Pre-Game

Kristin and I left around 1:30 to head to Tulsa on Saturday... going straight to the Cox Business Center for the Race Expo and Packet Pickup... get excited!! ;-)

I was actually pretty happy to see these medals for this year's race... most of mine from past races are smaller and round, but these are big and glittery and kinda extra in a good way! lol

After Emily's shower, I always think about how much these balloon displays cost.  They do several of them for this event!  I'm gonna vote that they reroute that $$ toward better packets and better signs marking the path along the race path next year!!

Thankfully, Kristin snapped this photo of the enlarged course map at packet pickup.  She was sending it to Frankie to give him an idea of where to park, but we used it mannnny times along the way to figure out where to turn and/or what mile marker we were at (they'd taken down some of those signs before we got there).  

Kristin had it on a list of places she wanted to see, and I had just seen Sarah's video that morning, so we stopped by Roosevelt's just to see the Christmas decor!

It did not disappoint - very fun atmosphere!  Mom and I will have to visit it sometime soon!

We had dinner at The Brook and I sent this pic to Rach and Kyndal. lol  Different foods hit very differently post-surgery, and like 3-4 bites of this is incredibly filling.  I put the leftovers in what I thought was a fridge in our hotel room, but the mac n' cheese and my bottled water were both very frozen. lol #lamesauce

Other than that and the pillows, our stay at The Renaissance Hotel was nice...

After checking in, we grabbed dessert at the Big Dipper... I had been off sweets when the fam went there in September, so I was happy to finally try it!

Yay! ❤

We both loved it - my choices were extreme cookies n' cream, Christmas tree cake, and pony boy (sweet cream + brownies and chocolate)!

Meanwhile, Rach and the kids went with Dad to the final OSU home game that afternoon!  Fun times!!

We ended the night with the Barden Bellas, going to bed a little early to be ready for our 6am wakeup call and RACE DAY!!  (See next post.)

Happy Monday and Happy Thanksgiving Week!!

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Parrish Pics!

Whilst I was recovering from my 5th Half Marathon, Mom was taking a few pics of Rach and the Parrish kids on a rooftop in downtown OKC!! ❤

T-man, Cowboy Carter, Jace Michael, and Miss Kyndal Faith!

(Jace has been taking horse-riding lessons with Carter lately, so he's embracing the cowboy look here too!)

My niece and nephews have been through a lot, and they're all resilient and loved by God and have bright futures ahead of them!  Love them all!! ❤

Rach with J&K

Rach with T&C

Everyone together!

It was a crazy windy day all day, so we may try this again on a less chaotic weather day, but I think several of them turned out pretty good either way!

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Quotables!

Rach:  "But as far as putting the (outdoor Christmas lights) up, was it hard?"
"Like, could I do it?"
"Lol those may be 2 diff questions!"
Me:  

"TATE'S NOT HAVING A TURN!!" -Parker Elizabeth ❤, passionately reporting this critical news every time Tate did something that looked interesting/fun to her for more than 3 seconds without sharing lol

Chet (on the Minnie-backpacks):  "Well, the rose gold is more year-round!  I see red, and I think: Christmas!!"

Me:  "Yeaaah, I get that.  But I see red, and I think... year-round!!" lol

(Group text early in the trip...)

JEM:  How was today? Fav ride?

Chet:  Remove work and add Disney. lol

(When Bill shared some of his breakfast steak...)

Melissa:  "Nooo, get this off my plate - I don't want it!  I'm done."

(Finally takes a bite...)

Melissa:  "Oh, that's gooood!  Do you have any potatoes to go with it!?"

Me:  "How's the waffle?"

Karli:  "Here, you can try some!"

Chet:  "Oh, nooo!  Your fork touched that one - you need to get it from this one - and WAIT - here, use a clean fork!"

Me:  "Oh gosh, that's so extra."

Chet:  "AM I WRONG!??  (Short pause)  I'm not wrong."

