Our third annual trip to Turner Falls, Oklahoma was another great one for the books! We went a little later than we have in the past, but it was still beautiful and the weather was great. When we originally made plans, we were going to stay Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, but with our IVF process, we needed to be back and ready for a transfer on Tuesday morning. That actually worked out well with the weather pattern anyways because a crazy cold front came through on Sunday night which brought drizzle, strong winds, and a chilly 32 degrees.
Preparing for the campout was a ton of work (as usual), but the kids were totally into helping and preparing so that was honestly a lifesaver. We had a lot going on with the IVF appointments, nightly injections, etc., so packing and preparing for the trip was pushed to the back burner. A few weeks before the trip, Kevin suggested ordering new sleeping bags since the temperatures were going to really drop at night. We were concerned about the kids and that their fuzzy animal sleeping bags might not really cut it, haha. Kevin even ordered a new mummy bag for himself :) I think all the anticipation with new sleeping bags, wool socks, and beanies, really added to the excitement of the trip.
Once we had the car fully loaded down, we made the 2 hour drive (with a pit stop for lunch) to Turner Falls. We've stayed in the same shelter the past two years and it was fun to see the kids remembering all the little details about the lock, how the beds were arranged, etc.
We had to get a picture of the fully loaded car before we started the unloading process :) Kevin is so good about giving each kid a special task and keeping them on their assignments. Brooke and Colby were each excited about setting up their beds and laying out their new sleeping bag. Once their areas were done, they were pretty eager to go on an adventure, but we still needed to staple up the plastic over the windows and hang up those hammocks. For some reason, it was harder to hang the hammocks this year, but Kevin was persistent and made it happen :) It's been a pretty fun tradition for us to sleep in hammocks each night while we "camp".
They had to check out the hammocks, of course.
Colby busied himself with digging that rock out of the road, haha, which kept him occupied while Kevin and I made the finishing touches on our shelter.
All set and ready to go...
Even baby cow was tucked in, snug as a bug :)
Then it was adventure time, sort of :/ The kids REALLY wanted to go hiking or something, but we really needed to go get some wood for our fires. Our firewood at home was pretty wet and since we didn't have much space in the car anyway, we just figured that we would buy some once we arrived. So, we were on the hunt for wood. We stopped at the gas station with the Arbuckle Mountain fried pies, but they only had small bundles. But we didn't leave empty handed, haha. Kevin bought 4 pies so we could try all the flavors.
They were SO gooey and delicious, but wow, what a mess!
We drove to several more places, but nobody had wood! We finally decided to stop at a grocery store, knowing that we would pay ridiculous prices for a few small bundles. As we parked, Kevin noticed a truck with a bunch of firewood in the back. He commented that maybe he could buy some wood from that guy :) Kevin went solo into the store, and a little later came back to the Armada and opened the back. He was chatting with the guy who owned the truck and the man began selecting pieces of wood and helping Kevin load it. Brooke and Colby were super curious about what was going on, and then I whispered to them that they should thank him for the wood. Turns out that he just saw a fallen tree and went and chopped it up himself. He was gonna let Kevin buy some of it, but once he saw the kids and understood that we were on a little family camping trip, he just let us have all the wood we wanted. Some people are the best! Especially since a tiny bundle of sticks was $7.
Once we dropped off our newly acquired wood, it was time for the real adventuring to start! We were all pretty amazed at the size of these leaves..
The trees weren't quite as vibrant since we went a few weeks later than normal, but they were still beautiful and those hills covered in trees have a special place in our hearts.
We voted to venture down to the river, which has become a favorite spot. I LOVE the short hike down there thanks to these colorful trees. The kids had a spring in their step and were giddy with excitement to finally be on a hiking adventure.
Turns out it was just as fun to throw stones in the river as it was last year, haha.
Brooke got creative with her stick dancing, and we even played a bit of baseball with a rock and that stick.
I'm pretty sure we have selfies down here each year, so why not keep up the tradition? The weather was absolutely perfect and I felt so much joy seeing the kids enjoy the experience as well.
