Wedding Week: Silver Dollar City Pt.2

If you like theme parks and are in need for a vacation from the usual theme park visit, head on down to Branson Missouri to Silver Dollar City. I keep talking about this place like they pay me to advertise for them but in reality it's a place I'm quite fond of. According to their history page, it all began in 1950 when the Herschend family acquired a lease on a cave that brought tourism to the area. In order to keep the guests entertained while waiting to visit the Marvel Cave, Mary Herschend created a village reminiscent of the 1880s. This tiny village is known today as Silver Dollar City. For more information on this establishment check out their link here.

To me, the park had the appeal of Kakariko village or even an Animal Crossing town where you can interact with almost everything, including sending postcards to loved ones from the village; just like my friend Lacy did when we arrived. She purchased a postcard of one of the places in Silver Dollar City at the General Store and we all signed our names and sent our love out to Aunt Polly and Uncle Joe.

You know you're somewhere magical when Moon Pies appear.

One of the things I like to judge theme parks by is the variety of foods they offer. About 10 years ago when I visited SDC during Christmas, I wanted to get a skillet a meal so bad but was unable to because I didn't have enough money. I wanted to save that money to get gifts, and so I forfeited my desire at the time but I never forgot how badly I wanted to try some. Well, THIS time around I made sure I was the first in line for a Lumbercamp Falls skillet meal. I don't know too many parks that serve a mean skillet meal with about a spittin' distance away from fresh pork rinds being made. Not too many I can think of. This park is truly tops when it comes to the unique foods they provide. Speaking of, I also visited their apple store (the edible kind) and bought some really authentic Apple Butter. My breakfasts will RULE this holiday season!!

Sausage, bell peppers, corn, potatoes and seasonings = Good Food

Fresh crispy pork rinds...mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Here's something yet to be conquered...

Dog n' Potato on a stick anyone?

I leave off this post today with other photos of good times with friends and loved ones. Have a great weekend!!

The Giant Swing

Southern Raised, a sibling Bluegrass band and 2011 CAM Gospel Sing-Off Winner.

A living Blacksmith, they do exist in the Ozarks.

Wasn't a fan of Yak, but Elk was good.

Fresh batch of warm Peanut Brittle makes the crumpies go away.

This is a view from the inside of the Wilderness Church where my girlfriend was proposed to last November. The bridal couple thought they would take a little time remembering that day and the beautiful future they have ahead of them. Isn't that sweet? 

Wedding Week: Silver Dollar City

Where have I been? My last post was August 30th and now it's September 15th. Goodness gracious, oh the places I've been. Sometimes I feel like I can't catch up with life's happenings and so I wait for days that I can recollect my thoughts, pictures and frame of mind. Today is slightly one of those days. Slightly. I'm catching up with a Wedding Week in Osage Beach. My best friend Lacy just got hitched and now I'm spilling all the fun I've had with her, her family and her fiance (now hubby).

These next few days I'll be posting pictures and some stories of my travels around the Lake of the Ozarks. If you've never been to the Lake of the Ozarks may I suggest you take a vacation there sometime next summer? If water vacations are not your thing, try visiting Branson, Missouri and Silver Dollar City for some quality family-oriented entertainment. In fact, Silver Dollar City is a great place to visit during the wintertime. The entire park is decorated with lights and all things that remind you of a good old Christmastime of Americana past (I think I made sense in that sentence, if not, I think it sounded good anyway).

But for today I'll just post a couple pictures of our first stop in Silver Dollar City at Eva & Delilah's Bakery. Lacy really wanted something called Monkey Bread and I think it had a different name at this bakery but the same idea. Oh, you've never made or had Monkey Bread? Here's a link to one of many recipes you can find out there.

Let the eye candy begin:

Open bakery for all the see and experience.

If not the rolls...the eclairs will getcha!

So that's what he meant by sticky buns...I take it as a compliment. 

Um...I'll have threeeee please. Yeah. 

Nothing like homegrown hospitality and coffee for less than $5.

The Bride always gets what she wants...Always!

