No Tractor Pull instead a cave for lunch, waterfalls, dinner and casino

I met mama for her PT appointment and follow up with the orthopedist on Friday. She was glad that I came because the doctor decided that she needs to have a meniscus repair on her knee. Poor mama is not happy about it but I told her if I had to chose a surgery it would be that one. She is going to continue physical therapy for the next few weeks and have surgery in the beginning of July. I told her I would be her personal therapist and visit them for a few days while she recovers...not that my dad can't do it..I know she is just super happy we are close for a few months. I always like to remind her no matter where I am, its closer than Japan!

Friday night Daniel and I went on a date..to a restaurant called Stouts. Good pizza, good beer, and fantastic Cinnamon rolls. I thought it was strange Daniel has been talking about this place since he got here. It was sooooo good! I love Hawaiian Pizza~! After dinner we went to the casino on the state line in Oklahoma. I had not ever been to a reservation casino. I won 80 bucks and was so happy. I joked all day on Saturday telling Daniel that was my new job!

Saturday morning Daniel had a surprise for me..we went to see the waterfalls in the area! I think he was super disappointed in them. I thought they were pretty , but not the most amazing thing I have seen before. After hiking we went to lunch at a restaurant in a cave. It was a lot of fun..nice and cool! Its right by a place to camp and rent canoes. We are going back to float.

That night was an event Daniel as been so excited about and has been telling everyone for the past 2 weeks! It was a tractor pull. Unfortunately the weather has been very bad in this area with lots of rain and tornadoes. The tractor pull was postponed!!! The pictures are from 10 min south of where we are staying. So a sad Daniel was dealt with and we went back to the Lucky J for dinner. Kylie, Brett, and a friend came up for the tractor pull and went with us to dinner. It was a again good and we got to watch a few horses run. Most of the barrel racing and team roping was over for the evening. We went back to the same casino and lost all of the $80 I had won the night before. Most of us played the penny slots and kept switching machines..no luck that night.

Sunday we slept in and had a very lazy day. It was fun to watch Dirty Jobs and Ice Road Truckers and that night we finally got around to grilling! Good food and good friends again. It was so nice to just hang out!

This week has been good..except for the few days of rain!
We discovered this week a leak in the slideouts. Tomorrow its getting looked at by the company. It makes me so mad because we have no idea now long the leak has been there and some of my stuff is molded. Nasty!! I have been drying the carpets out and checking it every so often. I know we will get it fixed even if we spend a few nights in a hotel..

Anyway its been a good week! I am ready for the current storm to pass I can feel super again! Daniel is ready for the weekend!! We are ready to play hard!!! Hope all is well with each of you!

Rain!

My migraine situation is still much better but on Saturday I again thought I was going down for the count! I beat it though. I know a lot of this has to be due to the rain that will not go away for good. Every day there is a tornado warning or Severe T-Storm. It can be super nice and sunny during the day and at night it becomes a mess of weather. I know its common for this area..but it has to be over soon. There has been so many tornadoes around this area just since I arrived..it kinda makes me nervous.

I met my mom in Fayetteville for her physical therapy appt on Monday..I like her therapist and he is showing her good exercies for her knees. She is doing all this to try and avoid surgery after her wreck. I hope she can build her muscles up and aviod it. When we left I told her he was a good therapist and gave her a few tips on things she still needed to correct while exercising. She was super cute listening to me and trying to understand the perfect squat technique. I can tell she is determined. YOU GO MAMA!! She is having some swelling in her lower legs, but that is due to her increased activity level and the fact that she just had her last week of school and was on her feet more than normal.I know she does believe me, but I could tell the swelling bothers her.
We met up with Kylie and her mom for dinner and shopping. It was nice for our moms to meet. They had fun shopping together and meeting! We went to one of my fav stores TJ Max. I always want so much of the kitchen and house stuff. I finally found some rugs for the living room. The dogs are hard on the carpet and I don't want them to tear it up. My mom got us a collapsible bowl for the kitchen. I love it because it takes up zero space! We looked for a strainer as well but could find a pretty one. I used the bowl tonight when I made cupcakes! Thanks mama, I love it! Now I want convert all my bowls and measuring things to the collapsible kind. We also shopped for a wedding present for our cousin who is getting married this month in Texas. I am excited for her wedding and a road trip with my parents!
We had our neighbor over for dinner tonight. It was fun to get to know him better. I made chicken enchiladas and cupcakes. It was yummy in our tummies. He is from the other side of the state and his wife and children have not moved over this way yet. After dinner I decided I wanted to climb up on the ladder on the back of the 5th wheel. (Don't ask why..I have no idea) Keep in mind I had on a sun dress and had no inention of climbing up on the top, that is way up there. However, Daniel wanted me to and to just check things out because the antenna was moved. Let me say its way up and kinda scary. However, I being who I am said to Daniel I wonder if I could lay out up here? No one would see me. He kinda laughed but knew I was serious..hmmm who knows if I will but I did see myslef up there tomorrow..We will just have to see if I get the courage to climb back up there..its a good spot. Can you see a girl in an RV park up on her 5th wheel laying out? What would you think? I know what I would? And it worries me I thought of it..hahahha Happy Birthday Mom (grandmaw)! I am sure you loved that laying out story..it fit huh! Anyway, so far a good week! We miss everyone in Austin!!

