It's a Love(ll) Thing: January 2011

1.31.2011

Winter's still here

I may have bragged a little in my last post, mentioning how nice the weather in Oklahoma City is/was. And it was. It was two days of 75 degrees with the sun shining in a cloudless blue sky. It was the perfect springesque whether, the kind of weather that pleads for you to come outside and enjoy it's warmth.

On Saturday J and I enjoyed an afternoon run to a nearby park. Something neither one of us had done in quite some time. That would be both run, and run outdoors. It was the perfect kind of day that reminded me why it's essential I live somewhere with nice weather all year round.

While last weekend was near perfect weather wise, I may have failed to mention that within the next few days--today--we'd be getting a crazy snow storm (at least crazy if you aren't used to snow) and bundling up to freezing 18 degree weather. I know, poor attempt to talk up Oklahoma. But hey, you can't blame me for trying. A girls got to do what a girls got to do to convince people to come visit. Although, I've long since come to terms that the only way we'll be getting visitors is if there's a baby in the picture. Another day, another time.

Moving on. It hasn't started snowing just yet, but there's a 100% chance that it's coming. And hard. Or so they say. So, near the end of work today, we all received emails informing us that the University and clinics will be closed tomorrow.

So, maybe I don't love living in cold places. Nor do I particularly love living where it snows. But I do love living in a place where snow sends people into panic mode, therefore canceling school, work, and shutting down the city for a day or two. What a bunch of babies. So, here's me enjoying the present. Bring on snow day numero uno.

1.28.2011

Now and Then

I'm trying to be better at living in the moment, and not longing for what used to be, or what's to come. I still find myself laughing when I think about the fact that I live in Oklahoma. I still laugh when I hear funny phrases like "fixin' to go" and "might could." I still laugh when I see random oil wells dotting the city. I still long to be elsewhere on occasion. And yes, it's true, I still think being here for another two and a half years sounds rather daunting. But like I said, I'm trying to be better at living in the moment, and embracing the phrase "come what may and love it." Oklahoma is definitely not as bad as I once imagined. But I still consider myself a big city (or at least a bigger city) girl who doesn't like to be landlocked. So, as we head into this weekend that's probably lacking any real excitement, I'm going to do my best to enjoy it nonetheless. And hey, living in a state that gives me 74 degree weather at the end of January is definitely a nice perk in my book.

I may not be living in Washington, D.C anymore, but here in Oklahoma, we have some things that reassure me I still live in a pretty cool place. Plus, they have snow right now anyway. Pass!
I'll take warmer weather any day.

I love that our capitol building, just on the other side of the OU campus where I work, resembles so closely our Nation's Capitol.
Now & Then

Maybe I can't go walk by the Washington Monument anymore, but we have something that looks pretty similar, the Beacon of Hope.

Now & Then

I'd give anything to go spend an afternoon hanging out at the Lincoln Memorial. However, aside from the tragedy that's behind the Oklahoma City National Memorial, it's still a pretty spectacular site to visit.

Now & Then

Sadly, no matter how hard I look, I've yet to find any stairs that come close to resembling the stairs at the base of the Lincoln, lining the Potomac River. And oh, how I miss those runs after work. But on the flip side, we do have Lake Hefner and it's nine mile loop not five minutes from our house. Add an Oklahoma sunset to the picture, and tell me that's not gorgeous.

Now& Then

Sometimes it just takes reminding myself that Oklahoma really isn't that bad after all. Two and a half more years, I ~~hope~~ think I can handle it.

Happy Friday!

1.25.2011

Time Fillers

There's something about coming into work on a Monday. It's an in-my-face reminder that the weekends over. No more sleeping in, lounging around, and filling up my time with "activities" I want/need to do. I dread Sunday's, mainly Sunday night. And somewhere in my mind, one that doesn't always make sense, I often think by wishing hard enough, I can make work disappear for another day. Is it strange that I honestly believe that? But come Tuesday, the dread of coming into work lessens, and I'm far more ok with it than I was the night before. Plus, I work with funny people. I think that right there is worth coming into work for. They definitely provide far more entertainment than I'd find staying at home and hang out with Tobias all day. Who, by the way, is becoming more and more like a needy child these days. But we/I love him regardless. And the beauty of it is, when we don't want to deal with him, we just put him outside. You can't do that with children. Or can you? But that's beside the point. All I'm really trying to say is, I love weekends, and I wish somehow, someway, they could last a little bit longer, or be eternal. I wouldn't mind. Even with a three day work week last week, it still didn't seem long enough. So, while I'm back at work, filling up my time, here are a few gem of gems to fill up yours. You have nothing better to do, right? Oh, wait, you work too? I feel for you!

