Week of Progress

Okay, I decided the only way to remedy my homesickness was to hit the ground running. So here a few projects from last week.

I FINALLY organized my closet. It's a pretty big space and I was so excited to have a real walk in, but I think I was initially overwhelmed and it never became what I wanted it to be. It took all week but it feels so good to walk into an organized closet! This is my favorite part (below). I can actually SEE all my accessories. I even rediscovered some great pieces that were hidden away in their boxes. So happy about it. 

I actually managed to cook a few times this week. My infant has become a bit of a roly poly and is no longer content just swinging in his chair for an hour while I cook every night. I'm looking into some alternatives that will allow him to be happy and safe in the kitchen with me, but in the meantime I made a few quick, delicious meals. 

1. Asian Inspired Flat Iron Steak

2. Prosciutto, Asparagus, and Parmesan Spaghetti 

3. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Philly Cheesesteak Rolls

Today I finished some painting. A chevron wall has been on my decorating wish list for a while, and to be honest, I really didn't think I would have the time or patience to ever complete that task. But after I lot of measuring, pencil marking, remarking, leveling, and waded up pieces of tape I ended up with this! 

I kind of love it :) 

Feeling motivated! What projects do you have going? 

Coming Home from Home

Well... I'm home. No, not Oklahoma. But my current home in Tennessee. And I have to say: I'm a little out of sorts. So I'm just writing a quick one tonight to help me get back in the groove.

I had an incredible month in Oklahoma with the comfort of family and friends around. Eli got to meet his cool Aunt B and see his Uncle Bubs. He met Brandon's whole family and they couldn't love him more! We went on our first road trip and spent some quality time with some quality people. I even got to swing a golf club for the first time in over a year. (I'm rusty, but it felt good!)  And Eli had a couple "Guys Nights In" with Pops, letting Mom have some much needed girl time. I felt like myself. It was amazing.

So here I am back in Tennessee, fighting the urge to go back to Oklahoma. But I know I have to stay. I felt so happy in Oklahoma and, as I wrote about here, Oklahoma really is home. I'm so blessed that I get to spend so much time there during holidays, cross country moves, and deployments. But I don't live there right now. I live here. And I have to learn to love where I am. I'm an Army wife. I'm not stationary. And I'll never learn to love where I am if I'm always planning my next trip home. So in efforts to not fall into a depression, pack the car, and drive straight home: I'm making plans.

*Blogging- I want to continue writing. It keeps me motivated and moving forward.
*Cooking- I want to keep cooking as long as Eli will let me. He doesn't tolerate his swing so much anymore (he's trying to roll over in it!), but I'm sure I can find a way. At the very least, I will be cooking all of his baby food, which we started this week. More on that later.
*Fashioning- my goal remains to spend more days in real clothes than my fancy yogas. The shopping done in OKC will really help.
*DIYing- lots of projects on the agenda. Painting, organizing, and decorating. I will be so excited to share my finished projects.
*Exploring- I want to get out and find out what's awesome about this town. I want to enjoy Nashville too! I'm looking forward to it. If anyone has any Nashville suggestions let me know!
*Putting myself "out there"-meeting new people in high school or college is so easy! But after college is a different story. Sometimes I feel like making new friends is kind of like dating. It can be awkward at first and takes a while before you reach the "my house is a wreck and I'm still in pajamas, but come over anyway phase". But I'm joining some playgroups and going to do some Mommy and Me things with Eli this summer with the hope of meeting some mom friends.

If I can work on these things this summer I think I'll find my niche here.

So hello Clarksville. My goal is to be happy to call you "home". For a few years at least.

Finally- here's a little dose of Eli. 5 months old on May 17. He's pretty stinkin' cute if you ask me.

Oklahoma

My husband LOVES Oklahoma. I mean loves it!! Every time we're in town and someone says "have a good day", or smiles at us, or any other gesture that is commonly polite Brandon always says, "I just love Oklahoma!". This used to make me chuckle because I feel like most people do that no matter what state you're in. But you know what, they don't. Having lived in a few different places over the years has really made me learn to appreciate the good 'ol OKC. And here's why...

