Whirlwind

Ok, so I realize that I haven’t written in awhile, and this has been a combination of a few things.  Before I get into that, I will tell you a little bit about my last week with the AJGA in Norman, Oklahoma.

Now, as you can imagine, I wasn’t too pumped about heading for a week of heat, humidity, and Sooners, but, I was pleasantly surprised upon arriving in Oklahoma City.  It wasn’t as ugly as I had first suspected!  Actually, the OU campus isn’t so bad either.

Sunrise off the No. 1 tee - Not too shabby

I landed around 2 in the afternoon on Friday, and was picked up by one of the interns.  We didn’t have to head to the course that evening, so we just washed up and headed to dinner at none other than Red Robin.  If you know me at all, you know that I love Red Robin, especially their burgers.  YUM.  After the burger feast, a few of us decided to head over to the casino.  Now, one thing I realized quickly is that there isn’t much to do in Norman, and so, the casino sounded pretty inviting.



I am kind of proud, and a little embarrassed to say, that I had never gambled before.  No poker, blackjack…nothing, so I felt a little lost walking into the bright lights.  Sure, I had gone to Vegas for my 21st birthday, but that was focused more on alcohol than it was on gambling.  And so, I knew my first time would be a definite learning experience.

Thank goodness the minimum bet was $5.  I don’t think I could have afforded anything else!

I walked around a little and kind of got a feel for the game.  One of my co-workers gave me some tips and explained a little bit of the strategy.  Once I felt comfortable, I dove in headfirst.  I only bought $25 worth of chips, and started betting.  The first hand I bet $5, and won!  I thought I was off to a good start.  Not really – I lost every hand thereafter and ended up loosing my loot in less than five minutes.  Bummer.  So I left the table for a little, and ended up coming back to another table with the remaining $15 I had left in my wallet.  (I think that going to the casino with a set amount of money you are willing to lose is probably the best way to do it.)

Getting my Tebow on - praying for good luck

Anyway, I had much better luck this time around.  Thanks in part to a new friend we made, Jodi.

I lost my first hand, won my second, and won my third.  By this time, we had already started chatting it up with another one of the players, and she started throwing chips at us to bet.  I think we appeared to be a bunch of poor college kids, (exactly what we are) and she took pity and wanted to help us win some money.  Now, keep in mind that she was betting $100 to $200 every hand, so a measly $25 chip wasn’t much to her.  As soon as I got my hands on one of those chips, I bet on it and won.  Crazy how quickly you can win, and lose.  I had had my fair share of both.  Turns out I was going to have a bigger share of winning.

I ended up winning several more hands, and I got a bit bolder with my bets.  $10 and $15, winning the majority of the time.  I think I got up about $150 or so, lost a bit, and then decided to call it quits.  With Jodi’s extra $25, I ended up making about $115, so about $90 of my own.  Not too shabby.  Thanks Jodi!

This stadium is small in comparison to UT, or at least
it is in my opinion : )

The week was off to a great start.  On top of the casino trip, we also got Saturday off!  Turns out one of my friends from high school, Devon, is working as an engineer in Oklahoma City, and so I was able to meet up with her and her fiancé for lunch on Saturday.  I can’t believe the number of people I have been able to see throughout the duration of this internship.  Incredible.

After such a great start to the week, I was eager to get to the course and get to working.  As much as I hate to admit it, OU has a wonderful golf course and campus.  (OU and Texas are HUGE rivals for those of you who don’t know…so, out of respect to my new university, I had to be totally against anything OU).

Vodka soaked gummy bears - great to take the
edge off two days of packing

This rivalry is incredible.  Coincidentally we were staying at the Sooner Legends hotel.  This hotel is packed with OU memorabilia – football jerseys, basketball nets, pictures, and even paintings.  And you know what?  All of them were against Texas.  Of course, me being new to the university and rivalry, I jumped right in.  I wore my Texas running shorts every opportunity I got.

The tournament went off without a glitch, until the final round.  Of course, my last day working for the AJGA, there is a four-hour delay.  Rain, rain, and more rain.  I guess they just didn’t want me to leave!

As I look back on my spring and summer, I have realized that this was an incredible opportunity and experience.  I am so thankful that I was chosen to represent and work for the organization.  In addition, working for the AJGA has also sparked my interest in golf.  Yep, that’s right Dad, I think I might take the old irons out for a swing sometime soon.

