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?

Scenes from My Retired Life

For the past two weeks I have been living the retired life. I quit my job at the end of June and had 15 days of freedom before starting my next job. Now I know what being a teacher is like. Hello, summer.

In order to make sure I got the most out of my time, I wrote down a list of all the things I wanted to do during retirement. In my mind I convinced myself that this would ensure the productivity of the long line of empty days that stretched before me. This would also ensure that I didn't come out of retirement a dumber, fatter version of myself who had to carry a paper towel around with me when I was out of the house to catch the drool that trickled down my chin due to the lack of proper mental stimulation.

Thus, my retirement list consisted of the following: 

• get oil changed in the car
• go to the pool and lay out
• go to Hobby Lobby and make a flower arrangement for my empty vase
• go to Hobby Lobby and get needed items for a necklace holder
• clean everything in the apartment
• make a fruit pie
• watch a movie and crochet
• finish my wedding scrapbook
• go to the mall and pick up Jordan's birthday present
• go to the mall and buy makeup
• go running
• take family pictures
• get wedding present for Elizabeth
• get wedding present for Lauren
• take old clothes/random household items to Good Will
• fry bacon and make beans
• do the laundry

Total completed: 14 out of 17

I didn't make a fruit pie, take my clothes to Good Will, or get all the items I needed for a necklace holder; but everything else got crossed off, and I felt accomplished. Clean everything was a lofty goal, and I suppose technically I didn't clean everything. But I did clean the shower, which I think counts for a lot. I scrubbed that thing down for serious. 


After I finished that up, I went to Hobby Lobby and walked around for half an hour pulling flower stems and eventually (read: $35 later) created this: 

Watch out, Martha Stewart. But seriously, I put this on my kitchen table, and it makes me happy to see it every day when I walk in.

I also got my craft on with a super easy DIY photo frame (check it out HERE) and my wedding scrapbook. I only have one more page left to go and then the whole book will be complete. I started it last summer, so once I get the last page, it will have taken me a full year to finish. (If you missed any pages, check out the entire thing HERE.)

An important event to note was my 26th birthday on Tuesday, July 10.

This is the only picture I took the entire day, just before Jordan and I left for dinner. I think 
my face looks weird, but I'm just going to blame it on the fact that we had to do the whole awkward-holding-the-camera thing that I discussed at length in this post. I wore the same dress I was wearing when we went on our very first date, which I didn't remember until Jordan said something about it. He's so romantic remembering my outfits and all.


And in case you were wondering when I got to cross "get oil changed" off my list (because I know you were), this delightful deed did in fact occur on my birthday. Because I'm cool like that and do car maintenance on my birthday. Let's be honest: once you turn thirteen, birthdays just go downhill from there. It's one fourth as many presents, twice as many grownup chores, and three times as much guilt for eating an entire cake by yourself because half your friends are either dieting in preparation for their wedding or pregnant and trying not to eat too many sweets. Yes, it's officially that time in my life right now, but I'm not ready to own a pet yet, not to mention attempt to raise a child. Good grief. 

Jordan's birthday is tomorrow (Tuesday), so I'll get some pictures of what I bought him at the mall so you can all be impressed with my stellar gift-buying abilities. Our birthdays are exactly one week and one year apart. It's awesome. 

I did go running as well. One morning I stepped outside all ready for a nice outdoor run before realizing it was 100+ degrees and I wasn't going to be able to make it two feet without having a heat stroke. Instead I made my way to the gym and ended up running for over an hour on the treadmill watching the Wimbledon finals on ESPN. For the rest of the day my knees were hurting. Note to self: don't run 7 miles straight after not running more than 3 in the past month.


There were a few other exciting items I crossed off my list. On Saturday I took family pictures for a friend of mine. 

It was terrifying, to say the least, but they were patient with me and I learned a few things in the process:
a) taking a good picture is much harder than it looks
b) I suck at working Photoshop

I will not be discouraged, however, and I will just keep practicing...and saving up for another lens. The 50mm is great but annoying sometimes. I'd like to be able to zoom once in a while and also not have to explain what a "prime" lens means to everyone who tries to use my camera and asks where the zoom is. 


