What is this {pretty, happy, funny, real} you speak of?
~ {pretty, happy, funny, real} ~
Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
Over the weekend, we went on a little adventure to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, a few hours from here in south-central Oklahoma. We'd never been there before, and didn't know much about it — we basically just tried to find the prettiest-looking place to spend a few nights camping that wouldn't require us to drive too far. We rented a camper trailer from the adventure center on base, which was a fun way to try it out (we periodically throw around the idea of getting one of our own and fixing it up) and to get to do the camping thing without having to actually do the sleeping on the ground thing.
The plan was to leave on Friday, but there were severe storms rolling through that afternoon, and it doesn't take much of a tornado threat to convince me to stay in my house instead of getting into a travel trailer and driving out of cell phone range.
So it ended up just being one night — a shorter trip than we'd planned, but still a lot of fun.
The weather was perfect, and the park we stayed in was just beautiful. I would've liked to have more time to explore, but even the little we saw was amazing. (This is sounding like a sponsored post. It's not.)
The rivers and streams were so clear — I don't know if I've ever seen anything like them. After Mass on Sunday we hiked to one of the springs that feeds the streams. (And by “hiked,” I mean walked along the wide gravelly path the half-mile or so that it took to get there. It was just our speed.)
It was most satisfyingly spring-like, with the water just pouring right out of the rock. As if, as my husband said, Moses had struck it with his staff.
The camping itself went about as well as we could have hoped — we did get some sleep, and the kids, naturally, had a great time. We were pretty sure they would, no matter what happened. There aren't many camping hiccups that can't be fixed with a s'more. (The ones I can think of are being eaten by a bear and being blown away in a tornado, both of which we cleverly avoided.)
It also helped everyone's spirits that our actual campsite,in addition to being clean and quiet, was neatly edged with rocks and covered in gravel. There were cute little lizards living nearby, and I'm not sure what it is about gravel, but all three of our kids love to play in it, and eating gravel is one of Nora's very favorite things in the world. She picks up a little piece and pops it in her mouth when I'm not looking. She just keeps it in there until I notice, fish it out, and chastise her. Then she toddles off and surreptitiously sneaks another one. To the best of my knowledge, she has never swallowed any (or choked on it, for that matter), but still. Babies just have no standards, do they?
[inlinkz_linkup id=630856 mode=1]
kristina b says
That looks so fun! I should try to do something like that my family this summer… I think they are finally getting old enough, and it would be good to do it before a new baby comes 🙂
Cristina Reintjes says
I’m so glad you cleverly avoided both bears and tornadoes 🙂 I never thought to check out the base to rent campers, that’s such a good idea! We’ve been wanting to plan a camping trip but mamma’s not sleeping on the ground. A camper for me and the children who quit and a tent for daddy and all of the bravehearts 🙂
Mary says
It’s a lot of work to pull it all together but so worth it. Looks like you found a magical spot. Your kids and their personalities are so precious!
Sally says
Looks like a great place!! We are headed to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to see our daughter graduate from boot camp some time in July. She is a (soon to be 18 year old) home school graduate this year with almost two years of college behind her. She is going to be a registered nurse and signed up to be in the Army National Guard which she is very much looking forward to!! One of her older brothers is in the Air Force National Guard and the other in the Army National Guard. We are very happy that we will be able to make the 17 hour trek (with 5 of our other kids and a girlfriend of our daughters) to see her when she graduates!! Do you know of anything fun or entertaining to do near Fort Sill? I am going to look on a map to see how far it is from Fort Sill to the site you posted today. I would enjoy that area and I know my husband and boys would also!! I know my other kids will be very much looking forward to seeing their sister but after 17 hours in the car they will be wanting to do something:)) Thanks for posting and thank you, your sister, and your mom for running this blog. It has meant a great deal to me through the years!!
Rosie says
Fort Sill is where we are! If you click on the “sw Oklahoma” tag at the end of this post, you’ll see some of my other posts about some of our favorite spots around here. Notably, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (especially Mount Scott, which is a must see) and Medicine Park. Feel free to email me if you want any more info about the area, and congratulations to your daughter – and to you and your husband for raising such service-minded children!
Denise says
Ahh I remember these kind of camping trips….my kids are all older now, but we used to pile them all up in the van and go camping. Water is so key! And rushing streamy water is even better! And you had such a great spot. Love your two sitting on the rocks together.
Katherine says
Yeah, gravel! One of the things that I dislike about camping (besides the lack of first world bathroom facilities) is how dirty everything and everyone gets (at least in the west). Gravel is a definite improvement on bare dirt.
Habou says
Love all the pictures. The kids, of course, are so adorable. I had no idea that there were such gorgeous places in Oklahoma. I hope no oklahomian is offended by that. I would understand sInce I used to live in New Jersey and loved it and get upset when people say New Jersey is ugly. There are gorgeous places there too.
Caitlin says
So beautiful!! And my baby (14 months) loves pebbles and rocks too! They are his favorite thing ever. He’s graduated from popping them straight into his mouth to (mostly) just clutching them and wandering around.
Anamaria says
I love the Chickasaw National Recreation Area! There’s a few great swimming holes there, too! We’ve been tossing out the idea of camping this summer, either there or in the Wichitas- but usually we just end up back at my in-laws cabin in nw OK. It’s nice to have a kitchen (and a bed) :).
Sorry your trip got cut short by tornadoes that never came, but best to be safe! You never know.
Anamaria says
Sally, I live in Oklahoma City and second the Wichita Wildlife Refuge! We used to go out there in high school for hikes. If you’re passing through here, which you probably are, we have a good zoo and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will have a Matisse exhibit starting in June, if you’re into art (the rest of the museum is so-so, except the “café,” which is a very nice fine dining restaurant).
Habou, yes, most of eastern Oklahoma is actually wooded and quite beautiful in that way; the Chickasaw area is neat ecologically because it is where the ecosystem of eastern Oklahoma meets the ecosystem of the plains. Though my early years were spent in the Texas hill country, most since then have been spent in central Oklahoma, and I have grown very partial to the beauty of the plains, with majestic sunsets almost daily and the great expanse of sky accented with tall prairie grass. It is an unfamiliar beauty to many but it is striking nonetheless.
Karen says
Museum of Osteology, Oklahoma City! I love this place. Wish it were in my backyard. But when I cross the country on I-40 (CA to TN), I try very hard to pass through Oklahoma City when this museum is open. Never tire of it. Hard to explain why seeing the magnificence of the bones God designed for His creatures is so awesome. It draws me back. There is repetition of the same bones in so many animals, and yet an endless variation of those bones. The museum has videos (for those who need to sit) and bones to touch (for those who must) and it is small (if you don’t have much time). NB. This is not an ad. I found this museum accidently on a cross-country drive. And I recommend it to anyone passing through Oklahoma City.
Ashley says
We’ve been wanting to go camping, but don’t have any supplies. We’ll be borrowing a few things from the base too.
Not going to lie…I was kind of hoping you guys would get stationed near us. I promise I’m not a crazy internet stalker. 🙂 Good luck selling your house!
Sally says
Thank you all for taking the time to share your favorute things to do/see at or near Fort Sill!!!! You are all so generous!! I think we are going to be plenty busy with fun things to do now! And it looks like my type of trip – quiet, fun, educational, family time:)) I am sure to be thinking of LMLD and all of her generous readers when we are out there:)
Woman of the House says
You are brave to go camping with three little ones! It looks like you all had a great time, though. 🙂