The Game Show

One of my favorite memories from growing up is how many road trips my family went on. We visited so many amazing places and made great memories. There were definitely fights but it was still awesome.

My dad took out the last bench of our 15 passenger van and installed a bed. That way we could sleep while he was driving (super safe, right?) and also we did not have to get as many motel rooms each night, since some of us would be sleeping in the van. Under the bed, there was space for bins. Those bins held food. My parents were such good planners that they even brought cereal and paper bowls and plastic spoons. So in the mornings, my mom would go get a half gallon of milk and we wouldn't have to go out to eat for every meal. This probably also contributed to me being so small though. I have always hated sandwiches. We had a mini fridge that plugged into the cigarette lighter so we were able to keep sandwich products fresh. It was at lunch time that I definitely wished my parents weren't such good planners.

When I posted the 100 things I want to do in my life (a list that isn't even done being written), I said that I had already been on a game show (and won!) and a few people asked for more details. One on of my family's road trips, we went to Branson, Missouri. This is my very favorite family vacation that I can remember. It was a week packed full of amazing shows. The only downside of the week was all of the chigger bites I got.

The pictures are from my scrapbook and this is what I wrote in my scrapbook:

All the names of people in the audience were put in a container (one pair of names from each family). Mom and I were chosen. After having to blow up balloons and pop them by sitting on them, answer questions about each other, throw rubber chickens through holes, and answer the most random questions, Mom and I won! We won tickets for the whole family to Kirby VanBurch's Magic Show, Go-Kart rides, and the Hughes Brothers concert. We had a blast and it was one of my favorite shows in Branson.

 

I only remember one of the questions we were asked on The Family Trap. I was taken backstage while my mom answered questions about me. When I came back out, they asked me the same questions and I had to try to match Mom's answer. They asked me, "What is a food your mom makes that you hate eating." I said, "Eggplant Parmesan." Everyone was shocked that I would come up with such a random food and match the answer my mom had given, too! What can I say? I just really don't like eggplant and I didn't keep my opinion quiet.

There was another show in Branson where my dad got taken up on stage and one of the performers planted a kiss on his cheek. He was bright red! We saw ridiculously talented Chinese acrobats at another show. I hope to take my kids back to Branson one day because I loved it so much. I had never noticed before, but it is interesting that exactly six years after we went to Branson, Alex was born. August 1st must just be a really good day!