The final exciting moment was flying back to Saint Louis once again for my best friend's wedding. This was bridesmaid event #2 for me, and I'll admit that I love being part of the wedding party. It's stressful and crazy, but it makes me feel important. Like, "What's up, people. I know the bride. Holler." You know, that kind of important.

So there you have it. A few scenes from my recent retired life to serve as explanation why I've been a sporadic blogger and also why life is fantastic right now. I start my new job on Wednesday, so tonight I'll make my list for tomorrow so I can squeeze every bit free time out of Tuesday that I can. Because I'm Type A, and that's how I roll.  


*Also, I did happen to find a few K pictures for my scavenger hunt, so I'll post that tomorrow! K was the hardest so far, so I'll be interested to see what you think of the ones I found.

My Top 11 of '11

It's 11-11-11. 

I'm sure this hasn't escaped notice. 

So, in honor of this once-in-a-lifetime day, I present to you:

My Top 11 Moments of 2011

#11: Winning 3rd place in a tennis tournament and getting my first trophy 

(an anatomically correct pig)! Booya.

#10: When my pretty, red Kitchen Aid mixer came in the mail. 

This just proves that you always should go big on a wedding registry. 

(And I definitely have used it a lot over the past 6 months. Totally worth it.)

#9: When a cat peed inside my violin case. 

I know this is a weird thing to have on my list, but it was so random and funny and unexpected. 

And my case was fine, so that's probably the main reason why I can think back on that incident with amusement. 

#8: Turning 25. 

It was a Sunday. I woke up to get ready for church, and Jordan had left my gift (a pair of earrings) sitting by the sink where he knew I'd see them along with a card. 

It was very sweet and a great way to start the day!

#7: Watching Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish play an exhibition tennis match. 

It totally made my bucket list goal of going to the US Open in New York that much more serious. 

#6: Finishing my second half marathon.

#5: Taking engagement pictures. 

Jordan doesn't like taking pictures as a general rule, but we had a great day driving around the city with two of our friends, taking pictures and having a fun!

#4: Watching one of my best friends get married... 

and being a bridesmaid for the first time!

#3: All the marriage stuff made my list, 

but since I didn't want the entire list to be all wedding stuff, I'll just include them all in one: Going wedding dress shopping. (My mom really did cry when I put on "the one.") Bridal showers, picking up our marriage license, and all that jazz.

#2: Our honeymoon! 

Seriously, if you want a great place to vacation for the weekend, 

stay at a B&B in Fredericksburg, TX.

#1--Getting married, obviously. You had to know that was coming. 

But seriously. 

I can't pick a favorite moment of the whole thing, but I really think waking up and thinking, "oh my gosh it's today," sort of set the stage for the awesomeness that was to come.

* * *

There's still more of 2011 to go, but those are the moments that have made my highlight list so far! What are yours?

A Pig Trophy

On Sunday, I played tennis for 6 hours in the annual Oklahoma City Tennis Association Pig Tournament. It was hot (yes, in October), and I got sunburned. And the next day I was super sore.

But it was totally worth it. 

Why?  

Because my hard work earned me this:

Third place!

This is the only trophy I've ever won. 

I've gotten plaques and medals, but never a trophy. 

So of course I was pumped.

Note: the trophy says 8 [point] 0, not 80. 

Last night Jordan said, "Ha! It looks like it says 80 and up, like you're playing with 80-year-olds."

So, just to clarify, no, I wasn't playing in the 80+ group. I don't think I'd be as excited about getting 3rd place if that were the case. It's 8.0, which was the highest-ranked group.

Anyway, to conclude, obviously I'm awesome. 

And now I have an awesome trophy to prove it.

Tennis Exhibition with Andy Roddick

A month or so ago, I bought tickets to see Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish play an exhibition tennis match here in OKC. I was super pumped to get the chance to see two top men's players. 


And it was just as awesome as I expected. I couldn't believe I was actually seeing people in real life that I'd only ever seen on TV. 


Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick have been good friends since they were teenagers, so there was a lot of good old-fashioned joking going on. And then Andy Roddick started imitating other tennis players, which was hilarious. Especially when he stuffed two towels into his shorts and pretended to be Serena. 


It cost a fairly good penny out of my budget for the month, but it was so worth it. 

Andy Roddick going up for a serve. Awesomeness.