Brooke did a little "potion mixing", and then it was time to race some leaves down the river...
We always joke that we should have Danielle drive up here to do our family pictures because this location would be PERFECT, but instead we asked some random camper to do the honors.
Just look at this spot!! It's dreamy and I'm wishing we didn't have to wait a year to go back.
We hiked a bit further than normal before heading back to start dinner. The kids assured us that they weren't hungry yet, but I knew that it was gonna hit before we were ready if we didn't head back soon.
All you need is some fresh air and a stick, haha.
As I planned the menu, I tried to plan yummy meals that weren't too complicated to prepare. Last year the kids were very involved in helping prep for meals, but it still seemed to take longer than I wanted. I feel like I did better this year, and Brooke was totally into helping me with this tortellini soup.
As she sautéed the garlic and onions, she put her nose down near the dutch oven and waved some of the scent towards her. It was totally something she saw in the movie Ratatouille and I was cracking up. So, of course she did it again, haha. She's becoming quite the little chef :)
Then the smoke was all in her eyes and we were both cracking up. Kevin caught a picture and I love that he did :) It might seem like a small thing, but I want her to remember cooking with me on our annual Turner Falls trips.
I also figured that they would appreciate the food more if they helped prepare it, and I think it worked! Everyone loved the soup :) The garlic bread tasted SO smoky because we cooked it directly over the fire, but at least we learned our lesson.
We ended the night with s'mores and chatting around the campfire. A scout troop was somewhat near us, but they were pretty quiet so we enjoyed feeling like we were in the middle of nowhere. Once we had the kids all ready for bed, Kevin gave me my progesterone shot which I was dreading. I brought my heat pack along to help warm the area, but that needle is huge and still hurt going in. The kids wanted to watch and Colby said, "That needle sure is big and shiny, Dad." Hahaha. (It's funny now, but I think it traumatized Brooke because she lost her mind a few weeks later when it was time for her flu shot. Like, screaming and slapping my arms away from her as I tried to hold her tight for her shot. Afterwards she admitted that it didn't hurt, but she was legit so scared that I felt kind of bad for her. The most ridiculous part was that Colby went first and had to also get two vaccines, but he sat on my lap like a champ and didn't even cry!)
We all fell asleep quickly, and everyone slept soundly through the night. My kids are at such a great age for outings like this! Last year, Colby had a rough time sleeping by himself. This year, he was a total big boy. And Brooke has always been a champ at "camping".
The next morning the air was brisk, but the cocoa was warm.
Just chilling like they own the place, haha.
Then, it was off to the castles and more hiking.
I knew I was out of shape, but man, my legs were burning from all the stairs!
As we neared the top, I reminded Brooke about the year that she sat down and announced that she wouldn't walk anymore. (She was 4.) They decided to recreate the moment before rounding the bend and seeing the gorgeous waterfall.
This view never gets old...
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Since there was nobody at the top to take our picture, we had another family selfie like last year. 
The hike down was, of course, easier than the hike up. The kids were eager to head right over to the stream (or creek?) and look for fish. The park gate attendant had informed us that we wouldn't see fish for another week, but the kids were still hopeful :) Kevin parked himself in the sun while the kids played...
We ventured over to the base of the waterfall and took our picture there as well. I just love this tradition (Thanks, Myers!), and love having pictures in the same location each year. I truly hope that we continue taking this trip forever.
Brooke was too nervous to hop over to that large rock with Kevin, so she posed on a closer rock :)
As we sat on the other side of the pond and ate a snack, a nice man offered to take our family picture. Colby was clearly more interested in chewing than smiling, but it's still a cool picture with the beautiful waterfall in the background.
