Branson Vacation April 2026

Fred and I have heard friends talk about their trips to Branson for years. 

We decided it was time. We choose to drive. We stopped about 1/2 way and spent the night in Joplin Missouri. We took this detour because we wanted to drive to the Bentonville, AR 

to see the new temple there. 

 

It was a bit of a rainy day when we got to the temple. We had to quickly take a selfie.

We stayed at Westgate in Branson. It was a very nice room and located very 

conveniently to everywhere we wanted to go. Our room was on the third floor.

This is was the creek/stream/river behind the resort.

One of my desires was to drive to Clarksville, AR and find my uncle Easton's gravesite.

He was my Mom's oldest brother born August 20, 1920. He died 7 days later on August 27, 1920.

I was born exactly 37 years later on that exact date. August 27, 1957

Fred and I walked through the headstones at least two times and we could not find it.

We had a picture from Find a Grave. No luck.

I emailed the woman  who posted the pictures and asked if she could give us more specific directions. We still couldn't find it.

We drove away pretty disappointed, but I was glad I could at least say I was there.

It just so happened that this woman lived nearby the cemetery. The next day she drove to the cemetery and took these two pictures and we instantly remembered walking by the headstone.

It's that little white square at the low left of the cemetery.

Here is a close up. The headstone is the first one you see on the edge of the rows of headstones. 

At one time, the headstone was probably above ground like the Jacob's headstone right next to it.

Through the years, it broke in half and one half fell to the ground. 

I was so disappointed that I didn't think to call her from the cemetery and she could have run by.

                        Our first excursion was The Redneck Comedy Bus Tour.

It was fantastic. It lasted at least an hour and we saw many tourist highlights. 

The bus tour guide was a professional comedian there in Branson.

He was hilarious and so good at his job and very knowledgeable. 

                               

The tour guide had several costume changes. This one was worth taking a picture of. 

This was a look out on the tour. Looking over the ritzy part of town I suppose. 

Beautiful green everywhere.

The main strip of Branson is a miniature replication of the Las Vegas Strip.

Lots of interesting tourist attractions. Lots of activities for families.

This is Denver's mascot the Blue Devil Horse.

You see it as you drive to the Denver Airport.

It is crazy looking and somewhat of a joke around here. 

Well, it looks like Branson has it's own mascot. A big Pink Bull.

One day Fred and I parked in the Historic Downtown area. We simply walked up and down the street to see the store fronts and restaurants. Very cute little place.

This is the downtown waterfront park. 

We tried to eat at local places. 

This restaurant was Jackie B. Goode's Uptown Cafe. It's a 50s/60s style diner.

This was basically a BBQ place we ate at while driving around the streets.

The platter was not at all what we expected, but it was delicious!

We went here to Cakes and Cream Fifties Diner twice. First for this delicious Strawberry Funnel Cake.

It's a very cute place.

We went back a second time just for ice cream.

While walking around the Downtown Outdoor Mall, we choose this place for lunch.

I don't remember what we ordered. We did share whatever it was because this place was pricey.

I have to say I wouldn't mind living in Missouri. 

It is a very conservative state.

Actual Trump stores, patriotic merchandise everywhere as well as billboards inviting everyone to attend church. Not specifying any church specifically. A spirit of patriotism and love of God in this part of our country. Very refreshing!

This is where we attended a rodeo that included dinner. 

The stands were in a U shape and the rodeo was in the center. 

The servers basically walk in front of your dinner plate and splat the food on your plate. 

A rustic dinner for sure, but the food was very good and the entertainment too!

Cute pig races.

This is the Sight and Sound Theater.

So beautiful inside too. They put on biblical music productions throughout the year. 

We saw David. Inside the theater the stage area covers not only front stage, but side stages where a lot of action takes place too. As well as live animals during the productions. They walk down the aisles from the back up to the stage. I'm talking big animals. Lots of sheep. 

We have never seen such a thing. Worth the price of the tickets!

A few of the previous productions have been Noah, Daniel & the Lion's Den, 

Ruth, Joseph, Samson, Queen Ester. 

Here you can see how the stage wraps along the side.

We had such a good time. We want to go again and maybe bring some family along. 

 

Happy 70th Birthday to Fred

We flew to Phoenix to hang out with Scott's family for a few days. It happened to be very close to Fred's birthday. A BIG one ~ 70 ~  I connected with our daughter in law Jess and asked her for help. Luckily for me, she ran with it. Everything you see that follows was all her doing. She is so gifted and talented. Our family is blessed to have her be a big part of our family. 

