childrens zoo adventure

Today we took advantage of the 80 plus degree weather and checked out the new childrens zoo at the OKC ZOO!  Dalton's Uncle Kevin and his little girl as well as his Aunt Dawn and her youngest daughter joined in on the excitement!  It took a few phone calls to get all of their schedules coordinated that happens when you have a one year old, three year old and a six year old I suppose!  When we arrived all six of us and two strollers packed into this mommas Saturn Outlook...barely the zoo was much more crowded than I had anticipated!  I guess we weren't the only ones enjoying the nice weather and new addition to the zoo! 

I hate to say it but I wasn't TOTALLY IMPRESSED...and that made me a little bit SAD:(  I was really hoping for it to be more of a petting zoo but not so much...the only animals that the kids can interact with are the little goats...there are plenty to see like sheep, pigs, donkeys, chickens, rabbits, monkeys and birds!  Oh I forgot you can feed the birds...Aunt Dawn can tell you all about that!  She had two feeding from her hands and one on her shoulder that peed all over her...lovely!  Dalton spent that time thinking about his crabby attitude aka time out for throwing several BIG FITS!  After his time out we got a cold drink and a snack that seemed to help his crabby attitude until he tripped and fell on the way to the carousel...OUCH OUCH OUCH!  Bless his little crabby heart...he got both his knees GOOD!  Lots of tears...lots of screaming...luckily Aunt Dawn had some bandages!  After mommy played doctor we headed to do a few rides like the carousel, the kiddy train, the bouncey house and the play ground!  And after that we headed home...the one year old needed her afternoon nap and Aunt Dawn's oldest needed to have someone home when she gets off the bus!  So we piled back in the Saturn and headed home in the air conditioning...the temperature outside was 89 degrees!  When we got home Dalton was lucky enough to find a package waiting for him on the front porch...one of his favorite things to do is get a package in the mail!  Today the package was from his Grandma Wanda and inside was a BIG chocolate bunny...both Dalton and his cousin Emily enjoyed a bite or two of the bunny!

Uncle Kevin with all of the kidos...

pigs sleeping...OOOHHH! 

Sheep sleeping...AHHHHH!

Lots of lively goats...OHHHH!

Dalton and his cousin both enjoyed the water features in the childrens zoo the best...there is a waterfall and a small water park aka flat area with a bunch of water squirting up!  They were both packed!

Cousins helping each other out...Dalton wasn't real sure about all of those river rocks under his toes!

Still love his little toes...

Another favorite that did not include animals even though we were at the zoo...cool safari truck...lucky for mommy the door didn't open!  Dalton said he wanted one for his birthday!  He also spotted a very small trash truck on the zoo grounds while we were on the carousel!

very sweet little boy

Atleast that's what his very first evaluation form said from MDO!  Today we received a brief evaluation form about our little guys...I won't report all of the details however I will report the teacher comments!

Dalton is a very sweet little boy.  Just the fact that he can remember his manners is simply amazing!  He interacts well with his peers and seems to have many friends.  He is a joy to have in our class.

The only item on the list that he hasn't mastered was being potty trained...

boo we are still working on that one:)

must post valentine's day before easter

We had a busy Valentine's Day week and weekend! 

Dalton had a Valentine's Day Party at MDO and I captured a few photos...they had a variety of snacks and then a craft!  They each got a party hat and got to decorate it with valentine themed stickers, etc.  And then when they were done they were invited to fill it full of candy! FUN:)

This ended up being the boys table...it was funny how there ended up being a boys and girls table...I think they each had one of the other gender but that was about it!  Dalton's hat turned out FANTASTIC of course! 

 The girls table...busy making their valentine's day party hats a.k.a. candy holder!

 The boys could sit no longer...they escaped to what they called their rocket ship!

 And the friend coming up the slide was their rocket ship princess...I agree that every rocket ship needs a beautiful princess!

Just some of the yummy treats and valentine cards he got from his MDO pals!

Friday night Dalton had two of his three cousins spend the night...his first official slumber party...he had been asking to have one for quite some time.  And daddy was out of town Friday night and Saturday so mommy tackled it on her own!  Plus it gave his cousins mom and dad and opportunity to have an early Valentine's Day dinner/date!  Dalton and Emily played until we had to pick up Madison from dance practice and then headed to Cici's Pizza for dinner...what was I thinking!  Cici's was crazy I can't wait to experience Incredible Pizza some day hopefully not soon!  After dinner we headed home took a BIG TUB and got everyone squeaky clean and watched a movie...I think it was Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs but my memory is fading since it was almost a month ago.  After several adjustments to the sleeping arrangement...we made a HUGE bed on the floor in Dalton's room and Madison read stories...well she tried Dalton wasn't a very good listener...he was wound up just a LITTLE! 

