To Paris and Beyond

Life

2012-02-13T18:37:00.000-08:00

by Ang

Long time no blog! I don't want this post to be just riddled with my excuses for not blogging, but I do have really good ones.

My husband got a job outside of the home. He used to work for himself out of our home, but now he's working for a firm. Which is great! It's a lot less stress on him, which is wonderful. However, I don't think I realized how much I had gotten used to his flexible schedule. And how much he did around the house during the day. So it's been a bit of an adjustment. But we're getting our routines down!

So because he's not working from home anymore, we're transforming his old office into 'our' office. We moved out one of the big desks and I moved in a couple more bookshelves. It's not quite done yet, but we worked on it over the weekend. Right now it's just a bunch of mixed bookshelves and cabinets, but that's okay. Eventually I'd like to get a small sofa bed for in there for guests.

School is keeping me busy too, even though I dropped one of my classes. But the other one is still a bit time consuming.

And lastly, I've been sick. I have a sinus infection that won't seem to go away, and I had a stomach bug today that kept me home from work.

So there are my excuses. :)

Because it feels weird to blog without pictures, here's some random ones:

Puppies watching TV:

And now posing for the camera:

They're awfully cute.

Awww Arizona!

2012-02-06T18:51:00.000-08:00

Arizona was fabulous. How could it not be? I got to spend time with my sissy and my sister-in-law.

And my traveling buddy, Megan.

The weather was perfect. You know the kind. When you can't even feel the air on your skin. Not to hot and not to cold.

Gorgeous sunsets

We ate, drank and shopped. Then we would lounge by the pool. And then we ate and drank some more. Is drank a word? I like it. Look at my cute sis-in-law. That's my nephew in her belly.

My sister got to feel him kick. I decided to be unselfish and a adult and let her feel every kick. Even though I wanted to. Bad. But I will have more chances then her. So I let her hog the tummy time.

So ya, the trip was pretty much perfect. The only thing that would make it more perfecter (I KNOW that is not a word) is if we all would have boarded a plane at the end and taken a brief jaunt to Paris. I would love to do this every year. I think it was just what we all needed.

What I Thought I Would Miss

2012-01-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

Between me and you, I didn't want to move. I fought it for years. I wasn't exactly in love with my house but I loved that I have a picture of my firstborns first day of school in that driveway and that I carried my newborn second son through it's doors. I loved being so close to work. I loved not having neighbors. And I loved the country. When we told a few of our friends that we were buying a house they said, "Are you crazy?" And I started to think that we were. I won't bore you with our back and forth conversations on why we should or shouldn't move. And how I was eventually persuaded that yes, this was a good decision. But even when I gave in....I had my doubts. I mean, just look at the view from my old kitchen window.

I loved seeing cows. I didn't even mind the faint scent that they brought through my windows in the summertime. They are beautiful, gentle creatures.

I loved the smell of freshly baled hay. And the sounds of tractors and the frogs from the little ponds croaking at night and the goats that lived down the hill. And the star filled sky at night, without the distraction of city lights.

I thought I would feel sad when I drove by my old house on my way to work everyday. Which, by the way, is only a ten minute drive. I thought I would long to be living there again. But I don't. And I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it's because I still get to enjoy the beauty of the country. I still get to smell the smells and hear the sounds and see the change the seasons make on all that open space. I work out there four days a week and walk everyday I am there for two miles on the roads around my house.

I think I have realized that it's not really where you are. It's who you are with that makes a home a home. And you can be happy anywhere really. In a tiny apartment in the city or in a giant farmhouse in the country. Besides that...my view from my kitchen window isn't to shabby now. This was taken in the fall of course. These days those trees are looking a little bare.

And the view from the inside is warm and cozy. And it's a good place to be.

Random

2012-01-13T20:24:00.000-08:00

*I started school January 9th. I am taking Biology on Monday and Wednesday nights from 4:30 – 5:45. I really, really like my instructor, but the class is super hard. I am sooooooo not a science person. I liked chemistry in high school, but that was years ago! I have forgotten everything. And I’m sitting in a classroom where I would say 75% of the students have just graduated high school. So they are blurting out answers left and right and I’m just sitting there with my open book and open notebook hoping the teacher doesn’t make eye contact with me. I did get some cheat sheets to help refresh my memory on a few things. Such as classification and the kingdoms. Oh, and we are discussing a lot of chemistry in this class too, so I got a periodic table to refresh my memory.

My instructor is a big fan of pneumonic devices (I think that’s what they’re called). Such as King Phillip Cried Out For Goodness Sakes.....or in other words....Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

And C. Hopkins CaFe: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iodine, Nitrogen, Sulfur, Calcium, Iron. (the elements we will be discussing the most, apparently).

I’m also taking a Business Interpersonal Relations Class, but that one is online. So far, so good.

*Hannah is doing well. She sleeps all night. We put her to bed between 9:00 – 9:30 and she sleeps straight through until 6:00 a.m. She hasn’t made a mess in her playpen overnight in probably two weeks! She still has accidents inside during the day every now and then, but if we watch her carefully we can avoid most of them. We had to get a baby gate for our bedroom because one of her favorite spots was the rug in there. But now all is well! And the cats have all figured out that they can jump the gate to get in there (it took Howie the longest to figure it out and he would just sit outside the gate and cry. But now he’s a pro.) We only keep it up during the day. We also got her a new harness (which I call her jacket). It doesn’t have to go over her head, so taking it on and off of her is a breeze! She doesn’t mind it at all.

*I can’t believe my nephew is 16. (see above). He drove us around when we were in Nebraska. That’s nuts!!

*I recently cleaned up my desk area. I won’t post pictures, but before I cleaned it, here’s a few random things I found on it: 3 empty DVD cases, 2 empty blu ray cases, Max's vet bill from when he got his teeth cleaned, a half finished scarf that I'm knitting, a note from the yacht we were in in Alaska that was included with the smoked salmon they sent, 3 empty binders, a vanilla scented air freshener for my car, tweezers, lipstick.

I don't know how these things end up on my desk, but they do.
???
It looks MUCH better now. I can actually do my homework on it!

*And….I’ve saved the best for last. In less than two weeks, us four musketeers will be reunited:

I am incredibly excited! They are flying to Arizona and I am driving to meet them there. We will have 3 full days of sunshine, shopping, swimming, eating, and girl time! All while staying in VERY nice accommodations.

Besides spending time with them, the thing I’m most excited about is IKEA. :D The last time I went to IKEA was in San Diego, and I couldn’t really get anything because we flew. But this time…..well, this time I have my car! And it can hold a lot. I should start a list. I’ve already downloaded the 2012 catalog to my iPhone. Good times!

And just for kicks, here's a video I took of Howie getting into the cat treat jar. We accidentlly left the lid off and this is what we found him doing:

Today I Have a 16 Year Old

2012-01-06T15:01:00.000-08:00

By Amy

It's been so long since I've blogged that Blogger has changed some formats and I bet it's been like this for weeks. December is by far the busiest month of my life. At home and at work. But mostly at work. Which makes home busy. I am so relieved that December is over...I wanted to cry with relief when I heard the fireworks that welcomed 2012. Anyway, I don't really expect to slow down anytime soon but I do hope that I will have more time to blog and take pictures. I miss it. Last weekend I had 25 family members over and didn't take a single picture. I hate that. Just to busy.

So today my little boy turned 16. Which is really weird in alot of ways. First of all...I'm only 25. Ok...26. So it just isn't possible to have a 16 year old. And second of all....it doesn't seem like that long ago that I was in the hospital experiencing the most horrific birth ever. So bad that after he came out I didn't even want to see him. But he was worth it. Just look at that gorgeous face.

The thing about him is that he would think it was funny that I posted this picture. He's a great kid and I sure love him. And yes, I do realize I'm getting older too. I actually think I'm starting menopause. I'm not even joking! My weight is shifting and doing funny things and the other day I swear I had a hot flash. Sigh.

A couple weeks ago I watched the little girl. She is a doll. Here is a pic I took when she was watching Monster's Inc.

If you look hard you can see the Craisons in her mouth. I would post more pictures but i have to start dinner. Hopefully next time I can blog something with a little more substance. Like Ang's Year in Review. I loved that Ang! See this is how crazy my life has been. I haven't even had a chance to tell her that. I guess while I'm at it....I would like a picture sent to my phone of little Hannah Banana when you get a chance. And....way to go on your Fantasy Football placement! And.... when are you going to Colorado cuz we have to schedule our Arizona trip. Text Me! (:

Year in Review

2012-01-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

by Ang

I can hardly believe that we are in 2012! Last year went so fast. I thought I would do a little recap of our 2011. Here are some things that stood out to me (and thankfully I have this blog to jog my memory!)

*I started school in January, after not having been in any type of school for 13 years. Yikes! It went better than I expected though.

*In April, my husband and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary. In just 4 more months, we will be celebrating #2! I can’t imagine my life without him….he is so important to me and he keeps me laughing every single day.

*In May we took a trip to Tularosa, New Mexico to see my cousin and his wife who were visiting. It was a short trip, but so much fun! I got to see more of the dry desert (it’s just 100 miles from the Mexico border). We got to spend some quality time with my family.

*Also in May, my husband became a certified scuba diver! We took another weekend trip to Santa Rosa so he could get his certification. He’s wanted to do it for a while, and he did! I’m proud of him.

*And very sadly (also in May), we lost our sweet kitty Nami. We still miss her terribly. She was just the sweetest, nicest animal we had. She had a good, long life (15).

*In June, we met up with my family in Seattle at the airport and then boarded a plane to Sitka, Alaska. We had an amazing one week on the boat. Loads of fishing, eating, laughing, eating, and more fishing. It was a blast!

*And two short months later in August, my family came to New Mexico to visit! We did lots of eating (why is that always a common theme?), shopping, swimming, and just hanging out with each other.

*In August we held our Fantasy Football Draft. And now our Fantasy Football season is over! (I came in 2nd place, by the way – same as last year!). This is the month we also learned that our cat Howie has diabetes. He’s doing well by the way.

*The highlight of September was discovering that Little Miss A is going to be a big sister. In fact, we now know that she is going to be a big sister to a little BROTHER!!! We are so excited. It’s been 10 years since we’ve had a baby boy in the family!

*In October we went to Nebraska to see my family. We got to see my sister’s new house, see my parents new house, and see the whole family. My husband went to a football game with my dad, brother, and nephew. It was such an enjoyable trip!

*And after we got home, we redid our bedroom. It was a long week with our house tore up and sleeping on an air bed in the living room, but the finished product was soooooo worth it!

*The definite highlight of December was getting our new puppy. She is so much fun, we are just loving her to pieces! She is growing like crazy (although she’s still tiny compared to Max). She is sleeping totally through the night now! We put her to bed between 9:30 – 10:00, and she doesn’t wake up until after 6:00, which is perfect! She’s getting along with everyone (as long as she doesn’t get too close to the cats…if she does, she gets batted on the head a few times). Surprisingly, the cat she gets along the best with is Howie, which is the same cat that hates the other dog. We think it’s a gender-thing. Or it could be that Hannah is so much smaller than Howie and he doesn’t feel threatened. Who knows!

And there you have it! I am looking forward to another year. It’s always nice to start a new, fresh year. My husband and I joined a gym that’s super close to our house (like within walking distance), so I’m ready to get started with that (this is the year I get in shape!). I start classes up again January 9th. In February we are going to Colorado for a few days, and then I am meeting my sister and friend in Arizona for a few days. And in the spring, I will be making a trip back to Nebraska to meet my new nephew! Those are the only things we have planned so far!!

I’m sure 2012 will be just as great as 2011!

What We've Been Up To

2011-12-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

by Ang
#1. We added a new member to our family:

Her name is Hannah. Hannah Rosa to be exact. Or Hannah-Banana, Hannah Bear, or simply “The Baby” (which is what we call her the most). She is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. She is also a lot of work. But we are loving her. She is 9 weeks old now. She LOVES to be held, and loves to curl up and sleep between my husband’s neck and the back of the big chair.

She likes to eat (but not too much). She loves play time. She loves her chew sticks. She also likes to poop. Anywhere. We’re working on that.

