Express – …on the B.L.

Blog + Dog

2019! Off We Go

January 2, 2019 RaeAnna

Here is a series of Beau pictures. They’re all perfect and very much us.
Enjoy Beau’s stream of consciousness.

*The wretched hat is placed upon the head.*

20190102_152617(0)-02.jpeg — I said, “I. Don’t. Like.”

20190102_152642(0)-03.jpeg — I don’t like the rain. I don’t like the hat. The treats are hardly worth this.

Is this a good enough pose? I look stupid. Is my expression conveying that?

20190102_152810(0)-02.jpeg — Why did the dog cross the road? To get away from you.

Won’t you leave me along, devil woman?!?

There. We look good. Here’s my sweater | My hat/leg warmers | Mom’s hat | Mom’s Sweater | Mom’s scarf | Mom’s jeans | Mom’s boots | I’m done.

Beau and I wish you a Happy New Year!!! I can’t believe it’s 2019 already. Holy wowza!

We spent our New Year’s Eve with family in the Chicago area. A very low key night surrounded by the people we love most. My 63 pound dog was miniaturized by her 170-ish pound Great Dane cousin, Dexter. They snuggled on the couch along with a tiny, old girl, Ana, and three cats. It’s a big couch, but four people, three dogs (totalling 200+ pounds), and three cats is cozy. We celebrated with food and an Avengers movie marathon. We know how to party hard.

We said our goodbyes to family and friends in Chicago yesterday. My grandparents live directly on the way from Chicago to Texas, so we stopped in for lunch. Then, we were convinced to stay for a few days. Working from home, I can do this.

I visit my grandparents in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas often. I haven’t been since the end of May. One of the first things Grammy said when I walked in the door, “I was wondering what happened! You’ve been gone sooooo long.” For awhile, I was here almost every month. After the I love you and I missed you’s were exchanged. “You’re staying the night.” Then my grandpa, aka Poppy Walt, wanted to take us out to dinner. And Grammy said, “No, they’re staying a few days. She has nowhere to be.” I guess I’m staying for a few days. Not that I or Beau are complaining. They live in a gated golfing community, and their backyard overlooks a fairway, a lake, and some mountains. REAL shit hole, I tell you.

Since we drove over night, Beau was cozy in her backseat blanket cuddle puddle for nine and a half hours. When we arrived, she was so happy; she loves it here. There is so much space to run around in their woodsy backyard, and the big house has lots of sniffs to find. The rain dampened her high spirits, but life isn’t perfect.

I couldn’t resist taking these cute pictures. I found her sweater, hat, and leg warmers at Target. She HATES the hat. I won’t lie: she is not a fan. At least, she hasn’t transferred her hat hatred to me as the hat-putter-onner. She really likes the sweater though. It’s warm and snug. The leg warmers helped her bear the rain, surprisingly. I’m still in a festive holiday mood, so I donned one of my go-to red sweaters, my favorite red scarf (budget version here), and a white hat. I also live in my grey Aldo boots, and these jeans. Seriously, these boots are the best. For otk boots, these are an incredible deal! Beau is for sure the cuter of the two. Although, she got her beauty sleep… I drove through the night.

Not a bad start to 2019. Rang in the New Year together in Chicago. Day 2 and 3 will be in Arkansas. Day 4 will be home to Houston. Ruff life. We’ll see where else 2019 takes us on our travels!!!

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xoxo,
Beau. Mom Sucks.

I’m going inside. This was not my favorite.

Lifestyle

Eight Years

December 31, 2018 RaeAnna

Alex and I rarely take cute pictures, they are usually goofy. | My Sweater (backless!) | My Jeans | My Socks | My Boots | My Watch | Alex’s Sweater (I picked it out) | Alex’s Jeans (these too)

To the rest of the world, today is New Year’s Eve. Up until eight years ago, it was just New Year’s for me too.

My most influential person came into my life eight years and a few hours ago. His name is Alex. He’s made appearances here and there on my blog. He’s been a big part of my travels this year. He helped make 2018 brilliant.

I can’t really describe Alex to you in any way other than he is an amazing person. People love him or hate him. There is no in between. I don’t know why people hate him except he is an intense kind of man in all the best ways. So there is probably something wrong with the haters.

There are people who come into our lives and change everything. Alex is that person to me. I am who I am because of him. He has become such a part of my story it is impossible to tell it without him. He is written on my soul.

We are always laughing together. Seriously. It’s obnoxious… To other people, I imagine.

On New Year’s Eve of 2010, Alex came into my life, and he never left. We were in college together. He was a senior; I was a freshman. We had almost no reason to meet. Due to fate and a heart condition, he’s stuck with me. We were in choir together. When our director rearranged the seating arrangement, he ended up sitting in front of me. Very few people know this about him anymore: he has a beautiful singing voice. Long story short. Out of sheer optimism or naiveté or stupidity, I invited this dude, who I’d never had an in-person conversation with, to my house for New Year’s. He hugged my dad before we’d ever touched. It was ballsy. It worked out.

