Autumn is Here!

My favorite time of the year in Branson is Autumn. With all the trees and foliage it is a huge canvas of gorgeous colors. Many years ago I remember flying into Branson toward the end of October and looking out the window as we were starting to approach the Springfield Airport. I'll never forget it! All the beautiful colors below were breathtaking.

Since then I always watch for the leaves to start changing in Branson. Even though it was in the 80's today, bright and sunny, the leaves have changed since yesterday. I can't express how gorgeous the landscape is in Branson in Autumn.

This afternoon I decided to take a walk around the Tanger Outlet Mall a couple times and get a little sunshine. That is where these photos were taken. Places to shop are never ending in Branson. Where are your favorite places to shop in Branson?

Thank you for your comments on your favorite places to visit in Branson. Please keep them coming!

Come Take a Walk With Me

What do you like to do when you visit Branson? Where is a really good place to stay in Branson? Where do you like to eat in Branson? What shows should I see when I'm in Branson? These are questions that I get asked all the time and I really don't know how to answer them. I haven't eaten at every restaurant, gone to every show or stayed in every hotel. Please tell me what your favorites are when you visit Branson and what not to miss, so I can pass the word along. Thank you!

Dynamic Views

Dynamic Views has 7 ways that you can view my blog:

Classic

Flipcard

Magazine

Mosiac

Sidebar

Timeslide.

To choose one of the views you click on your selection on the left side of the top black bar. To sign-in to make comments, etc. you go to the far left on the black bar and click on the orange box that has a B in the center of the box.

If you can't sign in then the easiest would be to use your email account with google or set up a gmail account with an email address and when google's dashboard comes up you will scroll down to the READING LIST and find add below. You'll then put in the URL:
http://www.onebadappledish.blogspot.com and continue.

I think that it's pretty fun to display the blog in different ways so have fun experimenting. Let us know which view is your favorite?

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations to Stephen and Claire!!! They were married on September 24th. We are really excited for the newlyweds!

We're looking forward to the upcoming marriage of nephew, Alex and Jessica!

Congratulations to nephew, Tommy and his fiance, Aubrey Ballow who just recently announced their engagement.

Donny's Eternal Marriage

Can Celebrities Actually Have Enduring, Healthy Relationships?

By Amy Osmond Cook, Ph.D.

 Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images North America

Cheating.  Scandal.  Divorce.  Too often, celebrity relationships end as a result of one of these unfortunate scenarios.  Just this summer, George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis, J.Lo and Marc Anthony, Derek Jeeter and Minka Kelly, and Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez called it quits.  Even Buzz Aldrin and his wife of 23 years couldn’t make it last.

As celebrity breakups continue to provide headlines for the supermarket tabloids, we are sometimes left wondering, “Does anyone stay together, anymore?”

Fortunately, the answer is “yes.”  Celebrities who take “for better or worse” seriously may not make the headlines, but they are out there.  Two of those people are my aunt and uncle, Donny and Debbie Osmond.

Donny and Debbie were married in 1978 and have survived the highs and lows of show business together for 33 years.  I asked Debbie how she and Donny have made their relationship last when so many have failed.  In characteristic humility, she credits God and her family for helping to keep their relationship strong.  But she also has a few practical tips:

Keep the Pressure Low.

Donny is a perfectionist and rues over a single note gone awry.  While he was performing in Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway, he was struggling with considerable anxiety.  Debbie eased his stress by keeping the pressure low.  Every afternoon as he left for work, she would say, “Go have an average night, tonight.”  She made him feel valued as a person apart from his performance on stage; and as a result, their relationship and his vocals were both stellar.

Keep Your Personal Life Private.

Sometimes celebrities (like everyone else) allow work to consume them.  As Debbie said, “The business can really take over your life if you allow it to.  I enjoy having my family away from Hollywood so Donny can come home to a bit of reality, like enjoying the kids’ school activities, hiking, and just being a father.  It helps everyone feel like show business is not our life, but just a job.”

Love the High-Tech Communication.

When Donny is away, he and Debbie constantly talk via phone or webcam.   As Debbie says, “I love Skype!  We laugh because we have a virtual dad!”  It helps Donny, Debbie, and the kids and grandkids to feel connected when they can see and hear each other every day.

Unfortunately, there is no magical recipe for making a relationship 100-percent breakup-proof.  But there are many celebrities who continue to keep their relationships strong—it’s just that we may not hear about them very often.  Regardless of whether we are actors or actuaries, keeping the pressure low, guarding our personal lives, and utilizing technology to communicate are great practical tips that we can all use to make our relationships strong.

