Vacation 2011!

Monday August 29^th, 2011

So MaryJane and I took a vacation to Oklahoma last week.  We headed out a little before 7 a.m. and traveled to Blue Bell Creameries in Broken Arrow, OK.  If you didn’t know MaryJane is an Ice Cream fanatic, so you can imagine how exciting it was to take a tour of an Ice Cream Factory.  It was very fun and informative.  It was just her, Kelly, I, and the tour guide.  Lionel could not be trusted around that much ice cream so he had to stay in the car.  Got to view from second story windows looking down, the unloading / storage area, the milk / sugar area, and the coolest area the flavoring / packing area.  The putting of the ice dream into the different containers was really neat.  We also watched a cute little video about the history of Blue Bell.  At the end we got to go to their little ice cream parlor / gift shop where we enjoyed some yummy cream and she got a set of 4 ice cream spoons w/ cute animal handles.

 We then traveled west to Oklahoma City to enjoy time at the Science Museum and Zoo.  Who would thought that the spoons she obtained at the creamery were musically talented.  They put on some awesome shows for me on the way there.  The science museum was really cool.  We had fun playing w/ light…the neatest probably being standing in front of these light absorbent boards in a dark room when a flash goes off in front of you and you can then step away and see your “shadow”; where the light was blocked.  We played in a giant treehouse twice that had this curly slide that went like million miles an house.  It was quite exhilarating.  We solved a murder mystery in a new area.  We gathered evidence and did forensics.  Really sweet set up.  Then her favorite thing was next…riding on the Segway.  We rode it twice and she was all smiles.  Would love to have one of those bad boys for real.  Amazing invention it is.  We checked out an old luxury train, had lunch and then headed up stairs to tour the mind games.  It was trippy.  Back down stairs we fiddled w/ a few more things like the erosion and earthquake displays and a tinkering area.  She got two real arrowheads from the gift shop…something we had talked about recently.  A really educational and fun place to go and they are adding more areas for new fun next time.

 Next it was to the zoo…which is literally 100 yards away.  It being so close sure was a time saver.  We saw lots of amazing animals.  Saw Rhinos near the entrance and we headed for the elephants.   On the way we stopped by the monkey zone.  There was a building we went into and there were two large areas you could see into from large glass walls.  They were in the process of feeding the Chimps.  They took the monkey out of the left area, opened the door, and came in w/ a large trash can pull of compost and started throwing it all over the place…along w/ a bunch of books.  So when they let the monkey back in he immediately went over, picked up a book, put it in his mouth, climbed up on a ledge, and started reading.  It was awesome and I tell you when I looked that guy straight in the face I saw a glimpse of Christian.  Haha.  So we made it to the back of the park to see the Elephants.  They were kind of far off, but there was a baby one that was so adorable.  Very precious.  On the way back to the front of the park we saw some smaller cats…not sure what they all were, but one was still a kid and one was a baby…I think they were Leopards.  They were beautiful.  Stopped by a play area build like trees you could climb around in.  We pretended to be a monkey family and that was great fun.  Also, went thru the area w/ the Galapagos Turtles, Flamingos, and Peacocks.  Those turtles have the cutest faces, but they are deceiving cause you’d lose a finger real quick messing with one.   Our last animal stop, and her favorite stop, was to see the Sea Lions and Seals.  Oh…on the way there we got to see a guy feeding the ducks and catfish.  He dumped this big bucked of feed into the water and they all went crazy.  It was nuts.  So the Sea Lions were cute and one made a kept making a funny, but annoying noise.  We saw them from the top.  Then we went underground and saw the Seals thru glass.  There were 3 in the tank area and they were super duper cute and having so much fun swimming around.  They would go right past the glass and one even came right for it and turned at the last second.  Wanted to take one home w/ us, but instead she gat a Seal stuffed animal named Sara from the gift shop.  They are perfect together…a cute faced girl and a cute faced seal.  Love.  That zoo is real good.

Our last stop was Incredible Pizza in Tulsa so we headed that way after the zoo.  On the way Lionel meet Sara and as hard as he tried to be like a seal he failed.  I got to train Sara to do some neat tricks.  MaryJane doctored both Sara and Lionel in the zoo game we played.  The pizza place was tasty and fun.  She loved the fact they had a big pasta bar.  Not sure she even ate any pizza, but I sure did.  Played fun games, got lots of tickets, and got some cool prizes.  Always a good time at that place.  So after that we headed home.  We actually didn’t end up in Joplin, yea, and I got more great performances by the ice cream spoons.  It was such a fun day.

MaryJane's 3 Birthdays!