The storm before the calm...

Madison trying to read bedtime stories, Emily trying to listen and Dalton was just being plain obnoxious! 

I think we were all finally asleep around 11pm and Madison ended up sleeping in my room...the little people were too restless and noisey for her to go to sleep!  They actually slept until about 8am and then we hit Krispy Creme drive thru for YUMMY donuts and more movie watching at home.  Madison left earlier than Emily because she had more dance practice and once they were both gone...clean up began!  Luckily Dalton's Uncle Kevin & Aunt Joanna stopped by with his third cousin and took him for about an hour to go feed the ducks and hang out at their house so I could get a jump start on the house...thank you soooo much!  When I picked Dalton up I was having a headache and by the time we got home I was sick sick sick...and have no idea where it came from.  Luck was on my side again because daddy got back in town right after we got home...I spent the rest of the evening and most of the next day in bed feeling horrible with flu like symptoms.  Daddy did a great job taking care of Dalton and me while I was sick...I have not been sick like that since before Dalton was born...NO FUN!

Mommy insisted that we celebrate Valentine's Day the next morning and gave my valentines there cards, candy and stuffed frogs!  Sometimes they are frogs but most of the time they are quite the prince charmings.  They spoiled me with a dozen pink roses, a BIG balloon that played music, candy and a stuffed animal...that of course Dalton asked if he could have.  The roses unfortunately didn't last very long so my prince charming called the florist and this princess received another dozen pink roses the following Monday!  YIPPEE!

Dozen roses #1...they smelled amazing!  But they didn't last but about two days:(

Dozen roses #2...they smelled just as good and lasted a week or so:)

spring break adventure number three...more wide open spaces...day 2

Well after getting to bed late around 10pm and waking up about 7am Dalton was ready to go go go back to Uncle Dee's!  Grandma got up early and fixed us a hot breakfast with eggs, bacon and biscuits...of course Dalton just had some yogurt...even though he normally loves eggs and I had asked Grandma to cook two for Dalton!  You just never know with that boy!  Shortly after Grandma left for work we started getting ready for the day and that meant showers for mommy and daddy while we entertain Dalton...lucky for us Grandma had stocked up on a few things like water colors, coloring books, stickers and crayons!  It kept him busy for a short while and then he finally got to watch a Chugington (not sure about the spelling) a cute show on Disney that several other mommy friends had mentioned to me! 

Toy Story water coloring set...fun fun fun!  And some artwork for grandma's fridge!

Once we got to Uncle Dee's we got the news that two calves had been born earlier in the morning...how exciting Dalton would get to see them later in the day!  The other good news was that their grandkids were coming out to play along with their parents...they played together well during our visit over Thanksgiving and we hoped the same would happen today!  And after a short meltdown about having to share toys Dalton got himself together right before they arrived and they all three played together all afternoon...good times!  It was finally time to round everyone up and head out to go see the calves! 

Dalton climbing the fence...let me in!  Please!

Uncle Dee is bottle feeding one of  the calves and the other picture is one of the two calves...they were much bigger than I thought they would be! 

Just Daddy and Dalton hanging out!

Dalton was done with the calves and being entertained by the puppies...that's what he called them!

King of the sand pile...the three of them playing!  And just so you know Dalton thought it would be a great idea to jump down...but it took him two jumps and the last jump had a landing that screamed that had to hurt but he contiued to do it over and over again!  That's my boy!

Daddy and Dalton racing...again!  This was right before Dalton ran him off the road...

After Dalton ran daddy off the road they drove around in the field for a short while before we had to pack up and go home!  Leaving wasn't pretty...Dalton had such a great time and we are so glad to have a place to take him that he can have SO MUCH FUN! 

One more shot of our wide open space getaway...my pictures really don't do it justice!  You can see forever and ever out there!  It really is beautiful...I appreciate the view and the boys (daddy and Dalton) appreciate the red dirt and tractors...somehow we always make it work!

We headed back to grandma's house where we picked her up and headed to Elk City to eat dinner and do some shopping at Wal-mart!  We ate at McDonald's and got grandma some shelving at Wal-mart and Dalton got to pick out a toy...a john deere tractor...surprise surprise!  Oh I forgot to mention the HUGE meltdown at the Wal-mart checkout whent he lady asked to scan his tractor...that hadn't happend in awhile!  Apparently our lack of sleep was really kicking in at this point...so this mommy carried him out of Wal-mart with a few people looking on some probably wondering what had happend and others knowing exactly what had happend!  Daddy and grandma stayed behind to pay for things and said there was another couple that asked if he was 3 because they have one that is 3 and have been there and done that!  It's always nice to know that you're not alone!  Mommy and Dalton made it out to the car and had a little time out in our car seat...and after that he said "Mommy I love you!"  And guess what I love him too! 