Amy Osmond Cook, Ph.D. is a faculty associate at Arizona State University, where she teaches Communication and English classes.  She is the publisher of Sourced Media Books and co-author of Hope After Divorce and Full Bloom: Cultivating Success.  Amy and her husband, Jeff, have five children and look forward to welcoming baby #6 in April 2012.  For more information about Amy, please visit amyosmondcook.com.

CLICK HERE to view the original article at Cupid's Pulse.

The Fire Drill

Not too long before we left for the show, we had a fire drill at the hotel. The sirens were so loud that I'm sure everyone in the hotel at the time had hearing damage. There wasn't a fire but lots of water. When the fire engine pulled up in front of the hotel, people started taking the alarm seriously and left the hotel, even though they couldn't smell or see smoke or fire. The alarm was set off by some sprinklers in a couple of rooms on the third floor of the hotel. There was not only water damage in those rooms but all the rooms below them too. Having a hotel full of guests, those people who occupied the drenched rooms were transferred to another hotel. They are still trying to clean up the water damage and mess. I've been in many hotel fire drills but this is the first time there was any known damage.

Liz and Jay before the show.

Amy and Jay 

Tonight concludes a week of successful shows in Branson.

This photo of Marsha and her darling granddaughter was taken during the intermission.

It was really fun to see many new and old friends at the theater last night!

Happy Birthday to Kaylynn!

We Love and Miss You!

"The Tailgate Song" - Nathan Osmond

"Wonky's Book Worms"

Did anyone finish the New Testament reading? Wow! We have now read the entire bible. These reading goals are helping Wayne and I with our scripture reading anyway. We hope there are others that are enjoying their scripture reading with us.

Wayne and I would like to read The Book of Mormon next, since that is the book of scripture that we will be studying in Sunday School next year, starting in January 2012. If we read one chapter a day or 7 chapters a week we could read the book easily within the year. 

If you don't have a copy of the Book of Mormon, you can send for a copy at mormon.org or read it online. There is also a free app for the Iphone, and other mobile devices. I'd like to have the Book of Mormon read to me, while I follow along this year. This way I will be able to hear how all the names and other words that I'm not familiar with are pronounced.

Everyone is welcome to join us and read the entire Book of Mormon in your native language for the year 2012? Is anyone going to join us?

CLICK HERE to go directly to the Book of Mormon online at LDS.org

CLICK HERE to order a free Book of Mormon

CLICK HERE to download a free app with the Book of Mormon included for your mobile device

Lost Baggage

Our suitcases did arrive before the show in Branson last night, so Jimmy didn't get to perform barefoot. I'll bet he was really disappointed. Not! Some of you have expressed a little anxiety about losing your suitcase when you travel. The best advice that I can give you to deal with the stress of whether or not your suitcase is going to arrive with you is to expect the airline to lose your suitcase and if it arrives at your destination then that's a bonus.

Grandma Olive Osmond Traveling With Amy

From what I've observed, it is rare for the airlines to totally lose your bag anymore, but it could end up across the world before it makes it back to you, which could take a couple of days or more. Plan to live without your bag for a few days. The last time that I lost a bag forever was in the late 1970's. With the computer system they use now, they can trace your bag and usually find it eventually.

Steve and Amy in 1979

One summer when the kids and I were traveling with the whole Osmond family, the airline lost the suitcase that contained all my children's clothes. We were somewhere in the United States and I remember going out and buying all new clothes for Amy and Steve. From then on I usually mixed their clothes with some of my clothes, so if one suitcase didn't make it then we would still have at least another change of clothes. Of course there have been times when all our suitcases didn't make it with us to our destination. For those times, I always have all the bare necessities and an extra set of underwear and socks in my carry-on suitcase and purse.

Wayne Carrying His Clothes Bag

Wayne always hand carries his show clothes and shoes in a travel bag onto the airplane, so there is no way that his show clothes won't arrive, unless he forgets to take them off the airplane, which has happened before. Now I check every time we get off of an airplane to make sure we have our 3 items - his clothes bag, my carry- on suitcase and purse. On this trip when our bags didn't make it to Branson, he used my small sized deodorant stick before the show. I always include that item in my little plastic bag that can go through the security check at the airport. Make sure that you take everything that you can't live without for a few days with you on the airplane - especially any medications, eyeglasses, hearing aids and batteries, etc.

My Carry-on Bag and Travel Purse

You'll have a lot easier trip without as much anxiety if you plan on your checked suitcase not making it to your destination with you. You'll also feel gratitude and happiness if your checked luggage does arrive. You can usually arrange the airline to deliver your lost luggage to your house or hotel after it gets finished going around the world. It's a lot more fun to be surprised than to be disappointed! 

Happy Birthday to Sarah!!!

The luggage is where?

