Seeing Oklahoma

A long time ago Ryan joined the Air Force.  We eagerly anticipated our first assignment.  I was dreaming of exotic locations with new sights to see.  I don't know where Ryan was hoping we'd go.  Assignment day arrived, and the news wasn't good.  Alamogordo, New Mexico.  This may have initially sounded fun to me if Alamogordo didn't already have a reputation in my mind.  We had lived there when I was little, and my parents had pretty much always described it in not so pleasant ways.

I did a little research on things to do and see, and our first weekend there I already had two nearby places to explore.  We mentioned our plans to someone, and he replied, "Don't do it all the first week."  He was right.  We had pretty much done everything there was to do within seven days of our arrival.  We did grow to enjoy our assignment there, but it wasn't because of all the things to do and see.

Perhaps this experience has led to us not being entirely on the ball with getting out and seeing the local sights at our following assignments.  We don't want to do everything in the first week.  Now that we've lived here nearly four years, we've come to the realization that beyond Oklahoma City, we really haven't seen any of Oklahoma.  I will admit that I'm not really sure what there is to do around here, but there's got to be something, right?  I know there's a lot of fishing here, but we're not really fishing people.  There's a lot of camping, and we're going to have to get out and do that some, but I will admit that the just the idea of camping with three small children immediately makes me tired.  I put out a plea for ideas on Facebook this week and got a few suggestions.

We decided to go to the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks.  I had heard of the aquarium from a few people, but I really didn't know anything about it.  My parents came into town at the last minute, and they were up for it, so we all piled in the van and set out for Jenks.

I was impressed.  It was a really nice facility.  I learned a lot.  Most importantly, the kids loved it.  Aaron was surprisingly non-needy, and Clayton and Eli loved seeing all the exhibits.  Each time I tried to peal Eli off an exhibit, he'd say, "No, no yet."  He was the most impressed.  Clayton and Eli even braved up and touched a bunch of different things in the touching pools.  I don't do that.  I'm not an animal person.  Sorry.  I'm okay with it.

Shark diving cage

Eli watching the turtle pond

Pop helping Clayton in the Oklahoma Streams exhibit

Aaron behaving himself

Eli touching stuff I didn't want to touch

Nan and Eli with the sting rays

We tried and tried to get a picture of the boys with this alligator at the end of our visit, but it just didn't happen.  Nap time was calling.

We had a great time and are looking for more Oklahoma outing ideas, so let me know if you can think of anything for us to do here.  

He Likes It!

I took the boys to the park yesterday, and Aaron tried out the swings for the first time.  He was in heaven, laughing the whole time. 

Clayton was so kind to share his swing and swing at "baby speed" for so long.

 Clayton

Eli

Our trip to the park was an interesting one.  It was a gorgeous day.  We arrived.  I set out all the food.  Then three giant school buses of middle schoolers pulled up.  The other families at the park bolted, but we had just arrived, so we toughed it out.  There were kids everywhere, but when I started hanging out by the baby swings, the kids jumped off and let my boys have those, which I appreciated.  Clayton and Eli were completely in awe of the three school buses, and their day was complete when a garbage truck pulled up, and the garbage men emptied every trash can in the park.  Talk about a perfect day for those boys... picnic, park, school buses, and a garbage truck!

PS Meghan (and all other readers of Trahsy Town), Eli kept asking if the driver of the garbage truck was Mr. Gilly.  OBSESSION!

Flashback

I've been wanting to share a few pictures I found when I discovered our missing camera in our van.  I had convinced myself there wasn't anything important on the camera card, but I was so excited to see some of these.  Wow.  These boys have all grown up so much since then.

First day at home.

First night at home.

First bath

First time to church, August 8, 2010

Love from Dad.  He didn't like the binkie then, and he doesn't like it now.

I'm so glad to have found these and several other sweet pictures of my baby boy.  I miss that sweet, tiny baby, but I do certainly enjoy watching him grow and develop into a little person. 

Touch-a-Truck

It's that time of year again.  It was the second weekend in May, and when I woke up on Saturday morning, I knew I had forgotten something.  Touch-a-Truck in Edmond!  We've gone the last couple years, and I didn't want the boys to miss out on it this year, so we quickly got ready and headed out the door.  In true spring style, the weather was downright nippy, but better a little cold than hot at an event like this.  It has actually been cold at this event the last two years and now this year too.  Isn't that strange? 

