Talking in the Hammock

This was just too sweet not to share, one of the "priceless" moments from our visit to Oklahoma. A conversation with Grandpa Frog Lips & Squirrel Girl.

Friends of the Attic Reunion

David and I are lucky to have many close friendships...we still keep in touch with friends we went to school with at the University of Oklahoma via a group on yahoo. It's a great way to keep in touch with everyone when we are spread across the map from Alaska to South Carolina and everywhere in between.

We were fortunate to meet up with these folks in Ada, while visiting family in Oklahoma. The kids were able to climb trees, wade in the creek, jump on the trampoline, scramble up the tree house, drink some pirate punch(cranberry juice & margarita mix), or play with Max & Dexter's mountain of toys:) Meanwhile the adults enjoyed some delicious food, mojitos with Gypsy's "simple syrup" recipe, a Wedding via webcam, congratulations Robert & Vergie's, too bad we all couldn't come to Vegas to celebrate with you.

Kim & Gabby cool their feet

But I think everyone enjoyed hanging out, visiting, and remembering "the good old days" even though Mike, I mean Mark has trouble remembering ALL of the FOTA members....Huh, Mark. Thanks again to Tim and Amy for opening up their home and cooking up some tasty foods. Amy got the recipe for her tasty potato salad at Smitten Kitchen. Check out some of those photos!Mark was presented with a OU Gnome
and plaque for being the winner of the
"You Pick'Em" basketball tournament

Summer is the perfect time to reconnect, hope you're taking a few moments to delight in the company of friends, and family.

A Peaceful walk

Beginning the day the right way can make you feel so energetic, a bowl of fruit with breakfast, then out the door and down the hill to raise the heart rate. Walking......there are so many more things to notice when your feet are hitting the pavement and not pushing on the gas petal: Aspen leaves blowing the in wind, Bluebells scattered on the side of the road, the casual wave of a stranger winding down the curving road, dragonflies darting about, the crunch of the gravel under foot, or the puffy clouded sky filled with creatures just waiting to the discovered. A walk is always a delight for the senses. Sense I like this definition from my MacBook ( sense of) a keen intuitive awareness of or sensitivity to the presence or importance of something. While strolling down Rosie Creek these are just a few of the delights that that my senses encountereredI thought this was Dwarf Fireweed, but after looking at a picture I'm not sure. Any hints? But the following picture I recognize well and was happy to see the first of it's kind as I kicked up my step.
Fireweed (Common Fireweed) Epilobium angustifolium many say that when this flower has bloomed all the way to the top summer has ended. I was glad to see it's colorful blooms greet me as I rambled on down the road......but it also means you better get out and enjoy this beautiful Alaskan summer while it lasts. Tt is after all, after Solstice, and we are on the down side.

A Baseball Game::Water Fun::Lazer Zone::Papa's Ribs

I am running just a wee bit behind on posting for this blog since we have been SO busy enjoying time with our family and friends. This past week we went to a Redhawks baseball game in Bricktown. When the players leave the field to go to the dug out they would throw the ball to the kids sitting in the stands and both Jake and his cousin Brittany managed to catch a ball!!! But silly Mom forgot the camera...shucks. After the game Jake asked if he could have a mitt and he has had "ball fever" ever since. He even enjoys watching baseball on TV, now really who enjoys that?
Ben had his first "real" sleep over with his cousin Gavin. He enjoyed playing with his pirate ship and all of the kids enjoyed playing in the sprinkler and mud puddles at my niece Rebekah's house. Her daughter Brooklyn and Zoe had a wonderful time dressing up and playing together.


Jake enjoyed throwing the ball around with Rebekah and then the kids headed to the local school yard for a game of ball with David and in this heat(it's been hitting 90 degrees everyday) that is truly special. What a sweet daddy!

Of course one of the highlights for the kids was a trip to Lazer Zone which has video games, batting cages, virtual soccer, NEON bowling (they turn on black lights and everything glows), mini golf, a large play area and a snack center. Of course the best thing about this for the adults is that it is all INDOORS and out of the heat! A good time was had by all, while the kids whooped it up the adults enjoyed catching up!


And what visit wouldn't be complete with out Papa's Ribs! He slow smokes these juicy pork ribs for about eight hours over hickory chips. For years I have tried to get him to open a BBQ stand 'cause he would sell out in a matter of hours each day...yes, they are that GOOD! Thanks you Papa for smokin' us up some yummy southern barbecue.

