A to Z Ranch

We went to Smithville, OK over the weekend with my Dad, his girlfriend Sallye and Sallye's two children brought their significant others...So total 8 adults and then our 2 kiddos...We headed out Friday afternoon around 3:30...It was a good 5 hr drive that turned into like 7 hrs after we stopped a few times, then ate dinner in Madill, then got lost for the last hour...By the time we arrived, Kresee and Kohen had both taken an hour an a half nap and were ready to go...And they went until about 12:30 am!!!!....I was exhausted:)...And of course, Kresee was wide eyed at 7:08 am Saturday morning!....Here are a zillion pictures from our amazing weekend...We had the best time and would definately go back.....
www.atozguestranch.com
Our cabin was big and comfy and could hold up to 16 guests...

Dad and Sallye bought the kids a huge stocking and filled with Christmas toys:)

JJ brought his playstation....So when we were having downtime in the cabin, this is what Kohen was doing.....

Saturday morning after we ate breakfast...Kresee and I bundled up to go outside to walk around...It was awesome...It was sooooo quiet---you couldn't hear a thing....It was just her and I and this dog....His name was Buckaroo and he was the BEST dog ever!

We quickly figured out that he loved if you threw sticks for him...He wasn't going to bring them back, but he wanted you to throw them...Of course there were plenty of sticks laying around so Kresee fell in love with the dog immediately...

Then Kohen came outside and thought Buckaroo was great as well....

There was a horse right by the cabin...He was young--only 2 yrs old and was in the process of being broken....He would walk right up to you and the kids loved him....

Saturday late morning, we spent time getting all the 4 wheelers out and ready....The others took some rides...JJ was nice enough to take Kohen wherever he wanted to go....Kresee and Daddy just watched....

Dad stayed busy cooking for everyone the whole weekend...He and Sallye brought some great food and were great at keeping everyone full....I haven't eaten that much in a long time:)....

JJ and Kohen....They got along great...He is just a big 'ole kid so Kohen did well with him....

He always had this "mean and I'm cool" face.....

We ate lunch and then the 6 of us went on a 2 hr horseback ride excursion through the woods....The kids stayed back at the cabin...Dad took Kohen on the four-wheeler and Kresee napped and watched her movies....IT was the best thing I've done in awhile...If I could do that 2-3 times each week, I would have no reason to be stressed out...Being out there in the woods on that horse just enjoying yourself and taking it all in was perfect...Now if my butt didn't hurt so bad by the end, it would have been even better...I rode Buster and Kerry rode Dusty....My horse liked to trip...But we were on a tiny little trail with tons of rocks and wood everywhere...One time he fell so badly I really thought I was going to fly off the front!...

Since the kids didn't go, they left Johnny saddled up so Kohen could be taken on a walk...He loved it....Kresee was not so interested....

She didn't even want to pet the horse....I would stand close to him and she of course was like "Nope"

She did LOVE all the horse poo (she's a little obsessed with poop right now)...So she thought it was great seeing the mounds of it...She still goes around saying "Horsie poopie"

She did allow me to get on Johnny and she sat there with me....We didn't last very long---a few minutes if that....

They let Kohen take Johnny back to the stable....

After the horse ride, we bundled up to go on a late afternoon hay ride....

Afterwards the lady who runs the ranch made us yummy smores and hot chocolate...I think Kohen ate about 3 of them!...Kresee enjoyed her hot chocolate....

Kohen just wanted a million marshmellows in his.....

Both mornings Kresee would wake up and want in this chair so she could drink her milk and watch a movie (Elmo or Baby Einstein)...This is where she did her napping too:)

Sunday morning we ate breakfast...Kerry thought it would be a good idea for him and I to run the road to the main highway...Yes, it was only 2.5 miles BUT it the hilliest (is that a word!) run I've ever done...We survived!...

After that, we just spent the day hanging out and riding on the 4 wheelers....
Ready to go out to hit the ATV trails...Kohen was pumped to go and ride....

Kresee did great...If we stopped she would say "Daddy gooooo"....It was crazy bumpy and she managed to fall asleep!....This is her zonked out!

Kresee's favorite thing was to see the horsies...That's all she really talked about....We went out Saturday late afternoon to feed the horses whatever we had---lettuce, tomatoes, celery, carrots, etc....

Buckaroo was very serious about watching those horses....He had some beef with the big white one...He didn't want that horse to make a wrong move....Needless to say I thought the horse was going to kick him...Luckily, nothing bad happened...I don't know what was wrong with those 2 but they did not like each other:)

Dad and Kohen cooked the Hobo dinners on Saturday night...I've never heard of it...Basically you make like big meatloaf balls and put them in some foil along with with some cut up potatoes, carrots, onions, salt and pepper...Cook them over the fire for about an hour and a half and they are done...It was so yummy!