A long week for me...the rain, alergies, and my head!!!

Last weekend we began the long weekend with a quick trip to Fayetteville for Kylie and Brett's engagement party. We had a great time at Crown Pub! It was so nice to meet their friends and parents!

We got up early on Saturday to meet my parents and Ben and Ann in Rogers. They came back up north with us to play. They got to see what Daniel and I like to call our "split level"! We ate at some great places and explored the area a little more. We went to Bass Pro Shops on Sunday and of course found things we could just live without! They left early evening as the sky opened up for the week of rain. We had a great time with my parents and Ben and Ann. We can't wait for them to come play again!!!


Sunday night I started getting a migraine as we were visiting with our neighbors...so Monday was a lazy day. Daniel did grill for himself and went on the run with the dogs. The headache lasted and lasted and by Tuesday I could not take it anymore. Poor Chance would not leave my side and I know he was stressed out. He always stays by me! Daniel left work to take me to the emergency room. We were there for what seemed like eternity and I left feeling worse than when I went in. I went home and got back into bed but that headache stayed around! I am very happy to say, I am currently feeling much much better!! Daniel thank you so much for taking such great care of me!!!!! Now make this rain would go away!!!

Oh My Goodness... Lake Fun and Quality Time

We were at PK Lake last week and its amazing to me how much I love that place!! Its always hard to leave. We spent the first part of the week just us relaxing, playing with the dogs, and enjoying each other.

Many of you know we got engaged at the lake house, the 15th was our 2 year engagement anniversary, and we just marked 6 months of marriage. A few weeks ago in Dallas I learned that most people are doing the topper tradition when they return from their honeymoon or at 6 months. We decided our topper had traveled enough: Ozark to Austin, from our Apartment to Ben's, from Ben's to here, and it was time to take a bite of yummy goodness at PK! It was also Kylie and Brett's anniversary of being engaged for 6 moths on the 16th so perfect timing! Well thanks to Heidi W. (professional chef and always willing to answer any question about cooking) and her knowledge of wedding cakes she told me to wrap and keep wrapping the topper in foil! Who would have guessed..it tasted just fine! Thanks Heidi!

The longhorn and razorback were also in the box from the grooms cake. It was a little treat from Mama and Casey. Apparently at the wedding Casey and my mom were moving or shifting the topper and it rolled off the top of the cake and onto the table. My mom said they both had a look of..what just happened..
I think its hilarious! Thanks ladies!

Kylie, Brett, and Ozzie arrived on Thursday and my dad and Coco the puppy on Friday. It was doggie madness and they wore themselves out. We taught the dogs to fetch a ball way out in the water and it was neat to watch Hershey and Coco get better as the week went on.

The weather was perfect and made the trip so relaxing. It so nice to not be on a schedule or have any plans. It is so nice to lay in the water or on the dock and enjoy the waves. Anyone who has ever been to the lake house can attest to the continued swaying as if you are still on the dock. We had many ires in the pit at night and many stories were told. Its always fun to hear stories and adventures about everyone. The lake was a blast and we can't wait to go back!!!

Dallas, the Vet, the Naturals, and Possum Kindgom

This past week has been a busy one. I co-hosted a lingerie shower in Dallas for my friend Amanda who is getting married on June 28. Friday night Daniel and I stayed with Kylie and Brett. We grilled, sat by the fire, and it was Ozzie's birthday that night. The dogs had a party for Ozzie!
Daniel and the dogs stayed with Brett and Ozzie (the dog) all weekend. They went over to OK and fished and did man stuff, along with Daniel doing our laundry!! Andrea, Kylie, and I rode together to Dallas on Saturday morning. It was nice to see Amanda, Holly, and all the ladies from Austin. It was a fun but quick road trip. I know Amanda had a great time with everything pink and she got a lot of cute things! We also went out on Sat night and it made me realize I had not been out in a while! It has taken me a few days to recover, but I am back now!