She is getting along just fine with the other animals. She is pretty fearless. She’ll charge at the cats (wanting to play). She’ll charge at the dog (wanting to play). We still have to supervise because there is such a huge difference between the size of Max and the size of Hannah.

And the size of their Milk Bones.

She sleeps in a playpen (until she gets bigger and can graduate to a big-girl bed). We put a hot water bottle under her blanket and she LOVES it. We also have a little space heater nearby. She is slightly spoiled.

#2. School
I’m done with school until January 9th! Yay! This is very exciting for me. Last week I got my books for my classes that start next month. Ick. I am soooo ready for the long break though!
#3. Fantasy Football
I made the playoffs. I’m in 2nd place. I play my husband next week (in the playoffs). If I win, the week after that I will play in the Superbowl. It’s been fun! We’ll see how I do….I had a great game last week, but it usually doesn’t happen twice in a row.

That's about all! We've been mostly busy with the new puppy, but she's a good girl and training has been going good.

This and That

2011-12-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

By Amy

One of the funnest (funnest?) things about moving to a new house is scouring the Internet and stores for cheap, fun things that I think would just go perfectly in this room or that room. Here are my recent scores from a antique shop.

All for UNDER 30 BUCKS!! I loved the globe. It reminded me of the one in my 3rd grade class. The birds were a steal at 3 dollars a pop. And the cameras....that is just a given. I fell in love. More on where I put them later. Remember the ugly brass colored mirror above our fireplace? The color was bad but the mirror was heavy and in perfect shape. So I painted it.

PURPLE! I love the way it turned out.

It is in between the dining room and Micah's room. The wall was really bare. We don't have a hallway light and for awhile we just had this lamp on the floor. I found the table at Amazon.com.

See the old cameras? I like them there. But I'm sure the items on the shelves will change every so often.

The birds found a home by Mr (or is it Mrs?) Owl on my vanity table in my bedroom.

I have been spying this sign on Etsy for a very long time. What stopped me was the price. It was $65.00. I tried to figure out how I could make one. I thought maybe I could paint it. Or stencil the letters. Or even buy vinyl letters and put them on a distressed board. In the end I decided that I loved the sign exactly how it was. I don't think I could make it better. The words are us.

Especially the "Really Loud" part. (:

We are slowly making this place feel like home. We are loving it so far.

Movie Makeover

2011-11-24T15:12:00.000-08:00

by Ang

Because we love movies so much, they were starting to take over the living room. We tried to find a nice cabinet that would hold all of our DVDs, but we couldn't find one big enough. So we got a plain bookshelf. But, eventually it was full. And looking ugly:

I didn't want to get those DVD binders, because they only hold the DVD and not the artwork. And then, when you get new ones, you have to readjust all of the pages, etc...and it's a big pain. So I did some brainstorming and then started Googling. And I found something and placed an order online.

I ordered a bunch of these movie sleeves made by Atlantic. Each one comes with a sleeve for the artwork, and then an inner sleeve that can hold up to two DVDs (because there are a LOT of movies that come with two discs.

So I got to work!

So after I made the transfer (which took f-o-r-e-v-e-r), I had no place to put the new thinner DVDs. So I went to Ross (of course) and picked up this:

It's just a basic dark brown storage bench.

Here's what it looks like inside:

The two rows on the left are movies. There are over 300 of them. The stuff on the right is more DVDs, but ones where we wanted to keep the cases. Like our Toy Story trilogy toy box. And Star Wars. Ones like that.

They are in alphabetical order, because when you have 300 movies, that's the only way to do it. So I labeled some envelopes as used them as dividers:

So far, I am loving this system! I can't believe they all fit into this little bench.

Before:

After:

Much better! Macy likes it too. :)

Random

2011-11-20T17:13:00.000-08:00

By Amy

I've been busy with moving the last month or so and didn't get a chance to post these pictures. I love this one. It's of the boys and their Grandpa.

My little boy has graduated to a big boy bike. It scares me to death! But he loves it. He will just sit on it in the garage and plead to have dad take him somewhere to ride.

While the boys are doing "boy" things....I had a girls night out. We went to a sushi bar and saw "The Help". I cried through the whole thing. It was great! (:

A few weeks later, Keith and I were invited to a event my boss sponsered. Sinbad was there. My gut hurt from laughing so hard.

I'm leaving for Arizona this week with the boss. Ready to soak up that glorious sun. See you when I get back!

Soap

2011-11-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

by Ang

So....soap! I was organizing our master bathroom tonight and noticed I have quite the little soap collection going on.

It started in Paris, with one simple bar of soap.

On one of our last days there, we stumbled upon Le Bon Marche, which just happens to be the best known (and biggest) department stores in Paris. The outside looks like a typical Parisian building, you know, rounded corners, tons of windows, very old. But here's the inside:

Nice, huh? So we perused around and looked at hats, fancy dresses, teapots, etc., and everything was way too expensive for us. Until we came to the soap. Lots and lots of soap. I picked out one bar to buy and brought it home (because I couldn't go to Le Bon Marche and not buy anything, right?). I paid 6 euros for it, which is a little over $8. It made my suitcase smell like peppermint (menthe poivree)!

This whole time I haven't used it. Every now and then I'd open the box, take a whiff, and then set it back on the shelf in the bathroom. It reminded me of shopping in Paris with my sister and my friend. I didn't want to use it because then it would be gone! And it was my only bar of soap from Paris! But I finally decided that good soap should be used and enjoyed, right? So I'm going to use it. Tonight! I will save the box though. What is it about fancy soap that comes in a box? It's like opening up a present.

The box has a website listed on it, so if I fall in love with the soap, I'm sure I can get more.

I also am loving the more simple soaps out there. I have a few from Trader Joe's that I am working on...

They are inexpensive, simple, and smell lovely!

So if you know of a place that sells great fancy soaps in boxes, please keep it to yourself (I already have to stay away from World Market). I don't need to spend any more on soap!

(picture of Le Bon Marche courtesy of Wikipedia)

House Update

2011-11-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

Here is the living room. The curtains are actually more blue-gray. Not sure why they look purple. I like our living room. I love the rug and I love the floor.

Things I want to change: the lamps. They don't match. Not that I want matching lamps. But these REALLY don't match. One is really....heavy looking and the other one looks like you could blow it over. We also don't have any pictures up.

I love our bedroom color and our furniture. It's so light and airy in there even though the furniture is dark and heavy. I love my puke green bedspread and my pillows.

Things I want to change: Again...the lamps. Also we need to put pictures up.

We bought a oval rug for the dining room. I really like it. But our table is round. So it looks a little funny. And since we had to center the table on the rug...the light fixture is off. I do love my fork and spoon. They are chalk boards.
Things I want to change: Eventually we want to get a bigger table. A oval one. But in the meantime, hubby is going to move the light fixture. He says it's "no big deal."

The kitchen is a work in progress. Keith popped the tile off and is smoothing the walls as I type this. Hope to report more on this soon!

The boys room are finished. But they are messy and they probably wouldn't appreciate it if I blogged about it. The bathrooms are the same. Have I shown you my tiny pink bathroom. I'm learning to love it. Although Keith has huge plans to make it bigger and better. But we have to wait for the money tree to grow first. Ha ha. The basement looks the same, except that it is full of furniture now. Our desks, exercise equipment, a couch and a tv. We spend alot of time down there and it's cozy. I'll take some pictures of that once I get it cleaned up. It's a mess right now. I have a couple extra kids over and they are living down there. All in all, I like my house. It's getting more and more comfortable and I look forward to coming home.

My Built-In Best Friend

2011-11-08T18:41:00.000-08:00

This is not a flattering picture of me. Obviously. But I thought it really captured how I feel when I'm with my sister. Pure joy. I have know idea what we were laughing about. I'm grateful that my brother-in-law stole my camera and took a few candid shots of us. I love these moments.

Remodel

2011-11-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

by Ang

First off, we're back in New Mexico and had a fantastic time with my family in Nebraska. I'll post some pictures of my cute niece and nephews, but first I wanted to share a major project for us that is now DONE!

After one week of sleeping on our bed in the living room with our old furniture scattered throughout the rest of the house, our bedroom is now done. We (and when I say 'we', I mean someone else) replaced the floors, the closet doors and all of the trim. And did some painting.

Here is some of the 'befores':

The carpet was in really bad shape. And the mirrored closet doors had to go:

Here's the new floors:

Pretty, huh!!

And the new closet doors (before we painted them):

Inside the closet:

Now was the fun part! After our furniture was delivered, I got to decorate and put it all back together. Our colors for the bedroom were blue and dark brown. They're still those colors, but I wanted to bring in an accent color of some sort. My husband kept suggesting red, but I was convinced that wouldn't go with everything else. Until I seen this rug:

It's hard to tell, but there is blue all throughout the rug mixed in with the red. It's really pretty!

Then I put together some artwork with some red in it:

The pieces in the top, middle, and bottom frames are all cards I got in Paris. And I put patterned scrapbooking paper in the second and fourth spots to fill it in.

And I got this pillow to add a little more red:

Here's the bigger picture:

(the blanket and pillow on the right is the dog bed)

We each got charging stations for our night tables to control the cords:

I am VERY pleased with how it all turned out. There's still a few minor things to do, such as putting the pulls on the closet doors, and maybe some more artwork. But I am so happy that it's done! Thank you to my husband for making it happen. He knows how to get things done!

And on an unrelated note, I am once again going to profess my love for Ross (the store). I got the rug, the mirror above the dresser, the pillow, the frame for my Paris cards, and the dresser runner all for a grand total of.........$75!!!! Not bad, huh??

Moving Day

2011-10-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

These two were the cutest two helpers ever!

And while the men were moving furniture and boxes, the ladies were being just as helpful by making sure no donut went to waste. (:

My boy helped out too by keeping track of Miss A.

Everything went well. The weather was perfect and we were moved in our new house around noon. Mom made chili for lunch and our new neighbor brought over rice crispy treats and brownies. It was a good day. But exhausting. Still trying to get used to sleeping in a different house. I have tomorrow off. Guess who I'm going to spend it with? My sister! She is flying in tonight. I can't wait!

Excuses

2011-10-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

by Ang

Once again, I apologize for my lack of blogging. We have been swamped. We had someone come and redo our bedroom - new floors, some paint, new trim, etc. So the rest of our house was torn apart for about 5 days. Our bedroom is done now, but we're still moving stuff back in. You know how it goes....you start with a completely blank slate, and then when it's time to move stuff in, you want to go through everything (clothes included - I have one bag so far for the Goodwill) and pare down and not put everything back in. So that's where we're at right now!

And in two days we leave for Nebraska! I am so excited! I can't wait to see everybody. So I've been busy getting ready for that and getting things lined up for our housesitter.

And then there's my homework. Oh...the homework. This week, my homework is due Sunday and Monday. However, I don't want to do homework in Nebraska. So I'm going to try to get it all done before we leave. Which leaves me tonight and tomorrow. I have math problems, a quiz, and in Medical Terminology I have to watch two surgeries, take one quiz and two tests. Yikes. I better get started!

The Kitchen

2011-10-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

By Amy

Remember these lovely cabinets?

They went bye-bye

In with the new!

Hi Pops! The wiring is a bit out dated. I think my dad actually groaned when he saw it. But he is fixing it so that all my appliances will be up and running by Saturday. And the house won't burn down.

And my man made sure I had water to the dishwasher and sink. He has been working his brains out. The kitchen won't be finished but it will be functional. The big day is Saturday! Probably won't post again until after we move in.

Floors, Doors & Walls

2011-10-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

Weve been busy! Here are some before's and after's.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

(this is Darren's room but Micah's looks exactly the same)

And this is our room. The walls are a very pale blue. I love it!

All the doors are painted and have new hardware.

Tonight mom and dad are coming over and dad is going to do some electrical stuff for us. Hubby is going to start gutting the kitchen. I am so excited to see my new cabinets and countertops!

