Old photo of Duke.
(hotspot on his ear)
Love him.
I have a 4th of July after the fact post just WAITING to be written.
Stay tuned.
xo
Showing posts with label Duke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Duke. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
iPhone Week 11
Duke knows, Mom is for cuddling,
Dad is for wrestling.
He was fast asleep in his bed when I sat on the floor. He woke up, came over to where I was, and plopped down in front of me. How could I not cuddle with that??
Some of you may have noticed I am taking a mini vacation from blogging. We have some very exciting things happening around here, so I'm just enjoying the moments. I promise I'll be back soon with details. Thanks for being patient!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Crazy 8s FAIL
If you were here a month ago, you will remember my declaration to try new and exciting things, namely CrossFit. The rules were simple -for those of you who wanted to play along- try something new, something fun, something challenging for a whole month. Some things will stick longer than a month, and somethings will not. The biggest rule, however, was to stop if you weren't having fun.
Remember?
Well, I've thought long and hard about this post. I was very tempted to skip right over the progress report from my last Crazy 8s challenge. Just go on to this months. But then I remembered that all important rule. And it was okay.
You may gather that I failed the last challenge. But I'm not calling it a fail. Because I stopped when I wasn't having fun. I followed the most important rule. So really, you could say I succeeded.
Let's start from the beginning. February 8, 2011, I announced to theworld blog that I would be trying CrossFit. An awesome workout routine I had wanted to try for quite some time now. I was pumped. I was excited. The following day, I worked up the nerve and went to the gym (in the evening!) for my first CrossFit class.
No one was there. No instructor. Just two people working out. Obviously doing CrossFit, but on their own. With ear phones in. So I got on the tredmill and ran. Waiting for the tardy instructor. Who never showed up. So I ran and ran, and then worked out on my own. And then I went home, defeated.
Next day, same thing. No instructor. Now I was getting frustrated. I wanted some answers. So I searched all over the CrossFit board at the gym to see if there was a name, email, phone number, anything of an instructor. And I found a website. For Vance AFB's CrossFit.
I went home and checked it out. The class times were totally different on the website than they were on my Group Fitness Calendar. Aha! I had figured it out! So I emailed asking what the best way to learn CrossFit was. No reply. I tried going to one more class. Nothing.
Needless to say, I was frustrated. Sure, I could go online and teach myself the workout of the day and do it on my own at the gym. But I wanted someone to show me how best to warm up. Or the proper stance. Or to critique me when I was doing something wrong. So I decided it wasn't fun.
Sure, I probably could have asked one of the people who were there CrossFitting it up. But, and this might come as a shock to some of you, I am deathly shy at times. I've gotten better, being in the Air Force. I have to be outgoing, otherwise I am in for a lonely, lonely life. But at times (in big groups, around people I don't know but who know each other, and anytime I feel vulnerable) my shyness comes out. And I would rather cry than step out of my shell. Seriously, my eyes water. I'm that shy.
Side note, in 5th grade, we had a play about sea creatures. I played the xylophone. I was not on stage. And I still got tears in my eyes and butterflies in my stomach. I'm just that shy.
So I evoked the "if it's not fun, don't do it" rule and I stopped. I want to do CrossFit, and I will do it eventually. Maybe I'll just ask J's friends who used to do it all the time to teach me. Who knows. But it will happen eventually.
But I didn't want to be a total quitter. So instead of making my February Crazy 8s all about CrossFit, I made it all about Duke. My new goal for the month was to take Duke outside, for a walk, run, or just a Frisbee toss, once a day. Duke was pretty happy about this change of events. Some days we went out 2 or 3 times. Others it was only once. Once or twice, we did not get out at all. But it was nice. And it is something I want to keep up.
It keeps Duke sane. Keeps him from chasing his tail or pouncing on shadows. It gives me that shot of Vitamin D. Plus it's something J and I used to do in Colorado all the time. And while he is not always on my walks with Duke, it's just nice to keep that tradition going.
So I'm sorry for those of you who were hoping for a CrossFit analysis. One day you will get one. But for this month, you get Duke.
Moving right along, onto the Crazy 8s challenge for March! I am attempting to do three things for my house every week. What are these "things" you ask? Well, they can be anything from making a new mirror for my entry way to cleaning out the refrigerator, to finding a dresser for the guest room, to going through my closet and donating my old clothes. After this month, I hope to have a better organized, cleaner, and more decorated home. Wish me luck!