Me:  "Yeah, you're not wrong." lol

"How far apart are they!?"  -Town Tavern waitress, asking about the kids' ages

"Mmm, not far enough!"  -Karli, as they were seated next to each other arguing over the magnetic checkers lol

Safari Tour Guide, Animal Kingdom:  "They're actually the second most social animals on earth.  Do you know the most social animals!?  I'll give you a hint: There are several of them on this bus... that's right - humans!

Me, kinda under my breath:  "Nooooot animals."

Chet, feigning anger:  "Made in the image of God!!"

Parker E:  "Winsey, I need this and this!" (pointing at my necklace and sparkly headband)

I ignored that as we were on a short bus ride at NASA, and I wasn't sure I'd get them back easily... so she spoke up a bit and touched them for dramatic effect.

Parker:  "I need your necklace and your HAIR CROWN!!"

Me:  (while giving them to her) "Ohmygosh, I LOVE it - I am calling headbands that from now on!" lol

Me:  "My watch said it was over 10.5 miles and 27,000 steps."

Chet:  "Of course, 3 miles of that was Lindsey walking around the lake in the wrong direction!"

Me:  "100% accurate!" lol

*My free coffee from Joffrey's when I finally stopped for directions after seeing the Epcot ball and knowing that wasn't right. lol  Really nice of them, but sadly, I'm still not a coffee fan!

"I could see y'all were getting close - THANK YOU to Karli for sharing her location since Chet adamantly refuses!!" -Me

"Honestly, I didn't even realize what was happening there. I just thought you were sharing yours." -Chet Lee

"Well, I did that too - I just thought it would be helpful through this trip, and I'm glad Karli agreed!  The first time, I figured you just hadn't seen it, but the second time, I thought: Okay, he is hard-ignoring this." -Me

"Oh - I just didn't understand what it was." -Chet

"But if he had understood, he would've hard-ignored it!" -Karli lol

"Mmhmmm." -Me

"Yeah... I don't share my location!" -Chettles

Judge: "Well, in the State of Oklahoma --"

Sov. Citizen Defendant:  "Hold on - how can someone live in the state of Oklahoma?  See, I can only live in a state of MIND!"

(Completely serious and a bit arrogant, and it was hard for me not to laugh through that whole convo!)

Frodo: "I wish none of this had happened."
Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." ❤

Thankful Thursday #215!

"I will praise God's name in song
and glorify Him with thanksgiving!"

~Psalm 69:30

Today, I am grateful to God for...

1.  A fun night with Kristin at the Thunder game last night!  Because we ❤ sports. lol  (Dad was given Club-level tickets and kindly gifted them to us - thankful for that!!) 

(Bought a new hoodie just for this game + changed to my clear purse at the last minute, so I'm repping OKC and OSU... and Chet with a couple fans in there!)

2.  Our weekly family dinners... where Jace showed me that he can do pull-ups now - yay, working out and training with Neal! 

3.  Tucker's cheeseburgers... not the prettiest photo, but yum. lol  I've embraced the grilled onions (lite) + lettuce and tomato, and the 2/3rds of it I was able to eat was really good!

4.  All the bright red/orange fall trees - they make me happy!  Also thankful for this nice view outside my office window at work!

5.  Cute and cozy PJs from Sunshine Sisters (in my Art of Animation hotel room with Prince Eric here)!

6.  The Big Boo live show... watched it on Youtube while packing up at Disney World.  Love Melanie and Sophie and Beth and Retha and Ree (Pioneer Woman).  Love their families and their friendships and their entertaining podcast and Christmas gift guide!!

7.  A fun night having dinner at Pei Wei + seeing Mrs. Doubtfire at the Tulsa PAC with the Wilsons and Teresa!!  I somehow wasn't expecting a musical, but the songs were really well done (posting my favorite below - poignant lyrics about kids processing a divorce while keeping it somewhat upbeat and in tune with the show).  

Okay, that's all I have for now.
Happy Thursday - only one week away from Thanksgiving!
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Reading Rainbow

1.  Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard

Long recommended by John Eldredge, I was happy to finally read a full book by Dallas Willard (the textbook for my Spiritual Formation class).  *This one is  actually a free download on Audible - highly recommend it for anyone seeking to grow in their walk with God!

