As promised I'm going to give a quick report of our vacation and the things we did, didn't and wanted to do.

First, to answer a few questions.  Yes, we did go to Branson despite the fact that we find it corny, silly, and tourist trappy.  Why?  Because when you get just outside of Branson you're surrounded by rolling mountains (small, Midwestern versions), expansive lakes and thick cedar forests.  It's really a gorgeous area of the country that is probably vastly underrated for its natural beauty and wilderness offerings.

Why should you care about our family vacation?  Well, why not?  It was our first in four years.  Gertrude had never been on a full vacation and, well, we were excited to get away from home for a few days.  Plus, unlike some families, we actually have a tendency to like each other and have a good time together.  And, true to form, we did.  From riding an amphibious vehicle to eating funnel cakes, we had a great time.

I know, hipsters aren't supposed to enjoy things like family and amusement parks and greasy foods and car trips and corny tourist traps.  It's true; I'm supposed to be aghast at the fact that I allowed my kids to consume four hundred pounds of fried dough covered in powdered sugar.  It's also true that I'm supposed to complain about all the stuff the kids wanted to do because it surely wasn't the hip thing to do.  Clearly going to a hillbilly themed amusement park isn't cool.  And neither is playing word games in the car.  Or roasting marshmallows.

Hey, they're kids. Let them eat funnel cake every once in a while.  Let them make the itinerary.  Let them chose what to do and let them buy a whole bunch of crap.  While it may not live up to Andy Warhol's ideals or make me the poster boy for the hey day of CBGBs, I certainly had a good time.

But, you know what?  I really don't give a shit what the hipsters think.  I don't feel as though I've given up my coolness to become a dad.  I feel like I've awakened my childlike nature.  I'll say it again:  Becoming a parent is the greatest thing I've ever done.

Click on all photos to see a larger version

Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four