What are you going to challenge yourself to do this month??
Remember?
Well, I've thought long and hard about this post. I was very tempted to skip right over the progress report from my last Crazy 8s challenge. Just go on to this months. But then I remembered that all important rule. And it was okay.
You may gather that I failed the last challenge. But I'm not calling it a fail. Because I stopped when I wasn't having fun. I followed the most important rule. So really, you could say I succeeded.
Let's start from the beginning. February 8, 2011, I announced to the
No one was there. No instructor. Just two people working out. Obviously doing CrossFit, but on their own. With ear phones in. So I got on the tredmill and ran. Waiting for the tardy instructor. Who never showed up. So I ran and ran, and then worked out on my own. And then I went home, defeated.
Next day, same thing. No instructor. Now I was getting frustrated. I wanted some answers. So I searched all over the CrossFit board at the gym to see if there was a name, email, phone number, anything of an instructor. And I found a website. For Vance AFB's CrossFit.
I went home and checked it out. The class times were totally different on the website than they were on my Group Fitness Calendar. Aha! I had figured it out! So I emailed asking what the best way to learn CrossFit was. No reply. I tried going to one more class. Nothing.
Needless to say, I was frustrated. Sure, I could go online and teach myself the workout of the day and do it on my own at the gym. But I wanted someone to show me how best to warm up. Or the proper stance. Or to critique me when I was doing something wrong. So I decided it wasn't fun.
Sure, I probably could have asked one of the people who were there CrossFitting it up. But, and this might come as a shock to some of you, I am deathly shy at times. I've gotten better, being in the Air Force. I have to be outgoing, otherwise I am in for a lonely, lonely life. But at times (in big groups, around people I don't know but who know each other, and anytime I feel vulnerable) my shyness comes out. And I would rather cry than step out of my shell. Seriously, my eyes water. I'm that shy.
Side note, in 5th grade, we had a play about sea creatures. I played the xylophone. I was not on stage. And I still got tears in my eyes and butterflies in my stomach. I'm just that shy.
So I evoked the "if it's not fun, don't do it" rule and I stopped. I want to do CrossFit, and I will do it eventually. Maybe I'll just ask J's friends who used to do it all the time to teach me. Who knows. But it will happen eventually.
But I didn't want to be a total quitter. So instead of making my February Crazy 8s all about CrossFit, I made it all about Duke. My new goal for the month was to take Duke outside, for a walk, run, or just a Frisbee toss, once a day. Duke was pretty happy about this change of events. Some days we went out 2 or 3 times. Others it was only once. Once or twice, we did not get out at all. But it was nice. And it is something I want to keep up.
It keeps Duke sane. Keeps him from chasing his tail or pouncing on shadows. It gives me that shot of Vitamin D. Plus it's something J and I used to do in Colorado all the time. And while he is not always on my walks with Duke, it's just nice to keep that tradition going.
So I'm sorry for those of you who were hoping for a CrossFit analysis. One day you will get one. But for this month, you get Duke.
Moving right along, onto the Crazy 8s challenge for March! I am attempting to do three things for my house every week. What are these "things" you ask? Well, they can be anything from making a new mirror for my entry way to cleaning out the refrigerator, to finding a dresser for the guest room, to going through my closet and donating my old clothes. After this month, I hope to have a better organized, cleaner, and more decorated home. Wish me luck!
What are you going to challenge yourself to do this month??
Thursday, March 3, 2011
iPhone: Week 8
Pretty indicative of what I've been
spending my time doing.
Working.
Tomorrow...an apology.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Blogoversary
Here is the post that was supposed to go out last Thursday (our first blogoversary).
Can you believe R. Simple Life is one whole year old today? Yep. One year ago, I announced to the world that not only were we moving to Oklahoma, but we have entered the blogging world. And oh how things have changed.
I do not write a Christmas letter to send out with our Christmas cards. I find that when you don't have kids, people aren't as interested in your letter. Plus, I just don't have the time. Not around Christmas, at least. And to be honest, I really don't have the time today to think back to a year ago (I was a nanny in Fort Collins, Jon's busiest class was Golf) and update you on our lives from that day forward.
And that is why I keep a blog. It's a great way to spread our love, cheer, and news, weekly, instead of yearly. It takes time everyday, and if I add all the time it takes me in one year to keep this blog going, I would realize it is much more time efficient to write a Christmas letter, but I love blogging. It's a little window into our lives that I love to share with you every day.
