why my hair is out of control today

Uh, Happy New Year?

I haven't posted since Oct. 16 so Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas while we are at it, okay?

I sort of expected 2014 to start slow, but that hasn't been the case. But I had a long weekend (thanks, Obama and all other presidents) and it gave me a chance to breathe and recharge a bit. I feel like my creative juices are flowing once more.

I go through phases with my interests. for instance, sometimes I will only read Jane Austen books and nothing else. Other times I want to watch all the old superhero reels from the 1930s and 40s. lately, though, I have been crazy for the 1970s. I can't get enough of the music/television/style.

It all started when I randomly caught an episode of the Love Boat on TV this weekend.

OMG. This corny, unrealistic television gem makes me want to take to the sea like nothing else. This show is pure gold to me, partially because of the antics of the crew and partially because of the fantastic A- to D-list stars that get to play star-crossed lovers each episode. AND the hair! the clothes! I am in raptures over Julie McCoy's fancy gowns (and also dubious on how she affords them/where she stores them in that cabin of hers) and her minimal makeup style.

I binged on the Love Boat and watched 6 episodes or so, which led me to buy these hot rollers* (and I am a fan! the curl lasted all day with minimal styling product). apparently it isn't enough for me to just watch the show, I also want to look like the starlets aboard the Pacific Princess. I think the final effect was more 40s than 70s, but overall I am satisfied and I will keep playing with my technique to get the look just right. Long live 1970s fashion!

Sorry for the crazy eyes. They are a direct result of taking a selfie. 

HOWEVER, if you catch me wearing a polyester suit, please stop me. there are some things from the 70s that need not come back in style. :)

*not sponsored. The folks at Remington don't know I'm alive.

Homemade tomato vegetable soup

Fall is here and as I have said before, this is my favorite time of year. I am always craving warm foods, but most of the soups I have found in the grocery store aisle are chocked full of preservatives and words that I can't pronounce--a sure sign that I probably shouldn't be eating them. So I decided to make my own soup from scratch (for the first time ever!) and it actually turned out great! The recipe is very adaptable to what you have on hand, and very easy. Give it a shot!

INGREDIENTS:
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for roasting veggies
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth, gluten free
1 12-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup coconut cream

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Turn oven on broil at 400 degrees, and toss tomatos, bell pepper and zucchini in olive oil and roast until soft, about 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, saute garlic and onions in olive oil until soft.
3. Add diced tomatos and broth and simmer until vegetables are done roasting.
4. Add roasted vegetables and use an immersion blender to reach desired consistancy. (or use a normal blender!)
5. Add cream and stir.
6. Serve!

Weekenders, part 1

It's mid October, and I am almost to the point of being excited for the holidays, but also still enjoying the first signs of fall. Crisp, cool mornings, colorful leaves, pretty clothes... it's my favorite time of year.

I was looking back over my iPhone pics from the past six weeks, and I realized that I have done something every weekend since the last day of August. And I am not complaining, because my weekends have been comprised of some of my favorite things in the entire world. So bear with me as I recap what has been an eventful fall season so far!

August 31, 2013
Confession: I did not graduate from OU. But I freaking love the Sooners. Going to football games turns me into a rabid sports monster, and when Daniel went to an OU game with me last season and was NOT terrified of my screaming and craziness, I took it as a very good sign.

Daniel won tickets to the first OU game of the year, and I could not have been more excited to kick off the season in the stadium (especially since the game was PPV only -- BOOO!)

However, it should be noted that it was the hottest game I have ever been to, and people were passing out in the stands. But Daniel and I prevailed and enjoyed the game despite the heat!

And as a bonus I got to see Abby perform as part of the half-time show, which was so cool! All in all it was the perfect way to start the fall of 2013.

Desired destinations

I am currently battling a severe case of wanderlust. Maybe it's my gypsy blood, or maybe it's the fact that I was wrapping up a fab trip to London this time last year. Either way, I am itching for an adventure. Until I can get a vacation on my calendar, these are the places in which I spend my daydreams. Join me?

Ireland


By *christopher* from San Francisco, USA (irelandUploaded by russavia) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Maybe this is a cop out, but my thoughts are consumed with going back to Ireland someday, sooner rather than later. I'm going to run an inn in Ireland when I semi-retire, you mark my words. I can't get enough.

Alaska

By Steve Lyon via Wikimedia Commons

I have had "visit all 50 states" on my bucket list before I even knew what a bucket list was. Alaska has not been crossed off my map yet, and I can't wait to explore one of America's wildest frontiers.

Maine

Image via Joyful Reflections Photography

Those of you who know me know the REAL reason that I want to visit Maine. 

Image via

I have been obsessed with Maine since watching Murder, She Wrote with the ever-perfect Angela Lansbury as a little girl. The rocky coastline, beautiful foliage and the charming towns are a siren-call to my small-town sensibilities. Of course, I hope the violence and greed that normally followed Jessica Fletcher's presence will stay safely in her fictional world and not intrude on my future Maine vaca. :)

Weekend movie: Top o' the Morning (1949)

I just got home from Karissa's wedding in Tulsa after a whirlwind weekend of bridesmaid dresses, hairspray, and cake cutting. It was beautiful and perfect in every way. I'll have pictures on the blog later, but while I am editing them, I decided to kick back and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with an old movie. Because, really, what could be better?

This 1949 B&W movie stars Bing Crosby as an American insurance investigator that travels to Ireland in order to investigate the theft of the Blarney Stone. When he arrives, posing as an artist, various mishaps cause him to fulfill an ancient prophesy regarding the daughter of the local police captain. 

The light storyline has all of my favorite elements--music, romance, mystery, folklore and, of course, Ireland. Can I please go back there and sing folk songs for a living? Please and thank you. 

Even though I figured out the "villain" before the main characters did, how the story comes together still kept me in suspense. And overall, it just increased my wanderlust to travel back to Ireland. This was the perfect way for my exhausted self to celebrate one of my favorite holidays.

This is why I love OKC

Well, it's one of the (MANY) reasons. They definitely know how to treat the employees around here! 

Thanks for the lunch, Downtown OKC! 

Boyfriend cooking school, part 1

One of Daniel's New Year's Resolutions was to learn to cook more. And since home boy doesn't even know how to fry bacon, I figured that even someone with my level of culinary experience could give him a few pointers. I may not be Julia Child, but I love cooking. Food just tastes better when I've cooked it myself, and cooking with someone else just makes it twice as fun for me.

The first recipe we tackled was the salsa chicken casserole created by Budget Bytes. I accidentally messed Daniel up by giving him brown rice to use instead of white rice (did you know it takes WAY longer to cook in the oven?), and the spice measuring process was a little confusing, but the recipe tasting amazing and now Daniel can add one more dish to his recipe repertoire. I highly recommend this recipe, since it is easy and cheap--a winning combo! And it can easily be adapted to paleo by using riced cauliflower and omitting the beans. There are lots of ways you can make this dish your own!