More Organizing and Rustic Looking iPhone Pictures

2011-10-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

by Ang
Between work, classes, and other responsibilities, I’ve sort of let things slip around the house. I mean, it’s being kept clean at all (largely because of my great husband), but as far as cabinets, clutter, and keeping things organized, well, it’s slipped through the cracks. I reached my breaking point when I had 5 books on my desk and there was NO ROOM anywhere to put them.
Enter one of my favorite places: Target.

I snagged this great bookshelf/storage unit for our entryway. I had something similar there before, but it just wasn’t doing the job like it should and was a lot smaller. So I bought this for $39 on sale, and my husband put it together.

I love it because it has built in dividers, which makes categorizing our books much easier (travel, animal, reference, medical, etc.).

I got some fabric storage drawers for the bottom. As of right now, they contain books that I want to keep for sentimental reasons, but I will probably not look at very much, bookmarks, and a few other random items. This cleared up space in my husband’s office for more of his books (which were stacked on top of the bookshelves). We don’t buy books all the time, really. I have my trusty friend Nanette the Nook, and my husband has been doing a lot of reading on his iPad. However, Hastings was having a 5 for $25 on all of their used books, and Borders was going out of business (with great sales), so we ended up with a few more ‘real’ books.

I love this new unit. There is room to grow and I can move stuff around if need be. Plus, there’s more room on top for all of our family photos. I am all for better storage solutions!
On a completely unrelated note (I probably should have saved this for another post because it has NOTHING to do with organization), I downloaded an awesome camera app on my iPhone and here are some of the results:

Balloons coming towards my mother-in-law's house:

Balloon landing practically in her backyard:

My Russian nesting dolls:

Little Miss A (a long time ago!):

I love it! I only used one setting, but there any many different settings to choose from, so I’m definitely going to experiment a bit more with it.

First Things First

2011-10-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

The day that we got our house, we changed all the locks. Because who knows how many people may have keys to our house. Plus we replaced the brass colored knobs to a satin nickel.

Mr Lion the door knocker is still present. I can't decide if I love him or hate it. I think I'm leaning towards his retirement.

My husband took a sledge hammer to this baby. But don't worry about the plants. Those little darlings are safely repotted.

We were happy that the wood floor extended underneath all that brick. More on the wood floors later.

Ours

2011-10-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our house before a single hour of work was done.

As of today the carpet in the living/dining room is gone. The brick planter thing by the front door went bye-bye. And all of the woodwork is now a clean white. By the end of this week all of our walls will be painted. Our hands hurt. (:

Today is the Big Day!

2011-09-29T05:04:00.000-07:00

By Amy

Well folks, today is the day that we sign our life away. We close on the house at 9:00. I am scared, happy, nervous and excited. As soon as we get the keys we are heading straight over to clean and start ripping out carpet. We had the final walk through last night. It doesn't need much cleaning. I ran my hands over shelves and floors and they are spotless. Still....I'm a housekeeper and it's just what I do. The previous homeowners got us a little gift. Attached was a note that said, "We hope that you enjoy this house as much as we did for the last 35 years." It's kind of a sad story and our realtor said that the lady was having a hard time letting it go. I'm giving her a thank you note today to assure here that we will take good care of the house. And that we love it. And we will enjoy it and good times and good memories will be made there. Blogger was being a stinker this morning and wouldn't let me upload any pictures. I will have some in the next post.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

2011-09-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

by Ang

Last Friday was an exciting day. The complete Star Wars saga came out on Blu-Ray for the very first time!

While I do enjoy Star Wars, I am definitely not a 'super fan'. I don't know all the words. I don't know all of the characters. In fact, I think I've only seen A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back a couple times each. (the other ones I have seen multiple times)

However, I was super excited when we got this set. Not so much for the movies, but for the case that they came in. Yes, I know, it's weird. But first off, I was amazed that 9 discs fit into this relatively small case:

When you open it up, it's like a book:

And the movies each have their own page. What I love about the artwork is that it's not just a photograph...it looks like it's been painted or drawn in chalk or something. I was impressed.

Episode I:

Episode II:

Episode III:

Episode IV:

Episode V:

Episode VI:

Bonus Disc 1:

Bonus Disc 2:

Bonus Disc 3:

And probably the coolest one of the bunch is the back cover that holds the little booklet that came with the set:

When we bought it, I was more excited about the art than I was the movies! It's very cool, and my poor pictures do not do it justice at all.

So we will have fun watching these over the next few weeks. So far we've only watched The Phantom Menace. My favorite is Return of the Jedi. And my second favorite is Revenge of the Sith.

Just for kicks, here's a few quotes from my two favorites:

"I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur" (Han Solo)

"It's a trap!" (Admiral Ackbar)

"The dark side of the force is the pathway to many abilities some consider to be...unnatural" (Senator Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker)

I know those are probably not the traditional quotes that most people think of when they think of Star Wars, but those were the ones I knew by heart. :) And I only remembered the 'It's a trap!' quote because on this one episode of the Big Bang Theory, Sheldon is trying to perfect his Admiral Ackbar impression and so he says it multiple times.

Anyways, I'm getting off topic. If you're a Star Wars fan and haven't got these DVDs yet, I highly suggest you do. And even if you're not that big of a fan...get them for the artwork!

And in other news.....

2011-09-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

By Amy

BOUGHT

HOUSE!

We have been thinking about it for a couple of years and finally decided it was a good time. We are first time buyers and knew absolutely nothing. Our sweet agent came to the rescue.

It will definitely be a work in progress for awhile. I will probably have alot of before and after pictures. One of my inspirations for design and decor is YoungHouseLove. I have also been scouring Pinterest. Very cool site.
So alot of exciting things going on for our family!

Happiness

2011-09-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

by Ang
When I was thinking of blogging yesterday, I was going to blog about how stressed I am with all of my homework (my classes are....hard). And then I was going to throw in that I experienced my first migraine headache ever (I seriously thought I was going to die). So it was going to be a big whine post pretty much.

But then, we got some very happy news on Saturday and I thought it would be so much more fun to blog about. This little cutie patootie is going to be....

...a big sister!!!! We are so excited! I am thrilled to be an auntie again. Little Miss A will be 3 when the baby is born, so I'm sure she will be mommy and daddy's little helper.

Congrats to my brother and sister-in-law! I can't wait until spring to meet my new niece or nephew!

Soon to be a foursome:

Another Football Post

2011-09-06T17:44:00.000-07:00

By Amy

As mentioned in the last post....it's football season. And I have one son who was counting down the days until the first game.

You can see who the only true fan in this group of boys is. The others are just wannabees. And whose the guy in the white shirt? Get him out of here!!!

These two seriously care about football. I think we watched a whole half hour of the game. It was a huge blow out. By the third quater the boys got a little restless and decided mooing at cows was much more interesting.

As I was waiting for them to come up the hill...i just KNEW they were going to race. I wish I could have bet a hundred bucks on it.

Ready! Set! Go! Oh no! Contestant # 3 lost his shoe. No one cared. Or even looked back.

My boy won. Meanwhile these two baboons played pool. Weirdos!

Stay tuned for some exciting news!

P.S...and no I am NOT pregnant. That would not labeled as "exciting". More like "just send me to the looney bin now" catagory.

Aunt Amy can't do hair

2011-08-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

I watched my niece last weekend. She was a doll. But after seeing these pictures I realize just how bad I am at little girls hair. It's not exactly my fault. I haven't had any practice.

And she is a tough little cookie because she is always on the move!

And even when she is sitting she is moving. In a dress no less!

Thank goodness her hair is forgiving. Just look at those gorgeous curls!

I had a great time with her. She is growing up fast! Talking away. Even when no one is in the room!

And no matter how badly I screw up her hair. She is still a cutie pie. (:

Fantasy Football

2011-08-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

by Ang
Our Fantasy Football draft was today! It was so much fun. It started promptly at 1:30. Everyone was on time! Each player had 90 seconds when it was their turn to make their pick.

Here is who I ended up with:

Starters:
Michael Vick (QB-Eagles) - This is a long story. I ended up trading with a teammate. It was a deal too good to pass up.
Miles Austin (WR - Cowboys)
Sidney Rice (WR - Seahawks)
Braylon Edwards (WR - 49ers)
Vernon Davis (TE - 49ers)
Reshard Mendenhall (RB - Steelers)
Matt Forte (RB - Bears)
Daniel Thomas (RB - Miami)
Alex Henery (Kicker - Eagles) A former Husker!
Green Bay Defense

Bench
Mark Sanchez (QB-Jets)
Steve Smith (WR - Eagles)
Donnie Avery (WR - Rams)
Jerome Simpson (WR - Bengals)
Roy Helu (RB - Washington) A former Husker!
Michael Bush (RB - Oakland)
Kendal Hunter (RB - 49ers) - on my bench

I feel pretty good about it....my bench is pretty weak though, so I need to do some work on that.

Here's a few pictures before the draft:

Here's the trophy that I got for coming in 2nd place last year:

It was a lot of fun! I'm not expecting to do nearly as well this year (especially because I drafted all by myself with no help from my husband!), and it usually doesn't happen twice. I'm still excited though!

It's been awhile....

2011-08-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

By Amy

I'll tell you what....this summer has been nuts. I kind of feel like I was watching it all happen from the clouds. It went so fast and was really a whirlwind. Seeing Angela in New Mexico was definitly a highlight though. We had such a good time. The boys had a blast and I got some sister time in. School has started here and I am glad. Am I a bad mother for saying that? Maybe....but I don't care. I like the routine. And the kids were ready for it to....whether they admit it or not. Last weekend I go to watch Little Miss A! I will post pictures of her in the next few days.

Life

2011-08-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

by Ang

My last post on this blog was on July 19th. Almost a month ago! I think that’s some kind of a record. We have been extremely busy. I was trying to think if there was one particular thing or event that has kept us busy, but no. Just life! Here’s what we’ve been up to:
*My sister and the family came!

We had a lot of fun. We went swimming every day, played rock band, did some shopping and other stuff. We had such a good time. I miss them. Here's my nephews in the pool. My older nephew looks like he has freakishly long alien arms:

*I start school again in 12 days. I’m taking two classes this term – Algebraic Problem Solving and Medical Terminology. Both of them are online. The math class is a pre-requisite for the biology courses I’m taking next term, so I’m looking forward to getting it out of the way (I HATE math). I have my books and supplies and I’m ready to go.

*Our Fantasy Football draft is coming up. I just loved it last year. I got my magazines and have been doing my research and I’m hoping for a decent team. I came in 2nd place last year, but I’m not expecting to do that great this year. It just can’t happen twice in a row. :) Because my husband is the draft commissioner, we host the draft at our clubhouse at our condo. I went to Party City and got some football stuff to make it a tad more festive. Not that a room full of guys really care about festive stuff, but I do! PLUS, this year there’s another girl in our league! So I’m excited about that. She’ll appreciate my football plates and napkins at least. :)

*Howie got sick. He has diabetes. We are treating him though (he’s only eight) and he should be able to live a happy, healthy life. We’re still in the first week, so we’re working with the vet to get his blood sugar regulated. He is doing well with the insulin shots. He doesn’t even feel them. We’re pretty sneaky though, we (meaning my husband) sneak up on him while he’s eating or drinking and don’t make a big deal about it. He doesn’t even flinch. He’s a trooper and a sweet boy (to everyone but the dog) and we love him, so we’re hoping he’s with us for a few more years! I have yet to give him a shot, my husband has been doing it. I used to give shots to humans, and had no problems with that, but humans don’t move!! I’ll do one one of these days.

(that picture of him is so unflattering. He's really not that fat. He weighs 15 pounds.)

*We bought a juicer and have been juicing. A LOT. And eating tons of fruits and veggies. I love it and we’ve both lost some weight and feel a lot better. It’s a lot of work though. After our weekly trips to Costco for fruits and veggies, I spend at least 2 hours doing prep work for the week (washing, chopping, etc.) Our fridge has never been so colorful! Or packed.

*I got this beautiful new painting for the dining room. I seen it while out shopping with my sister when they were here. And then I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I drug my husband to the store with me so he could look at it and we ended up buying it. I love the designs and all of the colors. It just brightens up the whole room!