Linking up with Heidi for black-and-white Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday--Tennis Shoes

To be fair, my cheap $30 tennis shoes went longer than usual before splitting open at the toe. It's because I'm so hard core. No big deal.

It's Time Again for My Favorite Award Show!

Yes, it's here. My favorite award show is airing live TONIGHT at 8pm CST (9pm EST) which includes hours of my favorite thing: 

...an inspirational sports montage

That's right. I'm talking about the ESPYs. 

If you think I'm kidding, I can promise you I'm not. Nothing gives me goose bumps quite like a sports montage set to an inspirational song. I seriously love it. 

Watch this video from last year's ESPYs--the award for Best Moment--and tell me you didn't get goose bumps.

I want someone to make an inspirational montage of my life. This is the part where I wish I were a professional tennis player. But I'm not, so I suppose ice cream is in order. 

Good day.

Being a Bridesmaid

For the rest of the week, I'll be in Illinois. My friend Erin is getting married, and it's my [first!] turn to be a bridesmaid. Though technically I suppose I'm now a bridesmatron, right? But that sounds stupid.

That's a picture of Erin and I at my wedding, and I'm super pumped to take one of me with the bride. This will be fun.

Of course, this is also my first separation from my dear husband. I tried to set him up with enough meal choices for the week, but also I have no doubt his mom will get wind of the fact that he's home alone and invite him over for dinner. Either that or he'll cook rice every night. Ah well, I'm out of here, and he's a big boy who can fend for himself.

Illinois is waiting.

On that note, I will leave you with one of the only post-wedding picture we've taken together (minus, of course, the honeymoon pictures I forced upon him). Ignore my red face and crazy hair. I had just gotten finished with a grueling tennis match (which you can read about here, if you're so inclined).

Better Luck Next Year

The 2011 tennis season has, for me, been dismal. I play on two USTA (United States Tennis Association) teams--a ladies' league on Thursday nights and a mixed doubles league on Sunday afternoons.

The leagues started at the beginning of April, and in all that time I've only won two matches. 

This season just isn't my year for winning, I guess, though I've been giving it everything I've got, and I've played some close matches. 

Yesterday was the closest yet. 

Mixed doubles means it's a girl/guy team vs. another girl/guy team. It's pretty fun playing with and against another guy, and will say I've enjoyed my Sunday matches more than Thursday. Girls get plain mean when they play tennis.

Yesterday, at 2:00, I headed to the court armed with water bottles, Gatorade, and sunscreen. It was a ridiculous 102 degrees outside, and I started sweating as soon as I walked out on the court.

For those of you who don't know (because scoring in tennis can be confusing), you win a set by being the first team to win six games. If both teams get to six [games], you play a seven-point tiebreaker. Then, you play another set. If one team wins two sets, that's it. But if both teams win a set, following USTA rules, you play a ten-point tiebreaker to decide the match.

Our first set went back and forth, with each team winning a game until both of us were at six. We were all dying by that point. It had been over an hour, it wasn't getting any cooler, and it looked like we were evenly matched. Though Ryan (my partner) and I were playing some good tennis, we ended up losing the tiebreaker 4-7. 

So started the second set. 

We were tired, but somehow we quickly got ahead and ended up winning the second set 6-3, forcing a ten-point tiebreaker.

By this point, the other matches were finished, and there were at least fifteen people sitting on the bleachers watching us. Each side cheered when their team won a point, and I could really feel the pressure. 

The first point of the tiebreaker was a long rally, and when the point was over, everyone roared in approval. All four players were playing amazing tennis, and it looked like it was going to be a close tiebreaker. And yet, in the anti-climactic way of things, I'll just say that we ended up losing the tiebreaker 4-10. I was dead on my feet and very depressed. I hate losing probably more than anything, and I'd honestly given everything I had to that match, only to come up short once again.

I've since decided that it obviously just isn't my season. Looking back over the previous months of heartbreaking losses, I can only hope to have better luck next year. This season in 2011 I've learned about defeat. Losing graciously is not something I'm good at, and I guess I needed the practice. 

But for next year, I think I'd like to learn about winning humbly. After this season, I really need to practice that too.