Now, after ending my final week with the AJGA, I had about 72 hours to pack and then leave for Austin.  I was a little nervous.

The siblings and soon-to-be in-laws : ) love every one of
them!

I left Oklahoma at 6:00 am on Friday morning, arrived in Spokane around 9:30, and was greeted by family.  Ben and Tori were there to pick me up, and they took me to the most delicious breakfast at Chaps.  Blueberry muffin French toast, orange juice, biscuits and gravy…yum!  As soon as we finished with breakfast, we headed home and I started packing.  I packed and packed all day, and got a good deal of it finished.  Thank goodness too, as I needed a day of relaxation out at the lake.

After packing and a day at the lake, it was back to more packing.  My mom and dad picked up the Budget rental truck, and we started loading it all in.  It only took about four hours!  Good thing too, as we were planning to have dinner with the entire family that evening.  
My last night in Spokane went by quickly, but it was perfect.  Ben and Tori, Jeff and Jess, Mom and Dad, everyone was able to come out for a nice dinner together.  I am so thankful I was able to see all of them before heading out for school.


And so it began: 2,010 miles before us, my mom and I headed out on I-90.  11 hours later, we made it to Sheridan, Wyoming, and I’ll tell you what, I never realized the state of Montana was so big.  Holy cow, it took forever to get out of there.

The second day was a short eight hours to Colorado Springs where we were going to stay the night with my granny.  It was such a nice visit.  We arrived around 3:30 and sat and talked, had a wonderful dinner, and had a great night’s sleep.  My grandma was also able to come over for dinner.  How lucky am I to see so much of my family!

3 generations - so great to see Granny and Grandma!

The next day, we drove the entire way to Austin.  15 straight hours.  I hope I never have to do that again.  I’m just thankful that we didn’t break down anywhere in West Texas.  That is the most desolate area I think I’ve ever seen, and I have seen some bleak landscapes.

Not the exact route we took but you
can get an idea of how far it is!

Austin is everything I hoped for and more.  There is so much to do here, especially for minimal cost.  There is so much good food and music!  I can’t wait to explore a little bit and get a better feel for what this city has to offer.

So, we made it to Austin in technically three days, but we didn’t move into my apartment until the fourth day, Thursday.  We got everything moved in and set up the bed, but the real work started on Friday.

Trips to IKEA and Bed Bath and Beyond, setting up, and organizing really took a good 2 ½ to 3 days.  I know I budgeted for buying new furniture and things for the apartment, but I have never spent that much money in that amount of time.  And then having to assemble the darn things on top of it!! My hands were blistering from all of the screws and nails I had to put it.  But it sure looks good!

I also can’t get over how gigantic this campus is.  I feel like I’m in a mini-city.  There are restaurants and laundromats, bookstores and bus stops.  Coming from small NAU it’s a bit of a shock.  My mom and I explored the campus a little bit, thank goodness.  I feel a bit more comfortable as I start my first week at school.

I get to look at this every day before I head into work!

Another cool thing I was able to do was see where I will be working for the next few months.  I will be working at the Stark Center, which is a sports museum that is actually located within the football stadium.  My office is right above where the football team will ‘stampede’ into the stadium before every game.  It’s pretty darn cool.  There have been several famous athletes that have been to the museum, mostly concerned with strongman competition type athletics.  Pretty cool!

Now, I am just trying to get settled in a new city, in a new home, and in a new life.  It is incredible how drastically your life can change in just a few months.  It is also a great feeling seeing your hard work pay off.  I started planning for graduate school more than a year ago with the GRE.  I took the test in September and then stared looking for schools.  UT was at the top of my list with the size of their athletics, the size of the school, and the success of their program.  I am very excited for the coming months, and I sure hope I can get a grip on this whole graduate school thing.

Keep on checking back!  I am planning on continuing my blog.  I can’t guarantee how often…guess it depends on my workload!  Miss you all in Spokane.  I will be back at Christmas : )

Devon is a friend from high school.  It's crazy where I run into
friends!

Family Matters

I never would have guessed that out of all the wonderful places I've been this year that Longmont, Colorado, would by far and away be my absolute favorite.