*My goal for the end of the year is to finally get done with all of my pictures. I had been putting them all on flash drives for backup, but the flash drives got unmanageable. So my husband bought me an external hard drive for them. It holds up to 25,000 pictures or something crazy like that. So I’m going to start the transfer hopefully this weekend. I’m also going to put a lot of them on our shared Shutterfly site for our family. Because we live so far away, sharing pictures is vital!

*Remember my once neat and clean desk? Well, this is what it looks like now:

I'm just keepin' it real! I like to think that I'm Supergirl and can handle it all, but I can't be put together and organized all the time.

(yes, I actually own a couple of Supergirl comic books). So I'm going to try to get my desk whipped into shape by the end of the weekend.

That’s about all that’s been going on with us. Hopefully things will calm down a bit and I’ll become a much better blogger!

Short and Sweet

2011-07-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

By Amy

We are getting ready to go see my sister. The boys can't wait. I can't wait! So needless to say I've been up to my eyeballs in preparations for the trip. But still wanted to post a these pictures from last weekend. These are two of my most favorite people.

She has the cutest pony tail ever. She is a little jumping bean! She loves to jump and jump and jump! And just look at that ornery little smile. She's a firecracker.

Random

2011-07-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

by Ang

*I came home from work today, and our dog drug out all of his toys and tipped his toy box over. I asked him kindly to put his toys away, but he didn't listen.

*It is so dry here. I'm wondering if I will ever see rain again. The weatherman says we have a 'pretty good' chance towards the end of the week. We'll see. I don't have much hope.

*Last week I registered for two more classes. School starts August 29th!

*My husband made baked apricot chicken tonight for dinner. It was tasty!

*I love Adele. Download 'Rollin in the Deep' the live version from the iTunes concert in London. Do it. Now.

*Our lilies bloomed!

*I apparently have a thing for notebooks. I just counted the blank, ready to use notebooks that I have on my bookshelf. There are 19. Now, some of them are small (like for your purse) and just plain (nothing special). But still. Nineteen! And what did I do after I registered for my classes? I bought two new notebooks. That I didn't include in my original count. So I guess that's 21. :(

*My cat has taken over the new dog bed.

That's all!

Broken Bones and Stitches

2011-07-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

By Amy

That is my future I am predicting. Not MINE but my boy's. Let me explain. A few weeks ago, all the boys in my house were planning a camping trip. A camping trip that involved 4-wheelers and dirt bikes. We didn't own any of those toys so before they left, a friend came over with his 4-wheeler so that the boys could get used to it before heading out on the trails.

They were hooked. Before they could go though, they had to get real helmets.

After they got back from the trip, it was all they could talk about. And all they could read about. Did you know that a 4- wheeler could cost up to 4,000 bucks! And what good is one when you have two boys and one man who want to ride? So then they started researching dirt bikes. Still pricey but way cheaper. So now we own this one.....

And this one....

They have been riding every night. In our yard. That is how much they love it. I just want you all to know that I did protest this. Not to heavily though because what was the point? Now that they have the bikes they are researching the protective gear that I INSIST they have if they are going to race or ride trails. Of course I want them to have the whole she-bang....the neck protector, the chest plate, the back plate. But for now I will be happy if they get some boots. So when the bike rolls over on them it won't crush their ankles. And I have no doubt that something like that is going to happen to one of them. I just don't want it to be during this summer. Because they are having to much fun.

The Top Ten

2011-07-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

by Ang
I love movies. I realize that most people could say that (I mean, who doesn’t like movies?). But I love re-watching my favorites over and over. I love to have a movie on just in the background as I’m cleaning house or doing homework. We have a pretty extensive collection of movies, because my husband is a movie lover like I am. I know some people who will only watch a movie once. Even if they love it! I don’t understand that. If you love a movie, why wouldn’t you want to watch it again? Movies are comforting and are a great source of escape when you just need to zone out for a while.

I have a favorite movie (Gone With the Wind). But I also have 9 others that are on my ‘Top 10 Favorite Movies’ list. The reason I’m posting this is because a couple weekends ago, my husband and I seen a movie that made my top 10 list. I can’t WAIT to see it again, and I will be buying it the first day it comes out on DVD.

So, in no particular order (other than Gone With the Wind), here they are:

1. Gone With the Wind

I think I was around 11 or 12 when I seen this movie for the first time. I remember it was on TV and I was sitting in a chair in our living room. I missed the first 15 minutes or so, because the first thing I saw was the shot of the Twelve Oaks plantation in all of its glory on the day of the barbecue (right before the war started). I was intrigued, so I sat there and watched the rest of it. And I was hooked. The next time it came on television, I recorded it. And I watched it again. And again. And again. I have seen it so many times now that I can recite the words along with the actors (I’m not particularly proud of this). After I watched the movie the first few times, I read the book. While the book is excellent, I think the movie is better. However, the book provides a lot of detail that is very helpful when watching the movie. Just little things. Like when Scarlett is talking to her father (before the BBQ) and she insists that she wants to marry Ashley. Her father tells her that Ashley is going to marry someone else and that she has something more important than that….land. Tara. And Scarlett says ‘but land doesn’t mean anything when—‘ and then her father interrupts her and we don’t get to hear her finish her sentence. Well, in the book, her next words are ‘when you don’t have love’. So it’s not terribly important to the story, but you learn a lot of little things like that when you read the book.

I love Scarlett O’Hara. Most people see her as a villain, but I’ve always seen her as a heroin. Yes, she did pretty much always have to get her way and hurt people sometimes in the process. And yes, she wasted her time pursuing another man and realized who her real true love was when it was far too late. But, she had good qualities too. She was a nurse during the civil war. She stayed behind to deliver her friend’s baby just hours before the burning of Atlanta. She worked the fields on her run down plantation to put food in everyone’s mouths. She took care of everyone in her household and made sure they got to keep Tara. She was honest (sometimes brutally). One of my favorite lines is when she agrees to marry Rhett and he says ‘what kind of ring would you like, my dear?’ and she says ‘Oh a diamond one Rhett, and do buy a great BIG one!’. I love it! It’s a great movie, and if you haven’t seen it, please do so. You won’t be sorry.

2. Pride and Prejudice (BBC)

Definitely Top 10 worthy. I have always loved Jane Austen, but I didn’t see this movie until probably 10 years ago. The story is just so good. The characters and casting in this movie are wonderful. It’s a mini-series (the 1st of two mini-series that I have on my Top 10), but I can easily watch the whole thing in one setting. The tale of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy intertwined with their friends, family, and the gorgeous backdrop of England. It’s funny, sad, happy, maddening, and very satisfying.

3. In America

My sister first told me to watch this movie, and I was a bit skeptical. I had never even heard of it (I don’t think too many people had). It’s the wonderful story of an Irish family that comes to the United States for a better life after a tragic loss in their family. The acting is amazing in this movie and you fall in love with each and every one of them.

4. Girl With a Pearl Earring

This is a movie that was just as good as the book (which usually never happens). It is a historical fiction film based on the life of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (who happens to be my favorite painter! We seen my favorite painting by him at the Louvre in Paris). The movie (and book, written by Tracy Chevilier) is the ‘maybe this could have been’ story of how he came about to paint his famous ‘Girl With a Pearl Earring’. No one knows who the girl in the painting really was, so the author came up with her own story. But the parts of the movie that are true are his family life, his other paintings, and his patrons. It’s a very pretty film.

5. Charade

This is a lesser known Audrey Hepburn film from 1963. It has been referred to as “the best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made”. It just has that feel to it. It is a comedy more than anything, but it’s also suspenseful and has a little bit of romance too. It keeps you guessing the entire way through. It’s also one of those movies that every time you watch it you catch something else new that you never noticed before. I am a HUGE Audrey Hepburn fan, and this is one of my top two favorites out of all of her movies. The other one being…

6. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Of course. Another classic. Released two years before Charade, this movie is all about the flighty Holly Golightly. I’ve watched this movie again and again and my favorite part (besides Holly’s fashionable wardrobe) is when Holly and Paul spend the afternoon and take turns doing things each has never done before. Like visiting the New York Public Library. And shoplifting a mask from the Five and Dime store. Going to Tiffany's. I love the idea of doing that! (not shoplifting, but doing new things together) It’s such a fun movie. Perfect to watch on a rainy afternoon! Or if you live in Albuquerque where it never rains, on a blazing hot dusty, sunny afternoon.

7. Lonesome Dove

This is the second miniseries on my list. This series had 18 nominations at the Academy Awards and 7 wins, which are huge numbers for a miniseries. It is currently one of the handful of films on Rotten Tomatoes to have a rare, perfect 100% rating. It’s an epic story that follows two former Texas rangers, Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call from Texas to Montana. They encounter horse thieves, murderers, horrible weather, love, and loss along the way. I love it because of the different story lines and the amazing character development. You just get lost in each character’s issues and you’re concerned about all of them. There is no part of this movie that is boring.

8. Chocolat

Out of all of the movies on my list so far, this is the one I’m going to re-watch next. It’s the story of a young mother who arrives with her daughter in a small (repressed) village in France to open up a Chocolaterie, which astounds and angers most of the villagers, because it opens during the 40 days of Lent. But slowly she wins the hearts of a few villagers and makes friends too. This is another pretty movie, and it is almost impossible to not eat chocolate while watching it.

9. Rear Window

Another classic. I love Alfred Hitchcock, and this is my favorite movie of his. The whole premise is slightly creepy (James Stewart spying at his neighbors with binoculars from his New York City apartment window?), but it IS Hitchcock. He soon is convinced that one of his neighbors has killed his wife. He shares his concerns with his girlfriend (Grace Kelly) and his housekeeper and his detective friend, who all do a little investigating. It’s a very quiet movie, but very suspenseful.

And now, for the brand new addition to my Top 10 list…..

10. Midnight In Paris

As soon as I heard about this movie, I wanted to see it. The title alone caught my attention obviously.

I won’t give away everything, but the short version of this film’s plot is this: A young engaged couple goes to Paris on a business trip with her parents. In a strange twist of events, the young man runs into a whole slew of literary characters from the past including Earnest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and too many more to mention. The movie poster says this “A romantic comedy about an American family traveling to the French capital for business. The part includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own would be better”. The first 5-10 minutes of the movie is nothing but music and street scenes from Paris. It’s just gorgeous. It could have ended right there and I would have been happy! It’s a Woody Allen movie with lots of great people in it: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Adrien Brody, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni (the current First Lady of France!) and more. When it was over, I was sad that it was over. I loved it.

So that’s my top 10. It’s quite the variety! I have many other movies that I love that deserve ‘Honorable Mentions’: Dan in Real Life (such a great little movie), Ever After (who doesn’t love a good Cinderella story?), French Kiss (one of my favorite romantic comedies), Julie and Julia (which inspired me to make ‘boeuf borgonion’ for the first time), Marie Antoinette (a great movie which really portrayed how YOUNG poor Marie Antoinette was when she was thrown into royalty), The Money Pitt (no movie makes me laugh harder than this one), Ocean’s 11 (I’m a Clooney and a Damon fan), A Star is Born (Judy Garland fascinates me and this movie eerily mirrors her real life), Waitress (I love Keri Russell AND Nathan Fillion), and Under the Tuscan Sun (I’m in love with her house and the Italy scenery).

So go watch a movie now! And make it be one of your favorites.

(all photos are from imdb.com)

Ive Been A Very Bad Blogger

2011-07-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

By Amy

It's not from lack of material either. We have been super busy this summer. Here are some pictures from last weekend's District Convention.

I spent some time with my niece and saw some old friends

My boy. Why oh why does he look like he's 20?

My sweet sister-in-law

My dear Grandma

My other boy and his good friend.

But how do you really feel Micah?

Now that's my boy!

Cute nephew

Can I just say this...GIRLS! Please leave our young men alone. I know they are cute. And funny. And sometimes sweet. But they are young. And their momma's still need them. And they really have no clue about life yet. So just let them be. Thank you. (:

More on what's been going on around here later.

Blue Girls and Blue Ice Cream Cones

2011-07-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

By Ang

This past weekend, my husband and I attended the Albuquerque Comic Expo. He wanted to go so he could find some rare Daredevil comic books (he’s been collecting them). And I wanted to go…well, to people watch. I was not disappointed.

