Weekend: Offseason

On Friday, a new coworker and I were discussing our love of sports, our favorite teams, etc. and I made the comment "I really don't like summer... no stock shows, no football, no basketball...it's just so boring!" I didn't realize then that I would spend what felt like my entire weekend watching sports!

Friday evening, Matt and I went to an OKC Dodgers game and I had an absolute blast. I've never known much baseball or followed it closely, but it was a great way to spend a beautiful Friday evening. I'm already trying to figure out when we can go again! Bonus: since we got tickets through Matt's work, we also got matching baseball hats!

Take me out to the ballgame 💖⚾️ #OKCDodgers

A photo posted by Shae Mortimer (@shaeken) on Jun 5, 2015 at 8:35pm PDT

On Saturday, my mom let me know my brothers were going to be playing summer league games at their school that afternoon. Never one to pass up an opportunity to watch my favorite Panthers, I enjoyed spending the afternoon in the stands cheering them on.

Thank goodness for tournaments! I love watching my brothers play basketball so much 💖🏀 great shot here @kkennedy33!!

A photo posted by Shae Mortimer (@shaeken) on Jun 6, 2015 at 8:49pm PDT

My "baby" brother @_kalekennedy33_ makes shooting 3's look easy! 💖🏀

A photo posted by Shae Mortimer (@shaeken) on Jun 6, 2015 at 8:50pm PDT

Sunday I spent a couple more hours in Amber watching Kale play. After cheer practices + games in the new gym all of last year, I forgot just how hot the old gym could get! My mom, pictured below in the lime green t-shirt, actually refereed games in the old gym all day. Yes, in JEANS. And one game in flip flops - a scary thought if you know our accident-prone family (I think the injury gene came from dad's side, not mom's, thankfully!).

This truly was a great offseason weekend. About 5-6 months from now, when there are basketball games most nights of the week + OSU football games on the weekend and a million other things going on, I'm sure we'll be wishing for the slowness of the offseason. Happy Monday, friends! 

PS - is there a Panda Express near you? Eat there today & help fight hunger!

Fall Update :)

Have I told you lately how much I just LOVE America's Greatest Homecoming? It's definitely one of my top 3 favorite holidays (along with Christmas and my birthday). Well, this weekend was the best of the year - OSU's Homecoming - and I celebrated appropriately - in Stillwater!

---

That up there? Yeah, I wrote it two whole weeks ago. #whoops

I really did mean to post about Homecoming weekend...and then I meant to post about pumpkin picking...and then I meant to post a quick update... and then I meant to do all of that last week while I was home sick all week long. But, it just didn't happen. I was either too busy to sit down for a few minutes to post or too sick to hold up a computer long enough to post. But now, friends, you're getting a quick (I mean it, kinda) life update! Including Homecoming and pumpkins, because it's fall and what's fall without ORANGE?

---

I LOVE when the campus is just as orange as can be! Matt said this picture of the library looked creepy. I thought it looked spirited :) | New video board in Gallagher Iba Arena - um, awesome! 

I do believe Gallagher Iba Arena was rrrrrrrrockin'!!! 

Yes, that's a "video board" on the FLOOR of GIA. The intro video was projected onto the floor, and it was a.m.a.z.i.n.g. Now I want to make that happen at the AmPo Gym Grand Opening. #DreamOn | Love those two photo creepers (aka, Kale and Daddy) who joined me and Matt for our picture :) 

Gameday! It was SO cold. But SO fun. And the Pokes won! 

---

Next, I meant to blog about going to the pumpkin patch. So, here's that:

This year, instead of carving pumpkins, Matt & I decided to paint them! I was so certain my pumpkin was going to turn out perfect - I mean, I carefully selected the most brilliant pumpkin in the patch and planned to turn it into a beautiful princess. Well, that failed. 

Matt searched for the perfect pumpkin and thought he got it, but really, I totally did. Mine was destined for greatness, until someone let a 24-year-old toddler grab a paintbrush and some glittery tulle. 

Santa Shae hasn't made an appearance on the blog, that I know of, but this (on the left) is Santa Shae 2.0: Scary Shae. Matt, on the other hand, perfectly executed a vampire. 

