Shoot Straight Sunday

Today I shot a handgun for the very first time in my life.  I am 27 years old and was scared out of my mind.  If you know me, you know I am very paranoid.  I carry pepper spray and am always planning an escape route in the event I'm in a dangerous situation.  (hint: don't ever surprise me, it could get ugly).   I realize it's a problem, I just can't help it.  I've never lived alone and if I do have to spend the night by myself I leave every light in the house on, put my keys and peppery spray on my night stand, have an alarm and a dog.  (I know he's not terrifying but at least he has super hearing skills).  Even though we do not have guns, I figured I better know how to use one in case one of these paranoid scenarios actually happened to me!  I want to know how to use one if I ever need to know.

We went to a place called Shoot Straight in Apokpa.  It is a chain of gun ranges and some mom took her son to one of them last year and ended up shooting her 15 year old son and then herself. I had this thought in the back of my mind the entire time we were there (are you surprised).  We went with a friend of ours, John, who owns a couple guns.  We first went to Wal Mart to pick up some ammo and headed to the range.  Going into the gun range area was pretty intense.  I've never really head a gun fire in person, except at track meets I guess, and 14 other people shooting a gun right around you makes you jump.  It was really loud even with the ear things on.  Every time someone shot I jumped.  I had to get that under control before they put a gun in my hand.  I had no idea how to load the bullets, turn on/off the safety, or push the other button on the left that made it ready to fire.  As soon as the boys did all that for me I just grabbed the gun, aimed, and shot.  The first time was more powerful than I expected, but it was fun.  My hands were so sweaty I kept having to stop to dry them off.  I was scared it would slip out of my hands and I would shot my own leg! 

Here is my target!  I thought I did pretty good considering it was my first time.  The target was probably 15 feet in front of me, but still I managed to hit it!  I was pretty proud of myself. 

I can't remember the kind of gun I shot and Kyle is outside installing a new antenna into the X-terra (don't ask), but I'm sure he could tell you.  Maybe a 22 or 9 something.  Anyway, at least now I know how to pull the trigger of a gun if I ever need to.  And I am pretty sure my right hand and forearm are going to be sore tomorrow!

I can't believe it is almost March!  Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Happy President's Day!

My boss kindly let me work from home today!  I've never had a job where working from home was possible, and it was nice to have a different environment to get some work done.  I had a couple of things to work on and would stop to eat some lunch and take AW outside, and I've enjoyed it!  It is beautiful outside today!  I might take AW for a walk in a little bit.  Kyle is out fishing with a friend.  He's not what I would call a fisherman per say, but hopefully he's having a good time and catching something! 

We had a pretty relaxing weekend for the 3rd weekend in a row but I'm not complaining.  We rarely get weekends like that so we are embracing it until the busy season begins.  Kyle got some tickets through work to attend the Special Olympics Gala at the Gaylord Palms on Saturday night and that was fun to get dressed up and go out!  The dinner and open bar were a great way to spend our Saturday night that would have otherwise been spent with pizza and a movie on the couch.  We did rent Winters Bone on Friday night, but I fell asleep as usual so I can't give you a review on it!  Kyle said it was okay.  I really want to go see Unknown, maybe we can hit up the movies this weekend.

We did start being a support couple at our church for the newly engaged couples wishing to get married at the church.  We completed a training session in November to be a FOCCUS couple, and if you got married in the Catholic church you know what I'm talking about.  The dreaded test that the catholic church makes you take.  But its not meant to be a pass fail system, just a tool to get couples to talk about issues that will come up before and during marriage.  I know Kyle and I by no means have the longevity or experience to tell some kids wanting to get married what it takes to make a marriage work, but I do think we have some experiences and a solid relationship to hopefully help some of them.  Then we got involved with the other marriage prep course - UNITAS.  This program is an 8 week program and we go on Wednesday nights and do some activities and help facilitate conversations at our table with our 2 engaged couples.  It is also a great way for us to get involved and meet other younger couples at our church.  So far we've really enjoyed it.  We got "assigned" our first FOCCUS couple and we get to meet with them 3 times for 2 hours each mono y mono sometime between now and their wedding in the fall.