Oh and one more thing...on the way home we saw the best moon ever it looked just like a huge smile and you could see the outline of the rest of the moon...the sky is easier to enjoy at night out in Roger Mills County...not as many city lights distracting from the moon and stars! 

spring break adventure number three...wide open spaces day #1

We headed to Roger Mills County to spend some time with daddy's childhood friend and his mother!  It's a great place for mommy's to relax and daddy's and sons to play...so that's what we did!  Every time we go there I get a greater appreciation of what it means to live in a small town and why Dalton's daddy loved growing up there SOOO much!  Don't get me wrong...this city girl isn't ready to give up her Super Target just yet but it is nice to go for a couple of days and get away!

We got there right around lunch time and were treated to some YUMMY burgers...they are cattle ranchers after all!  And then a short ride to see the control burns in the area...but all Dalton could talk about was getting back to ride the jeep and the tractor...that boy was on a mission!  He stumbled upon the BIG sand piles and gave the jeep a rest for a short while!  We stayed until around 4pm...that's when Grandma Wanda got off work and then headed to her house to pick her up and head to Canadian, TX to meet daddy's sister Aunt Cindy and Uncle Mike for dinner!  I would have pictures from there but my camera battery went dead after I took the picture of the dinosaur on the way to dinner...sorry...I was hoping to get some pictures at dinner but it just didn't happen!  It made for a full day to say the least but we all enjoyed it and Dalton really was a trooper! 

Dalton hanging out on one of the two LARGE sand piles...I remember when he first spotted them!  His eyes got real BIG and he said can I play in the sand  p l e a s e!  I think this picture shows the wide open space that we enjoyed over the break!  It's nice to get away from the city and just breathe!

Two classic metal tonka trucks...what more does a little guy like Dalton need?!?!?

SOOO busy filling them up and dumping them out...you would think that he would tire of this but he never seems to!

The boy LOVES his battery operated transportation...it can be his John Deere tractor, Harley Davidson motorcycle or his friend Jera's HOT PINK Barbie Jeep he loves them all!

Dalton totally remembered exactly where that HOT PINK Barbie jeep stays parked along with another bigger blue one and he wanted to head straight for it...the BIG BIG BIG building that you see in the above picture!

There are doors at both ends  so he just made a track out of it and went round and round and round!  That's daddy's childhood friend "Uncle" Dee in the backgorund...he is the nice man that let's us come and play on his toys...and his wife is really sweet too!  She feed us some YUMMMY food two days while we were there!

Dalton along the side of the building he was SO CONTENT there!

Love this shot with him looking out over the land...or maybe just away from my camera!

MORE smiles...Dalton actually wanted me to take this picture...SHOCKER!  That boys loves his John Deere!

Dalton getting to help daddy with the front end loader attachment!

Dalton racing daddy...I think the Gater may have a little more get up and go but Dalton was trying hard to pull ahead!

Stopping to discuss their next move...YEAH on to see some of the cows!

Daddy letting Dalton do some steering in the gater on the way to see the cows...hopefully two of the young ones are there...they are supposed to be pretty friendly!

UHM...these don't look like the friendly ones!  I think mommy is staying in the gater while daddy and Dalton check out the area!

Sure enough there they are...the two young ones!  They are checking the boys out in this picture!

One was brave enough to venture over!

Daddy and "uncle" Dee! 

Mommy & "Aunt" Jean Ann!

One of several control burns going on in the area that day..."Uncle" Dee took us to check it out before it was that big!  He is also a volunteer firefighter...perhaps we can talk him into taking Dalton to the fire station next time we are in town!

The dinosaur that Dalton talks about...when he tells people that he saw a dinosaur in Texas they look at him funny!  But he's right...this one sits high on top a hill on the way to Canadian, Texas!

spring break adventure number two...the after hours clinic

Not the GREAT BIG ONE and not the tiny one but the one in the middle... 

Who knew one little...okay medium size bean could cause SO MUCH TROUBLE!  And it's never a good thing when your three year old son walks up to you pointing to his nostril and asks where did the bean go?!?!?  And it's also not a good idea to ask him to try to blow because we haven't quite mastered that yet SOOOO it probably just launched it further up his little nose!  Because when I took a flashlight to look there was no bean in sight...I go to webmd to see what to do about foreign objects in nose...it says that if you can't see the object to seek medical attention imediately!  For us that meant our trusty neighbor/local MD and his "fancy" flash light and sure enough he found that bean that's right there in the middle of my line up!  SOOOO off we go luckily not to an ER but a local after hours clinic that unfortunately is getting to know us better than our regular pediatrician...they are the same ones we used when Dalton broke his arm last summer...great great people!  But we also love our pediatrician...SUPER lady!  Anyhoo...after several failed attempts at retrieving, a couple of squirts of nasal spray to help with the swelling and lots of loving from his mom and dad that mean old bean just fell out on it's own and landed right in Dalton's lap!  I was one happy camper because holding down my little guy while some doctor shoved a metal instrument up his tiny nose one more time really wasn't on my list of things to do that day! 