We were able to attend both Graham and Evan's football game. They have been able to play on the same team. It was a fun and cold at the same time. 

I asked Jess if she could make us a quilt for our bed and she was happy to say yes.

We did some collaborating with the designs and fabric. Very easy process for me. 

Jess said it was her biggest quilt yet. I believe it. 

Here is the finished look in our bedroom. I'm really pleased!

I've waited too long to post about this so my memory is poor about what we did before everyone started arriving to surprise Fred with the Big Surprise Birthday. Scott made a up an activity to get Fred out of the house around 3 or 4 pm. As soon as they took off, Jess was in go mode. I helped the best I could. Scott left an extra car at the airport so when Shannon and Corinne's flight came in they could ride together to the house. Richard and Clara also got to join in. Richard and Fred share the same birthday. Jess was so good to include a raspberry pie just for Richard and a gift. 

At the Daly house in Phoenix, for birthdays they (mostly Jess) paint up their sliding door with Cheer.

Jess also got the balloons set up.

Jess contacted Fred's sister Sharlotte for some pictures of Fred through the ages. She made this garland our of the pictures that Sharlotte supplied. 

The party theme was safety. Fred is very cautious about being prepared for almost any emergency that could happen when we travel or get together with any of our kids and their families. It is Fred's love language according to me. Jess got all of us safety vests and googles. She bought a Whack A Mole game. One of our favorite memories of Fred is the day is stayed home from church so he could catch a mole that was disturbing our yard. He would plant himself on a camp chair and watch for movement and sure enough he dug up a few. Many hours were spent like that. He did that a few times over a few years. Table decorations of little safety hats and caution cones. Very fun ideas that fit the theme very well!

We all gathered in the dining area waiting for Fred and Scott to walk through the garage door. The kids all hid and jumped out with their SURPRISE. Fred was definitely surprised. First most of Corinne's family popped out and he had to digest that. Then after several long minutes, Shannon came out around the corner from the kitchen and Fred had the same reaction. It was the greatest! We took movies, but I don't know if any of us took pictures. It was truly an amazing Surprise. 

I asked Jess if she would make Fred her famous Reese's Peanut Butter Cream Pie. Of course she said yes. Then I asked if she would mind making a her raspberry cream pie for Richard because it was his birthday too. As you can see, they are beautiful.

Aren't the cute together! The big 70th and 22nd for these two.

We sang Happy Birthday to them and had them blow out their candles together. 

                                                        Scott got to slicing all that good pie.

Next was the opening of gifts. 

Jess and her sister Kristin created this poster filled with thoughts that each of us submitted to Jess about things we have learned from Fred and memories too.

Also for Jess's tease of the occasion, she ordered a puzzle of Fred and her together.

Fred got us gathered while he read from the poster.

So many wonderful memories and lessons from Fred printed beautifully.

Here is Fred and Jess. They have a good teasing time together. 

Here are the pictures of us taking pictures of each other taking pictures.

Scott and Jess bought this game for Richard's birthday. The Thornton family now loves it and always wants to play. So it was a super hit!

Here are all of us!

The next day was Sunday and we all attended church at their ward. I love attending church with our kids because it's nice to see how they fit and serve in their wards. Jess is YW president and she prepared a very nice Christmas presentation for the girls. I got to play the piano. 

Jess made us a beautiful and yummy meal. (Scott helped too)

The next day was Monday. Hanging out at home for a while. I can't remember what else we did. I need to take notes our next trip. There is a very nice toy room upstairs for the kids to play in. 

Also some singing from Clara with her Mom at the piano our family grew up playing. We offered the piano to Scott's family because the girl's already had a piano. I was getting a new one when we got settled in Colorado. 

Monday evening we drove to attend the Christmas at the Princess Light Show in Scottsdale. 

It was still daylight when we started. 

We all went on a big Ferris wheel first. 

Next a really big icy slide. 

Fred helped Clara get positioned and he followed her down. 

Most everyone took the slide more than once.

Had a break for cookies.

Corinne and Clara.

Evan and Graham

Clara's letter off to Santa 

                                    

                                         

                                                       And here we are the happy grandparents!          

                                

This long weekend could not have been any better. The girl's deciding to come on their own. It was more than I expected. At first the girls coming was going to be a surprise for me, but someone let it out of the bag. About 2 weeks before the trip, I let it slip more than once with some comment about the surprise. Luckily Fred didn't pay attention. When it came down to the day of flying, I was way too chatty. Fred did notice I was saying some weird things, but he gave me the benefit of the doubt. We were all relieved when the surprise finally arrived and we could all breath freely. No more fibbing.