My husband’s family is from Tulsa, Oklahoma, so often when we have an extended vacation time we make the 12-hour drive to visit. The last time we went was two Christmases ago, so we were excited to go up again. The only thing we weren’t expecting was for the temperature to be up to 112 degrees!
We found plenty of ways to keep cool though, and of course one of the first things we did was visit a local splash pad. The first time I ever saw a splash pad was here in Tulsa–I can’t believe San Antonio doesn’t really have any! (Or do they? Are they just well-hidden?) Tulsa has a lot of beautiful parks–including along the river–and we always enjoy going to them.
Another frequent activity on our trip was Orange Leaf and other assorted froyo joints. They do have these here at home, but we’ve never really gotten around to going. The kids loved it though, and I was surprised to see how affordable it really was (and yummy, too, of course).
Eleanor had been begging to get her hair cut lately, so I took her to a kids’ salon recommended by my sister in law. Q-Cuts was a cute local business with free arcade games (I loved their vintage pinball machine in the back) and fun seats for the kids to sit in during their trim. It was a fun mommy-daughter date, and Eleanor loved feeling like a princess.
Next up was an outing to Ft. Gibson Lake. My brother-in-law’s parents had some property out there, and they were generous enough to let us all go out and enjoy their boat (thank you!). We had fun swimming, tubing, and marveling at the beautiful sunset.
Another activity on our to-do list with the kids was free summer bowling at Andy B’s. We signed up for free games at KidsBowlFree.com and all we had to pay for were the shoes.
All of our playing certainly gave us a big appetite at the end of each day, and we were certainly well-fed! Burgers, hot dogs, and Amelia’s first s’more were a real treat!
Of course I had to get in a little thrifting while we were there. Inspired by my friend Missy over at Honeybee Mama, we made a stop by Quality Thrift. Although I loved the little guy above, I didn’t bring him home. I did find a grab bag of knitting needles and accessories for $4, along with some board games, an old toolbox, and some artwork for the girls room!
Chris and I enjoyed Tulsa’s Blue Dome District for a special date night to celebrate our anniversary. We had dinner at the delicious Juniper restaurant, and stayed for the evening at the historic Mayo Hotel.
We also celebrated Amelia’s second birthday while we there. I had hoped to make a trip out to the zoo, but with the heat, we kept the party simple and met up at another splash pad park.
Along with all the sight-seeing and celebrating, lazy mornings were another treat while we were there. As you know, I’m not a morning person, so lounging around reading the paper over breakfast in the mornings (rather than dashing off or quelling the kids’ early-morning boredom) was devine.
And we couldn’t miss a trip with friends to the local Hideaway, home to some of the best pizza ever! It was a perfect family-friendly place for catching up.
Another thing that made our trip feel like a real vacation? Disposable diapers. We’ve been cloth diapering for a while now, but on extended trips like this one we do make an exception. I don’t compromise on going green though. My all-time favorite disposable is definitely Nature Babycare by Naty.* Their diapers are chlorine-free and primarily made of natural, biodegradable materials which are much healthier for my little one and the environment. (*Amazon affiliate link.)
We couldn’t go to Tulsa without stopping by the Oklahoma Aquarium, either. The kids love all of the touch tanks and the shark tunnel is always a hit.
And on our last day we managed to meet up with friend and fellow mama blogger Missy (aka Honeybee Mama) for a playdate with the kids (at another splash pad of course!). Missy is an amazing mama and doula who makes her own slings for her Etsy shop–I definitely wish we lived closer! She wrote about our playdate over on the Tulsa Kids blog here.
That’s our Tulsa trip in a nutshell. We headed back to San Antonio just as the sun was rising–and although it was a long (and stressful) day in the car, it was well worth the trip to see our wonderful family and friends in a great little city. Thanks to my in-laws, Dave and Christi, for welcoming our crazy crew of 6 for the week–we always enjoy our stay!
What have you been up to this summer? Any big trips? Fun staycations? Hope it’s been a good one! Now who’s ready for back-to-school? Yikes.