Spring Break ~ 2011 ~ Wichita Wildlife Refuge, OK

For Spring Break this year, we went camping in the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma.  It was so beautiful and peaceful.  We had a great time enjoying God's creation and our family.  The first morning we were there, we woke to see deer right by our tent.

This is about as close as the deer would get to Steve's mom.

Steve's brother, Allen, and his son, Logan, joined us on the trip, as well.  Here is Logan, Brock and Ryan.

Climbing rocks the first day.

There is a prairie dog town in the refuge.  They were pretty cute little critters!

This is about half way up Little Baldy Mountain.  It was right around this area that Steve proposed to me 9 1/2 years ago.

On the way up Little Baldy.

Brock on the summit of Little Baldy.

Allen and Logan on the summit.

Steve re-prosposed with a necklace on the top of Baldy.

Our Family.

This is on the way down the mountain.  It is one of Ryan and Brock's first true "mountain climbing" attempts.  There is a reason I call them "Little Monkeys."

Still descending the mountain, but still finding huge boulders to climb up.

Kings of the Mountain!

We didn't get to celebrate Christmas with Steve's family at Christmas, so we did it on Spring Break!  The boys with Papa...

...and Gramma.

The Wichita Mountains are also part of the Wichita Wildlife Refuge.  It is mainly a refuge for bison and longhorn cattle.

Gramma and Papa with all their grandchildren:  Logan, Ryan and Brock.

Uncle Allen teaching Ryan and Logan how to skip rocks on the water.

After a very long hike and not real sure where we were going, we finally found Post Oak Falls.  If you look closely, you can see the water trickling down from the top.  It's been so dry that there isn't much water in the falls, but after a rainy season, it's a pretty good waterfall.  Steve, Brock and Ryan are at the base of the falls.

Allen and Logan at the falls.

All of us at the base.

On the way back to our campsite, Steve, Brock and Ryan went to check out Wind Cave.  I wish we had a picture to show how high up the side of the mountain this thing is (probably about 70-80 feet).  Apparently, they got part of the way up and couldn't really see a way to get to the cave.  So, Ryan began climbing a TREE (with Brock close behind) which took them to the base of this picture and then they climbed up to the cave.  Good thing Daddy was with them and not me...I think I would've had a heart attack!!!  After this climb they dubbed themselves the "Monkey Kings."  I do think I have to agree with them!

On the trail to 40-Foot Hole.  We took Max on this hike with us.  He did pretty darn good for a 10-year old dog!

The canyon and river on the way to 40-Foot Hole.

More boulder climbing.  They are beginning to be little experts by now!

All my boys down in the river.

This is 40-Foot Hole.  You can see a couple little waterfalls that flow into each other.  Once again, in the rainy season, these things have a lot more water.  It was still beautiful to see.  Steve, Ryan and Brock are at the bottom.

A video of all the beauty.

You can see this cliff in the video by where the boys were playing in the water and looking for gold.  Ryan is a little better climber than Brock and decided he was going to climb this cliff.  I was on the other side of the canyon watching him scale this cliff by himself!!

Video of Ryan climbing.

Of course, Brock had to climb it, too.  So, up he went.  Monkey Kings, indeed!

Brock climbing.

 

Look at the pictures or video.  See the crack or line that goes straight up the wall just to their left? After they climbed this side, they climbed up in that crack!! Monkey Kings, indeed!

Then they moved on to this side of the cliff.  That looks like a cave, but I don't think it was.  They were determined to get up there, though.  You can see in the video above titled "all the beauty" this cave-type.  It's quite the climb!

Brock climbed it, too!

There is a mountain there, Mt. Scott, that you can drive up and see God's beauty.  Of course, the boys tried to find the biggest boulders they could to climb!

And this is what they do once they get on top of the big boulders.

Mommy and her sweet boys.

Daddy and his Monkey Kings.

Steve and I.

The following day, Steve took Ryan and Brock to find an old prospector's house.  It was a true hike with no trail to go by.  They were using directions out of a book and just hoping they found it.  Just about the time they were getting tired and about to give up, Steve found it!  There were several old mines of his and a couple dams.  One was about 10' tall and 100' long!  Stone by stone this man built these dams.  Pretty amazing!  Here are a couple of the mines...

...and at the top of the picture, you can see part of the dam that he built.

Ryan and I on our last night there.

We had a great time, made lots of memories and had a ball with our family.  It is a beautiful place and we will surely be going back!



Ryan's Bulls Basketball

Ryan played basketball for the first time this year.  He did a pretty good job and seemed to enjoy it.  He wore the "jersey" of one of my favorite teams.

Brock's Spurs Basketball

Brock played on my other favorite team ~ the Spurs!  He did a good job, too, and seemed to have fun!

Feb. 2011

We didn't have a lot going on in February, other than snow and basketball.  Here's just a couple other pictures of our life in Feb.

Brock went camping with Steve and Ryan and accidentally got poked in the eye with a stick.  The result:  a beautiful black and blue eye!

It was a beautiful day and I told the kids to go outside and play.  I didn't hear much going on, so I went to check on them.  I found them sitting on the trampoline with Brock reading a book to Ryan.  I thought it was just about the sweetest thing I've seen!

Ryan was sitting at the table putting a puzzle together and singing his and Brock's very favorite song.  Take a peek.....

SNOW!!!!! ~ Feb. 4, 2011

We had snow for the third year in a row!  Ever since the fall, they've been so excited for winter so they could play in the snow.  I kept telling them that it doesn't snow here very often and we might not get snow this year.  Now they are going to expect it every year!  We didn't get much, as you can see, but that didn't stop them from playing outside in it for close to two hours!  Ryan mainly liked to eat it, although I think he probably ate mostly dirt.

Brock liked trying to throw snowballs.  It was so powdery that it didn't hold it's form very well, though.  That didn't stop him from trying!

Brock ate some snow, too, but usually spit it out right after eating the dirt, er, I mean snow.

We went into the greenbelt behind our house and got some really nice pictures.

Brock and Steve on the old Hwy 6 bridge (in our greenbelt).

Ryan and Carmen by the creek.

The bridge in our backyard.

This is the front of the house.  Nope, not much snow at all...but enough snow and ice to get school cancelled for the day!  All the people in the North are going to start laughing!

 Brock's (my) angel.

Ryan's (my) angel.

Jumping on the trampoline in the snow!  What could be more fun for a kid?!?!