Fort Sill, OK Archives - Tolman Travels https://tolmantravels.com/category/fort-sill/ Fri, 31 May 2019 08:22:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://i0.wp.com/tolmantravels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-T-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Fort Sill, OK Archives - Tolman Travels https://tolmantravels.com/category/fort-sill/ 32 32 162833905 Goodbye Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Hello new adventures! | What I loved about Fort Sill https://tolmantravels.com/2018/07/15/fort-sill-oklahoma/ Sun, 15 Jul 2018 20:01:44 +0000 https://newlittlelifeblog.com/?p=1085 Was I super excited when I found out our first duty station was Fort Sill, Oklahoma? Not particularly… but we joined the army partially to see new places and explore the world so what better place to start! We have loved our time at Fort Sill, OK. Our transition to army life has been smooth and we really enjoy the army lifestyle. Our plan is to stay in the army for quite a while, especially now that we’re headed to Belgium! My favorite thing about Fort Sill was the people there. We have made some really good friends at church, our unit, and from my doula work. It was difficult finding time to say goodbye to everyone we will miss because we had so many wonderful friends there! Saying goodbye is such a common occurrence in military life too and half of our friends have already moved away (#armylife). I feel like we’re ALWAYS saying goodbye to someone, but it felt different being on this end of it. We’re so blessed and lucky to have been there for 3 years and we are SO excited to spend time with family in Idaho then head on to our next duty station.   Some of our favorite things to do here at Fort Sill were: ~~~ The Museum of the Great Plains The kids can touch everything here and they have a lot of great things for them to do! We got a year membership and went often with friends. Simons favorite thing to do was the “buffalo guts” where you got to take apart the buffalo innards and put him back together. ~~~ Turner Falls Turner Falls was a beautiful place to spend the day! I wish we would have gone sooner than our last month here because we would have made the trip several times! ~~~ T-Ball!!! Simon loved t-ball! He played 2 summers with the CYS on post at Fort Sill and had a blast. He had great coaches and loved being part of a team. It was sooo cute to watch!!!! Here’s some pictures from this years team. ~~~ The drive-in movie theatre in Chickasha! We loved going to the drive in movies! They have mini golf in the front you can play while you wait for it to get dark which the boys loved! Such a cute little place for a memorable evening. ~~~ 4th of July Freedom Festival The 77th Army Band performance I looked forward to most every year was the 4th of July. Lawton has a freedom celebration that we went to all 3 years we were there. We always sat in the same spot with lots of unit and church friends and it was a blast. They have food vendors and live music from the concert, jazz, and rock army bands. The firework display gets better every year and it’s just incredible! I’ll miss that celebration the most.     ~~~ The Birth Community in Lawton/Fort Sill, OK I absolutely LOVED my birth doula work in Lawton/Fort Sill OK! I served mostly military families and loved every single birth I attended there. There are awesome OBGYNs in the area and the DOLO (Doulas Of Lawton Oklahoma) will be my forever friends. I loved having fellow birth workers to rely on, attend events together, and promote education in the birth community there. I also had my sweet Hyrum in Oklahoma and had a great experience! Dr. Berhman, my doctor, and Comanche County Memorial Hospital were fantastic. It was a perfect birth and I was thankful to know the hospitals, doctors, and doulas there before going through it myself.         ~~~ THE STORMS! Some people were really afraid of the storms, but it was one of our favorite parts! Being from the West, the Oklahoma storms were quite different than what we were used to. They would often start in the middle of the night and be very intense! High winds, lots of rain, and tornado warnings were very common, especially in the spring. They usually come on quickly and often flood the streets. It was fun to watch!!! We had a storm shelter in our home but never used it. There was only one tornado very close to us while we were stationed there but thankfully it didn’t do much damage and didn’t hit Fort Sill itself. We liked to sit outside and watch the storms as they happened. One time we had golf ball size hail and the next neighborhood over had baseball sized ones! It was awesome 🙂 The picture below is a time when we were driving to the community center to do laundry in our last days at Fort Sill and had to brave the storm to get inside. The boys were not impressed and we were completely soaked. Notice we’re in our swimsuits, because we had intended to go swimming but the storm came on soooo quickly! Oklahoma has the craziest weather we’ve ever seen but we loved it.   ~~~ The People I’ve already said it, but the other spouses at Fort Sill, our fantastic church friends, and the people we met in Lawton are the best. We made so many friends (not all are pictured!) and I’m grateful for all the help and kindness we received. Many of them better come to visit us in Europe!!!!   ~~~ Our move away from Fort Sill was logistically stressful but everything went very well! After a week in hotels and traveling to Idaho, we’re enjoying a much needed vacation with family before we head off to Belgium. We’re working on our French and saying goodbye to everyone in the states. I can’t wait to explore more of the world! I’m glad Fort Sill, Oklahoma was our first stop in our Army adventure 🙂 Stay tuned!   Goodbye Fort Sill, Oklahoma!      ~~~ In case you missed it…. Real Life with 2 Kids – The worry that comes with adding a second child Hiking in Oklahoma – Tolman family day trip!         ~ All things for you and your new little life ~

