One Nation Under God Celebration

Every year our church has a Celebration for the fourth of July called ONUG.  It is a bunch of patriotic music and Ron and I have always enjoyed going and celebrating all the men and women who have served in our armed forces.  This year the kids were able to join the choir for a short number.  Andrea doesn't really sing with the group but had listened to the CD so much that she about knew the number better than the other two.  She was all smiles when their choir director asked if she wanted to sing along with big kids.

All ready to head out and sing.

 

Chubby Feet

I just love my kids chubby feet, yes they might be a little hard to fit when it comes to finding shoes but I love seeing their chubby little toes!

Summer and Kids

Ron and I had a little time yesterday to sit and talk about the summer, or rather what is left of our summer.  It is amazing to me how fast these couple of months fly by.  After school was out we talked about making every weekend we didn't have to be in Tulsa count as a mini family vacation.  We really need to be pro-active in planning because these free weekend creep up on us....just like July.  Needless to say we love spending time with the kids and having new adventures with them.  The heat has arrived but I have found that with a steady supply of popcicles and any sort of water activity we are still able to have a little fun.

Saying James loves watermellon is an understandment......I think he could clean up a half of one in one sitting no problem.

 The kids are having lots of fun on our new tramp, we kept cool yesterday with waterballoons, sprinklers and ice.

It doesn't matter what size the pool-James' seemed to be the hit yesterday.

VolleyBall Fun

Last night we decided to head out and watch the USA vs Brazil world volleyball tournament. It is being held at the University of Tulsa this weekend. It was a lot of fun driving back to the school that brought us to Tulsa Town. It was a lot of fun to watch players at the top of their game. USA lost in four matches. Brayden said he was cheering for Brazil. We had Swimming at ORU this week and after one lesson we walked out to our car with the Brazil team....I felt like an ant, they were soooo tall! Anyway, Brayden decided that it was more fun cheering for some of the guys he saw getting in the bus. It was a fun evening, best because it was super loud so the kids could be kids...especially James, who loved all the noise. James would just yell, clap and grin with all the yelling and music-so funny, perfect place for him.

"Mommy, I saw that they have cotton candy" this is what Becca so nonchalantly said to me after watching one match.  She loves the stuff....we ended up getting a bag, so easily pleased.

I just had my little camera, not a good shot but shows the action.  It was sometimes hard to tell who actually made a point because both teams would hug and high five after every play whether they won that point or lost it.

Some Pictures

I am short on time so no captions yet....

A Couple Things.

Just a couple thoughts that I want to include because these are the memories I want to remember seeing as very little is getting written in the kids baby books!  I don't have a picture for this one but still makes me smile thinking of it.  I recently got a stethoscope that actually works....not just the play kind which the kids have.  I have a nice one but it is off limits to the kids.  Anyway, Andrea has taken a liking to using it and the other day I sat with her and showed her how and where to listen to her heart.  I have spotted her carrying it around the house over the past week but yesterday was too cute.  I was mowing the backyard and the kids were hanging out on the play set.  I look over and there is Andrea all by herself sitting in the sand box sitting perfectly still listening to her heart.  I turned off the mower and she looked up like in a daze, I asked if she heard her heart and she said "yes" like it was the neatest thing in the world.

Anyway, on to James.  He continues to be a little pill in the eating department-throwing huge fits when he gets food he doesn't like or sees food he wants. I also need to add that he is extremely loud.  Most food he does want is sugar loaded-top of his list is donuts, powdered donuts.  Fruit is a fast second and if he could live on these two he would be a happy camper.

Speaking of Donuts the kids enjoyed a tour at Krispy Kreme last week.  The highlight of the trip was eating two donuts and coming home with more.  Each kid was able to decorate their own donut and then had fun watching cartoons in the little kids area.  I think James could have kept up the warm donut conveyor belt.

The other week I found some baby doll PJ sets for the girls and they came in the mail yesterday.  It was so fun seeing both girls have fun dressing their babies.  Tonight they are both clean/bathed and tucked in next to each girl.  It really is a lot of fun having two close together.

Last of all last night a storm blew into town, not bad by all means but our front tree just decided to give up and split.  Once again Ron will be splitting wood.  I on the other hand will never plant Pear Trees and will always make sure any young trees in our yard are pruned properly.

