Fun Weekends + Our First Family Fun Run!

We have had two fantastic weekends the last two weeks! It's been full of family time and playtime with the kids. Plus, this past weekend it was so nice outside and I got in a 7-mile run on Saturday! That's the longest I've run in over a year and a half, and it felt really good (I also felt like I might die, but I suppose that's to be expected). I started off feeling like I was running through sand, and my Garmin told me my first two miles were 10:42 and 10:38, so that sounds about right. But every single mile was faster, and I ran my last mile in 8:20! My half marathon in at the end of April, and I'm hoping to get up to at least one 10-mile run before then.

Fuzzy Tacos and Selfie Sticks

In case you haven't noticed, Jordan and I aren't so much what you would call high-maintenance holiday people. Don't get me wrong: I love gifts. But once I realized that being married and sharing a bank account basically means that when you exchange gifts you're really just accepting a gift someone bought you with your own money, I was kind of over exchanging gifts for Valentine's Day or anniversaries.

Plus, I never wanted to be one of those girls who had secret expectations about things I wanted and then got mad at Jordan when I didn't get them. So ever since we started dating, I try to make it clear to Jordan exactly what I am expecting or what I want to do on special occasions (birthdays, anniversary, etc.). Writing that out makes me sound like a nazi, but the truth is, Jordan doesn't really care what we do and I usually do care (maybe because I'm the girl? I don't know), so it just works out better for my own state of mind and our relationship if we're both on the same page.

All that long ramble to say, we don't make a huge deal out of Valentine's Day. Every year we get each other a card and order Chinese or go out to eat or something. Except we never go out to eat on Valentine's Day, because it's pure madness out there.

Something we do every year, unrelated to Valentine's Day, is go to a Thunder basketball game. We've gone to at least one game every year since they came to town (Oklahoma's first and only professional sports team!). Last year my whole family came up from Texas, and we went to a game.

This year, I bought tickets for a home game on February 2, and we decided that was going to be our Valentine's date. It was a Monday, and after work we changed and headed downtown. First stop: Fuzzy's Taco Shop for dinner. Do you have a Fuzzy's in your town? I think it's the absolute worst name for a restaurant, but the tacos are delicious. 

I married him for the dimples.

I swear there's not a bad seat in the stadium. Except for the one time two years ago when I splurged on tickets in the lower section, we always end up sitting in the cheap seats, four or five rows from the top. At first when you walk in you get a little bit of vertigo, but after that it's just fine. The 7-foot players look like ants, but whatever.  

It was really fun just sitting and talking and watching the game. The Thunder won, so that made it even more fun! After the game, we attempted a selfie, but Jordan is terrible at taking selfies with his phone, so it was pretty much a blurry mess.

I think we need a selfie stick. But then again...

So that was our Valentine's 2015! Tomorrow I think we'll maybe order Chinese and chill at home. I hope those of you who are braving the crowded restaurants have fun!

*Related: Why We Don't Buy Gifts for Valentine's Day

Do you like Valentine's Day? 
Do you and your significant other buy each other gifts?

6 Ways to Be Awesome When Attending a Sporting Event

On Sunday, March 30, the whole gang drove up from Texas so we could all watch the Oklahoma City Thunder beat up on the Utah Jazz. There were eight of us: Jordan, me, my parents, my sister, my two brothers, and my brother's fiance. I'm not too proud to admit I orchestrated the whole thing, and it. was. awesome.

Want to be as awesome as us? 

Here's how:

1. Tailgate with turkey sandwiches and the BEST beverage known to man: Stewart's key lime soda.

This is THE drink I would drink if I could pick the drink to drink for the rest of my life. I'm serious. It's that good.

2. Take random candids in front of the stadium before the game.

My dad almost refuses to take a normal picture. 

This is, unfortunately, his default pose. We're working on it.

Look! No beard! Most importantly, DIMPLES!

3. Wear another team's jersey. 
Okay, actually that's not awesome. That's lame.

What is awesome is that this is an old-school Jordan jersey. Not Jordan of Jordan and Amanda Jordan. Jordan as in, Michael Jordan. You may have heard of him. I love Oklahoma, but Chicago will always rule all.

4. While standing in line waiting for the doors to open, get an arm workout in. 

Also known as where we all take turns doing tricep dips on the concrete pillar things. My brother was the spotter. I had to take a picture or you guys would think I was kidding. But no.