The post Goodbye Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Hello new adventures! | What I loved about Fort Sill appeared first on Tolman Travels.

]]> Was I super excited when I found out our first duty station was Fort Sill, Oklahoma? Not particularly… but we joined the army partially to see new places and explore the world so what better place to start!

We have loved our time at Fort Sill, OK. Our transition to army life has been smooth and we really enjoy the army lifestyle. Our plan is to stay in the army for quite a while, especially now that we’re headed to Belgium!

My favorite thing about Fort Sill was the people there. We have made some really good friends at church, our unit, and from my doula work. It was difficult finding time to say goodbye to everyone we will miss because we had so many wonderful friends there! Saying goodbye is such a common occurrence in military life too and half of our friends have already moved away (#armylife). I feel like we’re ALWAYS saying goodbye to someone, but it felt different being on this end of it. We’re so blessed and lucky to have been there for 3 years and we are SO excited to spend time with family in Idaho then head on to our next duty station.

 

Some of our favorite things to do here at Fort Sill were:

~~~

The Museum of the Great Plains

The kids can touch everything here and they have a lot of great things for them to do! We got a year membership and went often with friends. Simons favorite thing to do was the “buffalo guts” where you got to take apart the buffalo innards and put him back together.

Child playing with block at the Great Plains Museum Lawton, OK

Great Plains Museum

Flying paper airplanes at Great Plains Museum

3 kids with giant legos at the great plains museum fort sill, ok

~~~

Turner Falls

Turner Falls was a beautiful place to spend the day! I wish we would have gone sooner than our last month here because we would have made the trip several times!

Riding the trolly at Turner Falls, Ok

~~~

T-Ball!!!

Simon loved t-ball! He played 2 summers with the CYS on post at Fort Sill and had a blast. He had great coaches and loved being part of a team. It was sooo cute to watch!!!! Here’s some pictures from this years team.

Fort Sill Tball

Fort Sill t ball team

fort sill tball

2 boys fort sill t-ball

fort sill t ball

Fort Sill Tball

Fort Sill Tball

~~~

The drive-in movie theatre in Chickasha!

We loved going to the drive in movies! They have mini golf in the front you can play while you wait for it to get dark which the boys loved! Such a cute little place for a memorable evening.

Mini golf at drive in theatre Chickasaw Oklahoma

Mini golf at drive in theatre Chickasaw Oklahoma

Mini golf at drive in theatre Chickasaw Oklahoma

Mini golf at drive in theatre Chickasaw Oklahoma

~~~

4th of July Freedom Festival

The 77th Army Band performance I looked forward to most every year was the 4th of July. Lawton has a freedom celebration that we went to all 3 years we were there. We always sat in the same spot with lots of unit and church friends and it was a blast. They have food vendors and live music from the concert, jazz, and rock army bands. The firework display gets better every year and it’s just incredible! I’ll miss that celebration the most.

4th of July Fireworks Lawton, OK

Lawton Freedom Festival

Lawton Freedom Festival

 

 

~~~

The Birth Community in Lawton/Fort Sill, OK

I absolutely LOVED my birth doula work in Lawton/Fort Sill OK! I served mostly military families and loved every single birth I attended there. There are awesome OBGYNs in the area and the DOLO (Doulas Of Lawton Oklahoma) will be my forever friends. I loved having fellow birth workers to rely on, attend events together, and promote education in the birth community there.

I also had my sweet Hyrum in Oklahoma and had a great experience! Dr. Berhman, my doctor, and Comanche County Memorial Hospital were fantastic. It was a perfect birth and I was thankful to know the hospitals, doctors, and doulas there before going through it myself.

We got to take a workshop from GENA KIRBY! It was awesome! I love the other Doulas Of Lawton Oklahoma.

