Six Lions and a Peacoat

White. Mountains of white. Blowing around. Reflecting the sun. Making it hard for Duke to find somewhere in the backyard to do his thing, if you catch my drift. And there are lots of drifts. HUGE drifts. Looking out the window to the front of the house right now, I see a car buried, a patio table heaped halfway to the tip of the umbrella, and a tree that must have strong limbs. I cannot, however, see my shoveling husband, due to the large pile he has created on the side of the driveway.

Yep, snow. We got more snow. Oklahoma is very confused. They don't know what to do. This time, however, I agree with the snow day J is enjoying. There is no way we could have gotten out of our garage, let alone our driveway this morning. And if we got that far, there is no way the streets would have permitted us to get anywhere.

Duke is loving it (well he was loving it, until he had to come inside because there was another dog outside that he just needed to play with. So now, he is under my desk crying. Thus the blog writing, instead of working. Don't really think I need to make a phone call to a photographer with a crying puppy in the background).

J is loving it. And shoveling it. :)

I am loving it. From inside for now, but later we'll head over to the park for the whining, crying puppy.

And it just so happens that I was ready for this. Oh yes, blog readers, I am prepared. Let me tell you what my husband told me when all the stores were having great sales on winter coats last year at the end of the season...

       "Don't buy a new winter coat, you won't need it where we're going. Everywhere we could possibly go does not get snow."

Ha. Good thing I'm a coat hoarder. And I still have my coats from high school. Who cares if they are a little big and old? Well actually, I do, so I fixed one. Check out this before.

Yes, I left the dog/cat hair on that coat to make a more dramatic before & after.

It's not horrible. It's not. I wear it, and its fine. It's just a little boring like that. Don't you think? So imagine my excitement when I received a package full of these in the mail last week:

 

Gorgeous! I'm in love with buttons! That lion even looks a little bit like the lion in the Recor family crest. If only it had two tails. So with a pair of scissors,  a needle and some thread, I preformed a little coat makeover. Are you ready for this??

Okay, its not super dramatic, I know. And the coat is still too big for me, which really just means I can wear a shirt, sweater, and a sweatshirt under it to stay warm. But its a bit updated. A bit more Mallory circa 2011, rather than American Eagle circa 2004. Who doesn't love a little bit of gold and navy? Almost as good as navy and white...

So whose running to the fabric store on the way home from work to pick up some buttons? Really, it was an awesome (read:cheap) way to update my coat. To take a coat I had and turn it into a coat I wanted. And it was very, very simple. Maybe not precise, but I'm the only one who will be wearing it, so who cares. Thoughts?

Crazy 8s

We're going to try something new. Every month. Some may last, some may not. You can join in, but you definitely don't have to. I can be your guinea pig. Let's start from the beginning...

This (and the picture up there) is proof that I have a totally random thought process. I was drying my hair yesterday and thinking about all the different things I want to try. Whether I stick with them or not. I just have so many things I'm interested in. So I am attempting something. Something new, every month. Something that I've always wanted to do. Or something that is crazy enough that I want to try out for a month. Or something that I would like to understand better.

Some of these things might stick. I hope some of them will. Some months I'm positive I will be counting down to the end. I'm sure I'll mess up along the way. I'm sure I will "cheat." But I'm writing the rules, and I think that is okay. And, like everything else in my life, this will only stick around until I get bored of it. Or lazy.

If you want to play along, here are the rules:

1. Something new, every month, for a whole month. The 8th through the 8th. {Or the 9th through the 9th, or the 15th through the 15th. Whatever.}
2. Something fun/crazy/interesting/strange/exciting.
3. You can cheat. It's all up to you to get the best experience you can.
4. You can try my new thing. You can try your own new thing. You can switch back and forth between mine and your own.
5. I want to hear about it. Blog about it. Write me a letter at the end of the month. Email me when it gets hard. I'm curious how many of us will step out of our shells.

If you are wondering what kinds of new experiences I'm thinking about, here are a few, just off the top of my head {no promises I will do any or all of these. And if you have any suggestions for the coming months, let me know!}...

• Become a vegetarian.
• Walk your dog every morning.
• Don't go out to eat. For the whole month.
• Wear anything but jeans for a whole month.
• Watch only movies, no TV.
• Have nicely painted fingernails.

You don't have to be too serious. Have fun with it. Pick a color one month, and wear it every single day. Or you can be very serious. Write a letter to someone you love every single day. I'm not here to boss you around or enforce the rules. It's just for fun {so when it stops being fun, take a break. Or just stop all together}. And don't beat yourself up if you cheat. If you'll remember correctly, it is in the rules that you can cheat.

