I think this might be the fastest I’ve posted pictures in quite a while!  We went camping this weekend for Joe’s birthday. It was a trial run for our BIG camping trip to the Smoky Mountains this Spring. We realized we’d never been camping together. Unless you count the one time before we were dating that we went on an overnighter trail ride with a group of people during CHA training. We almost didn’t go this weekend because it was supposed to rain. But then we decided that sitting on the couch talking about camping isn’t as fun as trying to go camping in the rain and possibly failing. Plus we’d found a great deal on a tent and it had been staring at me from its box every time I walked into our closet. It was time to go.

We got a late start. Joe didn’t get home until 5pm. Then we were so excited to see each other (a rare occurrence lately) that we started filling each other in on the week. We realized dinner at the campsite wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, so we had a frozen pizza to hold us over.The purpose of showering before camping was debated, until we remembered we’d be sharing a tent.  After we got the kitties situated, agreed on a grocery list, and packed up the car, we still had about an hours drive. I suggested to Joe that we stop at a store in the morning for our food items, but he just wanted to get it done on the way. And once we were in the store, we started getting carried away with the variety of marshmallows available. Jumbo? multicolored? flat? Epic Super Jumbo Extreme? Strawberry? I kid you not, we changed our minds about 4 times. “These.” throw them in the cart. ”Wait, did you see these?!” take them out of the cart. throw those in the cart. “Oh my gosh those sound declicious!” We finally made a decision and pried ourselves away but I totally looked over my shoulder as we left the aisle. Joe just said “No…keep walking…”  About 45 minutes down the road Joe asked “I saw the air mattress, but did you remember the pump for it?” Cue awkward silence…

When we found the visitor center it was almost 8pm, so it was closed. They had maps out so Joe got out to grab one, and the park ranger with the deepest Oklahoma drawl I have ever heard, came rumbling up in his truck. A few “howdy folks” and “yes sir”s later we knew which campground we were headed to. Well, sort of. We pulled into the campsite area and it was pitch black, sans a couple of dwindling campfires in the distance.  We drove in circles probably annoying everyone with our headlights. We finally parked and turned off our engine and lights and I breathed a sigh of relief, because at the very least we could sleep in the car and stop annoying everyone. Joe got out his keychain flashlight and walked around exploring where the ranger had said there were no other campers. I giggled from the car as I watched the tiny light shine back and forth and travel up and down and around the wooded area. Then I wondered if he was lost so I leaned out of the car and waved my cell phone light in the air. He said “Okay I found one over that way.” and I jumped because his flashlight was so small I thought he was much farther away, hahaha.  

We quietly unloaded the car and walked to our little campsite. It was pretty close to the lake, and we could only see one other occupied campsite a little ways off, no where near us. Of course, it was so dark, for all we knew we were bumping tents with someone. Joe immediately got a fire going in the firepit, hoping it would help us see, but it didn’t really. So I held the tiny flashlight with one hand and helped Joe put up the tent with the other hand, while the Oklahoma wind (strengthened because of the weather AND coming off the lake) helped out by whipping the tent from our hands. It was a marriage building process.

Then we finally looked at our tent with pride (via tiny flashlight and slight campfire glow) and hugged for a long time while realizing how quiet it was now that we were standing still. Joe said “This was a good idea.” and I nodded. We pulled out sandwich fixings and roasted marshamallows for smores. The smores counted as Joe’s birthday cake, which is part of the reason we had allowed ourselves to get carried away in the marshmallow aisle. So they were amazing. Ready for this?

Graham cracker. Funfetti Frosting. White Chocolate. Strawberry Marshmallow. Other Graham Cracker. Joe was slightly embarrassed at how “colorful” they were but I personally think there’s nothing manlier than a little funfetti frosting crusted in his beard the next morning. hahaha

We survived the night. There was a solid hour where we thought our tent might lift off the ground from the wind, and about 20 minutes of rain (that part was fabulous, and I finally fell asleep). I barely slept. I played games on my phone until it died, then I played games on Joe’s phone until it died too. About 30 minutes before sunrise, I woke Joe up so he could drive us up to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Oh, I forgot to mention that the reason there were no other campers around us, was because we had set up camp next to the only set of bathrooms that were still winterized. 