 

My beautiful, amazing, doula sisters!! <3

 

Photo by Robbie McMillian Photography

 

Photography by Sarah Creal Photography

 

Photo by Sarah Creal Photography

~~~

THE STORMS!

Some people were really afraid of the storms, but it was one of our favorite parts! Being from the West, the Oklahoma storms were quite different than what we were used to. They would often start in the middle of the night and be very intense! High winds, lots of rain, and tornado warnings were very common, especially in the spring. They usually come on quickly and often flood the streets. It was fun to watch!!! We had a storm shelter in our home but never used it. There was only one tornado very close to us while we were stationed there but thankfully it didn’t do much damage and didn’t hit Fort Sill itself.

We liked to sit outside and watch the storms as they happened. One time we had golf ball size hail and the next neighborhood over had baseball sized ones! It was awesome 🙂 The picture below is a time when we were driving to the community center to do laundry in our last days at Fort Sill and had to brave the storm to get inside. The boys were not impressed and we were completely soaked. Notice we’re in our swimsuits, because we had intended to go swimming but the storm came on soooo quickly! Oklahoma has the craziest weather we’ve ever seen but we loved it.

 

~~~

The People

I’ve already said it, but the other spouses at Fort Sill, our fantastic church friends, and the people we met in Lawton are the best. We made so many friends (not all are pictured!) and I’m grateful for all the help and kindness we received. Many of them better come to visit us in Europe!!!!

 

~~~

Our move away from Fort Sill was logistically stressful but everything went very well! After a week in hotels and traveling to Idaho, we’re enjoying a much needed vacation with family before we head off to Belgium. We’re working on our French and saying goodbye to everyone in the states. I can’t wait to explore more of the world! I’m glad Fort Sill, Oklahoma was our first stop in our Army adventure 🙂 Stay tuned!

fort sill, OK

2 boys learning french

Fort sill Lawton Oklahoma armed forces day parade

 

Goodbye Fort Sill, Oklahoma! 

 

 

~~~

In case you missed it….

Real Life with 2 Kids – The worry that comes with adding a second child

Hiking in Oklahoma – Tolman family day trip!

 

 

 

 

~ All things for you and your new little life ~

The post Goodbye Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Hello new adventures! | What I loved about Fort Sill appeared first on Tolman Travels.

