Alayna - A Working Woman

So here is a follow up on the job interview from about 10 days ago. It has a job at McLoud Junior High School teaching a class called Leadership, and coaching jr. high fast pitch softball, slow pitch softball, basketball, and high school pom squad. So after discussing it and taking the weekend to think about it, I called the Athletic Director last Monday and said it was just too big of a time commitment for me right now, since the school is 40 minutes away, that would be a lot of after school games, and it's Blaine's first year of Dental School.

Then the next day (last Tuesday), the Superintendent called and asked me how hard of a "no" it was. It turns out that he's in the bishopric of another ward in a little country town nearby. So we kind of made a connection over that and he got me re-interested in the job because he said he could take away the softball coaching responsibilities, which would free up a lot of after school time. And he kept reiterating that I "would have a very understanding boss."

So I thought about it for a week and called the Athletic Director back this morning and told him I would accept. It will be good money, insurance for both me and Blaine, good experience, and fun! Now I need to work out all the formalities, get my CDL bus driving license, change my teaching license to Oklahoma, and start choreographing some routines. Can't wait to get my sparkle studded "Coach Baker" hoodie with the school logo on the back ;) Go Redskins! In the fall, Blaine won't have school on Fridays, so he's going to sleep in and study on Fridays and then come to all the home and away football games with me on Friday nights. I'll have some early mornings, but it will work out. I think it will be a memorable year.

45th Infantry Museum

OKC has a TON of museums that we are excited to explore. (Also a TON of churches and banks) Anyways, before Blaine started school, we explored the 45th Infantry Museum two times. Its really close to our house and its free, run by veteran volunteers. It had artifacts from every single war imaginable, dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War. Its pretty amazing.

This mirror was hanging in Adolf Hitler's bedroom. I was pretty fascinated but pretty creeped out by it.  It was interesting to see, but looking at myself in it kind of made me feel uncomfortable. It was the mirror such a dark person looked into everyday. In the reflection is Hitler's cloak and a banner that was hanging at his grave.

I thought this was really cool! Its a letter from President Roosevelt to the soldiers in World War II. I used to really really like FDR, but once Abbie told me he had cheated on his wife, my adoration diminished.  

Inside a fighter pilot. I've always liked these because of my dad... and Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards in Top Gun.

I forgot whose desk this is, but its some Generals. Ha, sorry for the lack of detail. 

Outside the museum,  they have a bunch of tanks, helicopters, planes, and military jeeps.

More miscellaneous items from Hitler's place. 

Boys II Men and 98 Degrees Concert

Last night was our first time in the Chesapeake Energy Arena where the OKC Thunder play.

Blaine and I (and a lot of women of all ages) went to go see some 90's boy bands, complete with synchronized dance moves and dancing with microphone stands. I saw that they were coming to OKC a couple months ago when I was living in Provo, but I didn't push it too much because New Kids on the Block was the headliner and I know probably two of their songs, so it wasn't worth the money.

But then I found someone here who couldn't go anymore and was selling her tickets for half price! So I couldn't resist that deal ;) We were on the top row (where we usually are at a concert) but the arena didn't seem to be that big to me, and the stage was in the center of the court, instead of the back. So I could actually see pretty well, but it was the hearing that was the problem.

I have reasons to believe that everyone skipped soundcheck. I don't know if the crowd was unusually loud and disruptive or their mics weren't very loud, but it could very well have been both.

Boys II Men came on first and they were my favorite. I knew all the words to all their songs and they were workin the crowd. When they sang "I'll Make Love to You," rose petals fell from the ceiling and they threw roses out to the crowd. Haha, I appreciated the effort.

98 Degrees was next and they were Blaine's favorite. I wish they would've stayed to the classics, but they mixed in a couple new ones for their big come back. At one point they said it was getting really hot in there, so they all got in their wife beaters and grabbed 4 girls from the audience (and by girls, I mean 30-50 year old moms) and sang to them. Haha one lady was holding her phone on her lap and taking pictures while they were right in front of her, holding her hand, and on bended knee. It was pretty funny.

Then New Kids on the Block came out, and as the headliners, they had all the pyrotechnics. The stage went up and down and spun and everything. We stayed for probably half of their set, but the music wasn't very good and they just kept going on and on and on about how they still got it after 25 years. I told my dad that they were bugging me because they were acting like they were so sexy even though they're like 50 years old, and he was like, "What do you mean? Are you saying 50 year olds can't be sexy?"

Hahaha, silly dad. There was one NKOTB guy that must've worked really really hard on his abs, because anytime he had a solo or some camera time, all he would do is lift up his shirt and rub his 6-pack. So between that and the distorted, unfamiliar music, Blaine and I decided to jet out a little early. We were already downtown in Bricktown, so we walked around a little and got some food. There was a couple street preachers passing out flyers and talking to groups of people. Oh, and there were a lot of bike riders with those carriages attached to their bikes that people were hiring to take them back to their cars and stuff.

Chips and Queso at Fuzzys. Not quite as amazing as Moe's

After we ate, we thought about seeing a movie at the theatre next door, but decided not to. So we headed home and were there within 10 minutes, avoiding all the traffic since we don't have to take the freeway to get home. All in all, it was a good night together :) Blaine said that country music is still is favorite, and we decided that Rascal Flatts or Luke Bryan will be our next concert--whoever comes first ;) Toby Keith, a fellow Oklahoma resident, along with a bunch of other country singers are doing a benefit concert for those affected by the tornadoes, which sold out in about a day. But Wicked is coming in September...?!?!?! ;)

Week 3 in OKC

On Monday, I had kabobs ready hot off the grill by the time Blaine came home. Then he went back to that investigator's house with the missionaries and had a nice visit with them. Meanwhile, I was making homemade fruit by the foot.

Then on Tuesday we had dinner with some new friends. My cousin in Salt Lake told us that his friend was coming to OU Dental School for his orthodontic residency. And then we met said friend and his wife in our ward on Sunday! They actually live in our same complex and invited us over for dinner on Tuesday. I offered to bring something, so she said I could cover the salad, and I made a knock-off version of Zupas' Nuts About Berries.

We spent 3 hours at their place, just talking and playing games. We're 2 pretty competitive couples, so I'm sure there are many more games in store for us. We had never played Sequence, so we only won one out of four games, so we said that next time we'd pick the game and have home field advantage.

Then tonight we had the OTHER set of missionaries over and then Blaine went to an appointment with them later on. I think we'll be done with weeknight activities for a while. We've made a lot of friends and have enjoyed some fun things, but we'll save all that for the weekends for a while so Blaine can have enough time to study and relax. And then party hard on the weekends.

For example, this weekend we are going to the 98 degrees/Boys II Men concert!!!!! O-o-o-o! ;) Can't wait. Blaine even admitted that he was looking forward to it.

This is the creamsicle pie I made for the missionaries. It has to be made a day ahead of time so it can freeze, but last night Blaine and I decided that we should eat it :) So I made a half-batch of chocolate chip oat cookies and sent the leftovers with the Elders.

Sunday Scorpions and Settlers

Sunday after church and our nap, we went over to our friends Jon and Darlene's house with our friend Tim to celebrate Jon's birthday. We had taco salad and fruit pizza and even played Settlers of Catan. Blaine and Jon usually don't like board games, so thats saying something. I had never played before but have heard a lot of people talk about it. It was pretty fun though, except that I lost horribly.

Oh, and the way I got Blaine up from our nap was by making him kill this thing off of our bedroom floor... a scorpion!!

The picture is not so great because I didn't want to get too close.