Saturday, July 16th

We started our day w/ a 2 hour play session including Knitting Class, Webkinz, and Baby Sister. Her Friend Birthday Party was at Fun City. It started at 11 am and lasted until around 2 pm. It was her friend Her and her friends Eliana, Malia, and Sasha played games, they ate 3 bags of cotton candy they won, she opened gifts, and we had pizza and Hello Kitty cake. Back home we played w/ all of her presents. Next it was down the Fayetteville Trail for a snow cone and a game of orphans under the railroad bridge. After cooling off and dinner w/ Doodle Bear and her black bear son in China, we played some more Polly Pocket, a different game of orphans, and we pretend to be different Monster High characters at Monster High.

Wednesday, July 20th

We started off her 10th Birthday w/ gifts. She got two My Little Pony Playsets. We played w/ them and Strawberry Shortcake Dolls until it was time for her to go to her GuaGua's. So while I worked from 10-2 she enjoyed time w/ her Mommy, Christian, and her GuaGua. After her Mommy brought her back and stayed for a short visit w/ Christian we made our to the post office to pick up two more gifts. She got 2 Webkinz; a calico kitten named Victoria and a Mazin Hampster named Hope. After a trip to Toys R' Us and Donalds we returned home to round out the day w/ a game of Barbies, some more Ponies, and then more Baribes.

Saturday, July 23rd

We started of the day playing w/ Barbies. She left at 9:15 w/ her Mommy to attend her Great Grandpa Chief's funeral and returned shortly before her Family Birthday Party started at noon. A ton of her family came to our new home to celebrate her birthday w/ her. There was plenty of conversation, French Poodle Sandwiches for lunch, she opened her gifts and cards, and we had more Hello Kitty cake. After the party we played numerous games of Littlest Pet Shop Mall Madness, Hello Kitty Pedicure Shop, and Good Princess / Bad Prince.

Happy Valentines Day!

MaryJane and I enjoyed ourselves this fine Valentines Day.  We went to a valentines party at the club house.  She played bingo, got a puppy named Carly, and made / exchanged valentines w/ the other children.  It was a good time.  When we got home she got her big valentines gift, Mrs Weenie. 

She loves her.  She played w/ her and the cats, watched some Wallace and Grommit, looked thru old pictures, and played a karate and a princess / prince game.  Awesome fun.  Before bed she made me a flip book that draws a heart and says I Love You.  It is the best.

Christmas 2010!

After having fun playing Polly Pocket the early afternoon of the day before Christmas Eve we headed out on the town. We enjoyed buying gifts for our family, having a nice dinner at our A.Q., and a nice visit to the square to see the lights. She got to ride a pony, which she loved every second of, and we ran into her best friend Eliana, her sisters, and her mother Aly. It was great to see them and we plan to get together sometime in January.

We spent our Christmas Eve morning and early afternoon having fun wrapping gifts, making and baking homemade gingerbread cookies (they turned out fab.), and playing a little Polly Pocket. We spent the later part of the day at Aunt Cheryl's for our annual, traditional, Christmas Eve get together. It was wonderful being amidst the entire family and partaking in the usual festivities.

Christmas Morning my Lovely showed up around 11:30. She quickly showed me stuff she got at Mommies and then, after freaking out about the Barbie Video Girl under the tree, went to town opening her other gifts. Think she liked what she got?

They were all things she wanted "really, really, bad". We then went thru our stockings. We spent the rest of the day having fun playing. We started by playing Barbies + her Monster High doll for around 4 hours, she played some of her Pokemon game on her DSi, we played "Tangled" on the Wii, and we played plenty more Barbies.

The day after Christmas we started the day off w/ a trip to Church. It was nice. Back home I feverishly cooked and did final cleaning for our expected company; Cody, Robi, Grandma, and Branden. We all enjoyed each others company, had tasty homemade gumbo, exchanged gifts, and played the "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" board game.

The day after the day after Christmas, aside from a quick trip to Best Buy for batteries and few minor chores, was spent having fun playing. We played Barbies, her mini skill crane game, the board game "Pictureka", and Wii games.

MaryJane and I sure had an awesome past five days. Looking forward to an awesome 2011 with my Gurly.

Christmas Pictures 2010!

1-2-3!

I can sum up our awesome Sunday in three words; Church, Barbie’s, and College. Let me elaborate a bit. She made another new friend in Sunday School and we finished up the “Release” series. Aside from eating we played an ongoing story w/ Barbie’s the entire time we were at home. We toured the U of A campus taking pictures, learning, and stopping for warm drinks.

Happy Halloween and the 5 days before!