I was too shy to ask people flat out if I could take their picture, so all of my pictures are kind of from a distance and they have a bunch of other people in them. J

Here’s the blue girl from the new x-men movie.

Batman:

These little things from Star Wars (Jawa’s? Java’s?) Sorry, I don’t know what anything is called. My husband does and I’m sure he’ll laugh at my descriptions later.

Storm Troopers:

Stan Lee (the Marvel comics creator):

Spiderman asking Stan Lee a question:

The Batmobile from the tv show from the 60’s (I think):

I’m not sure what this thing was, but the wings were gigantic:

Levar Burton. I’m not sure what he was in, but he was one of the celebrities:

I am probably the worst person to be blogging about these things – I know nothing!

My husband scored big time. He got the 2^nd issue of Daredevil, and some other older back issues:

He also bought two prints to frame and hang in his office:

He got some Star Wars people. I won’t even try to describe them because judging from my descriptions above, I won’t get it right.

But look at how creepy they are! They came with extra body parts, like hands.

He needs a manicure:

All in all, it was a really fun day. I enjoyed looking at all of the freaks (I mean, interesting people) and it was fun seeing all of the artists and vendors there.

To top of the weekend, on Sunday we went to the park to an ice cream social with some people from our hall.

Check it out – blue ice cream cones! I must be living under a rock, because I have never seen blue ice cream cones before. Isn’t she cute?

Alaska is Dreamy

2011-06-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

By Amy

Hi Everyone! It feels like it's been forever since I've written. Like Ang...I'm didn't write alot of words because the pictures really say it all. I will say that I was only halfway right about how I thought I would react when I saw Ang in the Seattle airport. There was no running and screaming and laughing. I just sobbed. I couldn't stop it. And I tried!! Spending a whole week with her was amazing after being away for so long. Although coming back home was rough. But it was soooo good to see my boys again after 8 days!! So here are just a few of my favorites. I have alot more to share. More to come later.

Alaska the Beautiful

2011-06-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

by Ang

We're back. Words cannot even describe the amazing time we had in Alaska. So I will let the pictures do the talking. (Food will be discussed in a separate post)

There was wildlife.

There was fishing.

There was breathtaking scenery.

But my most favorite part was spending time with my family:

*super pictures that say 'Rod's Pics' were taken by Roddy, one of the crew members on the boat with an amazing camera. All of the pictures posted here taken by him were taken during our trip.

A Complete Weekend

2011-05-31T17:10:00.001-07:00

By Amy

My weekend was perfect. Full of both sides of family. I feel full and happy.

We leave for Alaska in five days. FIVE DAYS. So that means that this is the last blog for me until we get back. Then hopefully I will have some beautiful pictures to share! Although I think the pictures in this blog post are beautiful too. Every single one.

The Desert

2011-05-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

by Ang

A good portion of New Mexico is considered the desert. Including where we live. But it doesn't always LOOK like the desert, because it's populated, there's houses and buildings and mountains...you get the picture.

However, this past weekend, we went to THE DESERT. My cousin and his wife (from Bethel) were here giving a talk in a small town about 3 hours south of here called Tularosa. Since they were so close, we decided to meet up with them.

Here is what our drive looked like:

A whole lot of desert. And not much else.

We seen a dirt devil on the way home. I've seen many of the 'mini' dirt devils here in the big city, but I've never seen one this big!

More of....nothing.

The scenery changed a little bit as we got closer to home. Mountains! (Look at all the dead bugs on our windsheild. Gross!)

It was a nice weekend. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask permission to post pictures of my family, so I won't do that here. We had a great time though. We ate lunch at this wonderful little restaurant in the middle of a pecan grove called 'The Nut House'. We ate, talked, and did plenty of laughing. My family is pretty great!

Losing It (part two)

2011-05-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

By Amy

I have started this post about four times now. I'm not sure where to begin and I don't want you to think I'm being to dramatic or thinking to much about this. And I don't want you to worry about me because I am ok. REALLY. In a nutshell here are some random thoughts.

~ Just because you see that magic number on the scale, it doesn't turn you into a happy, strong, confident woman. And that can be very, very disappointing.

~If I had a friend who talked to me the way I talk to myself I would have a hard time not shoving her to the ground. And if my husband threw the same insults at me that I tell myself? I would leave.

~ Please don't think I'm fishing for compliments. They make me feel weird and awkward and I have to force myself to say thank you and not go into a whole conversation about what I don't like about myself.

~ I think about my sweet niece and all the girls that I love. I wonder when they will start picking at there bodies. It's starting younger these days and that makes me so sad. There are girls as young as nine that are on diets and worried about their bodies. How do you raise strong, confident daughters but not go overboard and have them turn out conceited or with a "I'm better then everyone else" attitude? And do they see the hypocrisy in your eyes when you beat yourself up about your weight/body but tell them that a number on a scale is just a number?

~ I am grateful. Really I am. I am healthy. I have a amazing family. Incredible job. Did you read my sisters last post? On June 6th we are meeting in the Seattle airport. And then flying to Sitka. And boarding my bosses yacht. I can't tell you how excited i am. Do you know how long it's been since I've seen her? A year. A YEAR. So I get a week with my sister. In Alaska. On a boat that is fully staffed. Yes please.

~ I went to a exhibit last week with 158 Pulitzer Prize photographs. I went by myself because I didn't know how I would react. I actually held it together quite well. And some of the pictures were horrific. The dying baby on the desert floor with a vulture only 6 feet away. Just waiting. Multiple assassinations. The plane exploding into the second twin tower. The one that made my eyes spill over was of a soldier. He was holding a card in his hand from his wife. Pressing it to his nose. Trying to get the scent of her, the smell of home. I have no idea why that was the one that put me over the edge. But the bottom line is that my issues are so petty compared with all the suffering that is going on in the world. I need to just get over myself and not spend so much time and energy trying to figure out why I'm not happy with myself. Enough already!

~ I promise my next post will be full of sunshine and rainbows. Just kidding! Well you never know. It might be. My moods have kind of been all over the place lately so I guess you never know what you are going to get with me. In the same day I can feel a deep dark sadness and hours later feel so happy my chest feels like it will burst open. Keeps you guessing right? Me too.

Summer: A Lot to Look Forward To

2011-05-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

by Ang

It feels like summer, even though it's spring. I think the major reason is because I finished with my class. School's out! And that means summer....usually.

I am proud of myself for finishing with an A in my class. I am taking the summer off from classes. I'll start back up in September.

And it just looks and feels like summer. Our flowers are blooming:

I made sun tea today (if that's not a summer like thing to do, then I don't know what is):

And in less than a month, we are taking our first 'summer' vacation. We're going to Sitka, Alaska, where we get to spend an entire week with my family!!

Here are some pictures from a book which I bought the last time I was there: The pictures in the book don't do it justice obviously, but you get the main idea. It's beautiful. It's the 2nd most beautiful place I've ever been. It was first on the list, until we went to Hawaii, then it got bumped to number two. I can't wait!

There's so many other exciting things happening this summer too:

June: Alaska & possibly a shopping trip to Phoenix with my mother-in-law

July: District Convention

August: My sister and her family are coming to Albuquerque for a whole week and we are taking a side trip while they're here to the Grand Canyon.

I love summer!

Losing It (part one)

2011-05-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

By Amy

I've lost a few pounds. Eighteen to be exact but who is counting? Haha! You know we all count. When people ask how I did it, I'm not sure what to say. I'm a Weight Watcher's member so I usually just tell them that. I did go in every week to weigh in. But I didn't count my points or journal my food intake.

I think I'm reluctant to tell people how I did it because it's not healthy. First I stopped eating breakfast. That is a huge no-no as we all know. Then I started cutting all my meals in half. Half a banana, half a granola bar, 3 chicken nuggets instead of 6. You get the idea. I ate very little. The problem is when your calorie intake is so low you have no energy to exercise. Or do much else for that matter. The weight came off but it left me with a flabby, loose skinned body.

So I started taking Ginger for a two mile walk everyday. When I couldn't do that I would run/walk on the treadmill. Some days I would do a video. I'm not going to bore you with my whole routine. I keep hearing that exercise can become addictive. That hasn't happened yet. I hate it. It's time consuming and it hurts.

If I didn't have music I couldn't do it. I have to have it pumping in my ears to distract me from what I'm doing. I've got U2 promising me a Beautiful Day. A little Flo Rida because the Club Can't Handle Me Right Now! haha! Some G&R's Paradise City, which makes me think of the beach, which makes me think of me in a swim suit, which makes me push harder. There's Rihanna crying and burning and me picturing Eminem with his face just out of reach so I can give him a good shove. And there is P!nk. Who tells me I'm perfect. Despite the voices in my head. Those voices are loud and annoying. More on that later....

1996 - 2011

2011-05-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

by Ang

Goodbye, Sweet Nami. :(

I hate to brag but....

2011-05-04T16:21:00.001-07:00

By Amy

I took my nieces Senior pictures a few weeks ago. They turned out fabulous. But not because of my photography skills.

She's a beautiful girl and just as pretty on the inside.

This is her pet bird Tweety. I forget if Tweety was a girl or a boy. He/she was a great sport!

This next one is my absolute favorite and after you see it you will probably wonder why. I just love the whole "feel" of the picture. It's kind of dreamy and I keep going back to it even if no one else gives it a second glance. I am getting this one on a print for sure.

I have a new found respect for real photographers. I was a nervous wreck. And trying to find a evening with the perfect light....we had to cancel three times! It was windy but we tried to work with that. The light was beautiful and I am so thankful for that. Lighting can make or break your pictures. Anyway I am so proud of her and am honored that I was asked to do this for her! It was a great time!

Santa Rosa

2011-05-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

by Ang

This weekend we went to Santa Rosa. My husband has been taking scuba diving classes, and the final test for certification is in Santa Rosa, NM. There is a natural spring there that is a hot scuba diving spot. It's about an hour and a half east of Albuquerque. So, Friday after work, we were off!

Am I back in Nebraska?

It's pretty flat east of here.

Santa Rosa is a tiny town, so there's not much to do besides scuba dive! I came armed with loads to do though. I brought movies, my pictures, snacks, paperwork and more. In going through my pictures, I came across some of my favorites.

Me and my nephew Micah:

Me, my sister and my sister-in-law having some fun at the Mall of America:

My nephew (who is now 15!) in upstate New York:

My sweet aunt and my Grandma:

It was nice to reminisce and get my pictures in order. I got a lot done!

On the way home, it was snowing! But the skies cleared up as we got closer to ABQ:

So it was a fun, unusual weekend! My husband became a certified scuba diver on May 1st while it was snowing and 38 degrees!!!

The Move

2011-04-29T19:40:00.001-07:00

By Amy

Last weekend we helped my parents move. They had been living in a apartment for a few years and decided it was time for a house. Here is the old place.

Here's the new place!

My honey and my sweet Grandma.

Me and the boy.

I think it's cute that my mom and dad are smiling the same.

Even Ginger got to come! Thanks to the fenced-in big back yard.

I took alot of "before" pictures of the place but wasn't sure if my mom would want those posted. However, I do have to show you this room.

This is a basement bedroom and it was so much like my bedroom I had growing up. Basement windows, dark paneling and fluorescent lights. I could almost smell the Aqua-Net! And hear Bon Jovi blasting out of my pastel colored button stereo.

It's a great house and I can't wait to spend more time there with the people I love.

Guess Who's Two?

2011-04-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

By Amy

I hadn't seen Little Miss A for about a month and a half and oh my goodness has she changed! She is clearly speaking now. Not just jibberish. And she said my name SEVERAL times which made my heart sing! One of a thousand great things about having a niece is that I get to buy her toys that either A) I once had or B) I want to play with.

Remember these record players? When I was little I had one and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. It was! Although mine did not require batteries and this one does. Go figure.

Silly Face!

One thing that hasn't changed about her is her admiration for my youngest. As soon as she got to my mom and dad's she says, "Where's Micah?" She quickly found him and grabbed his hand.

Just look at the way she looks at him!

She is just waiting to do something hysterical. And he usually does.

She has brought a whole new dimension to our lives and we just couldn't live without her.