This month, I am trying CrossFit. It's intense. It's crazy. I've always wanted to do it. I'll let you know how it goes.

Map This.

You may not have realized he was gone, or that I was unsure of when his return would be, but J got home last night, just as planned {originally}.

I don't like to blog about trips away from home, weather one of us or both of us until after it happens. Never know who reads this thing. Even if we do live on an Air Force base.

You see, this weekend, he flew to Texas. Then New Mexico. Then back to Texas. Then back to Oklahoma. And before he left, they told him to be prepared to be gone until Thursday. Right before he left. Like 1 hour before he left. So needless to say, there was some moving and shaking happening in the Recor house this weekend.

{One wife left to her own devices - one loving husband = home changes.}

And the good news is, one of these changes actually pushed the office a little closer to the finish line. Not too close. More like closer to the halfway point. More like closer to the halfway to the halfway point. But the point is we're moving people! {not literally}

We now have touched on the office before. Once or Twice. Maybe I mentioned this awesome loveseat?

Haha, so funny. This is a long project. But Rome wasn't built in a day! And this office will be the new Rome. It will be powerful. Beautiful. Inspiring. Home of great minds. It might even be a superpower one day. Someday. When it's finished. Baby steps.

Let me just say now, if maps drive you crazy, if you find yourself lost while staring at one, if you literally get lost in one while trying to fold it back up, if the very thought of your GPS {gasp} breaking gives you the hives, turn off your computer. Just do it now. I don't want to be responsible for this.

Still here? Okay good. Hopefully that means you will understand my love affair with maps. I like them, I love them, I can't get enough of them. I don't own a GPS. I believe my phone will act as one, but I have not attempted. We are the people who buy the maps at the convenience store. There is always someone. It's us. I believe we have three maps in our glove compartment right now. Yep. Three.

They are just so beautiful! The lines. The colors. The shapes. The North. The South...okay I'm done. Now remember, I am sharing this office with a boy. A pilot boy. And when I told him I was setting out to make this office "Aviator Chic" he thought I was crazy. But I found a way.

Aeronautical maps. Who knew they were this pretty?? {I did.} So these puppies have found a home. Above those bookshelves {who, by the way, are just dying for a makeover... in fact, they don't know this right now, but I have two pallets leaning against my house right now just waiting to meet up with those ladies}. Am I crazy? Maybe. Am I sentimental? Definitely - the orange map is of Colorado, and the green is Michigan. Next we'll have to add an Oklahoma to the mix.

I like love them. They are perfect for what I am wanting in this room. How are you feeling about them? I apologize for the glare. That huge, obnoxious glare. We have lots of windows. Which means lots of natural light-yay! But it also means lots of glare. {And please don't mention how cluttered my bookshelves are. We're all overly embarrassed about that.}

Also, if you could just keep my friend Amy and her husband Aaron in your thoughts and prayers. They have had quite the day.

iPhone: Week 5

Tulsa for my birthday.

Freezing cold.

Walked to breakfast.

Bookends. Not What You Think.

You saw it. You're clever little eyes caught sight of something you've been waiting for. Am I right??

Let's recap. Remember this post? Of course you do. Remember what we started with?

Did you see this picture the other day?

Yep. I've been holding out on you. We "finished" this little guy over a month ago. The reason I have not shared yet, is because it is too cold to polyurethane. And I really wanted him to be finished before I showed him off. But, that may be a while. And I teased you earlier this week. So I decided to share.

I have pictures of the process somewhere, but I'm having difficulties locating them right now. Sorry!

Also sorry that he does not have his polyurethane coat{S} on! He would be a much richer, dark brown color if he did. One day he will completely match my dining room table.

On top of him not having his coat on, he also is not styled. Stacy and Clinton would have a field day on the poor guy. The mirror he's sporting is actually borrowed from our bedroom until I find time to DIY a Pottery Barn inspired mirror to go with my Pottery Barn inspired console. He's got a measly Woodwick and key plate. That's it. I feel like I should be apologizing for his lack of styling. I feel like he's naked. I'm sorry for exposing him so crudely. But you had to see. You had to know I finish projects I start. {Well I almost finish them. And then I use them. And one day I will finish them. All.}

So.... dare I ask? What do you think?

A big, huge thanks to Ana White for providing the amazing plans for this little dude. Seriously. Check her website out. You'll want to make every piece of furniture in your house.

I cannot take responsibility of time wasted on the aforementioned website. This is your warning. 

Tulsa, Symphony, BLTs, Flowers, etc.

