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.