Other than that we've got a pretty unproductive week, which I am also not complaining about!  I will try to find something interesting to blog about in the mean time I promise!  I am convince that AW honestly does not move from under the covers on the couch from the time we leave to the time we come home.  Such a rough life.

Where's Woof Woof?

I realized that since it has been awhile since I last blogged about sweet Laney Alice, you all are probably wanting an update or at least some pictures of the cutest little girl in the world!  Well here she is today on her 2nd Valentine's day and she couldn't be cuter!  Don't you just want to eat her up!  She looks so big in this picture and I hope the next time I see her she will still let me hold her for a little bit.  

I have always said that being called Aunt Angela is just going to be way too much for a little kid.  This is something I have been a little selfishly worried about since my sister first told me she was pregnant.  My moms name is Anita so all my cousins call her Aunt Nita and it seems to flow quite well.  However, Aunt Gela just doesn't have quite the same ring.  My other sister Amy has turned into may-me which also does the job and is really cute and easy for kids to say.  Me on the other hand, I'm afraid for what my name might be.

She finally said a closer version of Angela, Kyle and Dubbers that last time we skyped and it was wonderful!  But I don't want her to just call me Angela, not that I would mind, but I'd like some distinction as her pretty much favorite an aunt to that sweet little face.  Well Laney was interested in "Woof Woofs" very early on. At one point any thing that resembled an animal was a woof woof.  (she would even make a wfff wfff sound when she got really excited about them).  She once had a very close encounter with my sisters best friends dog and the dog pretty much licked the entire inside of Laney's mouth and she loved it.  So by time Laney was all of 15 months she came out to visit us and I knew her and our woof woof would be instant friends.  As soon as they walked in the door she started playing ball with him and a friendship was born.  AW really loves having little people his own size to pal around with and she would just laugh and giggle when AW would bring her his ball.  Those 2 could have played all day and night.  

When they left Laney gave AW an adorable goodbye kiss and they have missed each other every day since then.  Now when we skype, and it started very subtly at first, Laney asks me "where's woof woof".  It was sweet and easy to ignore for a while.  However, recently as soon as the skype (or facetime) is turned on she is instantly throwing her cute little arms up and throwing out here wrists and exclaiming "wheres woof woof??"  Sometimes is so loud and that is all she is saying I have a hard time talking to my sister, but I don't mind.  It is just so cute.  One time before she could even see me, she could only hear me and kept asking where's woof woof.  So now, I have to hold up AW and let her give him a kiss every time we skype.  She will get really close to the screen and give him a big ole kiss! 

I'm pretty sure you all know where this is going now.  I am now Aunt Woof Woof.  and you know what, I'll take it!  Since the day she was born I always said I want her to know who we are and be as close to us as she is with the rest of her family that luckily lives down the road.  And just knowing that she recognizes us - even if just as woof woofs parents- I will embrace it.  I got to facetime with her for a second tonight and she cheerfully asked where's woof woof, then out of no where she said "Where's Dubbers?"  Be. Still. My. Heart.  the cutest words that girl has ever said. and she says some pretty stinkin cute stuff.

And here is Laney with the "pretty" (bow in Laney jibberish) that we got her for Valentine's day.  Of course there's a cute little owl on it I just can't resist. 

I know one day she won't remember the cute things she said when she was little, but I fully intend on reminding her!  I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's day!  We love all of you!

Love,

Aunt woof woof, Uncle woof woof, and Mr. woof woo

Fridays just aren't what they use to be!

Well we are officially in for the night! Just thought everyone would love to know our hot valentines day weekend plans.  We went to dinner at 4 Rivers (just like we did last Friday night) but this time we decided to spice things up a bit and got a red velvet cupcake!!  Then we ran to the store mainly to get firewood and they were out!  It's getting down to the 40's tonight around here and people are preparing for "cold weather".  I love that the 40's is a cold front!  So we went down the road to another Publix (I could write an entire post on how much I love that grocery story chain...and I just might one day) and they were out too!  Off to Lowes we went for firewood.  We are finally home after what we thought would be a pretty inexpensive evening and didn't turn out that way.  Now we are going to cuddle on the couch with our fire roaring and snuggling dog to watch...2 horror movies.  Nothing says I love on Valentines weekend like 2 horror movies.  He's so thoughtful isn't he.  But after driving around town just to get me firewood (it's either that or turn on the heater in here god for bid) I realize it doesn't really matter what kind of movie it is I am going to fall asleep during it anyways!  I'm always afraid of holding a glass of red wine during scary movies because I usually jump and scream at some point and will for sure spill it somewhere.  So I have to just take a sip and put it back on the coffee table before things get out of control. 

