There's A First Time for Everything

 This last Saturday I attended a family baby shower for Steven's cousin.  Alicia already has one adorable and precious little girl named Avery and now very soon she will be adding another little bundle of girl joy named Sadie.  I am so excited to meet her.  Alicia and her husband Nate create some beautiful babies.  For sure!

I love spending time with Steven's family because I just don't get to see them enough.  I realize they live only 2 hours away and that shouldn't really be a reason to not see each other but it is more that we just all have a lot of kids, we commit ourselves to other things, and we have calendar's with weekends booked weeks out.  I hope that I am not the only one that has a calendar that looks like that!  Surely not right?!

For this special occasion of honoring Alicia and baby Sadie I decided I should do it up!  I had recently purchased this new floral fun spring dress to wear to some upcoming showers and weddings.  I normally always wear flats.  I am a flip flop, tennis shoe, flat sandle type of girl.  When I say always, I want you to understand ALWAYS.  As in, I've never owned a pair of heels in 36 years.  Until last weekend.....

I finally broke down and bought some on clearance at Target.   I didn't want to break the bank for something I didn't know if I could stay fully committed to!  Amazingly, I really liked them.  I have gotten compliments on them every time I put them on, my hubby loves me in them (that should be enough right there), and I feel uber tall which I normally never feel that feeling since I am only 5'4.  Anyways, I believe they were a great $25 purchase and I will be keeping them!  

And now just for a random picture of our Owen.  I can't believe next week he will be turning 6.  Too old Owen.  Too old.....

What Does Schlitterbahn Even Mean?

Schlitter-slippery Bahn-Road (or slide).  So, I guess Schlitterbahn technically translates to Slippery Slide.  I guess I can see that but in our family it translates to "fun".  Yes, there are lots of slides at this park but both times we have visited this park the lines are so long for some of them that we don't even waste our time.  Why stand in line for so long when there are a million other things that are so entertaining?  Lazy river and a wave pool combo?  Yes, that's pretty much exactly what it is.  There are countless opportunities to hop on the river, or float down the roaring rapids on your tube.  I personally like watching Steven and Will in the boogie board pool.  That's pretty funny and I was proud of Will for hopping out there this year and trying it even thought the water is so powerful it knocks him over the moment he steps in it.  He tried though, and I give him props for that.


The weather was very pleasant so we stayed for 7 hours and didn't feel completely worn down like we would have if it were 100 or hotter.  In fact, when we arrived at 9:30am it was only 74 degrees.  Let's just say for the first 3 hours every time I stepped foot into the water again there was some shrieking involved.  That water was ICE!

For anyone reading this that has never been to Schlitterbahn before let me tell you 2 very good things about this park.  1.  They don't charge for parking.  That's becoming uncommon as we are finding out as parents.  I like when parks don't charge for something just because they can.  I mean, come on, we all HAVE to park so why charge for it? That's just dumb.
2.  They allow coolers, food, and drinks to be brought in.  That's another huge bonus in my book.  If you are willing to take the time and pack ice and food and bring it in it will save you TONS of money.  It makes it easier to say "yes" for fun things like Dippin Dots and slushies and things you know your kids will ask for.  Hey, you just saved like $50 in food costs so give those kids the Dippin Dots!!

Our weekend was finished off with a dinner on the Plaza at Buca Di Peppo.  This place is awesome sauce but we don't get to eat there very often because the wait is so long. Another traveler tip...go on the 4th of July.  The whole Plaza shuts down at 8pm so we just got there at normal dinner time and there wasn't a wait anywhere.  We ate lunch today at the new Slim Chickens and we all voted Cain's and CFA are better (another tip if you haven't tried the new one in Broken Arrow yet).  It wasn't bad, I'm not knocking it but I just think the value wasn't as good as Cain's and the food wasn't as tasty.  Just my opinion.  Hope you all had a great weekend with your family and friends!

An Extra Inning Win

 This holiday weekend we loaded up the car, dropped the dog off at the boarding vet clinic, and headed up to Kansas City. This weekend was special to me because it was Owen's first professional game to attend in any sport. This stadium means a lot to my dad (this is where he was raised for some of this life) and I was happy to have him there to watch the game and to see Owen experience it all for the first time.  Truthfully, I didn't think Owen would do that well.  Owen doesn't sit for very long (anyone that knows him knows I am being truthful).  We were actually all so proud of him.  He did amazing and loved every part of the game.  He was free to yell and scream and hop up and down whenever he pleased.  He was free to eat junk, drink pop, and signal whatever passing concession stand guy for food (he learned that trick by the bottom of the 1st inning). 


He picked a great game to see for his first Royals experience.  We were down most of the game and came back to tie it 3-3 in the 9th inning.  Yes, I was ready for the game to be over but I really wanted a win for the home team on this sell out baseball night (complete with fireworks at the end).  So...to make that happen the game went into extra innings. By the bottom of the 10th the Royals had won with a 4-3 victory and the crowd went wild.  Again, just another opportunity for Owen to scream bloody murder if he so decided to. And he did.  He screamed so loud off and on over the 4 hours that I truly thought he would be hoarse the next day.  Nope, no such luck. That boy has got a good voice box for sure!

We enjoyed our time together at the ball park and loved the fireworks show at the end and the victory the Royals pulled off over the Twins.  It was a great night and an awesome weekend spent with family and celebrating the holiday.  Hope everyone had an awesome time with their loved ones as well.  