P.S. These were taken at my mom and dad's new house! I will post about the move next!

One Year!

2011-04-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

by Ang

Sunday was our one year anniversary. It has gone so fast!

We had a very nice day together. I put all of our anniversary cards up on the mantle:

I'll leave them up for a while. I like looking at them. We got cards and gifts from friends and family - we loved them all! :)

My sister sent me this:

It's perfect - Paris and Audrey Hepburn! And Paris IS always a good idea.

My husband got me these:

It has my name on the outside cover too. I love it and have been wanting one for quite a while!

He then took me to one of the coolest restaurants I have ever been too called Vernon's Hidden Valley Steakhouse. It really is hidden. You have to have reservations and then once you actually find the place, you have to know the password (which they called and gave him the day before). So we get there, get the password, are let in and then it was like stepping into a 1920s jazz club. With a little gangster mixed in. It was VERY cool and a VERY nice restaurant. Sorry that the pictures are dark, but it was really dark in there.

This was our anniversary dessert. He's holding the candle because he snuffed out the candle with his fingers before I could take a picture. So then he lit it again with the table candle, but it wouldn't stick to the plate, so he had to hold it there:

He did good!! He always does though.

It was a great anniversary!

I am 15

2011-04-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

By Amy

This is a actual conversation I had with my 15 year old. I was driving.

Me: (fiddling with the radio stations)

Son: "Mom, let me do this....you just concentrate on driving and keep your eyes on the road Why does the radio have to be on everytime we are in the car?!"

Me: "Hey! I have done this before! I can drive and switch stations at the same time!"

Son: (eye roll)

Me: "Oh I love this song!" (reaching to turn it up)

Son: "Mom! Everytime you hear a song you like you don't have to turn it up! It's already loud enough!"

Me: "If you weren't in the car I would totally be rocking out to this song!" (grumpy look on my face.

This isn't even a unique conversation. My poor son always reminds me how immature I can be. I love that kid.

And speaking of driving.....we unloaded our gas hog, money draining SUV and bought this......

I admit I will miss being able to haul around everyone and their brother but this car is quite zippy. And it has a rockin' sterio. (:

Quirks

2011-04-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

by Ang

Animals are just like humans. They have little quirks and traits that make them unique. Our little (and not so little) furry family members are no exception.

Max:

*he is afraid of white garbage bags. Whenever I take one out and shake it open, he runs.

*he has a thing for credits that come on after television shows. It doesn't matter which show. Whenever they start, he runs to the TV and starts whining. We don't know why.

*he has a curtain fetish. He tries to hide in them and wear them like a cape.

*he is very protective of both of us - especially my husband.

*all of our neighbors (most are 55+) just love him to pieces.

Macy:

*she has a red teddy bear that she's had since she was a kitten that she carries around the house in her mouth.

*she is very picky about her food and will only eat certain types of wet food. She refuses all dry cat treats.

*she is the only cat in the house that is obsessed with the birds and the bird feeder outside. The other cats could care less.

*she turns into a demon cat when she's at the vet and it usually takes at least 2-3 vet techs to wrangle her. It's embarrassing. I always apologize on her behalf.

*she sleeps with us every single night.

*she loves me the most.

Howard:

*he loves to be petted only on the counter in the laundry room. Weird.

*he only sleeps if he can butt up against something (a pillow, our leg, a sink, etc.). He never sleeps completely flat.

*his meow does not match his body. His little meows are totally pathetic. Sometimes he'll open his mouth to meow but no sound will come out.

*he hisses at the dog at least three times a day.

*although I have raised him since he was 4 weeks old and he has spent 7 of his 8 years solely with me, he prefers my husband. Traitor!

Nami:

*she likes to chew holes in socks.

*she only likes to drink her water from a cup in our bathroom.

*she sits on my husband's shoulder like a parrot when he's sitting down.

*she is the nicest cat in the house.

*she sleeps with us every single night.

Masami:

*she is the first one waiting for me in the kitchen every morning when I feed them.

*she loves dry treats more than the others.

*she loves my husband the most.

*she has the prettiest eyes I've ever seen on a cat.

*she is the softest cat ever.

*she hasn't been feeling well lately but is on some meds and is on the mend.

Our house may be a zoo and it's a lot of work, but we love all of them. There is never a dull moment!

Fight Night and Family

2011-04-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

By Amy I still don't have my computer back. So I robbed my husbands and downloaded about 500 pictures off my camera onto his. He will be so pleased! ha ha. Around 3 weeks ago I attended Fight Night in Scottsdale Arizona. It's a fundraiser for Muhammad Ali's charity towards Parkinson's. It was a amazing night. Lots of celebs. Halle Berry...who by the way is even more gorgeous in person. Is that even possible? Matchbox Twenty, Kelly Clarkson and Bret Michels were the musical guests. As well as Jackie Evancho who is only ten years old and sings opera. Tears dripped down my face when she sang "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera. It was beautiful. Other entertainers were Sinbad (who talked directly to my boss and her husband!), Reba McEntire (who stood right next to me as we washed our hands in the ladies room), Billy Crystal, Kevin Costner and the American Idol finalist. It was a amazing night. Here is me all gussied up. I don't have any pictures of any other people in my group. I didn't get their permission to post. And I don't want to get in trouble!

While we were in Scottsdale, we had a chef with us. It was almost as much fun watching him cook then eating his food. Almost. (:

It was a amazing time. Traveling with my boss is a little bit like being in fantasy land. And as much as I love my boss and being with her and seeing and experiencing new things, it's always a great feeling coming home and seeing the faces that belong to me. Last weekend I got to see this guy.

Doesn't he look so smart in his glasses? What a cutie. And I love this picture below. So candid and such sweet faces.

Why hello my beautiful niece!

I love messy little girl hair.

The three musketeers. The two on each end could totally be brothers.

I have a beautiful family. Just look at them!

I would much rather hang out with them then celebrity's any day.

Things I Love

2011-04-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

by Ang

Gummy vitamins for adults:

Make fun all you want, but my husband and I have taken our vitamins consistently for a year now. It's easy to do when they taste like gummy bears!

Free iTunes music from Starbucks:

Scrubs:

Soooooo funny.

Fun nail polish colors for spring:

My creepy cat:

I don't know why.

My collection of paper clip tab thingys:

I use them all the time.

And him:

Just look at that face!!

Excuses Excuses

2011-04-06T08:08:00.001-07:00

By Amy I've been a bad blogger. However I have some good excuses! Well one really. I don't have my computer. It crashed and burned so a guy that I work with is trying to fix it for me. He has had it for a week and I'm scared to ask him how much longer. No computer + no pictures = no blog. Which is a bummer because I've got some good blogging material lined up. I'm here at work sneaking in a quick blog so you know how much I care. (:

Pretty

2011-03-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

by Ang

Yesterday I had a bad day. I was swamped at work, yet didn't get anything done. I wasn't feeling good. And just feeling a little overwhelmed with everything. So on my way home from work I stopped at Trader Joe's to pick up a few groceries and decided to buy myself some flowers or something to cheer me up.

I bought this:

I love orchids, but have always been intimidated by them. I hear they're hard to keep alive! I'm going to try my best though, and if it dies, well, it was only $8.

So tonight I'm going to sit at my desk, enjoy my orchid, and work on my research paper.

Guess what it's about?

First Things First

2011-03-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

By Amy Ive been back for a week from Scottsdale Arizona. It was a amazing trip. I shook Reba's hand. As in the cute red head with a amazing voice. But before I blog about that I have to tell you about my husbands sister Tara. She married Gustavo on March 11th. We were so sad not to be there but four tickets to Ecuador would have buried us in debt. Thankfully her mom and step-dad were able to go. I downloaded all these pictures and now I can't seem to move them around. So this is all backwards! This is their wedding day. She looked beautiful!!!

I love this picture of them. I think it's my favorite. It just sums up their life so perfectly.

Doesn't she look so happy?

My mom-in-law and Tara.

Gustavo and his family own a store.

Their living room. Nice view!

The outside of the apartment.

Tara's kitchen

And a washer and dryer!!! This is a huge treat for Tara because most families don't have them.

Before the actual wedding they had to be married in a civil ceremony. So they were kind of married twice. I don't understand all the rules to this but here is a picture of them after the civil ceremony.

Holding the official document

This was during the ceremony

I thought this picture was cute because this was the sweatshirt Gustavo wore when they picked up her parents at the airport.

We are so happy for both of them. Just wish they weren't so far away!!!

I'll try to blog about the AZ trip in the next few days. However there is something wrong with my computer. I'm using my hubby's plus all of the wedding pictures were on his anyway. Mine says it can't connect to Internet Explorer. Great. Also when I was uploading these pictures on the blog it said we have use 95% of our storage space on the blog. Not sure what that means but I'm guessing we should be expecting a huge headache in the future.

Random

2011-03-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

by Ang

I have a couple of blog posts in the works, but I just wasn't quite ready to post them tonight (no pictures, etc.)

So you'll have to put up with another random post from me.

*I've discovered that my handwriting is much neater when I use a pencil. I have no idea why.

*I stepped on my boy kitty tonight by accident and he SCREAMED. I mean, really screamed. Don't worry, he's fine. I felt terrible though. He got extra treats tonight. He doesn't need any (he's the chubby one), but I couldn't resist.

*While we were in Paris, we almost got the police called on us. Over a laundry issue. Laundry. It's a story that I don't think the three of us have told anyone. Nor will we!! :) It's our little secret.

*Also in Paris, we seen the same man on the subway like 3 different times. It was a little spooky. Was he following us? He looked like a bird. We called him the bird man.

*I miss Paris.

*I took the dog for a walk on Sunday. This is our favorite place to walk:

I can't wait until the golf course greens up a bit!

*Our bird feeder is a big hit:

They're very cute.

*I bought a hat on Saturday:

My fair skin burns easily, so I need a hat for the summer. I am soooooo not a hat person though, so it will take me a while to get used to it. My husband bought one too. He, however, is a hat person and wears his proudly!

*Saturday night we ventured outside to see the super freaky big moon. This was the best picture I got with my little camera. I was mostly surprised at how bright it was:

*My allergies have been worse than ever these past two days. I guess I am allergic to Juniper. And whatever else is blowing around here.

*Speaking of allergies, my Benedryl is making me tired and I'm going to bed now. :)

2011-03-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

By Amy

Here are some pictures of the latest party that I threw. It was really fun! Basically it was for our congregation to show their appreciation for our pioneers. I had some help....

She's really my daughter. Didn't I tell you this? I actually have three girls.

This may or may not be their biological mother. Actually she's my sister. I have two. And we even have the same hair color!

Gift bags for the pioneers and pictures of them.

Everyone enjoying all the great food!

Oh here are my other two girls! I had them when I was really, really young. Same hair.

Playing B-Ball

These ladies are involved in a serious game of.....not sure.

This girl is definitely mine. I kid you not!

And of course this one. She's been mine since the day I met her.

I wouldn't recommend messing with anyone at this table. They play a brutal game of dominoes.

And these two are sworn enemies.

And this here is my right hand man. I could never have planned this without his support.

I'm going to be traveling with the boss again. Leaving on Wednesday for sunny Scottsdale. See ya when I get back!

Random

2011-03-08T18:01:00.000-08:00

by Ang

*This is my new best friend:

We’ve been using it more and more. Last night I used it to make chicken soft tacos. Tomorrow night my husband is making 'Kickin' Chicken Chili' in it. It is so nice to come home and dinner is ready! All it takes is just a little prep work the night before or the morning of.

*I was reading a magazine last night and was so excited when I found this recipe:

My mom used to make these when we were kids. My brother and I would sit on the kitchen floor and watch through the oven door as the pancake slowly baked over the sides of the pan. I’m excited to try it myself!

*Spring is almost here! This past weekend we bought flowers, bird feeders, and a few other miscellaneous things to get our outdoor areas ready for spring!

*He is feeling better:

A couple weeks ago he got a nasty scratch on his leg (we’re not sure how it happened because he never goes outside). Anyways, it got all infected and swollen, so the vet had to lance his foot to let it drain (ew) and he was on painkillers and antibiotics for a couple weeks.