QUOTE:  “Truly becoming one who wills above all to act with the kingdom of God and to have His kind of goodness… is not as far away as many would suppose... The renovation of the heart, putting on the character of Christ, is the unfailing key.  It will provide for human life all the blessing that money, talent, education, and good fortune in this world cannot begin to supply."

2.  How to Age Disgracefully, a novel by Clare Pooley

A fascinating group of strangers gradually become friends and band together to save their community center.  Another book with rich, multi-generational friendships and quirky plot twists and people who move from victim mentality to standing up for themselves as they develop healthy friendships... yes, please!  Love Clare Pooley and all three of her books thus far!!

QUOTE:  “I prefer my friends to have experience, wisdom, and a few guilty secrets.” ~Daphne

3.  Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance

An enthralling memoir about our Vice President-Elect's difficult childhood and inspiring early adult life (*language warning, for the record).  From being raised in a very dysfunctional family system to joining the Marine Corps (my favorite section - very transformational) to meeting his wife at Yale, a number of factors would indicate that God was preparing him for a leadership role.  His background gives him a well-rounded, calm confidence and a unique ability to relate to people from many walks of life, so I'm praying he can offer discreet wisdom to our more egocentric leaders and be a voice of unity in a divided country.  He is my age, which seems especially crazy, and he has overcome a great deal to be where he is today.  His political trajectory has been rapid, and I hope/pray he continues to grow and learn and move forward with dignity!

QUOTE:  “Though he was a Captain, eight pay grades higher than I was, because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there was no ready replacement when he got the ax.  For the next nine months, until my service ended, I would be the Media Relations Officer for one of the largest military bases on the East Coast... We discussed how to build relationships with the press, how to stay on message, how to manage my time.  I got better, and the experience taught me a valuable lesson: that I could do it.  I could speak clearly and confidently with TV cameras shoved in my face.  I could stand in a room with Majors, Colonels, and Generals and hold my own.  I could do a Captain's job, even when I feared I couldn't.  For all of my grandma's efforts, the message had only partially set in before I enlisted.  Surrounding me was another message - that I and the people like me weren't good enough.  That the reason Middletown produced zero Ivy League graduates was some genetic or character defect.  I couldn't possibly see how destructive that mentality was until I escaped it.  The Marine Corps replaced it with something else, something that loathes excuses...  In the Marines, giving it your all was a way of life.  I'm not saying ability doesn't matter.  It certainly helps.  But there is something powerful about realizing that you've undersold yourself - that somehow, your mind confused lack of effort for nobility.  This is why whenever people ask me what I'd most like to change about the white working class, I say: 'The feeling that our choices don't matter.'  The Marine Corps excised that feeling like a surgeon does a tumor." ❤

4.  Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health by Casey Means, M.D.

Amy from CCU recommended this one.  The author's mother died of pancreatic cancer, and she is writing about the value of healthy lifestyle choices to prevent and reverse medical problems.  Her theology is off, but her health advice is solid and has a lot of heart behind it.  Among other things, this book inspired me to learn about my lab numbers and to purchase and wear a CGM (continual glucose monitor) for a couple of months to learn how specific food choices, stress levels, and sleep schedule affect my blood sugar and how much small changes (like a 5-10 minute post-meal walk) make a positive impact!

Quote:  “I deeply respect doctors, but I want to be very clear on something: at every hospital in the United States, many doctors are doing the wrong things, pushing pills and interventions when an ultra-aggressive stance on diet and behavior would do far more for the patient in front of them.”

5.  How to Grow Your Small Business: A 6-Step Plan to Help Your Business Take Off by Donald Miller

Not super applicable right now, but one that I will definitely come back to if ever I choose to branch out and start my own practice.  I wholeheartedly trust Don's business advice and appreciate that he sets out very clear steps to follow!

