Happy Birthday!

Maggie's 2nd birthday was full of fun! We drove into Springfield, and visited a cave! It was super cool to ride a train through a cave and see all the neat rocks and even some bats! Then, we went to a super fun restaurant called Lambert's for lunch- where they THROW rolls at you! Maggie thought that was the best! After a nice nap, we were off again- this time to celebrate in true Salmon fashion... with a round of mini-golf! Maggie was quite the golfer (after daddy gave her some pointers, of course!)

Good mornin' birthday girl!






Waiting for the train at the cave


Papa showing Maggie cool stuff inside the cave


Hangin' with gramma in the train


Cool cave stuff


More cool cave stuff!


No more pictures, Mama!


Gramma's lunch at Lambert's...It came in a big frying pan!


The birthday girl!


Daddy and Mags


Getting ready to go "golping!"


Daddy helps out!


Leave it to Maggie to find a frog on the mini golf course!


Being silly...


A birthday wouldn't be complete without ICE CREAM!

Build-A-Bear

On Wednesday, we found a Build-A-Bear store in Branson Landing. Gramma decided Maggie could build a stuffed animal for her birthday. Maggie chose this fantastic pink monkey, and named it LuLu!

Choosing an animal to stuff


Picking out just the right heart....


Rubbing the heart on her tummy so the monkey would "eat all it's bananas!"


Helping to sew it up


Giving LuLu her first bath....


The finished product!


Lulu in her underpants
(she got an entire outfit, but Maggie just wanted the underpants on when we left the store!)

Silver Dollar City

What would a trip to Branson be without a visit to Silver Dollar City? Maggie's favorite part of the entire day was the lute player we stumbled across when looking for a bathroom. She would've stayed all day and danced with him!

More 'cation pictures....

Eureka Springs, AK with Gramma and Papa


Finally warm enough for ice cream (and flip flops!)




So excited to see daddy!

Ridin' the Ducks....

Of course we took a Duck ride, too... Maggie even got to drive!

Coloring while we waited for the Ducks to come back


Workin' hard with PaPa


Trying out the duck calls


Driving the Duck
(this part may have been slightly more exciting for Papa than it was for Maggie...)

The Baldknobbers (Ballknockers... whatever....)

On Monday of 'cation week, we were sooooo excited to take Maggie to see the Hamner-Barber show. We napped her late and talked about the puppets and birds and all the fun stuff she was going to see at the show that night. As we pulled into the parking lot at 7:30ish to buy tickets for the 8:00 show, there was not another car in sight. We realized, a little too late, that there was no Monday night show.... try explaining that to an over-excited 2 year old. In a pinch, we drove a bit down the main drag, and decided to try the "Baldknobbers" show. We weren't convinced it would be quite as fun for Maggie, but bought tickets anyway... WE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG... SHE LOVED IT! Before the show even began, they panned the audience, and put Maggie on the big screen. She hammed it up for everyone, waving and blowing kisses, and couldn't stop talking about "Maggie on the big TB!" It was so exciting, and that was before the show even started! Maggie thought "Droopy Drawers" and the other toothless "funny guys" were pretty hilarious, but LOVED the music even more. She danced in the aisles for the entire first half of the show. I think the people around us enjoyed her entertainment even more than the actual show they paid to see! The video clip is a little dark, but if you watch closely, you can see just how much Maggie loved it!


Getting ready for the show!




Maggie- loving every minute!


Dancin' in the aisles!





Maggie, up close and personal with the "funny guys!"

'Cation in Branson

Here are the long-awaited Branson vacation pictures! For those of you who don't know, Mommy and Maggie drove down to Branson on Good Friday with Gramma and PaPa. Daddy flew down to join us on Tuesday night so he could celebrate Maggie's 2nd birthday with us on Thursday, April 16! It was a lot of driving... but such a fun trip! Maggie loved every minute!

Maggie, trying out her new "vacation clothes" as mommy tried to pack suitcases....


In the pool with Gramma....


...and mommy...


...and Papa, too!


The Easter Bunny found us all the way in Branson...
and brought Maggie some bunny ears and a bubble gun!


Maggie, every morning.... In a zone, watching Handy Manny with Papa
(not sure how the rain hat fits into the picture, but whatever....)


Touring the winery





At an Amish store, with Amish dollies like great-gramma used to have!