Sometimes I miss days. Sometimes I get ambitious and post all week long. Either way, it is a great way for you to see what R. Simple Life is all about.
And to celebrate this first blogaversary, I would like to share a few of my favorite posts from the previous year. Just so you can remember some of the milestones, and see just how far we (and my writing) have come. And because no post is okay without pictures, I'll give you a few of my favorite pictures from the year.
Happy Blogoversary!
.. the first post
..colorado lovin'
..welcome, Calvin
..the first DIY post
..work
..the beginning of wedding week
..oklahoma
..decorating
..the most popular post to date
..marathon
..style me pretty
..homemade
So there you have it! Most of you have already read all of these posts (thanks Grandma!) but I figured I'd share anyway. These are my favorite posts of the last year; the posts that I feel represent the year the best. It's been a wonderful year for blogging, and I can't wait to start the next year tomorrow! Thank you all for reading my disconnected thoughts, random ramblings, and HSE loaded posts.
Here's to another year!
Can you believe R. Simple Life is one whole year old today? Yep. One year ago, I announced to the world that not only were we moving to Oklahoma, but we have entered the blogging world. And oh how things have changed.
I do not write a Christmas letter to send out with our Christmas cards. I find that when you don't have kids, people aren't as interested in your letter. Plus, I just don't have the time. Not around Christmas, at least. And to be honest, I really don't have the time today to think back to a year ago (I was a nanny in Fort Collins, Jon's busiest class was Golf) and update you on our lives from that day forward.
And that is why I keep a blog. It's a great way to spread our love, cheer, and news, weekly, instead of yearly. It takes time everyday, and if I add all the time it takes me in one year to keep this blog going, I would realize it is much more time efficient to write a Christmas letter, but I love blogging. It's a little window into our lives that I love to share with you every day.
Sometimes I miss days. Sometimes I get ambitious and post all week long. Either way, it is a great way for you to see what R. Simple Life is all about.
And to celebrate this first blogaversary, I would like to share a few of my favorite posts from the previous year. Just so you can remember some of the milestones, and see just how far we (and my writing) have come. And because no post is okay without pictures, I'll give you a few of my favorite pictures from the year.
Happy Blogoversary!
.. the first post
..colorado lovin'
..welcome, Calvin
..the first DIY post
..work
..the beginning of wedding week
..oklahoma
..decorating
..the most popular post to date
..marathon
..style me pretty
..homemade
So there you have it! Most of you have already read all of these posts (thanks Grandma!) but I figured I'd share anyway. These are my favorite posts of the last year; the posts that I feel represent the year the best. It's been a wonderful year for blogging, and I can't wait to start the next year tomorrow! Thank you all for reading my disconnected thoughts, random ramblings, and HSE loaded posts.
Here's to another year!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
iPhone: Week 6
Caption Contest.
Whoever leaves the best caption for this picture
(taken 9 February)
in the comments of this post
wins 2,000 points.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
They Called it Puppy Love.
It's like the tortoise and the hare over here. The tortoise being the office redo, and the hare being my life. Things are zooming right along in the House of Recor for all of us...
{Jon is flying his first cross country in a week and a half... using the coast to get him to Florida safely -as well as some instrument only flying- so he has been preparing like a madman for that. Can't wing it on a flight to a place you've never flown to before (pun intended).
I am moving right along with work. I can't believe I'm coming up to the end of my first month at Style Me Pretty. Still loving it. Still keeping me very busy. And get this. I just started training for the OKC marathon/half marathon. As if I didn't have enough going on.
Duke has taken to cuddling by my feet by day, and chasing shadows by night. He also "made friends" with a few ducks. Calvin has switched food and is now on a starvation strike. I don't think it will last long, judging by his enormous gut.But I'm monitoring the situation.}
Enough about the hare. Let's get to the tortoise, for all you shell loving fans out there. The office is slowly but surely moving along to a better place. I shared with you a big mess of ideas already... but I've been working on a "theme" or more like a "feel" for the room {as I don't really love themed rooms}. Since it is an office where both airplane studying and matrimonial eyecandy are both going to be happening on a daily basis, I decided to blend it into an office that is chic, pretty, as modern as I dare go in my house, and function all the while making sure airplanes don't lose their place.
