My Oklahoma trip

Ever been in a store to buy something and been turned way because you had a toddler with you?  The recommended course of action for me was to leave him in the car and then go in and buy something. WHAT? In being completely honest, I was at a liquor store.  I was carrying him.  And he was NOT the one doing the drinking.  But it seems that the state law is that minors can be left in a car unattended but not inside a liquor store.  Judge me if you will.... I was not getting wasted, I wanted to make a drink for my family gathering...  I can report that the liquor got to the house anyway... I have sources.  And I appreciated it!

Ever heard of poison ivy smoke inhalation?  I googled it.  It is possible if you are burning it, to breathe the smoke and suffer some internal reaction.  Seems as if someone I know may have been smitten with it along with some severe allergies.  Holy crap... she was terribly sick but had a good spirit and did her best to enjoy all of us!  And I am happy to report that she is doing a little better each day....some medications are helping.  The lesson here is to be mindful about that smoke, the ivy itself and STAY THE HECK AWAY FROM IT!  But if you want more information on poison ivy... this website has it all!  http://www.poison-ivy.org/

Ever been smacked with the bands from a bow along your forearm? It hurts like crazy and leaves a giant bruise. The best advice I can offer is to never use a bow that is to big for you and never use one with help from someone else... if you can't hold it, don't use it!  It is a clever weapon.... but also a dangerous one.  And some places on the ranch there are a few arrows left behind!  But also I would like to add, for my families benefit, that if I am suddenly crying and jumping around, I am not being some sissy girl.  I am HURT!  Oh yes... I was smacked by this bow and my forearm was in extreme pain and two people offered little to NO sympathy until they saw the damage.  So people, I can be tough but sometimes I will cry like a girl!

Ever chased your toddler around in a creek in the middle of January while he giggles with delight at getting his shoes stuck in the mud?  I have.... and then because the mud was red dirt everything he had on was stained!  But man did he have fun climbing the mud hills and wading in the water and getting stuck in the muck.  It was great fun... and repeated twice!  In fact he loved the opportunity to play freely outside and went all over.  He hiked, tottered after us, jumped, climbed, ran.  It was a good 10 days for him to be a free little man!

Ever lay awake for a long time listening to the sounds of the night in pitch darkness and thinking there was someone in there with you and that if they decide to murder you, no one but the baby would hear it... FREAKY... happened to me one night.  I was incredibly freaked out.  When I finally got the courage to get up you can bet yourself I turned on a night light and got the baby in the bed with me.  I was keeping us both safe that way!  Then a couple hours later the coyote howls just woke us both up... which left me fretting all over about the murderer hiding in wait for me.  And I was certain my screams would be drown out by the coyote howls!

Ever spend an entire day driving across the state picking up meat, delivering meat, picking up meat to forget you needed MILK and have to drive across the state the next day for milk and ivy free fire wood?  Oh yea... I did!  And of course, the ranch couldn't be closer to anything.  And of course we are just crazy.  But we did discover a SONIC with a playground that had fine beach sand.  So we had our happy hour drinks in the playground.  And we discovered a clever store in the middle of virtually no where called UNIQUES.  It looked like a junk store that painted everything great bright colors from the outside. But inside it was a great little boutique where I found a fantastic summer dress.  Of course I get home to 12 inches of snow so my cute little summer dress will wait for me...And we did buy wood from some interesting backwoods fellows.  They came out of this building looking like they just woke up in the middle of the day.  And loaded the truck for us.  I had told Espen he could help so I put his little gloves on him and he sure did help these 2 men!  And they thought that was something pretty cute!

Combine all that and some great visits with my sisters and mom and you have our trip to Oklahoma!  I stayed longer than I intended to.  But I am glad I did and that I could be helpful to my mom.  I am glad to have had some time with my sisters, niece and nephew.  I am super glad my parents butchered some cows and that I came home with a freezer of meat!  I am glad for the quirky life ... even when in the moment I am grouchy about the ridiculousness of it all!  Looking back, we had some laughs and coughs... and some fun... and enjoyed each other.  Sick and crazy alike!