It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Happy October.

Life here is as status-quo as my life ever gets. Weekend outings with friends, work work work and all the other little odds and ends that make life so grand.

You know what's funny? When a girl doesn't want a guy until she sees another girl interested in him. It's like a child who throws a fit over a disregarded toy because someone else wanted it off the shelf. Well you know what? She'll tire of you again.... put you back on that shelf. You're going to regret the choices you made, mark my words.

two new tattoos

Isn't summer over yet?!

I'd say I'm pretty lucky that life is continuing to get better by the day. A few rough days are sprinkled between the good.... but who am I to complain about that?! Things continue to be good and I'm grateful.

I had my last day at the Art Institute yesterday... and I'm really sad about it. Well, more like it's bittersweet. I'm staying with the same company, just moving to a different brand at a different office. I will surely miss the people I've spent so much time with over the past year (working in close quarters really bonds people!) but I'm also happy to be taking yet another step forward in this company. I interviewed 2 weeks ago and was told I wouldn't hear anything for at least a week... and then I got the offer like 5 hours later. They pretty much gave me everything I wanted without any hesitation. My reputation precedes me according to my boss. I like that! So, I did have some tears saying goodbye to my boss... he has been a wonderful mentor and really helped shaped who I am in this company, but I know I'll be much better off in my new spot. It will certainly make my life a lot easier!! This new spot has so many perks and resources that I've been wanting for months! Working with the military is A LOT of work and anything they can do to make is easier is much appreciated!


I had an easy week being that it was my last so I decided to take off a day and head out of town. Apparently I can't go more than 2 weeks without leaving town. We just had the "adult swim" weekend in Flagstaff 2 weeks ago (which was amazing of course)! I headed up to Jerome this time.... hadn't been there since before I left for Korea. Lots of drinking and sunshine and good food and fun! After Jerome we went up to Mary's in Flagstaff to spend the night. Mary decided on San Felipe's for dinner/drinks and we ended up winning a guitar... pretty good luck, eh? I was 3 hours late for work the next day but c'est la vie.... gotta live life to the fullest!

Yesterday my good friend Kat, her husband Joe and their son Colin came to town! They are staying with me (having a 2 year old in the house reminds me just how anal I am about picking everything up all the time!!) and it's a blast. Joe is testing with the Scottsdale PD so they are getting a feel for the city and checking things out. I got to introduce them to some good friends and we've had a blast so far. Joe is out meeting my uncle (police officer) right now and Kat just crashed for the day (she's pregnant and worn out!) so I'm enjoying a few quiet minutes to my self!

blurry

Life is kind of a blur right now. It's a mish-mosh of pools, BBQs, dance parties, road trips, new things and good friends.

Life is good. I can't complain.

School is hard. Work is stressful but I'm good at it.

My heart... is... something.

Redneck Retreat

July has proven to be as busy and June! We spent the first weekend (3 nights, 4 days) in Prescott to celebrate the 4th of July. A group of about 20 of us went to visit Teresa and Steve at their new pad! We made it a hot rod weekend and braved the heat and sun. The weather was beautiful up north and we even had some rain! There was the perfect amount of food, fun, music, beer, adventure, hiking, hauntings and cuddles. We ended up on Whiskey Row to do some dancing and gallivanting. The rodeo was in town so lets just say we attracted some peculiar looks!

The following weekend was an "in town" weekend, which have been fewer and farther between since it got hot out! I basically spent the entire weekend by the pool or in the pool at Mary's new house. We BBQed and stayed up late floating around. Went to a show and saw some old friends, but we quickly got sweaty (cruising in the T-bird) so we high tailed it to the grocery store for supplies then back in the pool! I love my friends... and I love that my friends have pools. After a nerve wracking week of wondering if the fella and I got wet spots on the unfinished wood floors we found out it was BEAR (Merritt's dog)!! Whew.... I was seriously thinking our B&E turned into destruction of private property haha. That's the last time I crawl through a window in my friends unoccupied house just so we can swim!

This weekend was spent in Flagstaff for the annual Redneck Weekend at Mary's flagstaff house. We ended up with 12 adults and 8 kiddos.... pretty good turnout despite some drama right before we took off. We are planning another redneck weekend for Aug so the people that missed out (or didn't want to chill with the kiddos) can come and partake. Weee! It was a perfect weekend of BBQing, cliff diving, bar crawling downtown, story time around the fire and shooting BIG guns! I shot a few for the first time..... including the 45 and the AK-47. It was a trip! I'm SO not happy to be back home, but kitty boy missed me. <3

Work is stressful as always.... this promotion is taking the life right out of my soul. I sat at my computer for 10.5 hours straight today. Kill me now!

I'm also in week 2 of SCHOOL. Yeah, I went back again. Weee. Wish me luck. It's hard.

27

Well, Hello. It's been a minute. Life has been super busy, per usual. I'm 27 now. Hard to believe I'm approaching 30..... eesh. Time flies. The past month has been extremely eventful! I spent 9 days in Toronto visiting all kinds of amazing friends and came home the evening before my birthday to be surprised by a dozen of my favorite people and an amazing Birthday dinner at Hula's Modern Tiki, one of my favorite spots! It was wonderful to be surrounded by so much love, but I ended up calling it an early night due to a day filled with travel. Monday (actual Birthday) Mister took me out for KOREAN FOOD! Om nom nom. We had been talking about getting Korean food for months now... and after sitting around for an hour not being able to figure out where I wanted to go Mister got the brilliant idea! Everything was SO delicious and I got to teach Mister a few Korean phrases and Korean drinking games. The night ended too soon (and with the obligatory birthday tears hahaha) but was one to remember. Tuesday night I got to catch up with the family and have a birthday dinner with them. We tried this new spot in the Scottsdale Quarter called "TK's Urban Tavern" and it was surprisingly delish! Wednesday night I did a little birthday thing with Meleah and the twinnies. It was awesome to catch up with them and we had a fun girly night of mani/pedi, hair bleaching and tweezing our brows!

An amazing Birthday week was followed up with yet another vacation! We took a girls trip to Long Beach for the 9th Annual Ink and Iron Festival. IT WAS SOOO FUNNNN!!!! 3 days of music (some bands I've waited years to see!) tattoos, hot rods, beaches, good food, the Queen Mary, and running amok!! We met up with one of the bands who mentioned ghost hunting after the festival was over. So, of course I jumped at the chance! We found some really cool stuff (don't mind breaking and entering into "off limits" areas) and I can't wait to see all the pics Mary took! It was pretty much the perfect vacation... just enough partying balanced by shopping, the beach and hanging with good friends! We stayed on the Queen Mary and other than Deisy getting seasick it was rad! I have some pics, just need to upload them when I've got the time.

So, after 3 weekends out of town I laid low this weekend. Mister and I did some work around his new place and then spent yesterday BBQing by the pool with the gang. It was pretty perfect and even though it's HOT I can't wait for more summer parties and BBQ's!

Life continues to be confusing and amazing. I can't complain.

Happy Kitty Faces!

Life is good..... pretty status quo around here. The summer has started off much like every other.... bike rides, BBQs, pool parties and adventures. I can't complain about anything. I've been baking a lot.... chocolate covered cherry cupcakes featured below. The boy and I have been cooking a lot as well. I'm going to make a great wife... just sayin'.

Leaving on Saturday for Toronto. I can't wait. Vacations are my heroin. Funny thing is.... it will be exactly a year to the day that I was flying in from Korea when I get back from Toronto. Though it was another country, another lover.... seems like an eternity ago. I can't wrap my head around how much has changed in a year. For the better most certainly.