New Blog Has Arrived!!!

I just finished setting up the new (continued) Lovin-Our-Life Blog. It is still a work in progress and I'm thinking about making the appearance just a little cleaner, but we'll see how that works out. I try to put in sidebar info, I like to see in other blogs. If you have any input on what you like to see in blogs, please feel free to comment and we'll give it a look.

Ok, you can find the new Blog at this Address: http://lovinourlife3d.blogspot.com/ See you there!!!

Finally, Filled to the Rim!!!

We'll, Blogger has finally told me, I've used all my allotted space, so no more pictures young man, you are full!!! What does this mean?? Looks like we'll have to start another blog under a different email address. Not really a difficult task, just a little time consuming to get it just right. One good thing, it may just be time for a whole new look, so as I get the new blog together, feel free to look back through this one for a little nostalgia. I'll post back here with the new blog address before long.

Thanks everyone for following along with us on our fulltime journey and before. So check back often for the new Blog info and we'll see you there.

Hugoton, KS.

We finally left OKC this morning at 11:00 am, arriving here in Hugoton, KS at 7:30 pm. What should have been a 6 hour drive, as you can see turned out to be a bit longer. It all started by just trying to get out of OKC, an accident here, road construction there, and an unexpected detour put us out of the city an hour later. All was going well until we placed our faith in Google's hands. Our GPS led us astray (I know, blindly following a GPS is more than silly) but in our defense, we had a paper map, just not a very good one and we appeared to be heading correctly. Well as it turned out, we went a bit off course, but did end up making it safe and sound.  Now one thing, we don't really like travelling more than 4 hours at a time, but since this trip should have only been 6 hours, we didn't mind pushing it a little. However, 8 or more hours is just brutal on my bottom, not to mention I just get tired of driving after a while. All that being said, it's all part of the adventure and we do laugh about it as it's happening.

This was also our first time towing the car and it went off without a hitch. The motorhome towed it just fine and you could hardly tell it was even back there, thank goodness for the rear camera.

The last time we stayed in Hugoton, there was only one small RV Park, since then a new one has been built on the outskirts of town. The park is considerably nicer and the spaces much bigger than the old one.  Being outside of town it's also very quiet. Glad we found it.

We came here to have Thanksgiving with as many family members as we could get to come. We all met out at the old family homested, no one lives there now, but it is kept up for gatherings and such (more on the farm later)
Now it's time to go see the family and start getting the farm house ready for Thanksgiving. See ya soon!!!

The Weather, it's a Changin

 The temps are turning colder, the nights are getting longer and the pipes, they need a wrapping. We had our first freeze the other night, so it's time to protect our water supply. I had pick up all the essentials the other day, but then the wind started screaming and I didn't feel like chasing materials around the park, so it had to wait a couple of days. 

 This year, for the first time, I picked up so heated pipe tape, to protect the hose just a little better. After reading the the package, it says "Not for use on hoses", after talking with several folks here in the park, they have been using the same thing for years with no problem, so we'll see.

 I laid out the hose and the heat strip, luckily I bought the 30' strip, as it was just the right the right length for my 25" hose. Hmmmm creative packaging in these times??? I then attached the two using electrical tape as directed, about every 8" or so.

 Next was the foam pipe covers. I got the self sealing seam type which made it much easier (Walmart). The foam pipe connections were connected with good ole Duct Tape, the a few more wraps in between just for good measure.

The final product!!! Bring on the cold!!! As an added measure, I also placed a work light in the wet bay to be turned on in freezing temps.

We'll be headed to Kansas in a couple of days. The results of Sheryl's disco-gram show no need for surgery and to continue with Pain Management. We have her initial appointment with the pain management doc and hopefully her first injection on Wed or Thur. This will work well, as she will get some pain relief for the holidays and finish the last couple of procedures when we come back through OKC for the Christmas holidays. We had to change pain management doctors as the one we used here before stopped taking our insurance. Sheryl likes the new doc anyway, as he was the one who did her Disco-gram.

Ok, see you folks back here soon as we begin our first real adventure in our motorhome!!!

