Enjoying the Great Outdoors!

This past weekend found our family in beautiful Oklahoma. For a long time I have wanted to travel north to Turner Falls. A wonderful state park with lots of water, nature, beauty, and fun waterfalls. We were fortunate to have friends and family join us. The drive is north and is just under 2 hours. It was a great drive. We took the surburban which sometimes I love! The suburban doesn't have a movie screen in it, which forces the kids to talk, play, make up games, or just look out the window and enjoy the view! New technology can be a great thing, but sometimes I forget how much simpler life can be without it. AND how much more creative we get to be without it!:) Sometimes that is nice! Once we got to our exit for Turner Falls we were all excited to get out of the car and jump in the water. Yes, before we could jump in, I made everyone pose for some great pics and look at the view from up top. Jordans friend Heidi came with us! What a great sport to put up with me! We jumped back in the car to head to the entrance, drove down the hill, turned the corner, and saw cars, and more cars, and more cars. The line of cars just kept on going. We made our way to the end of the line and waited. It took about half an hour to get to the entrance. Wahoo we thought...we are almost in! Little did we know it would be another 30 minutes before we were actually in a parking spot. Word of advice....don't go on the weekend. Go during the week! The kids were starving, so we drug our cooler, blankets, and chairs to our own little "island" between streams and set up for some yummy lunch!The kids had a blast swimming and playing in the water. We stayed up at the top "swim hole" for awhile where the falls were, then traveled down to the bottom "swim hole" where a slide, diving board, and fun rocks were. Davey was a great sport, and didn't mind hauling a bunch of stuff AND Cody down the hill back to the car!


The slide was super fun. It was a metal slide and when it ended you shot off into the water. There was quite a drop off! Cody wasn't sure he wanted to try it, but once he did, he loved it! Mom and dad even tried it, yes - I must admit, it was super fun to be slung into the air and land on my behind in the water! Once the lifeguard was off duty, the kids were jumping, diving, twisting and turning off the lifeguard stand. Safe??? Probably not, but they were having a blast! Cody was giving Paige and Kristi a mud bath! Some people actually pay a lot of money for that! Wahoo, they will have super soft skin! Never mind they and their swimming suits will be permanently stained from the red clay.
The kids (and adults) had a great time playing games (not being competitive at all:) Rick, Troy, Davey, Jordan and Brayden had a blast. The goal was to catch the ball that was being thrown up into the air. They didn't care about catching it...just that someone else didn't catch it. After playing Davey noticed he didn't have his wedding ring on his finger anymore. Oh my gosh!!! I felt sick for him. We were in what looked like lake water, so very cloudy and merky. Rocks on the bottom with heavy clay.....there was no way we were going to find his ring. Davey put on some goggles, but couldn't really see anything. Rick was standing as the anchor (so they knew where they were) and Troy was sifting the ground with his hands. I went in and tried to feel with my feet...all I could feel was a ton of rocks. After thinking the time was going to come where Davey would have to tell Kristi he lost it.....Troy pops up with the ring in his hand....What are the chances????? I couldn't believe it! Just another example that the Lord really does hear and answer prayers!!!! Thanks family and friends for the day! I loved getting away and spending time with each other.