5. Sit five rows from the very top of the stadium. 
Courtside is for rich losers.

5a. Get on the big screen.
It happened. 
It also happened at the Texas Rangers game last year. The camera loves me. 

6. After the game, grab dinner at the best burger joint in town.
6a. Eat ALL THE FRIED THINGS.

Remember when I asked you guys whether or not I should try the peanut butter burger at S&B's Burger Joint? Well, we went there for dinner after the game, and I decided to go for it.

HOLY YUM.
Why did I ever question the deliciousness of peanut butter on a burger?

So there you have it. Six ways to be awesome when attending a sporting event.

You know you wanna hang out with us.

My Reverse Bucket List

Things I've already done that are bucket list worthy! 

Linking up here.

1. Went skydiving in Cushing, Oklahoma (read about it here)

2. Spent a week and a half in Greece circa January 2008.

3. Caribbean Cruise with my mom to Key West and Cozumel. Girls' trip!

4. Parasailing in Key West

5. Visited the Bean in Chicago (many, many times)

6. Ran a half marathon and marathon with my dad

7. Rode the Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags St. Louis

7a. Rode roller coasters at Cedar Point in Ohio
7b. Rode roller coasters at Six Flags Great America in Illinois
7c. Rode roller coasters at Six Flags over Dallas
7d. Rode roller coasters at Frontier City in Oklahoma City, OK (this park has a total of 5 roller coasters. holler!)
7e. Rode a roller coaster at the Mall of America in Minnesota

8. Hawaii x2 (sophomore year of high school and sophomore year of college)

9. A Cubs/Cards game at Bush Stadium
9a. A Yankees game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, TX
9b. Rangers vs. Cubs in Arlington
9c. Cubs game at Wrigley Field (multiple times while growing up and last summer with Jordan)

10. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA playoff game
10a. At least one Thunder game every year since they came to OKC

11. Visited Mount Rushmore (more pictures here)

12. Driven a jet ski
13. Visited Yellowstone National Park
14. Took a walk in Central Park
15. Rode on the L in Chicago
16. Hiked a mountain in Idaho and Colorado
17. Ate lobster in Maine
18. Found a conch shell on a Florida beach
19. Went to the top of the Arch in St. Louis

And finally, last but certainly not least:
20. Eaten a delicious s'more over a campfire in Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas (though not at the same time)

Of course I have more, but those are the ones that first came to mind.

What's something on your reverse bucket list?

Where I Splurge on Basketball Tickets

Back in November, I bought Jordan and I tickets to see the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Utah Jazz at the Thunderdome in March. After months of waiting, the game night finally arrived last week.

If you're not from Oklahoma, I might not be able to properly explain the basketball craze that has completely taken over this state since the Thunder arrived from Seattle in 2008. As a sports fan myself, I love it. Who knew the NBA could be this much fun? Not since the days of Michael Jordan. 

Since the Thunder arrived to the sweeping plains, we've gone to see a game at least once a season. We even took my brother to see one. It's fun because there really isn't a bad seat in the house and, oh yeah, the Thunder are really good. Remember last year when they were in a little event called the NBA finals? (As a Cubs fan, I understand the fun involved with having a good team.)

We always buy tickets to sit in Loud City, aka the cheap seats, aka so far away it makes the 7-foot players look like ants. I'm always like, "They don't look that tall." And Jordan's like, "They wear a size 15 shoe and could step over you." Okay.

We have literally sat in the very last row up against the concrete, but this time I decided to splurge. Hello, lower level! I'm not even going to mention that the tickets are 2x face value. Not even going to mention it. 

These are the seats we hang out in 2 hours before the game is supposed to start while we look at all the rich people and wonder what it would be like to sit in such amazing seats. These pictures don't even do it justice. We were in the eleventh row, for crying out loud! 

I only wish I would have brought my good camera, but we're usually so far away it doesn't matter. 

And here's the thing about the expensive seats. There really are a lot of local celebrities you can say "so and so walked within 2 feet of me." Bob Stoops, coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, for one. Plus (and even better), there are a LOT of people you can make fun of. There was this fancy guy with his hair slicked back and a pink collared shirt with really tight pants, the too-tan news anchor, the fancy rich women in their 10-inch heels. It was a sideshow going on all game long. 

I sure won't be coughing it up for the good seats any time soon, especially now that I'm currently out of a full-time job. But for a special occasion, it was fun to live it up like the rich folk. 

What do you like to splurge on?