Tulsa Trip!

Ever have one of those days where you just need to get out of town? Well, we did. So we did. We were originially planning on going deep sea fishing, but were told that fishing was not good. So, we re-vamped and decided on Tulsa and going to see the Tulsa Aquarium with Tyler's parents. After the Aquarium we went to Kilkenny's Pub for some authentic Irish food. The next day we explored the Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Whispering Vines Winery. Here are the pics! Enjoy!

 

Tyler and Dennis at the Mexican Restuarant for lunch before the aquarium!

 

Vickie and I feeding the turtles. For a dollar they give you a few slivers of carrot and a close pin on a pole. It was fun!

 

Cool pic of a star fish

 

Nemo in the anenome

 

More Nemos

 

Silly Vickie!

 

Father/Son

 

Tyler loves the touch tanks! (I think they are gross)

 

Ty petting a sting ray

 

I think this is the closest he will ever get to his dream of cage diving with great white sharks.

 

Vickie and Brittany at the aquarium

 

Crab Hat in the Aquarium gift shop!

 

Tyler and Momma on the gator

 

I decided to wrestle the gator!

 

Nice pic!

 

Dennis and Brittany at Kilkenny's Pub, a real Irish Pub in Tulsa! So much fun!

 

Vickie got a beer. It was good, we all shared it. I should have gotten one too.

 

Ty and Dennis got Cottage Pie. Pot Roast in a rosemary gravy topped with mashed potatoes. It was good, although too much rosemary for me.

 

Vickie and i got Boxties. They are an Irish potato pancake, sort of like a crepe, stuffed with stuff. Mine had the best corned beef and cabbage I have ever had in it.

 

Ty and I outside Kilkenny's Pub

 

Of course, if we go out of town and there is a casino, we have to go for Dennis. Let's just say we left a small deposit. Intereting though, I'm used to boats in Shreveport that have card games too. This casino only had slots and Poker.

 

Tyler in a plane at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.  We also got to sit in an F-14 Tomcat, which was the plane they used in Top Gun. Sooooo cool!

 

 

Tyler playing astronaut, using the space arm at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum. Definitely gonna bring our kids back when we have some!

 

Ty living his dream as an astronaut!

 

After the musem we ate lunch at Hideaway Pizza and then journeyed to taste wine at Whispering Vines Winery. It was good! Vickie and I are posing next to the grape vines.

 

Tyler and I at the Winery gate.

September Birthdays!

It's been a while......I think I've been procrastinating. Well, really we have been pretty busy. September has been a month for birthdays! Dennis, Tyler's Dad, and Granny had birthdays at the beginning of the month, which we celebrated at Red Lobster in Wichita Falls with Tyler's parents, grandparents and aunt and uncle. My mom, Grandpa LaValle, Uncle Russ, and cousin Stephanie had birthdays at the end of the month. All within a day of each other. Well, the birthday line up goes like this Russ, Gramp and Stef, and then Mom. Last year mom turned 50 and she said she didn't want a birthday party. She actually made me swear to not have a surprise party. This year, my dad told me she was disappointed we didn't do anything last year (she told us not too!) and thought we should throw her a surprise party this year. And, as an added bonus, her parents would be here too. Mom was born the day after her dad's birthday. So commence to planning we did. In August we found out that Gramps cancer is growing again and since we are not promised a tomorrow I decided that since Stef and Gramps share a birthday that she should be here too. Of course all of this was a huge secret and we are absolutely BLESSED that Stephanie could make it work to come as well. So we had a small gathering at my house (can we say... CHRISTENED!) with some close family and friends to celebrate three wonderful people. Enjoy the pics!

 

 

 

Dennis and Granny in their birthday hats and ribbons!

 

Cupcake building for the big party the day before!

 

Homemade marshmallow!

 

Bri thought it was tasty!

 

So did Eve!

 

Each birthday person had their own small cake and the guests could have the cupcakes, which were the same flavor as the cake. This one was Gramps. He likes chocolate on chocolate. The cupcakes were chocolate with marshmallow topping dipped in chocolate ganache. I know....they were good!

 

Momma's cake was pumpkin with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Double yum!

 

Stef requested white cake with strawberry filling and burnt orange frosting. This is as close as I could get to that in a Sooner Household!

The whole table scape. There were also lemon merengue cupcakes too. I know, I know. I don't know how to do anything small. ;-)

 



 

OF COURSE the day of the party it POURED down rain the ENTIRE day! Hello Mr. Bill! Glad you could make it in the monsoon!

 

The guests of honor arrive! Surprise!

 

Mom and Grandpa. Mom is uttering her obligatory, "Holy Shit" whenever we surprise her. ;-p

 

Mom found Stef hiding in the crowd! Surprise!

 

Stef made Gram cry. They didn't know she was coming.

 

Gramp and Gram eating a brisket dinner. We set up tables in our garage.

 

Cake time!

 

Best smile we have gotten of Gramps in a pic in a LONG time! Ain't it pretty?

 

Blowing out the candles

 

Cutting the cakes!

 

Mom and Stef goofing off. Sorry it's sideways, couldn't get it to be upright.

 

The hostest (that's me) and her friend Ebb.

Landmark Day!

Today was a Landmark Day! Not only did I get to have a great lunch with the fabulous ladies of my sunday school class and teach my friend Quin to knit (welcome to the club sister!), I hit the magic 25 pounds! Yes, hot off the press! Breaking news! Officially this morning (according to my bathroom scale) I have lost 25 pounds! This is cause for celebration! So, since my Baylor Blue scrubs were falling off, I went shopping! I bought three new pairs for work that are not, get ready for this, NAVY! Eat your hearts out my Baylor friends! Come to the Mansfield hospital and you too can wear any color of the rainbow! So, I thought I would post a few pics! Enjoy!

Owls for fall!

Bright pink/coral! (Mom, can you to hem these please?)

Soft grey and blue!