Procrastination

Procrastination was the name of the game on this minor project. When we purchased our motorhome a few months back, the original batteries were pretty weak. Of course it was getting late in the day when we discovered this, so, the dealer said he'd throw in a couple of new batteries if we didn't  mind installing them or we could come back the next day for them to do it. Well with the 109 degree heat that day, we were ready to get out of there and to the RV park for some much needed cooling off. I took the batteries, stuck them in a storage bay and of course promptly forgot about them till this week.
Since we are preparing to head out on the road again, figured I had better get them installed. Of course once I got them out, they looked a bit different than the ones to be replaced. Upon closer examination, the old batteries are 6 volts and he new ones are 12, glad I was paying attention as that cold have been a bad thing had I just put them in as the others were hooked up. Ok, so off to the store for a couple new battery cables, a little bit of elbow grease, cuts and scrapes and the new batteries are installed. Whew, a simple project that of course was made more difficult than it had to be, as it seems most all my projects turn out to be, but at least it's done.

The last couple of weeks have been filled with visiting the kids, doctor appointments and just life in general. Two things of note though, first I had my yearly (ok, bi yearly, procrastinating again) and all is well, well except for my cholesterol seems to be going up, not out of control, just higher than it was. Time to modify the diet a bit more and pry my but off the couch a bit more also. Next was new Neurosurgeon for Sheryl, he turned out to be a real jerk, but he di order a Diskogram for her. He may not have much of a bedside manner  but at least he's did something to move forward with her treatment than anyone else has. The Diskogram was done the other day, they told he she would be very sore for the next week or so, and she sure is, poor girl. Good thing is once we get the results, maybe that will lead to a more permanent solution, but we'll have to see. Good thing is once we get the results, we look for a more pleasant doctor to deal with.

Thats all for now. It's just a week and a half before we head out to Kansas for Thanksgiving at the family homestead. So, take care and we'll see you back here again before long.

Setting up for the Road

 Last post I left you wondering about what we were doing next to get us on our way. Well the above photo should give you a bit of a hint. After Camping World's outrageous quote for installing a tow bar set up, I just knew there had to be a better and less expensive way. I checked out Roadmasters web site and found a few local retailers/installers of their equipment. After a couple of call's, American Hitch, just down the street, was our answer. They ordered a base plate and installed it for just over $600.00, a bargain in comparison.

 Heres the base plate all installed, the arms that stick out can be removed for a cleaner look shouls we decide to stay somewhere for a bit.

 The next issue was to find a tow bar. After looking at new, the prices seem just crazy, so off to Craigslist to see what was out there. Low and behold there is quite a selection, seems lots of folks are selling tow bars these days. After searching for a while, one came up, that was within our price range and suited our needs. A deal was struck with the owner and $300.00 later we were the proud owners of a gently used Roadmaster Stowmaster tow bar. Nice part about buying used is, the owners usually have all the extras they don't need and include them in the deal. For us that ment the adapter plates, safety cables and light cable. One nice part about the Stowmaster, even though it it can fold up and stay on the car, it can also pop right off with the removal of a couple a pins.

Another purchase we had to make was new shoes for Dimples (our car) the tires that were on her were on there last leg. Again after a little research, it was off to Discount Tire. We were originally only going to replace 2 tires at a time, however the salesman thru in the extended roadhazard warranty for free if I went ahead and just got all 4 done at once, so all 4 it was. More cash layout, but more savings also. We are finding out, switching from a 5th Wheel to a motorhome and toad can put quite a strain on your budget, especially when both need a little TLC to get them set up and make them safe.
So that has been our fun and excitment for the past couple of weeks, we have also been spending much quality time with the kids

Scrappy Doo's 1st Birthday

 Scrappy Doo celebrated his first birthday Oct 1st. and as his gift to us, the little ragamuffin got his hair cut! He was beginning to look a little rough, so boy did he need it. We had planned a little party for him (party hats and all) with Kaileigh's dogs but work and school got in the way. Maybe next year. So our little boy is looking dashing once again.

