It's Here!!

"Every day should be Saturday, because college football is too important to be left up to the professionals." 

That's right, folks.....it's the most wonderful time of the year.  Hello, college football season.  This girl is crawling on a plane headed to the Happiest Place on Earth (aka Stillwater, Oklahoma) to do it up right.

This was probably made by someone who sat next
to me and Loud Oklahoma Girl last season!

It's time to dawn some orange, drink some limees, waive some wheat, make appearances at some tailgates, scream like crazy people and cheer on the Pokes!!

Dear Wes Lunt:  I know you're only 18, but if you could play similar to the 28 year old quarterback we had last year, I'd appreciate it.  And no pressure or anything, but I talked you up pretty big after the Spring Game, so let's not let me down, mkay?  Awesome.

Me and Wes Lunt after the Spring Game

Dear Oklahoma Girls:  You best be rested up, because we have a lot of fun to be had.  I'm just saying.

Dear Copper Penny:  Not going to lie, I'm concerned about this remodeling rumor I have heard.  If things are different, I may have a nervous breakdown.  No lie.  You can calm me down with a cherry limee.  See your lovely walls on Saturday!

Cow photos on the wall and cow crap on the floor...
..no wonder I love this bar

Dear Little Linebacker:  Aunt Tiff is coming to down.  You know that means football, touchdowns, and Pistol Pete.  It also means we have a date for pancakes on Saturday morning.  Cannot wait to see your sweet face!

Dear College Football Season:  You have no idea how much I've missed you.  You were just about as awesome as you could be last year, but if you'd like to try and top it this year, you just go right ahead.


Big 12 Champs!

Fiesta Bowl Champs!

Happy College Football Season to you all!  And, of course, Go Pokes!

Traveling To San Francisco (Part 1): What to See and Do

"If you’re alive, you can’t be bored in San Francisco. If you’re not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life." ~ William Saroyan

For those of you who are new to the blog, I LOVE San Francisco.  I've visited tons of times and even lived there for 4 months during law school.  I often get questions about what to do and where to go in San Francisco.  I got emails from three different people asking me this last week, so I figured I'd blog about it!  Today, we've got what to see and do.  Tomorrow I'll cover where to eat.

Listen, there is so much to do and see in San Francisco, that you really can't go wrong.  Heck, you really can just set out and wander around and find amazing neighborhoods, shops, farmers markets, restaurants....without even planning it.  But, for you planners like me, here is my list!

1.  Alcatraz.  This is a must.  Everyone who I took out there loved it.  And I never got bored, even after the 10th time!  It is fascinating.  Be sure when you book that you get the boat that actually lands on Alcatraz and lets you off for the tour.  Only one company has the contract with the parks service....other companies just take you on a cruise around it, which is no good.  They offer day tours and night tours....I've never done the night one, but I bet it's super creepy!

2.  Biking the Bridge.  If you're pretty active, I highly, highly recommend biking the Golden Gate Bridge!  I mean, honestly, how cool is it to say you did that?  The bike route is great and super safe and you get some amazing views.  You bike from the rental place near the Wharf down the waterfront, over the bridge, and down into Sausalito, which is the most adorable town!  We did some shopping and got some ice cream and then took the ferry boat back.  It was such a great day!  I think we used this company, but there are lots of great options.

3.  Ferry Building Farmer's Market.  If y'all are thinking "we have these at home" trust me...you don't!  I seriously went here every weekend when I lived in SF.  It's amazing.  The fruit is so fresh and so delicious.  Strawberries and white necatarines.  Sigh.  They also have cheeses and baked goods and veggies and fresh flowers...it's phenominal.  The last time I was in SF for the half marathon, the girls and I bought all the fixins for a picnic lunch at the Farmer's Market and it was awesome.  The market is on Tuesdays and Saturdays!  Go early.  If you're lucky (or unlucky!) like me and Chocolate Brown, you might stumble upon a nudist colony that happens to periodically show up at the park across the street.  That was an interesting experience....

4.  Walk Around North Beach.  Everyone you talk to will have their own favorite neighborhood in North Beach.  For this girl, it's North Beach.  No question.  I love everything about it--the people, the restaurants, the shops, Washington Square Park, St. Peter and Paul....you name it.  The best place to kick off the little tour is at Washington Square Park.  If you go in the morning, you'll see all the cute little Chinese ladies doing tai chi in the park.  From there you can just wander around and I promise you will not be disappointed.  There are great little bookstores, gellato places, bakeries, fun bars, amazing Italian food...you name it.  (More on the food options in my blog next week!)  You can take the trolley (you want Powell and Bay) down and add that to the experience.