---

After that, I spent a week sick in bed (from being embarrassed over how ugly that pumpkin turned out of course... #not). I got plenty of Molly Snuggles during my sickness though... isn't she the cutest? 

I also helped paint panther paws through the streets of Amber...

Watched Kale's first two 7th grade basketball games (Go #33! And yes, that shot went in!)...

And bought a new MacBook! I'm officially 100% Apple - iPhone, iPad and MacBook. Just a few years ago I would have been saying these were CRAPple products...so I'd say I've come a long way to the good side :) As I was transferring files from my Dell to my Seagate Backup Plus (have you backed up your computer lately? If not, get on it, and get yourself a Seagate product because they're awesome.), my I got the Blue Screen of Death on my Dell...so obviously it was perfect timing. 

Anyway... I'll be back sometime to update you more on life and adventures :)

Wednesday Weekend Post

I just love birthday weekends. And the new iOS.

Siri really thinks this is busy. Soon she'll learn this is normal.

Friday I took off work at noon after a looooong week and, after I did a little running around, Matt & I headed to the fair to celebrate his birthday with corn dogs & candy! The candy store at the fair is now a tradition. They have smarties suckers that are the most delicious candy ever. I just hope it's not a tradition to spend more every year...because eventually it'll take a truck to haul it all out if we do :) We also had cupcakes from Gigi's with glitter number candles, much to Matt's excitement. After the fair, we made a stop at the outlet mall to get Matt new shoes then went back to his house for a fun & relaxing evening.

After round 2 of Matt's birthday celebration with a pizza lunch (& cake. always cake) on Saturday, we headed to my house to celebrate my brothers' birthdays! Kaden turned 16 & Kale turned 13 - they're growing up way too fast.

After the party, Julie & I had some girl time with a hair & makeup salon ;) 

Sunday was a big day for me - my first 5K! The Hot Mamas Run supports the Regional Food Bank & Oklahoma Birth Network and their color was hot pink, so clearly I was in. 

I had so.much.fun. and I'm officially hooked on this running thing. 

Kimmy & Tandye are in my eyes super runners, and they were such a huge help to me! They gave me all sorts of tips and convinced me that I need new running shoes :) They were cheering me on as I crossed the finish line and I appreciate their encouragement and knowledge sharing so very much! 

My coworker Denice also ran, so of course we had to take a picture with Bernie to rep the Food Bank!

I'm already looking forward to my next 5K - the Color Run - in a week and a half! 

To continue on this whole healthy kick with the running, I've also officially signed up to be a Herbalife distributor! I have taken Herbalife before and loved it, and I still use it when I leave early enough to stop and get a shake. I decided it was time to just get myself some to be able to make it here at home! I'm so excited to get my starter kit in. Super thanks to Wacey for helping me get signed up! 

And that wraps up an awesome weekend. I left out Monday & Tuesday, when we celebrated my brothers' birthdays with Chicago style pizza on Monday night & homemade donuts on Tuesday morning. I'm telling you, birthdays are the best. 

(not so) baby brother

The last week has been one of my favorite of the year. FOUR birthdays one week. For a girl who loves celebrating people as much as I do, it couldn't get much better.

 

Today, the kindest, sweetest, most loving and accident-prone boy I know turns 13. He has the biggest heart and I am so proud to call him my baby brother. Thirteen years ago our family was complete when he was born. Like I said yesterday, I prayed endlessly for a brother, but God knew I needed two of them.

 

Kale, never, ever change who you are. You're at an age where the world will try their darnedest to get you to change to be cool. Newsflash, buddy: you already are. You don't need to change a thing. You know what's right - stand up for it. You're silly. You're a little clumsy, but hey, you're my brother, so you come by it honestly :) You have a heart of pure gold and you, just like Kaden, are the kind of friend more people should try to be. Keep working hard at showing steers and playing basketball. I know you can do anything you set your mind on.

I love you, Kale Joe. Happy 13th birthday!
-Sis

Happy 16th, Kaden!