Although there were a ton of trucks and vehicles, there were several vehicles missing this year.  I hope they'll be back next year.  The boys didn't seem to notice though.  They were in high heaven.  I thought Aaron would be bothered by the noise, but he stayed snug as a bug in my Ergo carrier and actually napped most of the time. 

We followed up the event with a trip to Chipotle, which we don't have on our side of town, so I have to splurge when I'm up in Edmond.  By the time we loaded everyone back into the van, the kids were beat and all slept on the way home.  It's always good to get some family time in on the weekends.

Double Celebration!

Today was Mother's Day and my birthday, and it was the best Mother's Day/birthday I've had in a long time, mainly because Ryan has been gone for both events for the last two years.  The Air Force gods relented this year though, and my husband was finally home, attempting to make up for past years.

Our morning was rushed, as Sunday mornings always are, but we actually made it to church somewhat on time.  Gasp.  We were all shocked.  Clayton sang (actually sang, didn't just stand there like a zombie) in the Sunday school choir, and I was very pleased.  After church we headed out to the base for the Mother's Day brunch at the club.  Oh wow.  It was amazing.  Club food is usually hit or miss, but it was definitely a hit today.  Eli and Clayton ate two full plates each from the buffet.  They were free, so that was a bargain.  All three kids were amazingly behaved, and (tooting my horn slightly) received several compliments from the droves of retirees there. 

When we got home, the kids and I took much needed naps while Ryan made me an ice cream birthday cake and cooked dinner.  Ice cream cakes are a favorite of ours, and we've started making them from time to time for each other.  It was mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate cake, my favorite.  Yum.  He even frosted it with pink icing.  I was so excited to have a pink cake because, I'll say it again, there is very little pink about my life.

I know this cake says 31, but I think I'm really just 26 this year, so just ignore those candles.

After dinner there were gifts and cake, pajamas, stories, and bedtime for boys.  I've spent the evening relaxing.  What a day.  I wish it was Mother's Day/my birthday everyday.  Now I'd better get to bed because Monday is coming, and we all know what Mondays feel like.

Mama's boys getting ready for bed.  Love these babies, and miss my oldest.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all my mom friends!  I miss you all and are grateful to have so many great examples of motherhood to follow.

Easter

I can't believe it's May already, and I haven't put up an Easter post yet.  Despite the crazy weather, we had a great Easter weekend.  On Saturday evening we headed over to our church for an egg hunt in the front yard.  The weather held off for us, and the kids had a good time.  Eli really got into the hunting spirit.  Clayton, in true Clayton colors, picked up a few eggs and was pretty much done.  He was more interested in finding out what was in each of those eggs, and lucky boy actually had a prize egg, for which he was able to redeem a prize basket afterward.

Our church had a Saturday night Easter service, and since we were already at church, and Ryan was playing in the orchestra, the boys and I stayed for service too. 

The next morning, the boys were thrilled to find their Easter baskets on the fireplace.  We hadn't talked very much about the whole Easter basket part of Easter, so I think it was pretty much a surprise.  Ryan and I had a couple little things for the baskets, and both sets of grandparents had sent a few little things too, so they had some good loot.

Yes, that book in Eli's basket is Trashy Town.  It's his absolute favorite book.  I think we're the only people that check it out at the library.  Eli + Trashcans = Love.



We also had a little egg hunt in the backyard for Clayton and Eli.  The backyard was completely drenched, and it was lightly sprinkling all morning, so we had a quick and easy hunt, just to say we hunted.

It's a good thing we had our hunt when we did because a few minutes later, this was the scene.

I'm not sure if you can see it, but that is nickel and quarter sized hail.  Spring has definitely arrived in Oklahoma.

Ryan went on to church to play in the orchestra again, and since we had been the night before, and the weather was so awful, the boys and I spent a cold and cozy morning at home.  That afternoon I made a ham and lots of other goodies, and we enjoyed our family Easter feast together.

Visitors

Back in April we were able to have my parents and Ryan's parents out to Oklahoma for a visit.  Their trips overlapped a night, so we all headed over to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  We met up with Lindsey, one of my college roommates, who was also in town.  It would have been a great night out, except it was prom night, and wow, it was completely packed.  After a very long wait, it all worked out.

It was so nice to have both our parents there, and it was really great to get to catch up with Lindsey.  I hadn't seen her since our wedding, almost 10 years ago.