5.  Find a San Francisco Event!  There is always, ALWAYS something going on in San Francisco.  During the summer, there is a street fair every weekend, and they are tons of fun.  On the Fourth of July, they have free concerts by the Hyde Street Pier--the girls and I discovered Notorious one summer and could not have had more fun.  Bay to Breakers is a huge party in the streets every May.  The San Francisco Marathon is such a blast!  I could go on forever....

Honorable mentions:  Take in the view from Twin Peaks (on a clear day); Golden Gate Park (don't miss the Japanese Tea Gardens!); Walk around the Haight (the "hippie" area); Seeing all the crazy acts on Fisherman's Wharf; See the Full House houses at Alamo Square Park.

I Think I'll Be A Tow Truck Driver

"Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music." ~William Stafford

My friend has the cutest three year old son you'll ever meet.  Big ol' blue eyes and blonde hair and the cutest little grin.  Yesterday, she told me a story about this little one that really made me think.

One morning before school, the three year old and his five year old brother were talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up.  The three year old said, "I want to help people."  His brother replied, "Brother, that's great!  You can be a doctor."  The three year old said, simply, "No, I think I'll be a tow truck driver."

To the three year old, it was simple.  He wanted to help people.  Sometimes, people's cars break down and they need a tow.  Being a tow truck driver helps people.  That's what he'd do.

The innocent view of the world from the eyes of a child is something to which our adult eyes have grown blind.  We are consumed with power and prestige and money and reputations.  Often, even when we say we want to "help people" we are really trying to help our own pocket books.

But what if we lived our adult lives with three year old eyes?  What if we set out each day thinking, "I want to help people" and then just did that.  Even if it meant unglamorous, but helpful things like driving tow trucks?  What if we just started small...we opened doors, we let someone get in during rush hour traffic, we helped the woman carrying the groceries to her car, we bought food for the homeless man on the corner?  My guess is that if we did these small things, we'd move right on to doing bigger things.

Even if my little friend doesn't become a tow truck driver, I hope that he keeps his three year old eyes and goal of helping people.  And I hope that I can take this glimpse through his eyes and apply his logic to my own life.  Because think of what a great place the world would be if we all set out each day to be a tow truck driver...

Never Finer

“This town of churches and dreams; this town I thought I would lose myself in, with its backward ways and winding roads leading to nowhere; but, I found myself instead." ~Kellie Elmore

A tiny white church sitting at the top of a hill overflows with people.  Men standing outside in cowboy hats and boots.  Women sitting in the pews with their hair poofed and their pearls on.  Flower arrangements fill the window sills.  Old, familiar songs drift out the open door.  How Great Thou Art.  Old Rugged Cross.  Amazing Grace.

Most Sundays, the people inside go to various churches.  But today, no one notices the differences.  Methodist or Catholic, Baptist or Mormon, Epsicopalian or Assemblies of God.  Today, everyone sits together.  They hug each other as they walk in and say the Our Father in unison.  Differences matter not.  They mourn together, they pray together, and they remember together.

Photo via

And then at the quiet, country cemetery, everyone gathers around a grave.  The sun beats down and the ranchers talk about rain, or the last basketball season, or the last time that they all stood in the same cemetery around a different grave.  Because this same community has been here before and will be here again.  Together.

Once the prayers have been prayed and Taps has been played, they load up into their pickup trucks and drive to the old school building for lunch.  Because if there is one thing that small town ladies do right, its a funeral meal.  A spread big enough to feed an army sits out on tables that span the width of the basketball court. And here, people recognize the different dishes based on the cooks.  "Oh, that's Mary's chocolate cake" or "Those look like Pam's enchilladas."  And before the meal, the men remove their hats, the kids put down the basketball, and the priest blesses the food.  Because that's how you start a meal.

Small towns are not for everyone.  There are no fancy restaurants.  You have to drive two hours to the nearest Wal-Mart.  A lot of people there have never flown on an airplane or seen the ocean or owned a passport. 

But they know the meaning of neighbors, and of community, and of love.  And they show it when times get hard.  And if you ask me, small towns are never finer than in these moments.

*Linking up with Rural Thursday.

The Color Run Recap!

"I think of life itself as a wonderful play that I've written for myself, and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part." ~Shirley MacLaine

This weekend was The Color Run.....I put this race on my bucket list the minute I heard about it.  I was so excited to check it off!  It was even better that I had some friends from back home drive up to join in the fun.  It was awesome.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  Well, that and the awesome video that my friend JB created. 

I said I'd let the pictures and video do the talking, but y'all know me.  Obviously that's not true.  A few random thoughts. 

