Halloween the Oklahoma Way

I can't say Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and it's definitely not one I particularly look forward to either. I usually find any excuse out of having to dress up. Two years ago a friend and I decided to go up to NY to visit an old roommate during Halloween weekend. Last year I hung out in my hotel room in Tanzania by myself. And this year, well, Halloween is on Sunday, so, I'll honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy! I don't know where my lack of excitement for this holiday sprung from, but I'm starting to think that I've just always lived in the wrong place during this scary holiday.

Point in case, this is how Oklahoma City residents gear up for a night of trick-or-treating:

 

Oklahoma City residents go ALL out. I have never seen houses so decorated in all my life for Halloween. I'm not sure if I think it's cool, or a bit overboard, but either way, I'm glad someone is finding enjoyment in this holiday. Maybe if I was a kid again, and could go trick-or-treating in these neighborhoods, things would be different...

All things Golden

Anyone who knows my family, knows we have an obsession with San Francisco. If you don't believe me, go in any one of our houses, and I guarantee you you will find a wall, a room, a corner, or what have you covered with something resembling that great city. Thank goodness I married a man from northern California, it makes sharing this obsession so much easier. Side note: It was a dream of mine to marry a man from that Golden State. I'm glad some childhood dreams do come true, the important ones anyway. 

John and I not only have a room full of San Francisco love, but we have pictures of us from our dating days to the bridals, spread throughout our tiny little house, so it's really not hard for us to do, screaming that we may be just a little obsessed. We're in love, what can we say? With San Francisco that is...well, and each other of course. So, it's no wonder I grew up in a house where if it the Giants weren't on T.V., the 49ers or Golden State Warriors were, it all depended on the season. And this season, it's the Giants, who just keep on giving this year, and we're loving every minute of it. I tried to convince my Dad to fly to Oklahoma this weekend, so we could hit up a Giants/Rangers World Series game down in Texas. It's only a three hour drive, and a dang good excuse not only to come visit his favorite daughter, but to watch his favorite team in action, too. With tickets reaching close to $400+ I think he can find better things to spend his money on, like staying home to hang out with his grandson. But it sure would have been memorable. If only my Dad hadn't commented that "...these are the Giants, they have been causing me grief since I was six years old...it's just torture, pure and simple" maybe he would have considered. Instead, we'll just stay $400 richer this weekend and enjoy watching the Giants from the comfort of our own living rooms respectively.

Go Giants!!!

"You've been a very good patient" -John

Today's been one of those days. Despite it being Friday, meaning it should have instantly indicated greatness, it hasn't been entirely so. But, aside from the day I found myself having, there where a few things that made up for its lack thereof.

Awesome thing #1:

I'm not exactly sure how it started, actually, yes I do know, it's called I'm slow moving in the morning. So, instead of me making John lunch in the morning, heck or even making one for myself for that matter, he not only makes lunch for me, but he usually throws breakfast into the bag as well. It's a rather nice set up we have going on, and I fear the day it ever ends. 

Today's lunch consisted of the following:

 

Chips and salsa. 

He knows me well.

I really think I could eat this for every meal, every day and be completely satisfied. 

Awesome thing #2:

Discovering how much I think I'm going to like Modern Family.
I'm not one for watching T.V., although, I do have a few guilty pleasures, a few meaning just that, TWO. But I think I just found one to add to the oh-so-long-list.

Awesome thing #3:

My husband taking me on an actual date (none of which was pictured) to dinner and a hockey game. Good times have been had at hockey games. Hockey games draw an interesting crowd, and I'll leave it at that.

Awesome thing #4:

John deciding he needs practice and I'd make a good guinea pig. 

Who can say no to clean teeth?

P.S. Go Giants!!!

Nostalgic

Today I miss college. All three of "my" colleges. I miss the farm lands surrounding BYU-Idaho. The small town atmosphere that engulfs you while you're there, and being a college student for the first time.

I miss laying on the beach in between classes, and the free exfoliation from a sand covered body at BYU-Hawaii. I miss living in paradise, and the ocean most of all.

When it comes to my BYU days, I really do miss everything. I miss being on campus. Walking in between classes with thousands of other students. Taking naps on the lawn near the library. Condo Row. The creamery. Intramurals. Tuesday morning Devotionals. Working in the computer labs. The bookstore. Hanging out in the LRC. Beverage nights. And BYU football. Yes, definitely BYU Football. And the excitement of game day in P-town! When it comes to all three BYU's, I miss my roommates, and the life long friends I made over the years. Oh to be a college student.

I don't miss the studying. The tests. The homework. Or sitting in lectures that never seemed to end. But I miss BYU football. The antsy crowd. Singing the cougar fight song. Being in the stadium on a Saturday afternoon. And usually walking away with a victory.

Somehow, with each new season away from Provo, and away from college, I've still found myself amongst a crowd of fans cheering on the blessed cougars. Not that everyone needs reminding, but it was at the BYU football game just last year where I "officially" met my husband for the first time. So, needless to say, we like BYU football, despite their horrible year they're having. We try not to be too shamed to say who we're cheering for. And tomorrow will be no exception. We're going to hold our heads high while wearing our cougar blue, and hope to be able to sing the fight song at least once during the game. But I won't be crossing my fingers. With the in-laws in town, we're headed down to Dallas in the morning to go cheer on our alma mater at the BYU/TCU game.

T.G.I.F., and as they say in Hawaii happy aloha Friday!

"With that jacket it looks good" -John*

When I moved away from DC, leaving behind my east coast life, my desire for fitness stayed behind, too. I'm not quite sure how it happened. But somehow, my desire to work out and stay physically fit hasn't quite been up to par like it used to be. Probably because I left behind one of the most fit places in the U.S. A place that made working out easy, fun, and enticing. In fact, it was almost hard not to work out when living back east. But now, I live in a place that makes working out so undesirable (in my eyes anyway) that it's become far more of a chore than a habit these days. So, what to do when I find myself in a slump? Buy new shoes of course! For me, a good pair of new running shoes is almost as good as an entirely new outfit. Go figure! But, I'm convinced that a good pair of shoes, not to mention ones that look incredibly awesome, make working out all the more desirable. You try buying a cool pair of running shoes and NOT use them. It's a challenge, I assure you. So, even if I do live in a city that's fairly ghetto, has hardly any sidewalks to run on, and no 

Lincoln Memorial steps, 

Capital Hill neighborhoods, 

 or a Mt. Vernon trail to run along, 

(especially during the fall time. Fall on the east coast is my all time favorite), 

 

my man and I will still be out running, with these new beauties on, 

 

carrying us all over our new found territory,

and we'll do our best to enjoy it just the same.  

*John's response when I asked him if my hair looked ok this morning. There's nothing quite like being married to an honest man.

p.s. thanks Mom for the awesome teeth gummies, courtesy of the great land of Sweden!

"We'll just stay up two hours later tonight, it'll be like going back in time." -John

I'm prefacing this with, "Sorry this is such a long post, but I'm not really short with words."


Sometimes I look back at my life over the past few years and wonder if I've degressed in life. The past few weeks are no exception. I've done (or not done) so many stupid things, that I wonder what's happening to me. Seriously, what's happening to me? To the point that it's scary. And today was just another embarrassing story to add to my collection.

John and I drive in to school/work together, nearly every morning. It's nice to get to spend the short drive to OU together, and to chat about our days when 5 o'clock finally rolls around. It's nice, because when he's not at school, and I'm not at work, he's studying, while I'm left to entertain myself (pre-kitty days anyway). So, needless to say, I look forward to our morning and evening drives together.

Today when the clock struck 5, I was eager to leave work, and head over to the dental school building to pick up the doctor himself. I stopped by my bosses office, to say goodnight, and ended up having a good 20 minute conversation with him about all things Oklahoma. I enjoyed the conversation, but I couldn't help but feel guilty for making John wait for me, since it was now 5:25 and I was still standing in my boss' office chatting it up. Normally I would have simply text John to say, hey, I'm running late, be there soon, but that would be too easy, and his phone doesn't exactly work at the moment. So, instead, I stood there chatting with my boss, feeling horrible for making John wait. Finally, I said goodnight and did a nice little power walk, in high heels might I add, to my car, and quickly drove over to his side of campus. And of course, was John there waiting for me? Nope, absolutely not. I forgot that on Wednesday's they have lab, and usually he stays a little longer to finish his project. I was feeling a little better about the situation, since now HE'D be the one to feel bad for making ME wait. But I didn't mind, I had my computer, so I pulled it out and did a little online shopping. J.Crew has some great stuff on sale you know! If I would have clicked the make purchase button, I would have spent well over $100. Good thing I refrained.

It's now 6:15, and I'm wondering where in the world John is, and why his project is taking so much longer than all of his friends, who have all said hi as they walked passed me to their cars. I had two thoughts. Either John is going to struggle as a dentist because it takes him far longer than everyone else to complete his projects (sorry honey), or, he's being a really good student and really making sure he gets an A on his project. It's now 6:45, and still no sight of the doctor, and I'm now thinking three new thoughts. One, he better hurry it up because I really have to go to the bathroom, and I don't know how much longer I can hold it, Two, I thought my future children were supposed to teach me patience, not my own husband? And three, boy, he's going to be so mad it's taken him this long to finish up whatever it is he's doing.

I gave up 'holding it' and drove across the street to the student union so I could go relieve myself. I left my phone in the car for obvious reasons. No on had called me the entire time I had been sitting in the car waiting. John's phone is sitting at home and out of order. I'm going to the bathroom, I don't really need to take it with me. But of course, when I got back into the car, to drive back over the our meeting place, that's when my phone would have a missed call AND text message from the one and only husband of mine. WHAT?! 

Text: Hey! I just got home. Where are you?

EXCUSE ME!??!

At first I thought it was a joke. So I started driving back to our spot, but quickly did a U-turn, in rage might I add, to head home. Feeling guilty, thinking it really was a joke, and he really was waiting for me, I decided to pull over into a parking lot to check my computer, thinking maybe he had emailed me in those few short minutes I was in the restroom. He beat me to the punch and called my phone instead.

Through my annoyance and anger, I tried to nicely say, ARE YOU REALLY AT HOME?

John: Yeah, I'm lying on our bed. Where are you? I thought you were heading home right after work?

As soon as I blurted out, ARE YOU SERIOUS?! I'M AT THE DENTAL SCHOOL, WAITING FOR YOU! I realized my mistake, and said, OH MY GOSH, WE DIDN'T DRIVE IN TOGETHER THIS MORNING, DID WE!?

I was furious, mad, angry, so annoyed, yet laughing at my stupidity. My emotions got the best of me on my drive home, (I was tired, hungry, and had been waiting for nearly two hours for him, I feel like my emotions are justified). So, through tears, accompanied by some laughter, I drive home as quickly as I could, marched into our bedroom, and plopped onto the bed, into John's arms. He laughed, and quickly apologized. I laughed back, and stated how mad I was. To which he responded, well, you don't look mad. But I was, kind of!

To make up for it, we went and got free ice cream from Cold Stone for our birthday's. Ice cream makes everything better. I'm just setting aside the thought that I had all intention of working out when I got home tonight. Why am I so forgetful sometimes? And always at my own expense.

The little kitty that could

Maybe we took him on our Sunday drive, and maybe he enjoyed it.
Our cat's pretty cool, that's all I have to say!
Yeah, we think we're pretty funny!

"We should do this every week" -John*

Yesterday morning we got up at the crack of dawn to run the 9 mile loop with some friends, around a lake, just up the street from our house. The last time I ran anywhere near 9 miles was during the D.C. half marathon, back in March. The last time John ran 9 miles? Never! The last time either of us actually went for a run? Weeks ago, and it was probably some flimsy 2 mile run at that. Since when did I stop running?!
So, why either of us thought we could wake up early, and go run 9 miles, is beyond us.
But, we went along for the adventure anyway. And I'd like to report, mission accomplished.

"We should do this every week," says the man who claims to hate running.
Hmm, seems we have a new runner on our hands.
I felt like a very proud wife, seeing him cross that imaginary finish line.
I imagine it's the same type of feeling you get when you see your child walk for the first time.

Are we still sore today? No comment.

*I've decided I should make the title of each post, a quote from John. He's full of so much wit and he doesn't even know it. It'll be his way of contributing to the blog that, despite my pleadings, he won't post on.

Tobias

You know you've married a good man, when everyone tells him not to do something, and despite their disapproval, he does what he knows will make his wife happy. Yes, that definitely means you've married a good man. And marry a good man I did.

Point in case, meet Tobias, a.k.a Toby:


Best birthday present ever! I know dogs are the "cool" thing to get these days, but we like to be different, if you will, and go against the odds. Plus, it wasn't THAT long ago I had this little guy,

He was a present when my thumb sucking days ended.
Tobias is for turning 25.

Reaching lives milestones calls for elaborate gifts,
or at lest ones that are black, white and fuzzy all over.

John was just as excited for his gift, as I was with my new little kitty cat.

After work and school, it was off to get massages,
followed by dinner with our friends.


We survived sharing our first birthday,
and you know, it wasn't half bad.