Trip to Dripping Springs, TX

It's Labor Day weekend, and we head down to Big 'Ol Texas to see my dad's side of the family. We decide to take I-35, for the first time ever (instead of 75) and ended up sitting in OKC for just under 2 hrs in traffic...not moving...staring at a long line of brake lights. Ugh! I even got off an hour early from work to head down and make our arrival an early one. But that plan got shot in the foot and we ended up in Dripping Springs, TX at 2:30 a.m. But surprisingly, the two cups of coffee I had drank kicked in and I chatted up a storm until 3:30 (as well as some handstand's in the middle of the den). Everyone waited up to see us. It was so good to see them all!
We got up early to try and make a CrossFit workout in Austin. In my made rush to get ready, I noticed that I left my running shoes in Tulsa. Not just in the house forgetting to grab them..no, no...I forgot them in the driveway. I just had a brain fart and didn't lift them the extra 4 feet into the truck. Crazy Kelsey! We missed class. It just kept talking to everyone who came down for breakfast and I was having a lot of fun making everyone omelets, Kelsey style! But no problem! There was a farmers market just up the road that looked fun!
We walked around, carefully examining all the "fun" things they have at these events. I pet pretty much every dog there. There was a black Newfoundland named Hendrix that was the sweetest, biggest, furriest dog I have every met!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Uncle Rob was making a delicious dinner! Honey roasted ham and a potato casserole. It was so yummy!
Sunday, I gave my grandpa a manicure and pedicure. He isn't able to get out much anymore, and has lost most of his sight. He really enjoyed it! Then my dad took me and Samuel to Hamilton Pool. This is a beautiful, hidden place! You hike to get down to it, then you arrive at a spring fed pool, partially enclosed by a cave with a waterfall. It was so pretty! And so full! We had to wait 30 minutes to get into the park. Samuel and I went to go swimming, but the "below normal human" temperatures allowed only my legs to acclimate...then we made a fast exit! The beach was filling up even more with Austin's weirdest, so we decided it was time to make like a baby and head out.
Monday we said our goodbyes and were on the road by 9 and home by 5.

A Full Day

Ahhhh, it's Saturday. I love Saturday's! The sun creaps through the window blinds and slowly crawls up my face to my eyes. I wake up and head to the kitchen to start on some breakfast. Scrambled eggs and a banana are on the menu today. The morning consisted of taking the dogs for a morning run (with Samuel in the go cart), and a family rolling up the driveway. The Waylands arrive to hook up a trailer and move their son to TU for his new adventure in college. Samuel helps them hook up the trailer to their truck and they are off. What fun! We quickly get ready and leave Westport and head home to meet Parousia and Ruth (Samuel's brother and sister) for our appointed morning workout at CrossFit. Today will be Parousia's first CrossFit Workout! We are so excited for him! We get to CrossFit Jenks and find the athletes in the at the end of their WOD "Fight Gone Bad". They are so strong. After they finish, Breck clears the gym for the intro class. We chit chat with the CrossFitters and catch up from our trip. Then we glance in to check up on P-Dog...he is getting ready to show Breck how many pulls ups he can do (just to give him an idea of where his fitness level is). The guy before him got one. He is up and...1, 2, 3, 4, 5!!! Go P-Dog!!!! They were perfect form! We were so proud (we also gave each other a "behind the back" high five). They get ready to perform their 1st WOD. Sameul and I join them. 3, 2, 1 GO! We were off on the C2 rowers. I had a steady pace, and I thought I would be the 1st one off the rower, but my husband beat me. Then everyone headed over to squats (except me, since my knee is still giving me fits). I head to do dips (tricep dips that is). Feel the burn, oh yea!!! Then we are all into our sits ups, then our push ups, and last but not least our pull ups. My arms are fried now and I go to do all my pull ups and only get 1 in (embarrasing!). Then I suck it up and finish the last 9. Parousia did great! Samuel beat us all (of course).

We help clean up and close the gym and head home to change (we had a fun ride home, but I will let P-dog tell that tale).

After changing we drove back out to Westport to pick up our next missions equipment, and some lunch. My mom had marinated a steak and asparagus for us to grill. Oh so yummy!!!!!

We fill up and had out to....the gun range! Another 1st for P-Dog.

We stayed at the plinking range for a while helping him get the hang of things and while I tried out Samuel's new 9mm (I LOVE IT!!!!). After quite a few shot up bottles, we changed course and headed to the short rifle range. This one is so fun. There are little metal animals all set up and when you actually hit one, they fall down or make a distinct pinging sound. I fell more accomplished on this range.

After a few rounds and pictures, its time to head home and clean up for Kylie and Lee's party.