We stayed up that night playing Catch Phrase and Mad Gab....We headed out early Monday morning....Seriously had a really great time with the family....Somewhere I would have never thought to go and I would definately go back in a heartbeat....Kohen cried and cried this morning when I said we were getting up to go home...He was NOT ready to leave....Poor thing....But we reminded him that we are taking him skiing next month:)

Preschool Christmas Play

Kohen was the innkeeper in his preschool's Christmas play for the 2nd year in a row...I'm not quite sure how he got the role again, but he was excited about it...Mary and Joseph come to ask if there is room at his inn..."No, but you can stay in the barn"....He practiced lots and did great!

I don't get many pictures with just me and the kiddos:)

Kohen's best bud---Reid

Kohen and Ms. Erica---he has had such a great time in her class this year:)

Since we had early release at school and the teacher sgot out at 2:00, Kohen got to come to school with me for the last few hours of work....He always loves getting to do that since it doesn't happen very often....But that afternoon we headed out to Smithville, OK (almost to Arkansas) to go to a place called A to Z ranch with my dad and Sallye and her kiddos...Will have to post some pictures of that place...We had an awesome time!

Mike:)

As 2010 comes to end, I can't help but be thankful each day for the life that I have....I have a great husband and 2 healthy kids...A wonderful extended family....Kerry and I both have good health...But it's such a huge effort for me to stop and think and be grateful each day...I take it for granted way too much...I have to tell myself to stop and be thankful....Thank the Lord for the life he's blessed me with....

Especially when mom sends me a picture like this.....

2010 was something Mike never expected....Mom neither....He didn't know he would be spending his birthday (December 19th) in the midst of chemo and radiation treatment for cancer...He didn't know he would be fighting to live...Fighting this disease....And I admire him so much...I know he doesn't take anything for granted...He is such an inspiration...I mean he couldn't have a more positive attitude...I hope if I ever have to experience something like he is, I can be just like him....And my mom is such a blessing to him and I know he knows that...She just keeps going and doesn't miss a beat....

I hope 2011 is a year that they both enjoy---healthy and can put 2010 behind them....I pray Mike is cancer free...That he gets his new set of teeth so he can eat...That he gets all his taste buds back so he can enjoy the food he's eating...That he can get back to being him!...We love you Mom and Mike....

10K

If you would have told me that when I turned 30, I would run a couple of 5K races and then even a 10K, I would have told you that you were completely nuts!!! I am NOT a runner...In fact I really, really despise it...I've always hated it...Now I could run around and sprint on the soccer field for hours at a time...But to just run was not my idea of fun whatsoever....

I do remember how proud I was of myself when I was early in my pregnancy with Kresee--I would run 1 mile and then walk 1 mile and maybe just maybe run 1 mile again...So never more than 12 mins of running at a time total...And I thought that was huge!!...Which it was for me:)

This summer Kerry started running some and made me tag along with him at the lake...If you've run there, it's not the easiest...I was not happy about it, but I went...He would leave me in the dust but I would finish each time....So everytime we would go to the lake, we would run every day for those 3 days in a row...And sometimes I would even make it for 35 mins!...I couldn't believe it:)...Then when we got home running around the neighborhood wasn't so bad (compared to the lake)...I don't run all the time but just here and there...I still haven't got that feeling of getting in the zone and just knowing I could keep going forever...I am waiting on that, but I think I have to run a lot longer to get there....

We signed up for Race for the Cure 5K in October (and I did great thanks to keeping up with my friend Angela) and then we did City of Lights 5K in November (where I got 1st in my age group)...So I had the crazy idea of trying a 10K since there was one just a few weeks after the City of Lights run....

I really was getting apprehensive about it the days leading up to it...I've never ran more than 5 miles in my life and I had only done that much once or twice...Kerry wasn't helpful the morning of b/c he really didn't want to go...It was cold and windy and the race began at 8:45 am...But we went dressed all warm...Kerry promised he would run with me so that meant he would be going much slower than his normal pace...I feel bad about it now b/c he would have easily gotten 1st place in his age group but instead placed 3rd....I, however, got 2nd in my age group...So I was just hoping to finish and make it under 60 mins...I made it in 58 mins 45 seconds and got 2nd place...I was a happy camper...Here is the picture of us right after we crossed the finish line!!


Kerry got a huge blister and was hurting pretty badly the last mile or so...He was just ready to be finished....So now I think I'm even more crazy thinking we might like to try a half marathon at the very end of March!?!?!...I don't know if I could do it---running a 10K would be only halfway for the half martathon and that's a little scary to think about!

Kerry's Toy

Kerry bought himself a new toy....He already had a toy but sold it to his friend, so he could purchase a bigger toy (aka helicopter)....I had to take this picture b/c I'm glad to see that we are finally getting some use out of the baby carrier thingy...We purchased that with Kohen and that baby would NOT hang out on your chest....And honestly we just never really put Kresee in it...So in order for Kerry to fly his helicopter its a great holder for the remote control....
And the great thing about this was b/c he spent so much stinking money on his little toy helicopter, he bought me (to make up for it) a big ole new lens for my camera...Thanks for my Christmas gift Kerry:)