Sorry weekend update, you've gotta wait (even though this weekend was pretty awesome). Today is my middle brother's 6th 16th birthday and what kind of sister would I be if it wasn't celebrated here? So now, I have 16 lines of memories, likes, advice, wishes and comments for you.

1. The day mom and daddy told me "you're going to be a big sister!" was the best day ever...until...
2. The day you were finally born and I actually got to be a big sister! I wanted to have a little brother so bad and prayed for as long as I can remember for YOU (side note - Kale - if I was this excited over ONE brother, imagine how great getting that prayer answered with TWO brothers is. Double the awesomeness!)
3. I loved that curly head of hair you had... I think you should grow it back out :)
4. I remember looking at the clock exactly 24 hours after you were born and feeling SO EXCITED all over again to be YOUR big sister.
5. I've never known two kids to play as well as you and CJ. Best buddies forever, no matter what.

6. Not that we'd know it now based on your studly physique, but remember being so skinny that Uncle Aaron called you the Ethiopian Poster Child? Then those tonsils came out and everything changed ;)
7. You started invading mine & dad's barn time when you began showing sheep...even though I still think I did all the work!
8. You've always been a likable, friendly kid. Even though switching schools might not have been the easiest thing on earth, you made friends at AmPo and kept friends from Tuttle, too. Continue to always be kind to people and find the best in others, you're the kind of friend people need.
9. You went from being an adorably chubby 5th grade basketball player to the Prancing Panther, AmPo's stud. You've worked so hard at basketball and I LOVE watching you play.

10. Your love for Christ and your passion for making His name famous rocks.
11. Your teenager smart mouth will get you in trouble more and more, believe me. So just remember to shut up and listen when I'm talking and no one will get hurt, even though you're taller, bigger, stronger and could take me down without even trying. Ha!
12. The day we sold the sheep to make way for your cattle project wasn't my happiest day on earth, but I pretended to happily go along with it. Now I've learned to love those oversized fluffy animals you enjoy showing so much.

13. Dad pointed out that your senior year is in two years. Stop. Just stop. I know you're really still in kindergarten and this whole "16 & driving" thing is a joke. Right??
14. How did you get the cool gene in the family? I mean, you can dance (we've all watched your killer moves by the pool), you have the singing voice of an angel, and you make a beautiful princess. It's just not fair, kid.

15. On being a princess: never be too cool to play with your little cousins. They'll always treasure memories made with you.

16. Most importantly: put the phone down. You're 16. You're taking that driver's test Friday. You have an awesome truck, and I know you're a cool kid. But for real. Put. The. Phone. Down. Don't text and drive. Don't answer a message, don't check Facebook or Twitter, don't take a selfie for Snapchat. It can wait. Nothing on your cell phone screen is so important that it can't wait for your vehicle to be in park before you see it. Your life & others lives are way more valuable than any message, so please promise me you won't pick up that phone while you're driving.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Love you, Sis

Football Q&A with Kaden & Kale

For round 2 of Football Q&A, I interviewed my younger brothers. They play basketball and show steers, and Kale plays baseball too. Kale's answers are in orange, Kaden's answers are in green. My comments are in pink.

Kale (left) is 12 and loves football, plays baseball & basketball, and shows steers. Kaden is 15, plays basketball & shows steers, and is the biggest goober I know. :) 

Q1: You're both OSU fans, right? (right!) Good, otherwise I would disown you both, and you've got birthdays coming up so you better be good :) When OSU isn't playing, how do you decide who to cheer for?
I just cheer for whoever's winning. 
I cheer for whoever has the flashiest uniforms.

Q2: If you played football, what position would you play? Why?
I would be...Cooper Bassett's position. Because I could tackle people and fight for the ball. (Good role model!).
The Prancing Panther. Yes, it's made up. Honey Badger ain't got nothin' on the Prancing Panther.

