Shawnee Oklahoma Trip

A Tuesday Girls’ Day in Shawnee 💕☕️

Today was Tuesday, August 25th, and what I thought was simply going to be a busy Tuesday turned into one of those days that I will probably remember for a long time.

I went to work this morning and worked from 7:00 a.m. until noon. Then I headed home because I needed to get ready to drive to Shawnee, Oklahoma, to see my lawyer and take care of some paperwork.

When I got home, I was pleasantly surprised to find Trevor, Melissa, Liam, Kyndall, Brody, Sophie, and Mr. C there. I visited with everyone for a little bit while I got myself ready to leave.

Then Trevor asked me, “Can Kyndall go with you?”

At first, I wasn’t sure. I thought, Hmmmm… I don’t know.

But then I thought, Why not?

And I’m so glad I said yes.

Because if Kyndall hadn’t gone with me, I’ll be completely honest—I probably would have stopped by the casino after my appointment. But instead, I got something so much more valuable: about four hours of one-on-one time with my granddaughter.

And really, isn’t that worth so much more than anything else?

I would love to see all of them again in October if finances allow me to make that trip, but today gave me a little glimpse of that special time I hope to have with them again.

Our Shawnee Adventure

We headed toward Shawnee, and somewhere along the way, Kendall announced that she was hungry. So, of course, we had to make a McDonald’s stop.

I got her a Hello Kitty meal, and then she started talking about wanting a “kids coffee.”

Now, let me just tell you—I had absolutely no idea what a kids coffee was!

So I texted her mom and asked, “What exactly is she wanting?”

Melissa explained that she usually just gets Kendall something from the coffee shop that happens to be on sale.

Well, that made a little more sense!

I had ordered myself a medium mocha frappe, and Kyndall looked at me and said, “I told you! That’s what I wanted was an iced coffee!”

Ohhhhhh! 😂

I told her I didn’t know, and then I asked McDonald’s for an extra cup. So there we were, two girls traveling down the road to Shawnee with our little mocha frappes.

And honestly, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

When we arrived in Shawnee, we got there early, so the first thing I did was drive straight to my lawyer’s office. Since this was my first time going there, I wanted to make sure I knew exactly where it was.

Once I knew where I needed to go, I had some time to fill, so I got on the internet and started looking for free, kid-friendly things to do in Shawnee.

That’s when I discovered the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center.

And let me tell you—what a wonderful little find!

The museum was beautiful, clean, and full of history. The workers were extremely friendly, and there was so much for Kyndall and me to look at and learn about.

If you know me, you already know that I absolutely LOVE museums of just about any kind. So finding a museum filled with so much history was right up my alley.

Kyndall and I took lots of pictures, explored the exhibits, and even picked up two children’s pamphlets written in the Potawatomi language. I thought that was especially neat because it gave us a little more insight into the language and culture.

And, of course, we couldn’t leave without visiting the gift shop!

You know me… I’m going to find the stickers. 😂

Kyndall and I each picked out stickers, I bought a magnet, and I let her choose a little puzzle she could put together. The prices were very reasonable, and we were both really happy with our little treasures.

After we finished exploring, it was time to head back home.

We stopped for gas before leaving Shawnee, and then we made our way toward Chickasha because I had ordered chicken-fried steak dinners from Interurban. I knew I could stop by and pick them up on our way home.

But honestly, the food wasn’t even the highlight of the day.

The highlight was Kyndall.

It was the talking.

It was the laughing.

It was sharing a mocha frappe.

It was exploring a museum together.

It was sitting in the car and just having time to visit.

It was those few hours where I didn’t have to worry about anything else. I could simply enjoy being Nana and spending time with my granddaughter.

On the way home, Kyndall declared that we had a great girls’ day.

And you know what?

I have to agree with her.

We explored a museum, drank our iced coffees, talked about all kinds of things, laughed, and just enjoyed being together.

Sometimes the best days aren’t the ones you plan.

Sometimes they’re the ones that happen because someone asks, “Can I go with you?”

And I’m so thankful that today, I said, “Yes.” ❤️

Thanks for checking out my blog. Leave a comment down below, and have a blessed day!

Karen

Sunday errands

A Peaceful Sunday, a Little Shopping, and a Whole Lot of Family ❤️

There is just something about a peaceful Sunday morning at home. Maybe it’s the slower pace, the coffee in your favorite cup, or simply knowing that family is coming home later that day. Whatever it was, this Sunday started out feeling pretty darn good.

Mr. C and I got up and decided to knock out a few of the easy household chores before Trevor, Melissa, Kyndall, and Liam made it back to the house around 7:30 that evening.

