Orr Family Fall Fun!

Tornados really suck.   Probably not the way you thought this happy titled post would start, but it is a true and necessary statement for me to make to set this scene.

This is Orr Family Farm right after the tornado hit in May.    I watched this storm pass right over this area and I knew the memories we made at this special place were precious, because it would no longer be what it was.

I was right.  The news helicopter only captured the tip of the devastation.    Luckily, there was no loss of human life that day, but many of the animals did not make it through this storm.  

I think I might have told you this already, but I think I get why people rebuild in the same path of destruction over and over again.

It is not the land, the home, the valuables that make them want to stay.   It is the people and feeling of home that that particular spot gives them.  The people that show up there and start picking up the rubble and resetting the fence posts.  The sense of community that wraps around those folks who stand devastated before the life they once knew. 

The people come after that tornado.   They repair the foundations and cement down the roots for other’s lives to move forward, and in that foundation, is that sense of home.  HOME.  

That is why they rebuild.

And rebuild a bigger and better  Orr, they did.

When I heard the farm planned to open back up before fall, I really did not think they would be able to get much rebuilt in that time frame.  I wanted to go out and support the farm though, and let them know that the people who love this place want to see it back to its glory days.

Boy, was I ever shocked!   Not only were most of our favorite rides and attractions open, they were updated and better than ever!

There are several parts of the farm that will still need be repaired and rebuilt, but the so many volunteers came and made opening possible. 

Home.

 

This place will be even more awesome next year!  Welcome back, Orr Family Farm!

 

And just for random fun, here are a few shots of my cuties in one of their many Halloweek costumes.   They wore these for our trip out to Storybook forest.   Kaelan read the little map/camping guide for the lake trail where the event is held last year, and refused to wear the shoes with this outfit.   It appears the whole “snake danger” section stuck with her (notice the boots).  

Wild Kratts Party (aka: There is a large tortoise running loose in my backyard.)

My kiddos don’t watch a lot of television.   Not because I am one of those moms who is super worried about the long term damage tv will do to their developing brains.   Mostly, it is due to the fact that we are always busy doing something else.   There have been “those” kind of days where someone feels sick, or mom is super busy and needs an electronic babysitter, or we are on our 4th FRIGGIN SNOW DAY IN A ROW that we watch more TV than usual.  The channel we love most is PBS.   Seth loves Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Kaelan’s favorite is Wild Kratts. 

The truth is, Wild Kratts has now become Seth’s favorite, because it is Kaelan’s favorite.   I DVR the show, and they watch it together while they have an after school snack.  Seth just loves sharing a beanbag and snack with Kaelan.  

He could care less what is on.

So, this year when the big question of birthday theme came up, it was no surprise that Wild Kratts was topping the list.   Once again, my girl chose a theme that was cool, but not yet cool enough to have much out there in the way of party supplies.   Remember when she had an Angry Bird Party?   There was not  a stitch of Angry Bird party stuff out there.  Now?   You can buy  Angry Bird toilet paper and sunscreen.   Next year, I am sure the shelves will be loaded with Wild Kratts gear, however, for this gig, I was left to scramble.

With it being a Wild Kratts theme, I knew animals were a must.   Our friends from Extreme Animals came out and brought along some cute and not so cute  (and slimy) friends for us to enjoy.

Funny story.   I did not know that the Extreme Animals folks had arrived, and while I was busy doing some last minute things about a half hour before the party, they went ahead and pulled up to the backyard and began unloading.  

When I went out back to start covering the tables, I ran right smack into a LARGE tortoise wondering around on my lawn.   There was no one else around, and after freaking out a bit, I ran back inside and started yelling for help.   We have a great many critters out where we live, and I seriously did not connect that animal to the party.   I just figured that guy had wondered up from the ponds……which was logical in my mind at that moment, so don’t judge.

Luckily, just before I got animal control on the phone, I saw some uniformed people from Extreme Animals carrying more exotic critters into the yard in crates.  

Okay, NOW I knew they weren’t coming from the pond.

It took about ten minutes for me to fall in love with that tortoise.   I am begging Doug for one every day.   Think of the money we could save on lawn care and he could cool off down in the ponds I originally thought he came from. 

 

Oh, and you can RIDE on him!!!   I know, why did I buy those ride on toys?? 

LOVE HIM!!

 

There were blue tongued skinks and caimans and lemurs!  Oh, my!

 

We had sweet little kinkajous and kangaroos, and a bat-eared fox I almost hid in my bra so we could keep her.   Look at that wittle sweetie all curled up an sweeping.

