Gunn Family Vacation 2011

We try to go on a big family vacation with my Dad every other summer - usually to visit his sisters in St. Louis. Last year was supposed to be our summer to go, but I had just had Noah and didn't feel up to the trip. So we started planning then for this summer. Well, my brother Eli and his wife got a surprise pregnancy and couldn't make it and other family member couldn't make it for other reasons, so at the last minute we switched it to a week in Branson. Since Eli's wife was so far along she wasn't allowed to travel so we took their daughters Savannah and Eliza Nell with us. We also took my nephew Christian. So, the 7 of us headed up for 4 nights and 5 days in the Grand Country Inn hotel in Branson!

The hotel had an indoor waterpark and was perfect for the kids! We would swim, go to the room and eat, then head back to the waterpark! We went and rode go-carts, walked to the ice cream parlor, played in the arcade, went to Silver Dollar City, and went shopping. It was a nice break from reality and lots of good memories were made!

Here is a picture account of our trip:

Noah loved the water swing!

My niece Savannah sliding!

They had SO much fun!

Momma and Noah time in the lazy river!

Eliza Nell getting a lift from Christian

The big bucket in the waterpark that dumped out every 10 minutes!

Nathan working - as usual :)

Napping was quite a challenge on vacation!

Eliza Nell had no fear of the water!

Eliza Nell swimming underwater!

The Stillwells - Family Vacation 2011

Mommas not ready for the school bus yet!

My sweet girl ;)

Savannah and Eliza Nell and their Build-A-Bears

Noah working on the tv with his hammer!

We are so blessed to be able to spend this time together!

Peach Festival Time!





As a kid I loved the Peach Festival! I have to admit that either due to me growing up or the Peach Festival changing, it is not as appealing anymore. There are not near as many vendors as their used to be and a majority of what is there is just food vendors. I still love all the activities and participate in as many as I can. Now that I have Noah, we can participate in alot more.

We started off the weekend with our turtle race early Friday morning! Every year there are no turtles to be found Peach Festival week - so 5 weeks ago when I started seeing them, I got them. So, for 5 long weeks I have been feeding, watering, and training turtles for Noah and my nieces and nephew! I ended up with 4 turtles - Ray, Charles, Chip, and Dale. On race day Charles seemed to be the fastest so that is who we went with - and he didn't let us down! We won our heat and got third overall! Noah got a blue ribbon and a little rubber turtle.



All ready to head to the turtle race!

On your mark, get set, GO!



We won!

I was disappointed because I thought Noah was too old to participate in the Diaper Derby (crawling race) because it said it was just for 6-12 month olds and he was 12 months and a few weeks. I decided to call the chamber and ask Friday night to make sure. They said it was fine for him to race! I was never so glad that Noah wasn't walking yet! Of course as soon as I signed him up for the race he decided he wanted to attempt to walk all night - very poorly though! So Saturday morning we went to the Diaper Derby! There were 9 kids in the 10-12 month age group. Noah won his heat by far! He is a Mommas boy these days so Nathan took him to the start line and I got at the finish line and he came straight for me. It was SO cute! I was so proud of him!

This is the only in action race picture we got - he was too fast!

Noah's blue ribbons for wining his heat and winning overall!

This is the picture from the newspaper - Noah looks so cocky here! HA!

After the Diaper Derby we went down to meet my family at our normal spot to watch the parade. It was nice and sunny and we were ready for the parade, then as soon as the parade got to where we were sitting, it started pouring! So, just like last year, we ran over to stand under a carport. I promised Noah I would just buy him a bag of candy and we watched the brave people who didn't back out of the parade go by. I was disappointed because due to the storm there were no horses and the clown guys didn't get to do alot of their crazy driving - both things Noah would have loved!

All ready to watch the parade!

Enjoying the rest of the parade under cover!

It was pouring!

No candy was worth this!

Noah and all 3 of his blue ribbons he won at the Peach Festival!

After the parade we headed to Ft. Smith to do some shopping for my birthday and go out to eat. We went to Academy and the mall and out to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse. It was good and Noah was a good boy, so that made it nice. You just never know how it will turn out with a one year old! That night we had my family birthday party and Father's Day party. My family is so big, that we group a few months worth of birthdays together and celebrate them all together. Also, since it was so close to Father's Day we threw that in too. So, me, my niece Savannah, and my brother Jeremy all celebrated birthdays together.

Noah taking a shopping break to ride the helicopter!

Savannah and her Justin Beiber cake!

My awesome Banana Split cake from Sweet Treats!

The beautiful wreath my sister made me for my birthday!

Sunday was my birthday and Father's Day. I started off the day and had breakfast with Noah. I had leftover birthday cake and he had yogurt. He was in such a good mood - it made for a great start to my birthday! My Dad, brother Eli, his wife Kesha, and their kids Savannah and Eliza Nell came over for a cookout that night. We had a great time!

Me and Noah on my birthday.

My pretty barnwood tray and box and some Bath & Body Works stuff from Nathan's parents!

Enjoying some porch time at the cookout.

Aunt Kesha giving Noah a lift!

My brother Eli, Noah, and niece Savannah - what a cute Totem Pole!

This was such a busy 3 days and next week is our family vacation! No time to slow down yet!