Its funny to me how dogs know they are doing to the vet. I took Hershey and Chance on Wednesday in a downpour of rain. They were excited to be in the car and then it was all the sudden a rage came across them. I was so mad simply because it was raining and they were acting crazy. Hershey got the rest of her shots and Chance got his toenails trimmed. One would have thought they were torturing him! At least that is all over now and I have 2 healthy pups to drive me crazy! I asked the vet why Hershey is so wild and he responded chocolate labs are much more stubborn..hmm that's lovely

Last night a very last minute whim came across Daniel and we went to the Naturals game about an hour and 15 min south). Kylie and Brett meet us there. The game was so fun as they were playing the St. Louis Cardinals out of Springfield (farm team).

I can't wait to be at the lake. Our engagement anniversary is May 15th and we will be there! We have several groups of friends going and are super excited to see all of them! Can't wait to write about it!

I am here and St. Louis

I arrived in Joplin on Friday night after a packed week. Pat, thanks for understanding. As soon as I got here Daniel had Strawberry Shortcake chocolate cake and balloons for me! He was so excited for me to be here! We started the great truck unpacking that night. Later that night Kylie and Brett arrived for our trip to St. Louis to see Caroline and Kae and the Cardinals vs Astros, We had a great time watching the Cardinals win. After the game we went to the Arch and Schapleys Brewery. A few raspberry beers later and we headed to Caroline and Kae's to play pool. Thank you Caroline and Kae for your hospitality! We had a great time and will be back, We all had an awesome weekend!

5th Wheel

Many of you have been asking for pictures of our new home..Here you go. Keep in mind I am still unpacking and putting things into every place possible. As you walk in to the right, walk up two steps you will be in the bedroom and bathroom. To the left is the kitchen, tablet, tv, couch, and chairs. I do love it so far. We are staying in small town of 13,000 and everyone is so nice. Tonight we went for a run and we were totally in the country. Daniel is loving his job and we both feel we have made a good decision! Its going to be a fun adventure!

Leaving

I am leaving tomorrow and I am so excited! I have a shout out to my ladies: Marie, Casey, and KyLee and the little couple Fletcher and Kayla. We had a good time at Whole Foods today! You ladies rock!
I am going to miss all of you!
To the tomato lady...aka Suzette I am so glad that you asked Daniel about the $5 tomatoes! If it were not for you..we never would have spoken. Thanks for asking us out on a date! We love you!!!!

Mary thank you so much for helping me pack up everything. I would still be in that apartment with boxes and stuff everywhere! I can't thank you enough for several trips to the storage unit!!!!

Ben thank you for letting me stay with you! I love you! Now your back yard can go back to normal. Hoses out, check, anything out, check, destructing Hershey is gone! Lucy your life is back to normal!! hehe

Fortune Cookie, Wrapping Up, and Saying Bye

Work Pary Jan, Katie and Me
Work Party Ryan, Me, Knowles, and LA
Austin

Hershey is so ready!

T-minus 3 days until I am with Daniel and I can't wait! Today I saw something that made me reflect... A few weeks ago I got a fortune cookie that said: Look with favor upon a bold beginning. I think its totally fitting for life right now. Friday was my last day at 24 Hour and this week I am giving finals at Concordia. It’s a great feeling but also a little sad to know that I am wrapping up 5 years in Austin! I do love it here but, its time to venture out and experience something new.

When I think about my time here its ironic to me I am back staying where I began. My sweet brother Ben (well Ben and Ann's now) asked me if Hershey and I wanted to stay with them for my last month since Daniel is gone. Its odd to be in the same room and it not be filled with my things. I remember all the nights of studying for grad school in this room and now I am studying to prepare for my lectures!! It’s just so fitting! Life does circles I guess.

This weekend Amanda and Kevin came into town and my work had a going away party for me..(it was fun!) I had happy hour with my friend Cara tonight and tomorrow I am having lunch with Mary and Melissa. The next few days are filled with lunches, grading finals, and packing…I can’t wait to be in St. Louis this weekend with friends!!!