To Grandma's House We Go

We made a quick visit to see my mother-in-law in Oklahoma over the weekend. I had everything packed and ready to go when Tony got off work, and we stopped at Subway to pick up dinner, which we ate in the car. No veggie patties available at this particular Subway, so I had them load up my sandwich with vegetables (and spicy mustard.)

Grandma always loves to catch up with her little buddies. She hadn't seen them since Christmas and they have definitely grown since then. Olivia had a lot of stories to tell.

Jackson telling Grandma about his Power Ranger's awesome abilities.

On Saturday we went to Science Museum Oklahoma with our friends Michelle and Alan and their kids. I hadn't been there in a decade. It used to be called the Omniplex, which is a cooler-sounding name, but the museum itself is much more impressive these days. They've added a ton of new exhibits and it kept the kids busy for hours.

Olivia wasn't sure what to make of the old telephones. She'd never seen one before. Feeling old now? Me, too.

Jackson got to ride a Segway.

Kidronauts.

Afterwards, we had lunch at Iguana in Oklahoma City. The interesting thing about Iguana is that Tony and I had our wedding dinner there, nearly eleven years ago.  Not long after that, to our chagrin, it closed down. But then it reopened a few years ago in a different location, and apparently has been going strong ever since. 

We were seated and there were already chips and huge bowls of salsa on our table. Nice, Iguana! Now that's service.

Being salsa fiends, we also ordered the salsa sampler, with tomatillo, smoked tomato (served warm), citrus habanero, and "coral snake" salsas.  Those last two I mentioned are super hot! It's funny, after all this time, the salsas tasted just as we remembered them. I guess if you got a good recipe, there is no need to change it!

I had the spinach mushroom enchiladas, with red rice and grilled veggies on the side. Totally delish.

More Oklahoma love soon. We are going back in a few weeks. Grandma can't wait four months to see her buddies again.

Summer 2012 Road Trip, Part 1

This year, Tony and I decided to keep our vacation easy and affordable by taking a road trip to visit family and friends in Oklahoma and Missouri. We were gone for eleven days -- the longest trip we've ever taken! We weren't sure how Jackson and Olivia would handle being away from home for so long. They did have their wild moments, due to the absence of their usual routine and surroundings. But they really are awesome little travelers. Everything is an adventure for them.

We left on July 3rd after Tony got off work. We grabbed some Subway on our way out of town. I got the veggie patty. Have you heard that some east coast Subways are offering vegan sandwiches now? Go, Subway!

We arrived at my mother-in-law's home, near Oklahoma City, after midnight. The next morning, we slept in. Once we got out of bed, we immediately started cooking out. While Tony grilled steaks, I roasted some potatoes and made corn, salad, and fruit salad.

We had an easy, relaxing Independence Day, hanging out with family, eating and drinking.

The next day, we set out to visit our friends Rick and Carla and their family in St. Louis. It's a long drive from OKC, so we elected to drive halfway and spend the night in Springfield, MO. 

We heard that the number one attraction for kids in Springfield is the original Bass Pro Shops store. I was a little skeptical. What's so exciting about a store? But this particular store is the size of an amusement park.

There is a waterfall. Inside the store.

It's surreal.

The main floor is nothing but boats, 4-wheelers, snowmobiles, etc., as far as the eye can see.  And you can climb all over them. For a two-year-old and almost-four-year-old, this was heaven.

Boat Captain Olivia.

Jackson thinks I should trade in my car and take him to school in this monster.

Olivia will take this Arctic Cat over a Barbie doll any day of the week.

I decided this would be my boat. You know, if I was going to own a boat. Isn't she yar?

Moving along, we encountered some huge fish tanks. There was also a live crocodile, just hanging out in his enclosure right in the middle of the store. I meant to circle back and take a picture of him, but I forgot.

Downstairs, there was a camping area. I was amazed by all the pre-made meals you can buy. When my family went camping in western Maryland every summer when I was a kid, we lived on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and smores. Now you can feast on lasagna while you're crouching around the campfire.

Some of the options weren't so appealing. Giant tin of beef stew, anyone?

Uh-oh! While I was pricing camping gear (I'm determined to take the kids camping this fall), Tony went and got himself mauled by a wolf! These taxidermied creatures lurked everywhere. I guess they add to the ambiance.

Strangely, the kids wanted to hug all the stuffed and mounted animals in the store, but they would have nothing to do with this overall-clad bear statue out front. Sorry, Mr. Bear.

Springfield doesn't have a ton of exciting dinner options. We ate at the Ruby Tuesday by our hotel. As far as family-type chains go, Ruby Tuesday is considerably more vegetarian-friendly than your TGI Friday's or your Chili's. I hit the salad bar first. Gotta get your veggies while you're traveling! 

Then I had the veggie sliders, made with shredded zucchini. They were a tad mushier than I would've preferred, but had a pleasant flavor.

Tomorrow -- on to St. Louis!