Touch Down PITT STATE!!!!

(Here I am at the Homecoming 2005, 7 months pregnant with Landon. Jen, my college room mate & I look like a lesbian couple...hahahahaha! I'm not sure why she wanted to pose with her hand on my belly...hahahaha!)

As almost every one knows, I graduated from Pittsburg State University nine years ago. I'm always braggin' about my school, & tonight I got to share a little bit of my college & childhood experience with Landon. This evening, Pittsburg State University played University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, OK. Pittsburg is a little over a four hour drive for us now that we live in Norman, so we jumped on the chance to see Pitt State play here in the OKC area. Jeff & I took Landon to his 1st ever Pitt State football game!(unless you count the homecoming game in 2005 when I was 7 months pregnant with Landon) My Aunt Jan & Uncle Doug, who also graduated from PSU, drove over from Tulsa tonight to watch the game as well. Sitting with Jan & Doug at the game tonight was so nice, we were excited to spend some time with our family while we watched the football game. Landon was so cute...he would shout out loud, "Go Pitt State", "Wake up ref", "1st down PITT STATE". hahahaha! But the highlight of Landon's evening was when Gus, the Gorilla, came over to give him a high-five & take a picture with him. Landon thought Gus was pretty "cool".

When I was a kid, I remember going to the games with my family when we'd go over to Pittsburg to visit my grandparent. Of course tonight was nothing like being in Pittsburg on game day since the game was in Edmond, but we sure did have a good time....

TOUCH DOWN PITT STATE.....AND, of course PSU won!

Jeff? What? the Yankees?

This past week you would have thought that Jeff received the phone call of his life! hahahaha...Jeff's older brother called, & told Jeff, "Let's go to New York in two weeks, visit Yankee stadium before they tear it down, & watch Cody play for the Yankees." Jeff has been on "Cloud 9" ever since Greg called. Greg & Jeff have been talking about going out to New York to see Yankee stadium before they tear it down for so long now, but now it's even more exciting, because Jeff's childhood friend is currently playing for the Yankees...Cody Ransom. Cody got called up a month ago for Jason Giambi, & he's been playing sooooooooo GOOOOOD!!!! Cody's already had two home runs these last few weeks!

Cody has played for the Giants, the Astros, & now the Yankees. Every spring & summer, Jeff & I usually get an opportunity to see Cody play here in OKC. His former farm team, the Round Rock, plays the OKC Redhawks. Cody is always so nice. Even if Jeff & I don't call ahead to let Cody know we're coming to the game, Cody will still leave tickets for us at will call. He assumes Jeff & I will usually make it out to the game if he's playing the Redhawks. AND of course we always come out to watch Cody play.

Jeff spoke to Cody the other night, & he's planning on leaving tickets at will call for Jeff at Yankee Stadium next weekend.

So now it's turned into a brothers weekend. Greg, Jeff, & Matthew are flying out to New York to see a Yankees game. I asked Jeff is he's going to wear his cubs t-shirt. He laughed...he told me he just playing on watching the game, not getting beat up. hahahahaha...

The pictures above are Jeff talking to Cody before the ball game here in OKC last summer, Landon watching Cody play with daddy, & of course Cody.

Be watching out for Cody playing for the YANKEES....

around of golf

Landon & Jeff invited me to join them while they golfed this past week. I had so much fun just watching Landon. He truly gets into playing golf with his daddy. Every time he'd hit the ball into the hole, he'd throw his arms up & shout out "YES"!!!!! hahahahaha...Jeff & I really got a kick out of watching Landon give up after so many tries of hitting his ball with club towards the hole, & watching him pick up the ball with his hands, walk over to the cup, & just drop the ball into the hole. hahahahaha...so funny!

Landon @ Papa & Gramma's

Landon loves to spend time at Gramma & Papa's. He rides on the "tractor" with Papa, he pulls weeds for Gramma, he even watches Spongebob with uncle Mac.

He gets a little spoiled when he's out there.

H was so upset when we had to leave to go back home.

Cyndi's Wedding

This weekend we went over to Tulsa. My dear friend Cyndi got married on Saturday. Cyndi & I use to work as sales reps for a company called TGI. We became fast friends, & she even helped Jeff & I get plugged into a church family at the Kirk of the Hills. Now, Cyndi is the Kirk's youth pastor! I have to say that of all the weddings I've attended or been a part of, Cyndi's wedding was the most romantic. Her & Dan are truly in love. You can tell that God chose Cyndi to be Dan's, & Dan to be Cyndi's.What a gift from God they both received in each other. After their pastor, Daniel May, (looking back, Jeff & I wished we would have asked Daniel to marry us) announced that Dan & Cyndi are now husband & wife, Dan kissed Cyndi, picked her up, & carried her out of the sanctuary! Every one was laughing, shouting, & shedding tears. It was an incredible ceremony...

