Girls Weekend in Branson (part one)

Holly had asked Annell, Adam's mom, if she could go anywhere where would it be. The answer was Branson, MO so we decided to make a Girls Trip out of it and surprise Annell for her Christmas & Birthday. Holly was the ultimate trip planner and found a great cabin about ten minutes from the main strip in Branson: 7 bedrooms, 5 bath...the ultimate Barlow Girls weekend. Many props go out to the husbands that allowed this all to be possible watching the 21 grandchildren at home. It was PURELY DELIGHTFUL and incredibly THERAPUETIC. Ahhhh Branson, the Barlow girls will forever love you...

(February 23rd - 26th)

Kristen had a bag for each girl, ready to party it up for the weekend...

Lucy-girl was the only child on the trip, at just two months old this little lady was a doll. She got passed around to all of her aunts that loved on her all weekend. You were a champ!

We all arrived into Branson on Thursday, February 23rd (coming from California, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, Michigan, Utah, & Minnesota). Julie is the ultimate exercising pregnant girl and led us all in some killer yoga/pilates (minus the three that slept in past our already 10 AM :) It was technically 9 am Arizona time but that is first time in a LONG time that I've slept in til then and it felt AMAZING.

After some delicious crepes, we showered and headed into Branson to stroll through the Historic District. 

We found the jackpot at Dick's 5 and 10. This store had every possible toy, trinket, game, or souvenir you could imagine. A few things I remembered from my childhood that were purchased for my kids...Pik-Up-Stiks and Pass the Pigs. Kim & Hannah apparently purchased these winners...

We enjoyed a delicious meal at Texas Land & Cattle...

Everything about the trip was relaxing: sitting at a restaurant table without trying to entertain a child, finishing my meal without having to make a child then finish their food, and chatting the time away with plenty of laughs.

The Girls: Amber (true Barlow), me (member of the Barlow-in-law Club), Kristen (Barlow-in-law Club), Holly (Barlow-in-law Club), Julie (Barlow-in-law Club), Hannah (true Barlow), Kim (true Barlow), Annell (the special lady), Heidi (true Barlow), and Melanie (newest member of the Barlow-in-law Club)

I missed the memo on boots that day :)

Our show that evening was the 'Twelve Irish Tenors', housed in the Branson Variety Theater. This theater was quite the spectacle to behold...

 

These twelve Irish men were quite good. There was one in particular that kept making us all laugh with his killer dance moves. Good times!

After the show we could go meet these guys. Holly secretly let them in on the news that we were celebrating Annell's birthday so they sang 'Happy Birthday' to her while she was in line. One of the best moments of the trip for me... (Annell, you are one of a kind. Thank you for giving some of that awesomeness to your son!)