Made this last night for dinner, with whole wheat flour. It's becoming one of our favorites. Thanks, Jana (if you even read this). Have I ever told you how much I love your cooking blog?
I don't know how or when I discovered this, this or this blog, but I love them. They make me want to get my craft on. If only I could get paid for this stuff...
If only I had cute little girls to do all of these fun things for. Maybe one day...
Free dippin dots anyone?
These blogs are awesome. Who doesn't love free/discounted things, right?

And last but not least, for now anyway, The Mormon Bachelor. I'm not sure if I find it as entertaining as I once did, but this sure helps.

I love discovering new blogs. I'm a blog addict if you will, and not ashamed. So, what blogs do you enjoy reading and getting ideas from? I'd love to add, yet another blog, to my already over-spilling list.

And because the weekend was originally the main point of this post, here are some pictures of us for your viewing pleasure. We decided to spice it up a bit and go bowling. I honestly don't remember the last time I went bowling, but this I do know, I think I bowled my highest game yet. A 130, follwed by a "close" second to J. Love.

Oh, what's that? You want to see how we bowled such awesome or not so awesome scores?

Yes, you heard him correctly, he is indeed "gobbling" at the end of his strike.

He got the one and only turkey of the game.

1.20.2011

Snow Day?

Last week there was talk of snow in Oklahoma City. We woke up to nothing but frozen pipes that wouldn't work for over two days. Last night we went to bed knowing another "storm" was on it's way. When we peeked through the blinds this morning, it just looked bitter cold. We decided to forgo the gym anyway, and I basked in sleeping in for an hour longer. I may not like snow, but Oklahomans, they fear it. So, maybe I was a little sad when I realized I'd have to go into work this morning after all. Last year's snowmageddon spoiled me. While still sitting in bed, taking my sweet time to get moving, the mister walked in to inform me his morning clinic is canceled. It wasn't five minutes later he walked back in to tell me I could go back to bed if I wanted. School is also canceled! Since I work for the University, you guessed it, that means work is canceled, too. And it's all because of this...

You might have to look real close to see the faint hint of white dusting the sidewalk and street. I actually had to go outside to figure out what they are even worried about. I'm still not sure. Jokingly, I asked John if he thought we needed to go buy a shovel? I just laugh at the things that cause a city to shut down. As I sit in my pajamas on a cold Thursday morning, you will find me happy as can be. A necessary snow day or not, I'll take it.

1.16.2011

Life is for adventures

I'm sure most of you, if not all of you, have heard of The Bachelor. I'm not too sure when my love for this show began, probably somewhere around the first season however many years ago, but trashiness and all, it's kind of addicting. I love watching girls (or guys, depending on the season) embarrass themselves all in the name of love. It's reality T.V. at it's finest, I assure you. So, last fall, when my sister and I discovered a blog called, The Mormon Bachellorette{TMB,} it's no wonder we became hooked. A spin off of the actual show, Mormon style. The idea of a Mormon girl going on 30 dates in 30 days, in hopes of finding her "one true Mormon love," sounded so awkward, how could we not be hooked? Especially when we as the "audience" would have the viewing pleasure of watching her dates via "webisodes." I mean really, who wouldn't want to watch this, right? Well, surprise surprise, in her quest to find her E.C. {eternal companion,} she wound up engaged to be married in March. I give the girl props, I don't think I'd have the guts to do something like that. Although, I did do other questionable and gutsy things to win my husband over, but that's neither here nor there. With the first "season" being so successful, they decided to flip the cards and go Mormon Bachelor style. Which brings me to the here and now.

Over Christmas break, I received an email from my other sister, asking me how badly our sister would kill her if she applied for her to be on TMB. Following me? I thought about it, laughed, and said something along the lines that she'd be killed indefinitely if she did that. I then proceeded to tell her to do it anyway, because I thought it would be funny, never expecting anything to actually come of it. So she did! She also told me to never tell her that she applied for her to be on the show? blog? webisodes? So when she and I both received an email, demanding the culprit behind her application make ourselves known, I replied, with a big smile on my face saying, "It wasn't me!"