Kevin must have been really feeling the scenery because he wanted a picture of the two of us together, and then one of just me. I feel so awkward being in a picture all by myself, but since I'm normally the one instigating more pictures, I figured I should just go along with it :)
Once we left the waterfall, we went on our favorite hike from last year. You can hear a tiny creek running along most of the trail, which turns into a bit bigger creek and eventually leads to some small pools of water and pretty amazing rocks. Brooke's hiking stick was found on this exact trail last year, and she made sure to bring it again this year. As she posed for this picture, I had a flashback to last year's trip and remembered her wearing this exact same outfit. What can I say, leopard is timeless, hahaha!
More leaf racing, rock hopping, and bug finding...
Kevin took us on the scenic route back to our campsite, which led to us exploring the Butterly Pools. We had never been to this area, but the trees were pretty amazing. Many of them had rope swings attached, so I imagine that it's a pretty popular hangout in the Spring and Summer months.
I casually mentioned to Kevin that he should climb out onto that cool branch, and of course the kids were encouraging him to do it. Once out there, Brooke started making requests for certain leaves that she REALLY wanted. And since he really is the best Daddy, he balanced himself and grabbed all the leaves :)
(This post is forever long, but when I take pictures of every moment, there's a lot to document! I really am so grateful for these pictures, though, because it allows me to relive this trip and recall the tiny moments and conversations we had as a family.)
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It was getting close to lunchtime, so we packed up all our supplies (except matches which Kevin had to go back for) and headed over to another favorite spot for lunch. The kids helped us chop and prepare the food, but made their way over to come rocks while the food simmered. They sat there together for a long time, and when Kevin and I quietly walked over to listen in to their conversation, our hearts were melted. Brooke was ready Colby the sweetest letter she had written him about how she was glad he was her brother, and that she loved him and hoped he had a great day. These two fight, but they also have the sweetest bond that seems to grow stronger every day and especially during trips like this.
Before telling the kids, I asked Kevin what he thought about letting the kids play in the creek. He was on board, even though the water was freezing and quite mossy! They were literally in heaven. I even waded around with them and felt like a kid again.
Kevin had the crazy idea to string the hammock up between two trees on opposite banks of the creek, and he was determined! He spent forever getting it in position, but even the kids made it sag almost all the way to the water. He then made a few adjustments, which seemed tow work great for the kids. As soon as he got into the hammock, one of the straps snapped and he was laying in the creek. We were dying laughing! It was seriously the funniest thing, and he was completely soaked. I loved his determination, though :)
As we began packing up the ropes and straps, I decided to teach Brooke how to wind a rope. It seemed like a little thing, but as I watched her complete that task, she just seemed so grown up. Our kids are capable of so much, and I know they are eager to learn if we can be more patient in teaching them and seeing these opportunities to teach skills and create memories.
When we made it back to our camp site, Kevin helped the kids make a bow and arrow. I think Colby was the one who found the perfect stick, but they had both been on the hunt for something to use as the string. One of them had found a skinny piece of string along a trail somewhere, so Kevin fashioned it into the perfect bow and it actually worked!
Our final afternoon hike was down to some smaller falls. Several people were there taking professional pictures, so we waited our turn to get one. I always get a little nervous in this area because it's a pretty big drop off behind us, but we gave our kids a good lecture about staying right next to us and not goofing around in these areas.
The kids were being so sweet to look out for one another and show each other every great thing they found along the trail. I kept having moments of such intense gratitude for these beautiful souls and gratitude that I was entrusted to be their Mama.
They are just the cutest!!
Again, Kevin asked for a picture of just the two of us, which really surprised me, haha. It's always me instigating, but I think he was feeling gratitude for this trip as well. The whole IVF process was emotional for both of us, and I think we were both realizing more fully the blessing it was to have the family we currently had.
And that family wanted to check out a cave that we missed out on last year. I can't remember if it was blocked off last year, or if it was just too muddy (like this year), but after assessing the situation, we determined that we could get it with minimal mud on our clothes. Boy, was I wrong, haha! Kevin was the first one to enter this cave with probably a 2 foot opening. He basically did a plank and walked himself into the cave in that position. The kids were small enough that they could crawl in on their hands and feet. Then it was my turn :). I was in plank position and began making my way in, but quickly got the giggles and dropped right into the mud puddle.