 

I came up with some cheesy games a methods of winning “power discs” (which I had to design and print and they will probably sell in the stores next year.  Argh!).

Nest Wrap for the Wasp Disc (Toilet Paper on rollers)

Dam Building for the Beaver Disc (pretzel sticks and chocolate icing)

Fishing for Whale Disc (making this game was a pain in my power disc, but my boy played with it for weeks after the party, so it was worth it)

Insect Hunt for the Bat  Disc (over 150 plastic bugs hid all over an acre of wooded backyard….I still find them when I go back there)

Glacier Fishing for a Polar Bear Disc (Swedish fish frozen into a disc of ice.  They kids had to fish it out with plastic picks.)

 

The kids all had a great time, more importantly, My Girl had a fabulous day.   She continually came up and hugged and thanked me throughout the party. 

Hugged me.   Got that dad?  Hugged ME!  The one who cut out those flipping’ hand-crafted discs and froze her fingers off making polar bear discs.  ME!

I kid.  Dad helped out tremendously, but he did keep asking why I didn’t just buy this stuff……

As usual, we wrote our wishes for the year on the balloons and launched them after the party.  It has become a private affair.  Kaelan leaves the room and writes her message and then brings it back in behind her back.   It is her wish.  Very secret.  

I did get a little peek before launch.   Something about remembering this day her whole life and always having a mom and dad to hug.   Sniff.

We ended the day with obligatory birthday dance…….

 

 

Happy 8th to the most precious (future) animal scientist I know.  

We love you!

Meet Us In St. Louis.

Bless my heart.

I am such a good wife.   Years ago, my sweet husband had a life dream opportunity to go work for his all time favorite team, The Atlanta Braves.   He turned down that dream because he knew living in  Atlanta, GA (again for him) was not something on MY all time dream list, and that it might not be the wisest move for our future children.  Oh, and it also paid virtually nothing for many years until he worked his way up the ladder.   By the way, you can’t feed future kids on nothing.

Anyhow, when he turned down that offer……which really was not as big of a decision as I am making it out to be (he pondered it for about 2 minutes)…..I did give him a big baby talk “Awwww” and kissed his sweet little face and thanked him for making such an selfless  decision and promised him that any time we were within a reasonable distance from  the Braves that we would go watch them.    The few times  they played in Dallas, it was no big deal to jot up from Austin and see them.  Same for Houston.   We even caught them in various places all over the U.S. while vacationing.  

St. Louis and Kansas City  are  really not that far from Edmond, but I am starting to rethink the whole “reasonable distance” statement.   Especially since we now have to travel those “reasonable distances” with the future-now present children.

So…..the Braves did come to St. Louis for a series.  We did make the long weekend trip up to see them.   I do love St. Louis.   If you recall, we considered living near there when we were shopping the market for our next adventure.

The Arch is always fun…..   

….to look at from down below.   Geez.   That little egg thing they put you in to ride to the top is so NOT cool.   Just take my word for it and stay down below.  I don’t think of myself as a claustrophobic person.  

CORRECTION:   I USED to not think of myself as a  claustrophobic person.

 

The view from the top WAS fabulous…

Seth really enjoyed being that high up and yelling down to “wittle people and wittle boats and wittle ballpark and wittle cars and wittle twucks and wittle everysings” below.

And then we told them they had to climb back in the egg to get down and they were all….

We spent the afternoon venturing around downtown,  enjoying the water, getting parking tickets for parking illegally in a place your wife warned you was probably illegal….what?  Did I type that out loud?

 

Later, we hit the first game in the series.  The kids have a new obsession with wanting to be super high.  They want the highest floor at the hotels.  They make us ride all elevators to the highest floor.   They fight over riding on dad’s high shoulders.

Now, we usually have decent seats when we go to ballgames.   We paid our dues in the nosebleed section during college, but these HIGH seats we scored for this game made us rock stars, so we didn’t complain. 

What a view of the Arch and downtown!

We spent the remainder of the weekend at the pool or ballpark.    We made a pit stop to go underground and visit come cool caverns.

    

Our friends Ann and Andy have inspired us to make stops to see some of the country’s great roadside attractions.   There are some pretty crazy things out there along America’s highways that we all need to just stop and enjoy.

Like the world’s largest rocking chair.   I mean, come on people.   This stuff is life changing.  Stop and smell the roses for goodness sake.

Great little visit to St. Louis.   We are already planning our return trip!

You can bet we will be stopping to visit this beauty on our way!