THERE AND BACK.

i will write a post later telling all of the fun things we did in branson/ozark. because we did a lot.

a lot.

but first i'm going to tell of the ride down and back.

the ride down was hell. there's no other way to put it. i'm sorry, but really and truly, it was awful.

like, i arrived and immediately swore....SWORE i would never do it again. i was really hoping we would win the mega millions so i could just buy a house there and never leave.

i mean, really.

the day just started off badly.

henny had woken up sorta grumpy. he had the grumps and he had 'em bad. naps were off, eating was off, the whole dang day was off.

so my perfect plan for a perfect road trip and a perfect LIFE was OVERRRRRRR. no, i am not dramatic. not a bit.

 

we picked up hallie from school and were on our way. things seemed good...for about 15 minutes. and then he started grouching. on and off, on and off. until about the last hour and then he fell asleep. PRAISE THE LORD IN HEAVEN ABOVE.

we made two stops total: one to eat supper that took way too long and then another to give henry a bottle and get gas.

it took us 6.5 hours. SIX AND A HALF HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for a 5.5 hour car ride. holy moly.

SO.

so, i changed things up for the ride home.

screw two stops. we made one stop. period.

we left for home after supper, so that eliminated one stop. the other stop was for gas and i went ahead and changed henry for bed and gave him a bottle.

we also started  our journey about a half an hour closer to home (the zoo was on our side of springfield, mo, so that cut off a half hour right there!) and like i said, left after supper.

the kids both fell asleep right before st. louis and slept the whole rest of the way home. that's right. i had silence for two-ish hours until i got home. it was glorious. blessed silence.

and that is how we roll.

***all photos courtesy of Hallie...who stole my phone to take pictures and i didn't realize it until this morning. which is hwesome. seriously, i love it when that happens.