Life

Saw tangled in 3d with kaitee. Very cute movie!

ate birthday cake (need to learn how to make better buttercream) 

finished up with school for the semester. SO HAPPY.

got a fun new toy as a birthday present. i love it!

thankful

i am thankful for:

7 happy years with E

great friends

turkey

random amazing packages from my family

health

that we have everything we need

education

e.

rainbows (we saw three on our anniversary and one was a double, i'm taking this as a sign that this year will be better than the last, also kinda making a promise to myself that it will be)

pie

good doctors 

amazing friends that truly do feel like family (you know who you are)

you (cause if you take time out to read my randomness i am thankful)

Rough Week

Last Monday E's grandfather and his wife were in a car accident. It's been a rough week. St. Josephs, has beautiful stained glass, great doctors, comfy chairs and excellent nurses.

I am thankful for:

medicine

a comfy couch for E. to stay the night with his grandfather

a comfy chair that i could sit in to read to him

cups with straws that made it much easier to get grandpa a drink...

...since he now has four titanium plates in his neck

time...it felt very precious to be able to take some time out and be there for someone who has meant so much to E and to me

prayers...it felt like our whole community was praying and sending positive thought along with ours

Halloween!

First i made treats for my nieces and nephews. 

 And then we decorated some little trick or treaters.

 And i made caramel apples with white chocolate and cinnamon sugar.

 E. got zombiefied.

 Kimmy carved Sweeney Todd.

 Eldon carved Oggie Boogie, Ayla carved Sally and i carved Jack for the second year in a row.

Yay for halloween!

Punkin Patch

 So, we roasted.  It was really warm but we prevailed. Pumpkins were bought and more more thing was crossed off my faux fall list. Yay!

Oh and head over to the pie blog www.thepieholeproject.blogspot.com to check out what i'm saying is the best pie we've made yet. 

Faux Fall

Growing up in northern Ontario fall was my favorite season. The crisp air, apples, fall leaves changing color, sweaters, baking more, school starting, hockey season, you know….the usual. Well, living in Arizona fall is not so much the same. We were in Phoenix last weekend and temps topped 100. Seriously. So while I’m still persuading husband to move somewhere with actual seasons (he has this whole argument about not having to shovel sunshine, whatever) in the meantime I celebrate what I like to call….wait for it…FAUX FALL!

This involves wearing sweaters (ok mostly in my air conditioned car or office), drinking lots of cider & tea etc., baking pie, eating as many honeycrisp apples as I can, taking my niece Kaitee to the pumpkin patch (where we usually roast) with her other aunt aka. one of my besties Kimmy, decorating with pumpkins, day trips to Flagstaff where it actually feels like fall, etc.

So if you live in Arizona like me, considering celebrating the season known as Faux Fall and if you live somewhere where there is real fall, consider yourself blessed and seek out something quintessentially fall-like just for me k? I’ll love you forever!

Summer Mini Book

I made this adorable mini from a kit by EliseJoy. I love her kits and this is one of the FOUR i've purchased. The fall kit is on sale now at her etsy shop here.
I'm in love with the results. Enjoy!

Life as I know it.

So it’s been a rough few weeks. Without going into detail, school is sucking all of my energy/time, halo has landed so I have a happy hubby, and work has been soul crushing in a few different and obnoxious ways. So, trying to be a little Pollyanna, here is a random list of things making me happy right now!

Coke Zero.

The fair (and the blue ribbons I won).

Taking this kid to the movies yesterday.

Making pie with friends. www.thepieholeproject.blogspot.com

Sara Bareilles new album.

Arcade Fire’s new album.

The impending honeycrisp apples, fall is so close I can taste it.

This summer book I’m putting together by the amazing Elise Joy http://www.etsy.com/shop/elisejoy (the fall book is on sale now…go get yours…I got mine!)

70 more days of being  ‘in my twenties”.

Even though I’ve hit a plateau….i’m down 30 libbies and should be happy+proud.

I’m doing math with letters….and getting the right answers.

