OKC Visit: Orr Family Farm & Return Home

Sunday October 18th
On Sunday morning, four grandparents, two parents, and two grandkids piled into two vehicles and went off to Robin and Jeremy's church. In addition to donuts that morning, the congregation was treated to four dozen cupcakes, courtesy of the My Little Pony party the day before. Remember how in the story of Noah's Ark, God sent a rainbow after the flood? These church goers got a rainbow of a different kind.

After church we enjoyed a family buffet at a restaurant call Furr's Fresh Buffet. I had never heard of the chain before but the variety of entrées and desserts was amazing and the food was surprisingly well-prepared, good, and healthy especially for an all-you-can-eat, buffet-type dining establishment. Jeremy recalled for us from his childhood memories the treat when his parents would take him with his brothers and sisters to a similar one in the chain. We all ate our fill and then went back to Robin and Jeremy's house.

Autumn explored her birthday presents, Isaiah ate and ate, and we grandparents recouped our energy from the day before. In all the hubbub of the day before, Autumn had not opened her gifts from us. We'd gotten her some Duplo sets. She opened a small set first of an ice cream truck and we told her it was from "Uncle Alex".  She was very pleased and cheerfully called out, "Thank you, Uncle Alex!" even though he was not there.

Uncle Alex got credit for the other gifts, too. As she opened each, Autumn dutifully chimed out unprompted, "Thank you, Uncle Alex!" She especially liked the stable. Uncle Alex was really with it when he picked that one...

Monday October 19th
Frank and I breakfasted at our hotel and then mid-morning went back to Robin and Jeremy's to convene and set out for the day's outing at the Orr Family Farm in Moore, OK. Per its web site, the Orr Family Farm is "a spectacular family-friendly getaway located within the heart of Oklahoma City".  It was founded by a veterinarian and his family and provides an education and entertainment environment for children and their families with a variety of rides and activities. There is also a breeding and training facility for racehorses on the grounds. Upon entering, we were greeted by a scarecrow sign. 

The first bright red building we saw was the train station.

It was decked out with its cornstalk decorations on its porch columns.

We rode the train as our first activity since it offered a great overview of the possibilities for the day's activities. All aboard! Jeremy and his mom are ready!

The train circles its way around the perimeter of playgrounds, pony rides, and animal barns and then winds it way back past the waterside locations where parties and weddings can be held.

We pass lush foliage, scenic white rail fences,

and bright red outbuildings.

The train passes the carousel just before concluding its journey back at the station where we boarded. After the train, Autumn was just longing for a carousel ride. Grandpa Frank rides with her for the first of several trips.

Three male generations, Isaiah (in the stroller), Grandpa O, and dad Jeremy sit together companionably and look on.

This carousel is a rebuilt version of the original. May 20, 2013 had changed the farm forever when an EF5 tornado had ripped through Moore, Oklahoma. The Orr Family Farm had been directly in the path of the storm and although the Orr family, employees and animal barn animals at the Orr Family Farm survived the tornado, the Farm itself sustained substantial damage to buildings, amusement rides and other areas vital to the operation of the Farm. The carousel had been dislodged from its mounting and demolished. Volunteers did a beautiful job resurrecting it to be enjoyed once again.

I found this picture amusing. Isaiah appears to be wearing his grandpa's train cap.

Autumn went down slides, jumped in the bouncy house, climbed a huge pile of hay bales, and swung on swings. A trip to a farm would not be complete without a real pony ride. Robin walks beside her as Autumn immerses herself in the experience of being astride a real equine. She got to pick the animal she rode and Autumn picked the biggest one - so much for my "little" pony.

There was a hayride to the outskirts of the farm beyond the perimeter of the train tracks loop to pick a pumpkin, but we passed on that excursion for the day. Jeremy and Autumn got "bounce back" passes to do that another time. We left while everyone was still smiling and happy and not overly tired.

Jeremy grilled steaks for dinner and we feasted on them with baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad. After a few breakout sessions of one-on-one time, we called it an evening. I said my tearful goodbyes to the kids and grandkids and Frank and I left for our hotel. The next day they would be back to their routine of work and daycare and we would be flying back home to California

Tuesday, October 20th
Frank and I dropped off our rental car at the Advantage satellite location and took the shuttle back to the Will Rogers Airport terminals. As we got off the bus, I could not help but notice all the people saying their goodbyes to their loved ones, a familiar scene at any airport. When we were entering the Southwest terminal, I saw this sign by the curbside valet station. It tickled me.

Jeremy's folks' flight was leaving within a few minutes of ours, but with a different airline and from a different terminal. Since we had some time before boarding and both of us couples were in the security-cleared area, Frank and I walked down to John and Anna's gate and took this final selfie to send to the kids. We added the text message. "See you soon!"