In the last eight years, Alex and I have been through more than I could ever write about. We walked to hell and back holding hands a few times over. It wasn’t easy. Actually, it’s been the hardest eight years of my life. Because of him, they have been the best eight years of my life. He is just shy of sainthood. Flawed as he is, he has always put me first. I have severe PTSD. I’ve been through sexual assaults and domestic violence. I have been in abusive relationships. I have been insecure. I have been broken. I have been bruised literally and in a non-physical sense of things. I have seen some pretty horrific things. Through my darkest days, Alex has always been there. He has never left. He has never made me feel less than. He has made me laugh through my tears. He has held my hand when there were no words to be said. When I have been unable or unwilling to pick up the pieces of my soul, he has put them back together. He helped make me whole, when I had never known what that felt like.

Alex went into the Marines over five years ago. We spent three years living together before he enlisted. In five years, we have spent one Christmas and one birthday together. He deployed twice. Two weeks ago, he left on his third deployment. He’s on a boat somewhere in the world. I don’t know where. Late on Christmas Day, I was lucky enough to get a phone call from him. We exchange emails whenever he has internet. I don’t know when he’ll be home. It will be eight months or more. It’s hard. I miss him. I miss hearing his voice. I miss getting to visit him. This isn’t new. We’ve gone over a year without seeing or talking to each other by phone in the past. It’s part of life in the military and loving someone in the military. Many other women, men, and families go through the same thing. Worry is part of our lives.

Just doing normal people stuff in a field in 12 degree weather. Like normal people.

Alex and I have been a part of each other’s lives for eight years. They have been beautiful and stressful and all the feelings in between. Life has been hard on us. A lot of things were out of our control, some that weren’t, and some that seemed like they were. I wish many things had gone differently in our combined lives and our lives before each other. Then again, I don’t. I wouldn’t change him or I or what we have for anything in the world.

I can’t tell you who I am without talking about Alex. He has been an integral part of my life. Some people don’t just influence who we are, they form who we are. He has pushed me to be better. He has questioned my opinions and thoughts. He has held me when I’ve cried. He always challenges me to be the best version of myself. I don’t think I’m as good for him as he is for me, but I’m not going to tell him that any time soon.

It’s been eight years. I hope to have about a gazillion more, but I’ll settle for another seventy. I think I can make it to 97. Any day after that will be a blessing I think.

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“Can we just take a normal picture???” I ask. He responds “No.”

Style

Books, Coffee, Dogs & Social Justice

November 9, 2018June 23, 2019 RaeAnna

Graphic Tee (it’s perfect) || Jeans (the best) || OTK Boots (a winter must) || Blazer (a staple) || Houndstooth Silk Scarf (who doesn’t love these)

I love fashion. I have always loved looking my best. When I was in 2nd grade, I was frequently called into the front office because my outfit was “adorable” and needed to be seen. I always dressed up in middle school, high school, college, and the corporate world. Now I work from home, so I don’t get dressed unless I have a pressing reason to go out into the world. As a blogger, I have a reason to look nice when I’m content creating.

I’m also a tall girl. I’m 5’10”, and that comes with its own shopping and dressing complications. Cute shirt… if I were four inches shorter. Awesome pants! Where’s the flood? Pretty dress: DO. NOT. BEND. OVER. The list goes on. Every once in awhile, I’ll be sharing my favorite outfits, which are tall girl friendly.

Since I started this blog (and long before in my personal life) people have been complimenting and asking where I get my clothes. I figure, I might as well start writing about! Maybe make a little money. Even when I’m not writing about fashion, I will be linking my outfits in all of my posts!

I’ve never been much of a t-shirt girl, but when I found this one on Amazon, I knew I needed it. It is very, very me! Books, Coffee, Dogs & Social Justice??? I mean how much more me can a piece of clothing get?!? You can buy it here. It’s less than $16!!! You probably need it too if you’re following along.

I love over-the-knee boots. I never owned a pair until last year. These black otk boots are so cute. They literally go with everything from jeans to skirts to dresses; you could probably pull an Ariana Grande and wear them with shorts. I’m not that confident. I got these on JustFab, and they are definitely worth it.

I love Express because their clothes range from classic to trendy, and they’re more likely to fit me than other retailers. I bought this great blazer there. I love pairing them with jeans, but it would also work great to the office or really any occasion. The jeans are from Abercrombie & Fitch. They’re high waisted and super skinny; more importantly, they’re super comfortable. I have worn them a ton and washed them almost just as many times. (Really, who washes jeans EVERY time?) They have held up so well!!! The houndstooth silk scarf in my hair is from Forever 21. It’s a fun little accent.

The highlight of this outfit is for sure the graphic tee. I loved strutting my stuff in this outfit. I was really comfortable, but felt like the bad-ass boss babe I am trying to be!

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Graphic Tee from Amazon.com
Jeans from Abercrombie & Fitch
Blazer from Express
Over-the-Knee Boots from JustFab.com
Houndstooth Silk Scarf from Forever 21