In the prettiest way possible.
So we are going for Aeronautical Chic, in case you skipped over that mumbo jumbo right up there. It will be very tricky to stay away from campy, tacky, or piloty while still incorporating a bit of the sky into the room, but it can and will be done. Isort of have a plan. At least I know what my "artwork" will be {but more on that later}.
Anyway, I know this was a long post of verbiage, but here is your reward for making it this far. Kissing pictures. Yes, I am a girl with lips for my kids. And when I say kids, I mean animals. But you knew that. I try to move my mouth away before they kiss back though, in case you just were sick to your stomach. Anyway, here is a kiss shared with Calvin last week...
And here is one for the dog lovers out there, taken this weekend...
{No I am not always gross with a headband in my sweaty mess of a ponytail. Both photos were taken after returning from the gym. Also, they were taken from my computer. Not my new camera. Sorry.}
Notice anything?? Yes! I moved a few things around. But for now, this is all you get. A little sneak peak. Just for you. :-) Anything you want to see in the office redo? Share! Especially if you think it fits in with the Aeronautical Chic thing we've got going on.
{Jon is flying his first cross country in a week and a half... using the coast to get him to Florida safely -as well as some instrument only flying- so he has been preparing like a madman for that. Can't wing it on a flight to a place you've never flown to before (pun intended).
I am moving right along with work. I can't believe I'm coming up to the end of my first month at Style Me Pretty. Still loving it. Still keeping me very busy. And get this. I just started training for the OKC marathon/half marathon. As if I didn't have enough going on.
Duke has taken to cuddling by my feet by day, and chasing shadows by night. He also "made friends" with a few ducks. Calvin has switched food and is now on a starvation strike. I don't think it will last long, judging by his enormous gut.But I'm monitoring the situation.}
Enough about the hare. Let's get to the tortoise, for all you shell loving fans out there. The office is slowly but surely moving along to a better place. I shared with you a big mess of ideas already... but I've been working on a "theme" or more like a "feel" for the room {as I don't really love themed rooms}. Since it is an office where both airplane studying and matrimonial eyecandy are both going to be happening on a daily basis, I decided to blend it into an office that is chic, pretty, as modern as I dare go in my house, and function all the while making sure airplanes don't lose their place.
In the prettiest way possible.
So we are going for Aeronautical Chic, in case you skipped over that mumbo jumbo right up there. It will be very tricky to stay away from campy, tacky, or piloty while still incorporating a bit of the sky into the room, but it can and will be done. I
Anyway, I know this was a long post of verbiage, but here is your reward for making it this far. Kissing pictures. Yes, I am a girl with lips for my kids. And when I say kids, I mean animals. But you knew that. I try to move my mouth away before they kiss back though, in case you just were sick to your stomach. Anyway, here is a kiss shared with Calvin last week...
And here is one for the dog lovers out there, taken this weekend...
{No I am not always gross with a headband in my sweaty mess of a ponytail. Both photos were taken after returning from the gym. Also, they were taken from my computer. Not my new camera. Sorry.}
Notice anything?? Yes! I moved a few things around. But for now, this is all you get. A little sneak peak. Just for you. :-) Anything you want to see in the office redo? Share! Especially if you think it fits in with the Aeronautical Chic thing we've got going on.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Oklahoma the Beautiful
I'm writing this post in hopes it will take my mind off of the disgusting, horrible, stinky, customer service mess that is DirecTV. But enough on that... we're trying to clear our minds.
When we lived in Colorado, we were lucky. We walked out the front door and saw mountains. We hiked every night with Duke. We took three bike rides a day. I could train on hills like it wasn't a thing. We could go out to eat and be so happy with what we had. We were surrounded by people who enjoyed a lot of the same things we did.
Then we moved to Oklahoma. And I actually was a little sad the other day when someone wished that "I was not hating Oklahoma as much anymore." I'm really sad that I left that impression on you. Sure, it's not Colorado. It's not Michigan, Texas or South Dakota either. It's Oklahoma. And that is not a bad thing.
I have made it my mission to be the best tourist I can be. I have not done as well a job as I had hoped to do originally, but that is what happens when you have a husband who studies on the weekends. I'm still trying though. When faced with what to do on my birthday weekend, we have decided to go to Tulsa and take in some museums and local flavor. I'm planning on running the half marathon for the OKC Memorial (or maybe full... but I don't want to promise myself into something I may not have time to train for...). I'm excited to try the little diners along the road. I'm excited to camp in Oklahoma. I'm excited to find the coolest, prettiest, most fun spots of this toothbrush.
