The Tomlinsons: Flashback Friday: Farm Palooza, Last Hoorahs, and Home Sweet Home

Friday:

We got to the farm on Thursday evening. Friday we spent a very memorable day, walking up the creek, catching crawdads, snacking, getting tractor rides, exploring the barn, and doing fireworks. The farm is truly a magical place. I have so many precious memories from the farm. We took Kees out there when he was a few weeks old, and I made sure we took Kora before we headed back to Thailand. And of course, I have taken pictures every time and there are certain ones I try to recreate when we go. We don't get to see our family as often as we like, but we make the most of the time we do have, and I loved getting to go to the farm. As much as I loved it, multiply that times infinity, and that's how much the kids loved it!

(Please excuse the crazy amount of photos, the farm and my family are just too beautiful!)

Trying to find a way to get down to the creek.

Out in nature, enjoying a ring pop courtesy of Grandpa Boo.

Who can figure out what Doug is impersonating?

My favorite part of this picture is T enjoying his ring pop.

Locust Alex found.

We found a locust that had come out of its shell. Tim took this picture for me, WOW! Such awesome photography. Tim is one of the hardest working people I've ever met, incredibly helpful and always kind.

This was a locust shell. Claire did not want it on her shirt. I wouldn't either.

Love, love this one, so, so much!!!

Uncle Tim, helping Kora up.

Uncle Tim also carried a backpack with bottle water and snacks for all of us.

We found a cow! Kora is pointing to it.

How sweet are they?

They cleared it!

Aunt Shevaun is the best! When I asked Kora who's girl she was, she said, "Me, Vaun's gowl!"

Shameless selfie alert, I have to take at least a few of myself or it'd be like I don't exist.

Love these boys! Trying not to cry because they are growing way too fast.

Kora wanted to be up on the log. I helped her up after I took the picture.

6 out of 8 grandkids (on Doug's side) not too bad. Missing the oldest who had band practice and the youngest.

Heading back to the farm.

Doug's dad, Grandpa Boo, and grandma, Gammy.

Found a spider eating a moth!

They both had their shoes on the wrong feet. They played so well together. Sure do love seeing cousins play. Claire is almost a year older than Kees, she's 6, and was born on Doug's birthday!

When Doug was lighting these smoke bombs, Gwen (his stepmom), was trying to clean the air-conditioning unit, around the corner. When she heard banging, and saw smoke she thought she'd broken something. MEMORIES!

This has become a tradition, taking pictures out in this field. I share a few pic collages so you can see the farm and our family over the years.

This one is getting too hard, obviously!

Ready for fireworks!

Tractor rides with Grandpa Boo.

We found a lizard!

Exploring the shed.

Now, exploring the barn.

I wonder how many times, over the years, he's looked up at this windmill. I like this picture, a lot!

Jacob is so fun. He loves to dress up in fun costumes and he's always so active. He signed up for baseball while we were in town, and I wish, so desperately that I could go to ALL his games. Someone please take pictures and let him Skype me about it!!!

Back in the barn.

Washing their hands.

Kora made soup for Doug, with the water from the spigot. I heard her crying from inside, and ran out. He had gone around the corner and she was so sad, and dirty and soaking wet. I took her inside, gave her a sink bath and changed her clothes. She told me she was "hungy", so I got her some food and she fell asleep while she was eating. I didn't want to miss the fireworks, so I just took her out there with me.

This picture makes my trek outside worth it. How beautiful!!! Sure do love my family!

Kees decided he wanted to go inside and play, he found cars at the farm. So we ended up back inside.

Here are some THROWBACK farm pictures, in no particular order because I've been working on this blog post FOREVER, and I'm running out of steam.

Kees's first farm trip.

Maybe Kees's 2nd farm trip, not certain.

June 2010, a month or so after Kees's first birthday.

Kora's first farm trip. This was March 2012, she was 2 months old.

Here's a few collage pictures:

2 months, and 2 years.

Kees 13 months, left. Kora 2 1/2 years, right.

First tractor ride, and the most recent one!

Kees 13 months, 2 1/2 years old, and 5 years old. Gonna have to come up with a new pose. :)

Saturday:

The farm trip was over too quickly. We had a blast. Saturday morning, we headed back to OKC. If you're counting this is the 5th place we slept at on our trip, if you don't count places we left and came back to. It was a cram packed 20 days.

Kora checking out her reflection in the bison's feathers.

Doug wanted to show us the Cherokee Trading Post. We thought it was attached to the gas station, but couldn't find it. My kids were just as happy to look at the random things the gas station had.

The trading post was not back there!

Oh, but look what Kora found!!

Look what I found.

And tools!

Doug asked the cashier, and we found the real trading post. It was behind the gas station, but not attached. We also bought Watonga cheese curds at the gas station, delicious!!

Made it back to OKC and met the Putnams for lunch at a Chinese Buffet. I forgot to get pictures until they had already left. I was so busy eating! It was yummy!

Back at the Putnam's place.

Sunday:

We got to hear Greg Koukl speak at Stephen and Randee's church. I also ran into my friend Mary. I should have taken a picture of her. I'm always coming up with great ideas too late. :)

Kees's cars became airplanes.

The best Mexican food!!! We had to wait to be seated, but I got some fun pictures, so it was worth it.

This stuff is amazing. The restaurant is in Moore, OK. It's called Alfredo's, if you ever go, the Agave Limeade is so delicious and huge. You get one refill and it's always plenty for me. Alfredo's was a special treat the day before Kees was born, and I had someone bring it for me when I was in labor with Kora, at the hospital that used to be a couple blocks away, but got severely damaged by the tornado, and later demolished. We were in Thailand when the tornado hit. Alex, Jacob, and Claire's school was one of the ones that was hit. This last year, Jacob and Claire have been having school in a nearby church. The new school is almost finished, getting ready for this coming school year. I remember feeling helpless when I heard about the tornado, and wishing I could be with my family. Thankful they were all safe, and still thinking and praying for those who lost so much.

