Southwest Oklahoma Road Trip with the Boys

  Dennis had to work two weeks in Lawton and didn't get to come home the weekend, so the boys and I made a road trip there to visit. It turned out that an area of Oklahoma that I'd only passed through a time or two was actually pretty amazing! We stayed at the camper with Dennis (who was very happy to see us) and went to the Chisolm Trail Heritage Museum in Duncan, had a picnic lunch with Dennis near his job in Lawton, then made a scenic drive through the Wichita Mts. Wildlife Refuge and to the visitor center there. We hated to come home so soon, but it;s time to get ready for Clayton's first birthday party!

Chisolm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, Ok- "End of the Trail" marker for the "trail" in the concrete...way cool

View in the Wildlife Refuge

Longhorn cattle, buffalo, and prairie dogs were all spotted on our drive

Visitors Center at Wichita Mts. Wildlife Refuge

A cool wall sculpture/ mural in the visitor center

Road Trippin'

Hubby and I were blessed to be able to take a road trip weekend, just the two of us. We just drove, made no plans, except sleeping in...you know, the kind of stuff you dream about after you have children, but rarely get to do. So, we left home Friday morning and ended up in Arkansas. Now, I know that doesn't sound too exciting, but really it was. We took Talimena Scenic Byway all the way to Mena, Arkansas where we found a cute little place with cabins (Mena Mountain Top Cabin Motel) and dined at The Fish Net Restaurant, which was fantastic! Oh, and by the way, Mena is in a dry county, no beer. Closest beer was actually in Oklahoma...go figure. Saturday morning, we took a little jaunt to Hot Springs, Arkansas and checked out the Hot Springs National Park, which was totally cool. It was so wonderful to take a road trip with my man!

Scenic Talimena Drive- Even in winter it is beautiful!

Our cute little cabin in Mena, AR

Sunset over the Ouchita Mountains from our cabin porch

Some of the trees were already blooming in Hot Springs- this is outside the Natl. Park Admin Building

Hot springs fountain in part of the promenade part of the park

Hot Springs National Park Visitors Center- in the old Fordyce Bath House that you can tour

Checking out the bath house...sweat box, anyone??

The details in the bath house (built early 1900's) are amazing! This is one of the ceilings.

The actual spring flowing that feeds this bath house

Ranger Rains

One of the old tubs that were used in the bath houses....I want one for my house! It would hold a ton of hot water!

Go, Cooper, Go!

Cooper had a fun 4th birthday last Saturday at the Three Forks Nature Center. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the animals and we even got to pet a snake, beaver, and skunk! Cooper just had to have a "Go, Diego, Go!" theme, so the nature center was perfect for "Cooper Diego", as he calls himself.

Aunt Re-re helped the kids find their goodies on a scavenger hunt

Cooper found a clue...for what, I'm not sure, but he's really into clues

I made and decorated this cake. Coop was so excited about it and I made a jello poke cake with blue jello at his request...it was not bad, either!

After party was taking toys out and playing all evening

Camping

We took a couple days off to go camping last Thursday and Friday and came home Saturday. We went to Robber's Cave State Park in Wilburton, which we had never been to before and we had a lot of fun taking it easy and checking out the scenery. Luckily, we decided to wait til Thursday morning to leave after we got some nasty storms Wednesday night. On Thursday, we checked out the park area, including making a trek to the cave and visiting the Nature Center. Friday, we took a little drive to Pocola, Oklahoma and picked our own strawberries at Wild Things Farm. We love camping together and making memories that will last forever!

Cuteness

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Okay, so I haven't posted in a week and A LOT has been going on and I had a few cute pictures to post, too!


Our friends, Morgan and Shawn came to visit with their twins, David and Grace on Friday. The kids had such a blast together. We all hung out at the shop and the kids played with each other and on the trucks. Dennis took the boys for a ride in the tractor, Grace wasn't as thrilled about that, though. We all went on the first boat ride of the season and ate dinner at Whitehorn Cove on the lake. Then we threw them all in the tub for a bath after it was all over. I know Cooper slept really good! So glad we got to see them!! This picture is all three of them, they wanted to sit on the swing before we went out on the boat.


I took this one of Cooper at Mamaw & Papaw's cabin last week, he has so much fun exploring and playing outside with Papaw




Fishies! On Mother's Day, we had lunch with the rest of the Rains crew and in-laws at Western Hills Guest Ranch in Sequoyah State Park. To get there, you have a really nice scenic drive and there is a nature center in the park. I just had to go since it was open and Cooper thought it was pretty neat, too.