Our smooth drive from the hotel to the airport started before the sun was up, around 6:00 am. We also had a slick flight from Michigan to Chicago. After a three hour wait, it was time to board the flight to Springfield when suddenly it was cancelled. Tamra waited in a very long line to switch airlines and we were able to get the last six seats on a late flight out of Chicago to Springfield. Having more than 8 hours before our next flight, we decided to go next door to the Hilton and get some sleep, since Wayne and I hadn't had much the night before. I heard that some of the guys went on a scenic train ride of Chicago while we were snoozing.

Hours later we were rushing over to the terminal after Jay called to tell us that it was unbelievably crowded with very long lines waiting to get through security. We made it to our gate just in time to discover our plane had been delayed a half hour which turned into an hour and then more. Very early this morning we finally arrived at the Springfield Airport where we discovered that our luggage was still in Chicago. We haven't seen our luggage yet but it's supposed to be at the theater tonight at 6:00 pm? Jimmy's going to do the show in bare feet if the luggage hasn't arrived. 

It's opening night in Branson!

Ju-Ju-Be

I just got a Ju-Ju-Be "Behave" bag and I love it! It looks like leather, feels like leather, but it's machine washable, so Wayne can spill his Mountain Dew on it, and it will wash right up. It's antimicrobial, which means that it also repels germs. There is nothing on the market like it! Here is a photo of the front of the bag.

For traveling I have loved having the handles to grab the bag quickly and when going through the airports or walking long distances, I put the shoulder strap over my body to have both hands free. There's a pocket for everything! In the front pocket I put my ID, cell phone, cash, gum and anything else that I want to grab quickly.

My "Behave" bag is black but there are other leather colors and really fun lining designs to choose from.

Don't you love the wild, super-fun "Dizzy Daisy" lining that is accented with lilac? This is the perfect grand mommy bag ever. The middle zipper can hold diapers and wipes if you need to make a trip with your grand baby. 

Inside the bag are loops for pens, pencils and lipstick. Pockets with zippers for jewelry, headphones, makeup, snacks, medications, checkbooks and anything else you want to bring along on your trip. On one side of the bag is an insulated zippered pocket where I keep a water bottle (or baby bottle) and on the other side is a soft lined zippered pocket for my sunglassses. There's even a strap to attach your keys and more. Best of all, it's the perfect size to slip Wayne's I-Pad in and out, so we can read books, check e-mail or play a game while traveling on long or short trips. I not only can carry everything I want, but also whatever Wayne wants me to carry too! There is so much room and so many pockets that I'm very organized and know where to find everything without having to dump all of the contents out of my bag to find one item.

CLICK HERE to learn more about earth leather and Ju-Ju-Be's other unique products and take a look at other bags and products on their blog. See if you can find Amy and her girls who are models on the blog too.

CLICK HERE to view and order bags and matching products for everyone in the family online or find out which store closest to you carries Ju-Ju-Be bags. You'll love the bibs for babies, Fuel Cell (lunch box) for a school child, a wristlet or beach bag for teens and a masculine diaper bag for Dad that can also be a lap top bag, etc.

Do you think I should give my sons and son-in-laws a backpack diaper bag for Christmas? I wouldn't have to say one word and maybe they would get my hint. Ha!

Show Tonight at 7:00 P.M.

Yesterday afternoon we met Merrill at the airport before driving about an hour to our hotel. We checked in the cutest hotel and after getting our bags in the room, Wayne and I took a walk. There is a Tanger Mall right next door and a big lumberjack on the corner. The show starts at 7:00 p.m. tonight at the Kirkland Center for Performing Arts in Roscommon, MI.

Mental Exercise

Wayne is getting his daily mental exercise while we are waiting for a flight to Chicago and then Saginaw, Michigan at the Springfield Airport. The Brothers have a show in Roscommon, MI tomorrow night at The Kirtland Center for the Performing Arts that starts at 7:00 pm. Maybe we'll see you there?

The Early Birds

Steve, Gene, Tamra, Scott, Wayne and I met in the hotel lobby at 5:00 am to meet the drivers that drove us to the Spokane Airport.

Wayne was surprised when he discovered I put the tag that you gave him on his luggage.

He loves to broadcast his new landmark and tell everyone he meets how old he is. Ha!

Great Sound at the Spokane County Fair!

Sound check in Spokane, Washington

Jay (on the right) is checking the sound from the back.

Tamra is testing her microphone.

It is fun to see Zach!

Merrill is performing tonight with Wayne, Jay and Jimmy starting at 7:00 pm.

Up, Up and Away

Thanks Dot for Wayne's T-Shirt. He loves everyone knowing that he is 60 years old. Ha!

We're waiting at the Branson Airport for the flight to Spokane, Washington. The Frontier flight lands in Denver first, but we can stay on the airplane while other passengers board. We haven't seen Gene, Steve, Scott or Tamra yet, but they are on our flight too.