The Oleens: One Year Later

To say the last year has been a crazy ride would be putting it mildly. During our first year of marriage, much, much more than just my last name has changed.

The happy couple September 16, 2011.

Let’s just be real here for a second.

This marriage thing ain’t for sissy’s.

We’ve already made it through family losses, more thoughtless disagreements than I thought humanly possible between two people and the loss of my girl.

On the flip side, we’ve made memories that make me giggle and shake my head. Here’s a quick run down of our first year of marriage. Hang on, it’s a heck of a ride.

We adopted.

Yep. You heard right-might not be what you’re thinking though. We adopted in the four legged variety. Blogosphere, meet Stella. We adopted this wiggly and licking package of love from mabbr.org. I can’t tell you how happy she makes us! And I really mean us. Some of our biggest controversy within the Oleen household is which side of the bed Stella will sleep on, Brandon’s side or mine.

I’m a cattle watering machine.

As you all know, I’m not exactly the cowboy that Brandon wants me to be- but I’m getting closer! This year the drought and the Kansas heat created a lot of thirsty cows and horses. It didn’t take too long and Brandon had me hooking up the skid loader and water like an Oleen watering machine. #YesIJustSaidThat.

We had a baby!
Again, not exactly what the average person would think, but it is a baby! Brandon bred his favorite mare in 2011. She had the cutest little filly! Meet Jackies Playin With a Gun- Jackie for short!

Weddings, weddings and more weddings!

There have been so many of our friends {even my Dad} tie the knot! It’s made for great travel and lots of nights on the town. Thank you all for making us a part of your journey together!

Things change.

We’ve had great friends move away and other friends move closer. We miss you Garrett, Tara, Finnel, Lenhart, Nick and many others!  Aaanndddd without further ado, welcome to the mid west Kelly, Fwed and Rrrrory Rrrooo Rrrivard!

Whew! Just writing all that made me a little tired and I didn’t even include trips home to see family, road trips for work and all the horses that made their way to our place for a few more miles.

It’s been a year of learning to say the least. Learning to let go, learning to live together, learning to live as a team and most important learning to respect and love each other no matter what. Here’s to year number two!

I’m Just Not Good at Saying Goodbye

Update: Lexus went to where all good dogs go Thursday, April 26, 2012. I hope she knows how much I love her. I hope I see her again.

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This post is really going to be a downer. Forgive me now. I need to write this.

I need to ask this question.

I need your input.

You see, I am in the process of loosing a precious friend. One that I have had in my life for more than 16 years.

She is the apitomy of kindness, patience, loyalty and love. She is my pup, Lexus.

Meet Lexus.

Well, she’s not really a pup now. And that’s the problem.

About a year and a half ago Lex started having seizures. I had planned to put her down but some how, she made a huge tournaround and we have been able to keep her with us for a little longer.

Until lately.

Lately the walks have been shorter, the standing wobblier, the tailwagging less frequent and she’s started eating less- lots less.

It’s starting to be that time. I can feel it.

So this is where I need your help.

About a month ago I was talking to one of my best friends on the phone and we were talking about Lexus. I mentioned I look forward seeing her in Heaven.

There was an akward pause.

And then, with the utmost kindness she talked with me about what she thought Heaven would be like.

She didn’t think there would be dogs in Heaven. Or horses. Or cows.

Really?

I just couldn’t believe it. What?! I mean, what kind of Heaven wouldn’t have dogs, horses or cows? That’s about ALL my version of Heaven would include.

And you think I’m being facetious.

So to back track a bit, I should tell you about my friend on the phone. She is not just any friend. I love her. She is a best friend- so don’t be trashing her in the comments!

That said, she does know a lot about the Bible and spends much more time studying God’s word than I do. Lots more.

So what do I need your help with?

In the next week I think we’ll be letting Lexus move on to what I picture to be a big back yard in the sky. I’m crying my eyes out typing that. I’m just not good at saying goodbye, but I think it’s time.

Do you think I will be able to see my Lexus again?

Sunday Morning Ponderings

Oh Sunday morning, how I love you. I love the quiet. The cinnamon swirl coffee with hazelnut creamer. The warm seat in our recliner with a my favorite throw wrapped around my shoulders. The TV on and laptop open.

Yes, this is my kind of Sunday morning.