I can't decide if I'm prettier this year than I was last year. I feel prettier this year, but that could just be higher self esteem this year, than last. What do you think?

{If you can name the inspiration for that opener, I'll give you 45 points.}

Another year older. Another year wiser. And another year further away from childhood. However, as my lovely grandmother has told me, you don't have to be a grown up until you have wrinkles. And even then it's questionable.

For the big 24 {J's favorite number}, we took a trip to a far off land, full of wonder, beauty, surprises. Tulsa, OK, which some people might say is the Paris of the west, was a beautiful 75 degrees on Saturday to celebrate my birthday. J took me into the city to get our civilization fix. And boy did we find it.

We spent all afternoon shopping at an outdoor mall with stores like Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, Gap, Banana Republic, and Restoration Hardware. Yes people, we are talking about a real mall, not one that consists of an arcade, a Bath and Body Works, and a Sears {like the one in Enid}. Part of my birthday present from my wonderful husband was a mini shopping spree. SO I bought some new clothes.

After stopping by our hotel to change and prettify ourselves, We went down to the art district of Tulsa to enjoy some long awaited wonderful sushi. Yep, Oklahoma, the landlocked state of cowboys and Indians, has good sushi. You just have to drive two hours from my house to get it.

After that, we walked over to the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra where we enjoyed music from Broadway, and Tango music from Quartet San Fransisco. It was beautiful. Music to my ears {wah, wah. bad joke}. What a romantic date! Just my and my studly husband, and the 85 year old woman sitting next to my studly husband, who kept telling us to move away from Oklahoma, go back to Michigan, and wait a while before we have kids. I think she was hired by our families.

We enjoyed our second dinner {sushi was just the appetizer} at the restaurant attached to our hotel. It was magnificent. That, plus the wonderful breakfast we had the next morning, plus the sushi appetizer {and the great service at all three} made us realize we will never go out to eat in Enid again. Good food + good service does not equal Enid dining {at least that we have experienced thus far}.

{just to prove I am not kidding...} Per my request, my birthday dinner this year was...

Amazing.

After running around Tulsa doing the obligatory Target, Petsmart, and Best Buy runs we need to do when we go to the city, we returned home to a dog and cat who were so excited to see us. And for dessert, we had homemade cheesecake at my dear friend Jill's house.

And that is not to mention all the great presents I got this year! Thank you all for being so generous! I'm especially loving the wonderful smelling, colorful addition to my desk...

So I would really like to thank you ALL for your warm wishes on my birthday. I received so much love this year, I couldn't be happier. Here's to another year of renovating, puppy and kitty loving, blogging, working, snuggling, and moving {which I'm sure we'll have some of... Thank you Air Force}.

And speaking of kitty loving, here's a big happy birthday to the large, tuxedo wearing 6 year old we have in our house today. He has been spending his birthday sleeping in different places around the house. {It was a year ago today we picked up our big bundle of joy from the humane society!}

Love my Seat.

Well, after a balmy 75 degree day Saturday, it's only right that we are snowed in today. It's crazy how different the snow storms are around the country. I've lived in Michigan, where the snow keeps coming down, and turns to a slushy, brown mess the next day. I've lived in Colorado, where the snow all comes at once and stays pristine and white for weeks. And now I've lived in Oklahoma, where we get a few inches of snow that later blow around like crazy, producing blizzard like effects, as well as patches of visible road and grass feet from drifts of snow 2 feet deep.

But I am another year older. {More on that tomorrow} I have gotten some awesome presents this year. Some things that I really, really wanted. So thank you SO much for all my fun new gadgets and toys. And loveseats.

Yep, you heard that right. I was putting away dishes yesterday morning when I heard a knock on the door.

"Here's your couch!" said the UPS man.

My what?!

Yep. The loveseat of this post of yore. One of my loyal, wonderful blog readers agreed with me {in thinking this couch was a fabulous and chic seating option for my husband} and sent it to me for my birthday! Thank you, THANK you!!!! :-)

So are you dying to see it in it's rightful place??? After a little sweat and tears putting it together {not really... well probably a little sweat. But as soon as the man of the house let his little wife help, it went together no problem... funny how that happens} it is ready to be sat on. And Calvin has tested that out.

Seems like his jaunt on Desire to Inspire has gone to his head a bit.

Love it. Do you? I think it is perfect for that space. Now husbands and wives can both sit in the office. At the same time. Not on the ground. :-)

PS. A special thanks goes out to Sandy who keeps an eye on the blog and gives fabulous gifts.

Stay tuned this week for a birthday recap. And perhaps you spotted another post just ASKING to be written in one of these pictures?? Yeah, stay tuned for that too.