2011 Flooding

Sorry Mom!!! This post is long over-due. Here are all the pictures of the crazy flooding we've had here. Because of the property that has been lost and damaged, Missouri is in a state of "disaster" right now. It's really quite sad. This is Lake Taneycomo. See the home underwater?

All the floodgates are open!

The walking trail by the Showboat is completely underwater. We went walking on it yesterday (a month later) and after a significant drop in water levels, it's STILL under water.

Kashton LOVED the flooding and the rain. A week before the rain, he was riding his bike on this trail. He kept saying "Oh my gosh mommy, where am I going to ride my bike?"

This is the ramp where the Ride The Ducks go down. The water is all the way up to the bus parking lot.

You probably recognize the gate and road that we normally walk down to load the boat. All completely under water.

He was honestly concerned how Daddy got to work. He thought he had to swim out to the Showboat.

I feel bad that the Showboat grounds lost A LOT of mulch. There was mulch floating EVERY WHERE.

The water is INCHES from flooding into the stores.

Water all the way to the top of the stairs.

You can see how they raised the ramp to the top level. Notice the ramp is going UP!!

A view from the Showboat.

The stairs that lead down to the bottom level. The water is at the top.

The ramps that take you to the Showboat.

The ramp now attached to the observation deck on the second level.

The ramp again. The water is covering the light posts.

A walkway that leads from the Administration building to the The Crews Nest. I've never seen the water that high.

In front of the floodgates.

The RV park that's off to the side of the Taneycomo bridge.

The water is all the way up to the road, completely covering a parking lot. (This picture was taken from the car)

The parking lot at Branson Landing.

Can't get to the Fish House for dinner. :)

There SHOULD be a boat dock attached to the Fish House, but it floated away. That fence is the boardwalk.More Branson Landing.

Completely covering the boardwalk (you can't even see the fence from this side) and all the way up to the maintenance road.

The entire park is under water.

More pics from the car of the RV park by the bridge. Water is up to the road.

The fishing docks. Notice the two boats that floated away?

And thats all the pics I took. I'm actually really mad that I didn't take a picture of this business complex in Downtown Hollister. It was COMPLETELY under water and all those businesses are ruined right now. It's very sad.

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Well, I haven't written in a LONG TIME!!! Something that I would like to work on. I feel like I always have so many pictures to share and so many things I'd like to talk about. Now that I'm not working, maybe I'll have more time to do this.

I wanted to share some fun pictures and thoughts on Easter.

We found this nest in our yard. It's the first time I've seen such YOUNG birds!! They look like they're only hours old. It seemed so appropriate for this time of year.

Easter represents the Atonement of Jesus Christ. His resurrection and remission of sins. New Life!!!

Momma feeding her babies!!

We took Kashton to Silver Dollar City for their Easter Egg Hunt. It has been raining for many days but that didn't bother any of us. However....what DID bother us was the complete LACK of Easter Eggs. I was a little angry. I felt like it was a waste of time and I will remember to not do that next year. Kashton found ONE egg and it was empty. I was sad that he wasn't able to participate in an hunt this year...but that's not what Easter is about, right?? There's always next year! However, we did get a picture with the Easter Bunny!!!
We went home and dyed eggs instead. :)

Kashton LOVES crafts and was SO focused on these eggs. He had a ball!!

With all the rain we've been having, our street has been pretty flooded. Kashton has loved the rain ever since he was a baby. So, I told him to go play. He squealed the entire time until I made him come inside and get in a warm bath.

This is our front yard. CRAZY!!!

I forgot to change the settings on my camera. :( Too bad because this is so cute!!!

THE EASTER BUNNY CAME!!!

Kashton was SO cute. He crawled into our bed early this morning and said "Mommy, I've already looked every where for my Easter Basket and I can't find it anywhere. I looked in the closets and in the curtains and I can't find it." Talk about making my heart melt. It was the first thing on his mind when he woke up.

Being the mean mommy that I am, I told him that maybe the bunny didn't come because Kashton wasn't a good enough boy. WOW!!! The puckered lip that I saw. I asked Kashton to help me with some laundry and do you know what???? That darn Easter Bunny put the basket in the dryer. What a cleaver little bunny!

And this precious face says it all!!!

Kashton's totally cute Easter outfit. You can't tell from the picture, but he's wearing a pink shirt with a white collar, pink and gray striped tie, and a gray pin striped suit. He kept asking "Mommy, am I SO handsome???"

A few last things I wanted to share:

**Yesterday I was driving Kashton to his Primary activity and I was explaining the Atonement, Cruxifiction, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ to him. I explained that Jesus died to atone for our sins so that we might live with him again. After a few moments of silence, Kashton said: "So, Mommy, does that mean that we'll get to see Jamison again and will he give me a high five." I started to cry very hard in the car while Kashton continued to say "when we go to Utah again will we see him?" Well....he almost got it. But what a humbling experience that was for me. I was so upset that Kashton wasn't able to go hunting for Easter Eggs, I needed my 4 year old to remind me of the TRUE meaning of Easter. "Out of the mouth of babes..."

**Kashton was asked to give a talk in Primary today about Jesus Christ. So, over the past few days we've been telling him the story of Easter in the hopes that he could tell it to his Primary class. So I said: "Kashton, can you tell me the story of Easter? I want to hear you say it now."

Kashton: "Once upon a time, the Easter Bunny came to our house. And so did Jesus. Then there was a huge GIANT that came and killed the Easter Bunny. The End."

**ME: "Kashton, can you say 'I'm grateful for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ' "

KASHTON: "I'm grateful for the erection of Jesus Christ"

HAAA!!! HAAA!!!! SO unappropriate, but SO funny!!!

**Kashton sang with the Primary during Sacarment meeting. He ran so fast up to the stand and started to wave to everyone and blowing kisses. What a HAM!!!

**During Sacarment, I was telling him again (still working on his talk for Primary) about when we die, we can live with Jesus again. I said: "Isn't that SO cool that we can live with Jesus again. Do you want to live with Him."

Kashton: "No!! I don't want to do that. I want to just stay with you and Daddy."

SO CUTE!!! I love him!!

I'm so grateful for my Savior and that I will live with Him again some day and be with all my loved ones again (Jamison, Sterling, Natasha, Grandmas and Grandpas, Aunts and Uncles, etc) How blessed I am to have this knowledge in my life and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!