar is kind of like summer camp for everyone.
I loved it.
It was rustic luxury.
Is that even a thing?
It is at Big Cedar!
We checked in and were welcomed by Lincoln logs.
It was 95 degrees and sunny.
Missouri is hot, y'all.
We went straight for the pool.
My husband was eager to pose with me.
So was the man behind us.
I could not stop laughing at how he would gingerly splash himself every few minutes while he lounged like a sea lion.
I kept thinking of the sea lions in Finding Dory.
This picture is an optical illusion.
T actually has an inch on me.
Not that it matters.
But it does.
Katie, Chipper, T and I explored the grounds.
Patsy bought Trinity that campground shirt in Frankenmuth, Michigan. It says, "It's all fun and games until someone loses a wiener."
We like to bring the fun to every locale.
They had an old Airstream trailer that was an ice cream shop. We spent a lot of time and money there.
After dinner everyone was wandering around and the original Hunts found themselves alone.
We have been traveling together as a party of 5 since 1981.
Big Cedar even has its own miniature golf course.
The dads took the girls and G was able to get the ball in the hole.
The attire said Yellow Shirt Optional.
On the second day we checked out another one of the many pools. This one had an infinity edge.
I do love those to infinity and beyond.
Back to the other pool.
We indulged in some non-motorized water sporting!
I wished that damn boat had a motor.
Paddle boating is serious business.
G and I boarded first.
Robby was my copilot.
T, Chip, and Caroline went kayaking.
This band of overgrown sloths took to the water!
Katie stayed on land and Bob was reading in his cabin.
We waved like we were famous.
Our big family outing was to Dogwood Canyon, a lovely nature park about 15 miles away. It is also owned by the man who founded Bass Pro Shops.
We took a 2 hour tram tour.
This was about the time G started to flip out, "Daddy, the twam is going to weave you!" She can't say the letters r or l, which I so enjoy.
They had longhorn cattle, elk, and bison.
They got pretty close.
This was what I would call an American Safari.
I stood up and proclaimed my name, Stands with a Fist.
The bison ignored me.
I love to watch Stands with a Fist weekly on TNT's Major Crimes.
Her extensive knowledge of the west helped her get a promotion to chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.
We got out of the tram when we were not near large animals with pointy headgear
This picture shows how G and I nearly fist fight several times a day.
I was trying to apply sunscreen. She was angling for a brawl. Mother was taking pictures and Trinity was ready.
We then visited the natural history museum of the Ozarks, which was on the same property.
The girls were pooped after such a big day so they had room service that evening.
Sister Katie was kind enough to sign us up for the night black light scavenger hunt.
Everyone knows I do not enjoy being out after sundown.
I also loathe any type of sport-like competitive gaming situation.
I was not given a choice.
We were a team consisting of a 66 year old with bad knees, an overly competitive 9 year old, a clueless 3 year old, a pair of lethargic and not even remotely athletic 30 something sisters, and one fabulous runner who is often lazy.
When the teams of teenagers lined up, we all knew we were doomed.
All of us except Caroline.
She's a competitor.
Before we left the director told us that it should really be called the Big Cedar 5K because you have to run all over the property.
She was right.
T and I posed like Johnny and Baby at Kellerman's. The resort is very similar to all of the activities offered at that magical and mythical Catskills resort.
We even had our own Robby, minus the Penny scandal.
The scavenger hunt was one for the memory book, if I had one. I guess that is what this little blog is for.
Since my sister properly attired her uber competitive kid in a pair of sandals, we had a slip and fall in the mud.
She took it like a champ and kept going. Also, no one else would run but me.
So ran I did.
While my kid ran behind me screaming for me to slow down.
I was not accustomed to such requests.
I'm not exactly speedy.
It was an hour of pure torture that ended in consolation prizes of all kinds of crap that lights up in the dark.
Another fun activity was the spa. You know how I love a good spa.
I denied myself the $180 vichy Ozark rain experience and instead treated the girls to nail treatments.
I'm so generous, you know.
The spa was quite beautiful with trees lining the entryway.
G chose mermaid dream for her nail color.
Caroline was all like, "I know you are, but what am I?"
Genevieve said something like, "No, I know YOU ARE, BUT WHAT AM I?"
Just kidding. They were just talking.
I just liked the camera angles.
We also did some tie dye t-shirt making, because that so jives with G's current wardrobe.
She loved the process, but not so much the product.
She won't wear it because she says it is too dock.
That means dark.
That sums up our annual vacation.
No comments:
Post a Comment