I'm all for going all out and trying to be the person most covered in colored powder.  Seriously.  However, I found it totally inappropriate for people to lay down and literally roll around on the street at the color stations trying to get more powder on them.  That's the FREAKIN' STREET, people.  Yea.....not acceptable.

Also not acceptable are the hard core crazy runners.  Listen, I get it.  I own a Nike Plus watch and I log my runs and want to get a personal best at a race just like everyone else does.  But did you really think that the people at this race were going to be hard core?  You saw the website, right?  And the costumes at the start line?  Your shock and awe when you had to slow down and wait to go through the first color station annoyed me.  Just saying.

Why is it that after a race I can justify eating pretty much anything I want for that day?  For example, after the race we all headed to The Grove for brunch.  I order a very reasonable, responsible breakfast.  And then get a cupcake at 9 in the morning.  Why?  I just ran a race, give me a break.  Later that day, I may or may not have polished off a whole row of Double Stuff Oreos.  Pretty sure the 300 calories I burned runninng were long gone by that point.  Fail.

Lastly, if you ever get a chance to participate in The Color Run, do it.  You'll have a blast.  (It's possible that if this blue/green stain all the way down my arm and the strip of orange down my back doesn't go away within the next few days, my tune may change...)

Loving the Gift.

Closer To God?

“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.”  ~C.S. Lewis

I'll start off with a confession....I'm a bit of a priest groupie.   Yea, here's the deal.  ND Friend works with two amazing priests.  I have not met them, but she talks about them and I read their blogs and feel like I totally know them, even though they have no clue who I am.  One of my friends read something that one of them wrote and emailed me saying, "Hey, isn't this by your guy?"  Um....groupie?  Guilty.  Whatev.  I'm admitting it.  (And secretly plotting to meet them on my next trip to Chicago!)

Anyway, moving on.  On Monday, ND Friend sent me the Homily that one of "my priests" said that day at Mass.  And included in that Homily was the following line:

"Whatever it is that we want in life, even if it is something we perceive to be good, we must discern--but is this leading me to God?"

It's so easy to get caught up in our selves and in the world when we are making decisions.  We think about power and money and fun and whether he's cute and how much it costs and location and benefits and perks and vacation and prestige and the list goes on and on.  But something that all too often gets left off the list, at least for me, is the question above.  Is this leading me closer to God? 

Church in the Swiss Alps 2009

If I'm honest, all too often, the answer is not "yes."  Sometimes, it's "no."  But more often than not, it's, "I didn't really think about that."  And  maybe that's the worst possible response.  It shows that I'm totally missing THE point.  Not just of the decision I'm making, but of life.

Because in the end, it's not about any of the other things.  It's about God.  How is something so simple so easy for me to forget?

*Linking to Thought Provoking Thursday, Thankful Thursday, and Into the Word Wednesday.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

The most important thing in life is to stop saying, "I wish" and start saying, "I will."

It's been a while since I've linked up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday.  So let's get with it!

I'm Loving....

1.  The following email from BFF last week referring to plans for his upcoming wedding:

"We have other things need to solve as well... Do you want to stand on her side or stand on my side? Do you want to wear a dress like brides maids or something similar to grooms guys if you stand on my side?"

Me and BFF circa 2002

Ahh, the problems of picking a girl to be your best friend.  I love it.  (And for the record, I told him that I would be wearing a dress, not a tux.  Seriously?  That was a question?)

2.  This amazing article about really living and Saint Maximillian Kolbe.  If I were you, I'd skip the rest of my blog and go read someone who is brilliant.  She uses the example of St. Maximillian Kolbe, who offered up his life to save another man while they were prisoners at Auschwitz during WWII.  And she will change your whole perspective.

3.  This amazing new song (maybe it's not new, but it's new to me) by Ben Rector, called "She Is."  Love it.

4.  Labor Day Weekend plans have been finalized.  The trip with ND Friend to the south is waiting until next spring......BUT....I'm headed to Stillwater to the opening game of football season and to see some of my favorite people!  Can.Not.Wait.

5.  I've got more pregnant friends.  Seriously, I've got 8 different friends right now who are pregnant.  EIGHT.  Most recent announcers?  These two:

Yep, that's right.  Mr. and Mrs. Chocolate Brown are having a little one.  And it will no doubt be the most beautiful child ever.  Aunt Tiff is super excited!

6.  Speaking of Aunt Tiff, SoulMate Friend told Little Linebacker that Aunt Tiff is coming to visit in a couple of weeks.  His response?  "Tiff?  Football!  Pistol Pete!"  Um.....could there be a cooler thing for me to be associated with?  Nope.  This is the epitome.

7.  This blog by Miss Meg.  She's the one who inspired me to start writing Letters to Mr. Right with blogs like that.  My favorite part?

