Before the pandemic you didn't get a fall break, but I'm so glad you do now!
It's a vacation week without any holidays in it; nothing we have to do. Just relaxation.
And this year, we decided to take our relaxation on the road to Oklahoma and visit a place we hadn't been to in many years: Beavers Bend State Park!
We rented a cabin, played Monopoly during the rain, had camp fires, s'mores, hot dogs, told silly disgusting jokes, kayaked down the river, skipped stones, went into town for mini-golf and wax hands and 'mining,' rode horses, rode the train (twice...and julia you won the cotton candy raffle the second time!), hiked...and hiked more...and got lost...and hiked more to get unlost, and went on nightly walks with our headlamps.
We saw deer at night, deer during the day; creepy glowy eyes at night (deer and one opossum); a lot of cool frogs and one bigfoot (just kidding).
You two set up a trading post and system to trade precious gems.
It was a time of togetherness -and waters rose and fell- and I am so thankful we were able to do it as a family.
I can't wait to be in the woods with the four of us again...no cell signal...smell of campfire...and sore legs with fully bellies and hearts.
Aidan, when you fractured your humerus and the doctor said we had to limit your movement and physical activity for like a million years, I knew that we couldn't go on the fall Hiking Laser Bears trip.
But, that didn't mean we couldn't go on a dudes trip!
So, when your arm is broke..and you can't go camp... Who you gonna call?
Pops and me! That's right! We had a fun dudes trip to Fort Worth instead- and it was a blast!
We ate burritos.
We went to a comic book store.
We took a great hike through a butterfly garden and to a waterfall...
...where shoes got wet, rocks got thrown, hills got climbed, stones got skipped, and a nice young girl asked you your name (and you later told us that made you blush).
We went back to the hotel where we swam and hot tubbed in their indoor pool, and made funny beards and wigs and faces in the (soap? (hopefully??)) foam that emerged from the hot tub's bubblers.
We dined on some delicious burgers.
We made our way to the concert hall, where we - all three of us together ... you in the middle- watched and laughed and got a little scared and proved that WE aren't afraid of no ghosts!
We kept you up WAY past your bedtime, but we had a blast doing it. You, me, and pops. Laughing and having fun way into the evening hours.
To top it all off we met with Uncle Dana, Aunt Mendi, and Grayson for breakfast the next morning, before we headed home and on to the next adventure.
It's fall! That means we're on target for a fun fall camping trip with the Rainbow Pizza family!
By this point, you're pretty comfortable with the whole camping thing, and you're even giving US tours!
And...guess what...it was also your SEVENTH birthday!
So, mid-day, I picked you up and Ellie from school, we loaded up the car and...
3 hours later we pulled into Camp Classen in Davis Oklahoma!
As your BFFs started arriving, you all hugged, and ran, and unpacked, and played "Harry Potter," walkie talkies, and explored into the woods as the sun began to set.
The fire roaring, you all roasted marshmallows, sang, and giggled, played, and welcomed our new recruits!
I tucked you in, got you in bed, and was hanging out by the campfire. You came out, barefoot in the cold, to see me. Your tooth that had been hanging on by a thread for months was bothering you. "It's time for it to come out, Daddy," you said. "Can you pull it out?" Now of course, Mommy and I had been trying to pull this tooth out for weeks with no luck! But, I was willing to try! So you sat on my lap by the campfire so I could see. I said on 'three' I would yank. So I started counting... ... 1.... PULL!
"Daddy! You did it! It feels good! Wait...am I bleeding?"
I couldn't see...so I took a picture with the flash and.... I told you "Just a little bit sweetie."
But oh my gosh it was a LOT of blood!!!!!!!!! You swished and swished and swished and finally the blood stopped coming. But you were so happy!
And you wrapped it in tin foil, (because CAMPING!) and tucked it under your pillow on top of the sleeping bag in the top bunk in the middle of the woods in Oklahoma.
And in the morning, you were delighted to find that the tooth fairy had come to find you! She took your tooth and replaced it with a big gold coin!
You named the coin "coiny" and tucked it safely into your bunk and we all ventured out into the amazingness of a crisp, cool, camping day!
Marching to breakfast!
The hike!
Lunch and messing around camp!
Axe-throwing! Archery! BBs! Bug Catching!
...and HORSEBACK RIDING!
We wrapped the day with more playing by the campside, and a march down to the bonfire where you- seven-year-old lady - got a special Adventure Guides Birthday Recognition at the bonfire!
What an amazingly fun camping weekend. It was an EPIC birthday, and I am so thankful for the time spent with you, time spent alongside you, and time you have growing and bonding with your buddies. And, I so grateful that you and I are buddies too!
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