We worked together and got the house freshened up. I wiped down the kitchen counters, emptied the trash, and took care of the laundry and laundry room. Mr. C cleaned the bathroom really well, swept and mopped, emptied the bathroom trash, and wiped everything down. We also straightened up the living room. It really didn’t need much—just a little dusting and a quick vacuum.

Once we had the chores out of the way, we headed out to run a few errands. We stopped by the ATM, filled up my Jeep with gas, and then made the most important stop of the morning… Sonic for breakfast!

Lately, I have really been enjoying their Supersonic Burrito. It has eggs, sausage, cheese, tomatoes, and jalapeños, and it is filling enough to keep me going for quite a while. Of course, I also had to get myself a peach mango slush. Because breakfast without a little something sweet just doesn’t seem right to me. 😂

After breakfast, I knew I needed to make a little trip to Duncan. I wanted to stop by Dollar Tree for a few more energy drinks. They carry the Bang energy drinks for $1.25, and I have really been enjoying the Strawberry Kiss flavor. For $1.25, I don’t mind grabbing a few when I’m there.

Then it was off to Hibbert Sports because I had another important mission.

I needed to find Lane a pair of football cleats.

I told the young man working there that I needed a size 13C, preferably solid black, although black and white would work too. He brought out two different pairs—one Reebok and one Nike.

Well, you probably already know where this story is going.

I chose the Nike pair.

They were mostly black with the little Nike logo in silver, and I just liked the look of them better. When the young man rang them up, I was expecting to pay around the $65 I had seen online.

Imagine my surprise when my total came to only $38!

Now THAT was a win!

I couldn’t believe it. Grandpa and Nana Karen are buying Lane’s football cleats, so saving that much money made me very happy. And now I can’t wait to see him out there wearing those cleats and playing football.

As a matter of fact, I believe his next three games are going to be right here in Rush Springs—less than two miles from our house!

You better believe Nana and Grandpa will be sitting in those stands cheering him on. ❤️

After we got back home, we realized we needed a few more things for dinner because Trevor and his family would be arriving that evening. We decided to make a Mexican casserole so everyone would have something good and easy to eat when they got here.

Luther ran me up to our local grocery store, Delbert’s, and I picked up the few things we needed for the casserole, along with some snacks and other odds and ends for the house.

When we got home, we started putting everything together.

And this is where our little “romantic cooking class” came into play.

I jokingly told Luther, “Hey, I signed us up for a romantic cooking class!”

His immediate response?

“Nope, you did not.”

😂😂😂

I told him that I thought it might be something fun and new for us to do together. Of course, I already knew he wasn’t going to be signing up for any romantic cooking classes anytime soon, but I had to tease him.

Then I told him, “Well, actually, I feel like we’re having our own little cooking class right here at home.”

And honestly, we kind of were.

We were working together, figuring out the casserole, preparing everything for the family, and just doing what we have done together for so many years—making a life together.

Luther and I are definitely different in a lot of ways.

He is much more comfortable staying in his own little comfort zone. He’s not a big crowd person and isn’t particularly social. I, on the other hand, am usually the one wanting to try something new, go somewhere, meet people, or push myself outside of that comfortable little bubble.

Somehow, though, those differences have worked for us all these years.

Maybe that’s part of what makes a marriage work. You don’t have to be exactly alike. Sometimes you just need to love each other, respect each other’s differences, laugh together, and meet somewhere in the middle.

And when I look at my life, I am incredibly thankful that Luther is by my side.

He really is everything to me.

Around 7:30 that evening, Trevor, Melissa, Kyndall, and Liam finally pulled into the driveway.

And just like that, the house felt a little fuller.

We visited for a good while, the kids got their baths and got ready for bed, everyone got fed, and there was just that wonderful feeling of having family home.

Eventually, I headed off to bed around 9:15.

Of course, my body apparently didn’t get the memo that it was bedtime because it seemed to take forever for me to actually fall asleep. 😂

But even lying there awake, my heart felt peaceful.

There is something comforting about knowing your son is home safe.

I know Trevor, Melissa, Kyndall, and Liam have truly made North Dakota their home, and I’m grateful that they have a place they love and a life they are building there. But there is still something special about knowing they are home with us, even if it’s only for a visit.

Sunday wasn’t extravagant.

We didn’t do anything earth-shattering.

We cleaned the house, ran errands, found a great deal on football cleats, went grocery shopping, made a casserole, joked about taking a cooking class, and welcomed our family home.

But sometimes those are the days that mean the most.

The ordinary days.

The family days.