I want to find him on the doorstep. Unexpected. I want to turn the corner after a long day, a long month, a long year and find him half-smiling with a bouquet of flowers. He'll be sitting there. And when he sees me, he'll stand. At first I won't understand. Who is this man I knew so many lifetimes ago? I'll climb the steps and he'll step aside. I'll put the key in the door and pause. I'll feel his breath on my neck. And his silence will fill me, satiate me. I'll push the door open and he'll follow in step. And we'll begin our life together.  That's what I want.  To find the man I dream of on the front stoop.

Sigh. 

Oh, and this part, because, of  course I agree!  That being said, you sure as hell better ask my father first. I believe in chivalry. And I was raised in the South.

8.  And, finally, I'll leave y'all with this thought that's getting me through the week.

Hallelujah and Amen.  Oh, and Go Pokes!

Ask Little Cowboy: Back To School Edition

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” ~John Lennon

I know you guys have been patiently (some of you less so) waiting for another one of these blogs.  Finally, here we have it.  Ask Little Cowboy:  The Back To School Edition.

1. Are you excited school is starting?  School isn’t starting pretty soon. No, I am not excited.

2. What is your favorite part about school?  My favorite part of school is recess and snack time. But not lunch time because when it is lunch time, it is two more hours before recess!

3. What was your favorite part of the summer?  Staying with my mom, going to Uncle Brice’s rodeo, and watching some videos was my favorite part. I liked my mom’s wedding when we got to swim.

4. What do you want to be when you grow up?  A firefighter or policeman, I just don’t know. I see and hear about cool jobs and just don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.

5. How do you know that someone is your friend?  If I like them. If someone likes your friend, you can be friends with them too. Friends always meet at gas station and ride on dirt bikes down the road. They come back to the gas station, get more gas, and go down the other road.

6. How many bad guys have you shot in your entire life?  Twenty hundred. You want to know how many bullies? Bullies are badder than bad guys. I got 5 bullies.

7. Are you excited to be living back in New Mexico? Why?  Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! I am very excited. It is a lot bigger town, a lot bigger house, room for more toys, more space. It was easier for my mom to get a job. It is a lot closer to my family.

And then Little Cowboy said the following:
You always ask me questions. I have some for you.   So here are my answers.

1.  What do you actually do?  Well.....pretty much argue with people all day.  Can I say that on my blog?  Once, I told Little Cowboy I argue with people for a living.  He said, "I bet if you just pop them in the nose once they'd stop fighting with you."  Sometimes, that logic would be useful.

2.  I mean, whose lawyer are you?  I represent lots of different clients--some are just regular people, some are businesses, a little bit of everything. 

3.  What do you eat for breakfast?  Usually either oatmeal or Multigrain Cheerios or a granola bar with peanut butter.  I have no idea why he wants to know this.

4.  What do you do on days off?  Usually I travel on the weekends--I'm always going somewhere.  If I stay in town I usually go to the gym, the grocery store, sometimes the pool.  He's all obsessed with my schedule because the other day he asked why I didn't just come see him.  I said I had to work and he said, "Just leave.  Don't tell them."  I said, "I can't, they'll fire me."  He said, "If you got fired that would be better, because then you would have more time to go see people and have more fun."  Um....good point!

5.  Do you sleep in, snack, or do you play with other friends with silly string?  I usually do not sleep in, I snack way too much, and beleive it or not, Little Cowboy is the only friend that I play silly string with. 

6.  What do you do if you are bored?  Talk on the phone.  Watch movies.  Take a nap.

7.  Do you have boots?  Yes, I do.  Anderson Bean's with an orange top.  Because you know I love orange.

At Least Once In Your Life....

“May you live every day of your life."  ~Johnathan Swift

At least once in your life, I hope you...

...have your heart broken, and then realize that you can survive it.

 ...take the time to appreciate where you came from.

 ...dance like a crazy person and don't care at all about who is watching.

...see the sun set on the other side of the world.

...learn the value of true friendships.

...learn to jump, even if you are scared to death.

...follow a dream, even when it seems impossible.

...laugh at a funeral and cry at a wedding.

...belt out karaoke at the top of your lungs.

...learn to be alone and to like it.

 ...forget that you're an adult and act like a 5 year old, with a 5 year old.

...show compassion to another person when others have turned their backs.

...make a childhood dream come true.

.....kiss the forehead of a newborn baby and the cheek of a dying man.

...set goals and then work like a crazy person to achieve them.

...listen to the voice inside of you instead of the voices around you.

...jump on a plane just to be there when someone is hurting.

...do something crazy and save the story for your grandkids.

...find a place where you feel at home and people who feel like family.

 ...realize and appreciate the value of your family, crazy as they may be.