Sunset in Colorado

It's amazing the things that friends and family can do to a place.  Somewhere as simple as the small town of Longmont can be transformed into a wonderfully brilliant destination, all because of those you are able to spend time with.

Ok, before I start sounding too sentimental and sappy, I'll just get right to the good stuff.

I have known for some time that I would be coming to Longmont this week, and so my grandma planned to come and visit.  First thing to look forward to.  Next, my cousins caught wind that I'd be close to where they are, and so they jumped on board to come visit, along with my aunt and uncle.  Second thing to look forward to.  THEN, last week I was talking with my best friend KK, and she was home from work for about two weeks.  She lives in Kiowa, Colorado, about three hours from Longmont.  She said she would come see me too!  Third thing to look forward to.  Needless to say, I was counting down the days until I could see all of these people, and it came faster than I could hope for.

I was a little nervous on Friday.  I didn't have a problem flying from Fort Wayne to Detroit, but when I got to Detroit, the plane I was supposed to board just happened to be missing its front tire.  In all of my brilliance, I concluded that this probably wasn't a good sign.  Because of the fiasco trying to get to Indiana the week before, my initial thought was doom.  I wasn't going to get to Colorado tonight, or tomorrow, or ever.  Once my dramatic side calmed down, things turned around.  There just happened to be another plane, extra plane I guess, that we would be able to take to Denver.  I only arrived about an hour later than expected.

Longmont is only about 45 minutes from the Denver airport.  By the time I landed, my grandma had already been in town for about two hours.  As soon as I was dropped off at my private housing, Grandma and I headed out for the night.

Best friends are what you need most! <3

We drove to Boulder, which was about ten minutes from where I was staying.  I had never been there, and so it was nice to be able to share that with my grandma.  We ended up going to The Cheesecake Factory, grabbed some gelato from a street vendor, and watched a couple of interesting street performers as the sun set.

The next day was filled with highs.  I spent the morning with Grandma, just running errands and catching up together, and then we met my best friend KK and her mom for lunch.  They stopped by the hotel where my grandma was staying first, and I almost broke down the door when they knocked...I couldn't get to KK fast enough!! We haven't seen each other since October - too long for best friends - and a hug was long overdue.  We caught up for about an hour and then headed to lunch at this quaint little Italian restaurant called Pinocchios.  Great food, and even better company.  It was really hard to say goodbye to KK, but I know I will see her soon.  She is working as a graduate assistant for the strength and conditioning program at Mizzou, and I'll be in Austin for graduate school in the fall, so it'll be a little closer.  At least closer than Spokane to Mizzou.

After lunch, Grandma and I just kind of rested.  Talking and eating can take a lot out of you!!  I was restless though; I couldn't wait to see Aunt Mary, Uncle Mark, Paul and Caroline.

We had planned to meet at this little Mexican restaurant, Deli Cioso (I guess we were trying to get in all our foreign foods of the world this day).  We pull up, and Aunt Mary is waiting outside to greet us.  One thing I love about my friends and family, they give the BEST hugs.

Caroline, Uncle Mark, Paul, Me and Aunt Mary

As soon as we sat down, I ordered a giant margarita.  DELICIOSO!!! Paul, Caroline, and Paul's girlfriend Mary and I all talked and talked and talked.  It was wonderful to see them, and to hear about all the great things happening in their lives.  Paul is heading back to school to teach for his second year (4th graders!), and Caroline has several options for internships in production this next school year.  It's crazy to think that I probably won't see them all until next summer at my brother's weddings.

Saturday was a full day, and I was so thankful that I have so many wonderful people in my life.  I was able to see my grandma one more time Sunday morning, and then it was off to work.  I did get one more surprise though.  One of my old teammates, Aly, lives in Fort Collins, only about 30 minutes from Longmont, and she drove up on Monday to have dinner with me.  I haven't seen her since October, and it was great to catch up.


The tournament at Longmont went pretty smoothly and was quite uneventful.  I filled in as a communications intern, as well as our other CA Alexis, and we called ourselves the Dream Team.  I think we had the shortest post-round recorded to date, 55 minutes, worthy of a gold medal.  I enjoyed the team I worked with, as well as the Tournament Director Adam and assistant Curt.