Flashback Friday--My Tennis Story

Freshman year of high school [shout-out to Wheaton North folk! woot!] I played tennis. I barely made the team, actually. We had tryouts, and it came down to one spot left. It was either me or Lindsey Bodenstab. I was annoyed, because it wasn't as if this was my first time on the court. I had started taking lessons when I was somewhere in the six, seven, eight range. I took private lessons and started getting really good. That's when they made me play with the boys...because I was too good for the girls. 

That's when I quit. 

See, I was afraid of boys. Boys were cute and scary, and I didn't want them to think I was stupid. Plus, I was kinda sick of tennis anyway. So I quit for a few years until I decided I wanted to play for the high school team. That's why this whole barely-making-the-team thing was annoying me, because I knew that if I hadn't quit, I wouldn't be sucking up tryouts.

Turns out it was okay, because they let both Lindsey and I on the team. Something about positive attitudes and word ethic. So I practiced hard, and eventually worked my way to first doubles by junior year. I loved playing on the varsity team, but there was one problem: my intense rage upon losing or while I was losing or at the thought of losing. 

My doubles partner, Jessie, and I didn't get along so well. I blamed her, but my parents say I was the one who wasn't being nice. I guess she didn't appreciate me yelling at her when she missed a shot. Bottom line: I wasn't a good sport back then; don't let my cute hair clip and big smile fool you. I broke a racket once because I slammed it on the ground after a loss.

Luckily, I've completely changed my ways, and now I am a mature adult who doesn't get grouchy or sulk when I lose. I've grown, trust me. 

Just don't ask anyone who knows me to verify this information. They'll lie to you and say I still hate losing.

I played tennis throughout college and had a lot of good times. Tennis is awesome, and playing it makes me happy. Actually, tennis was my saving grace in Oklahoma. It's what keeps me active and in shape during the spring and summer. It's why I started making real, solid friends when I knew no one. It's how it found my roommate. And it's what Jordan and I did the first time we ever hung out.

One thing on my bucket list is to see a Grand Slam tournament live. And to be in one of the old lady leagues when I'm older. I'm sure I'll be used to losing by then.

One of Those Weeks

It's been one of those weeks where I feel like I'm just trying to keep my head above water. I keep trying to stay positive, not get upset, and then something else happens.

{warning: slight venting to commence}

On Tuesday, my roommate told me she's moving out two months earlier than expected, leaving me with a rather expensive three-bedroom apartment. I don't blame her at all; I can't even say I'm surprised. She's been a terrific roommate for almost a year and a half, and it's been great to split the bills with someone, but now I have to decide what to do. And I have to decide by Friday, because I have to give my current apt thirty days' notice if I am going to move out.

So...after weighing my options, it looks like I too will be moving out at the end of February. That's not quite the same as August, like I originally thought. Now the apartment hunt is on, and I don't so much like not knowing where I'm going to live next month. My friend Hannah (who you may remember from wedding dress shopping) has been nice enough to offer her extra bedroom for me if I can't find an apartment. Although, I doubt she'll be so gracious when Jordan and I get married and we're both living with her.

Along with random stressful apartment stuff, I'm also trying to figure out wedding stuff. Up till now it's been going pretty well, but I today I got really overwhelmed. Decisions and details and money...ugh. Really, though, I know it will work out and be wonderful. (At least, that's what my mom keeps telling me.) It's just hard to see that right now. 

I went to the dermatologist Wednesday morning (I almost got lost getting there, btw) to see if she could get my face cleared up in time for my wedding. She seemed confident she could get me looking clean and clear and under control (hello, Neutrogena), but apparently for me that means five prescriptions. And who knew face cream could be so freaking expensive? I spent a good fifteen minutes tonight just reading all the directions. After looking at the bottles on my bathroom counter, I saw a vision of my future as an old lady, pills and vitamins galore. I'm not super excited about it.

But if that's what it takes to not look like I have chicken pox on my face in front of two hundred people, I guess it's worth it. I did find it amusing that one of the information pamphlets told me no less than three times to BE PATIENT. I guess they know people get ancy, since this stuff takes twelve weeks to show improvement.

So here I am--expensive face cream on my face--watching the Australian Open on my computer. I just turned it on for a second and now I'm stuck here, unable to turn off this extremely close semifinal match and get some sleep. Believe it or not, professional tennis can get intense.

And as I watched these two top-ten female players, a thought came to mind: They'd probably pay someone to plan their wedding.