The few weeks have been CrAzY! We were lucky enough to spend almost the whole month of June in Huntington Beach with our friends and family before we made our way to the east coast. We had such a great time hanging out at the pool, going to the river with our great friends, being lazy and doing absolutely nothing but most of all spending as much time with our family. We love you all and thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to spend some time with us.
Here is just a glimpse of our ROAD TRIP! Meet the new and improved Griswalds: The Yadrick's
girls are prepared for our big trip!
couldn't lave CA without one last stop @ in-n-out
awww, too bad we're not just going to the Reynolds'
breath taking views of the Grand Canyon
welcome to Bedrock City!
kind of creepy but the girls loved it
72oz steak challenge...eat all the food in 60min and get it FREE!
1. 72oz steak (4 lbs)
2. baked potato
3. roll
4. salad
5. shrimp cocktail
my cowgirls! YeeHaw!
2nd largest CROSS in the western hemisphere
Oklahoma City bombing memorial:
The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States Government office building located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing, the most significant act of domestic terrorism on American soil.
On the morning of April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck with explosives in front of the complex and, at 9:02am, a massive explosion occurred which sheared the entire north side of the building, killing 168 people.
"Gates of time"
"The Fence"
The first Fence was installed to protect the site of the Murrah Building. Almost immediately, people began to leave tokens of love and hope on the Fence. Those items now total more than 60,000 and are collected and preserved in our archives. Today, more than 200 feet of the original Fence gives people the opportunity to leave tokens of remembrance and hope.
"Reflecting Pool"
The pool occupies what was once N.W. Fifth Street. Here, a shallow depth of gently flowing water helps soothe wounds, with calming sounds providing a peaceful setting for quiet thoughts. The placid surface shows the reflection of someone changed forever by their visit to the Memorial.
"Field of Empty Chairs"
The 168 chairs represent the lives taken on April 19, 1995. They stand in nine rows to represent each floor of the building, and each chair bears the name of someone killed on that floor. Nineteen smaller chairs stand for the children. The field is located on the footprint of the Murrah Building.
"Gates of Time" 9:02
These monumental twin gates frame the moment of destruction – 9:02 a.m. – and mark the formal entrances to the Memorial. The East Gate represents 9:01 a.m. on April 19, and the innocence of the city before the attack. The West Gate represents 9:03 a.m., the moment we were changed forever, and the hope that came from the horror in the moments and days following the bombing.
"Gates of Time" 9:01
"Survival Wall"
On the east end of the Memorial stand the only remaining walls from the Murrah Building. These walls remind us of those who survived the terrorist attack, many with serious injuries. Today, more than 600 names are inscribed on salvaged pieces of granite from the Murrah Building lobby.
"Survival Tree"
The Survivor Tree, an American Elm, bore witness to the violence of April 19, 1995, and withstood the full force of the attack. Years later, it continues to stand as a living symbol of resilience. The circular promontory surrounding the tree offers a place for gathering and viewing the Memorial.
"Children's Tiles"
In the aftermath of the blast, children from around the country and the world sent in their own expressions of encouragement and love. That care is represented today by a wall of tiles painted by children and sent to Oklahoma City in 1995. In addition, buckets of chalk and chalkboards built into the ground of the Children's Area give children a place where they can continue to share their feelings -- an important component of the healing process.
I have to say that this stop was probably the most memorable of our road trip. Dave and I had no idea this memorial was significant and held so many symbolisms. From the moment we stepped out of our car we could feel the energy that surrounds the area and we tried to explain everything to the girls as much as we could and I truly feel that they "got it" by the time we left. We left a little bit more somber and definitely more grateful and at the end of the day we gave the girls a tighter squeeze and an extra kiss...
1/2 WAY THERE!!
I dedicate this photo to ALMA Vidales!!
over the river and through the woods...to grandmother's house we go...
helpin' grandma make supper
we love you great grandma!!
the Arkansas clan
Cha Cha and Sugar
the boys practicing their pitch
We're home!!!