As a birthday gift to us, we had been wanting to give these raviolis a try and we finally found them at the commissary. We have to say, it's our new favorite store bought pasta. The flavors are great along with large chunks of both the shrimp and lobster. So if you are a ravioli fan and haven't tried these yet, they are really yummy so give'm a try. (This was not a paid endorsement....lol)
We are also getting things ready for our travels in Nov, so stay tunes for what were getting accomplished. Se ya next time!!!

Back to School Savings

Sheryl and I were at CVS picking up some meds, when we came across this. We had been talking about the upcoming winter and the possibility of a Sweater for Scrappy to help keep him warm. I of course was against it, then I thought, well maybe, but only if has something cool on it. We were looking at these, I like the "I Love Tail" doggy shirt (they have it in blue for Scrappy) as it's so fits Scrappy's personality. Then Sheryl looked up at the sign above and just started cracking up, I saw it also and it just struck both of us funny. Back to School and I love Tail shirts, what a combo, not to mention doggy shirts as part of a Back to School savings.......lol
That was it, just had to share. Take Care and see ya next time.

Back to Biking

 Here at Tinker AFB in OKC, they have a really nice walking/jogging/biking trail, which loops through various parts of the base for 3.3 miles. With the heat of summer, plus one of our bikes being out of broke, our biking has been alittle hampered. I finally got the bike up and running and along with the cooler temps, it's perfect biking weather. We have been trying to get out each day and do the trail.

 There are several benches placed along the way for your sitting pleasure and the entire path is paved.

 The path crosses several small seasonal streams and is mostly shaded by the wooded area it goes through.

 Of course being on a military base, there is your occasional detour, something about bullets wizzing over your head can put a damper on your fun.....lol

The base also boast a wildlife sanctuary, with several ponds and paths, located along the trail. No biking here though, strictly for walking and enjoying.
The added benefit, is the exercise we have been getting or attempting to get in a little better shape.  So if you ever find yourself at the Tinker FamCamp, take a spin or walk along the trail, it runs right by the campground and is well worth the trip.

Fun at the State Fair

 This weekend the Oklahoma State Fair came to town. Now we have never been big fair type folks, however, Saturday we took it all in. Actually, Sheryl's Ex Mother in Law purchased tickets to Disney on Ice, which happened to be at the arena inside the fair rounds. So Kay, Sheryl, Kaileigh and Clara hit the show, while myself and Josh, met them at the fair afterwards. The weather couldn't have been better, overcast day with temps in the 70s, ahhhh fall also came to town!!!

 The day was mostly about Clara and watching her have fun at her first fair experience. The girls all enjoyed Disney on Ice and of course Clara had a ball just taking it all in.

Being opening weekend at the State Fair, the crowds were just crazy, to the point of us becoming miserable. So needless to say, we ended up leaving much sooner than planned. However, Tuesday is Military Day, so free admission for us and the kids (since Josh is Active AF). Were hoping the crowds won't be as bad and we can enjoy all the fair has to offer.

Of course as soon as I say posting would be few and far between, something come up to post about.....lol. Ok, see you fine folks back here again sooner than later!!!

Birthdays X2

 My how time can get away from you. Haven't posted in a bit, I guess were just enjoying our days of doing a whole lot of nothing. However, a couple of weekends were filled with Birthday Girls!!!  First was Sheryl's daughter Kaileigh, and a weekend of activities. Friday began with a movie night out, and our selection for the night was the Expendables 2. However this was not just any ordinary theater experience, this one came with special seating in a balcony area. So whats so special about that you say???  First, there's the oversized seating (large enough for Sheryl to put her legs up in the seat and cuddle with yours truly. Then there is a full food and bar menu, dinner and drinks served to to your seat. Wow what a way to watch a movie, beer and snacks, just like at home, only on the big screen.

Saturday brought a BBQ of Sausage Kabobs and all the fixin's plus a TV showing of the first Expendables, to catch us up.

The weekend also brought a surprise, Josh and Kaileigh were babysitting their neighbors pregnant doggy, when she decided it was time. Well Josh being our resident RN in training, took the lead and played mid wife  to the new mommy. All toll, 3 cute little puppies.

