Best of Both Worlds!

This makes me very happy.  Me with my feet in the pool + J&K swimming, and it shows the view of the Tinker Air Force Base fireworks show from my parents' backyard -- there's a perfect clearing between the trees, and their 250th-year fireworks show lasted around 20 minutes!!

So in the end, I'm thankful for the 4th of July storm - for starters, it made my evening at the Wilsons' more memorable, and same for J&K's time with their Dad in Mustang... then we all got to come together, along with my Aunt Charlene, for the postponed TAFB fireworks show last night!  I would very much appreciate this always being a two-day event so that I can celebrate with both friends and family! =)

These are my new Nike Alphafly running shoes... very cushioned and lightweight and recommended by my online running coach, and they felt great on my test run! =)  Excited to train for the Route 66 Half ahead... I'll be printing my official training plan later today!

Last night also included a belated birthday dinner for Kristin at The Ranch in Norman!  It was a last-minute change of plans after we learned Gaberino's closes on Sunday, and it did not disappoint.  We spent a couple hours catching up on everything - (yay for her and Rach both joining me in the 40s club now)!  I had their beef medallions, and she got the scallops, then we shared the fried okra, au gratin potatoes, bananas foster, and cinnamon roll bread pudding desserts!  "Nom nom for us, David!" =)

Saw the Young Washington with Mom and Dad yesterday afternoon... it's the part of George Washington's life I knew very little about, so it was interesting to learn what shaped him and how he became the respected first leader of our nation... I had assumed with the Independence Day weekend release that it would be at least a little focused on the Revolutionary War period and the building of America, and it really was not at all.  Bottom right pic = catching up on life over dessert post-fireworks!

Dad and Charlene behind me on one side, Mom and Rach on the other, my feet in the pool, and a really great fireworks show!

K-Faith beginning a very long and detailed account of their weekend + Jace re-enacting part of it for us! lol

❤ Happy 250th Birthday to America! ❤

And happy 5th of July from all of us! lol

Charlene had just gotten back from her Alaska cruise with Dana and the Myricks, so it was good to get some details about all of that as I prep for mine 22 days from now!!  Yay for the possibility of seeing eagles and whales - I'm so looking forward to a restful and refreshing week there!

Just a friendly reminder that God is with you and for you, having good plans for your future!

I'm feeling this one lately.
If I had to sum it up in a word, it'd be RENEWAL. ❤

  I've been off of GLP-1s for a couple months now.  And yes, my appetite for food has gradually increased... but so has my appetite/energy/zest for LIFE - for trying new things, seeing new possibilities, setting new goals, etc.  Bible reading, leading lifegroup, run training, Club Pilates, book writing, public speaking, all coming off of mute in the background.  Staying healthy will be more challenging (the protein goal is decidedly helpful there), but it's important to me not to numb my desires or emotions or hopes for reward moving forward!  #chooselife  I want to live a full and expansive life, not to settle for a low-energy imitation/sensation of fullness.  Lots of complex thoughts about that topic, but I'll save them for the book!

Hope you had a lovely weekend, and I hope your week is off to a great start!

❤ ❤ ❤

Star-Spangled Celebration & Storm (250!!)

It was a very memorable 4th of July yesterday!  I got up around 6am to get to Bixby in time for the Wilsons' neighborhood parade... I invited myself for this event when I found out this was their first (and potentially only) time to be in charge of the parade and ice cream afterparty. =)  Chet said it might seem cuter in my mind than it would actually be. lol  But it was very photo-worthy, and I'm glad I came!!

For starters, Karli Marie made this balloon flag backdrop - cuteness!!

The lead car for the parade + loads of neighborhood kids walking, biking, and scootering behind him!

GiGi (Melissa's grandma name) and her three grandkids!

Karli goes all out and does such a great job with stuff like this!!

The very cutest! ❤

Showing me her Barbie doll house... and the pink suitcase = her luggage "for when they go to Disney!"

Flag selfie with the kids!

Chet and Craig (Country Crossing co-leaders) with the ice cream sundaes for everyone!

Love the Wilson fam and how much they've brought this neighborhood together!!

Ice cream time + bow by Mom

Grandma Teresa + Parker E*

So many snappers + a rare photo of both cats late that night!

*Me:  I love your pink shorts, Miss!  You look so cute!!

Parker:  They're purple.

Me:  Hmm, pink-ish purple. lol

Karli bought a roll-on glitter stick that was fun for kids and adults! lol

Lunch group pic at our Rib Crib corner booth, (by our waitress who reminded them of Ava)!

Parker selfie + Parker hiding in group pic #1
Silly pics by Parker + pic with Parker and Melissa

Parker marking up the close-up she took of her eye + me documenting the Bixby Rib Crib

Me taking some pics from the car whilst Chet and Tate stocked up on fireworks, followed by a Walmart ice run!

Video wishing Lisa (their fav CFA employee) a happy bday! lol

Presh Paige being happy about her first 4th of July festivities!

Paige Evelyn's first swim day + rocking Tate's hairpiece + the furrowed brow when Karli gave her to me. lol

Pre-dinner talk and alliterative prayer by Chettles (thankful for food, faith, family, friends, freedom, etc.) + the kids tables looking very festive!

Zealand and Parker being cute friends excited about this toy popping! lol

Kid-friendly firecrackers, parachutes, snappers, etc.

Love this pic of Paige unfazed by the fireworks drama around her!

Kyle Brandon and his boys! ❤

An unexpected thunderstorm postponed the planned neighborhood fireworks show, so we all scurried back inside, and the kids settled in to watch Bluey and snacked on watermelon, chips, and cookies whilst we finally got a delightful (reconstructed) balloon flag pic indoors!