So with that in mind, I decided to take J and Duke out. Past the gates of the base. But not so far that I was no longer in sweet, old Enid. Our favorite Saturday pastime in CO was hiking. So I decided we needed to get outside and "hike." {hike is in quotations because I still have a hard time calling it hiking if I'm able to wear my J. Crew rubber boots.}
We needed to enjoy the beauty of Oklahoma. To do that, I knew the thing we needed to do most was to get outside and away from people. That was when we always loved Colorado the most. So that was when we were going to love Oklahoma the most.
So I would just like to apologize if I gave the wrong impression. No, Oklahoma was not our first choice of bases. And no, I don't want to live here forever. But I, under no circumstances, hate it. Not even a little. I actually really like OK. We've talked about coming back here at some point in J's career so he could be an instructor pilot and we could live a slower pace of life again. Be on the lookout for more OK posts soon.
Want to vacation in OK now?
When we lived in Colorado, we were lucky. We walked out the front door and saw mountains. We hiked every night with Duke. We took three bike rides a day. I could train on hills like it wasn't a thing. We could go out to eat and be so happy with what we had. We were surrounded by people who enjoyed a lot of the same things we did.
Then we moved to Oklahoma. And I actually was a little sad the other day when someone wished that "I was not hating Oklahoma as much anymore." I'm really sad that I left that impression on you. Sure, it's not Colorado. It's not Michigan, Texas or South Dakota either. It's Oklahoma. And that is not a bad thing.
I have made it my mission to be the best tourist I can be. I have not done as well a job as I had hoped to do originally, but that is what happens when you have a husband who studies on the weekends. I'm still trying though. When faced with what to do on my birthday weekend, we have decided to go to Tulsa and take in some museums and local flavor. I'm planning on running the half marathon for the OKC Memorial (or maybe full... but I don't want to promise myself into something I may not have time to train for...). I'm excited to try the little diners along the road. I'm excited to camp in Oklahoma. I'm excited to find the coolest, prettiest, most fun spots of this toothbrush.
So with that in mind, I decided to take J and Duke out. Past the gates of the base. But not so far that I was no longer in sweet, old Enid. Our favorite Saturday pastime in CO was hiking. So I decided we needed to get outside and "hike." {hike is in quotations because I still have a hard time calling it hiking if I'm able to wear my J. Crew rubber boots.}
We needed to enjoy the beauty of Oklahoma. To do that, I knew the thing we needed to do most was to get outside and away from people. That was when we always loved Colorado the most. So that was when we were going to love Oklahoma the most.
So I would just like to apologize if I gave the wrong impression. No, Oklahoma was not our first choice of bases. And no, I don't want to live here forever. But I, under no circumstances, hate it. Not even a little. I actually really like OK. We've talked about coming back here at some point in J's career so he could be an instructor pilot and we could live a slower pace of life again. Be on the lookout for more OK posts soon.
Want to vacation in OK now?
Friday, January 14, 2011
Round One
Well, we have a nice long weekend in front of us (at least the men in the house do). So I suppose that means I am going to try to get a few projects finished up, as well as learn more about my new favorite toy. I'm still practicing. A lot. And since the best time for pictures is during the day when I'm locked in my house with my cat and dog, Calvin and Duke are the subject of most of my pictures.
I figured I would take a second today to answer the question we get asked most when people first learn we have both the feline and the canine species coexisting in our house: Do Duke and Calvin get along?
(As Always, you can click on the picture above to make it bigger)
The answer? Calvin keeps Duke in his place.
Have a great weekend everyone! And a happy MLK Jr. Day too :-)
I figured I would take a second today to answer the question we get asked most when people first learn we have both the feline and the canine species coexisting in our house: Do Duke and Calvin get along?
(As Always, you can click on the picture above to make it bigger)
The answer? Calvin keeps Duke in his place.
Have a great weekend everyone! And a happy MLK Jr. Day too :-)
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Life of a Cat and Dog, BFFS
I'm still playing with my new camera. I haven't had a chance to read through the manual yet, since I've been so busy. However, I have realized something.
I am obsessed with my pets.
I am obsessed with my pets.
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