Next was Kaileigh's daughter Clara's birthday, with a special cake made by Grandma Sheryl. Who knew Sheryl was so multi talented, she surprises me every day.

Of course there was a party with friends and presents galore!!! All the kids had a great time, the pool was filled, the slip and Slide set up, and of course another BBQ and drinks for the adults rounded out the day.

Looks like posts maybe few and a bit between while were here. Not much other than day to day life and saving for the things needed to get back on the road with the motorhome. New tires, a tow bar set up and a little cushion in the back account, will put us on the road in November. It will be off to the family farm in Kansas for Thanksgiving and parts unknown from there, looking forward to traveling again.

As they say, we'll see you back here again, so until then, keep Lovin Your Life as we do ours!!!

Another Use for Duct Tape

It's been a slow couple of weeks here in OKC. Sheryl had her final back procedure on the 6th, which helped tremendously. However she has not been able to enjoy it due to contracting a bad kidney infection causing pretty bad back pain in it's self. We hit the local Urgent Care for treatment and thought that would be that. Not so lucky, a week later and Sheryl was still feeling really bad and thought she may have gotten more than just a kidney infection. Sunday, we thought we'd drop into the ER and get her checked out, which we did. Finding out the infection was still there, as it wasn't treated correctly at the urgent care. The Doc gave her a new antibiotic which is working much better, so she should be up and about pretty soon.
By now you are prob wondering what the above picture is all about?? We went to Walmart to fill her script and as we were coming out we spotted this. Of course this being Oklahoma it's not an unusual sight to see various things duct taped together, What stuck us as really funny is, its a pretty new Lexus and it is duct taped to the hilt!!! I guess the owner spent all his money on the car and couldn't afforded the insurance to fix it.
Our other small change for the week is, a new cell phone. We were using Strait Talk out of Walmart as the pricing is right, however we have been learning more and more, you get what you pay for. Poor customer service and finding out that many of the companies that are leasing them towers are dropping them, so service is getting worse. We settled on Verizon and one of their smart phones. I must say the speed and service is so much better.
Well with Sheryl on the mend, we should beable to get out a little more and see some sights while were here. So until next time..........................

I-35 Claims Another

Tire that is. Yesterday started out as any other moving day, putting things away, slides in, jacks up, off and running, headed towards OKC. Sheryl was driving the car as I piloted the motorhome. As I putted along at 60mph, Sheryl goes nuts going that slow in a car, so about an hour out of OKC, I tell her to go on ahead and get us a site at Tinker AFB Famcamp and I'll be right behind you. We as Murphy loves riding with me, no sooner did Sheryl get out of sight, when BANG!!! thump, thump, thump!!! Pull over to the side of the interstate for a look, yup the inside left rear tire was shredded. Of course Sheryl had our only phone with her (will be changing that soon) so I couldn't let her know what happened. Now I wasn't to keen on trying to drive with just one rear tire, however the narrow shoulder if the interstate made limping to the next intersection a much safer option. I noticed an exit about a mile away, so I limped the ole girl along the shoulder at 10mph until I made it to the truck stop at that exit (thank goodness). The good folks at the truck stop let me use their phone to call Good Sam Roadside Assistance, the folks at Good Sam were great and had help in route with a new tire with in 30 minutes. With the new tire mounted Scrappy and I were on our way again for an uneventful drive in to OKC. Of course Sheryl not knowing what happened was going crazy wondering where I was after an 1 1/2 hours. She decided to start out to try and find me, but luckily we met just outside the AFB gate and all was well.
You would think that was the end of the days drama..........nope, remember Murphy, he woke up as we got settled into our campsite. Being the Hottest day on OKC so far this year 112* and us trying to get the motorhome cooled down, he elected to have fun with the breaker on the elec pole. Yup about every 10-20 minutes the breaker would trip, so no A/C for you guys, ha, ha, ha!!! After an hour or so of trying different things, we contacted the camp host, who had the electrician come out and replace the breaker. That took a while of course, but once the new breaker was in place all was well.........ahhh A/C at last.
Ok, that was enough fun for one day, we are all settled in for a few weeks, maybe longer depending. So until next time..................we'll see you then.