]]> 1085 Real life with 2 kids – The worry that comes with adding a second child https://tolmantravels.com/2018/06/22/real-life-with-2-kids/ https://tolmantravels.com/2018/06/22/real-life-with-2-kids/#comments Fri, 22 Jun 2018 19:43:09 +0000 https://newlittlelifeblog.com/?p=898 I have always, always looked forward to being a mother! I love young children and couldn’t wait to have my own. Motherhood was no disappointment and I could not have been happier with my little boy Simon! We were best friends and I am still amazed at how much love I have for this tiny human. Even though we tried hard for and very much wanted a second child, there was part of me that was actually sad I’d have to share my time and attention between two children. During almost my whole second pregnancy, I had serious worries about dividing my life and love between 2 kids. We’d been out of the baby stage for a while, finally had some freedom to do things with a potty trained 2 year old, and I LOVED the one-on-one time I got to spend with my oldest son, Simon. It was especially frustrating whenever I voiced this concern to others because people always said things like, “Your love doubles, not divides” or “It’ll be fine, I’ve got 4!” or “You’re overthinking it, don’t worry about it now.” While those things were probably true and meant to be helpful, they often made me more frustrated. I had real concerns and worries like: – I was HONESTLY afraid I wouldn’t love the second child as much as I love my first. – I didn’t WANT to give less attention to my oldest because I loved our one-on-one time. He really was my best little friend. – I was nervous about the lack of sleep with a newborn AND having another child to care for. I didn’t want Simon to get neglected or ignored while I took care of the baby.   ~~~ I knew I’d love all my children, but I was SO happy with my little Simon and I was scared for our relationship to change. I loved every minute with him and especially after dad had spent 5 months away for Army training, I felt so connected to my little boy. We were best friends and I was so torn between having another child and “giving up” the happy life I so much enjoyed.   ~~~~~~ When my sweet Hyrum was born I did miss the alone time with my oldest, Simon, but the first month postpartum was actually great! Physical recovery was much easier the second time around and I adjusted to life with a newborn really smoothly. Hyrum slept a lot and I was feeling pretty good about life! What as all the worry for?? ~~~ ~~~ The next 6 months however, were more difficult to say the least. I struggled with postpartum depression this time around and Hyrum was a totally different baby than my first. He was active, needed entertained, and we had the same breastfeeding struggles as with Simon which was so challenging. My attention was being pulled away from Simon and while he actually didn’t mind much, I felt so guilty about our relationship changing and him having less mom time. The first 6 months with 2 kids were a blur honestly and I’m so grateful to all those who helped me through some rough times. Grocery store trips were frazzling, church was almost unbearable, and my time and attention were divided (Bless my sweet husband for being so helpful and patient with me! What a strength he is to our family). There were several times in those first few months when people told me things would get better after 6-8 months in with two kids. I remember being SO frustrated by this because that was MONTHS away! Ok, I get that a few months doesn’t seem that long, but what was I supposed to do in the meantime? Just put my head down and survive?? Here’s a REAL MOM LIFE moment on a good day when I was willing to laugh at myself a little and snap a photo. Here’s me dyeing my hair to hide the gray, breastfeeding the hungry baby, and of course Simon pooped and needed a wipe all at the same time. The struggle is REAL! #momlife       ~~~ But guess what, things did get better. About the 6 month mark the fog did lift and I started to see the joys of having 2 children. My sweet Simon was so patient with me and helpful with his little brother. He is a truly amazing and sweet spirit and I’m so grateful he was our first son. I started to appreciate the differences in my 2 boys and wished I’d taken time to notice and enjoy that sooner. Hyrum is so naturally happy, bright, and playful. He loves new things and being social with others. He LOVES his dad and there were some wonderfully tender moments between Hyrum and his dad even at a very young age. He is still very attached to him and I’m pretty sure he likes him better than me! (Even WITH mom having the sustaining milk of life! Get your priorities straight kid!) For all those who may also be struggling with the idea of adding a second child or in the throws of early family life, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am absolutely IN LOVE with life with 2 kids! Nothing melts my heart faster than seeing these two boys interact and play with each other. Hyrum wants to copy everything his older brother does (he calls him Bubba) and Simon loves teaching his younger brother all the important things. They prefer to sleep in the same room and love to cuddle with each other in the morning. Bath time…. oh my word… two butts are definitely better than one!!! *On a side note, this is the BEST stroller I’ve EVER purchased!! Cheap, folds up small, fits through doors, and it works great for 2 kids. Here’s the link for you! ~~~ I rolled my eyes when people said there would be enough love to go around, but it’s true… ugh, whatever. My relationship isn’t the same with Simon as it used to be, but honestly I think it’s better in some ways. He’s more patient and kind and we still have the same tender moments that we used to. Simon and I will always have a special bond from those 3 years we spent together. I’ve never regretted adding a 2nd child to our family, but I’m so grateful that I’ve found ways to grow and accept the change in family dynamic that it brings. I have a feeling that I’ll look back on this time in my life with the fondest memories because while having 2 kids to care for is exhausting sometimes, it’s also so rewarding, enjoyable, and (dare I say) fun! Being a mother is the thing I’ve looked forward to most in my life and I’m so grateful for the opportunity that God has given to me. We’ve had many struggles getting these tiny humans to our arms but they’ve been worth every sadness we endured. My heart breaks with empathy as I watch friends and family also struggle with creating their earthly family because I remember those times so well. I hold my husband and 2 young sons closer now and take time to appreciate the blessings I’ve been given. ~~~ ~~~ I wouldn’t trade life with 2 kids for anything. It sounds cliche, but I can’t image life any other way now. I’d never go back to just one child (not that you can) because the love and happiness that having 2 children has brought me is unimaginable. I’m so in love with being a mother of young children and I look forward to the men they will become one day! I’m kinda dreading the teenage years because I love young growing minds so much, but I may go back to work at that point and have their father stay home and deal with it! Ha! If you’re having any of these same feelings about adding a second child, just know you’re not alone. It’s ok to be worried and it’s ok to let things change. Life is all about learning and adjusting so I encourage you to find joy at whatever stage you’re at. If your struggling, reach out to those that love you and take your time to adjust. No one is happy all the time, but trying to get there and never giving up is the important part. I love my family and I love my Savior. I’m so blessed to be a mother and will keep trying to find the joys it brings.         Follow me on Pinterest! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!     ~ All things for you and your new little life ~

The post Real life with 2 kids – The worry that comes with adding a second child appeared first on Tolman Travels.

]]> I have always, always looked forward to being a mother! I love young children and couldn’t wait to have my own. Motherhood was no disappointment and I could not have been happier with my little boy Simon! We were best friends and I am still amazed at how much love I have for this tiny human.

