Let's Explore Oklahoma: Part 4 - with guests from Vienna, Austria

Having a little pool time with missionary kids and friends.

Cotter, Caleb, Kim, Josh, Carson and Carli Hensal: missionaries in Vienna, Austria. These friends we credit (or blame depending on who you ask) with getting me to like Harry Potter. Josh and Kim were one of the first couple friends we made after moving from Florida to Oklahoma. Always generous. Very friendly. Wonderful, genuine people.

So our family, along with our friends from Vienna and some local friends headed out to Explore Oklahoma together. (Side note: these 2 families had no idea I would use this outing as part 4 of my series.) And if you are thinking Collin looks a little different in this photo...he had drama camp this week and was make-upped as a dwarf.

Katie LOVES Carli!! When we were in Vienna, Carli let Katie dress up in some of her clothes and put a little bit of play make up on her. Katie has not forgotten about that even though she was 3 1/2 while we were there in Europe. Katie LOVES Carli!!

If you ever go to the drive-in in Guthrie, which I highly recommend, find a friend with a truck. And a blow up mattress. And an ice chest full of fun drinks and chocolate candy and every chip imaginable. I MIGHT remember to bring the bug spray.

Baby Carson's first drive-in.

Jackson LOVED seeing the movie Cars 2. Let's Explore Oklahoma Part 4: The Beacon Drive-in in Guthrie, OK. So, so fun! Great way to see a movie with a noisy toddler! Great way to sit back, relax, look at the wide, open Oklahoma sky, breathe deep breaths, and visit with friends. Must do. 4 stars.

Let's Explore Oklahoma: Part 3

In this part our family explores the Oklahoma History Center right here in OKC. Since husband is a history professor I'm actually kinda shocked that we've never been here before. But since it's about Oklahoma history and he teaches American history, well, that's our excuse. This day was family day at the museum. They had a craft, coloring station and costume station out for kids to enjoy. Here Collin and Katie are making lanterns out of tin cans.

We had lunch at the yummy Winnie Mae cafe on site. Delicious food. Great scenery to enjoy. An all around good time.

Here is the Winnie Mae. This is Mr. Wiley Post's airplane. Now Wiley Post flew around the world in this airplane (this is a reproduction...the real one is in Washington, DC) I believe in the 1930s. And apparently did it in record time. Later Wiley Post and Will Rogers would die in a plane crash. Our 2 airports in OKC are named for them both.

The set of Hee Haw was on traveling exhibit at the history center.

And an exhibit on comic books and superheroes.

This may shock some of you...history is not my favorite subject. But I am loving learning all this stuff about Oklahoma with my little project this summer. This museum frequently has "family days" where the adults pay to get in and the kids are FREE. In a portion of the museum you can see Land Run material, a sod house, a 1930s kitchen and a 1950s kitchen (my favorite exhibit) and learn about the history of our Oklahoma schools. We also learned that SONIC is MIO, along with the parking meter and the grocery cart. Bless that man who invented the grocery cart. All in all, very impressed with the building, cafe and exhibits here at the museum. Would definitely take my kids back for more. Being Okies, they are really going to need to know this stuff.

4 stars.

Jasmine Moran Children's Museum

Going on an adventure with friends is so fun. We headed out to Seminole, Oklahoma - I think that is in the "Kiamachi Country" portion of Oklahoma - early one morning with friends and fun packed in our van.

A little 6 legged friend met Collin at the door and landed on his nose.

I have no idea what this thing was...part grasshopper...part butterfly...part I don't know.

We headed outside to the Castle Maze first. Since it was only 90 something degrees, it felt coolish. But the kiddos had great fun going through all the passageways.

So, so fun!

Then we headed inside to do this contraption thingy.

It's like a pirate, boat, climbing, tower with a slide.

This is the water works section. I think it might have been trying to explain the Arkansas River Navigation System that we have here in Oklahoma. I'm not sure. But it was fun and wet and messy and you could attempt making your duck go upstream.

The museum also has a wonderful Homeland grocery store. The kids could put items in their basket and then go check out at the cash register.

