Branson Christmas 2007

The trip to Branson was rather uneventful with the exception of one restroom stop along the way. We stopped at a decent looking gas station and were greeted by a gentleman from Oklahoma who noticed our license plates: OU in the front, TN in the back. He wanted to know where were from and why we had two plates. After chatting a bit, we ventured into the restroom where the toilet paper dispenser was mounted 3 feet above our heads. Kayla finished first and exited the restroom, as Jana rounded the corner, she came face to face with another restroom seeker and nearly jumped through the ceiling much to the amusement of Kayla and the eager restroom seeker. It's a good thing Jana had already gone.

We arrived in Branson and checked into our lovely Rosebud Inn. We will describe the room now for our mother. The room is painted sandstone beige with a hint of cream, the wallpaper border is floral in design, particularly rosy, the bedspreads match the border, there is a rose on the table with an open Bible and a note that says, “You are special.” There is a lingering scent of rose in the room...

We will now describe the room for our father....

There are 2 beds, a TV, and a bathroom.

The walls are thin, so we decided that we had better be quiet so they don't make us 'leaf' as we don't want to be a thorn in the other occupants side. :)

After checking in, we made our way to the Dutton Theatre and enjoyed a bowl of savory soup before the show. Once in our front row seats, Ben was the first to approach and talk for about 10 minutes while he was supposed to be seating other show goers. Slacker!! Brande soon followed with hugs for both of us. For the pre-show, Jim Owen delighted all with a comedy routine. We weren't that impressed, but the elderly enjoyed it. Our view was somewhat inhibited when Ben stood directly in front of us to sell a light up sword to a lady sitting behind our seats. When we gently pointed out that we couldn't see, by tactfully saying, “Down in Front!” he proceeded to dance for us.

The first half of the show began (and may we add here that we really loved the new intro video to the show) containing all the highlights of the summer season. Some of the opening selections included, Opening medley, Mary Poppins, Teddy Bear,Wabash Cannonball, and then segued into the religious Christmas portion. The opening went smoothly except for a few mishaps that we both enjoyed immensely. Since we've seen the show multiple times, we enjoy when something out of the ordinary happens, things that go unnoticed to the average show-goer. And, of course, we enjoy laughing, at and with them. Evette sang a new song, “The Night the King was Born,” while Dean read the Christmas story with Ben and Timothy providing the music. (and entertainment with an upside-down mic)

During intermission, we talked with Abby at the souvenir stand, a strategic move to avoid getting caught on the camera, when to our surprise, the ever alert camera operator **cough** ADAM**cough** zoomed right in on the three of us having a highly intelligent conversation...hehe He was having a little too much fun with the zoom, right Abby?

Intermission ended, and our favorite part of the show began: the Christmas Act!! We really liked how they placed the slower Christmas songs prior to intermission. The second half was very energetic and fun. There were several costume changes and special effects. There were visits from Frosty the Snowman, Santa, Santa's elves, Mrs. Clause, several animals, and Rudolph. The kids were invited on stage to sing with Jonathan and everything went well until Jon made one cry. Hehe

Tim serenaded the audience while “Hanging round the Mistletoe” and, much to the surprise of the audience, came downstage looking for some Christmas cheer. Hehe The ladies he chose first kissed their fingers and touched his cheek. As he knelt in front of Kayla, however, she boldly leaned over and planted a big one....yes, mom, on his cheek, much to Judith's amusement. :)

They ended the show with their patriotic medley and 'Boil em Cabbage Down' mixed with “Jingle Bells' and falling snow. The costumes were awesome! Ben and Amy got a little excited, perhaps from the snow, and started showing off a bit, which was alright by us.

Ben also seemed to show off quite a bit, more so than usual, during the pre-intermission routine, which is, incidentally, one of Jana's favorite parts of the show!

After the show, we visited with the busy family for several minutes, snapped a few pictures, and left before they put us to work clearing the stage.

We had so much fun at this show! Not only do we enjoy being entertained, but we enjoy interacting with the Duttons from our front row seats. Their personalities are what makes this family one of our favorites. Another thing we really appreciate about the Duttons is the fact that they take the time to talk to their guests, no matter how busy they are. They truly are a great family, and one of the...funnest? Funniest? friendliest? OH! - finest in Branson. (sorry about that Ben, but we couldn't read your handwritng! Hehe)