A portion of SuperPizzaBoy’s equine therapy sessions always involves a short trail ride.
All Star therapy had just built a new trail around their pond. SPB was the first one to take the trail.
Category Archives: SuperPizzaBoy
Our World – Philbrook Museum of Art
Last week me and SuperPizzaBoy had some time to ourselves to we went to the Philbrook Museum of Art. We are members thanks to the world’s great MIL, SPB’s Grandmother “Nana.”
We di the whole thing, inside and out, we saw great murals.
Native American Pottery
Modern Native American Art
People brunching.
We love the entry hall at museum, it is grand and very geometric.
A painting of the Grand Canyon by Thomas Moran.
Their collection on Modern Design
We even liked the fireplace screens.
And in a house built by a oil tycoon do you expect the wild naked fish riding women to stay under covers? So to speak.
We also love the gardens of the museum.
We saw both Philbrook cats.
SPB went to say hello, the cat had things to do and places to be.
Philbrook is the place to be if you find yourself in Tulsa.
Wordless Wednesday – Beach Vacation Last Year (and Next Year)
SuperPizzaBoy Goes on a Ride
SuperPizzaBoy has been participating in Therapeutic Horseback Riding for some time now. But it was time for a change.
His old therapy place had volunteers lead the horses while the clients rode. It works wonders but SPB was ready for a step up. Something the old place couldn’t do for various reasons.
So Sweetie went to work researching the issue, hard, as is her style. She was looking for a place that was safe and dedicated to the kids. After calling and checking and researching and then visiting she found All Star Therapy out of Ramona, a ways north of Tulsa on the way to Bartlesville.
So Sweetie and SPB went up and checked it out and we got SPB all signed up. Today was his first ride.
He has a little ways to go before he joins the pro rodeo circuit but guiding the horse is a whole new ballgame compared to sitting on the horse while somebody leads it.
I don’t know a thing about horses and even less about riding horses but I think a horse is looking for a little leadership from the rider. So the rider just can’t check out.
They had son guide the horse around the arena for a while while doing various exercises and then he went out for a ride on a short trail.
It was about ten minutes but SPB had to guide the horse along the trail.
Sweetie couldn’t be there. A family baby shower in western Oklahoma had to be attended. But hey I was there to document the affair. So I guess she did all the work and I get the glory, right? She’d say “So, sounds about normal to me.” And she’d be right.
Way to go my gentle giant of a son, take a bow Sweetie!! You both are wonderful.
Break a Leg Kid!
Son SuperPizzaBoy just finished up his two week summer camp at Clark Youth Theater here in Tulsa. The camp capped off the two weeks with three performances last week to show the parents what their kids have been doing.
There was singing, dancing, skits, and improv comedy. The kids really went all out to show their stuff. We could tell that the instructors and leaders had really prepared the kids well to show their stuff.
Of course, in a show of stars, SuperPizzaBoy was our star. He loves the stage and we love how his face brightens up when he performs.
This was his second year at the camp plus he participates in the Clark Theater Youth Improv workshops every weekend in the Fall and Spring.
Anyway, Kudos to the staff of Clark Theater, the kids who participated and to the parents who support their kids.
Perfect Pairings – “Pure Joy”
We retrieved SuperPizzaBoy from his summer camp about a week ago.
(Yogi Photo)
He attended Charis Hills Camp northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. Charis Hills is a summer camp for kids with learning differences. They are a Christian based camp and all the kids are given a Bible along with their water bottles.
(Camp Photo)
SPB got to do a lot of stuff including horseback riding.
(Camp Photo)
When you register for the camp the parents and the kids list their preferred activities in order of preference. The staff does their best to match everybody up as best they can and it seemed to work out pretty well. Note that video games and texting were not among the activities listed. (Yee Haw as they say in Texas.) In fact no electronics are permitted at all, not even digital cameras. We gave SPB some recyclable cameras to use.
(Camp Photo)
So SPB got to stretch himself a little bit, archery wasn’t one of his preferred activities but hey, I think he liked although it was challenging.
(Camp Photo)
Now, drama and performance, that is right up his alley.
(Camp Photo)
Everybody does swimming every day.
(SuperPizzaBoy Photo)
Everybody also does an academic component called Nova. In Nova they learned about the Chisolm Trail, and other things having to do with the history of the area. Much of it is hands on like learning how to make root beer and hard tack.
(SuperPizzaBoy Photo)
They woman who taught Nova is a public school teacher from the area and also participates in Civil War reenactments and could really bring the lessons home.
(Yogi Photo)
What really makes the camp go are the Camp Counselors. We got to meet many of them. You won’t find a harder working, more engaging and compassionate group of young people anywhere.
(Camp Photo)
They are also a bunch of hams.
