web site finds

Olioboard

I can now say I have officially cut back on Pinterest. I do go on occassionally, but pinning became so time consuming for me I had to go cold turkey for awhile. I can say in Pinterest's defense the idea of owning a home has become a lot more appealing and I'm more prepared now than I was pre-Pinterest. I think I've planned more for what I want our future home to look like than I did my own wedding, seriously. Is that weird?
Anyway, I thought I'd share this site because friends share things they like with other friends. I found a web site that let's you create and decorate a room digitally. You can upload furniture from other sites or use items in their library. You can decorate the layout of a room before you start your project to see how it will turn out using color swatches, different fabrics, flooring, lamps, pictures, furniture, rugs etc. You get the picture right? If you use the items in their library and want to buy the item, you can follow the link to the store and purchase it as well. As soon as we land ourselves a home, this is what I'll use. Thank you olio. :)

Kitchen PC

Ok, another site i've come across is for cooking and meal planning. Let's just say, this is ideal for someone like me who needs help planning meals using food already in the pantry and fridge. We're all born with special talents. Some people have the talent to whip up some deliciousness from random pantry items.... i for one don't have such talent. This site allows you to type in what you have in your pantry and they'll create meals based of those items. Ka-ching!!! I hit the lottery with this one... unlike the mega millions. We were so sure we had the winning ticket. Doh! Oh well. I guess my dreams of hiring a personal chef went out the window so this site will still be used by this wife. :)

Tumamoc & Squaw Peak

While in Tucson, Karn and I went on a hike close by her place. It's the Tumamoc Hill and the landscape along the path is the epitome of a sonoran hike. I think I caught a bug now that we're living in AZ. It's the hiker's bug. And to prove it, the following morning after friend headed to work and before I drove home, I went and hiked it again. And then....

This morning, 5:15 when the hubs alarm went off, I popped up out of bed, toasted him a bagel for work because that's the extent of me making him breakfast with my eyes still shut, and went on yet another hike. And this was the first hike I've done in a very long time that I was up to see the sunrise. Quiet and peaceful. There's something about waking up early---ok 5:15 is early for me, but as I was saying, there's something about waking up early in the morning, and going for a hike. Everyone is still sleeping and here I am hiking a mountain and with every step the sun is slowly coming up. I have me and my thoughts and the sunrise--- oh, and that one hardcore hiker who's panting down my back to pass me....

down south

 What was I thinking? I went to see my best friend in the whole world and I hardly took any pictures. Ugh. Anyway, I did head to Tucson for a sleepover with my biff and the few pictures we captured of us was this one. If this was the only pictures I had of us, it would be perfect. It captured the essence of us two girls just having fun-- facials!

camelback mountain

My dearest Andrea. Who, by the way, just got accepted into a nursing program!

By 2014, I will have another nursing friend. I am SO proud of this girl.

No joke, there is railing to help you get up this mountain.

We hiked Camelback Mtn. but it was way too late in the day and the sun was ha-ha-hot!

I will do this hike again and aim to watch the sunrise.... or at least the part of the sunrise. I tried to do it this morning actually. I woke up at 5:15 and everything!... but sleep got the better of me and went back to bed. I think it's going to be a good weekend because I woke up from my dream laughing. Literally, laughing out loud. It's such a weird thing if you've ever done it, but I couldn't help but wake up and think, "yes, today is going to be a great a day!" Happy Friday.

i want moh motown

You're about to learn about my love for motown and oldies music. And the surprising part is that it all began when I was in 3rd grade. I don't know if there were many 3rd graders like me that loved motown music, but I did. I would listen to the oldies station in my bedroom, have my blank cassette tape in the player, and when a good song came on i would hurry and push the record button and try to get the whole song.

I remember we were going on a family vacation to west yellow stone and my family wasn't prepared with music... but i had my cassette tapes full of oldies. One of those songs on the tape was Sweat Pea by Tommy Roe. Never heard of it? Look it up. One of my faves.

Turns out the phoenix symphony was doing a motown tribute and we were fortunate enough, even though Ryan may not think so, to go see the performance this weekend. We also dragged some friends along for a dressed up night of hearing the Temptations, Diana Ross, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder and more.

Another thing many don't know, I collect vintage dresses. I hardly wear them, but I have a closet full of them and I'll buy them and just keep them in my closet because I think they're so beautiful to look at! Weird i know. Anyway, I was happy because I was able to wear a dress I bought last year that I had never worn. Ryan, please take a picture of the dress. :)

Did I mention we had balcony seats? It's true, our private balcony for the four of us to dance and clap and sing along with the everyone else below us. :)

St. Pattys and Monday!

Our St. Patty's dinner with friends. We played the Newlywed game, Ryan and I won. But who's keepin score. :) ok, I am.

This weekend we had RAIN! There's something about rain in AZ. Yes, i know we don't get much and maybe that's the "something" special about rain in AZ. But I love how clean everything feels and smells afterwards. It's nice to have a change in weather because next week i think it will hit 90 one day. Enjoying the last cooler day today by going on a run and hanging out with the little bro who's on spring break. :)

Friday!

It's Friday and yes I'm in love... With my husband but also the weekend!! Ive started the weekend with a great start. A friend and I hiked camelback mountain, went to lunch and had amazing food! and enjoyed some sun by the pool. Man weekends just make me smile. Happy early st patty's day!

off centered

You know those pictures where you try and take a picture of yourself with someone else? You do the whole "reach-your-arm-out-as-far-as-it-can-go" and you think that the camera is pointed just right and then you look at the aftermath and to your dismay, completely off. I was laughing because we had like 10 mishaps before getting us both in one where a portion of the head isn't amputated.