Even though we tried hard for and very much wanted a second child, there was part of me that was actually sad I’d have to share my time and attention between two children. During almost my whole second pregnancy, I had serious worries about dividing my life and love between 2 kids. We’d been out of the baby stage for a while, finally had some freedom to do things with a potty trained 2 year old, and I LOVED the one-on-one time I got to spend with my oldest son, Simon.

It was especially frustrating whenever I voiced this concern to others because people always said things like,

“Your love doubles, not divides”

or

“It’ll be fine, I’ve got 4!”

or

“You’re overthinking it, don’t worry about it now.”

While those things were probably true and meant to be helpful, they often made me more frustrated. I had real concerns and worries like:

– I was HONESTLY afraid I wouldn’t love the second child as much as I love my first.

– I didn’t WANT to give less attention to my oldest because I loved our one-on-one time. He really was my best little friend.

– I was nervous about the lack of sleep with a newborn AND having another child to care for. I didn’t want Simon to get neglected or ignored while I took care of the baby.

 

~~~

I knew I’d love all my children, but I was SO happy with my little Simon and I was scared for our relationship to change. I loved every minute with him and especially after dad had spent 5 months away for Army training, I felt so connected to my little boy. We were best friends and I was so torn between having another child and “giving up” the happy life I so much enjoyed.

 

batman and robin costumes - Mother Son

~~~~~~

When my sweet Hyrum was born I did miss the alone time with my oldest, Simon, but the first month postpartum was actually great! Physical recovery was much easier the second time around and I adjusted to life with a newborn really smoothly. Hyrum slept a lot and I was feeling pretty good about life! What as all the worry for??

~~~

~~~

The next 6 months however, were more difficult to say the least. I struggled with postpartum depression this time around and Hyrum was a totally different baby than my first. He was active, needed entertained, and we had the same breastfeeding struggles as with Simon which was so challenging. My attention was being pulled away from Simon and while he actually didn’t mind much, I felt so guilty about our relationship changing and him having less mom time.

The first 6 months with 2 kids were a blur honestly and I’m so grateful to all those who helped me through some rough times. Grocery store trips were frazzling, church was almost unbearable, and my time and attention were divided (Bless my sweet husband for being so helpful and patient with me! What a strength he is to our family).

There were several times in those first few months when people told me things would get better after 6-8 months in with two kids. I remember being SO frustrated by this because that was MONTHS away! Ok, I get that a few months doesn’t seem that long, but what was I supposed to do in the meantime? Just put my head down and survive??

real mom life with 2 kids - dye in the hair, baby on the breast, and a bum that needs wiped. New Little Life Blog
Dye in the hair, baby on the breast, and a bum that needs wiped… #realmomlife

Here’s a REAL MOM LIFE moment on a good day when I was willing to laugh at myself a little and snap a photo. Here’s me dyeing my hair to hide the gray, breastfeeding the hungry baby, and of course Simon pooped and needed a wipe all at the same time. The struggle is REAL! #momlife

 

 

 

~~~

But guess what, things did get better. About the 6 month mark the fog did lift and I started to see the joys of having 2 children. My sweet Simon was so patient with me and helpful with his little brother. He is a truly amazing and sweet spirit and I’m so grateful he was our first son. I started to appreciate the differences in my 2 boys and wished I’d taken time to notice and enjoy that sooner. Hyrum is so naturally happy, bright, and playful. He loves new things and being social with others. He LOVES his dad and there were some wonderfully tender moments between Hyrum and his dad even at a very young age. He is still very attached to him and I’m pretty sure he likes him better than me! (Even WITH mom having the sustaining milk of life! Get your priorities straight kid!)

For all those who may also be struggling with the idea of adding a second child or in the throws of early family life, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am absolutely IN LOVE with life with 2 kids! Nothing melts my heart faster than seeing these two boys interact and play with each other. Hyrum wants to copy everything his older brother does (he calls him Bubba) and Simon loves teaching his younger brother all the important things. They prefer to sleep in the same room and love to cuddle with each other in the morning. Bath time…. oh my word… two butts are definitely better than one!!!

2 kids playing outside in the summer - Life with 2 kids

2 kids asleep in a stroller - Life with 2 kids

*On a side note, this is the BEST stroller I’ve EVER purchased!! Cheap, folds up small, fits through doors, and it works great for 2 kids. Here’s the link for you!

2 boys watching a parade - Life with 2 kids

~~~

I rolled my eyes when people said there would be enough love to go around, but it’s true… ugh, whatever. My relationship isn’t the same with Simon as it used to be, but honestly I think it’s better in some ways. He’s more patient and kind and we still have the same tender moments that we used to. Simon and I will always have a special bond from those 3 years we spent together. I’ve never regretted adding a 2nd child to our family, but I’m so grateful that I’ve found ways to grow and accept the change in family dynamic that it brings. I have a feeling that I’ll look back on this time in my life with the fondest memories because while having 2 kids to care for is exhausting sometimes, it’s also so rewarding, enjoyable, and (dare I say) fun!