A Duel Celebration

Aug. 25th is my sister's birthday. She will be the big 26. And our very good friend Lee's birthday is on Aug. 27th and he will be 24. So Saturday was a duel birthday celebration for them. We started at Hideaway Pizza in Broken Arrow then headed over to my sister's hacienda in Eqypt!

We got to play ping pong as well as their new game Wii Resort. We had a blast!

Happy Birthday Kylie and Lee!!!!

Were back in T-Town!

Ahhhh....the vacation is over. So sad. I will miss the ocean views, the perfect weather, and the scenic canyons, but all these places lack one beautiful thing...they don't have clouds like we do! Oklahoma has the best cloud formations and the greenest grass anywhere! It was so pretty to drive into our home state and immediately see the beautiful open pastures and the storm rolling in on the horizon. As it got dark, we had our own personal light show all the way home. We pulled in the driveway and opened the gate to the backyard where some very excited puppies awaited our arrival! FULL of dirt the ran to us and licked us clean with love! Oh how I missed our pups (neither of them are really puppies...they are both about 3 years old)! The house was so clean and welcomed us home all the more. We unloaded all our booty and loot from our long travels cross country and made our way to our HUGE, king size, soft, cool, wonderful bed! I will dream of our next trip tonight!

The Amazing Grand Canyon

We arrived around 5 pm on Friday. After getting checked in at our camp site we were off to find our allotted location at Mather Camp Grounds and set up our tent (for the first time!). Since it was almost sunset, we decided to drive to some of the nearby points for some last minute sunset pics. It was pretty smoky, but the pics turned out really neat! We headed back to camp to bed down for the night. Let me tell you that it is not the same temp at the Grand Canyon as it is in Vegas! We were a little unprepared for the drop in temperature (45 degrees) from the daytime! We ended up freezing (not literally) and waking up so chilled that I went and started the car just to thaw our feet. Breakfast of fruit and nuts were served in the car! We packed up camp and headed to a parking lot so we could hop on the Grand Canyon bus (which takes you to every point in the park). First we stopped at the visitors center for some bushing up on our history of the canyon, then a short walk over to Mather Point. Wow...my first full view of the Grand Canyon. Quite an experience! And not to mention our 6th year anniversary!! We went all around the park to pretty much every point. Taking the bus some and walking a bunch! Next time, I am definetly taking a mule ride!!

Friday...Hoover Dam

After sleeping in a bit and eating at the excellent "Round Table Buffet", we journeyed on to the Hoover Dam. There was a LONG line of cars doing the same thing as us too. We parked in the new parking garage and walked across the infamous Hoover Dam. It was pretty amazing. They are also building a new highway and bridge next to the Hoover Dam. That was really amazing to see as well.

Thursday in Las Vegas, NV

Arriving at 5 am, we check in at Motel 6 and catch some zzzz's before taking on this big city. Then first things first....breakfast!!!!! We drive to The Venetian (since check in is still not until 3 pm) and look around for some good eats. We stumble across a nice bistro next to the indoor Gondola rides (oh yeah...they sing and boat you around indoors, but it is all painted like you are outside in Venice, Italy!!). We got some great food and got to see some queen like figure walking around in full costume handing out tokens to innocent passer-byers. Tokens for what you may ask...we don't know (we did not get one). After our late breakfast we headed to our hotel. Along the way we stopped to see the Bilagio dancing waterfall show.

Ok, if you have never been to Vegas (like me) then this city is a lot to take in. Not to mention you have to walk all the way through the ENTIRE casino to get to the elevator to take you to your room! NEVER AGAIN!!! That was nuts.

We get dressed and head out on the town to see all the sites. Mistake #1, we wore flip flops to walk the strip and got the most sore ankles the next day. Mistake #2, we went to Vegas in AUGUST. Can you say 120 degrees!!!!! But no problem, there was lots to take pictures of inside the hotel/casinos. We especially liked Cesar's Palace! The architecture was amazing.

We finally made our way to an outlet mall on the outskirts of town and scored some sweet Adidas wear and shoes! After some shopping we headed back to our hotel for the famous "Round Table Buffet". Wow!!! They had everything, and we ate it all! Diet, down the tube! Yum yum! After dinner we made a short walk to the Treasure Island Pirate show (which was not impressive...mostly half naked women doing some pom pom routine). By now we are pretty worn down and head back home. We decide to spend a few bucks and see how the slot machines work anyways. After only $2, my machine hits something good (I don't know what) and I win $54.28. Sweet! Time to cash out and go to bed! Not bad for never gambling! Basically paid for our hotel room! Next, the Hoover Dam!