I think every one felt the same way...Cyndi has waited so patiently, & you couldn't ask for a better man to come into her life, cherish her, & love her the way Dan does. Jeff & I are very happy for the Cyndi.

Tracy, I apologize that Jeff & I slipped out of the reception without saying good-bye. I couldn't get your attention as we were leaving. We enjoyed seeing you & David. Keep in touch!!!! Next time we're in Tulsa, I'll been Landon by to play with your boys.

Pikes Peak Ascent, take 2

Today, right now as I type this, all I can think about is my sister, Lacy, & my dad, Randy. They are jogging/climbing up Pikes Peak. As a kid, we spent a great deal of time sitting at the finish line waiting for my uncle's, Doug & Jim, my dad, & my granddad Bob, to finish whatever run they were participating in. The Wichita River Run, the Tulsa Run, the Gorilla Grind, etc. Little did I know that my dad always dreamt of one day running the Pike Peaks Ascent in Colorado. It's a very difficult race, & you have to have qualifying times to even participate in this event. Three years ago, my sister decided to lose a little weight & get more fit. Lacy says it started out by just eating healthier foods & taking a jog around the block. Next thing you know, she's jogging around Wichita. After that, she began entering in races. Then she took on her biggest challenge of all, running the Oklahoma City Marathon in 2007. Some where along the way, my dad broke out his jogging shoes, & started joining her. He eventually told her about his dream of running the Pikes Peak Ascent. So, last summer, my dad & sister did it! It was an enduring experience for each of them.( a bonding experience too) Listening to them talk about how they had to pull their bodies up these huge boulders the last few miles, & how they referred to it as "near death"was enough for me to believe they both are border line crazy. hahaha....OH, yeah, & then my dad asked if I would consider running it with them this year. I just laughed...(secretly, I tried jogging again, & when I got out & started my run, I forgot how much I hated it) My parents asked us to go with them this year, just for support, plus Mantiou Spring is so much FUN! We planned on joining my family, but we were unable to make it at the last minute. So now I'm sitting here wishing I was there.....I mean in Mantiou Springs hanging out with my mom , brother in law, Kenton, & nephew Judah. Not jogging up Pike's Peak this very moment. hahahaha!

Note to parents: Be sure to bring back some of that AWESOME white wine we drank last year....yumm!!!!

It's funny how God can instill something in someone else to help inspire you to complete your dreams.

My dad doesn't look his age at all.....take a guess, how old do you think he is? (only twenty years older than me)

I love that picture of my dad running above.

Look who's here...

Over the weekend Jeff & I took on a pretty large task. The school I teach at recently purchased new playground equipment & they needed someone to spread sand around the sets. I volunteered Jeff & I to do it. Friday evening we were hard at work when we heard Landon laughing in the corner of the playground. We went over to see what was going on & there was this sweet little dachshund trying to play with Landon. We gave her some water & went back to work. Eventually she was gone & we didn't her another thought. On Sunday morning, we went back to the school to finish up spreading the rest of the sand & about an hour into the process, Jeff hollers out to me, "Look who's here". It was the same sweet little dachshund from Friday evening. She didn't have a collar on, she was thirsty, & dirty. I told Jeff, I can't leave her out here. So we bought her home. You can tell she's been abused, she cowards down when we come close to her, or if we get loud towards Landon for misbehaving. It took her a while before she would let Jeff pet her, she's more scared of him than Landon & I.Plus, her tail is nubbed. She loves Landon. She follows him everywhere, she lays in his lap when he's watching cartoons, & I even found Landon with his arm around her yesterday evening. She gets along with Tuffy very well. She's not sure about Speck. (with good reason, he's a crazy dog...hahaha) We're not planning on keeping her. I hope to find her a good home soon. In the mean time, I've bathed her, bought her a pink collar & pink hair bows, & I've even painted her nails. hahahahaha....(I did it to get under Jeff's skin)

Our friend...Ollie

I team teach with a young lady named Chris. She looks a lot like my sister, Lacy & she's the same age as Lacy too. Saturday Ms. Chris was in a little bit of a dilemma. Her daughter, Eve, got invited to a Birthday/Pool party & her husband got called into work. Ms. Chris didn't think she would be able to manage two children at a pool party, so she called & Landon & I to asked if we would watch her 3 month old son, Oliver. (They call him Ollie) Landon & I said YES, without any hesitation. Landon found Ollie to be so funny & vice versa for Ollie with Landon. We read books to Ollie, we song to Ollie, & we even had to give Ollie a bath. (He had a MAJOR blowout after he drank his bottle) Landon didn't understand why we had to be quite & play in his room when Ollie was taking a nap. I was so proud of Landon. He was very gentle towards Ollie, but he had a few moments where he wanted to held & loved on too. We had a nice afternoon with our friend, Ollie.