Tuesday and Wednesday found us playing w/ clay "Kirby" figures MaryJane made Tuesday night.  She did a great job on them.  We also had tickle fights both nights.  She is the champ.  Hehe.  Wednesday night we made a trip to Tyson park to dizzy ourselves on the tire swing.  She can spin forever.  Thursday night we finished up putting her costume together and getting what Daddy needed for his costume.  Above is her after her fashion show.  She got a 10.  : )  A great two nights.  Friday afternoon she came Trick-or-Treating at Daddy's work.  She loaded up her McDonalds bucket.  Friday night was our Halloween night.  She got 2 Halloween prizes, we watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, and we ate a pumpkin shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's.  A spooky great time.  Saturday she was with me until 1:30.  We spent our time together playing Neopet figures and plushes, horses, and Barbies.  A short, but great day.  Sunday morning we first attended wonderful Church.  We then played Neopets to and fro from great Grandma and Grandpa Danforth's where we had lunch w/ them plus Cody and Robi.  Good food, great company, and MaryJane got to tour Grandpa's cabinet shop.  Back home we made Halloween figures out of clay and she rode her bike.  A great Halloween.  A great, fun filled 6 days.

Party Time!

After picking up Gurly Friday afternoon we headed to Pizza Hut to enjoy some grub. It was yummy. Next it was over to Hobby Lobby to get a present for her friend Lon’s Birthday. She got him a nice 89 piece art set. She also bought herself a tattoo pack w/ over 200 tattoos. Not surprising seeing as how she has been had multiple tattoo shops giving Mommy and Daddy hand drawn tattoos, giving herself temp tattoos and having a tattoo shop days earlier giving me a temp tattoo, and her current want to be a tattoo artist when she grows up. So as you probably guessed when we got home I got a few temp tattoos from her tattoo shop and then she proceeded to give herself temp tattoos.

Saturday morning we played a game where she was the sister and I was the bad brother. After that we headed to Home Depot. She built a neat fire fighter boat. She did a great job as always. Then it was back up to Springdale to meet up w/ Sonia, Lon’s Mom, so we could follow them to the birthday party. The party was at his Grandparents 2nd home, a cabin in Jane , MO. It was very nice and a very fun place. We first went walking around exploring the area and then it was time for the zip line. It went from the cabin, down over land, then over the pond to the landing area. After all the kids except MaryJane went I took a trip down it and after a rough landing I elected to not go again. It was fun tho, don’t get me wrong. W/ round 1 of the zip line over we all had pizza and watched present opening. Then all the kids, and some adults, got to decorate their own cupcakes. MaryJane made 3 or 4 I think and they all were very fancy and nice. We sang, chowed and then headed out for round 2. This time MaryJane was ready. She told me “ I have to live my life” a few times. How cute and funny I thought. She went once and immediately went again. Yes, she loved it and it was her favorite part of the trip. Finally, the kids got to take a trip around the lake on the canoe. I guided the last trip w/ MaryJane. She got to go twice, lucky gurl. After her getting her goody bag and saying our goodbyes we reluctantly left the cabin. There was plenty more fun to come tho. We played more sister and bad brother in the car on the way to the tennis court. I broke more lamps than you can imagine, blaming it all on her. Haha. After her showing me improving skills on the court we played a game where I was a bad guy and a good guy and she was the captive, the court being her cage. After a failed attempt to save her by the good guy it turns out she loves the bad guy and they leave the “cage” and head to the play ground. We spent the entire time there getting dizzy on the tire swings. Much funnier on an empty stomach. : ) We grabbed some grub from the market and a copy of the new Tinker Bell movie from Redbox before we went home. We spent the rest of the day relaxing. The movie was really good and the company was really great. What a fun day.

Sunday morning started out w/ Pokémon bargaining and a Pokémon card game. On the way to wonderful Church there was a wild Google in the car that was on a eating rampage. By the time we got to the church doors all the planets were eaten, including my hair and clothes. Haha. Church was fantastic of course. We played more on the way home and while we got ready for our next outing. On the way to the Apple Festival the wild Google was back in action, this time singing to songs on the radio (we were laughing so hard...I was in tears). It also pooped on my arm numerous times. Hehe. We loved the Festival. She had been asking about it for some time and she was not disappointed. She got a little pink w/ black polka dot kitty named Pinkie and she ate 3 servings of apples. After the short stop there it was on to Grandpa and Nana’s for Grandpa’s Birthday Party. We had enchilada soup. It was yummy. We had fun playing dolls and Barbie’s, MaryJane and Brena enjoyed being spun around on the swing set, Cody, Dad and I played a fun yard game, and MaryJane opted for Monsters Inc. over football. Glad we got out there to visit and play. Had been wanting to for some time. On the way back home We played a game where Lionel had his own TV show about Trash stuff and Pinkie was a guest, promoting her line of Perfumes. Well, in the end Lionel’s show ended up getting canceled and was replaced by Pinkies show and her Perfume sold and sold and sold. : ) Back home we made a meal and watched the new Tinker Bell movie again. Another fun day and an all together awesome weekend.

Labor Day Weekend 2010!