This trip has made me realize how lucky I am.  During this internship, I have been able to see four of my old basketball teammates, five of my family members, two of my best friends, and put me within driving distance of a wedding.  I have seen parts of the country I never would have seen otherwise, and I have met some really great people.

Now I'm gearing up for my last and final week with the AJGA in Norman, Oklahoma.  Holy cow is it going to be hot.  One more week!  I'll be in Spokane on the 17th and then it's off to AUSTIN!!!

Grandma and I outside of Pinocchios

Would we be good on The Price is Right?

Finally was able to meet Mary, Paul's girlfriend!

Aly and I - so good to see her!

Lovely ladies!

Sunrise from the clubhouse - these NEVER get old

Team 3!

Warsaw, Indiana...wait a second, isn't Warsaw in Poland?

Only two more tournaments left.  Where has the last six months gone??

Last week was a lot of fun, despite seemingly being in the middle of nowhere.  Cue Warsaw, Indiana.

Warsaw isn't so bad - sunrise off the 18th tee

The most difficult part was getting to Warsaw.  After my tournament in Colts Neck the week prior, I started my travel to Warsaw on Wednesday, and I was supposed to arrive in Warsaw that same day.  Well, Chicago had different plans.  My flight ended up being cancelled from Chicago to Fort Wayne, so I spent the night in Chi-Town.  This ended up being a blessing in disguise.  I was able to relax, workout Wednesday night and Thursday morning, do my laundry, catch my 11:30 am flight, and get to Warsaw no problem.  That extra night off really did wonders.

Now, upon arriving, I was surprisingly impressed.  Although it was a small, SMALL airport, they really try to make you feel a part of something as soon as you arrive.  There was a nice man handing out sugar cookies (I knew we would become quick friends), and I just as quickly discovered that Fort Wayne (the place I flew into) was the birthplace of the Vera Bradley line.  For those of you who know me, you know I'm a sucker for patterned wallets, handbags, and luggage.  I was pleasantly surprised by Fort Wayne.

After I was picked up at the airport by one of my coworkers, we drove the hour or so to Fort Wayne.  Our tournament director told us we had the rest of the day off, so we decided to stop at Steak n'Shake for some milkshakes.  This was the start to a junk food filled week.  (The shakes at Steak n'Shake are the most wonderful treats in the Midwest...save for the giant ice cream sandwich we were given, but we'll get to that later).

I ended up having my own hotel room in Warsaw, which was amazing, AND I was able to workout every single day but one.  I was feeling much better with all this ME time!

Friday was a pretty easy day, and then I was rewarded Friday night with a day off Saturday.  Could this get any better?? My own room and pretty much four straight days of simplicity.

Saturday I slept in, worked out, got some work done, and was able to see The Dark Knight Rises.  Despite all the awful things that have been associated with that movie, it was great.  I loved it and would recommend seeing it.

I have my game face on, but I couldn't
even finish that sucker.

The week went pretty smoothly.  It is getting to be that time when everyone is leaving for school or other jobs, and so I have started filling in as a communications intern, so I have been able to do some of the same jobs I was doing in the spring.  This week, I was on photography.  Let me tell you what, I took photos on Tuesday for eight whole hours...straight.  We have to do player photography every week on the day of the first round, and this week was a 144 player field ---- so I took photos of every single player, and it took eight hours.  Long day!!  But I tell you what, I am sure getting impressively skilled at taking photos of junior golfers taking their tee shots.  I can't tell you when that will come in handy again, but I know I'm great at it.

Now, I will tell you about those giant ice cream sandwiches from earlier.  From the moment we arrived at the course on Friday, I have been hearing stories about these treats.  I had heard we would be getting them on Tuesday, then it changed to Wednesday, and so on and so forth.  I felt like I would never be united with my supposed better half EVER.  Well, the time came, and it was totally worth the wait.  These sandwiches were pancaked with humongous chocolate chip cookies on either side with soft serve at least and inch and a half thick in the middle.  Yum.  I hope you all get to experience this heaven at some point.

Warsaw really has grown on me.  I don't know when I'll ever be back, but I know that you can definitely have a good time there.  Now, I have made it to Longmont, Colorado, where there are an abundance of Dumb and Dumber quotes that come to mind.... : )

The Tunnel at the Detroit airport on my way to Denver