The days filled with little moments that you don’t realize are precious until you stop and really appreciate them.

I’m thankful for my husband.

I’m thankful for my children and grandchildren.

I’m thankful for a home that can be filled with laughter, noise, dirty dishes, football cleats, and little ones getting ready for bed.

And most of all, I’m thankful for the blessing of being Nana Karen.

I wouldn’t trade these ordinary, beautiful family moments for anything in the world. ❤️

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. I would love to see where you’re reading from.

#SundayStories #FamilyTime #NanaKaren

Girls Saturday Trip

A Saturday in Lawton: Hobby Lobby, Ollie’s & Football Cleats

Today was a GOOD day.

You know those days when you don’t have anything terribly exciting planned, but somehow the day ends up being exactly what you needed? Today was one of those days.

My coworker and friend Sheila and I decided it was time for a little road trip to Lawton, Oklahoma. Our last trip over there together was back in February, so apparently we were overdue for some girl time outside of the workplace!

Our main mission?

Hobby Lobby.

Now, I went into this adventure with a plan. I had a budget of $50, and I was determined to stick to it.

I know. I know.

Me.

Hobby Lobby.

A scrapbook aisle.

And a $50 budget.

You may be wondering if I was feeling okay. 😂

But I did it!

I was actually very proud of myself because I stayed within my budget and got the things I wanted without completely losing my mind in the scrapbook section. That, my friends, is called self-control. I’m pretty sure there should be a trophy for that.

I was also looking for a picture for our bedroom to go with another picture I had already purchased. I wanted something that would coordinate with it, so naturally, that meant I had to inspect approximately 147 pictures before making a decision.

Okay, maybe not 147.

But it felt like it.

Then we headed over to Ollie’s.

This was Sheila’s first Ollie’s experience.

I’m not sure she was completely impressed.

I, however, knew exactly why I was there.

Ghost Energy drinks.

They had a four-pack for $2.99, and that was enough reason for me to make the trip. 😂

Of course, I couldn’t just buy the energy drinks and leave.

That would be completely unreasonable.

I wandered around and found a few other random things because apparently Ollie’s has a magical ability to convince you that things you didn’t know existed five minutes ago are now things you absolutely need.

One thing I did actually need was jelly.

Somehow, we had managed to run completely out of anything resembling jelly or preserves for our toast.

How does a household run out of jelly?

I don’t know.

But apparently ours did.

So I picked up a jar of strawberry preserves.

And a few other things.

And before I knew it, I had spent right at $50 at Ollie’s, too.

Apparently $50 was the theme of the day.

Then came the next mission:

Football cleats.

I was looking for a pair of black football cleats in a child’s size 13 for Lane.

Easy enough, right?

Wrong.

We called three different stores in Lawton.

None of them had football cleats.

Not one.

Hibbet Sports finally told us that we would have to try Altus, Duncan, or Chickasha because those stores carry them.

Mr. C had already called Hibbet Sports in Duncan, and they had a pair.

The price?

$65.

So tomorrow, I’ll be making another little road trip to pick them up.

Because apparently finding a pair of black football cleats in 2026 is harder than finding a parking spot at Hobby Lobby on a Saturday.

😂

After all that shopping, Sheila and I decided we had worked up an appetite.

We went to the new Red Apple Asian Buffet in Lawton, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

The food was good and fresh, the restaurant was very clean, and the bathroom was actually spotless.

And if you’ve been around long enough, you know that a clean restaurant bathroom deserves its own five-star review. 😂

The buffet and a drink were under $20, so I was happy with that.

I already know I’ll be going back with my friend Cherrie because I think she will really enjoy it.

But honestly, the best part of today wasn’t Hobby Lobby.

It wasn’t Ollie’s.

It wasn’t the Ghost Energy drinks.

And it definitely wasn’t the $65 football cleats.

It was the time Sheila and I spent together.

We laughed.

We shared stories.

We talked.

We wandered around stores.

We enjoyed being away from work for a little while and just being ourselves.

Sheila is one of those people who is just easy to be around. She’s down-to-earth, genuine, and a very good Christian woman. I really enjoy spending time with her.

Sometimes you don’t need a big vacation or an elaborate girls’ trip.

Sometimes you just need a friend, a tank of gas, a little shopping money, and a Saturday in Lawton.

Add in some strawberry preserves and a four-pack of Ghost Energy drinks, and you’ve pretty much got yourself a successful day. 😂

Today was simple.

Today was fun.

And today was exactly what we both needed.

I’m already looking forward to our next adventure.

Although next time, maybe we’ll start with the football cleats.

Because apparently that’s the hardest item on the shopping list! 😂