Day 13

I hit a tired spell today. Hopping in bed to write this blogpost at 9:00 pm.

I’m having Nina tuck Mimi and Becca in for the night.

I hope to get more than six inches of bed to sleep in tonight. Nina is a bit of a bed hog. A bite bed hog, but still a bed hog.

We got an early start this morning, while it was still foggy. We passed this meat market on the way in and I wanted to see what it was like. The cows in the field one week and in the freezer the next.

The silo looked so cool in the fog.

It just doesn’t get any fresher than this.

We bought a few yummy things and the nice owners gave the girls free candy. They were pretty excited about that treat. It’s been like 4 days since they have had candy.

We then headed to Grand Lake State Park. It was a beautiful day to explore.

The nature trail goes beside the lake and meanders through the woods 1/2 a mile .

There is a track guide for identifying critters.

We found several different sets of prints snd the kids could identify them really well.

Mina identifying these tracks.

The girls found a cute little frog.

They released him.

We tried the Road Hog saloon for lunch.

I discovered my new favorite baked beans snd Cole slaw. Best ever!

I taught the girls how to play flip and catch coasters. They got really good at it really quick! Here is Mimi in action.

We headed out into the country a little further and there were hay fields everywhere I wanted to run through.

And cows!

We hope these guys are just having some playful sibling fun.

Check out these hay bails.

The girls couldn’t pass this place up.

They found a few treasures then we headed for the Royal Horse Ranch

Nina rode an Appaloosa named Pepper

Mimi had a 20 year old quarter horse named Smokey.

All the animals visited Becca before she hot on her quarter horse named Freckles.

I had a buck skinned quarter horse named Butter.

Becca’s horse decided to canter with her through a section of a field and Nina’s horse followed. Thankfully they got them reined in and back in line. That was a bit unnerving to watch.

Nina handled Pepper like a champ.

Mimi held herself back from letting Smokey take off galloping, since he is usually a lead horse and likes to be in front.

There were a ton of animals on this farm. bunnies, donkeys, pigs, chickens, ducks, cats, dogs, ponies, goats, and calves.

Chickens chasing Nina

We went out to a waterfront restaurant for dinner and the girls thought these would make the most awesome soup bowls.

Becca’s Nachos were giant. She didn’t even finish 1/4.

This is a kids meal! 😳

I had the smoked chicken plate. It was tasty. The ranch dressing for the salad is homemade and very good.

They took so long going to the hotel bathroom that I was able to warm up in front of the fire, research six vacation destinations for a customer, and text chat with a client about her first day on her health program. That was a long bathroom visit.

We went back to our room and played a five round match of Animal Rummy and climbed in bed.

So excited about sleeping tonight. Can you tell?