Most of the time I check online news, catch up with old friends on Facebook and do a little searching on topics that peaked my interest during the week.

Today I explored some work done by a professor at Kansas State University named Michael Wesch. If you click that link, you’ll find Wesch has been called “the explainer” by Wired magazine, and is a cultural anthropologist exploring the effects of new media on society and culture.

Yes, this kind of thing interests me.

Yes, I know I’m weird.

Anyway, where am I going with this?

Oh yeah, hang tight. I’m almost there.

While visiting Wesch’s YouTube channel I found a video titled “a few ideas” (Visions of Students Today). The video stems from an assignment where Wesch asks his students to carry video cameras and create YouTube videos. Wesch’s goal is to see the world as his students see it.

One of the topics mentioned in the middle of the video really hit home with me.

Standardized testing.

They’ve been a huge hurdle for me for as long as I can remember.

In high school, I dreaded getting results from SAT’s. Mostly because I knew my scores would be lower than everyone else, even though I carried a 4.0.

College only made things worse. Not only did standardized testing make me feel like crud, they affected my pocketbook. I’ll never forget the day I was told the full scholarship – promised to me by graduate school – had been taken away and given to another student, because of my low scores on the ACT.

For the record, I carried between a 3.8 and 4.0 and worked a part-time job, throughout my master’s degree. I was the only person in my class to carry a part-time job.

Looking back, it didn’t really kill me or anything. I know I’m blessed. I know I’m one of the very few in this world that has never had to worry about a roof over my head or where my next meal might come from.

Again, I’m blessed. Get over it, right?

On the other hand, I wonder if I wouldn’t have pursued other things, like my childhood dream to be a small animal vet, if standardized testing wasn’t such a hurdle for me.

Just curious, what is your opinion on standardized testing?

For the Moms reading, how do you get your children through standardized tests at school? Do you think they are a good measuring stick for your child?

*note: I’m not too familiar with Wesch’s projects. I just thought his work sounded interesting and found a few things online. If I misrepresented this or any other project, I hope you take my mention for what it really is- a compliment on the work done by Wesch and his students.

Vegan or Not -This is Cute

Low Budget Girl Seeks Yummy Recipes for Hungry Man

In September or October of 2009, I made a life changing decision.

I purchased my first Taste of Home magazine.

I can’t remember how the purchase happened. It was probably an impulse buy to cook for friends. I never used a recipe, the magazine was stashed in a drawer, and somehow {miraculously} the magazine survived and it’s living in my kitchen.

By chance, I found the magazine last weekend when I was looking for a good Fall recipe for BEO.

Little did I know this magazine was going to save my newlywed life- one low budget recipe at a time.

The article: Shop Once…Eat All Week!

You can find the 5 recipes on the page linked to above. They are to the right hand side in the box that says “related recipes.” They include ham & sundried tomato alfredo, savory onion chicken, ham & broccoli frittata, onion-dijon pork chops and southwest beef pie.

Yes, it’s online. Yes, that’s cool.

The link above will provide you and your family 5 weeknight recipes, prepped and cooked in 30 minutes, UNDER $1.50 per serving. It even tells you what day to cook them.

Organization, budgeting and time management at it’s best folks. What’s not to love?

I went to the store immediately, purchased the items on the already prepared grocery list and started cooking.

I made the ham & sun-dried tomato alfredo recipe on Monday.

The bad news: He wouldn’t have wanted me to share this picture.

The good news: He liked it.

I did add a few extra ingredients for flavor- like salt, pepper and random Italian seasoning I had on hand.

I never got to the rest of the recipes. Oh well, that’s what the weekend is for.

I’m on a mission. I want more of these pre-planned, budget friendly recipes. Do you or any of your blogger friends do this type of thing?

If so, leave me a link. I could use it.

Sunday Nights and Peach Dessert

Sunday nights are big around these parts.

Most Sunday’s you can find me and my closest neighbor-friends huddled up at one of the 5 houses on our block cooking, laughing and eating.

We all play a part in the food.

Yesterday, I was assigned the role of dessert-maker. So in my quest for the perfect dessert, I ended up on my friend Ree’s webpage.

For the record, she really isn’t a “friend”- but I wish she was.

I decided to cook this quick and easy peach parcel.