We also purchased train tickets. Who doesn't love a train ride?

They actually had added this feature since our last visit to this museum. It was neat and reminded me of the train ride at the Orr Family Farm in OKC.

Our Chubba Chubba Choo Choo on the choo choo. I just had to type that. Couldn't help myself. Maybe it's the steroids...affecting my silliness...while I'm wide awake...at this late hour.

In the mechanics shop the kids could take apart a muffler, change tires, change the license plate and fix the engine.

My little rule-following Collin loved walking around with his clipboard and making sure he was following the directions step by step.

We went to the construction zone! A favorite of Jackson's because there are trucks. And cars. And rocks.

We went to the Hospital wing. As Katie is pedaling the bicycle, the skeleton in the box is pedaling his bicycle. So fun!

A large Light Bright! Have I said this was fun yet?

Collin and E are rerouting wires on the electrical current to get a light bulb to come on. I personally thing they are both geniuses.

Here E and Katie are in the cockpit of a retired airplane.

So...why a children's museum in Seminole, OK? Mrs. Jasmine Moran says, "Why not?" I think this place is wonderful. A great outing. Totally worth the drive. We could have stayed longer except that I was nearing a breaking point with Jackson. He was done with this place after about 2 hours.

To "This Is Interesting..." - it can't count in my LEO series because Matt wasn't there. But believe me it goes in my Oklahoma Guide Book. Frommers? Insider? Birnbaum? Fun with the Family in Oklahoma? I need a publisher. Four stars...a must see!

Edmond Historical Society Museum

Collin working the cash register at the general store.

Katie putting up all her groceries in the 1889 house.

And Jackson decided to take a few items from the garden center, a few items from the train station and a few items from the bank and make his own place.

I love this little museum and children's area. First of all it's FREE and when the day is 108 degreees and the rocketship slide in the nearby park has seared your hiney too many times, it's a great place to cool off. Also, I love "town" history. This museum shows all the old, fabulous homes from when the town was started - and I would love to tour them all. It shows the history of the local schools, hospital, newspaper and explains why Edmond has it's own mini Statue of Liberty. And the children's area is fun to explore for a couple of hours. Although it doesn't count in my blog series Let's Explore Oklahoma (because of Matt's absence), I give this place 3 stars. Not a MUST see, but you SHOULD see.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

subtitled: the post in which Alyssa tells too much information and regains control of the blog from Matt's temporary reign as guest blogger...not that I'm jealous or anything.

May: I decide I need some new hair ways.

June: Get perm appointment. Like the idea of one. Won't I look so cute just out of the pool? My hair will be kinky and fun. Haven't had a perm since 1992 but I am excited.

Perm Day in June: Get perm. Have nice reading/relaxing time with no kids. See myself afterwards and I'm suddenly 17 again. Me no likey. Run into one of the vice-presidents of OC. He is friendly but all I can think about is, "What is he thinking about my hair? Does he notice something is wrong?"

One day later in June: Tell my friends to look away when they see me at church that night.

Two days later: Wash it and like it. Feel so glad that I don't have to use a blowdryer or flatiron at all this summer.

Early July: in Texas. Develop an itch on my neck.

4 days later: have rash the size of Texas on my neck, ears, up in my hair

Sunday, July 10: get a double-steroid shot in my hiney

days following: feel great, cloud nine, good hair, no rash, life is good

Saturday, July 16: rash reappears on neck

Sunday, July 17: want to rip and tear all the skin off my neck

Monday, July 18: go to family doctor. Find out that I am officially a medical mystery. Could I be allergic to my perm? Sunscreen? Mousse? Lotion? Perfume? No one knows but we suspect the perm.

days following to present: begin high dosage of steroid pills that taper off from now to August 2. Side effects:

silliness;

drowsiness at awkward times (like after breakfast);

awake at awkward times (like now at midnight);

and my personal favorite...puffiness. No more laugh lines, crows feet or wrinkles on the forehead. I have had my own personal botox treatment sans needles. I've got the tightest (and puffiest) face on the planet. Also have swollen hands, feet, knees - it's like I'm pregnant again. My joints hurt, my back hurts, my feet hurt. And I still get to take these steroids until August 2.