Project II

A simple project, but sure has made a world of difference. After the flooring was installed, Sheryl took to installing the window treatment we had picked up at Home Depot the other day. She had been looking all over the RV stores for something to put over our door window, but to no avail. Our front door window is just clear glass with no covering of any sort, it's nice to look out, but it sure lets in a lot of heat and sunlight.Since it's nice for looking out it is also nice for looking in, alittle too nice if you know what I mean. Now we have nothing to hide, but just don't really care for strangers being able to look in while they walk by. We had come to the conclusion, just to get some car window tinting and use it. Then as we were walking through Home Depot, there it was, a nice assortment of window treatments that just cling to the glass, they had several different styles, but we liked this one the best. It goes on very easy, the only issue was, it's very difficult to cut/trim, even with a razor blade. After messing with it for a bit, Sheryl got it up, now no more straying eyes and the coach is much cooler.

Summertime Projects

During these dog days of summer and the oppressing 100+ degree heat, we decided to tackle a couple of inside projects. First was replacing the kitchen floor. We could tell the previous owner replaced it once already, however they did a pretty poor job, so the tack looking linoleum had to go.

After pulling it up and scrapping up all the backing, we were pleasantly surprised with the original hardwood flooring. Only problem was there were a few damaged places that would have taken too much work to fix. Along with sanding, staining and recoating, it was going to be more trouble than it would have been worth. We elected to go with a good quality peel and stick laminate flooring, in a slightly darker color to highlight the floor and cabinets. Once we got the hang of it, the floor went down pretty quick.

Scrappy Doo, enjoying the finished project and his favorite sleeping spot. We think it turned out well and are very happy with the results. The same flooring was also in the bathroom. We pulled it up and found the original tile to still be in good shape, so it was just cleaned up and will stay as is.

We have another small project we finished, however blogger is not letting us load another picture right now, so it will have to wait till later. We are loving our motorhome more and more each day. The two A/C units are working great in the heat, even though they can struggle alittle when the temp get well over 100, but that's seems to be the same with most all RVs.

We leave for OKC Wed. so more than likely we'll see you then.................

Olympic Spirit

 Kayla and Chris invited us over to watch the Olympic opening ceremonies. We all decided to get in the spirit and have a English dinner and brew to top off the festivities. On the menu was Bangers and Mash along with some Newcastle Brown Ale to wash it all down. I must say, it turned out very good, we did the Bangers (sausages) on the grill and made up some brown gravy from last nights pot roast. Of course the ale flowed through the ceremonies to make them that much better....lol

Even little Easton got into the spirit, him and his dad were fist pumping to the musical portion of the show. It was so cute, because he was actually pumping his fist!!!

We had a great time. The Opening Ceremonies were very well done, and made for an enjoyable start to the games.

Well we only have three more days here in the DFW area, then we head back to OKC. We haven't decided how long we'll stay in OKC but, it maybe longer than we want in order to replenish our savings. Our fund took a big hit buying the motorhome, but it was well worth it. We also need to start looking into a tow system for the car so poor Sheryl doesn't have to keep following behind.

That's it for now, and we'll see you back here again before long.

An Elusive Creature

 No not the Wal-Mart, but the area we found in the outer part of the parking lot.

While we were in OKC for the week, we stopped by the local Wal-Mart we use while in town. I dropped Sheryl off, as she just wanted to run in and pick something up. I took off for a loop around the parking lot and just happened to run across this "Free RV Water and Power" sign. We had been to this Wal-Mart several times and never noticed it or any RV's in the parking lot for that matter. I've heard about some Wal-Marts that provide water and or power, but this is the first time seeing one in person. There are 4 parking spots, 3-30amp plugs and 2 water faucets.

Just thought I'd post this incase anyone happens to by heading through OKC on I-40 looking for a quick stop for the evening. This Wal-Mart is located on the east side of town in the Midwest/Del City area at the Sooner St. exit.

I also posted a few of our favorite picture from the wedding on the Photo Page. Feel free to take a look, they can be found Here .

Take Care and we'll see you back here again.

The Secret is Out!!!