After freshening up in the bathroom, we returned to our campsite. I started setting up stuff for breakfast, and Joe crawled back in the tent so he could keep sleeping. As soon as he crawled in there the next campsite over blasted an AIRHORN. I think they were alerting everyone that the sun was rising. The only reason I think this is because on the beaches in Florida, they ring a bell or blast an air horn when sunset is about to start so you don’t miss it. It’s like a celebration of the day. Joe pointed out that no one wants to celebrate the START of the day with an airhorn. Well apparently that’s how Okies do it. Or maybe our camp neighbors were just being obnoxious. But I like to believe the best in people.

Joe decided to come out of the tent after that. 

We watched the sunrise over the lake.

We had a yummy breakfast of pineapple and mini-donuts. 

Oh, and that delicious breakfast nectar: lemon-lime gatorade. 

Our campsite. 

After breakfast we decided that one night sans air mattress had been enough, so we packed up and went off in search of hiking trails!

Here’s a little video of our hike. One of my favorite parts is when I walk up to Joe and hold his hand and he breaks into song: “I found a hand to hold, all the time!” He made me replay it 5 or 6 times because he didn’t even remember doing that. We sing about every day things so much that I don’t think either of us realize it anymore. Oh, there’s also lots of conqueror poses. It was his birthday, afterall.

 We took quite a few pictures with out old Pentax film camera too, I’ll share those after we finish the roll!

I have to end on this “foot pop” picture. 

A few months ago when our car was in for repair, it ended up taking WAY longer than they thought, so they gave us a free rental for the day. We asked if they had a Ford Edge (my DREAM car) but all they had left was the Ford Flex (my sister in law Nik’s dream car).  So we did what any normal people would do. Took it grocery shopping and had a mini photoshoot in the parking lot of Sams, so we could text the pics to Nik and make her jealous. haha.

Ok, the posing was bad enough, but the pointing and laughing?

On a car related note, this is a car that is always parked in the same parking lot in OKC. It has a mustache. When I finally get my Ford Edge someday, Joe has requested that it wear a mustache. I actually think that’s an okay compromise. hahaha.

Today is your 27th birthday.

You grew up in Florida. The fact that we met in Pennsylvania on a horse ranch still makes me laugh. You spent most of your life before you met me growing and learning in a little place called Plant City. Home of the Strawberry Festival. I had been growing and learning too…but all over the United States as a military kid. Mostly the Midwest. When I met you and started to get to know you, I was both calmed and terrified by how easily I could see us side by side, forever.

The point of this post isn’t about our love story, though. It’s about the fact that you are such a unique, passionate, and creative person. Anyone that meets you knows it in an instant. How could I not spend every day that I have on this earth soaking that in? I went through a period of my life where I doubted that I was unique. I thought that I was boring and bland. I let my passions wither and die. I hid my talents. I claimed I wasn’t creative. You have been such a big part of healing my broken places and reviving the beauty I’d hidden.

You, with your unashamed declaration of whims and ideas and theories. You are so genuine. I think a lot of people know how funny you are, but some miss the depth and sensitivity you have. This happens to me sometimes, too. There have been times when you or I will share something serious in a group setting, and the others in the room have laughed, assuming it was a joke. Not everyone sees the whole picture. People pick and choose what category they want to put you in and they don’t let you leave. I used to feel bound by that. But you have taught me that its good to keep trying. It’s good to break up the boxes people put us in and keep sharing ALL of the parts of ourselves. It’s okay to shock people. 

Shocking people. You draw attention wherever we go. Your good looks? Your laugh? Or probably the fact that you’re climbing something and conquering it while I rush to take a picture before a crowd forms.  For the first 4 years we were married, you showed me Florida.  

Your beaches.

Your palm trees and jungle-ness.

Your giant elephant ear plants.

Your boardwalks through the swamp. 

Your murky green, gator infested rivers.

Your magnificent craggly trees. 

Your copious amounts of spanish moss.

And I loved every bit of it. Well, except the humidity. But we had AC! I never did get a tan, haha. But who gets to say they spent their newlywed years in Florida? It was an unforgettable adventure.