Surely by August 3 I will be back to my normal silliness, normal sleep times, and I'll even take the deep laugh lines and crows feet and inherited wrinkles on my forehead back just so I don't feel like The Joker anymore. Surely.

So from now till then...you've been warned.

Doesn't everyone's summer getaway involve teeth cleaning? Here is our Kate assisting Pops cleaning Matt's teeth. Collin was the assistant for a while too but then they decided it was more fun to look at all the animals up on the walls of Pops' office.

I headed up to Lubbock for a smidge to visit an old friend from college. Lisa and I lived down the hall from each other freshman year. She looks EXACTLY the same. Three kids have not aged her at all. It's totally not fair. But we had lots and lots of fun that freshman year and it was great to get caught up on life since college.

Jackson LOVES to play with cars. He enjoyed playing with all of Matt's old cars.

Katie with her cheesy grin. She HAD to have her picture taken since I had taken some of J.

And then Collin NEEDED me to take a picture of his eye and post it on Facebook. I decided my blog would be more appropriate.

Pops and Jarre and grandkids #8, 9, and 10. We had a great trip back to Post. Ate at our favorite Post-toasty place, Holly's. BEST. Burgers. And we got to play and visit with Pops and Jarre. What will we do about our teeth when Pops retires...?

Fun with Grammy and Poppa

Grammy and Katie duke it out on the bumper cars at Mr. Gatti's.

My sweet, dear Momma. She is always up for fun with the grandkids. And she has deep pockets filled with tokens! Tokens she shared with Katie and Jackson today. Collin and Matt spent the day playing golf.

Kate likes to sit in the front seat of this roller coaster (she doesn't like me to call it the "little" roller coaster because it's big and fast).

Jackson enjoyed another ride on the train.

Jackson and Katie show off their dance moves which I'm certain they have inherited from their father.

And I so sad to say that I did not get a photo of my parents and the kiddos. :( Until next time Grammy and Poppa...

West Texas Outfitters

Well - I honestly don't know what I've done to create the layout of pictures but I cannot fix it it seems. I thought I would have Matt blog about the WTO but after the last post...but I'm too scared.

The WTO started out with 7 young couple friends in the ate 1970s in Post, TX. They had young children or were having their children. The husbands liked to hunt together. The families took vacations together (hunting, hiking, fishing vacations).

And what I believe started out as a practical joke, helped form and define the group's name. Matt's dad, AKA Charles AKA Pops (to our kids), printed out some business cards for the West Texas Outfitters and put another dad's name on the card along with his business telephone number (he was the president of the bank in Post) advertising their services as hunting guides...The West Texas Outfitters. Well, this other dad Ronald really did get calls to set up trips to go hunting but he was really confused about why people were calling the bank and asking for him. And the name stuck. Well, over the years couples have moved away, had more babies, had highs and lows as most families and friends do but they always kept in touch. And this year, 2011, they decided to get all their kids and their kids kids together for a reunion. We met at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. There were 86 people at this reunion and not everyone could make it!! Apparently this group is pretty fertile.

Above - Katie tries to figure out if this cowboy is really a statue in the lobby of the Texan.

The view of the lobby from our room. Jackson napped...I read. Everyone else enjoyed the "water park" AKA the pool with a slide and lazy river.

The Help is an excellent book! I highly recommend!

Our worship service on location at the Texan.

I love this girl for many, many reasons and one of this is that she stops to smell the "roses", something I should always make time to do.

Jackson's 2nd momma pushing him around the lobby.

After we had said our goodbyes and were an hour+ down the road to my parents house in near Abilene, TX, we discovered that I must have left Jackson's special blankie in the parking lot of the hotel (where I changed his diaper before we left). This is a irreplacable special blankie!! Quilted by my Mom, but he always sleeps with it! So we called friends still at the reunion asking them to look for special blankie but I just decided we needed to drive back and look for it.

Right where I left it. Whew!! We had a great time visiting with all the friends and families at the reunion. More Texas pictures to come...