And I can't remember if it was that night or the next that we were reading a book that we have read more than a couple times about table manners and it shows you all of the things NOT TO DO and then it tells you all of the right things TO DO!  Well unfortuately Dalton was listening to the what NO TO DO list becuase on it was sticking beans in your nose!  I asked him if that is why he stuck a bean up his nose and he said yes...FiGuReS! 

comment moderation all MeSsEd up

For the few of you that leave your comments I LOVE YOU!  Please know that there is something fUnKy going on with my comments on my blog so if you have left any I have no idea!?!?!?  I am trying to figure it out.  For those of you that stop by and don't leave comments please know that I LOVE knowing that people are out there and actually reading and hopefully enjoying our journey with Dalton!  As a matter of fact I would love for someone...anyone to try to leave a comment so I can tell where we are on this comment moderation StUfF!  Thanks so much:) 

More spring break posts coming soon...been trying to get our household back in order after being gone several days...hopefully later tonight I will tackle catching up on he blog!

spring break adventure number one...sesame street live

Today was the BIG DAY...Sesame Street LIVE!  Luckily daddy was already off for spring break and we were able to enjoy the morning performance with a few less Elmo fans than the evening performance!  This was Dalton's first big VENUE...and he did great!  The dark didn't bother him, the noise didn't bother him, the people didn't bother him and he also didn't mind opening the door when mommy was trying to go potty after the show in the women's bathroom...LOVELY!  Other than that it was fantabulous...we left the house early, got a great parking spot in the parking garage...Dalton thought that was pretty cool, no lines at the all the junk you ever needed with Sesame Street on it booth...LUCKY US!  Dalton picked out a light up spinning thing...I am not sure of the official name of this toy LOVED LOVED LOVED by children everywhere!  This mommy came prepared with snacks and drinks so that we would have plenty of money to waste on the spinning light up thing and we can't forget the $10...yes $10 Elmo helium balloon that was purchased during the 15 break in the middle of the show!  Daddy was nice enough to take Dalton all the way down to the floor and carry him and the balloon all the way back up the stairs to our seats!  Of course we didn't know they were $10 until they were already down there...and like daddy said as if you have a choice at that point!  I suppose it's a one time deal so why the heck not...I guess it's just getting us ready for a Disney World trip that we hope to take when Dalton is a little older and we are a little richer!  OHHHHH the things we do for our children:)

Dalton was kind of funny during the show he wasn't super excited or really super anything...he liked it but know BIG BURST of emotion like I thought he would!  You just never know with that little guy!   

Dalton in deep conversation with daddy about how his light up spinning Elmo thing works!  Mommy got yelled at for trying to take a picture of him so as usual not too many straight on shots!

Capturing the moment when the show started...see not a whole lot of emotion...funny little guy!

What my pictures would look like without the digital zoom...we were pretty far away but we could see everything that was going on just great!  And if you weren't on the very front rows on the floor you didn't get to have much interaction with the characters anyway!

A little ditty about Elmo's World...complete with piano, Dorothy and shade!  This Elmo's World was about dogs!

And can you believe it Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle was there taking his imaginary dog for a walk...Dalton thinks Mr. Noodle is SOOO FUNNY!

I think there may have been a little smile...it was Mr. Noodle after all!

Just a stage shot...you will notice there is one character not in a BIG COSTUME...it's the mail carrier as Dalton calls her and according to him that was his favorite character when daddy asked him at dinner tonight!  Really?!?!??!  Our letter carrier is SUPER NICE to Dalton so maybe he just likes letter/mail carriers:)

Just another stage shot...I believe this was the end!

After the show we blazed out of there and headed to eat lunch at McDonald's, attempted to stop by and visit Dalton's Great Aunt Joy and Great Uncle Russell at an assisted living facility and apparently she had been checked out and was headed home today so we decided not to bother them at home and that we would visit them next week...Dalton really likes visiting with them and they REALLY enjoy his company or atleast that's what they tell us!  And then we headed off to the library where we checked out a couple of cute books one of which is called Monsters on Machines...pretty cute if your little monster likes construction trucks, etc.

Can't wait to see what other adventures are in store for us over this spring break!