Not all Water-logged. .

Hey. .

Welcome back!!

So. .

I'M. .not a lover of the water. .

It's cold. .

and wet. .

And frankly, being VOLUNTARILY surrounded with water saturated by people and animal waste . .

Grosses me out!!

And my husband. .

figured out. .

that if some NON-water activities are included. .

The whole week just goes better for him!!

I thought I would share a few photos of our non-water related excursions!

We traveled on the 4th this year. .

And we intended to eat at local place that advertises a shrimp boil EVERY Friday night. .

EVERY. Friday. night. .

EXCEPT. .

they moved the one from the 4th. .to Saturday night!

It truly was a Looooooonnng story. .

You. .

are getting the short version!

We ended up. .

Getting some AMAZING pizza at a one horse local pizza place. .

Driving a couple miles to this empty lot that we had noted people to be parking in on our 3rd trip by it while we hunted down the shrimp boil place. .

And tailgating until the party started!!

And did the party ever start!!

Apparently tens of thousands of people turn out for this fireworks show. .

And it was unlike any that we had ever seen before!!

We were even coerced by some cute little kid. .

to buy two gallons of kettle corn to swallow after all that pizza!

THAT. .

Was my favorite part of the trip. .

hands DOWN!

But you knew I couldn't just stop at one, right??

THIS. .

was Cami's favorite part. .

Our day trip that included shopping!!

 (she had just run out of the "girl" spray that she bought last year. .

so she REALLY needed to shop!!)

We headed out on the curvy, twisty roads. .

Through Oklahoma, into Arkansas. .

Through Bentonville and Rogers. .

and to the edge of Beaver Lake. .

Where we visited War Eagle Cavern. .

Enjoying both the cavern excursion. .

And the awesome scenery. .

(which was a great background to showcase our clan)

After the tour, we drove a few miles back and went to the War Eagle Mill. .

The mill is generated by a water wheel. .

and grinds grains into flour.

We ate lunch at their top floor restaurant. .

And looked around for about. .

FIVE minutes. .

Because the guys were becoming uninterested!

We went back to Rogers and wandered around their fabulous outdoor mall for a while before twisting back into Oklahoma.

Not in the mood to load the boat into the water and back out again. .

We cruised around the neighborhoods of Grove. .

dreaming about our own house on the lake one day!

We just happened. .

to drive by Lendonwood Gardens. .

a place that I had taken the boys to last summer to photograph the flowers.

It was evening time by then. .

And we enjoyed strolling through the gardens. .

And feeding their fish. 

Check these suckers out. .

I'd never seen such a "feeding frenzy" in my life!!

There were a LOT of them. .

and some of them were H-U-G-E!

We also discovered the place to be crawling with these tiny frogs. .

Which was a hit!!

It is an amazing garden that is maintained by volunteers!

The daylilies were blooming and were gorgeous among all the other great foliage and flowers!!

The last thing that I found noteworthy to share. .

was this parasailing outfit that we saw both weekends.

I've never seen one. .

And it looked like an absolute ball!!

The parasailer sits on some type of seat. .

And then flies through the air being pulled along BY the boat in the front of it.

They were fun to watch when I got tired of looking at my own kids!!

I also enjoyed some window shopping and antiquing. .

And got some great close out flower deals. .

Jeremy didn't even bat his eyes when he saw me come home with clearance plants. .

Not once. .

but TWICE!!

Once a gardener. .

Always a gardener I say!!

As much fun as it is to get away. .

and have no responsibilities except feeding people. .

It was wonderful to drive into our own yard, crispy as it was. .

And return to our regular ole routines. .

There's NO place like. .

HOME!!