Thunder Playoff Wins

As most of you probably know, we have season tickets to the Thunder. We faithfully attended game after game, as we got off to our 3-29 season last year. We remember watching loss after loss, and thinking how strange it would be to go to the Ford Center and actually win a game. Well, things have definately changed!!! Thanks to some babysitting from Ursi and Michael (on Thursday) and my mom (on Saturday), we were able to be there for the Thunder's first two playoff victories. The Ford Center was crazy! I have never been to a sporting event quite like this. We've now tied up the series 2-2, and guaranteed another game at the Ford Center next Friday. Go Thunder!!!

Tenth Anniversary

Last weekend, Brent and I celebrated our 10th anniversary. In some ways, I can't believe that we have been married that long, and in other ways, I can't really remember life before Brent. There is something that makes me feel really old, though, to celebrate a 10th anniversary.

We had said for years that we would take a Mediterranean cruise for our 10th anniversary, but we decided to have two babies instead. Though Greece and Italy would have been nice, we have no regrets about the decision. So, we stayed in OKC, and decided to do the things we don't normally do, living here. On Friday night, we went down and ate dinner at Mickey Mantle's. The food was yummy, and I stuffed myself...appetizer, soup, entree, sides and dessert. On Saturday, we went back down to Bricktown, and played the tourists. We rode the canal boats. Both of us were impressed with the improvements that they have done to Bricktown. It had been a while since we had looked around. This Devon Mosaic at the start of the canal is really impressive.

And the land run statues and park area is looking really nice. It made me think that when the weather is a little cooler, I need to take a book and blanket down there and relax.

In addition to the canal boats, we walked around Bricktown, stopped at the new Bricktown Candy Company for a drink, and ate dinner at Zio's. My body was definitely warn out by the end of our adventure...as you can see, I'm carrying around two babies!

It was a very enjoyable weekend, and even more a great time to reflect on how lucky I am to be married to an amazing man, that I still love so much 10 years later. Brent is kind, funny, sensitive, loving, self-sacrificing, and a man of amazing integrity...and I am a very lucky woman!

New Year's Eve

For New Year's Eve, Brent and I went out with Toby and Karla. We went to the Thunder game...and we actually won!!! After the game, we caught Yes Man at the Harkins theatre.
After the movie, we went over to see the ball rise. Yes, in OKC we don't drop the ball we raise it! Interpret how you will.

Afterwards, they have a pretty impressive fireworks show. My iphone doesn't quite capture it, but if you've seen good fireworks before, you get the picture.

All in All a very fun evening.

More Pictures from Our Front Yard

This is apparently a bomb disposal trailer. Again, not exactly what you want to see in your neighborhood.
There is the police car barricading us in.

And there is a pile of junk removed from the (alleged) bomb-maker's house.

Glad We Are Moving! (or Living in an Explosive Neighborhood)

The following series of photos may have you asking yourself some questions, like...

What is that narrow yellow tape streaming from your handrail to the tire of your car?

Why is there a giant tent in your neighbors yard?

Why is the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Bomb Squad-mobile parked directly in front of your house?

Is that a bomb detecting robot across the street?

The answers to these questions and more can be found at:

http://www.newsok.com/man-arrested-okc-residents-evacuated-in-explosives-search/article/3332386?custom_click=lead_story_title

And yes, the picture in that article is also of our two cars. Apparently, the neighbor two doors down has been making bombs in his free time. We woke up this morning to find some cop cars in the street. As the operation became more elaborate, Brent stepped outside to ask if we need be concerned. He was just in time to see the bomb-detecting robot enter our neighbors house. This is not necessarily something anyone wants to see. We were told that they evacuated the next door neighbor, and we could leave if we want, but should be fine. Quite an interesting day!

Thunder's First Win

Couldn't let the Thunder's first win in team history go by without a short post. It was an exciting game on Sunday. Go Thunder!!!

Thunder Opening Night

Tonight was the big night...Oklahoma City's first NBA game with our own team.We were all there, Toby, Karla, Dad, Sherry, Brent and I. If you look closely in the background, you can see Blake Griffen. He happened to be sitting across the aisle from us.
I caught this awesome dunk by Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, these sorts of good plays by the Thunder were few and far between.

Ultimately, we lost by 11 points, which was actually quite a rally from our 20-something deficit.