This guy.

Vacation

Swedish fish make wonderful road food. They swim in the sky!

we had a wonderful trip to:

it included the beach (Santa Monica)

and disney (including my favourite disney snack)

and these wonderful peeps (otherwise known as my sisters)

and World of Colour (not to be missed)

now we are back to reality, the husband has his first day back at school with kids tomorrow and we were abruptly brought back to earth last Friday with the installation of new windows (so happy) and have been painting trim ever since. 

next up: security system. 

Busy Bees!

we have been busy little bees. 

in other news, some peeps are dropping by tomorrow to replace this hot mess which is the window situation in our house. old nasty windows to be replaces with brand spankin' new energy efficient ones. yay! also important because we are installing an alarm system, because the combo of my job +our car being broken into has made me slightly paranoid. (seriously)

someone ran away to enjoy some guy time on a houseboat at Lake Powell. yes he is exactly as sunburned as he looks.  but he had a great time and it was well deserved. i get to run away tomorrow while windows are installed.....fair trade.

 

this was going to be more but as a result of a lovely power outage i enjoyed an evening of takeout thai and movies with the husband  instead. also, fair trade. more later. xoxo

jumping for joy

we are jumping for joy (literally) because we have some out of townies staying for the week

we have been amusing ourselves with pictures at all of the most randomly fabulous places

love it! 

5k

So several months ago I started a bit of a life change. Walking/running more. Eating better and sometimes less.  Surprisingly sometimes more of better things. I am eating breakfast and drinking water.  I am being more thoughtful and focused on what fuel i'm putting into my body and trying to be real about what's worth a splurge and what will leave me feeling gross after.

so far i'm 20 lbs down and walk/running 5 k almost every other day.

Some days are easier than others and you had better believe that I am HAPPY to see my nike+ipod hit that 5k. for reals.

I'm planning on running my first 5K in Sedona in February. I think this may cross off something on my life list as well because to be honest...when I wrote my list I didn't think I could run a 5K. 

two

"they were two,

they had adored each other,

there was nothing but that."

have i mentioned how much i love this guy? 

it will be 7 years this november (my lucky number) and we are more in love every day. 

(sappy but true)

p.s. i also love sushi dates and my fuji instax camera

there is something so magical about an instant picture, no retakes, just that moment captured forever

Juggle

Sometimes I feel like a circus performer.

Standing under the harsh spotlights in the middle ring juggling endlessly.

Work.

School.

Family.

Friends.

Husband

Creativity.

Exercise.

I always feel like I’m fumbling. Dropping balls left and right and never quite pulling off the show. People ask for favors or want something from me and I’m constantly torn….my time is so precious and I have to prioritize.

But today, I’m laying claim to some success. I need to recognize that I am doing it. I work full time, go to school at night and have a 4.0 GPA. My husband is not yet ready to divorce me and I would like to think that the majority of the time he feels loved and appreciated. I’m eating well and exercising and have lost 20 libbies (slowly but surely). I briskly walk 5K every other day and am hoping to participate in a real official 5K in the spring. I’m living my goals and enjoying it. Come what may!

Oh and blogging? I’ve been debating. Sometimes I feel like I have no time (as evidenced by the lack of posting) and feel like what’s the point. But most of the time I love blogging, when I can, I love sharing ideas and creativity, making friends and sharing our life. So it may be spotty sometimes (forgive), I’ve got quite a lot on my plate these days. But I’m setting a new goal. Blog once a week. You with me?

Some DC scrappy love

Just a little bit of my DC scrapbook. I decided to do the whole book in a 3 ring 12X12 album using pages from another book that were divided into 2 vertical and 3 horizonal 4X6's on each page. I made a bunch of collages and printed them as 4X6's. I also am using some 6X6 page protectors, trading card holders, and 6X12 page protectors thrown in for variety. Another thing i'm loving is sewing pockets for bits that we picked up along the way. The two bookmarks of the terra cotta warriors above was done with that style.

Lots more to do but here's a start!