awesome and awkward

[snow day]

awesome:

• over the weekend, T and i completely rearranged the living room. it's inspired several diy projects, and i am really excited about it. i'll post photos of it when it's finished but, i can already tell it's going to be my new favorite room in the house.
• jiro ono's description of umami: it is the sensation of "ahh", or when something is perfect in every way -- "the first taste of beer...the first dip into a bath"
• T and i have finally gotten into bob's burgers. it is every bit as hilarious as our friends promised. plus, tina is my favorite.  

awkward:

• for some time now, solo has started cuddling with all curtains in the house. it first started as a way for him to play hide and seek (i didn't have the heart to tell him i could see him), then he would drape it over his back like a cape, then just sitting behind them, and now cuddling under them when he sleeps. it's like his blankie, and it's pretty adorable. 
• not too long ago i was watching an old favorite and found myself empathizing with the parents in the movie...i know. it was probably the most adult moment i've ever had. is this adulting??

[adorably festive]

[banana cream pie 'mallows]

[gorgeous roadside views]

[happy hour]

sunday funday

sundays are best spent one of two ways: full-on rest day (movie marathons, pjs, and delicious breakfast treats made at home) or the sunday funday (decadent brunch, exploring new gems, and great cocktails). either way, the main agenda is to indulge and enjoy. one of my favorite sunday fundays this month was spent at the drake. 

after our first experience here, we were curious to sample more oysters. typically when sampling oysters (in and outside of our state), you don't get the choice of picking what area they're from. the option is to either have whatever oysters the restaurant has purchased or not to. so, this was a great way to see what we liked and learn the differences in flavor. 

[first round picks]

after sampling all the oysters we could, we found our favorite flavor profiles were: briny, savory with a sweet finish, and firm. our number one pick was the diamond point followed by the moonstone and the kumamoto...all made even more delectable by the drake's rose, and cucumber mignonettes. 

[one last round of our favorite]

such a great way to close out the week, forget about the cold weather, and treat ourselves. until next time drake.

life, according to my iphone

[teensy succulent; bike gang]

earlier this week, i hit a milestone in my exercise routine. it was completely unexpected but, amazing nonetheless. typically when i go to the gym, i bring my notebook with all my routines in it and just pick which i want to do on the spot. but that day, i picked the hardest one. one that i haven't been able to make it through in its entirety. in the past, i had taken shortcuts, or could only take on half the routine before hitting my exhaustion mark. but, this day, i kept going, and going, and going. until, i looked down at my book and noticed i finished the whole workout! i couldn't believe it. i finally did it...and i never thought i would get there. it felt so empowering to meet that goal head on without even meaning to. 

so, here's to hitting our milestones no matter how big or small :)

[afternoon napping; bourbon sipping]

[funny wine label; dj tom at powerhouse]

[gent chat]

[log cabin of my dreams; sweet disappearing message]

[getting cozy; these guys...]

[cute christmas cards; my 'rents' turkey soup, yum]

[happy hour; can i have one?]

[cheers!; waiting for star wars]

[new mural; beer chats]

[funky christmas present (my fave); holiday gifts]

[old snap of my grandma; biggie smalls]

[christmas vibes]

[the cutest; friendship soup]

[stellar sunset; window display]

[hole in the wall delights; hanging with bea and bruce]

[santa cookies; :)]

kite trail

there is something to be said for oklahoma weather. if you ask any native, they could all tell you that on any given day (regardless of the forecast) you could expect freezing winds, hail, blistering heat, downpours, and springlike temps. and that none of this would be surprising to them at all. this state teaches you to roll with the punches with its crazy, unpredictable weather...that, and to always have an umbrella handy at the very least. 

while out at the wichitas, the first half of the day was filled with gorgeous snow flurries and frigid temps. after returning from a seriously delicious lunch at a nearby hole in the wall, we (T and i, m+j, and the pups) set out for the second leg of our trek. true to okie weather, the snow cleared, the sun finally came out, and aside from the brisk wind, it was the exact opposite of that morning. 

[bison grazing by the road]

seeking something different from parallel forest, we found ourselves on kite trail, a hilly, rock-filled hike. surprisingly, the pups did very well on it and at times, better than the rest of us. boba, of course, led the pack often times looking for a good ridge to peek over...he really has no fear, that one. 

[king of the ridge]

surprise, surprise, the pups made a run for the stream to swim to their hearts content the moment they laid eyes on it. there really seems to be no temp of water they won't play in. you would have thought it was mid-summer, the way they ran in and out while playing altogether.

[king of the ridge, fur-less version]

[savoring the views, above and below]

once we made it to the top of the ridge, we spotted a set of natural pools that T now has his eyes on for summertime swimming. i quickly reminded him that we aren't allowed to swim there but, i have a feeling he didn't catch that ;)

[group shot]

another dynamite time spent in the great outdoors with another killer hike under our belt. the pups and us went home happy, and ready to warm our toes. 

parallel forest

a hike to remember -- this is what instantly comes to mind when i think about our trek to parallel forest in the wichita wildlife refuge. the forecast said there would be a wintry mix blowing through so, what better way to enjoy it than hiking through it? the pups love snow so, we figured they would have a blast playing in it, and boy, were we right. thankfully, m+j (plus chuck, the boxer) were game to come out with, so we made a day of it. 

parallel forest, for those who don't know, is named so because of the odd spacing of the entire forest. story goes, that the trees were initially planted after the dust bowl (as a prevention tool to help block the wind), and had been spaced (intentionally or not) 6 feet in either direction from each other. the end result is this visually gorgeous terrain that when snowing, was magical. also, the trees are so thick and healthy, when wind blew, jana and i marveled at how much the trees "talked" and creaked. 

[reenacting mortal kombat] 

as i stated before, the pups love snow, so they went nuts running through it the moment we got there. and even though a snowy hike was a first for them, i think it was a quick favorite. i don't think i've ever seen boba so in his element (below).

[creek crossing: all the pups bolted towards it to take a dip]

[so gorgeous, above and below]

[boba thought that was his tree]

the flurries of snow, the quiet babbling of the creek, and the chill in the air couldn't have been more picturesque. i couldn't get over how beautiful it all was. 

[m+j (with chuck), and T+i]

such a great experience only made that much more memorable by sharing it with such great company. and while, i never thought i'd say this, i am a fan of hiking in the snow. only next time, i hope there's more of it!