We are venturing to Sea World tomorrow which is a park we haven't done since we moved here so we're pretty excited to see it.  The main reason we're going...Huey Lewis and the News are playing and Kyle has not to secretly always wanted to go see them.  I love when he plays the Huey Lewis and the News pandora station right before bed.  He just can't turn it off.  It's one great song after the other.  He will finally get to see them tomorrow! 

It was actually 2 years ago this very weekend that we flew to Orlando to find a place to live.  It's so funny to drive around now and remember how lost we were when we first moved here.  That seems like forever ago.  Here is us 2 years ago playing putt putt after we found our townhome! 

Hope everyone has a happy and wonderful Valetine's Day weekend!!!  We LOVE all of you so much! 


Love,
Us

Blog blog blog, type type type blog blog blog gossip gossip gossip...


Angela's watching "The Good Wife". I hijacked the Blog. Hope all is well with everyone.

Signed- A.W.
(Via Kyle)

3 month recap

Well hello there!  I can't lie, I haven't even thought about blogging in months, but something (probably watching the social network last night...) made me want to go back and re read some of my posts last night.  I realized that even if NO one is reading this blog (and I doubt anyone is still out there), it is so fun to go back and read my own posts!  Not in a selfish, self indulging way, but to remember things that we did and people who came to visit us.  There's something about putting it all down that is so much more meaningful then trying to remember everything in pictures.  So alas, my 3rd or 4th time to try to get faithfully back on the blogging bandwagon.  We'll see how long this stint lasts.

So since my last blog in November we went back to Tulsa for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time visiting family and friends.  We got to meet sweet baby Elizabeth, our friends Bill and Paige's little girl and had an early birthday celebration for Kyle.  We realized we had been to the Lighting at Utica for the last 4 years in a row and was probably our longest running holiday tradition!  December 4th was Kyles 28th birthday and it just so happened to be the last ever Big 12 Championship game in the last ever conference game between OU and Nebraska and the Sooners pulled it off!  Best. birthday. ever for my husband.

It was our second Christmas in Orlando and we were ridiculously spoiled by our families who I am convinced are just trying to bribe us to move back home ;-)  Our dentist (who we were buying Magic tickets from) insisted that we come over to his house and hang out with his family on Christmas Eve.  It was very thoughtful and we had a great time.  Then on Christmas day we went to the Magic vs Celtics game!  It was a very different but fun way to spend Christmas.  I figure there won't be too many Christmas that we can go to an NBA game.

Kyle's brother Kris came and visited for about a week after christmas through new years.  We went to the Capital One Bowl game and then watched the Sooners win the Orange Bowl that night!  It was an exhausting week, but we had a great time! 

Perhaps the biggest news is that my sister Amy got engaged to Dennis and our family is thrilled for them!  Their big day is 10/22/11 in Dallas so I'll be planning some trips home for showers and of course the big day.  I can not wait to stand next to my sister as she gets married!  It's going to be an exciting year.

Lastly, my forever roomie from college, Megan came and visited a couple weekends ago and I was glad she could get out of the coldy and snowy Midwest to come see us!  We showed her around Orlando and we even did things around town that we haven't done before (went to Bösendorfer Lounge at the Grand Bohemian, hit up the farmers market downtown, finally got a group to go see THE Mark and Lorna).  We don't always get to spend a lot of time with Megan during our quick and jam-packed weekends in Tulsa so it was nice to have a weekend with her all to myself! She can always make me laugh alot!  

The end of January we went down to Key West to surprise Anna for her 30th birthday and it was paradise.  Kyle has been dying to go down there since we moved and it's just too close not to go!  It was not as relaxing as I thought it would be, Key West is a party town, but we had a great time and got to meet some new wonderful people!

Alright, that's my quick recap.  I will try to blog at least once a week.  I'm setting a realistic goal okay!  Hope everyone out there in bloggy land is doing wonderful!  


Love,
Mr. and Mrs. P