He’s fine now though, almost 100%. He’s started hissing at the dog again, begging for food (he’s chubby), and he’s earned his title of ‘troublemaker of the house’ back. He’s a stinker, but we love him. We always tell him ‘it’s a good thing you’re cute!’. We’ve also been calling him ‘Howdie’ lately. His name is Howie (or Howard when he’s in trouble), but when my younger nephew was 2 or 3, he couldn’t say ‘Howie’, but he could say ‘Howdie’ so that’s what he called him. Ever since I told my husband that story, that’s what he’s called Howie. Howdie.

*She is feeling better too:

She has leukemia, but she’s a trooper and is putting weight back on and doing well on her medication and vitamins. We hope she’s with us for a few more years! (She’s 14). She is definitely the sweetest cat in the house.

*My husband rocks. He has been helping out so much around the house – doing laundry, cooking dinner two nights a week, and just being generally awesome. AND he brought me Starbucks today at work. I love him!

*I’m halfway done with my class! It’s going well. I’ve written 3 out of my 5 essays, and right now I have a 96% in the class. Yippie!

*We are traveling a lot this year and I am so excited. Alaska, Nebraska (in the fall!), and Mexico (also in the fall). I am so excited…plus my sissy and the fam are coming to see us this summer! This year is very exciting. :) One of the things the hubby and I wanted to do a lot of is travel together. And we’re off to a good start I think!

*And finally....I have the BEST wallpaper on my phone:

What I Did Today

2011-03-02T17:03:00.001-08:00

By Amy

Because I know you are just dying to know. ha ha. I have one day off during the week. I love my day off. It's my saving grace. I usually do one of two things. Sometimes I take almost the whole day and run errands. Walmart, dry cleaners, Trader Joes, the book store and so on. It usually takes me most of the day. I like to take my time. And that is mostly because my house is a disaster and I don't want to be home. I refuse to clean on my day off. I clean for a living! I'll pick up and do laundry but I refuse to clean. It's to depressing. Today however the house was in fairly good shape so I stayed home. I have a couple of extra dogs this week.

They are waiting for snacks. Usually the little dogs hate my big goofy Ginger. But when snacks are involved they are willing to breathe the same air as her. But you can still see the distance can't you? So alot of my day was spent caring for them. I did do some laundry. Always laundry.

Do you have a decorative item that has been around for so long that you don't really even see it anymore? This assortment has been around so long I think it came with the house. I forgot about it.

I was asking my friend Meg for some ideas on how to improve my kitchen without doing a total make-over. She gave me some tips and then she said, "And those vegetables you have? They have got to go." I was like, "What vegetables?"

But instead of getting rid of them, what if I improved them somehow. Say with some glossy spray paint?

And then paint the platter a color that pops.

Would that be ok Meg? She said she will have to see it. I'll show you the finished project after it's dry. About this time I start thinking about what's for dinner.

That is one hot mess. I should probably clean that out. Or at least organize it. I didn't find anything worthy in there but I did have some leftover steak in the freezer. Plus some frozen tortillas and peppers. Un-thaw it all and BAM! FAJITAS! I went into the guest/excersise/family/craft room to start another project.

Inside this closet is some party stuff for the Pioneer Appreciation Dinner. I cleaned out the closet so I would have space to store some decor. I made the centerpieces.

I figured out that these cost me about a dollar a piece. Not bad. It's now about 4:00 and my crew is starting to trickle in. The fajitas were so-so. No one had seconds and a few didn't finish firsts. The boys have colds an so does the husband. I made sure all were comfortable and left them at home. At a coffee shop now enjoying my large Mocha and waiting for Meg. We are going to solve the world's problems, plan out the rest of our lives and see if she approves of my vegetables.

Before I go...here is one last picture. It's to cute not to post.

The Apron

2011-02-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

by Ang

About a month ago, I got a package from my mom and dad. I wasn't expecting anything and I had to go to the post office and sign for it. I was SO EXCITED when I opened it!

It was an apron.

But not just any apron.

This apron was my Great Grandmother's. It was made by her mother (my Great Great Grandmother) over 85 years ago. It was one of the few things that my Great Grandmother brought with her on the boat from Germany to America in 1926.

It's in really good shape for being so old. I knew I wanted to display it and not just stick it in a drawer or a box. So I bought a shadow box.

I knew I wouldn't be able to display the apron in it's entirety (they don't make shadow boxes that big!). So I folded it a few times until I finally found a way to display it so that it showed off the beautiful embroidery.

Then I lightly ironed it. I didn't iron it completely - I was scared. It's really delicate! So I did my best, and then secured it with four small stick pins:Then I slid it into the shadow box:

And hung it in the dining room.

I love it so much. I love that it has so much history. I love that it was so important to my Great Grandma that she brought it with her to America. I think of all of my Grandmothers when I look at it. It is priceless to me!

She said, "AMY!" and other matters

2011-02-21T15:56:00.000-08:00

By Amy

I've been a little busy. But I thought I would share a few pictures. And then return to my busy-ness. (: Meaning you may not hear from me again this week. Maybe. Just trying to get caught up on some stuff.

This week the little miss came to see me! And she said my name! Without prompting or bribing! She was in the living room and I was in the kitchen and she needed some help. "Amy!" "Amy!" Clear as a bell. I fainted. Not really but I did tear up. (:

Guess who wins the "Cutest Little Pony Tail" award?

And who has the cutest nieces in the world? That would be ME.

Poor Ginger. She can't be around the little kids yet because she is still a bit to hyper. She has a hard time controlling herself because she gets so excited! But that doesn't mean she is neglected.

Just look at Ginger's face. Totally loving it.

In other news...still cooking. Made this.

But I modified it. I cut up the lamb and made gyros instead. My sous chef put oil on the pitas.

Just a FYI. I buy flowers for myself every week. Have I told you this before? I get them at the grocery store for five dollars or less. The other week Hy-Vee had flower bouquets for just 1.67. Score! I pick them apart and put a arrangement on the table and a tiny one in my bedroom. They make me happy.

I was going through my pictures and decided I didn't have enough of my 15 year old.

I guess there is a reason for this.

Oh I also made the Red Velvet Cupcakes out of my cookbook. They were a bit dry. But I think that's because I cooked them to long. It didn't stop me from eating two though. Ok, it was three.

That's it for now. I am buried. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. I'm taking a few days off this week and next to get caught up on stuff around here. I'm not expecting miracles. Actually I am. I would love to get all my closets cleaned out, my photos organized, a budget planned, meals planned, party decorations made, desk organized and my house spring cleaned. That's not asking to much is it? (:

Simple Things Making Me Happy Today

2011-02-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

by Ang

The cloudy day today. I love clouds!

This calendar featuring Little Miss A:

Netflix streaming TV:

This book....the 3rd and final in the Hunger Games series. I will be sad when it's over!

And him:

Random

2011-02-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

by Ang

*It was beautiful today. I took the dog to the park for a nice long walk.

*I'm trying to drink more water. I don't drink nearly enough, and it is incredibly dry here.

*My phone finally died and I got a new one yesterday. So if you've texted me in the past week and I haven't gotten back to you, I'm sorry. I was having technical issues!

*I love the way doing laundry makes the whole house smell like Tide with Downey.

*Things I've learned today:

1. Big dogs and leather seats don't mix when you take a fast turn.

2. I drink much more water when I have a straw.

3. Doing homework on a Saturday afternoon is no fun.

4. There is such a thing as too many highlighters (I counted 13 in my pencil cup).

*I'm making pasta with chicken sausage for dinner tonight and I should get started on it.

*My husband has been gone all day at a scuba diving class and I miss him!

*Doing homework on a Saturday stinks. I know I already mentioned it, but it REALLY stinks.

That's all! Have a good weekend!

Technical and Mental Issues

2011-02-08T11:14:00.001-08:00

By Amy

Hello there! Just thought I would pop in and say I would be MIA for a few days. You are thinking.....what's new? This week is stirring up to be insanely busy. As in my days and nights are so jammed packed I will be happy if I have time to use the bathroom. I am also dealing with the nightmare of having someone hack into my hotmail and claim that I'm in London and I have been mugged, send money asap!! So I have to clear up some stuff. See you in a week or so.

Nanette

2011-02-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

by Ang

When e-readers first came out, I was interested, but slightly hesitant. I didn’t know enough about them to decide if I wanted one. It was a whole new concept for me…I mean, reading a book electronically just seemed…weird. Wouldn’t you miss the feel of an actual book in your hands? Turning pages?

I was intrigued though. So I started researching, and it came down to the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook. It didn’t take me long to decide which one I wanted to go with. The Kindle was cheaper, but it doesn't come in color. Also, it didn’t have the ability to check out e-books from your local library, which was the main reason I decided that I wanted the Nook (that came in color AND had the library feature).

So I mentioned it to my husband and said ‘one day I want one of these!’ and added it to my mental ‘wish list’. And a little over a month ago, he surprised me with a Nook Color from Barnes and Noble.

I was SOOOOOOO excited. I got it all set up and registered, created an account at BN.com, downloaded my first book and was ready to try reading a book electronically.

And I fell in love! (I’m so cheesy and dramatic)

But seriously. I love it. It’s almost addicting. I’ve always been a gal that reads more than one book at a time. Because I don’t know what I’ll be in the mood for, you know? So I like having a selection. But there’s no way you can carry around a selection of books in your purse (even if your purses are as big as mine usually are). But on the Nook…..wow. You can download books in about 4 seconds. FREE books too. They have a really good selection of free classics, and tons of books that are 4.99 and under. They have ‘Free Fridays’, where they pick a book to download for free (usually it’s a newer book too). And if you friend ‘Nook’ on Facebook, they have other free book offers during the week sometimes.

You can preview any book if you can’t decide if you want it or not (they usually give you a couple of chapters).

In my College Writing class I’m taking, I have to write an essay on another essay (sort of ‘my take’ on what the author was writing about). Anyways, in his essay he mentions 3 books that changed his life when he was learning to read in the 40’s. I was curious about them, and within 2 minutes, I had downloaded all 3 of them on my Nook (for free, none the less). I mean, without the Nook I would have had to drive to the library (or the bookstore), check them out (or buy them), etc. Instead, within 3 minutes I had all three books at my fingertips for FREE and will now be able to write a more well-rounded essay on the topic.

Oh but that’s not all she does. You can play Sudoku:

Or do a crossword puzzle:

Or play chess: (which I don’t do, because I don’t know how, even though my nephews repeatedly tried to teach me):

Or browse the internet:

And of course, the best part….read! I have set a $20 per month limit on the books I buy for my Nook. Because it would be very easy to get carried away. So $20 can get me anywhere from 2-10 books (depending on how new they are, the brand new ones are usually from $7-$12), which is plenty for the month. Plus, all of the free ones I download!

Oh, and you can also download documents and magazines:

I can understand why some people might be hesitant about an e-reader. A lot of people like to build up their actual libraries with ‘real’ books. But I’ve never been one of those people that hang on to books. I don’t keep it unless I absolutely LOVE it. Which is why I only have maybe 15 (fiction) books on my ‘keeper’ shelf. And I’ve decided that if I read a Nook book that I fall in love with, then I will buy the real thing to add to my collection. But it’s rare that I love a book so much that I HAVE to have it in case I want to read it again. There have only been a few (Gone With the Wind, The Poisonwood Bible, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride & Prejudice, The Pull of the Moon, The Shadow of the Wind, to name a few) in the YEARS that I have been reading that I loved so much I had to keep them.

So the Nook works for me. Thank you sweet husband for buying her for me! Yes, I said ‘her’. I named her Nanette. And it’s caught on. That’s all my husband and I call her. It’s even caught on at work (I bring her with me to read over my lunch break). The two ladies that sit closest to me always ask me what I'm reading on Nanette. :)

Love it or Hate it

2011-02-01T16:37:00.001-08:00

By Amy

I have slowly been changing some things around the house. I feel like my stuff is really....blah. And not me. But since I'm not rolling in the dough, the changes have been sllllllooooooooowwwww. Which is fine. Because it's fun to look around and shop for bargains. I like the look of blue and green. And since my bedroom walls are blue...I thoughtI would get a green comforter. But the one I choose is kind of a puke, olive green. Which could be classified as ugly.