 People- I do love the people here. Not just my friends, but most of the people I run into during day to day activities are super nice! It's not uncommon to start a conversation with a complete stranger, have a door held open for me, or get a "thank you" wave when I let someone turn before me at a stop sign. A shining example of this happened to me yesterday at the Mall. Eli needed a quick diaper change when we arrived and I hurried into Dillard's carrying Eli in one hand, wheeling the stroller in the other, and dragging my diaper bag over my shoulder. A Dillard's employee quickly noticed me making my way to the restroom and suggested I use a dressing room instead. She offered to push the stroller and led me to a large room, all the while smiling at Eli and asking me questions about him. This small act of kindness made my day! If you've ever carried an infant while trying to maneuver a stroller you know what I'm talking about. Good people here in OK.

 Community- I feel an incredible sense of community in Oklahoma. Like everyone is here to help each other out. I love exploring the local shops in Edmond and Oklahoma City. Some of my favorite shopping and eating is at tiny local businesses around the city. ND Foods, Johnnies, Pinkitzel, A Date with Iris, Ladybugs and Lizards Children's Boutique. So fun (and delicious!). In fact, this Saturday, May 5 is "Keep it Local" day in OKC, where we are encouraged to shop and eat local. I love it and I will be participating! Last weekend, in another amazing show of community spirit and endurance, thousands of people took part in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon to remember the Oklahoma City Bombing that occurred April 19, 1995. I have run both the half marathon and full marathon and it was truly an amazing experience. The sense of community that this race brings is best described by my friend who ran a relay in the race last weekend. You can read Grace's story of the Citizens' Race here. As she says, "Good Job Oklahoma".

 Oklahoma Sports- Okay, I must mention here that I'm a Texas fan. Texas Christian University Horned Frogs (my alma mater- Go Frogs!), Texas Longhorns (hook 'em), San Antonio Spurs. Those are my teams! I married an Oklahoma, Sooner Lovin', Texas Hatin' man. While most of the time we can watch our teams play each other with lighthearted bickering and teasing, there have been those times when we've had to retreat to separate areas of the house for a short time. But, I have to admit, Oklahomans know how to be fans! They love their teams and are die hard fans through and through. On Easter, my family headed to Norman to visit Brandon's family. As usual, there was some trash talking back and forth about TCU/Texas and the OU rivalry. My Dad, never hesitating to sport his Texas gear when we venture that way, is always the odd man out in the sea of crimson in that house. But this year the talk turned to NBA basketball, which was weird because I've NEVER heard Brandon's family talk about basketball at all! Now, NBA basketball has been the one "safe zone" for me, a forever San Antonio Spurs fan, because until recently Oklahoma did not have a pro team. All of a sudden, his whole family are huge OKC Thunder fans! Huge. Like, if you're a Dallas Mavericks fan, the team who knocked the Thunder out of the playoffs last year, you are DEAD to them. (As a Spur fan, this is a sentiment I share.) But the fact that the whole family went from a total disregard of pro basketball to crazy rowdy Thunder fans is pretty impressive. Gotta respect a state that backs their teams no matter what, and does so with a fervor that can at time be scary. Oklahoma loves it's sports!

 Reliable- Oklahoma has a great way of growing and changing in a way that makes me feel like nothing has really changed. I still feel like I know the city like the back of my hand even though it's changed so much since I last lived here. I think I will see several people I know when I'm eating lunch or shopping in Edmond. I'm convinced that the postal workers have not changed since I was in second grade. It takes me back. In fact, just the other day, I was mindlessly driving up I-44 and I exited the highway like I was driving to McGuinness, my high school. Really? My life could not be more different than it was when I was 18. But in that moment I morphed into a high school senior late for Anatomy. So strange. And yet, comforting. Oklahoma will always be my little hometown, no matter how big it gets.

 So I know, this is the second post in a row about Oklahoma. But I think I owe to this great state, because I never truly appreciated it while I was here. And I have ever intention of changing that each time I come home.