QUOTE:  “Until you professionalize your operation, its potential is limited.  The amount of money you make and your ability to have a positive impact on the world will be limited."

6.  Master the Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide for Women by Ali Nolan

A book by an Olympic female runner for all female runners, beginners and experts alike.  She covers training plans, the importance of nutrition and strength training, avoiding injuries, choosing the best marathon for you, recovering well, and building up your mental resilience.  It was motivating and practical, and it made me feel determined to *finish* this goal I set way back in 2012!

Quote:  “Women shouldn't follow the exact same training regimen as men. We need programs tailored to our bodies - to our unique strengths and weaknesses... My hope is that this book will guide you through the entire marathon process... Give yourself time. This is a process that will affect your whole life and will result in positive change, if you let it."

Thankful for each of these books and what I've learned from them.  And very thankful for Audible making it possible for me to read over 30 books so far this year!!

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A Christmas Surprise!

While I was away, Mom came to my house at least once a day to work on the Christmas decor.  Kristin joined her twice to help with everything... very thankful for all their hard work!!  (Side note: Just booked a hotel room at the Tulsa Renaissance for Kristin and I this weekend - yay!)

Mom was there to greet me, and it was a fun surprise to see all of this when I got home late Friday night... loving the new fireplace look!!

Pulled back a little to see the tree and fireplace together... Mom got some new flocked garland along with the new ribbon and gold curlicue stuff from Amber Marie and the glass ornaments underneath the mantel.  All really pretty!

A new Christmas look for my front porch bench, courtesy of Rachael LaJo!  Love it!!

Pulled back a bit to see the front porch decor! =)

Mud bench - they added new Christmas stuff on top + a new flower pot with Christmas lights + the "For unto you" Christmas verse (Mom had me calligraphy that for her, me, Melissa, and Mrs. Garner. lol) + new decor in the boxes above and below the mud bench!

Cute Nutcracker painted by Rach, new flocked garland and small mirror wreath from Mom, Amber Marie bow on the bigger wreath, and ribbon behind my white picture to add more color (because white is not a color according to my Mom. lol)

New ornaments under the bar - fun!  ...And my new backpack, but we've covered that. ;-)

With every artistic project (drawing, decorating, painting, calligraphy, photography, slideshows, writing, songwriting, etc.), most people generally enjoy/appreciate the end result but grossly underestimate the time it took to get there.  It requires more than just artistic talent - it's the willingness to invest loads of time and energy into creating something beautiful.  I understand that every part of this involved a lot of work and trying different things until they got it just right, and I'm grateful they put in the time and effort to make it a lovely Christmas wonderland! ❤

Song of the Week = Moving by Ed Sheeran

Love it!  This entire album is top notch, written when he was in a season of grief - this song is clearly grieving a dismissive avoidant, so I'm familiar.  Borderline, End of Youth, Eyes Closed, Salt Water, and Life Goes On from that album are all poignant and great music for a rainy day!  Visiting Hours and Supermarket Flowers from his other albums are also excellent for anyone processing grief.  I just adore Ed - a deep thinker who writes thoughtful lyrics on the intense joy, love, anger, and sadness of life.

Speaking of rain, huzzah for finally getting to wear this cute raincoat I bought for my Florida trip. lol  Thankful for no rain while we were there, but also thankful for the gray skies, cooler weather, and rain to accompany this first Monday back at work.  It feels appropriately melancholy and goes with my choice of music for today. lol

Okay, byeee.  Hope your week is off to a good start!

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(7) Celebration!!

Disney 2024, Part 7: Trip Finale & Flight Home

On our final day in Florida, Melissa brought me some leftover muffins from our Character Breakfast that I snacked on while packing up my things at our hotel.  The Wilson fam came to pick us up around 9:30, and we all went to see the Cars section of our hotel, then went back to Donetta‘s to hang out as the Wilsons finished packing up.  Side note, but I was very impressed with Karli's packing skills and how much they fit into a small space, including protein powder and creatine and their Disney store purchases, etc.  Another side note, but I learned that Chet sends Donetta flowers every November to acknowledge the anniversary of her first date with Richard, as well as Richard’s death in 2020 - I love his thoughtfulness in things like that, going out of his way to help and care for the people he loves!