Despite the loss, it was a ton of fun, and I am so happy that we have pro basketball here in Oklahoma City.

Gas Under $2

I can't believe that gas in OKC is under $2!

Thunder Preseason Game

Last night was the first and only home Thunder preseason game.
Brent and I came decked out in our "Thunderwear."

Here are Toby and Karla and Brent at halftime. My dad was in the row behind us for part of the game, and then he sat with a friend of hours whose tickets are right at midcourt.

During halftime, they had a trampoline slam dunk contest with some of the Thunder spirit guys and just some normal people. It was awesome! The Thunder guys did some impressive dunks, and I don't have any pictures of the "normal people," but some of them came pretty close to seriously injuring themselves. As Brent said, this was a lawsuit waiting to happen. But it was pretty funny.

Well, as you can see by the scoreboard, the Thunder didn't win, but it was still a lot of fun. Hopefully, the results will be better when we get to the regular season.

Good Cheesesteaks in Oklahoma City?

While Brent and I don't miss living in Rhode Island, we do really miss some of the food up there. The Italian is amazing...nothing here compares. The clam chowder is delicious, and you can't find anything like it in Oklahoma City. The pizza is so good, but we finally have Falcone's, which is getting close. The cheesesteaks are superb, and until now there was nothing that was even in the same ballpark. This last Tuesday, we tried a pizza and sub place called Perri's...it's at Penn and Britton. The pizza is good, but the cheesesteaks are amazing!!! Ok, the picture doesn't do it justice. For some reason, pictures of food are never very appetizing, but trust me...it is so yummy!

They are so good, in fact, that we had to go back last night...two trips in one week, and I'm still craving another one.

Relaxing Afternoon at the Myriad Gardens

As those of you who live in Oklahoma City know, today was absolutely beautiful...the kind of day that doesn't come around to0 often in this state that seems to jump from hot to cold, skipping over the "just right." So after going to church and then watching a depressing Vikings game (they are not doing well this year, but that's for another blog entry), I decided to take my book, my journals, my Bible, a bottle of water and blanket down to the Myriad Gardens. It was perfect, this was my view: But the view doesn't capture the perfect sun shining and the breeze blowing. I read, I rested, I wrote, I soaked it up. It was great!

Thunder Season Ticket Holders...Yippee!!!

We were some of the lucky ones that got to get season tickets to the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday. We were hoping to get 8 together...my dad, Toby & Karla, Brent & I and Eric, my stepbrother. For those of you who don't know how the process worked, after they announced that the team was coming to OKC, they gave a number that you could call in to get your name on the list for season tickets. The response was overwhelming, they had over 16,000 people put their name on the list. Of those people, they randomly assigned times to come in a pick out seats. We all put our names on the list, and Toby got the earliest appointment...yesterday at 7:00pm. We all went, but unfortunately they would only let us get 6 tickets. Luckily, Eric knew some others with times today and volunteered to wait, so he got separate tickets today. We are lucky, because it looks like they will be selling out shortly, and a number of the people that called in will not be able to get tickets. :( Here I am sitting in our seats: Just kidding. Apparently, those front row courtside seats, which they call "Hollywood" seats sell for a little over $100,000. Yikes! Our actual seats are shown here. They are lower-level corner seats. They are actually a really good view, we sat in them and tested them out, and a little more reasonable.

I can't wait for October 29th...the season opener. Go Thunder!

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City announced the team name and logo of our new NBA team yesterday. I wouldn't say Thunder is my first choice or that the logo is amazing, but I know that I will warm up to both of them. Brent and I are elated to have an NBA team in OKC. We were able to go to a number of Hornets games with my brother through Chesapeake when they were here, and we were hooked. In fact, here's a pic of Toby and Brent at one of the games.We go next week to pick out our season tickets for the Thunder. Yippee!!!

A new skyscraper in OKC

For those of you who don't know, Devon unveiled plans for a new skyscraper in Downtown OKC today. It's going to be the 21st tallest building in the US. Wow! 925 feet tall - 54 floors. This makes me particularly happy, because when Brent and I moved to Oklahoma, there were two things that he said Oklahoma City needed: 1) A professional sports team and 2) A new skyscraper. At the time, I told him that those things would probably never happen. Now with the (no-longer named) Sonics coming this year and Devon building this tower, I guess Brent got his wishes.