(Camp Photo)
To engage kids of this age you really need high energy and patience.
(Camp Photo)
And these folks have it.
(Camp Photo)
SPB was worn out by his experience and was ready to go home but he had a great time and learned a lot.
(Yogi Photo)
At the awards ceremony you could tell that they went to great lengths to make sure that every kid had a special experience.
(Camp Photo)
Plus you have to love a place that has a camp cow.
(SuperPizzaBoy Photo)
So I used this verse a couple weeks ago when I posted about taking SPB to camp and said that he needed to “Man Up.” Well he did, now I’m focusing on the “Pure Joy” part of the verse.
Perfect Pairings
We are big fans of Charis Hills Camp.
Note about the photographs. The camp staff posts online photographs taken during the camp. They also make available at nominal cost a USB drive where they burn the photographs taken during the days of camp. All told there were well over two thousand photos taken and uploaded and burned onto the drive. So that was cool. We were able to pick out bunches of photos of SPB engaging in the various activities. I’ve designated who took what photo underneath the photos above.
Perfect Pairings – Off to Camp
Sunday morning we loaded the kid up. We had a very detailed list and Sweetie got everything packed and checked it twice.
We drove way down into north Texas (right into north edge of the Barnett Shale Gas Field, for you other Gas Guys and Gals out there.) Here is a sight just a few miles from the camp.
They are fracturing a well! Sweetie asked me if it was dangerous. I told her only if something went wrong. Uhh, I had to add that nobody off the site was in any danger.
Sorry, back to the matter at hand. SPB is attending Charis Hills Camp. It is a Christian based camp for kids with learning differences. We went down and toured it last week, we think it is a great place and SPB is going to have some major fun.
SuperPizzaBoy got a top bunk. We really do hope he doesn’t fall out! (I’m not trying to be funny)
Saying goodbye to Mom and Dad. He couldn’t wait for us to leave. And… he was told that he would have to wear a life jacket during swimming, and … well you know there are some other ands.
But… the verse below is his cabin’s verse this week. I can’t read it either, here is a translation:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:2-3
I think that this is God’s way of saying “Man Up!”
We would appreciate you keeping SPB in your thoughts and prayers this week.
Skywatch Friday – Sunset, Texas
Nope, its not a sunset, it was before 10 am. But it is Sunset, Texas where SuperPizzaBoy will be spending a week at summer camp next week. Don’t tell SPB but Sweetie and I will be having our own summer camp in his absence!
I know this picture is a mess. The horizon is all whopperjawed (yes that is a word in Oklahoma, but I wouldn’t use it in Scrabble or WWF) and the and the poles are all akimbo but I love the blue sky and the ranch wicket gate, and the big ole trees. (If you have a ranch in Texas, even if it is just an acre, you have to have a wicket gate, or you are just a poser.)
SPB went to a short session summer camp, Camp Grey Squirrel, in Oklahoma last year and just loved it. This year it is a whole week. When I was a young Yogi, way back when the earth’s crust was still cooling off, I went to a bunch of summer camps in the mountains of northern and central Utah, northern Arizona, and New Mexico. I loved them. We’re hoping SPB will have a good experience also, despite the total and complete week long ban on anything electronic.
When was the last time you went to Summer Camp? Was it Fun?!
Happy Birthday Son
Its about that time of year again SuperPizzaBoy. I always marvel how much you have grown from the previous year.
You are learning all sorts of things and doing all sorts of things and me and your Mother are very proud of you.
You are such a happy young man who has learned the simple pleasures are important especially family.
Your Mother and I love you very much and are very proud of you
May God richly bless you
As you celebrate today
Another year to grow in Him
And follow in His ways
Enjoy what God has given you
His blessings from above
With friends and family gathered round
Let’s thank Him for His love.
Perfect Pairings by my friend Baloney
Teenage Improv Madness at Clark Theater
Saturday night the Yogi’s and NaNa ventured into midtown Tulsa to the Henthorne Community Center to see the Clark Theater’s Teen Laughing Matter Improv Show.
It was all teenagers, led by adults, who have been working all Fall and Spring on their comedy improv skills. Everybody got to play in this fast paced show which went fast. This is SuperPizzaBoy’s second year in improv, his first in the Improv group. He loves it and his mother and I are amazed about how much he comes out of his shell.
SPB’s fellow Improvers are a very quick very personable bunch who are also a bunch of hams. Improv involves a lot of interaction with the audience who toss out suggestions for various things. Many of these things involve current events, pop culture, history and such. No video game references. It was amazing the breadth of these kids knowledge.
They have good teachers. The adult leaders of the group are demanding and but infinite patience as they whip their charges into shape.
We are big fans of Clark Theater and their leaders.