We kicked of our 3 day weekend w/ me taking a trip to the tattoo shop. I got a Google and a multi colored star. Both great, as always. We spent almost the entire morning playing. We played a game where she started off as a baby. She got older and eventually moved away from home. Her brother (Lionel) and father (me) visited her on Christmas. After discovering that her long awaited coupon to Build a Bear had come in the mail and tackling school for the day, we headed to Roger’s where she picked out and brought her Chococat to life. Her name is Choco and she is a police officer. Her police skills were put on display when we got home and discovered a multitude of robberies had taken place. Chococat and I, her Assistant Officer, listened to each victim and then successfully tracked down each and every bad guy, even the ring leader, and the stolen possessions using sharp police and detective abilities, including a precise sleep dart gun shot, questioning, blackmail, and disguises. Later Kelly, Lionel, and I were judges on the latest and greatest show, “Animal’s Got Talent”. Hehe.

Sunday was wonderful Church. She made another new friend in Sunday School. : ) When we got home we chowed and took care of some Math and Science. It was then off to the Springdale Aquatic Center to enjoy some swimming and slides on their last day of operations. We went last weekend and she went down the long slide into shallow water and two short slides into deep waters for the first time. She has progressed each year at the pool. First year staying in the “kiddy” part, the next to the bigger kid part (she could stand), and this year we added the slides because she can swim now. We had a lot of fun both last and this weekend. We will be back next year. After finishing up school later at home we played board games.

Friday and Monday are on Facebook.

What a great weekend w/ my Gurl. Her imagination and playfulness fuel our playtime, her smarts make school a breeze, and her love for life and her Daddy are purely wonderful.

Mission Possible!

Date: 08/28/2010

Time: Between 0700 hrs and 2100 hrs.

Mission: Capture and tame the wild Google.

Operative Webkinz began there training Saturday morning. The combatants underwent thorough training, ability analysis, profiling, and after a trip to the locker room they lined up and took a great pep talk by there leader, Beauty (grey horse). They were driven to there departure location, U of A bus station, by none other than second in charge, Coco (himalayan cat). As the soldiers neared the war zone some became very nervous and apprehensive, none the less they all pulled thru and entered ready for battle. At the point of no return the Webkinz, Lila (chihuahua), Cotton Candy (dragon), Caramel (doggy), and Chocolate (monkey), huddled up to review the game plan, locate and capture. At first the enemy could not be located, but when it was...well, who woulda thought...the Goggle was nice. Some of the team were suspicious of the Googles warm nature and believed it was putting on a show, only to attack them when they were off guard. They returned the captive to there world headquarters and began questioning and testing to determine whether this Googles words and actions were genuine or fake. Turns out the Google is nice! Her name is Coconut.

As you can plainly see from our smiling faces, Daddy and MaryJane's 3rd trip on the University of Arkansas transit was a great one!.

Celebrating MaryJane!

My Darling Gurl MaryJane certainly enjoyed all the fun of celebrating her Birthday. We had a big party Sunday afternoon at our sweet and stylish club house. A good turnout of Friends and Family were present to celebrate w/ MaryJane. She got lots and lots of nice gifts, had a cool and yummy cake, and had a blast mingling w/ her friends in and out of the water. : ) After the party we went thru her new goodies on our living room floor, colored a nice picture together, and played some DSi on the couch before bedtime.

We continued celebrating Monday w/ Daddy taking off work to spend the day w/ Birthday Gurl. We had a great time playing w/ Pokémon figures and Pokémon cards and playing DSi at the house. We Played Pokémon trainers outside. We made 2 trips to the pool; the second time we played Pokémon at the pool, and a trip to Cold Stone Creamery where we enjoyed sweet treats.

More celebrating came Tuesday, her actual Birthday, with her and I going to the movie theater to see The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. We both love magic and this movies has plenty of spells that are amazing. A great movie for sure. Can’t wait to see it again on DVD. Prior to the movie we went to eat. She showed me a picture she had taken on her DSi of her and her 3 friends at the Sitters…and the picture of them after she had drawn on all their faces. She was a cat, Madie was a horse, Devon was a clown, and Cameron was some guy w/ a mustache. So then she took a picture of us together and made me a clown and her SpongeBob. The artwork was great and the faces were funny.

Wednesday was more celebration w/ her going to Gator Golf w/ Mommy and Christian. She said they had fun time and that she got a hole in one on the first hole. That’s my gurl. Mommy also took her and C to eat at Lynn’s Garden; the most delicious Chinese buffet known to man.

We finished up celebration yesterday w/ me taking her to Wal-Mart to get her final gift, a Pokémon game w/ 2 bonuses for her DSi. She loves it of course. We also chowed some Subway and had a lot of fun at the park in Johnson, so much that she has requested w/ go back tonight. Looking forward to it. 

So excited for all the wonderful things that the next years holds for her and I.

One last “Happy Birthday MaryJane”!

Daddy Loves You!

: )