Home-style Hodgepodge

A Day with Owyn

2012-02-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

1// baby popping 2// eating chicken bites while waiting for the doctor to check on baby

3// eating some sprinkles cupcakes. i LOVE that my Doctor's office is so close to one!

One Monday Owyn took part in his very first surprise party! After an entire day of running errands with NO nap, we were trying to get him to hide and be quiet... it didn't work out so well..

BUT, our friend was surprised, so it was a success!

Our friends got engaged over the weekend while out of town and there was a surprise party for the bride when they got back in town. It was the sweetest thing! I had to get them special "I DO" cupcakes with hearts on them!

I'm going to miss these days with just me and my boy. Even though they may seem crazy chaotic, I'm sure it's nothing compared to what its going to be trying to run errands with 2 littles!

Nesting

2012-02-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Some people might purchase cribs and swings when nesting, but only one thing came to mind when I thought about going back into baby mode. A new couch. Owyn and I spent most of our time on the couch after he was born. Napping, feeding, entertaining, etc. I hated our couch and ran across this jem last week and haven't been able to get it out of my head. "It's perfect, I can lay the baby down and not have to worry about him/her rolling off!", Id plead to Dave.

Well, I got it and now I am happy. There's like a million different ways to set it up! And now I can lay baby down and not have to worry about it rolling off. Is it wrong to call baby an it?

Happy Monday, and happy nesting!

Growing

2012-01-29T14:02:00.000-08:00

Welp folks, the time has come for our family (and my belly!) to grow.

Baby number 2 is in the oven!

Is there even room in Summer 2012 for another baby??

my life as a sucker in a tent

2012-01-26T08:46:00.000-08:00

The other day, my dear little Owyn discovered the tunnel to his tent that he got as a gift for his first birthday from Grand-Jen. He was having to much fun being in the little tunnel (and might I add, had to be shirt and pantless to be in it (?)) I thought we should break out the entire tent.

And so, I set up the tent and haven't left it since. This is now day 3 and I am currently typing from inside the tent. I am a hostage. If I try to get out Owyn points and yells, "MOMMY, GO NIGHT NIGHT IN THE TENT!".

That is what these kids do to us. We so deeply desire to see excitement in their eyes and smiles on their faces and it makes us do crazy things like get them their own mini "coffees" (fancy over-priced chocolate milk) from the coffee shop. Even though we know they will be bouncing off the walls raising hell after the sugar rush kicks in and we will regret it, we do it to see them happy. Same goes with the tent. I want to take it down. I've had enough, and if I have to watch "Mars Needs Moms" or "WALL-E" one more time I might scream, but I am a sucker for that kids love and happiness.

bringing power into the tent

heart chain

2012-01-25T08:59:00.000-08:00

One of my jobs at work as an Art Educator is to develop art/craft activities for the children.

We have various areas throughout the museum with art and craft activities that change on a daily/weekly basis. Needless to say, it gets really difficult to come up with activities that haven't been done before. Thanks to Pinterest, I have found a few new things.

I figured I would start to share some of them with you.

This weeks activity for the older kiddos is a heart chain. They seem to really love it. I have seen them do all sorts of stuff with them, like turned them into wreaths and hats.

Here are my own instructions to creating a heart chain.

Kids seem to follow pictures better than words.

rays

2012-01-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

I am convinced that there's nothing on earth that cannot be cured by a little sunshine.

Lately I've found myself sitting in the sun for a few minutes just to re-energize my battery. I feel like WALL-E.

I am craving the summer sun. I want to be lounging by a pool with some sort of frozen rum drink in hand. Is that too much to ask for?

I want this dumb season to end.

I should tell you how much I despise yellow grass, fallen leaves and bare trees.

Between the winter and the crazy construction, that yes, is still going on, and a bee hive, our yard looks so sad. I'm a actually a little embarrassed when I dive up to our house. There are holes in the street covered by metal boards, dirt everywhere, bright orange barricades being stored on our lawn, leaves in the mulch (honestly, how do you get it out??) and overgrown hedges.

Good news is, irrigation starts back up this month, our bee hive is getting removed as I type (which means I can finally do yard work in the front without being attacked) and Spring is just around the corner.

ps. I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted until I uploaded these photos and saw my last album was created in December. woops.

alive

2012-01-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

I'm alive and I can hardly believe it.

I'm not sure what it feels like to be on your death bed, but if I had to guess, I'm pretty sure it's what i've been feeling like the past two weeks. I'm slowly getting better but have absolutely no energy at all. I'm pretty sure it's the flu, but how do you get diagnosed with the flu? Is there a test?