2 kids cuddling watching a movie - Life with 2 kids

2 kids in shopping cart, one wearing army hat - Life with 2 kids

Being a mother is the thing I’ve looked forward to most in my life and I’m so grateful for the opportunity that God has given to me. We’ve had many struggles getting these tiny humans to our arms but they’ve been worth every sadness we endured. My heart breaks with empathy as I watch friends and family also struggle with creating their earthly family because I remember those times so well. I hold my husband and 2 young sons closer now and take time to appreciate the blessings I’ve been given.

~~~

2 kids on bike, older brother squishing younger brothers face~~~

I wouldn’t trade life with 2 kids for anything. It sounds cliche, but I can’t image life any other way now. I’d never go back to just one child (not that you can) because the love and happiness that having 2 children has brought me is unimaginable. I’m so in love with being a mother of young children and I look forward to the men they will become one day! I’m kinda dreading the teenage years because I love young growing minds so much, but I may go back to work at that point and have their father stay home and deal with it! Ha!

If you’re having any of these same feelings about adding a second child, just know you’re not alone. It’s ok to be worried and it’s ok to let things change. Life is all about learning and adjusting so I encourage you to find joy at whatever stage you’re at. If your struggling, reach out to those that love you and take your time to adjust. No one is happy all the time, but trying to get there and never giving up is the important part. I love my family and I love my Savior. I’m so blessed to be a mother and will keep trying to find the joys it brings.

 

 

military family

 

 

Follow me on Pinterest!

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

 

 

~ All things for you and your new little life ~

The post Real life with 2 kids – The worry that comes with adding a second child appeared first on Tolman Travels.

]]> https://tolmantravels.com/2018/06/22/real-life-with-2-kids/feed/ 1 898 Hiking in Oklahoma – Tolman Family Day Trip https://tolmantravels.com/2018/05/12/hiking-in-oklahoma-tolman-family-day-trip/ Sat, 12 May 2018 18:19:01 +0000 https://newlittlelifeblog.com/?p=577 Although Oklahoma can be ehhh sometimes, we have LOVED the hiking and camping when we can find places to do it. Simon and Hyrum are happiest outdoors and we love to explore. Oklahoma has some unique beauty, especially up in the wildlife refuge near Fort Sill. A couple weekends ago we did a fun family hike on the Jed Johnson Tower Trail. We saw a lizard (named lizardy) and a frog (named hoppy) which were the highlights of the day for Simon. It was such a pretty hike, one of my favorites so far. I’ll post a funny Simon video at the end!   Simon loves teaching us about nature! He says when he grows up he wants to be a hiking guide (“nature teacher”). Although in this video below he was trying to teach us about something that turned out to be poop ? haha oops! Simon Hiking Video 480  – (I couldn’t figure out how to get it to play automatically, sorry! But here’s the link for serious viewers..)   We have really enjoyed our time in Oklahoma! We have made so many friends, survived so many storms (which is nicks favorite part about living here), and have seen most of what this area has to offer. We can’t wait to start our new adventure in Belgium soon!!       ~All things for you and your new little life ~     Follow me on Pinterest!  

The post Hiking in Oklahoma – Tolman Family Day Trip appeared first on Tolman Travels.

]]> Although Oklahoma can be ehhh sometimes, we have LOVED the hiking and camping when we can find places to do it. Simon and Hyrum are happiest outdoors and we love to explore. Oklahoma has some unique beauty, especially up in the wildlife refuge near Fort Sill.

A couple weekends ago we did a fun family hike on the Jed Johnson Tower Trail. We saw a lizard (named lizardy) and a frog (named hoppy) which were the highlights of the day for Simon. It was such a pretty hike, one of my favorites so far. I’ll post a funny Simon video at the end!

 

Simon loves teaching us about nature! He says when he grows up he wants to be a hiking guide (“nature teacher”). Although in this video below he was trying to teach us about something that turned out to be poop ? haha oops!

Simon Hiking Video 480  – (I couldn’t figure out how to get it to play automatically, sorry! But here’s the link for serious viewers..)

 

We have really enjoyed our time in Oklahoma! We have made so many friends, survived so many storms (which is nicks favorite part about living here), and have seen most of what this area has to offer. We can’t wait to start our new adventure in Belgium soon!!

 

 

 

~All things for you and your new little life ~

 

 