On another note, we have a new addition to our home. In the 3 1/2 years we've been married we've never had one and now we can say we have our first.... well, i'll have pictures up soon to share.

we do random

I feel like we do some random things to entertain ourselves. I shouldn't say feel, because that's just how it is. For example, we spent some of our Saturday in a large blow-up neon maze. Try and top that :)

ryan's computer twin

Friday when Ryan got home from work, I was surprised to see the hubs with a mustache. As a joke, he shaved himself a mustache to impersonate someone at work-- things men do to entertain themselves. Anyway, a guy at work told Ryan to keep it till Monday and that if he kept it, he would shave himself a mustache as well. Some women like a mustache on a man, others don't. And as much as I love some facial hair on my husband, a mustache alone is a little creepy.

We were playing xbox this weekend and it was hilarious because when choosing a character, this was one of the characters available. I had to take a picture because it was Ryan's twin. Crazy right? The hair, the clothes, and of course, the stache.

Wind Cave Hike

Wind Cave Trail- Mesa, AZ. 3 things I want to share that i loved about our hike.
First picture- the whole "<Phoenix" painted on the mountain, loved it. Would I necessarily agree nothing is greater than Phoenix? I can think of a few other places, but Phoenix gets some points for their creativity.
Kissing picture- Ryan's 6'6 and i'm 5'6 (ok 5'5 but let me round up will ya?) and when Ryan gives me a kiss he has to maneuver down to my size by either hunching over or standing with his legs far apart. I liked this picture because it sums up our size-- Ryan hunching over and me on my tippie toes. :)
And the third thing- is the sunset in general. Pictures are never what you see in person and there's something about being really high and overlooking your surroundings. Lately, I've found my self appreciating the beauty around me and there's definitely beauty here in this brown desert state. I love it.

Oh I just thought of one more thing I liked about these pictures-- our matching green shirts. I swear it was unplanned but it's like a coordinated photo shoot-- green shirts with the sonoran background...Ok maybe I should say I loved it all. :)

Mesa LDS temple

Ryan had to work last Saturday. Should be down right illegal-- taking a precious day from the two you have off from the "real-working-world" and into the "reckless-adolescent-partying-days or straight-up junk-food-induced-coma" if that's what we so well choose. I am trying to see the good in all things so I would have to say I'm grateful he got off early while the rest of the crew was there till 7pm. The end of a big project requires a lot of overtime to wrap things up, but they can get someone else besides my husband!

We did have a productive day though beginning at 1pm. (Even if he had the day off we probably wouldn't have been up and ready by 1pm but that's completely irrelevant to my story). Saturday was Mesa day and we were able to go to the Mesa L.D.S. temple. A recent friend of ours from Hawaii was baptized last week. She called me yesterday to tell me how things were going which led to both of us crying on the phone-- tears of happiness of course. I wasn't there with her, but I could feel the love and Spirit glowing from her and hear her smilingly as she talked. She's felt a burden lifted from her and knows her life has purpose and direction. What a comfort it is to know there is a God and He loves us. She talked about how happy she was and how her life, even in her later years, has never been better than now. We're so happy for you Diane! We love you!

movies in style

We went to the "Movies in the Park" this weekend and this is how we saw our movie. Right in the middle of the Biltmore Mall courtyard. Watched Back to the Future in style---outside of Saks Fifth Avenue.

Mondays motivation

"You did not come into thins world to fail. You came into this world to succeed. You have accomplished much so far. It is only the beginning. As you move forward on the trail of life, keep the banner of faith in self ever before you. You may not be a genius. You may not be exceptionally smart. But you can be good and you can try. And you will be amazed at what might happen when in faith you take a step forward."- Gordon B. Hinckley

I got this quote yesterday from a church hand-out. Loved it and wanted to share.

Laughter is the best medicine

Yesterday, maybe 30 minutes before the husband got home, I quickly changed out of my gym clothes I had on ALL stinking day, took a shower, did my make-up, put on nicer clothes, accessorized my neck and wrists with some jewelry, and even combed my hair! He had no idea I was a complete slob all day. And I looked nice for a mere 3 pathetic hours before changing into pajamas to watch tv with him.

I have this inner battle going on of 1.) being a good wife and having dinner ready when the man gets home from working all day, all dressed up with my pearls and a fresh spray of perfume or 2.) being myself which entails messy hair, comfy clothes, no make-up, asking him if he wants cereal or take-out. Quite the inner-battle but to be completely honest, it's the latter of the two that usually wins.

However, after stumbling upon this today, I won't feel so bad if my husband returns home with me looking exactly the same as he left me in the early morning-- all sleepy-eyed with bed-head.I just pray he thinks it's cute too and do my best to keep my hobo-esque to a minimum.

Bisbee, AZ

What a cool town!

We strolled the sidewalks and hills on Bisbee's main street strip. This town has art galleries, coffee shops, books stores, antique shops that are fun to browse. If you walk up to the top of the hill there's a chocolate shop- a cute small store selling tiny delicate chocolates. I had to buy one to get my chocolate fix, but beware: 2.50 for a small conservative piece. Extremely delicious, but extremely expensive for my pocket book. ha.

 The charming buildings and the Victorian and European-styled homes painted in bright colors are so fun to see, scattered all over the mountains and hills. There were staircases everywhere that would take you from the street up the hills to more buildings and neighborhoods.

 Bisbee was a huge mining town and there are tours availabe if interested. We weren't able to make a tour but had a great time strolling the town and eating some SCRUMPTIOUS jalapeno cheese fries. :)