Another Boring Wardrobe Post

Dress: Old Navy, Scarf: H&M, Watch: Citizen

Cat: Grumpy.

What I wish I wore Wednesday:

via Polyvore

Speaking of Wednesday's (you all remember Wednesday on my side of town is Wedding Wednesday), we've got a special day coming up! Sunday marks two years of marital bliss in the R. Simple Household. This year, I don't have time to recap the day in a whole week (in fact, I just realized I leave in less than 48 hours to go to Fort Worth). So instead... check it.

The Proposal

The Party

The Ceremony

The Reception

The Honeymoon

Now for the obligatory stuffing my advice down your throat (I don't care if you're already married). With a job like mine, and a big, giant wedding binder like mine, and a Brides subscription for 12 years like mine, it is SO easy to get caught up in the details. In the perfect wedding. And ours was perfect. But I have two pieces of advice for the brides and grooms to be.

1. Hire a cinematographer. Just do it. You'll be so happy you did. I didn't hire one, and it's my only regret.

2. Go on a gooooooood honeymoon. I know so many people who didn't get to go on one (thank you Air Force), but it was so much more amazing, so much more relaxing, and SO much more necessary than I thought it was going to be. WELL worth it. I would even say skimp on the wedding as much as you have to to get a good honeymoon.

Now I've got to go pack! What's your advice to the newly engaged, you old married ladies?

All's Okay.

Hi world! I just wanted to pop in to make sure to tell everyone, we're fine. We've had two days of tornado threats, but we're completely okay.

Monday, the sirens went off, and there was a funnel cloud spotted just south of base. Nothing ever touched down - our plastic chair didn't even blow away.

Tuesday, we didn't even get much weather. All the tornados were south and east of here. They were predicted to come up for a visit, but never did. We were ready, with axes, helmets, blankets, water, and all the other essentials - but never had to take shelter.

Calvin quickly found his new hiding spot - when he wasn't allowed in our room to go under the bed. 

There were some pretty devastating tornadoes about 50 miles south of us, and 35-40 miles southeast of us. It was pretty terrifying to watch, and very sad to see the people coming out of what used to be their home and was now just a pile of wooded beams ten yards from the foundation. So if you can spare a thought, prayer, or just a little love to my fellow Oklahomans, I'm sure they would appreciate that. 

Regina Spektor

New Spectacles Alert!

Anthropologie.

Check out my cat.

Monday Workday.

This is how I work. Yes, I have the Duchess of Cambridge as my desktop background. Back off, I'm obsessed.

Calvin's New Bed

Is this bad for my laptop?

Whoop, there it is!

Here we go, just as I promised: I'm sorry.

Sometimes I get so caught up in design blogs (which are the majority of the blogs I read... one day I'll admit to how many blogs I read weekly..) that I feel like this blog just isn't cutting it. I don't have my bookcase makeover done. I have pallets just sitting against my house. No window in my house has curtains. I haven't found the perfect rug, or figured out how to make it yet.

So I don't post on those days. I don't feel like I have anything to write about. I feel like one more picture of my dog, and all of you will unbookmark me. One more day without an update on the office, and you'll lose interest.

But yesterday, I realized something. This blog is called R. Simple Life. You know what that R stands for? Recor. Yep. ME. And J. And Duke. And Calvin. And one day, hopefully there will be more, but for now this blog is about 2 people and 2 pets.

Not about 1 house. Not about 2 bedrooms. Not about 12 picture frames. Not about 3 pallets. About us. And I'm pretty sure most of my readers (hi Grandma!) will be just as excited to hear about J's flying, or my running, or Calvin's tap dancing (okay, maybe that's a little far) as they are about a new dresser, or a DIY duvet, or a handmade scarf.

Now, don't get me wrong. My favorite things to blog about are things I do with my own two hands. I love to find inspiration in the most common of things. I also like to pass along that inspiration to others who can't afford to buy a console table for their entry way, or to those who don't think they can sew. Interior design is one of my favorite subjects to talk/blog/think about (along with weddings, of course). So I do love to feature DIY (do-it-yourself... I just found out my mom didn't know what that meant. So in case you didn't either...) projects, and decorating tips, and new furniture.

But I also love to talk/blog/think about the fact that J is flying 10 feet or less away from another airplane this afternoon (more on that next week). Or Calvin's tap dancing habits. Or Duke's frisbee, walking, and sleeping schedules. Or my job. Or Oklahoma. Or everything else in my life.

So my apology today is for neglecting my blog on days when I don't feel inspired. For those of you who read this blog just to stay close, I'm sure you would appreciate a picture with 40 words, rather than no post at all. So I will do better. I am promising you that.

My desk is much cleaner than this now, but just to keep it real... Sometimes my desk looks like this.

iPhone: Week 7

The boys have been extra cuddly.

We were all watching squirrels.

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!

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Since I know some of you may not have appreciated the last post like the rest of us, I'm double posting today! Cue excitement. Yes, you're more excited than you actually know right now.

And because the last two posts have been pretty much dedicated to mushy, ooey, gooey, love...this post is dedicated to destruction. Intergalactic domination. For those of you who know this, I am relieved that I do not have to admit it to you again. For those of you who do not already know this, please don't judge. We all have our nerdy moments.

I love Star Wars. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of one day growing up and marrying Han Solo. I had a Star Wars themed birthday party when I was 10. We went to see the re-release of A New Hope. I have two light sabers in my house right now. And they are foam. So we can really hit each other hard. Real light saber fights.

Phew, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Now, as much as a Star Wars dweeb I am, my husband is about 10x worse. He has a Yoda key chain. He has Star Wars t-shirts. He owns all 6 episodes on VHS, DVD, and is counting down to the Blue Ray release. He has CDs. And listens to them daily. He even listens to the Star Wars NPR radio show every night before bed.

And he plays with Legos.

I've just realized that I have catered to two specific crowds in my double posts today. Hopefully something in one of these two posts entertained you.

Anyway. I love when I find these little Lego guys in different spots than they were before. If it looks deliberate, I know it was my sweet little Star Wars obsessed husband who was playing. If it looks a little more haphazard, I know it was the sinister Darth Calvin...

Yes. We have passed on our love for things that happened in a galaxy far, far away to our "children." We've lost a stormtrooper helmet already. The other day I caught the cat trying to take another helmet to wherever he hid the first one. Our cat loves playing Star Wars Legos.

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. 

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. I sort 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.

iPhone: Week 3

Someone had a little too much Starbucks.