Fun with Family

Flight from Fairbanks to Dallas, Texas ..........$wallet stripping
Drive from Dallas to Oklahoma ......................$120 compared to the alternative $220 each for a flight...yikes
Time spent with our family............................... priceless

We are truly enjoying our family and friends during this trip home. One afternoon we went into Oklahoma City to pick up Granny Moore and take her to lunch at the Bricktown Brewery. Granny wanted to take the kids to one of the free splash parks, but we couldn't find it, but instead we went to Earlywine Public Pool and let me tell you they don't make pools like this when I was a kid. This pool came complete with two water slides a floating turtle slide, two diving boards, and a cool kids splash area. Even Zoe and Ben tried this tower of fun....with Mom and Dad wrapped around them of course. Granny stayed wrapped up in a towel to keep the sun off her, but still wanted to take the kids to get some ice cream to cool off after all of our fun in the sunshine! Thank you great Granny, for a wonderful afternoon.

The boys alway love fooling around with their Grandpa Foshee. He has all kinds of cool toys, including rock tumblers, four-wheelers, wood working tools, a fun new Bolo Golf game (check out how to make one here), and of course what small farm wouldn't be complete without a tractor. After helping Grandpa split and stack wood, Grandpa rewarded the boys with $10 each and a fun ride in the front end loader of the tractor. Granny and Mom were a little worried at first, but Grandpa is a pretty good driver and we stopped fretting and started snapping pictures once our hearts stopped racing! This is something the boys will be talking about for months to come and I am sure it will become a tradition to ride on Grandpa's tractor each time we come to visit.

David and I have enjoyed some time to ourselves one night Granny Foshee watched the kiddos and we went to Norman, our old stomping ground, where David and I went to college. We enjoyed a delicious meal and and some cold drinks at Jason's AKA Franken's great new house. Danika surprised me with a Yarn bag and some knitting magnets! Friends are so throughtful!!! Thanks Danika! Another night Aunt Traci wanted the kids to sleepover so David and I dropped off the kids in the afternoon and were able to hit The Red Cup for some much needed joe and SWAK a sweet yarn store just happened to be next door. They didn't have the Noro, a type of yarn, I needed to finish up a project so we went to The Gourmet Yarn. They had a great selection and were VERY helpful. After that we met up with David's parents and they took us out to eat at a delicious Mexican Restaurant in Shawnee. We even had sopaipillas with strawberries and ice cream! What a relaxing evening!

The fun continued when all of David's cousins on his moms side came out to his folk's house for a night of swimming, more tractor rides, burgers and dogs hot off the grill served with all of the wonderful summer side dishes, plenty of rounds of Bolo Golf, and of course swinging and playing in the sand box! Jake had a great time showing Lauren and Erin (twins) around the ponds, when Zoe wasn't having them carry her around or play babies. David and I both enjoyed catching up with everyone, playing games, and visiting with his Granny Barnes. I think she really enjoyed having all of her "chicks" in the same place for a night of family fun.
These are just a few of the highlights from the week we spend with Granny and Grandpa Foshee. This week we will be at my Dad's house and have plenty more exciting adventures planned with my brother and his family. Stay tuned for more family fun!!!

Coming Home

When you are away from a place that you lived for most of your life you tend to forget about some of the things that you LOVE about that place. David and I both grew up in Oklahoma and we are thrilled to be able to share some of our childhood experiences with our children: watching thunderstorms roll in across the plains::fireflies::listening to the crickets::tree swings::riding on the tractor::long lovely sunsets::playing at the pond::tromping through the woods at Granny and Grandpas::sitting on the front porch::playing games in the yard like Bolo Golf (a great new game) and croquet::picking peaches warm off the tree::riding the 4-wheeler::running down to Great Granny's to play and get a cookie from the jar that is never empty::listing to the whippoorwill after dark sing their song::spending the night with the cousins::swimming::enjoying warm summer nights!

There are just few things we miss about Oklahoma

Oklahoma in Pictures

Pictures from top left: sunset over hay bales, Indian paint brush, cow skull on a fence post, alfalfa field, Foshee mailbox sign, beautiful barn, wagon wheel fence, recently planted field, giant Blackjack Oak tree, cows being herded, round hay bales, fence, Granny's garden in red earth, wheat field, windmill.