Weekend Fun

 The beginning of summer vacation Ron and I looked at the calender and realized that we had a limited number of free weekends for some family vacation time this summer-it is amazing how fast the school year creeps up on us.  With this weekend being father's day and being a Sunday that we did not need to teach Sunday School we were ready to do a little exploring.  Ron is great at finding fun things to do-funny because I never seem to find them and am first to suggest much bigger vacations.  We had two packed days of fun and the kids loved every minute...except James, but then what do I expect with a one year old!  After a nice morning bike ride we loaded up the car and headed out towards Arkansas.  Our first stop was called the Blue Hole....hmmmm, I was not too sure about this one-some place way out and Ron described it as some guy digging out the river with a back hoe.  I was pleasantly surprised, no alcohol, clear cool water and the kids had a blast.  Although next time I need to bring a little fishing net.  Somehow I managed to catch a salamander on my swim shorts (pointed out to me by Andrea), it was all I could do not to flick it off and yell.  Instead I yelled for Becca and Brayden who were pretty impressed with my catch.

These are all our pics from this weekend.
Weekend Vacation Pictures

After spending a good part of the afternoon swimming and playing we decided to head out.  Next on Ron's list of ideas was checking out Natural Falls State Park-a state park in OK that we have heard about but have never seen.   It was pretty hot but the kids didn't complain too much-by the falls was refreshing and beautiful.  We took a little hike but once we wondered away from the water things got pretty hot and sticky.  We headed back to the car for some yummy watermelon-always good when it is hot, and a HUGE favorite of James.

 Scenes from "Where the Red Fern Grows" were filmed here.

On we headed to Arkansas where we found a little mini-golf place and played a round.  Brayden loves to golf, Becca not so much and Andrea was all about helping with the flags until she got too hot.  The most fun they had was fishing the balls out of the little pond.  After a quick dinner we hit the hotel and more swimming.  Both Ron and I were pretty beat but the kids were full of it, jumping and playing in the water.  Brayden's goal was to teach Becca how to do a correct cannon ball.  After a not too bad night in the hotel we set out to discover War Eagle Cave.  We spent a little time at the Nature Center of Hobbs State Park and we able to make it in the first cave tour group at noon.  The cave and surrounding land was a lot of fun to explore.  The cave was interesting but the kids had most fun panning for crystals after the tour.

Thankfully it was a little cloudy but it was still pretty toasty out.  We set out to find a place to swim along Beaver Lake.  Our first stop was a park that we had been to before-no a swimming beach just cliffs and with the water level being pretty high they were not as impressive as before, but perfect for the kids...impossible with a baby.  We let the older two jump off for a while-Becca even brave enough, strong enough to jump without a life jacket.  Then off to a little park by the dam, which was beautiful except for the screaming baby we had with us-I am sure everyone loved us!  James had had enough and spent most of the time crying...too hot, too tired.  Anyway, it was a great place to cool off before heading home back for another summer week at home.

                     Thanks to a wonderful Daddy/husband for finding such fun things for us to do! 

The Best Daddy!

Becca told me yesterday that every kid think their dad is the best....but I told her our daddy really is.  We had the best weekend exploring with Ron.  We all love his adventures and this weekend was the best spent hanging out and exploring new places together.

Swimming



We completed our first week of swimming.  All the kids are doing great and love coming....although Andrea is still a little apprehensive about  the diving board.  Becca is learning how to dive and Brayden is diving off the diving board.  Andrea loves playing in the water but doesn't like getting her face wet.





This is Andrea going off the diving board earlier on in the week.  She did not like it at all!



Today Ron came to watch and we got Andrea a pair of goggles....surprise, we actually got to see a little smile!

cannon ball!

Brayden's dive

Becca and the high dive-no sweat for her.

Becca learning to dive earlier in the week.

Summer Fun

Our church has some activities planned for families with young kids and today was a day that we were able to make it out and join in the fun.  It was a little scavenger hunt out on the land our church has purchased for a new satellite church.  I realize these pictures fit into the mental picture of what so many people think of when I say we live in Tulsa.  You will have to come visit to see why we really love living in Tulsa....and no it is not the red dirt or prairie lands (although the tall grass prairie does have it's own beauty).