Okay, so from Donetta‘s house, we went to the Town Tavern restaurant in Celebration, Florida.  Did I mention that Donetta lives in a town called Celebration on a street named Celebration Avenue?  So fun!  I would let go of the tree-themed street name dream to have an address that joyful.  It's a very cute town, or "creepily perfect" as Chet phrased it. lol

Our lunch with Donetta, Debbie, Ava, Teresa, and our Disney crew was a lot of fun!  Teresa and I split the sliders appetizer, and Chet and Karli were excited about the lobster chowder.

I insisted on getting a few photos of the Wilson fam with Donetta, so we walked across the street to get some pictures by Jeffrey Edward’s favorite lake in celebration!  I’ve heard Chet talk about Donetta a lot as his favorite aunt, but haven’t seen many photos of them together, so I wanted to add a few on this trip.  After lunch, I rode with Donetta and Teresa to the airport, and we picked up Erin, Ava's older sister, on our way. It was good to meet Erin and get to know Donetta more through the course of this trip!

Photo break... Cars pics of the kids with GiGi and Gramps!

Lunch pics at Town Tavern

And lake pics!

Teresa, Donetta, and Debbie 
(Chet's mom, aunt, and cousin)

Lake selfie

Airport pics...

The airport was a bit of a hot mess nightmare, reminiscent of round one.  I told Chet perhaps this is why I tend to love airports and he doesn’t.  I was quickly aware that my usual experience of people watching happy greetings (Love Actually style) while rolling a small suitcase and listening to my music or sitting down for a quick snack is a very different experience than the Wilsons working to get two large suitcases + folding up the double stroller and divvying up all the bags it was holding + a large car seat bag + Teresa's luggage and a wheelchair for her + helping two little kids navigate their way through security... it's a lot, and I applaud their patience!  

I sat between Chet and Teresa on the flight home.  Chet watched Pirates of the Caribbean and talked with us a bit while I edited/narrowed the final two days of my photos (yaaaay - that always takes forever, so having a 2.5 hour stretch to work on it was helpful) and Teresa worried about the grandkids and offered comforting snacks. lol

We had a smooth nonstop Allegiant flight home, and after a lengthy wait on our luggage at baggage claim, we went back to our cars where I was parked across from the Wilson van.  I knew I would see all of them again on the very next day when I came back to Tulsa for Mrs. Doubtfire.  What a gift their friendship is to me!!  In the same way that the NYC tour with Tom Orzo forever changed my perspective on New York City, this trip gradually changed my view of Disney World, and I'm thankful for that!  It's still a lot of work and way too much walking and hotter than it should be in November, and NYC still feels aggressive and semi-claustrophobic to me... but I'm able to appreciate more of the beauty and notice details I was missing before, and there's a lot to be said for that!

Karli and I both have childhood memories of family vacations featuring long drives to Disney with a combo TV/VCR plugged into the cigarette lighter. lol  Chet Lee's first Disney trip was as a married adult with the Weatherford fam, and he's been a Disney fan ever since!  He particularly appreciates the fireworks and the "song about dreams coming true," inspired by Walt Disney's pursuit of big dreams that brought people together!  I am thankful to understand more of the heart behind his love of Disney and the desire to create great memories for his kids, and I'm thankful for the perspective shift on my end and that I didn't give away my Park-Hopper passes! lol

2017 pic at Chet's office with his famous Disney fireworks painting!

Okay, I'm legitimately tired, and I still have homework I must focus on later today, but I wanted to write these posts while this is all fresh on my heart...

Fair thee well, Disney World. ❤

Hope to see you again soon!

In closing, here's an 8-minute slideshow of our trip to an instrumental Disney medley!  It's decidedly one of the cheesiest things I've ever made with the Disney gif at the beginning and them waving goodbye at the end, which means it's also one of my favorite things ever!! lol

 

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