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]]> 577 Oklahoma City Science Museum – Family day trip to the city! https://tolmantravels.com/2018/04/05/oklahoma-city-science-museum/ Thu, 05 Apr 2018 21:30:50 +0000 https://newlittlelifeblog.com/?p=228 We’ve been talking about going to the OKC Science Museum since we moved here 2 1/2 years ago, but only now that we have a few short months left at Fort Sill did we have the motivation to actually do it! What a fun place for all ages! I can see why it gets so much attention. They have SOO much to learn and do for any age. We all loved it! We went to the Explosions show which Simon loved! We also got to meet Otto the Robot! Simon was really excited about that until he showed up, then he got a little shy (per Simon’s usual). Our FAVORITE thing though was learning to ride Segways! Simon has still been talking about this days later. He never lets us forget that he was “a pro at riding Segways”. He claims he was way better than us but Nick and I were pretty good too! Hyrum is teething (or something) so he wasn’t his usual crazy exploring self but still had a great time. He LOVES touching ANYTHING so this was a great place for him to just explore! He is so full of energy and adventurous which is sometimes exhausting, but I can’t wait to see what he does with his life! He’s really going to be an awesome person if we can just survive his early years 🙂 My favorite part was that they had not one, but TWO different nursing rooms for breastfeeding moms! How wonderful it is to have a place to feed and change the baby that’s not a bathroom!! Good job OKC Science Museum!!! You rock.

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]]> We’ve been talking about going to the OKC Science Museum since we moved here 2 1/2 years ago, but only now that we have a few short months left at Fort Sill did we have the motivation to actually do it! What a fun place for all ages! I can see why it gets so much attention. They have SOO much to learn and do for any age. We all loved it!

We went to the Explosions show which Simon loved!

We also got to meet Otto the Robot! Simon was really excited about that until he showed up, then he got a little shy (per Simon’s usual).

Our FAVORITE thing though was learning to ride Segways! Simon has still been talking about this days later. He never lets us forget that he was “a pro at riding Segways”. He claims he was way better than us but Nick and I were pretty good too!

Hyrum is teething (or something) so he wasn’t his usual crazy exploring self but still had a great time. He LOVES touching ANYTHING so this was a great place for him to just explore! He is so full of energy and adventurous which is sometimes exhausting, but I can’t wait to see what he does with his life! He’s really going to be an awesome person if we can just survive his early years 🙂

My favorite part was that they had not one, but TWO different nursing rooms for breastfeeding moms! How wonderful it is to have a place to feed and change the baby that’s not a bathroom!! Good job OKC Science Museum!!! You rock.

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]]> 228 Fort Sill Oklahoma & Simons First Day of School! https://tolmantravels.com/2018/02/02/fort-sill-oklahoma-simons-first-day-of-school/ Fri, 02 Feb 2018 22:00:19 +0000 https://newlittlelifeblog.com/?p=266 It’s been quite a while since I’ve written a post but I think this will be the easiest way to document our adventures and share our lives with family and friends! We’ve been in Fort Sill, Oklahoma for almost 2 1/2 years now! We’ve loved our time here. Our ward is great and we’ve both been able to serve and make many great friends. In military life, people come and go so often, but I’ve found it easier to make good friends quickly even if they’ll only be here for a few months. I’ve really had to learn how to just enjoy the moment a little more, instead of always looking forward to the next thing. We all love Army life and plan to continue for quite a while 🙂 We’ve recently been assigned to our next duty station…. which will be in Belgium! We are VERY excited to live in and explore Europe! I’ve started learning French and Simon is picking some up as well. French is really hard… and my high school Spanish isn’t helping much but I’m VERY committed to being fluent in French by the time we come back to the states. We don’t have much additional information yet but we are anxiously waiting. Moving over seas seems stressful, but I’m also excited for such an exciting change for our family! The biggest thing on my mind so far has been Simon starting school there. He’ll be able to start school right away and it will likely be a French speaking school. I’m very nervous about that but I’ll help him best I can and he will pick up the language quickly I think. We’ve started him in a preschool here at the YMCA 3 days a week for some school exposure before we throw him into a French school … in a new country …..  It’ll be good for him, right?? We just finished up a trip to Idaho visiting family. We had a great time and it was good to see all our family and friends. We have so much love and support it’s always great to remember where we come from. Can’t wait to visit again in July before our big move 🙂 FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL!!!!! ? Happy 1st Birthday Hyrum!!! Cousins ?