It's actually a little darker green in real life. Sometimes I walk in my bedroom and think, "Hey, that's a nice bed!" and other times I'm like, "Oh goodness, what have I done." So I don't know if I love it or hate it. I do know for a fact that I love my pillows.

All pillow covers came from Etsy. I think I have told you of my love for Etsy.com. Just look at this sweet pillow!

I want to be this crafty! I want to fill my days with fabric and sewing and card making and scrapbooking! Until then, I will just buy stuff from people that have time to craft on Etsy.

And in other news, I can check off two more recipes from my Barefoot Contessa cookbook. I made Panko Crusted Salmon and Roasted Cauliflower.

The salmon was a hit. The cauliflower was not. You can't win them all.

Too Many

2011-01-29T17:09:00.000-08:00

by Ang

My sister’s post below (doesn’t that food look good?) inspired me to go through my cookbooks. I, too, love cookbooks but don’t use them nearly enough. And I have way too many. I keep them on top of our refrigerator, but right now there’s so many of them that they are falling down.

There's 21 total.

I took them all down and immediately set aside the ones I knew for sure that I wouldn't get rid of:

I made the mac and cheese (in a 9x13 pan) from The Pioneer Woman's cookbook for my husband and a couple of his friends and there was NONE leftover. It was really good. Plus, I learned how to temper an egg. Who knew?

Then I went through the rest and found FIVE that I could part with. Mostly because I have not cracked them open in over a year. Bye-bye!!

Lately, this has been my favorite one:

The recipes are really good and there's tons of pictures!

So there you have it. I pared down from 21 to 16. Not bad! And I found some book ends to keep them all standing up straight. Always a plus.

Amy & Ina

2011-01-26T16:10:00.000-08:00

By Amy

I have a problem. I love to buy cookbooks. That's not the problem. The problem is that I love to read them but I hardly ever use them to actually cook. I have been in a funk with cooking lately. So I decided I needed some incentive. I bought this cookbook.

I decided that I would cook my way through it. Like Julie and Julia. Only it's Amy and Ina. And I'm not going to make every recipe. I thought maybe I could. But.....some recipes would just be a waste of time and money. Like....Foie Gras with Roasted Apples. Which includes prunes and duck. I am all for trying new things and experiencing new flavors. But I have to be realistic. And remain in my normal food budget. So I decided that I will make over half of the recipes in the book. I started with something that was semi-basic. Rich Beef Barley Soup.

It was good. Not fantastic. But good. And everyone ate it. Next I tried Old Fashioned Banana Cake. Which called for this.....

Thank you Trader Joes for carrying weird stuff at the right price!!! Creme fraiche is heavenly. It tasted like sour cream, cream cheese and butter.

I love recipes with banana's in it because my fruit bowl always looks like this.

My handy helper.

I let him frost. The cake was really good. Only bad thing is that I ate the entire cake. Honestly. Only two pieces were not mine. Not good for my jeans.

I have also made Bangers and Mustard Mash. Which is basically chicken sausages and mashed potatoes with mustard. I would have taken a picture but I burnt the sausages. Not pretty. The potatoes were like a creamy potato salad. They weren't to bad. I made Weeknight Bolognese. The sauce was incredible and I will definitely be making that again. Tonight we had Lemon Chicken Breast and Couscous with Toasted Pine Nuts. My oldest son said the chicken was "to lemony" and my youngest said he didn't like "nuts in his rice". Sigh. I thought they were both delicious and so did hubby. I have this cooling on my counter.....

It smells heavenly. There are eighty-nine total recipes. That means I need to make at least forty-five. Seven down and thirty-eight to go!

I'll Take An 'S', Pat.

2011-01-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

by Ang

I think I have another problem. I can sort of compare it to my lack of restraint when it comes to buying our dog toys.

I like letters. Not the kind you get in the mail (although I like those too), but actual letters.

It's a weakness, apparently, that didn't become clear to me until just now and I started counting up the S's and other letters we have in our house. I like A's and J's too, because my husband's initials are JAS and mine are AJS. So it all works out.

The dining room:

The kitchen:

My desk area:

The dining room again (these ones are glass!): The entertainment unit:

The entryway:

The office:

The bathroom:

The only rooms in our house that don't have any letters are the guest bathroom and the laundry room. I may have to change that! :)

MmmmmmTasty!

2011-01-23T13:14:00.000-08:00

By Amy

Hey there Missy! You have a little something on your face....

You got it!

Maybe if you opened your mouth bigger....

That's it girly!

Our Sweet Cat Shakey

2011-01-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

By Amy

Sadly our cat passed away on 1/11/11. She was the worlds nicest cat. I'm not even joking. She loved everyone. Even little toddlers who loved to carry her around by her neck. She really had nine lives. She got caught in our garage door and hung there all day until I came home. She fell asleep under husbands work truck hood and he drove 15 miles. When he arrived she was meowing like crazy. But not a scratch on her! We would come home at night and she would be laying in the middle of the street. She was constantly on our roof and in our trees. Her little adventures finally caught up to her. I miss her and I keep forgetting that she is gone. But she lived a happy healthy life for almost 12 years.

P.S Shakey is kind of a wierd name. But when we found her under our bushes, half starved and half grown, she was shaking. Hence her name!

Two Corners

2011-01-15T19:37:00.000-08:00

by Ang

I did some more re-organizing today of a few things. Since I am taking a class now, I am working REALLY hard at keeping my desk clean. So far, so good!

I had to move my printer back on to my desk, which I hated at first, but now it's not so bad. It has a nice flat top, so I can just put stuff on top of it. I've been printing off a lot of materials for my class, so it's nice to always have it hooked up to my laptop.

So my desk is looking good and it's very inviting to study at thank goodness. I'm ahead of schedule on my assignments for the week!

I also finally framed and hung up above my desk my favorite card that I got in Paris. It's the Eiffel Tower, but it also looks like an 'A'. It's handmade on this satin-like paper, and the picture does not do it justice at all.

And right across from my desk is our fireplace which we've been using almost every night (which involves turning a knob). I love it, it makes our large living room feel very cozy.

Have a good rest of the weekend!

12 Months of Little Miss A

2011-01-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

By Amy

Here are 12 shots of my favorite "almost" 2 year old. They are in order except for this first one. I added it last and then blogger wouldn't let me move it! She is a girl with alot of expressions!

She's priceless!

Copycat Part 2

2011-01-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

by Ang

See the post below....this is a continuation of my favorite pictures from 2010 - August through December!

August: (So I only took 4 pictures in August, and this was by far the best one)

September: (Taos, the Rio Grande Gorge, and one fat kittty in the sink)

October: (my parents & Grandma came!, balloon fiesta, me and Grandma on the train to Santa Fe)

November: I took NO pictures in November. Shame on me!

December: (Fantasy Football, Nanette the Nook)

My husband surprised me with a Nook Color and case, which I promptly named Nanette. I love it! (her).

I know that the year ends with December, but I thought I'd throw in some pictures from this month:

Yep. I'm taking some classes! (well, just one class at a time for now - College Writing!)

Copycat

2011-01-07T19:37:00.001-08:00

by Ang

I was inspired by my sister's post below, so I decided to do the same thing. However, I had such an amazing year last year that there's no way I was able to narrow it down to just one picture per month. So.....please bear with me.

January:

February:

My nephew 'cooking' in my kitchen in my last apartment:

More 'cooking':

Colorado Springs:

March:

My beautiful shower and all of my favorite girls:

A new place to call home....

April:

Hawaii

May:

My pretty city from up high:

My sis & Megan up high (and windy):

June:
(had to get a pic of the puppy in!)

July:

My computer is giving me issues, so consider this Part 1. Sorry!

2010: My Favorite Pictures

2011-01-05T15:56:00.000-08:00

By Amy

JANUARY

This picture is the epitome of my mother and father-in-law. He is a joyful guy. She is too! Or is she crying? (:

FEBRUARY

Awwww Costa Rica! This is on our way to the big boat. In a little boat. And we had the whole trip in front of us. Such a great feeling.

MARCH

An amazing night. French food. A Paris theme. And my sister, the center of attention.

APRIL

The day before my sister's wedding. When she was still mine. (:

MAY

Albuquerque. Gorgeous.

JUNE

When I see this picture I can't stop laughing.

JULY

I can't believe she was ever this little!

AUGUST

And they say this is the awkward age. I think NOT!

SEPTEMBER

My favorite people.

OCTOBER

I never want to forget the craziness of this moment.

NOVEMBER

Three people that each have molded me. I love them all.

DECEMBER

This isn't my favorite picture of December. It's just me. I wanted to say thank you for reading. I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring!

PS....you may have noticed that Little Miss A was absent in these pictures. That's because she is going to get her own twelve picture post. (:

Where the Heck Have You Been?

2011-01-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

By Amy

Is that what you are asking me? Well, I'll tell ya. Between the kids being home from school, dog sitting, working extra hours, throwing parties for the kids and just trying to keep up with the daily stuff...I haven't had a second to even log on to my computer. I sneak at work and check my emails but that is about all the computer time I have these days. Plus my hubby is using my laptop because his is in the shop. And mine isn't that great to begin with. It's super slow and after I downloaded the pictures it won't let me move them around. Maybe that's a Blogger thing? Anyway, I guess you get the pictures in this order. Here is what we have been up to the past two weeks.

My son turned 25. Not really but doesn't he look older? I gasped when I saw this picture. He's only 14. For three more days.

We went to Charlestons for my mom and dad's 37 anniversary. They are cute aren't they?

I took the boy skating for the first time. He did pretty good! He's the one in the jeans and red shirt.
We ate donuts. Multiple mornings. And afternoons.

Lots of Poker and Tripoly was played.

My cute sister in law came to see me. Yes. Just me. It was all about me. Even though she didn't stay with me. And I only saw her twice. (:

This guy definitely came to see just me. I'm his favorite. I just know it!

That's all for now. I know you were expecting so much more but this is all I can do for you for now. Plus my computer is driving me crazy and if I don't stop now I may just throw it against the wall. Have a good week!

Fantasy Football

2010-12-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

by Ang

For the past two years, my husband has been in a fantasy football league with a group of his friends. This year, they needed a 12th person. I knew NOTHING about fantasy football and frankly the whole thing completely confused me. I like football, but fantasy football is a whole new ball game (ha ha, get it?).

So I reluctantly said I would be their 12th person if they couldn’t find anyone else.

I did some online research but was still confused about how it worked. So my husband sat down with me and gave me a fantasy football lesson and some drafting strategies. This helped, but I still needed lots of help at the draft. Before each of my picks, I would ask him what he thought of my selection. The draft was then over and I had a pretty good team! So then came game one. I started who I thought would do the best based on projected points, who they were playing, etc. And then I would start them, but still have my husband check to make sure everything looked good. And I won game one! This was fun! And then I won game two. And three. I didn’t lose until game 4. I also lost games 8, 11 and 13.

I still asked my husband for advice, but towards the end (the past few games) I’ve done it on my own and started who I thought was the best choice.

I made the playoffs. Along with three other people (including my husband). There’s only one playoff game, and I was playing my husband.

I won.

Which means…..I made it to the Superbowl! The guy I’m playing has a good team…but he’s had a couple of bad games. I think the only way I’ll be able to beat him is if he has a bad game. But it’s possible! The Superbowl for fantasy football leagues is this week. I will know by Monday night if I won or lost.

So I think (win or lose) that my first year doing fantasy football was a success. I’m still undecided if I’ll do it next year or not, just because it is very time consuming and even a little addicting. But we’ll see how I feel about it then.

But this year…it’s been fun. And even if I lose the Superbowl, coming in 2nd place AND being the only girl in the league is pretty darn good I think.

And if I win, I’d like to thank my husband for helping me. And Reshard Mendenhall, Wes Welker, Ahmad Bradshaw, Steven Jackson, Roddy White, Vincent Jackson, Eli Manning, and the Pittsburgh Steelers defense (my key players). It’s been fun boys!

(my pink football avatar and my team slogan 'You have just been beat by a girl!')