Happy Mother's Day!!

Today we got up and got ready for a 9:30 am service at a church that was literally right down the road from our RV park, called The Harvest. It was one of several campuses for a main church. We really enjoyed their service. Both Spencer and Skylar attended the kids' program. Sky was only convinced to go at the last minute, when Spence ran back out to inform him that there was an indoor play structure. ;o) I got the impression that this new campus is still getting up and running so there weren't a whole bunch of kids which was just fine with Skylar because he and Spence got to stay together which is what he wanted. The worship was great (Brighton liked that they used a fog machine) and the pastor had a meaningful message about living "on purpose".

After church, we came back to the trailer to change and get ready to go check out downtown Oklahoma City and Bricktown. The Bricktown District is old. The buildings have been there since the early 1890's when it was the location of a US Army detachment that was stationed there to provide law and order for the newly settled city. They eventually sold the land to private parties. In the early 1990's, the district became the focus of extensive renovation and development. There is a mile-long canal that winds through with a nice river-walk feel to it.

We strolled along the canal and then up several blocks to check out the Oklahoma City National Memorial. They've really done a beautiful job of constructing the monument and it contains several aspects that are very beautiful. The kids didn't know anything about what had happened there so it was very educational too.

A corner of what's left of the Alfred P. Murrah building

Reflection Pool

The wall surrounding the elm tree says, "The spirit of this city
and this nation will not be defeated; our deeply rooted faith
sustains us."

"Survivor Elm"

We continued our walk through the downtown area, heading back towards the Bricktown District, enjoying looking at some of the artwork and beginning to think about food for lunch.

Modern sculpture in front of a building with the company
name Enogex.

There was no info that Brynna could find about this
sculpture so we weren't sure what the raven and the
apple represented, but it looked cool. 

This boy was a little tired of walking here.

Happy Mother's Day, Mama Duck!

Sky was most excited about the gars in the tank.

Big catfish

I am so blessed!

After checking out several menus at restaurants along the way, we decided to skip eating in the area because it was actually starting to get a little crowded with Mother's Day revelers and a sporting event inside the stadium that is located there. As a family, we decided to head back to our campground area and eat at Braum's, a hamburger and ice cream restaurant. Braum's is a local company that has a headquarters very close to here and we hope to tour their farm in the next couple of days.

There was one more thing I wanted to see before we left the downtown area which is a set of sculptures commemorating the Land Run that occurred here in 1889. I'd read that it was in the Bricktown area, but we hadn't seen it and were getting ready to leave. Right as we were getting ready to head for the car, Brock spotted a large piece and so we drove over for a closer look.

The sign read:

The Land Run of 1889

The Unassigned Lands were opened through a Land Run with more than 50,000 Americans vying for 160 acres or a town lot. At noon on April 22, 1889, competitors rushed in on wagons, horses, foot and trains. Towns were formed and homesteads were staked. The march to statehood had begun.

Evidentally, the cannon started the race for land

 

Loved the guy's hat blowing off.

You can see the immense size of the statues. Really impressive. The installment is
a work in progress, not scheduled for completion until 2015, I think.

By the time, we arrived at Braum's, we were pretty hungry. The hamburgers were really good and Brock and I tried fresh squeezed limeade. It was delicious, but so SOUR at the bottom. We all got ice cream to take back to the trailer with us. Skylar got a sundae which had a lid on it thankfully, because he dropped it top-side down while we were paying at the checkstand. I then decided to carry it for him out to the car, but then I accidentally tipped my coffee ice cream onto my white shirt. :o( It was a comedy of errors, but thankfully with quick stain treatment, my shirt, as well as Sky's by the time he finished eating his Sicilian Orange Sherbet (which is VERY red), was saved.

With a full belly, I laid down and actually got a nice nap this afternoon. Thank you, Family!

When I woke up, I did a little bookkeeping work and then it was pretty much bedtime for the kids.

We got to talk to both our Moms on the phone which was very nice. We are so thankful to have these amazing ladies in our lives. We love you, Moms!