Okay, now that I've carbed you up who's ready for a The Giant Swing?! See you tomorrow with more of Silver Dollar City sites.

Guilt-Free Sweets!

I'm always in awe and constant delight to see how creative people can get when it comes to visually enjoying sweets. No fat, no sugar, sounds boring but not quite...not quite with these items created by Jou Ling of Amigurumi Kingdom. Visit her site and her Flickr photostream to see more of her adorably delicious cupcake bear creations.

I like collecting miniature food items and these are some of the best looking minis I've seen whilst browsing. Stephanie Kilgast of PetitPlat (means Little Plate) definitely put a lot of passion into her miniatures and it will not go unnoticed by the world! I'm also so pumped to know that they have an Etsy shop!! Oh my my, I think I'm in trouble now. My husband thinks he has a large collection of toys...just wait till I get my hands on all the stores on Etsy. Can you guess that I've just joined that community? Actually I've spent plenty hours on that site in search of retro housewife products for my best friend Lacy's bachelorette party. Woo Hoo!  Check out some of PetitPlat's tiny and outstanding works:

PetitPlat's Flickr Photostream.

Have a Great Tuesday!

Colorful Food Idea

The video says this is great for the holidays but I also think this is great for birthdays and Thursdays! Haven't been on for a while...technical difficulties occur in this household but not to fear...iPhone is here.

Hope you enjoy the video.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Just Thoughts and Songs

Ah the blissful 50s. I really admire some of those women and what they did for their husbands. Don't know how they did it but they did it well. (I was inspired to write this after listening to Ella Fitzgerald's take on the song Wives and Lovers)

I know it's not really ideal or easy for wives nowadays to be the ultimate housewife as in the fifties but some advice from the past can still apply to today. I know I still try to look my best for my husband and put some effort into looking good in the morning and evenings. It is also very much noticed by me when he does the same for me by grooming himself and keeping himself and his surroundings clean.

Speaking of clean, when it comes to being clean I believe the first step is to be organized and having furniture, hangers or just a location to keep your stuff. Just designate a place for that stuff and get into a habit of putting things right where you've assigned them. Pretty soon it'll just be habit to expect your belongings to be in a certain place. Also, having trash cans available in each room is a big help.

When it comes to actually cleaning your home, why not schedule in a day to clean? So on days when you know the house is a mess but you don't feel up to it, you can still feel like you'll be achieving a clean day and you won't get overwhelmed in thought. I know this helps me to just focus on what I can do for the day instead of worry about tomorrow, because you know what? Tomorrow has it's own set of worries, you have Today. Focus and channel your energy into the present.

Well, that's all the advice I have on being a wife today. It's definitely a great learning experience for me and whatever I can share with you I will. Thank you for reading my posts and spending your time with my thoughts. I wish you a great rest of the week! Enjoy some of these songs while you work, cook, play or relax.

Pixels Are Sexy

Yesterday evening my husband and I had a wonderful opportunity to be invited to the Super iam8bit art show in Los Angeles. It was amazing and quickly lifted my spirits to see some of my most beloved video games turned into spectacular artwork. We were cordially invited by illustrator/designer Chris Sanchez, one of the talented artists whose work was featured at the show.

Chris is currently working as an illustrator and designer with some of the best in the industry. We all have seen his work in opening credits of films such as Sherlock Holmes and Sprider Man 3, Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch and many many more. I was inspired to hear Chris's story behind his Mega Man portrait and how he continued to finish what he started despite his life being at it's busiest. His passion for video games and art combined is evident in this oil and acrylic painting of one of Capcom's most memorable characters.

To see more of his works and contact info, visit his site at chrissanchezart.com.

Support passionate people like Chris (by visiting his site) and iam8bit. Here you can learn more about who they are, read their blog and buy some cool stuff! Video game artwork to me is as beautiful, nostalgic and moving as diva Maria Callas's voice in Puccini's aria Un bel di. Yeah...it's that heart-hurting for me and my husband. You'll see more reasons why below: