Third Annual Bucket List Year In Review

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss, but that it is too low and we reach it." ~ Michelangelo

This year, I'm happy to announce that I managed to accumulate 9 bucket list checkmarks. That means 9 butterflies have been put into the box....a bucket list record for this girl! Amazing what having a job and money to do things can do for a bucket list. :) If you're new (or just forgetful!) you can check out the review from 2009 and 2010.

And now...on with it. Here are this year's checkmarks!

White Water Rafting. (Original post here). This baby has been on my list for quite some time. After canoeing with BFF a few years ago, and based on my love for water sports, I knew that this would be a lot of fun. So when my law firm planned a retreat and mentioned white water rafting as an option, you better believe I spoke up and pushed for that (despite my total lack of power!) choice! The best part of the trip was getting to bring a date. Since Mr. Right's still hidden somewhere, I took my Dad. He told me once if he had a bucket list, white water rafting would be part of it. We had a great time and, as I would have expected, my Dad was a total hit with everyone.

Run the First Half of the San Francisco Marathon. (Original posts here and here). I really took up running in San Francisco. I dabbled some in college, but was much more of a elliptical kind of girl. But when I was living in San Francisco, I'd put on my shoes and take off to see the city. It was there in 2008 that I ran my first race--the Progressive Marathon portion of the SF Marathon. Ever since that day, I knew I wanted to do the half marathon there. Not only was it the city that inspired me to run, but the marathon course is unbelievably great and is the only race that actually lets you run on the surface of the roadway across the Golden Gate Bridge. If you're a runner---or if you think you want to be---put this race on your list!

Watch an away OSU football game. (Original post here). You may remember this checkmark from my trip with Cousin Kevin and two of his kiddos and BFF and his girlfriend to the OSU v. Texas A&M game in College Station. I have to tell you, I'm so glad this was the venue for my first away game--Kyle Field is just insane. I'm not sure I've ever been somewhere that was THAT loud! And, of course, the fact that we came back and one by 1....well that made it all the more awesome for me!

Go to Mass at the Washington National Cathedral. (Original post here.) I love the Washington National Cathedral. Love, love, love. The whole idea there is that it is a house of worship for all people. At the Mass I attended, there were people of every denomination, worshiping together. Methodists and Baptists and Catholics and Unitarians all knelt to pray and took communion together. If you ask me, this place understands something that a lot of others do not. It is overwhelmingly large and beautiful and reverent when you visit there anytime, but actually going to Mass is a whole different experience. Again, if you get the opportunity to, go!

Go on a Wine Tasting Weekend in Napa. (Original post here). I had been to Napa once before in 2008 when I was a summer associate in San Francisco. Ever since, I really wanted to go back with a group of friends. And I've got to tell you, as excited as I was and as much fun as I knew we'd have, I never could have imagined what a blast that day in July would turn out to be!
Own Something from Tiffany's. I'm not a person who finds happiness in things. Not that there's anything wrong with that--some people can buy nice things and be happy. If I buy something expensive, I just feel guilty and unhappy. But this year on my birthday, I decided it was time for me to own my own little blue box, and I ordered myself a necklace to celebrate my 28th birthday. And you know, it made me happy. :)

Go to Bedlam. (Original post here). I know, I know. Some of you think to yourselves, "Tiffany is a crazy OSU fan, how has she never been to Bedlam??" Easy--it was always the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which is my mom's family reunion. In order not to get kicked out of the family, I was always there. But this year, the game was moved to the next weekend and you best believe I was there to watch my Cowboys totally dominate OU and win the game 44-10. Which led to the next checkmark.....

Rush the Field. I've got to be honest, this was a checkmark I was worried I might never get checked off. I mean, this is a college kid sort of activity and I didn't ever do it in college. But you best believe that when I got my chance, I was taking it. When the Loud Oklahoma Girl and I were making our plan to get to the field, the guys behind us said, "You girls go for it! We're too old--we're 28 now, but you kids have fun." Thank goodness I look young and feel even younger, because this 28 year old headed to the turf and loved every minute!

Attend a Steeplechase/Southern tailgate. (Original posts here.) Okay, this one may be mildly cheating. I have a rule on my bucket list that I don't add something after I've done it. Since I had never heard of a Steeplechase until Mr. and Mrs. Top Gun invited me to attend, it was not on the list. However, attending a southern tailgate was on the list, and becuase tailgating was the biggest part of the Steeplechase, I decided this counted. It was such a fun experience---the dresses, the horses, and of course the tailgate. If you ever get a chance to go, take it!

I've got to say, this is a pretty darn good list. Will I be able to top it in 2012? It'll be tough, but I'm planning on getting my first checkmark on January 2, so I'm starting off on the right foot! Stay tuned....

Word for 2011: Fleeting

"Go for it now. The future is promised to no one." ~Wayne Dyer

Each year I try to choose one word that sums up the last 365 days. Last year, my word was "awestruck." After a lot of thought, I decided to go with "fleeting" for my 2011 word.

Sadly, I was reminded repeatedly this year that life is fleeting. I stood by friends and family as they buried fathers and brothers, grandfathers and sons. I mourned with thousands of other orange-clad fans in the aftermath of a plane crash that took members of the OSU basketball community, again. Whether you are a 15 year old blonde headed kid, a Division I basketball coach or an 80 year old grandfather....life can be gone in an instant. It's fleeting.

Even though I had already chosen this word a couple of weeks ago, losing my Uncle David this past week just affirmed the choice.
And yet, despite the sadness and pain that this idea of fleeting lives can cause, it is in light of this that I saw amazing things. That a church is so much more than a building. That a family is more than blood. That sometimes one hug from someone at the right time can just make things better. That unwaivering faith can produce miraculous results. That Jesus offers hope in the darkest night. In those moments....when we see that life is fleeting...we see, too, that life is good.

And this reminder that life has fleeting allowed me to focus on two important things.

It has made me determined to focus on making a difference in other people's lives. To pray for those for whom no one else does. To volunteer with an organization I believe in. To buy bed sheets and sweatsuits for someone to open on Christmas morning. To do what I can, when I can, with what I have. Even when that's something small, sometimes that makes a difference.

And I have found a renewed sense of urgancy to really live. To set goals that seem crazy....like running 13.1 miles. To take risks to check items off of a bucket list. To do as the saying goes and sing like no one is watching. To make new friends with strangers on a bus. To spend too much money on a fancy dress to wear in a pasture at a steeplechase. To do whatever it takes to experience life while we have the chance.

2011 reminded me that life is fleeting. And beautiful. And ours for the living. Cheers to doing so in 2012!

One of the Good Guys

"To live in hearts you leave behind is not to die..."

My Uncle David was one of the good guys. The kind that I'm not convinced they make anymore.

A real cowboy, who used to rodeo with Chris LeDeux. Who could fix whatever, threaten to fight anyone, wasn't afraid of anything, and liked a cold Coors Light. A guy with a booming voice, a look that made you instantly sit up straighter and say, "Yes sir!" and who constantly threatened to the kids that he was "gonna kick your butt!"

And yet, the same guy who spent part of Thanksgiving dinner playing peekaboo with my two younger cousins and used to untangle my toy puppets. A man who would give you the shirt off his back if he thought for a second you needed it. He was one of the good guys.

I don't know if our family is like most others. Aunts and uncles here are not just people that we see once a year and who buy us crappy Christmas presents. In our family, they go to ball games and speech contests, graduations and weddings, and take you out to dinner anytime they are in town. Oh, and they buy really good presents. Aunts and uncles are part of our lives, and for that, I'm grateful.

My Uncle David was the kind of uncle every kid should have. The only guy I knew as a kid who was brave enough to curse in front of my mother. Curse word of choice: Dammit as a new first name. (For example, my Aunt would say something that made no sense and his response would be, "Dammit, Midge!" or my mom would be worried about something or lecturing someone and his response would be, "Dammit, Sue!")

He was the guy who everyone knew. At the State Fair, he would park himself at the corner of the pig show ring bleachers and never leave, because people who knew him just kept on coming by. He knew more about loco weed and winning a science fair than anyone you'll ever meet. He became quasi-famous (maybe infamous is more like it) after he was quoted in the paper for this gem: "Pigs can't read." We were so proud.

You could always spot my Uncle David in a crowd, because he'd wear the same thing, without fail. Boots, Wranglers, solid colored shirt, black hat. He might mix it up and add a tan vest if it was cold or take his hat off at the table. For 28 years, that's how I expected to see Uncle David.

Uncle David hated Olive Garden. But Aunt Midge and I loved it, so when they would be in town to take me out to eat, that was often the destination. He would moan and groan all the way through his shrimp alfredo. In fact, a couple of weeks ago he texted to check on me when I had a medical procedure done. I told him they had found a food allergy. His response, "Probably from that damn Olive Garden."

Speaking of texting---if you knew Uncle David, you might find it strange that he texted. He told me he didn't have a choice if he wanted to communicate with his grand kids. There was, however, a rule. When you wrote Uncle David, you used correct grammar and spelling if you wanted him to answer. Otherwise, you would not get a response, and would, instead, probably get the new first name described above.

And he loved to text me during Oklahoma State football games. I'm not sure if I've watched an OSU game in the last several years without a text from Uncle David. My favorite was the text I got the morning after Bedlam a few weeks ago. Here's the conversation:

Uncle David: "Okay, so what hospital are you in? I saw on tv that 13 people got taken to the hospital after getting trampled while rushing the field, and I knew right away you had to be one of them."

Me: "Ha! Well you are correct---I did rush the field---but you will be proud to know I only twisted my ankle and went to a bar and not a hospital."

Uncle David: "I'm so proud of you for not being a dumbass."

And you know, I'm happy I made him proud. :)

We lost Uncle David yesterday. A week after he was diagnosed with cancer. And Saturday, we will gather to say goodbye. I know that there will be tears, but I also know there better be one heck of a party. Because if there's not, I've got a feeling that there may be a booming voice from Heaven giving the rest of us that new first name.

The Light

"Light of the world you stepped down into darkness..." ~Here I Am To Worship

There's never a good time to get that phone call. You know, the one that stops you dead in your tracks. The one that knocks the wind out of you. And changes your life. But if there's a time that's worse than others, it's probably Christmas.

That's when we got a call about an ALS diagnosis three years ago. And it felt a little like deja vu this year when we got a call about cancer. These are not the things that this Holy season is made of.

But you know, Christmas happens during the coldest time of the year. When the trees are dead and the sky is dreary. When there is no life, and no hope. And yet it is then--in the darkest time of the year--that we celebrate a light. The Light. We celebrate the gift of a Savior. A Light born into darkness. Hope of everlasting life amongst those who are the least deserving.

And so it is, that when we go through dark seasons in our life--when the phone call comes--that same Light that we celebrate on Christmas appears. And reminds us that there is hope. Even in the darkest night.

What I'm Loving Wednesday #13 (And Photos of the Week: Week 50)

"He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree." ~ Charlotte Carpenter

Hey y'all! I thought that today we'd go with a Christmas-themed version of What I'm Loving Wednesday. Be sure to check out all of the loves over at Jamie's blog!

1. Photo Challenges for Week 50. I stuck with the Christmas theme for this week's photos.

Theme: Silver (Project 64)

You can see the other entries here.

Theme: Let There Be Light

I got this shot from the top of my Christmas tree. I'm also linking this shot up with Show Off Your Shot!

2. My favorite Christmas songs. Meghan had a giveaway on her blog this week where the entry requirement was to list your favorite Christmas songs. As always with me, I have two. :) My favorite "serious" Christmas song is "I Heard The Bells." You read about my love for this song last year. My favorite "fun" Christmas song is "Baby It's Cold Outside."

3. Being productive. I don't know if there is too much more exciting to a Type-A kind of girl like me than to check things off a list. :) This week I've managed to get all of my information for the year entered into Quickbooks (I was seriously 6 months behind as of December 1), get all of my Christmas cards out the door (think 100 of those babies), and have ever piece of clothing I own clean. That's a lot of laundry y'all!

4. Running at Christmastime. I know, I know.....this one is strange. Baby, it's cold outside! BUT...there are Christmas lights! In my neighborhood,they are everywhere and I swear knowing that around the next corner I'll get a big ol' dose of different Christmas lights keeps me going! And honestly, if you dress right, the cold isn't really an issue.

5. It's almost Christmas!! I'm headed back to the ranch for Christmas, which should equal a lot of tamales and posole, Christmas Eve church and baby lambs. And then will be another installment of the anual family ski trip (which Blonde Oklahoma Girl will be flying in for!). And I'll wrap up the festivities with a trip to a little event called the Fiesta Bowl to cheer on my Cowboys with three of my favorite guys!

6. Blogger Christmas Lists. I am so not a shopper, but I've loved reading everyone's Christmas lists on their blogs this year! Even came up with a few gift ideas from there myself. Can't share what I got people with you all since my friends and family read my blog, but I'll do a fun recap after the holidays. As for my gift requests this year?

This shirt

This scarf (courtesy my friend Crystal.Cattle's Turquois Thursday series!)

This kitchen gadget (it cuts up apples for you--we have one at work & I love it!)

Books. Always books. And not on some stupid electronic device. In my hand and on my shelf. My list includes:

And last, but not least, if I was (or my friends and friends were) rich, I'd be sporting a pair of these babies. Size 10. Or whatever that converts to in fancy European sizing. Sigh.

And to prove I'm not picky, I'd take these instead.

Simple, black pumps. Because I'm not high maintenence. If I were, I'd ask for these. Sigh.

A Villa in Tuscany

“I'm not a stop along the way. I'm a destination.” ~Gossip Girl via The Single Woman

The Blonde Oklahoma Girl found this website that I'm now totally addicted to called "The Single Woman." No lie--I check her page like 3 times a day. It's ridiculous. Over the weekend, she posted the following blog entry. It's like she was writing right to me. Here are her thoughts:

Realize that you are not a rest area, a pit stop, a convenience station, a welcome center, or a 7/11 that’s open 24/7, just waiting for someone to grace you with their presence for a few minutes here & there until they’re ready to hop back on the highway to their REAL destination. YOU ARE THE DESTINATION! My beautiful, worthy friends…in case you’ve forgotten what you are worth somewhere along the way…allow me to remind you that you are NOT a layover, a resting place, a Plan B, an alternate route, or a detour. What you ARE is the beach house, the cabin by the lake, the villa in Tuscany, the high-rise condo, the ski chalet, the cruise ship, the Disney World resort, the honeymoon suite! And anyone who doesn’t treat you like the five-star destination that you are deserves to see your “No Vacancy” sign as you leave ‘em behind.

Um....guilty. If I'm being honest, I totally let people treat me this way sometimes. Notice I didn't say that people treat me this way (blame on them), but that I let them treat me this way (blame on me). I allow myself to be treated as a rest area--if you're tired and need someone that's always there to listen, make you feel better and let you rest before you get back on the road---I'm your girl. How stupid is that? Real stupid, Tiffany.

It's been going on for years. Want someone to help you with your homework? Call Tiffany. Want someone to dance with until someone better comes along? Take Tiffany. Need a ride home from the bar where you've been hitting on some other girl all night? Call Tiffany. Need to vent about your girlfriend, only to go back to said girlfriend after I make you feel better? Talk to Tiffany. Need someone to watch football with on Saturday afternoon and to help you pick out your shirt for a date with some other girl on Saturday night? Hang out with Tiffany.

So....new plan. No more letting myself be a rest stop. No more getting walked all over. No more settling for being "just Tiffany." Because I'm not a stop along the way. I'm a villa in Tuscany.

Meet the Cast Monday #39: Gran (Part 4)

So today we'll wrap up a year of you all meeting the cast. You see in my blog title that my life has a superb cast. Over the last year you have met some of the cast members who mean the most to me. They are a part of me, so by getting to know them, you have been able to get to know me as well. To check out all of the interviews, click here.

If you ask me, I couldn't have picked a better way to wrap up this series. Had I somehow realized 9 1/2 years ago when I was asking these questions, I wouldn't always be able to walk next door and pick Gran's brain, I would have asked so many more things. Remember that, and don't take it for granted with the people in your life.

Okay, here we go. You guys have read about my Gran here and here and here. But I saved the best for last. If you knew Gran, you will read this and hear her come right through. I've been told several times that I remind people of her. I don't think I could get a better compliment. I think you'll see why.

What are some of the most important things you’ve learned in your life?
Oh, be honest. Well, when my husband died, I learned to cope. And I didn’t know that I’d be able to. And I’m very proud of myself for going ahead with keeping everything and raising the boys, and managing as well as I have. {Love being from a line of strong women. You've read about that before here.}

What was you say was your most significant accomplishment?
Well, I guess teaching for 30 years. I did teach, well I was home agent in Roswell, and that’s considered teaching, and that was a very good job in Chavez County and I liked it very much. Then I worked in a school lunch program, and then back in, well, when my husband was called into service during the Korean War, he was stationed in San Antonio, so I got a job teaching there, home economics, and if I hadn’t gotten that job, I wouldn’t have had the money to stay down there. So that was more experience. So then when I went back to work I taught in 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades, and I liked that much better than teaching in high school and I just really liked the kids. They were respectful and pretty honest about doing their work. What’s one thing that you never got to do that you wish you could do now?
Well, I would have taken more trips. {Think the travel bug is genetic?} Now I have a little arthritis and I don’t feel that safe traveling too much, but I should have taken more when I was younger. One place I would have liked to have gone was Australia. I always wanted to go down there, it’s such a long ways, but I’ve read many books about Australia, I’ve always wanted to go there. I like their English brogue. {Dear Gran, if could help orchestrate me meeting a really cute boy with an English brogue, that would be awesome....just a thought.}
What is the one thing that you’re the most proud of?
Learning to manage on my own. I don’t have to anymore, but I did back after my husband died and I’m just proud of the fact that I got through that. {Think independence might be genetic too?}
What have been some of the happiest moments in your life?
Oh, one was when I graduated from college. That was a long four years. And then the end of World War II, I didn’t lose many people, lost some in my senior class, but none of my family anyway. And I kinda live through my grandkids. I have 4. Two in San Angelo and two living next door, so I keep up with all their business all I can, and enjoy their achievements and awards and I’m just living good through them. {It was great having her at our events. FFA banquents, speech contests, sheep shows, homecoming courts...she was always there cheering us on. In fact, once she almost got into a fight with another grandma who was talking trash. It was a proud moment.} What’s your philosophy for life, or what advice would you give somebody for living a good life?
Well I don’t know about philosophy. I just know you need to enjoy life because it goes by very fast, and you get a good feeling doing things for other people, and as some authors say, that’s a selfish reason for doing things, because it makes you feel good, but it goes both ways. And just enjoy yourself because I’ve really had a fine life and am still enjoying it today. {Amen.}

Friday Confessional #1

"I can't believe that God put us on this earth to be ordinary." ~Lou Holtz

Today I'm linking up with Mrs. Leslie over at Blonde Ambition for a new little project called Friday Confessional. It's fun to put things out there!

I don't understand why I have to turn off my iPod for a plane to land. I always observe things when I travel. And I want to be clear that I'm all for safety on airplanes. As a girl who is scared to fly, I'll do whatever you tell me to do. BUT....I don't understand how me turning off my iPod 20 minutes before we land, which of course allows me to get a total ear full of the screaming baby in the row behind me, somehow makes us able to land the plane. Don't get the correlation there. Plus, I'm sorry but do you really think that we can count on every person on that plane to turn their cell phones off when you tell them to? No. You can't. How do I know? Because the last two times I've flown, I've seen people on their phone to check baseball scores and bowl announcements. Did we crash? No. So why is it I can't listen to my iPod instead of the screaming baby?? (No offense to people with screaming babies---just an example.)

I can't handle cupcakes that look like other food. Okay, I'm sorry guys, but am I the only person in the world who can't stand this? I don't want a cupcake that looks like a hamburger or spaghetti or corn on the cob. I want a cupcake that looks like a freaking cupcake. If I wanted to eat something that looks like a hamburger, I'd get a....well....freakin' hamburger! I dn'ot know if I should blame this trend on that TLC show about the cupcake shop in Jersey or on Pinterest. Both seem to be perpetuating this.

I hate it when boys don't call. The Blonde Oklahoma Girl and I have spent many cell phone minutes (thank you, Friends and Family!) both ranting about this phenomena in our lives. Seriously, boys...pick up the phone. Stop being a pansy. Because I'm telling you, one of these days some guy is going to figure this out and you're going to be kicking yourself.I don't like shopping at Pier One. Gasp! I know, I know. Most people love Pier One. And I have been able to get some cute things there. But I hate shopping there. It's crowded and unorganized and I feel claustrophobic and in danger of dying in an avalanche because stuff is piled up to the darn celiing.

From now on, I will always root for Tim Tebow. I'm not a Florida Gator fan. Never have been. Nor am I a Denver Broncos fan. But I've become a Tim Tebow fan. You've read before about my thoughts on "Tebowing." But I've come across two more reasons to be a Tebow fan.

First off, did you guys know that a couple of years ago he met a young lady with cancer and invited her to be his date to a red carpet award ceremony? I love a boy with a big heart. You can read about it here.

Second, I like him becuase Mr. Franklin would like him. Mr. Franklin used to say that if he could chose between a kid with more talent and a kid who knew how to be a winner, he'd take the winner every time. That's Tim Tebow. So what if he has an ugly throw? So what if he's not the best athlete in the NFL? He's a winner, plain and simple. If it was good enough for Mr. Franklin, it's good enough for me.I may have an online shopping addiction. As y'all already know, I'm not a shopper. I'm not good at it and I don't enjoy it. My mom did not pass on those genes. But I've recently become sort of addicted to online shopping. I'd say that I did at least half of my Christmas shopping online and have bought several baby gifts in the last few months online. It got so bad I had to make a list (Confession in a confession---I'm a total list making-aholic. It's terrible!) to keep track of everything and be sure it arrived.

I'm becoming obsessed with letters to me posts. Seriously, these might be my favorite blogs to write. I've done one letter to my 20 year old self and one to my 16 year old self. I may have to just start doing every age in between! Has anyone else written letters to me? Because I'd love to read yours!

I bought myself something...in a little blue box...Remember my birthday back in November? Well, I bought myself a birthday present. My whole life, I've wanted to get a little blue box from Fifth Avenue. I got tired of waiting for some boy to give it to me, so I bought it for my darn self. That's right, folks, this girl is the proud owner of a necklace from Tiffany's! If you know me, you know I'm horribly cheap and not into brand name things....but this is an exception I was willing to make.

Dear Mr. Right: Letter #7

"We're all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness - and call it love - true love." ~Robert Fulghum, True Love

Dear Mr. Right,

Let's talk weddings. Everyone else in my life seems to be.

You know those girls that have everything planned out and have kept a book since they were 7? You're not getting one of those when you get me. I could care less about most of that stuff. I just want you to wear square toed boots. And for there to be lots of dancing. To a live band that I may have already picked out.

And I'm planning on smearing cake all over your face. Because I think that's a tradition that should not go by the wayside. But there will be no bouquet tossing, because I've been the single girl having to stand out in the middle of the floor and be gawked at too many times.

It won't be too fancy, because I'm a believer in focusing more on the marriage than the wedding. Oh yea, and please do not spend too much money on a ring or I'll honestly be mad.

Seriously, I'm a catch.

Waiting for that day,


Me

What I'm Loving Wednesday #12

Well today I thought I'd link up with Jamie for another edition of What I'm Loving Wednesday, but I realized that I hadn't done my photos of the week yet. So we're doing a combination of both today. We've got a lot to cover!

Today I'm Loving....

1. This guy's idea. During the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, he posted a facebook status that said, "I'd rather have a Proverbs 31 woman than a Victoria's Secret model." I think that it's so easy for us to get caught up in the world--in things like the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show--and to lose sight of what really matters. I appreciated the reminder. And he's from Baylor, which is Cousin Swiss Mister's alma mater. (Obviously Cousin Swiss Mister may have missed that day in class where he was supposed to learn this....)

2. Volunteering for Make-a-Wish. Last Saturday morning when I had to roll out of my nice warm comfy bed after getting in late from watching rock star friend JoSeth play at the bar, I was not loving my volunteer gig. But about 2 minutes into doing the wish granting interview for a 3 year old with a brain tumor who wants to meet Mickey Mouse, my whole attitude changed. I love being part of an organization that grants such amazing gifts to children who are so deserving. I hope that you'll take time to find a charity or an organization that you are passionate about and to give. Be it time, money, prayers, whatever you can do.

3. My Christmas tree! This weekend I had a free Saturday afternoon at home (shocking these days!), so I decided that it was prime Christmas tree time. For those of you who weren't around my blog 2 years ago, click here to read about why I put up my own tree and send out my own cards each year.
Each year I try and find oranments to commemorate some fun event (particularly travel related stuff) from the past year. I figure that will be pretty cool 20 years from now. This year's big addition is an OSU football helmet with the Bedlam score and date written on it.
I really wanted to find a half marathon ornament for this year, but haven't had any luck. Runners--any ideas?

4. Watching the Ironman World Championships. I tell you what, these athletes are just amazing. I just stumbled upon the World Championships on Saturday afternoon and had to watch. I cried at their stories of inspiration---80 year old men who kept going. A war veteran who lost both legs. The former 300 pound Biggest Loser contestant. The 78 year old woman who was the oldest finisher ever. The man who bet $1 million of food for hungry kids on the race with rapper 50 Cent. It was awesome. And it made me hungry, so I also ate a baked potato. Whatev.

5. Angel Trees. I really hate how commericalized Christmas has become. I think that our society has managed to get totally away from the whole point of the holiday. This year I participated in the one angel tree church and the one for nursing home patients at Wal-Mart. I just can't stand the though of someone not having a gift at Christmas. Blonde Oklahoma Girl wrote the sweetest post about being on the phone while I was frantically shopping for sweat suits, sheets and bathrobes for gifts! If you see an angel tree in your own community, I encourage you to participate. Giving gifts to those who cannot repay us....like that gift born in a manger.....that's what Christmas is all about.

6. Being Fiesta Bowl Bound! For those of you football fans out there, you know that my Cowboys are playing Stanford in this year's Fiesta Bowl.

Well BFF, Cousin Swiss Mister, Mr. Animal House and I all have tickets and we're headed to Arizona come January 2! I can't wait to watch the game with some of my favorite boys and cheer on the Pokes! Oh, and to rock out the new OSU shirt that I bought.....I don't want to ruin the surprise so you'll have to wait until I post pictures on January 3, but I'll just say that it's awesome. :)

Photos of the Week

Theme: Vanishing Points

I had to google this theme to figure out what it was talking about. Ha! It's defined as a photo involving parallel lines that are not parallel to the photo. Um....too much geometry for this girl. Thank goodness for google images--it's where you have a photo that one point in the distance the two lines look to merge together. I took this shot last month in Austin. It's one of my favorites.

Theme: Show Off Your Shot (And Then She Snapped)

I love Christmas tree decorations. I played with some lighting and really liked this shot. Check out all of the other entries here!

Theme: Mahogany (Project 64)

Funny enough, this picture is also from my trip to Austin. I thought that the longhorn on the right was pretty close to the Mahogany color for this week's theme. Check out the other entries at Project 64.

Called Christians

"The point of your life is to point to Him." ~Francis Chan, Crazy Love

I just finished reading a really interesting book by Francis Chan called "Crazy Love." (Sidenote: To see all the books I've read, am reading or plan to read, check out my Good Reads page. And if you have your own, add me!)

It's all about evaluating whether you are actually living your life in response to the "crazy love" that God has shown you. My favorite part of the book came in the forward written by Chris Tomlin.

He quoted a simple passage from the Bible, Acts 11:26. "The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch." But the way he went on to explain this passage was really striking to me.

The first disciples were called Christians. They did not call themselves that. They did not come up with the name. Other people--outsiders--looking at them called them Christians. How did they do that? By looking at their lives. So, obviously, this begs the question...today, if people were to look at your life, would they know that you were a Christian? Um....wow.

The book goes on to ask the following series of questions.

Has your relationship with God actually changed the way you live?

Do you see evidence of God's kingdom in your life?

Are you choking that evidence out slowly by spending too much time, energy, money and thought on the things of this world?

Would your life look different if you suddenly stopped believing in God?

Jesus calls us to live our lives in a manner different from the world. And if we do it correctly, the difference should be obvious to non-believers. If I'm being honest with myself, I'm not sure that I'm succeeding at this. But fortunately, today is a new day. And I can try again. I can try to do better. I can try and live my life in a way that would make strangers call me a Christian.

I Know It's the 21st Century, But...

"Dating is pressure and tension. What is a date, really, but a job interview that lasts all night?" ~Jerry Seinfeld

Okay, today I'm delving off into a topic that I know nothing about. But apparently being a single girl in my twenties in the year 2011 means that it's something that I've got to address all.the.time. Online dating.

Now, online dating is seriously something that I'd say comes up in my life on average once a week. At least. People are constantly asking me why I don't try it. I don't see anything wrong with it--when other people do it, I'm intrigued and I hope it works for them. But I think that this old fashioned, country girl just wants to believe that I'll meet my husband at a football game or a livestock show instead of online. I know it's the 21st century, but I don't care.

But somehow this topic has been everywhere lately. Maybe because it's the holidays? Seriously, in the last week, people have sent me a ton of different links to check out. My boss' wife (no lie!) had seen this website called Subway Crush on tv and thought it was funny. ND Friend stumbled across this website called How About We... and thought it was cute. (FYI, I did a search to see if anyone's date idea involved the word "cattle" or "livestock." Answer: No. Sigh.) The waiter at our work Christmas party (who was cute and who we harassed about his personal life the whole night) mentioned this thing for professional singles called It's Just Lunch. My head is spinning.

So I basically write all of this with no point....EXCEPT that I'm curious about everyone's opinion on this topic. Have you done it? Know people who have? Think that it's crazy insane? Because after reading this blog by someone I know in real life, I'm traumatized. (Read it for real. You'll laugh so hard you'll cry!) Seriously---comment below. I want to hear from you!
Oh, and if you happen to know a nice young man who you'd like to introduce me to, feel free. I'm not against blog dating suggestions. ;)

I'm Not Going Anywhere

"You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it? " ~Hannah Whitall Smith

So a little while back I was having a conversation with a super nice, very intelligent father of one of my friends. We were talking about how eventually I would like to end up back home in a small town on the farm. When I said this, he looked at me sort of dumb-founded and said, "Well then you need to move. You should be living somewhere with country people like Amarillo or Lubbock or somwhere where you can meet someone that wants to live on a ranch." And he said it in this way that seemed very matter-of-fact, like this was the most obvious thing in the world, common sense really.

And I choked on my drink. I tried to laugh it off, but it really got to me....."Shoot," I thought, "Am I screwing up my life by living where I am? Have I made all these wrong decisions? Have I managed to get completely lost from the plan? There don't seem to be many single country guys around here, sure not that I'm meeting. Oh wow....maybe I need to move!"

And then I got really confused....because on the other hand, I really like my job. I'm doing well there, I'm learning a lot, and I feel like I'm in a good place. I like my house and my friends and having the financial ability to go and do pretty much what I want on the weekends. I don't want to leave that.

So at this piont I was thoroughly confused. And, in the midst of freaking out and wondering if I'm screwing up my whole life, I did what I always do. I said a prayer about it, and I picked up the phone and turned to some of my friends who calm me down the best. In this situation, those that got the call were BFF, ND Friend, and Georgia Boy. (I try to mix it up so that none of them have to deal with every freak out, lest they think I'm crazy!) And, like always, they knew just what to say to get me calmed down.
And I came to this conclusion.....I'm not going anywhere!

Here's the deal. There are so many things that have to work out in order to find the right person, that my attempt to control one of them (geographic location) is not going to be enough to line everything up. First off, there are country guys everywhere (just listen to Miranda...she knows!), so how would I enve know where to move to? What if I picked the wrong place? Would I move again? And again? And even if I move to a place where more country guys are going to be, that doesn't mean I'll meet the right guy or that the timing will be right or that he'll be single at this point....you get the idea. This just sounds horribly stressful.

And so, the bottom line is this: This is something I can't control. This is where the rubber meets the road in some ways when I talk about having faith. It's putting the phrase, "Let go and let God" into action. And I choose to believe that if I live my life doing my best to follow the plan that He has called me to, well then I'll meet Mr. Right whether he lives here or in Lubbock or in Georgia (hint, hint...southern accent!) or in freakin' Germany. It sure seems more refreshing to me to believe that God is in control of this and will line everything up than thinking that I've got to figure it all out.

And, in conclusion, I'd like to thank my lovely friends for talking me off the cliff. Again. And to announce that I'm chosing to trust. To have faith. And to wait. And that I'm not going anywhere!

Photos of the Week: Weeks 47 and 48

Thanks everyone for your sweet comments on my Letter to Me post yesterday! I always love your feedback. :)

I'm so behind on my photo posts that it's not even funny. We're playing some major catch up today! Here are my shots for the past two weeks. As always, I love your comments and your thoughts on which photo is your favorite!

Theme: Black (Project 64)

I had a hard time with finding a black subject, but while we were working cows I snapped this shot of our dog, Dollar. I love the bright blue sky! Check out the other entries at Project 64!

Theme: Show Off Your Shot

You know that any time I make a trip to Stillwater, you'll be seeing pictures of campus. Remember this and this? Well this time is no different. I loved this shot of the library all decorated for Christmas. To see the other entries this week, click here!

Theme: Gathering

I haven't had a chance to blog about our Thanksgiving yet (it's coming next week, I promise!) but I thought that I'd use a photo from our family gathering for this theme. As redneck as it sounds, our whole family arrived and headed to the field behind our house for some target practice. Turns out, everyone totes guns around....shotguns, pistols, bb guns, you name it, we shot it. I liked this shot of the spent shells with the family in the background.

Theme: Decay

I saw this theme coming up and had no clue what I would actually shoot for it. Then when I was in Austin speaking at a conference (remember these pictures), I came across this old tree on the river bank and thought it was a pretty good fit.

Theme: Beyond Reach

I decided to use a picture from the Bedlam game for this one. When I was in school, our football team was good. Josh Fields, Rashaun Woods, Cotton Bowl kind of good. My senior year, we were bad. Didn't make a bowl kind of bad. It seemed like a Big XII Championship and a BCS Bowl Game (got robbed from playing in the National Championship...) was beyond reach. Well that all changed last Saturday night. Here is one of my favorite shots from the game.

Theme: Soft

This is another Thanksgiving picture of my Cousin The Olympian watching the aforementioned family shooting activities. She curled right up on the "soft" hay bales and watched all the chaos.

Letter to the 16 Year Old Me

"When you go through life, so sure of where you’re headin', and you wind up lost and it's the best thing that could have happened..." ~Brad Paisley, Find Yourself

This week instead of writing to Mr. Right, I'm writing to myself. You guys have probably seen this done before. I wrote a letter to my 20 year old self a while back. I recently read a magazine article where famous people wrote back to their 16 year old selves and knew I wanted to play along.

Dear 16 Year Old Tiffany,


You might want to sit down for this first part. You're 28. You don't have kids. You're not married. Heck, you don't even have a boyfriend. That boy you think you love now...he marries someone else. Are you okay? Still breathing? Good. Because your life is better than you even know to imagine.

You will see the sun rise and set on the other side of the world. And from your apartment window overlooking San Francisco Bay. And from a table at Tavern On The Green in Central Park.

You'll watch the gold helmets run onto the field at Notre Dame, the crazy towel waiving at Kyle Field and cheer on your team at Boone Pickens Stadium (which doesn't exist yet.)


One day, you're going to love running. Seriously. And you'll finish a half marathon. Maybe you could stop slacking when running suicides in basketball practice.

You will wake up one day and realize that you've managed to accumulate a group of friends from all different chapters in your life. And they love you unconditionaly. And they make you a better person.

Oh, and those boys...the ones who keep sticking you in the "friend" or "sister" category? That'll still annoy you at 28, but you'll realize that their friendship is so important in your life that you wouldn't trade it for anything, even the "girlfriend" category.

You'll kneel to pray at St. Peter's Bascilica, next to the remains of St. Paul in Rome, at a Grotto in South Bend, in the Washington National Cathedral and in a quiet church in North Beach.

You'll sing karoke in a bar full of people. Snorkel in Mexico. Rush a football field. White water raft. Wear a fancy dress and hat at a steeplechase. See George Strait in concert. And tour the Swiss Alps.

Don't get me wrong, there will be bad times. You'll have to say goodbye far too soon to people who you love more than words can say. You'll have your heart broken. You'll total a vehicle. And wish time would stand still when change comes your way.

But through it all, you somehow find yourself. And you find the person who you want to be. And you manage to really live. That's a gift.

Enjoy the ride,
Tiffany at 28

Priceless (Bedlam 2011)

"And to be able to celebrate with my teammates, my best friends, this is the real deal." ~OSU Quarterback and Big XII Champion Brandon Weeden


I'm not sure there are words to describe how awesome, exciting and wonderful the Bedlam football game was. I mean good friends, great football, Big XII Champs, and two bucket list checkmarks? Doesn't get better, folks.
You might remember from this post that it was my very first Bedlam game. Oklahoma State versus our biggest rival, Oklahoma. 60-some thousand people packed into the stadium. A sea of orange. Turns out, I'm good luck. When they interviewed Brandon Weeden after the game, he said that he had thought about how winning the game would feel and what the celebration would be like afterward and the reality was even better. I feel the same exact way!

Flights to Oklahoma = 15,000 Frequent Flyer Miles (complete with 3 hour delay in Denver)

Game Ticket = $200

Foam Finger = $10

(Which I had to get because of Nomad's girlfriend....here's how it went down. We will call her Emily from Friends because she's British. And I think she looks like her. Anyhow, when they picked me up at the airport she said she had to get a foam finger because that's what Americans do at football games. Nomad told her that only 5 year old Americans did that. I told him to shut up and that I wanted a foam finger too!)

BEDLAM.....

.....Pre-gaming at the Copper Penny (I had never been to the bar at 3:30 in the afternoon before. I did my best to make Mr. Animal House proud.)

....Screaming until my voice went hoarse and my whole body was sore (No like seriously, my hips and my abs are still sore today!)
.....Watching the two bands to come together to play Amazing Grace in rememberance of Coach Budke, Coach Serna and the Branstetters who died in a plane crash last month (Here's a video I took of part of it.)
.....seeing OU fans being driven to drink (Ha!)
.....Watching my Cowboys dominate OU to win our first Conference Championship (Final score: 44-10. Take that Kirk Herbstreit. You're not only ruining my love life, you're an idiot too!)
.....Rushing the field (This was a bucket list item I was more than excited to check off---yes, it was crazy and sort of scary and I do have a swollen ankle after the 9 foot jump to the field---but that battle scar is totally worth it! To see some awesome videos, click here and here. But please note that I am very sad that several people were seriously injured and hope that they all recover quickly!)
......Touching the goal post (I actually ran over intending to help pull it down, but my 28 year old maturity kicked in and I decided that looked too dangerous and that I might die. I know my mom is so proud that I've grown up. You MUST see the video Nomad took. He's the one saying, "This is so dangerous, this is so dangerous" and I'm the one saying, "Holy crap!" Also please notice the crazy guy at the end running around with the turf in his hand. Hilarious.)
......Doing a snow angel in the end zone (Why? I have no idea. Just seemed like a good idea at the time.)

.....BEING A COWBOY = PRICELESS!