Q3: What is the proper football game watching attire - a) at the game and b) at home?
I'd wear somebody's jersey to the game and keep it on until I got home. I'd wear just regular old clothes if I was watching at home and cheer real loud...but not loud enough to make the doorbell ring (our doorbell goes off if it gets too loud in a room - basically any time we watch football or basektball). 
At a game you should wear an NHL hockey jersey with an NBA hat and basketball shoes, carrying a hockey stick and Adidas socks. And Under Armor underwear. If I'm at home is a pair of hoop shoes, some shorts, an the opponent's jersey. (Guys, I apologize for him... I'm not sure we're related.)

Q4: How do the first down lines appear on the field when you're watching the game on TV?
The people make it to where you can see the first down with computers and technology. 
Morgan Freeman hires magical elves to put them down every down. They don't get paid. They just do it because hearing Morgan Freeman's voice is enough pay. 

Q5: Who is your favorite OSU football player and why?
Kendall Hunter & Cooper Bassett. Cooper because I know him and he got my football signed for my birthday and Kendall Hunter because he is a running back. 
I like Marcus Smart. Cause he embodies defense so well. No wait, my favorite is KD. For the same reason. (At least he has played flag football on OSU's campus before, right?)

Q6: What is your favorite part of OSU games?
Seeing football being played and watching Bullet run out. 
When they dribble the ball and pass it to the first baseman for a home run KO.

Q7: Name 3 formations teams line up in for offense:
Normal, I think Hail Mary and 4 verticals. They're all on my Playstation game. 
The Kindling Mountain Lion, The Fierce Butterfly and the Ever-So-Ferocious Puppy. 

Q8: What are 5 possible penalties?
face mask, offsides, delay of game, holding and chop block
Not rocking that headband right, not having enough swerve (as he shakes his hips), those shoes do NOT go with that helmet, illegal signaling from the coach and not enough celebration. 

Q9: Who is the best current NFL QB? Why?
I wanna say Peyton Manning or RG3 is pretty good too...
Cooper Bassett. Because he's got that...IT. He can do it. He can go the distance. 

Q10: What will OSU's final ranking be? Who will win the BCS?
Hopefully in the top 10, um, about 6 or 5. And Notre Dame or Alabama cause they've been the best lately. 
Final ranking will be... .99832 (so, first?). I think Prarie View A&M will win the BCS. 

Any other info you want to add, brothers?
Um, not really.
I'm Batman (well at least it's not Ben Affleck? I thought you were the Prancing Panther, though?).

Back to School day!

Not for me, but for my mom and brothers! My brothers are in 10th & 7th grade and mom is going back to the classroom to teach computers and (drumroll...................................) cheerleading! This means I'm officially the only one in my family to have never been an AmPo Panther (can I be an honorary Panther at least?). I'm excited for mom to start this new adventure and branch out to do new things. I know she believes in her kids and will push them to do their best, no matter what subject she's teaching or sport she's coaching. And a word to my brothers: stop growing up, for crying out loud. Kale had on his Junior High baseball uniform on Monday and he didn't look like my baby brother anymore. In just a few weeks, I'll have TWO teenage brothers, one who'll be able to drive! That's just weird, ya'll.

Anyway, since I was that girl who loved school supplies and back to school shopping (who are we kidding, I still am), I decided to put together a quick back to school list.

Everyone needs a great backpack, right? This one lasted me all through college, and even survived being hit by a truck. Best backpack ever.

via

Reading books, taking notes, emailing, whatever - it's easier to do it all on the iPad than carry heavy books, millions of folders and papers, pens, and everything else. So clearly, dressing up the iPad = totally necessary. (PS - if you want to buy me anything, this iPad case is on my wish list for sure. I can definitely give you my color choices upon request.)

via

The last thing on my back to school shopping list is new clothes! I can't pick a favorite outfit, but the Mint Julep is one of my new favorite shops. They post new arrivals to Facebook all day every day, and I am pretty sure I "like" every.single.post. I'm not a fashionista, so outfits that are easy to put together are totally my thing. I signed up for their email list and got a $10 off code, so help me find the perfect outfit to order, please! Leggings + long shirts + boots + scarves are totally my thing during the fall. Fall = football. Hurry fall!

Oh, and if I was one of mom's cheerleaders, I would need plenty of these :)

via

Go Panthers!

don't forget your spirit fingers!

