4th of July Weekend

Anyone who knows me knows that I love America and I love a reason to celebrate. But the last 2 years, Independence Day has been a bit of let down. Last year, Blaine took the DAT on July 5th, making July 4th a final study session, with fireworks and Cafe Rio at night time. This year we were supposed to have some out of town visitors, but they weren't able to make it. So we watched the fireworks in Edmond with another couple. Edmond is just about 10 minutes north of us where our ward is. CNN and USA Today named the Edmond Liberty Fest as one of America's top 10 places to celebrate the 4th.

The traffic was SO HORRIBLE. Our friends said it took them an hour and a half to make the 15 minute trip home. After about 30 minutes of not moving, we just parked and went into IHOP to wait out the traffic... and it worked. I loved my red velvet patriotic pancakes :)

Then Saturday night we had a BBQ with another couple  and then drove 35 minutes east to McLoud for their Blackberry Festival. The faithful followers will know, but for everyone else, McLoud is the town that I will be teaching and coaching in this school year. Blaine had never seen it so I was excited that he could check it out. He said the Blackberry Festival was just like Logger Days in Libby. It was petty much a little fair with a big fireworks show. We were all making jokes that we needed to scope out anyone that looked like they were of age and recruit for the basketball and dance team. "Maybe you should put down that footlong corndog and go jog a lap!"
Here are some pictures of what it was like. Note: the boys were happier than they appear in some photos ;)

Note the Red Solo Cup... Cake ;) Proud home of Toby Keith. Can ya tell?

 

hand washing station... complete with foot pump

Okie Old Time Root Beer. It was super cute :)

lots of camo and, of course, the flag

Fried S'mores, Fried Oreos, all that was familiar. But Fried Bologna? Thats an Oklahoma only delicacy

Then today at church, Blaine substitute taught the 12-14 year olds. One of the girls told me that my husband was a maniac. I was like, girl please. tell me something i don't know ;)

New Design

Have you noticed the new design and title of our blog? This is a little overdue, but special thanks and shout out to Bri Rios for helping me! She married Blaine's best friend Ryan, so we've become good friends too. She has such a cute blog and knows way more about these things than I do. It's called Breezy Days if you want to check it out: http://breezydaysblog.blogspot.com/

IHS Scholarship

Yesterday, Blaine text me and asked me to call the Indian Health Services Scholarship lady to get an update on when they would be letting the recipients know. Originally they said Spring, then June, and still no word. So I called and she said probably about 2 more weeks, but then we got to talking and it turns out that her grandparents lived in a town near Libby. She said she wasn't supposed to tell me, but she did, in fact, end up telling me that they would be funding Blaine!!! That means that they will pay for his tuition and all of his educational expenses, plus a generous monthly living stipend. In return, he will work as a dentist on an indian reservation for 4 years. But we get to choose where, and there are reservations all over the country!

So after that, I text Blaine back with part of the story and said, "she said 2 more weeks" and he didn't think of it again. So when he came home, I had a treasure hunt ready and waiting for him to share the good news.

So he (correctly) headed to the kitchen, thinking it was just a clever way to say "Dinners ready." But actually, he found another blue sticky note on the peanut butter jar, and proceeded from clue to clue. 

The final clue was on the tv screen and he was so surprised, which made it extra fun. He had believed that it would really take 2 more weeks to hear anything, so I successfully surprised him! Congratulations, you handsome and smart, half Native American man! 

Blaine's 1st Dental School Test

Blaine had his first dental school test on Monday. He studied a lot last week and the majority of the weekend. I even tried to help quiz him on some stuff, but I hated having to look at the pictures of cadavers.

He went to school with his carpool around noon, took the test, and then played basketball at the health center. Once he got home, we ate dinner and watched the Bachelorette and bet on who would be leaving. We both know its dramatic and awkward, but we both enjoy it... no matter what Blaine might say ;)

Then, because he didn't have to go to school until 11 this morning, we decided to go check out the dollar theatre. Apparently there are two, but the one we went to last night was pretty cool. It was inside a small mall (similar to Bloomington and/or Kalispell's, for my various readers). There were only 4 other people in the theatre with us, and only 6 rows in the entire theater (so about 30 seats). The floor tilted backward and there was a little stage right under the screen. The seats, complete with red fabric, tipped backwards in the intimate setting. It felt like a mini planetarium or one of those virtual rides.

the view from our seats

We saw Oblivion with Tom Cruise, and it was pretty interesting. Good enough for $2.00 :)

Then today at school he found out that he got a 93% on his test!! Woot woot! Apparently at school someone came in to talk to the class about how they need to step it up. I guess a bunch of people didn't do well. I think BYU was very well prepared on how to study and do well on tests like these, unlike others of his classmates. So in order to celebrate, we went out to dinner for the first real time since being in Oklahoma at Rib City. Once we got there we learned it was "all you can eat ribs," complete with unlimited sides. Congratulations Blaine! You smart and handsome man, you ;)

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.