Then there was this day. This might not seem like a great picture, but it is to me. This was the day we sat in an RV on my parents’ ranch in Oklahoma and you uttered the words that started our newest adventure. You said “You know, I could totally see us moving out west and settling down out here someday.”  And I remember sitting on the tiny RV couch, my heart beating a mile a minute, the sun peeking through the blinds and dancing across your face as we talked and dreamed and planned. I would have NEVER asked you to leave Florida. I knew how much your family and your hometown meant to you. I’d never really had a hometown. I was used to living here or there or wherever. But in my heart, I secretly longed to go back to the Midwest. The fact that you loved it as much as I did was such an indescribable feeling. We didn’t actual get the guts to do it until almost 3 years later, but we DID it and it makes me so proud.

Now it has been my turn to show you where I feel at home, all of my favorite parts of Oklahoma. 

My parents’ ranch.

Dry, crumbly red rocks.

The Wichita Mountains. 

Dusty reddish dirt and the sun that beats down on your back.

And you seem to be fitting in just fine in this chapter of our adventure.

Joey, thank you for sharing your life with me. Thank you for seeing all the different parts of me, and for teaching me to dream again. Thank you for working so hard and for following your heart time and time again. Thank you for never apologizing to anyone for the bold steps that you have taken to become who you are. 

Life’s smallest moments are a constant celebration around here. We celebrate good hair days, $1 ice cream cones, and thunderstorms. But, today is your birthday, and we’ll celebrate YOU. And if it draws a crowd, I’m okay with that. 

Happy Birthday, handsome.

 

Psst…Khloe!  Why do you love this zebra print pillow so much?

Does it take you on adventures while you sleep? Like a magic zebra carpet ride?

I think yes. 

This particular project was a very special one! The customer (who I have enjoyed getting to know online over the last few years) and her husband have a beautiful multi-cultural family. They recently brought home one son from Uganda and are in the process of bringing home another little boy from Uganda. We are hoping and praying their family of six will all be under one roof soon!

Joe made this cool magnet tab that you nail to the wall, and then you just stick the metal Africa onto it and position it to your liking. 

Here he is tracing Africa out.

And while he cut out the pattern, Khloe (completely uncharacteristically) jumped into his lap, and curled up. She must have been feeling extra sweet that day. Or maybe Newly is rubbing off on her. Who knows.

So he let the pattern fall to the floor and took a kitty cuddling break.

Here’s Africa displayed on a stand. 

Now its back to working on flowers. We’re trying to perfect a metal hibiscus that I hope to share pictures of soon!

It’s cool and rainy outside and I’m spending the whole day doing paperwork, doodling, painting, and writing letters. It’s really got me craving a big pot of soup. Last week I made something new. Click the title for the recipe!

Almond Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato, Collards, and Ginger

I think its probably the first time I’ve ever made a recipe that looks so close to the recipe picture. Here’s mine:

I have to say I was skeptical. This was way outside of my tastebud comfort zone. But you know what? It was amazing. It was bright and citrusy and delicious.  I even ate the leftovers cold out of the fridge the next day for lunch. So good. I’m definitely making it again.

And in case you need a way to use up some limes, I tried this idea out:

Lime slice ice cubes made in a muffin pan! After freezing them I put them in a giant ziplock bag in the freezer. They are the perfect size for a normal glass. I love plunking them in and feeling fancy. I think I need to get some drink umbrellas.

My new favorite tea:

The awesome zebra print frying pan my mother in law bought for me:

This note I leave on the front door every other day. The exclamation points make it more fun. Right?

This note to myself that I found. I have no clue what it means but it was probably something funny I was supposed to remember to tell Joe. hahaha

My resuable smoothie cup. We call them sippy cups.

What Joe’s hair looked like on Christmas Eve.

You’re welcome for that last one.  Believe it or not, I have a whole collection of silhouettes of Joe’s crazy hair days. Someday they will make it into a coffee table book too. 

Newly is always casually flopping himself into the coolest, manliest poses.  I feel like looking over my shoulder to see if there’s paparazzi he’s posing for or something. Nope, just me. I think this picture could almost use a “Hey Girl” caption, but I couldn’t think of one that fit him well. He’s handsome and he knows it.