PS - Ladies, go sign up for the Hot Mamas 5K! It's on September 22 & benefits the Regional Food Bank! Feeding hungry kids + getting a good workout = #winning!! Bonus: I'm running, so it's guaranteed you won't be the slowest one there #KennedyGenes :)

Weekend...and Home Alone with Molly

Hi friends! Did you all have a fantastic weekend? I most certainly did! I'm going to back this up alll the way to last week though, because I didn't tell you much of anything that happened last week, for good reason - I was home alone, and I was not ABOUT to tip off any kidnappers (I'm kid-sized, I could get kidnapped) because I don't have the skillz of the Home Alone kid when it comes to warding off home invaders - instead I would have hide in my closet with Molly and cry on the phone (battery at 5%, of course) with my daddy while waiting for Granddad to show up and save the day (yes guys, that happened). Thankfully it was just some of our neighbors, but it was enough that Miss Molly and I didn't' sleep much for two nights and ended up spending Thursday night safely at my grandparents. However, the entire time my parents & brothers were at camp, I had an automatic trash can (it rolled itself to the road on trash day!), an automatic gate opener (locked every night and open before I left for work!), and an automatic cattle feeder. Oh wait, that was all Granddad - I was very well taken care of :)

Molly sleeps like a human.

Anyway, Monday night, Matt came over for dinner and it was "semi-homemade with Shae" - meaning I stopped by the grocery store and threw together something resembling a meal. I took one of their rotisserie chickens, shredded it, poured in Head Country BBQ sauce, microwaved to warm, and served on King's Hawaiian rolls, slider style. Delish! I also picked up some red potato salad and chips, just in case the chicken didn't turn out right. Of course, I made rice krispy treats to go along with dinner since they're the one thing I know I do correctly every single time.

Tuesday night was spent huddling in my closet with Molly. Oh, and she was having some MAJOR breathing issues last week so HAD anyone broken into our house they would have found us in 2.2 seconds since the locked closet door + Benadryl did nothing to mask her loud breathing.

On Wednesday, I went shopping to reward myself for surviving Tuesday night. I'd been wanting a pair of colored shorts to brighten up my life and Old Navy had the perfect pair. So perfect, in fact, that my Caylee and I both ended up wearing them on Saturday (hundreds of miles apart). #LikeBigLikeLittle #Perfect #Besties (Yes, that deserved 3 tags. #Duh). They're perfect and comfortable and I LOVE the color so much. I'm definitely going to be buying them in every color the first chance I get.

get them here

Molly and I had a slumber party at my grandparents on Thursday night, and Friday night, I went to Falls Creek! Mom & Dad had been cooking all week and the boys were campers. Kaden was leaving Saturday for a mission trip, so he wanted to sleep in his own bed for a night - Super Sis to the rescue! We drove home Friday night and I dropped him off with mom to go back to Falls Creek for training Saturday.

With Kale at Falls Creek - baby brother has officially passed me in height .

After dropping Kaden off on Saturday, I tanned (it's Jessica's wedding week!) & headed home. Matt came over and we watched movies with Dad & Kale (while mom slept) then picked up steak from Ken's. Matt took me out on a super fun date - putt-putt and the drive in! The drive in that's in Chickasha has a putt-putt course in front of the screen, so we played a game before the movies started. He beat me, but I let him win fair and square :( We saw Monsters University - LOVED IT - and stuck around for about half of Now You See Me - it was too late for us old folks.

At least we tied the first 9!

My shirt has sparkles. Love.

Sunday after church, it was time for lunch with mom, dad & Kale, hours of swimming with Kale & Kiera, then the Falls Creek service at church.

I ended the night snuggling with Molly and praying for my brother & his team to have a GREAT week on their mission trip! Please join me in praying for him, his team, their leaders and the people they'll be working with over the next week. If you'd like to follow along, FBC Tuttle will be posting daily updates of specific things to pray for on Facebook while Kaden's away. 

Don't forget - Google Reader is gone, so follow with Bloglovin' or by email (look to your left for an email box!)

Linking up with Sami.