holidome of old

Has anyone ever been to a Holidome? It's a Holiday Inn with an inner courtyard play area that includes pool, arcade and usually a mini golf course.
Well, we went to a Holiday Inn that that had this type of courtyard (although it was lacking the dome part) . It was in Elk City, OK.
The kids loved it.
In fact, the hotels will probably be what the kids remember out of the entire vacation. Mike and I talked about our childhood experiences with Holidomes and "fun" hotels (hotels with pools). The hotel stays were always memorable than the destinations for us.
Mike and I are happy to witness their joy and thankful that we can do this together. And WE are having a blast at the destinations.

the deserted amazing

Our first experience of the deserted amazing was Sayre, Oklahoma. We passed through after our nights stay in Elk City. We saw one failed establishment after the next. It seemed pretty close to a ghost town to us. We couldn't believe what we saw! Had the owners just walked away and left these beautiful treasures to crumble? Really? And, did they have a choice?
I have always been a fan of interesting signs, so I hit a jackpot on this trip. I hope you like them like we did.
Oh, afterward we went through one of the few remaining truss bridges that are drivable on Route 66.

oklahoma!

Did you know that Claremore, Oklahoma is the home of Will Rogers, famous comedian?
Well, we passed through Claremore a few hours ago and we are approaching Oklahoma City, where we will stay the night.
We left immediately following the 4th of July fireworks, after enjoying Fountain Square's view of them with Dairy Queen benefits in hand. On the block's walk home, things seemed less like a war zone than in years past. We assume that firework sales are down for the year.
Now, we head west for a visit to the Grand Canyon and my brother's wedding in Phoenix.

eleven years together - june 14

After eleven years together we look so happy don't we?
The truth is that we are mostly happy, although we disagree regularly, argue viciously, and rarely manage to talk to each other. The fact is that we are both prideful, stubborn and selfish.
AND, we love each other. Despite all of that, there is love . We trudge on, through the muck and there is still love.
It seems like that has become our definition of happiness. A place where you can still come out loving each other, even though you've been shitty to each other.
So, we wish ourselves happily ever after...

bagel walk

Oh, how I love my chocolate chip bagel with peanut butter It' s a favorite comfort food of mine. I wanted to get an active outing in this morning with the kiddos.
And, I needed the comfort because Mike left for a four day trip and I'll be saying goodbye to Matt, Missy, Ethan and Andrea alone. So, it was a good start to this time alone.
It went from relaxing to challenging once we started to get rained on, but it was kinda fun too. An adventure for sure!

three!

happy birthday, Stewart!

now, to hang the art

After consecutive late nights and culminating in an all-nighter, the third floor space is finished. And, we are pleased! Most of the space is still lacking the "spring moss" colored trim.
Besides it being peaceful, the air is pleasant and not stuffy. We did several things like extra-thick drywall, extra-thick insulation, an attic fan and a portable AC unit to supplement the cool air we have pipped-in from the second floor.
Thanks Mike! Also, to Dave and Dad for putting in so much work at the end. Also, thanks to Kaori for learning how to paint so well, Nana Jan and Nana Karyl for grandchild watching and Amy for her bed-building abilities among other things! Now... to hang the art!