 Brayden was all about finding the most coins, he is always such a good sport hanging with the little ones.  The did a couple rounds and after the first one I had to remind him to leave some on the ground for the little ones.

 They all had a little map with a marked path to follow.  I think Becca actually tried to follow her path.  Brayden on the other hand just followed the coins.

 James just wondered around looking for rocks.

The milk weed is still interesting....even more so when there is a ladybug sitting on it.

We ended with Popsicles and watermelon.  We were there around 10am and I think it was already in the nineties and with rain the night before it was like a sauna walking around on the property.

Summer Days

It is on to another week of summer.  I do have to say that we are all loving summer vacation.  This week we started swimming lessons.  Nice timing as the Tulsa heat is starting to kick in and we are starting to head to the pool.  The first day neither Becca nor Brayden wanted to go but Andrea was all smiles....the older two remembered the high dive from last year.  Today the older two were all smiles and Andrea was all tears-she was dropped off the diving board.  I am hoping by the end of the week it will be smiles all around.  Becca loves swimming and is all about jumping off the high dive.  Brayden is great with the regular diving board and is always trying to make a splash.  The summer movie program is in full swing and for once they have had some decent movies to watch for little kids.  The only problem is timing with James-he is the only one not getting an easier schedule this summer.  Having all kids home still doesn't leave a lot of time for naps.  Today he was not a happy camper having to take his nap in the movie theatre....I was just glad the theatre was filled with kids and moms who hopefully didn't mind a crabby baby.

 We are starting summer baseball and Becca was all about wearing Brayden's old baseball hat.  She is such a fun little girl.  This picture is all her....no shoes and shirt on backwards and her shy smile. 

 Guess who loves balls??  It is near impossible trying to get a picture of James as he kept running to me
wanting to play.  Ron was playing catch with Brayden and I think he was ready to join in.



James was so happy to hit his bed this afternoon after the movie that I had a hard time waking him up...yes we needed to run a couple errands.  He was all snuggled in and was not moving for anyone!

Funny Toys and Race Results

We have had these little toys for most all the kids and you just never know how each baby is going to react.  At first we thought they would love them, turned out each kid was either scared or petrified of this little flip toy.  James is the calmest of the bunch but his eyes still crack me up. 

The Race Results for the Saturday bike ride were posted this afternoon.  I was shocked to see where I placed among the masses.  I really thought we were at the tail end of the ride seeing as there were not a whole lot of riders around as we rode the last 15miles.  The race had one of it's bigger hills around mile 55 and they timed/raced just the hill for fun-KOM (king of the mountain).  I knew Ron was going to ride it hard but was not so sure how the legs would hold up after biking all the prior mileage.  Ron was beat at the top but was happy his legs held and didn't cramp. I placed fifth among the women (100+)  and Ron six in the guys (300+) I trucked along to the top-the sun hit me about half way slowing me down.  If I would have known I was actually doing well maybe I would have pushed a little harder that last climb.  Anyway-it long, hot but fun to see the results.

KOM Females

KOM Males

100km Females finishers

100km Male Finishers

Tulsa Tough Bike Ride

This morning we were up bright and early for the long 100km-67mile bike ride.  It is the weekend of Tulsa Tough, lots of bike races.  Saturday and Sunday have some long touring rides besides the races going on all weekend long.  The weather was beautiful, minimal wind-shocking and temps not reaching the nineties.  This was my first ride here in Tulsa, we planned for a sitter-thankfully she was wonderful and Ron was gracious enough to ride with me.  Although I think my ulterior motive was to slow him down a bit in hopes of skipping a visit to the minor emergency this year.  Yes, I was the nagging wife reminding him of his fuel and electrolytes but for the most part we survived! 

This is waiting at the start line.  We started a bit late due to a train crossing right in front of the start.  I was pretty nervous, leaving the kids for so long and not being sure how the bikes were going to hold up along with myself and if Ron was going to make it without getting sick.  All in all it was a great ride-a little hilly but that was expected.  Both bikes held up great and we managed to skip the ER visit this year. The kids loved the new sitter,  Becca was in her glory as they played babies and had a tea party.

We finished the 67miles in 4hr, 4min.  The Jamba juice tasted DELICIOUS at the end along with some ice cold chocolate milk.  We saw lots of rural Tulsa/OK and again proved that OK is not all flat, although it is lacking in the shade department!