 We had quite the time in OKC this week and we are now safe and sound back in TX. The week was quite busy as you could imagine. We got to witness and share in the wedding of Sheryl's daughter Kaileigh to the man of her dreams Josh. The week was filled with last minute items to be taken care of, along with the other things we had to do that week. The wedding was originally going to be hush hush for personal reasons of the couple, however, after the ceremony they just couldn't contain their selves and just had to let everyone know!!!

The wedding took place at Will Rogers Park in Oklahoma City. The park is beautifully kept with lakes, abundance of flowers and walking paths. We attended as witnesses and of course parents along with a few other family members. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by yours truly photographing the happy couple around the park. I'll post some of the nicer shots on the photography page after going through them.

So here's to the happy couple, may they have a long and wonderful marriage!!!

Scrappys New Boo Boo

Well, it's actually more than a Boo Boo, it's more like a hairline fractured pelvis, torn ACL and various other bruising to his left rear leg........poor little guy. We don't know what actually happened, other than Sheryl heard him crying in the back yard. She went to get him and found him limping on the left rear leg. She checked him out and thought he may have broken his leg somehow, so Sheryl and Kaileigh rushed him right to the local Animal Urgent Care. The Vet was so nice and caring, when he hear Sheryl crying, he rushed right out, took Scrappy from her arms and got him back right away, Great Service!!! After the exam and X-Rays, the above was determined. Again, we don't know just what happened, but the Vet said, he has seen alot of injured dogs and Scrappy's injuries were consistent with being kicked very hard. There is a hole in the back fence, that Scrappy and Kaileigh's dogs get out once in a while, so they could have gotten out for a minute and some jerk may have kicked poor Scrappy. We'll never know. So the little guy is on pain killers and bed/kennel rest for two weeks. Vet said there is no way to splint or treat a hairline fracture to the pelvis, other than rest and to let it heal.
Poor Scrappy, wish him well and he'll be back to his ole self in no time. That's the latest news, so until next time.........................

Little Girls New Dress

We arrived safe and sound here in OKC and are staying at Josh and Kaileigh's house for a few days. Yesterday afternoon, Sheryl got to surprise Clara with here very own hand made Princess Dress. Clara had been wanting a Princess Dress, so Grandma Sheryl made her one and we all think it turned out beautiful. Even Sheryl was pretty proud of herself!!!

Today was registration day for the car we picked up in Kansas, so she is sporting her shinny new OK plates. Interesting thing, here in OK, they actually have privately ran tag agencies, where you can get you tag, various state licences and your drivers license, all with out having to visit the ever popular State Motor Vehicle Division. It was nice to walk in and 15 min later walk out with tags! Awesome!!!!

So, one more item checked off the list, now just a couple more and we'll be done here for a couple more weeks. Also in case you were wondering, baby Easton , mom and dad are doing fine, and we'll be back down to see them in a few days. Take Care and we'll see you back here soon.

Texan RV Park

We've been here at the Texan RV Ranch for about 2 weeks now, so, I thought I'd do a quick review for you. The park is located in Mansfield, TX. Just south of the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex and surrounded by farmland. They have a small store available for some basic items, but can be pretty pricey, as with any convenience store. There is also a pool, laundry and shower house, all keep very clean and nice.

Like with most parks, they seem to cram as many sites in as possible, some have a little more room than others, but all in all not real roomy.

The park also has several cabins for rent, again clean and well cared for.
We like this park, as it is pretty close to our kids who are only a few miles away. If you are looking for a park to visit in the DFW area, there are several closer. However it's not that far to the area attractions and being out in the country, it's a nice quiet park to come back to.
Today, they had a July Celebration, with a BBQ, and water bouncy castles for the kids around the pool area. Of course blogger is being stubborn here at the park, so I can't upload any more pictures, so I'll save them for later. All in all it's a nice park and worth a stay if you are in the DFW area, they also accept various discount clubs to include Passport America. For more on the park, you can visit their website Here.
Tomorrow were taking a road trip to OKC for a couple of doctors appointments. We'll be leaving the rig here at the park and staying with our daughter in OKC for a few days. So until later, take care and see you soon!!!