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]]> It’s been quite a while since I’ve written a post but I think this will be the easiest way to document our adventures and share our lives with family and friends!

We’ve been in Fort Sill, Oklahoma for almost 2 1/2 years now! We’ve loved our time here. Our ward is great and we’ve both been able to serve and make many great friends. In military life, people come and go so often, but I’ve found it easier to make good friends quickly even if they’ll only be here for a few months. I’ve really had to learn how to just enjoy the moment a little more, instead of always looking forward to the next thing. We all love Army life and plan to continue for quite a while 🙂

We’ve recently been assigned to our next duty station…. which will be in Belgium! We are VERY excited to live in and explore Europe! I’ve started learning French and Simon is picking some up as well. French is really hard… and my high school Spanish isn’t helping much but I’m VERY committed to being fluent in French by the time we come back to the states. We don’t have much additional information yet but we are anxiously waiting. Moving over seas seems stressful, but I’m also excited for such an exciting change for our family! The biggest thing on my mind so far has been Simon starting school there. He’ll be able to start school right away and it will likely be a French speaking school. I’m very nervous about that but I’ll help him best I can and he will pick up the language quickly I think. We’ve started him in a preschool here at the YMCA 3 days a week for some school exposure before we throw him into a French school … in a new country …..  It’ll be good for him, right??
We just finished up a trip to Idaho visiting family. We had a great time and it was good to see all our family and friends. We have so much love and support it’s always great to remember where we come from. Can’t wait to visit again in July before our big move 🙂


FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL!!!!! ?
Happy 1st Birthday Hyrum!!!


Cousins ?

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]]> 266 Oktoberfest, Halloween, & Christmas 2016 https://tolmantravels.com/2016/12/27/oktoberfest-halloween-christmas-2016/ Tue, 27 Dec 2016 15:04:20 +0000 https://tolmantravels.com/?p=3230 Halloween is such a fun time of year! Simon loves to dress up and usually wears his Halloween costume for a week. This year, we had lots of events to go to on post at Fort Sill, activities at the church, and parties with friends. We carved pumpkins this year, which we haven’t done for a while! They turned out great! Simon was excited to be his favorite Star Wars character, Yoda, and he insisted that his brother dress up too. R2D2 was the best I could come up with for the baby bump! I had time to make all the costumes this year, which was fun and I think they turned out pretty good! On post, they had a fun halloween activity with rides, treats, train rides, and a photo area. It was a lot of fun! 2nd place at the Ward Trunk-or-Treat!!! Not to shabby! And our FAVORITE part of halloween, trick or treating with friends!! Oktoberfest Fort Sill, OK The Fort Sill Band and the FRG had a big part at Oktoberfest this year! Melissa Norris made matching outfits for the spouses helping to sell baked goods and Nick found some special Lederhosen to lead the polka band. We had a great time even though we don’t drink! Congratulations Nick on Graduating BLC! Merry Christmas 2016 With a baby due soon and plenty of friends in Oklahoma, we enjoyed the holidays at home. Well… some of us. Sorry Simon! Merry Christmas!

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]]> Halloween is such a fun time of year! Simon loves to dress up and usually wears his Halloween costume for a week. This year, we had lots of events to go to on post at Fort Sill, activities at the church, and parties with friends.

We carved pumpkins this year, which we haven’t done for a while! They turned out great!

Simon was excited to be his favorite Star Wars character, Yoda, and he insisted that his brother dress up too. R2D2 was the best I could come up with for the baby bump! I had time to make all the costumes this year, which was fun and I think they turned out pretty good!

On post, they had a fun halloween activity with rides, treats, train rides, and a photo area. It was a lot of fun!

Party at a friends house

2nd place at the Ward Trunk-or-Treat!!! Not to shabby!

And our FAVORITE part of halloween, trick or treating with friends!!

Oktoberfest Fort Sill, OK

The Fort Sill Band and the FRG had a big part at Oktoberfest this year! Melissa Norris made matching outfits for the spouses helping to sell baked goods and Nick found some special Lederhosen to lead the polka band. We had a great time even though we don’t drink!

Congratulations Nick on Graduating BLC!

Nick BLC Graduation

Merry Christmas 2016

With a baby due soon and plenty of friends in Oklahoma, we enjoyed the holidays at home.

Friend Christmas!

Well… some of us. Sorry Simon!

Merry Christmas!

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