Today is my little brothers birthday! (It makes me feel old)
This is us when we were little!!
(By the way… my Mom always tried to make home-made Halloween costumes, that year I was a witch and Nathan was a ninja turtle. haha)
Even though you were an instigator and tried to get me in trouble, I still love you and wish you the best day ever!
Love you Nathan!
Happy Birthday!
Today feels like Monday. Even though, it’s really Tuesday. I am so glad we had a three day weekend, so even though it’s Tuesday – It’s Monday for me, so here is my weekend rewind.
Friday, at work was kind of a short day because we got to have a party, one of the Doctor’s I work with became an US citizen! (yah!)
I got to spend some quality time with my family and it was fun, we played board games and hung out, then on Saturday Richard took me to the last George Strait/Martina McBride concert. It is SO sad that this is supposed to be George Strait’s last concert in OKC ever. It was still a lot of fun though and I am SO happy I got to go.
Sorry for the bad pictures. (taken from my phone.)
I will spare you the videos I took, they are worse than the pictures and instead I will play you my favorite videos of these two. (With George Strait it is SO hard to narrow it down to one.)
Martina McBride – Whatever You Say
George Strait – Baby’s Gotten Good at Goodbye
I could write a whole blog about my love for George…
Saturday, Sunday and Monday, were very good productive days – a bit more of hanging out with family and hanging with Richard and since Monday was a holiday, I made the most of it and ran errands most of the day. Hope you all had a great weekend!
(via)
I had an amazing holiday!
I got a nice long break from work and got to spend time with friends and family! We played a lot board games, Settlers of Catan, Walking Dead, and Millionaire Monopoly. It’s Richard and I’s favorite thing to do!
I got a lot of new goodies too for Christmas! A crimper (or more of a waiver – I love the look it gives my hair) a Kindle fire, and a new Coach purse.(mine is a different color than the one shown, mine is white with different colored C’s.) What did you get for Christmas?
So last year I had this friend who said that he used to define his years by a word like, Hope, or Change etc. I always thought that was good idea and then I saw this on Casey Weigand’s blog. It only made me confirm that instead of doing New Year Resolution’s, which like I have said before, I don’t do (I like to do goals whenever I feel like I need to.) I should pick a word instead.
This year I am going to pick the word action. follow through, carry out, complete, achieve.. What I mean is to actually do the things that I say I am going to do, or things that I have thought about doing but never do. This will be the year of doing! I am going to go take that test to get another teaching subject under my belt and I am going to actually go get that teaching job instead of just wishing it away. I am going to follow through, on other goals, go to the gym more, get in shape, cook at home more, get out of debt. These are goals that I have already set, (some long ago) but have never completed or finished! So – those of you that know me, I will need your help to finish and stay on task! Maybe if you see me, ask me how it’s going and what actions I have taken. Help me stay accountable!
What word would you like to use to define the next year of your life? I would love to know!
This weekend Richard and I went to look at Christmas lights. Also, did I tell you that his son came with us? Did I tell you he has son?
Well he does…and he is super cute and a really funny kid!
I actually knew his son before I ever met Richard…but that’s a story for another day… right now I just want to share the Christmas lights!
We went to a little town called Chickasha where they have the Festival Lights. It’s kind of a big deal. The line was so long, but it was worth it!
There were animals to pet, hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls to eat. Santa was there and of course all the lights:
I think it should become like a tradition or something!
P.S. Sorry about the grainy pictures they were from our phones!
This weekend was my roommates college graduation. It was a lot of fun watching her graduate! Lucky here she already has a teaching job and will be a fantastic teacher!
After the graduation Richard and I went on a date!
Have you guys been to the Trans Siberian Orchestra??
Amazing…
(I didn’t get any video on my phone…but Youtube has videos.)
It was a really fun weekend!
What did you do?
So sorry.
The other day in the car Richard asked me – “Why don’t you ever write on your blog anymore?”
I couldn’t give a very good, straight answer. I don’t really know. Boredom maybe. laziness? Maybe even it started feeling intimidating when I would read other girl’s blogs and see how cool they are and I feel like mine lacks in comparison.
I started thinking though – does it matter if anyone really reads this? No.
Do I genuinely like to blog. Yes.
So… I am back!
Here are some things to catch you up on what’s been going on in my little life.
Remember my dating plan? I would say it went very well.
As always you can follow me in real-time on Instagram @amandawatkins2
Until later,
Well… it’s been awhile since I have done a post on this topic. Warning this post could get quite wordy. I am just telling you up front…
As I said in this post here, I am dating someone exclusively.
Remember these post: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3?
So, I started this experience back in February/March… it was a crazy, new, different, fun experience.
I met guys on Match and other random places and I would date them. They all knew about each other for the most part, or at least knew I was dating others.
There were times when I got confused or drained or tired. Some weeks I was going out almost every night plus working at my church child care center a couple of nights a week.
One time, this is embarrassing to admit, but I had a dream that I had all of them there on one date (except in the dream it wasn’t really any of them.) and I couldn’t remember any of their names and was getting them all confused! That’s when I decided to narrow things down and quit adding more. It just was becoming overwhelming.