Dessert time (pre-fireworks).  I made a Texas white sheet cake - yum! - and the Young fam brought ice cream!  I love that Chet commits to the bit even while the ice cream lid is on!! lol

Group pic by the balloon flag (which is totally obscured here, but whatevs).  Love this group!!
(For future reference: Bill was sick and missed this event.  Melissa and Teresa made it home before the storm.  The Young fam had already left here.  Jessica's mom was in town.  And the Myers are fostering, hence the stickers.)

After all that, I sat in the Wilsons' driveway for almost two hours waiting out the storm whilst editing and posting the above pics and listening to The Princess Diaries score and other fun music!  I got home around 1:45am and got in bed after 2:00... so it was a verrrry long but very FUN day celebrating America's 250th birthday with some of my favorite people!  While others were swimming, I had a good talk with Teresa and Chettles.  At the beginning of the day, Chet and I were planning to swim and both kids were adamant nos.  That completely flipped in the end.  But I will swim on the 18th if not before!

Anyway, now I'm off to a delicious Italian dinner as a belated bday celebration for Kristin Michelle, followed by the watching postponed Tinker fireworks show at Mom and Dad's, hopefully with my feet in their pool - thankful that the major storm allowed me to get the best of both worlds this year!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Thankful Thursday #237!

"Every time I think of you,
I give thanks to my God.
Every time I pray for all of you,
I do it with joy."
~Philippians 1:3-4

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  Kristin Michelle, an excellent mom and my fav cousin and awesome friend, who celebrates her 40th birthday tomorrow!!  Super thankful for four decades of shared memories together, including loads of family get-togethers, summer swims, making cheesy music videos, one trip to CityWalk, countless Station walks, Italian meals (and BBQ and CF brunches), family weddings and birthdays and funerals, and lots of meaningful talks! ❤  I hope this has been a great last-day-of-her-30s, and hope it's a wonderful new decade ahead!

2.  Having enough downtime this year for my soul to breathe and my spirit to really connect with God and to feel more like myself again in lots of ways!

3.  Finally being an official Club Pilates member!  I did my first Cardio Sculpt class last night, and it was fun and challenging!

4.  Judge Allen Levi - I loved his first book (Theo of Golden, which he wrote at age 68), and I so appreciate his humility and sincerity and writing advice and Spotify playlist (of beautiful instrumental songs that he used while writing, and now I have been, too)!

5.  Nicklas Rossner, my running coach! =)  He's encouraging and gets to the point with solid practical advice!  After watching several of his YouTube videos, I paid for his Half-Marathon Training Program (did my first threshhold test yesterday - rough times, but I'm excited to push myself in this season).  

6.  These mini-donuts and the white sheet cake I'll be baking for the 4th tomorrow!  Because balance. lol  (This was late June.  It's very new, but working in 150 grams of protein per day is naturally helping me to eat healthier now, and I find that pretty hopeful and exciting!)

7.  Excited and grateful for my coming cruise to Alaska, a Life List item I've been dreaming of for several years now... and open to any other opportunities God may have in store! =)

8.  Katherine Claire, who turned 5 years old today!!  HBD to my adorable honorary niece! ❤

9.  This pic with Parker Elizabeth from this very day three years ago!  (She was helping me hold the umbrella at the very loud and very hot air show, and seeing her presh little hand and headphones made me smile today!)

10. Finally, I'm thankful I finished scoping my case in time to write this blog, and I'm thankful for 18 YEARS of blogging, (as of tomorrow, which is now two minutes away).  #Blogiversary 
*It still makes me laugh that the very first words I ever published here were an Austin Powers quote. lol

❤ ❤ ❤

The Wind and the Waves

My Lake Hefner walk yesterday was good for the soul.  It was a really windy day, which made the lake nice and wavy, and all of that made me feel more alive and in tune with nature. lol

Not gonna lie - this makes me wanna go back!

Flix Brewhouse was showing Twister for its 30th anniversary.  I've seen the sequel multiple times... yay, Glen Thomas Powell!!

...but I had never seen the original!  I always prefer to see things on the big screen for the first time if possible, so this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up!  I even got a fun commemorative cup for attending. lol  My guess is I was the only person in there who wasn't already a fan!

They had the 1984 Jeep truck from the 1996 movie (according to Twister Truck on Facebook), so I got a pic with that too - JEM is a big fan, so it was fun texting with him and Chet about this!

*Side note:  I have no eyeliner because my eyes are still recovering from allergy issues after the puppy class.  They need to calm down ASAP so I can look more awake! lol

I enjoyed the movie and hearing Shania in the soundtrack -- I told JEM and Chet I totally understood the therapist girlfriend who said she thought chasing tornadoes "was a metaphor!" lol

Throwback to me writing a metaphorical post (here) right after seeing the sequel in 2024! lol

Mess Grace!

In other news, we befriended a potentially-injured or vision-impaired butterfly tonight!!

Then K-Faith and Rach practiced volleyball while Jace practiced his dunking skills with the goal set at 9 feet!

"Intention Setting" Peloton walk at the Station after my final Solid Rock strength workout this morning with Coach Lexi!  I was in a rough place at the New Year, so I'm treating this halftime thing with New-Year's-Eve-level reset vibes!!

I had an awe-inspired, calming "Be still and know that He is God" moment at the wavy lake yesterday.

"What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the waves obey Him!?" ~Mark 4:41

Trusting in God's power and protection.  Okay, this is my third and final post for today.  I wish you all a lovely second half of 2026 starting tomorrow!!

This = my Write the Word page for today, and it feels like a kind reminder from God!

After writing about being in a wilderness season, this feels encouraging and affirming.

Here's to moving forward and paying attention to the new things God is doing!

❤ ❤ ❤