But it made for a funny memory, and the kids thought it was hilarious. Kevin was cracking up, but made sure he took a picture of the product of my not-so-graceful entry. Thankfully, the cave opens right up so you can stand and easily climb out the back side.
As we made our way down, we spotted a really cool look-out spot with a view of the top of the waterfall. It was a bit dangerous to get to, so only Kevin checked it out.
We couldn't really remember how to get back down to the waterfall, but after a few course changes, we figured it out. Several families were down there having family portraits done, and everybody was staring at my mud-covered self. Even Brooke noticed, and it was a good opportunity for me to tell her that I didn't even care what they thought because I was making memories with my family. I mean, I was a little bit embarrassed, but I wanted to teach her that it was more important what I thought about myself rather than what they were thinking about me.
And what do you know, she decided (on her own) that she wanted to climb out to the big rock. I guess a whole day of adventuring made her realize that she can do things that might seem scary at first!
The waterfall was still beautiful at dusk, but not quite as glorious without the sun shining and reflecting on the aqua water and changing leaves.
The other not-so-beautiful part was the hike back up to our shelter, haha. The kids had done AMAZING all day, especially considering the amount of walking and hiking we did, but their little legs were wearing out! We took that final hill pretty slow, but we made it and rewarded ourselves with a chocolate or two.
I can't even remember what we made for dinner, but as I was at the stove stirring something, I saw Colby stand up near the fire. Next thing that I know, I hear Kevin yell Colby's name, run to the fire, and literally pull him out of the fire ring. Kevin was obviously shaken, but Colby was trying to brush it off and say things like, "I'm fine, I'm fine." He wanted me to hold him, so I know that he was a bit shaken up as well. I don't even know what happened exactly, but Kevin said that when Colby stood up, he turned himself around and probably lost his balance, which is why he fell bottom-first into the ring. He hadn't touched any of the flames (by some miracle) and I can't imagine the horror if he would have.
Colby told me that he needed to go potty, so we headed in that direction. When we made it back to the fire, Kevin told us that Brooke had made an observation. Before the whole falling-into-the-fire incident, we had said a prayer that we would have a fun evening together and be safe. As we were off using the restroom, Brooke had asked Kevin if he thought that Heavenly Father had protected Colby because of our prayer. It was an incredible teaching moment, and I was impressed that she made that connection. I know that Heavenly Father was definitely looking out for us that night because it just doesn't make sense that Colby wasn't hurt at all.
He stayed close to me the rest of the evening as we ate our dinner, made more s'mores, and listened to the Harry Potter book we started on the drive up. It felt good to end the night sitting close to the people I love most.
A cold front was supposed to come through about midnight, but when we went to bed at 10 it was still probably 65 degrees outside. Rain was also in the forecast, and I kept receiving notifications on my phone that rain would start in the next 15 minutes, but it didn't hit until about 7 AM the next day. Everyone was still asleep, but I could hear the wind rattling the plastic coverings on our windows. I checked my weather app and it was still 57 degrees outside. Within 30 minutes, the wind was howling, everyone was awake, and the temperature dropped to 35 degrees. An icy rain started and we cuddled together in hammocks to stay warm. We were glad to be heading home that day, even though originally we were a little bummed to cut our trip short. This cold weather made the shortened trip a much easier pill to swallow! Kevin and I let the kids stay warm in our hammocks while we started packing up. Before long, we were ready to load the car and it was literally freezing! As we pulled away, the car showed 29 degrees, which was a huge change from the two previous days of beautiful weather!
It feels redundant, but this trip was truly good for my soul. I was so hopeful in our IVF process, but I also know that Heavenly Father knew that I needed this quality time with my family to allow my heart to be filled with gratitude for the life that I had. For the two healthy, amazing, and beautiful children that we get to raise. And for a protective, kind, and gentle husband. This trip couldn't have been at a better time, and for those memories and impressions, I am forever grateful.
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