I think this is the point where I let my sister explain the rest...

Check out her blog, and then visit The Mormon Bachelor blog as well. I can assure you, it won't disappoint. I may be a bit biased, seeing that it is my sister and all, but isn't she just awesome? Rick Buck seems to think so! {you should leave a comment on the TMB blog saying so, too}

1.11.2011

Where the sun shines over 300 days a year

Sometimes, in the midst of the bitter cold wintry air, I just need to know warmth is in sight. How I long to be on a warm sandy beach right about now. Please oh please, can march come any faster? Two days of this bitter cold weather, leaving my house feeling as cold as an ice box, and I'm ready to disappear to this paradisaical place for awhile...

1.07.2011

How did I get so lucky?

As much as I despise the thought of a role reversal relationship, and long to be home with the hubs while I'm stuck at work, having him home this past week has been rather nice. I secretly hoped I'd come home from work one day to dinner on the table, awaiting my arrival, but, maybe those things take more time. And yes, I'm working on patience.

Yesterday I asked John what his plans are for his last day of his three week vacation, to which he responded, "I'm going to take care of doing everything you normally do on Saturday's; grocery shop, clean the house, do all of the laundry, etc. so we can have a fun and relaxing Saturday, no work involved...because that's how much I love you, and that's how good of a husband I am." Maybe those weren't his exact words, but the ideas the same nonetheless.

I only received two phone calls from him while he was grocery shopping to ask where to find things. Maybe it would have been more had his phone not died in the middle of our conversation. How did/do men grocery shop without girls doing it for them?

I know the laundry is done, he informed me of that one when he came to picked me up for lunch this afternoon. In fact, he started the laundry before I even left for work this morning. That deserves a "impressive" stamp. I'm just hoping nothing shrunk...

I'm not going to push my luck in hoping the house is clean. I thought about reminding him of that one, but I figured two out of three's not bad, and I didn't want him thinking I'm ungrateful for everything else he's done for me today.

As soon as I get home from work, we're headed out of town on a spontaneous mini-vacation. Sure we just came back from California a week ago, but I'm convinced you can never have too many vacations in life. And why not end his three week vacation with a vacation, right?

You know, It used to bug me when I'd read people's blogs that talked about all the sweet things their husbands do for them, wondering if I'd ever find a husband who would do those things for me. Now that I'm married, and doing the thing that used to bug me, while having the sweet things done for me, I realized, maybe they share these things not to make other wives jealous, but to let them know what men are capable of doing. And maybe, just maybe, it's to make the husbands wish they were a little sweeter to their wives, like theirs is to them? Or mine is to me?

And to that I say, thank goodness for three week vacations. We'll see you again in seven months!

1.03.2011

The Golden State

It's a good thing I woke up this morning feeling refreshed, opposed to the usual groggy, sleepy, longing to stay in bed for a few more hours, feeling that seems to greet me most days. Otherwise, having to come into work this morning, after a two week vacation, while the husband lay sound asleep in bed, would have been a little more difficult and despised. It must be a new year! Thankfully, the mister didn't stay sound asleep too long after I got up to get ready. When questioning his being bright eyed at such an hour, knowing he could sleep his days away if he wanted, seeing he still has another week of freedom before he hits the books again, (the beauty of being a student, not a worker) he, in quite a mater of fact kind of way stated, "Well, I can't let you starve." So, off to the kitchen he went to put my lunch together. Am I spoiled or what? He then proceeded to walk me to the door, kiss me goodbye, and wave as I drove away. I felt like I had a glimpse into what my life could be like, say I happened to be a stay at home mom. I concluded long ago that I'm not a fan of role reversal, and today, that was made ever more apparent as I headed into work. Maybe one day things will change.One day. Maybe.

It's sad how one day back at work, and I feel like my Christmas vacation never happened. But it did. It was great. And believe you me, I wish it never ended. John and I flirted with the idea of never returning to Oklahoma, and staying in California as bums, forever. I'd be lying if I said we didn't think it sounded rather appealing.

But here we are, back to the real word, where things aren't always so picturesque. As I sat through my Monday morning meetings, all my mind could think about was...