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Canoeing, Hiking

Okmulgee State Park

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The first time we checked out Okmulgee State Park my oldest was tiny, really tiny…

Look at those little cheeks! And little fingers, little nose, little tongue…

Okay.

I am okay.

Back to the park.

They have a nice paved trail (for you mom’s that means strollers!) which we took the first time we went.

A couple years (and another child later) we started canoeing on the lake.

It is a really nice lake to canoe on!

We headed south on the lake and went into a channel (Is it a channel? Never was sure what to call those things) that goes all the way to the dam for dripping springs lake.

Maybe two miles of canoeing one way (we do canoe back the way we came instead of driving two vehicles). I am pretty sure that is right.

My husband tends to remember technical details and I remember how beautiful it was.

See what I mean? BEAUTIFUL!

This is in Oklahoma people! We are not a dust bowl! Most of the time…

My boys enjoying the view.

Wondering why my littlest man is wet?

He had some trouble learning about gravity the first couple (dozen) times out.

There is nothing as magical as watching the day fade away while in the water.

We enjoyed this park so much that we have been back several times.

I love that Caden looks like he is in a prison photo.

Nick on the other hand has his mischievous little boy smile.

It usually means he is torturing me. This smile is because he was running us right into a low tree branch and the leaves were about to get me.

He knew I would squeal like a little girl and almost jump out of the boat.

I can’t say anymore about that.

I still have mental scars…

I wanted to show you these pictures first so that you know my boys do enjoy being out on the water.

I wanted to show you this one…

Just because it makes me laugh.

 

This is kind of a part one.

I will be doing a second one on Dripping Springs State Park. It is right next to the Okmulgee State Park and you really need to check them both out if you are in the area.

 

Hiking, Kid Friendly Hikes

Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area

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I first started hiking at the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area in Spring of 2009.

I had no clue I would still be going on a weekly bases in 2011! Two years and I still like to hike there.

I go once a week with other mom’s and we all make are children hike also!

We are mean like that…

And you know what?

For the most part they really enjoy it!

There are meltdowns.

Mostly from my two.

And some tears.

Mostly from me.

But there is also a lot of laughter and awe.

We are setting these kids on a path to get out and enjoy nature. I think a few tears are worth it.

Even if they are mine.

There are three main trails that are marked.

The Red Trail is a .8 mile loop

The Blue Trail is a 1.5 mile loop

The Yellow Trail is a 4.4 mile loop

There a LOT of unmarked trails so if it your first time you really need to pay attention.

I have been going for two years and I STILL need to pay attention.

Of course I am one of those people that get turned around just by looking over my shoulder.

I recommend bringing a compass with you.

Red trail is south going out and North heading back the others are North heading out and South to get back. For the most part.

The moms that have stuck by me and hiked with me over the last two years are awesome and I want to thank them.

They made me life easier by going into the woods with me and enjoying the beauty God has given us.

I will miss it if I ever leave.

I am blessed.

Geocaching, Hiking

Greenleaf State Park , Geocaching, and Snakes…

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My darling husband (I think I shall call him that from now on) and I took are two little rascals to Greenleaf State Park near Muskogee, OK.

We have not Geocached in a long time so we thought we would look up some caches this time.

What is Geocaching you ask?

Pretend like you asked…

It is when you use a GPS to find treasure…

That is what I tell my boys at least.

The less exciting version is:

Someone puts a water proof container (box, ammo can, film canister) in a location (mostly parks but they are sometimes just on the side of the road) and then puts the location up on the Internet. You then get the location, enter it into your GPS device, and try to find what they have hidden.

The bigger caches (containers) hold little trinkets that you can trade another trinket of the same value for.

Here is one of the caches we found (I actually found this one!). It was right in front of me and I just happened to look at it but that is just a technicality…

This is my oldest trading his car for some lego’s.

Warning:

If you have boys and you tell them they are pirates looking for treasure they may think they have to defend it.

Sorry to anyone that met us on the trail and my boys tried to attack you…

This cache was located here.

I saw it and said, “this is Oklahoma, you don’t hide things is a big rock pile. There are snakes.”

Sometimes I wish I was wrong…

This closer shot is courtesy of my darling husband(that nickname is really growing on me).

He was looking for the cache when I hear, “hmm”.

I know what that sound means.

So I very anxiously asked, “what?”

He said that he thinks he found a Cottonmouth and to bring him the camera.

I did, because I am odd like that.

How close was he you ask?

I stayed a little farther back.

One of us needed to live for the children’s sake.

I thought I should end with something pretty to maybe help you forget the snake.

 

You can find more information about Geocaching at geocaching.com

Not all the caches have snakes guarding them. I promise!