Watching a car crash, there's a tv behind them, if you're interested.

I realize if you look at my photos, you might think my kids run wild, but lots of times, I snap a picture, and then correct the behavior. Like Kora crawling under the table. We had to remind her that we have to sit at restaurants.

Apparently, they both like to play punch.

Just chatting.

Fixing the blinds before we left. :)

Grandma took us to a bakery, not that any of us had room. We saved them for later.

All of these were tasty, we cut them all up so we could try a variety. My favorite, surprisingly was the lemon blueberry. I think I'm gonna have to experiment with recipes for something similar soon.

Back at Putnam's place, enjoying our last night in Oklahoma. It was a busy and fun filled trip. So many great memories, and lots of laughing till we cried.

Tim set up the back yard for us!

Kora convincing someone, anyone to push her on the swing. She loves swinging!

Uncle Tim tried, and never succeeded to get Aunt Shevaun wet, she was over by the slide.

Kora was fascinated by this!

We kept trying to get Kora to dance for us, we had fun Disney music playing. She finally obliged!

I put my swimsuit on, and I got wet up to my knees, that was enough. :)

Gramee and Grampa insisted we take the bubbles with us and I refused to take them on the plane, so we shared them with our cousins. Glad they made us take them, so much fun!

Jacob's expression is classic!

Jacob found a mud puddle, Kees was contemplating joining him.

Another one of Jacob's costumes.

He found something...

Kees decided to clean these chairs. As per usual, he was very thorough.

Look how tired she is! She fell asleep shortly after these were taken.

Monday:

Getting ready to head to the airport.

Gramee and Grampa came back to pick up the car they let us borrow and made it in time to say good-bye.

How is he big enough to help. Can y'all see Doug in the background?!

They weighed 69.5 combined total. Kees was 41.5 lbs, so you do the math, Kora was whatever's left...28 lbs.

Sonic, popcorn chicken, tator tots, and a big vanilla Dr. Pepper. We shared. Kora loves dipping things into sauces. She liked the BBQ sauce and dipped her tator tots in it.

First leg of the trip, OKC to Denver. We had three seats together, and then the aisle, and the next seat over. I sat with the kids on the first flight and Doug sat with them on the second flight. Guess which flight they slept on? And guess who slept on both flights?

Waiting to get of the plane. They were rocking their babies.

Kora was babysitting for Kees, but then she didn't want to give his duck back. There was a short fight and then an apology.

Watching for our plane.

Last flight, heading to Spokane.

I love this sweet picture.

Watching for our bags.

A sight I see often, "pick me up please". :)

It was a long day, and I enjoyed being home! We got home around 5 pm local time, which is 7 pm back in Oklahoma.

Tuesday:

Back home, rediscovery our stuff. I had a headache all day and wasn't half as productive as I wanted to be. I finally felt better in the evening and got a good chunk of stuff done.

Wednesday:

Organizing my purse.

Working on the Friday blog post. This one has taken a REALLY long time. :)

Clipping coupons

Kees made his grilled cheese look like a spaceship.

Thursday:

I was up, and had baked 2 batches of cupcakes, run the dishwasher, and fed my kids, by 9:30 in the morning. So, how on Earth did I end up running around like a chicken with my head cut off at 3 pm. Read on to find out.

Heading out to Dollar Tree, main purchase NECESSITY: powdered sugar to make buttercream frosting for the cupcakes. I normally stay a little better stocked, but I stopped purchasing staples a few weeks before our trip, and decided I'd just wait. I should have made a list because I completely forgot what I do and don't have laying around the house. I went to the store Wednesday night, which would have been the perfect, kid free time, to buy sugar for frosting. But I didn't. And then, I kept getting distracted all day, then looked up and it was 2 o'clock. We finally headed out around 2:20 or so.

At the checkout, the nice lady gave the kids the toys they had picked out. Kora got a tiny Mickey Mouse and Kees picked an orange faced caterpillar. We already have a blue faced one and a pink faced one at home, but that's what he picked.

On our way back up to the house, with just under 2 hours until I need to be ready to go, the kids are playing stoplight at every crack in the side walk.

We got up to the house a little after 3 and guess what? I bought the WRONG sugar. WHY?!?!

I had already started making the frosting....

So I called Doug, and asked if he could pick some up on the way home. In the mean time it was hot. I decided to just run out to the store because I knew I'd be antsy waiting on Doug, so out we went AGAIN. If you have gone anywhere with little people, as the ONLY adult lately, you'll know why I was not thrilled to be doing this. However, I got a few amazing pictures of my kids, and Doug said it made him feel better that I bought the wrong thing, cause he does that all the time. :)

While we were waiting for Doug to get home, and I was finishing up the cupcakes, the kids were NUTS. They kept fighting, getting time outs, and finally got their new toys grounded. There were lots of tears, and they weren't all mine. Just kidding, I didn't cry, but both kids did, MULTIPLE times, while I was making 2 batches of frosting cause the first batch ran out. Whew! So glad Doug got home, and there were smiles all around. He's a great distraction. They blindfolded each other and chased each other around the house. I was frantically finishing up the cupcakes, cleaning the kitchen, and shouting random things for Doug to grab to take the the BBQ we were headed out to.

I fixed my hair and put make up on, in the car. And we got to the BBQ exactly at 5.

Kees was sitting in my lap, looking at my camera. I was talking and not paying too close attention. He took my camera, took some pictures, and let Kora take some.