This is how Ree’s looked.

This is how mine looked- can we say amateur?

They looked a bit better than this when I placed each of them on a bed of whipped cream and drizzled a little caramel over them.

For the record, I did make one change to the recipe.

I traded peach schnapps for my new-found love,  Cake Vodka. It was worth it.

Going to the Chapel and We’re Gonna Get Married

THE day finally came.

And went.

And it was amazing.

I’ve been waiting for some of my friends to post pictures so I could borrow them for a blog post since Sunday. Note: I promised BEO I would put down my phone and camera from Friday, September 15 at 4 pm until Saturday, September 16. It was hard- but worth it.

In the mean time, BEO’s adorable cousin Andrea wrote a super funny blog post about the wedding with a lot of pictures.

So did Brooke.

And, if these two blog posts weren’t enough, Jennifer posted a YouTube video of our bridal party’s speeches. You might not want to listen to this with your kids, grandma or anyone else that doesn’t have a really good sense of humor. I wish you could have seen the look on BEO’s Grandma Kathy’s face! It was priceless!

Below are are a few pictures I thought summed up the weekends activities best. I borrowed these from my lovely sister Cindy, C & W Ranch’s Facebook page and from cousin Andrea. I hope they don’t mind. Professional pics to come- I promise

Dad arrived late on Wednesday along with his lovely new bride Beverly and my sisters Cindy and Pacita. We were all tired and hungry so we ate and I settled in with Cindy, Pacita a night of Pinterest and girl talk.

Thursday morning everyone was super curious to see the lay of the land so we went to visit C & W Ranch. The ranch is where we decided to have our reception. It was just as beautiful as I remembered and everyone was happy to see us- even this handsome fellow.

We didn’t stay too long though, we had lots to see and decorations to gather. I think this made Cody the Ranch Dog sad.

Sorry Cody. We’ll be back. Right now we have to go drive by the church.

Wow that’s pretty.

And then it was off Hobby Lobby. Please raise your hand if you and your closest friends and family have ever pushed around 5 Hobby Lobby shopping carts at once?

But before we could decorate Thursday evening, it was off to the rehersal dinner at Martinellis. Yum, BEO’s Mom and Dad chose the place. It was amazing. If you ever get a chance to visit Martinelli’s,  try the homemade salad dressing. It’s smack your momma good- just don’t smack your momma.

Our last stop on Thursday was to decorate- and decorate we did. Until 3 a.m. You won’t see any pictures of that. People were looking awful shady come that time of night.

It’s here that I must give a little extra mention to my sister, Pacita. She runs a fantastic home decor and retail business north of Altanta, GA called Pineapple Park. If you’re ever in the market for the perfect gift or decorating ideas for your home- contact her or peruse her Facebook page. You won’t be disappointed.

She did a fabulous job making the entire barn come together and even had BEO steal a old farm door from his Grandma’s house for deco.

Here’s what the barn looked like when you walked in.

It was cooler than I could have imagined. We went to bed very, very tired.

We woke up just as tired but concealed the dark circles with great makeup and hair, thanks to the girls at the Hair Loft. For the record, Lana- I love you {that was the fabulous gal who did my hair}.

From here on out the day was a whirlwind of my last tweet as @jtgirl, hours of photography, a 15 minute church service and then to the ranch for the reception.

I wonder if BEO was nervous here?

Here is Dad and I waiting to head up to the alter- I was nervous. I could just see me doing some type of face plant walking up the isle. You might laugh, but that is soooo Jodi.

I made it without a big fall! Check out the look of relief on my face.

I wonder what BEO was thinking here?

Before we knew it, I was Jodi Oleen.

Back at the ranch and after a quick dress change, I was ready to role with some really good help by my side.

From there on out it was the normal wedding reception stuff. Cake cutting, bridal party speeches {seriously, you will want to hear this}, first dances and time with friends and family. Here are a few other pictures I just couldn’t leave out.

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Wordless Wednesday: Peace

I snapped this picture the weekend before last with my phone.

Isn’t it peaceful?

In my former life, I didn’t know places like this existed.

My Cousin is Vegan

Welcome to the blog.

I’m still new at this whole wordpress thing - so it may take some time to figure this whole thing out!

And, I’m not sure on the theme, yet.

Work. in. Progress.