So, I backed off Match – and after talking to a couple of them and my counselor (yes, I go to counselor – just to talk to someone about things.) I decided that I wasn’t really going to go anywhere with any of them if I didn’t put in a little more effort with any of them, and really try so I kept the ones that I was still interested in, who were also still interested in me. (Keep in mind I talked about 3 of these guys into doing the same thing – So I knew they were also dating other girls.) I don’t know how to explain this except for there was no pressure from anyone…it was the first time I was communicating up front and they were too and I was building up friendships. Yeah, some of them backed out and I obviously backed out on them too but it was respectful and it was honest. I am still friends with some of them, and really respect and admire them and truly wish them the best!
Now… let’s talk about how this exclusive thing happened:
I was reading Casey’s blog, and I came across this article.
Reasons why I loved this story:
Everybody could learn how a thing or two from this guy…
Do you remember this post or this one??
Well…these seem to be my most popular post. Why? Beats me… maybe people find humor in my sad life. Haha… kidding! I have a great life actually. I just kind of suck at dating.
I still believe in what I said in my first post and still believe that this is the way to do it, it’s just a lot harder than it seemed to be. It somewhat overwhelmed me and I felt like I wasn’t really getting to know anyone. So, I narrowed it down and decided to NOT add anymore… well then now, I am kind of at a standstill.
I think now at this moment, I am going to take a small break, just for a while and then maybe I will try again soon.
I will promise you this though, if I ever do get married and something were to happen where I have to date again, I will not do. I actually loathe it…. Not tying to be negative, but it’s.just.so.hard. Maybe I am making it harder than it needs to be I don’t know.
Who knows… we will just see what happens!
I thought it would be fun to share my worst date ever story… I feel like it’s pretty funny. (Names will be changed to protect the innocent. Just in case they find this.)
To start off me and my married friends – Jennifer and Tom are a restaurant bar hanging out eating and talking. The bartender Kyle and my friend Tom are getting along great. They are becoming best friends!
A little later – when we are about to leave Kyle says to Jennifer and Tom -“Are you two married?” and they were like “yeah.” He then looks at me and asks, “Are you single.” Hesitantly, I said, ” Yeah…” Next question was “Do you want to be?” I was a little taken off guard. I mean – of course someday I would like to be with someone, but I don’t know about with you…now…I think I just shrugged or something. This part is a little blurry but I remember Tom giving me a hard time, telling me that I should go for it and that he was a cool guy! So, I gave him my number on a napkin when we left.
A couple of days later we had a date planned, since I didn’t know him, I insisted that we do a double date with Jennifer and Tom and he agreed. All the days leading up to the date he would try and make it more of a one-on-one date. We settled in the middle with dinner alone and then a meet up with Jennifer and Tom later for bowling.
He picked me up. (1st mistake.) we went to a Mexican restaurant – ate and talked, I will admit, it wasn’t too terrible here.
We get back in the car to go meet Jennifer and Tom and he starts rubbing my leg while he is driving. He must have noticed I was uncomfortable, becausee he said, “You don’t like people touching you?” I replied, “Not from people I don’t know very well.” trying to move as far away as possible in a car. Then he said “You don’t like me touching you now, but you will someday.” (creeper.)
We get to the bowling alley and start our bowling game. Everybody is having fun and I am really happy my friends are there to take a little of awkwardness away. This was glow bowl, which means they had the lights off and videos playing and really loud music. Not the greatest place to have a conversation. He came up to me during one of our breaks and was mad at me and said that I wasn’t paying enough attention to him and I was talking to Jennifer too much. – ‘Oh! I wasn’t aware I needed to give you all my time – already, and you were talking to Tom so I didn’t realize it was a big deal. Whatever.’
Then, he starts losing and literally throwing the biggest grown-up fit I have ever seen. Even Jennifer and Tom think he is acting a little ridiculous. He doesn’t like to lose apparently.
After bowling, Jennifer and Tom suggest to go hang out at this bar we used to go to a lot back in the day. So we all go…Kyle and I have this really intense conversation there about kids, and marriage and he kept telling me that he liked me and wanted to hurry up and get married (he didn’t really say to me..but still) and wanted to hurry up and have kids. ‘woah! This is our first date!’
Luckily, my roommates at the time happened to also be there, so I slyly told Kyle not to bother taking me home because I would just catch a ride with them and as mean as this sounds, I kind of ditched him. I just couldn’t take anymore!
It gets better though.
A few days later. Jennifer and Tom and some other friends go to a restaurant where our friend James was a waiter. I get a call from one of my best friends Kathy. She said “Hey, what was the name of that guy that you went out with last weekend.” “Why?” I asked – She went on, “It’s Kyle whateverhislastnamewas right?” I said, “How did you know that?” I hadn’t told her that part. Somehow Kathy was talking to her coworker who happened to just be Kyle’s sister and Kathy found out that Kyle was gay or used to be gay or was bi or something…and so she called me.
After I talk to Kathy. I tell Jennifer and Tom what she had told me and James, our waiter friend, heard me and was like – “Oh yeah! Kyle the bartender from the restaurant from across the street? Yeah, he has/had a boyfriend they used to come in here all the time together.”
What?! Really?! I had to know for myself… so I texted him. I said ‘Do you or have you had a boyfriend?” His text reply ‘ I don’t have a boyfriend, I don’t have a girlfriend, I really l like you.’
I was already not feeling him but that just made me feel super weird. I don’t really remember what happened. I either A. ignored him after that or B. told him that it wasn’t going to work, but I didn’t go on any more dates with him after that.
Have you ever had any really strange dates?
Musings From a Girl 