Watch out Tiger....here comes LANDO!

Jeff takes Landon golfing every Thursday morning & the other day he purchased Landon his first golf club. I also learned that Jeff has purchased Landon a set of clubs that should be ready very soon.

Oh brother.....I just hope Jeff's not one of those annoying parents that yell at their kid for every petty little mistake they make. Mom & Dad, do you remember my when my soccer team use to play Bishop Carroll? Those parents were ruthless.....OH NO....JEFF!!!!

2 boxes of goodies in one day!

Landon had a BIG day today...we got home from school & there was a package sitting on the porch. It was from his uncle Mac. (Jeff's little brother Matt) Matt went to Chicago last week & picked out a couple T-shirts for Jeff & Landon while he was at the Cubs game. The Grattopp boys are HUGE cubby fans. Their grandpa Dunegan introduce Greg & Jeff to the cubs when they were just "little tikes". Matthew, being 12 years younger than Jeff, fell in line as a Cubs fan as well. Now...here comes the next generation of Cubs fan.

Later that evening, the door bell rang, & it was the UPS man. He had another package for Landon. This time it was from his Mr. Randy & NeeNee. Inside the box was a laser gun that makes wonderful noises (yeah, as long as you cover your ears), 2 airplanes, & an army tank. I called my folks, & my dad says to Landon, "Did you get a box of toys?" Landon says to him, "yeah, & it goes, RRRRRREEEERRRR". He was making airplane noises for my dad. My parents went on vacation & stay with some of our relatives in Virigina. Along the way they collected some pretty cool toys just for Landon....I think they had me in mind when they discovered the laser gun. I can hear my folks thoughts now, "Let's get the most annoying toy in this place, & give it Landon...we'll get Kari back for all the nights she missed her 11:30 pm curfew when she was in high school. Who's the sneaky one now....chuckle, chuckle, laugh, laugh."

Night at the ball park

Jeff & I have been going to Redhawks games since we began dating. His high school buddy, Cody Randsom, has played ball for almost 10 years now. At least once or twice a year, Cody's triple-A team will play against the Oklahoma Redhawks. What's nice about that is Cody "hooks" us up with AWESOME seats. Tonight was the first night that Jeff & I have ever had to purchase tickets....BUT, with good reason. Jeff is a collector of bobbleheads. He's got some really impressive one's too. But tonight, the Oklahoma Redhawks were giving away Mickey Mantle Bobbleheads to the first 2,500 people attending the game.

Jeff, obviously wanted to go, but wouldn't get off work until 6:00. The game started at 7:05. So I told him I would get down there early & try to get a Bobblehead. Landon & I arrived at 5:00 & there was a long line of people trying to buy tickets. I started to get nervous. The whole point of going to the game was to get Jeff a bobblehead. As luck would have it, Landon & I were one of the last few guest to get a bobblehead. AND they gave one to Landon & one to me. Excited, we actually stayed & watched the game for a while...despite the 107 degree weather. It didn't matter to Landon, he had a blast!!!!

Ihop was promoting their restaurant at the game, & they had a pancake mascot there, which Landon thought was totally funny. He waved at the pancake & I took picture of course. Landon & Jeff were throwing popcorn at each other & trying to catch it in their mouths.

Lately, I've been getting e-mails asking why there are no picture of me posted on our blog. That's because I'm the designated camera-man. So Jeff took a picture of me holding Mickey. Here I am.....I exist.

Little Caddy Landon

Landon was 15 months old in this picture. We took him golfing one afternoon. He like to retrieve the golf balls from the cup. But every time he bent down to pick up the ball he would fall flat on his face.Hahahahaha! He hadn't gasped how to bend yet.

Jeff's takes Landon golfing every Thursday morning. He loves every minute of it.

Tenkiller Lake

I forgot my camera when we went to the Lake with Jeff's family back in July. Susanne sent this picture to me.
Landon loved jumping off the front of the boat & making a HUGE splash. He's been asking Jeff & I to take him swimming at the lake. He's are little "water bug".