The Fireworks Go BOOM

 Last night we all headed over to my Aunt Jan's house (my mom's youngest sister) and we shot off some fireworks.  Due to the fact that my sister and dad wake up before the sun we had to do "early fireworks" because they had to get home to go to sleep.  Lame.  I wish they knew what sleeping in means. The boys and I took full advantage of that this morning and didn't crawl out of bed until 8:22.  Sooooo nice. Just another reason I love summer:)

Anyways, I took my two homemade blackberry cobblers I made (from the berries we picked at the farm) and we loaded up the car with fireworks, family, chairs, bug spray, and cobblers and drove to her house.  Nothing says the 4th like bugspray, cobbler, and blowing up buckets right?  Yes, you heard that right.  We are a part redneck family and Steven loves to create sparkler bombs wrapped in electrical tape, place them under a 10 gallon plastic bucket and watch the bucket either A.  explode into a million pieces or B.  Fly 50 feet in the air. What fun times!

We had a great 4th together as a family and I was glad we were all able to hang out since we will all be going different directions over this holiday weekend.  Jan and her family are staying here (I do believe), Angela and her fam are heading down to San Antonio, and the rest of us are heading up to Kansas City for a Royals/Twins game, more fireworks, and shopping.  Steven and I will be taking the boys all day Saturday to Schlitterbahn.  Everyone enjoy your weekend and the 4th.  Stay safe!

Summer Makes Me Happy

I can remember summer as a child. As a child I viewed summer as playtime. Late nights, late mornings, swimming, playing with friends, and watermelon outside with sweet juice dripping down my chin.  For my boys, I want to give them these same memories.  And let me be honest with you, I enjoy summer now (as a parent) I think even more than I did when I was a child.  I love the freedom summer brings.  I love the "no schedule" and the "let's stay up late and sleep in in the morning."  I love it all.  Mostly, I love the memories my children are now making of THEIR summers.  I love that they play with each other all day long with mostly no fighting.  I love play dates at the pool, and nights filled with trampoline jumping and baseball playing (I am a pretty good pitcher).  

This summer only has around 6 weeks left and that makes me sad.  I am probably even more sad about that fact than my children are (well, Will for sure) because they both have mentioned how much they miss their school friends.  I will miss my boys something fierce once school starts up again.  It normally takes me about a month to get used to the quietness that school time brings.  I will get used to it again, I am sure, but for now I will enjoy the crazy and the loud and the hot because I know in 6 more weeks it will all be over.  

In 6 more weeks I will be able to spend WAY more time dwelling on decisions like barn doors, floor plans, pool design, and dinner table options.  Dinner tables such as this...Isn't this a beauty?  Not sure if that is totally the way I want to go because I was thinking round but I still really like this one.  In 6 weeks, I'll make my decision... 

Until then...I will play baseball and cool off at the pool while eating a cobbler that I made from fresh berries we picked earlier that morning.  Summer time happiness...

Life's Too Short

 I don't want to start this blog being a Debbie Downer but more and more these days I am realizing how life is really too short.  In a blink of your eye your life can change.  You can lose loved ones, friends, family, siblings, jobs, or spouses.  Just today I learned of a friend from high school losing his sister yesterday (she's younger than me)...my precious Mamaw is about to meet Jesus any day.  Life is too short.  

On that note, I realize how precious friendships are to me. To say I love Andrea as just a best friend just doesn't seem like enough.  Those words "best friend" don't feel deep enough.  I am 36.  We have been best friends for 25 years.  Do the math.  I have known her and had her as a friend for more years than not in my life.  I can hardly remember life before her or without her in it.  I hope and pray that Jesus comes back before I will ever have to imagine my life without her in it any longer.  We complete each other's sentences, we know what each other is thinking before the other even talks, we can answer questions about that person that no one (sometimes not even our spouses) know. There is NO ONE I would rather spend a weekend with.  

No offense to any of my other friends (I love you all too). On this visit to Oklahoma we also got to spend time with Chris who has known Andrea even longer than I have.  I met Andrea at age 12.  They met at 9 years old.  9!  I think of my son Will who will be 9 in November and think "That is the age when we all met."  It blows my mind and makes me ponder how important and paramount it is to chose Godly friends and people that make a positive impact on your life because if you are as blessed as we all have been these people could be in your life for the entire REST of your life. Sometimes that boggles my mind!

It seems strange to me that this might have very well been the last time Andrea will stay with me in our current home. Hopefully and God willing next time she comes we will be in our new home and she can be here to help me decorate and plan and maybe UNPACK?!  I just signed her up for that one:)  She totally has great style and I know I could use her experience there.  This weekend she got to see our land and the neighborhood we will be building in.  Next time there will be a house on that land.  No, correction, next time there will be a home. A home that I will gladly welcome her (and other friends) into with open arms.  I can not wait.  

Safe travels home my friend.  Until next time....

Can You See My Dilemma???

 Can't you see my problem here? These doors are all amazing and I am having a major problem making my decision.  Should I do red, blue, teal, turquoise, wood grain, non wood grain, skinny, fat, hardware, no hardware, handles, no handles....Oh my!  I know the majority of you probably think I am a little crazy putting this much thought into one little door but this is a BIG deal for me.  I have never been the one who wants the latest fad in her home.  This is something I have always wanted BEFORE it was even the "in thing" to do.  To say that it is now the cool thing is so awesome to me that it's hard to put into words (yes, I get really excited about some pointless things in life).  


Should it enter into a bedroom, a bathroom, a movie room, a laundry room, or into a really cool closet?  Can anyone help me and maybe give me some more suggestions that I haven't thought of yet?  On the other hand...maybe that isn't such a good idea.  I am already losing sleep over this stinking door.  If you think I am joking about that PLEASE think again because I am 100% serious.  


This door situation is killing me and it is only the first of many big decisions regarding our home.  My oh my....