At any rate, my body was craving sunshine on Friday. Owyn and I both needed to get out of the house and even though I didn't feel like I could, I got ourselves together and we went to the zoo. Our plan wasn't to go there, but that's where we ended up. We went to the petting zoo, where we saw a horse that looked like the horse we had when I was a kid, and called it a day. It was such a nice day so we spent the rest of it playing in the backyard. It was good to get some sun.

Best of 2011

2011-12-31T17:45:00.000-08:00

Here is my list of the BEST things that took place in 2011

Took Owyn sledding

Went to Denver

Graduated with two BAs

Got a fantastic job

Finally tied the knot, and had the most beautiful wedding. EVER.

Went on an AMAZING honeymoon

So many great things happened this year. It's crazy how fast time flies by.

This year we will meet new challenges, receive new joys, and grow as a family and as individuals.

I'm so excited!

Christmas

2011-12-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

This Christmas has been one of the funnest yet, now that Owyn can appreciate the gifts.

Following tradition, on Christmas Eve we went to see Temple lights and drove around the nearby neighborhoods admiring the bright colors, giant blown up snow globs and lit up reindeer. Then we came home, lit a fire, and got to open one gift each. Owyn opened a book and after I saw how happy he was I thought, shoot, lets just take all these gifts back, he's happy with his book!

I've been really sick this past two week, and I worked so much the week leading up to Christmas that it hit me hard once Christmas came. So, I didn't get to do all of the things I wanted to, like make Christmas breakfast. Good news is, I finally got myself out of bed and into the doctor for meds, and now I'm getting better. That's how bad it was. I couldn't get out of bed. I didn't shower for 4 days straight. Gross.

We also had some losses in our family this past week. My great Aunt passed, who was an incredible woman who could fill the emptiest hearts with joy in an instant with her laugh. We also had to put down our beloved Sparky who has been our family dog for 12 years. Anyone who has had that dog who you don't consider a dog, you consider them a family member, knows the pain that comes with losing them. The pain that makes you never want to have another dog again, just so you don't have to go through it again. My heart goes out to my mom because these loses have impacted her more than any of us kids. Aunt Evie was her favorite aunt and went out to Iowa any chance she had to see her and Sparky was her dog. Sparky followed her everywhere for years and years. But I am happy to know they are free of their aching bodies.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.

God is good. We should thank him everyday for his Grace.

Nutcracker

2011-12-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went to see the Nutcracker by the Arizona Ballet.

I can't even tell you how many years I've gone, it's sort a tradition.I love dressing up and seeing all of the fancy ladies with their furs. Thank goodness Dave enjoys the ballet as well! This year it was the hubs and I and we also brought along Laura (my mother-in-law) because she does so much for us and we wanted to treat her. Laura watches Owyn for us when I work and when I was in school and if it wasn't for her, our lives would be a lot more difficult.

After the ballet we went to LGO, which as always, was absolutely delish.

We are getting ready for our Christmas weekend!

I have a feeling this will be one of the best!

Owyn is so excited for Santa to come and he has a BIG surprise come Christmas morning..

we have a very special present planned for him!

boat parade

2011-12-13T08:03:00.000-08:00

My sis and I took the kiddos to see the Boat Parade at Tempe Town Lake last weekend.

It was awesome and insanely busy.

I can't believe how many people were there, I also can't believe Ive never gone before.

haps

2011-12-08T20:52:00.000-08:00

I feel impulsed to share the current "notable" happenings around here

so, here it goes

dave and I went to the Iron and Wine concert!

the Grand-dude (my dad) was briefly in town

today, Dave told me that he got me an "unexpected xmas gift" that is apparently almost as good as a puppy pug. im guessing it's a summer beach house?

we finally got owyn off of the pacifiers. yipee!

at one point I turned to Dave and said,

"man, I hope we never have to do a drug intervention, because this SUCKS!" talk about addiction!

today I made homemade protein bars and laundry soap!

hello, my name is Chelsea, but you can call me Martha.

tonight Owyn went to bed early (because he took no nap) and Dave is out for a friends birthday. Basically it is official chick-flick night!

Oh, the simple joys in life.

Warm fuzzies

2011-12-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

We're just about finished with the holiday decorating.

My house feels extra warm and cozy.

Can I just leave this stuff up all year?

My favorite time of year

2011-12-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

Setting up the Christmas tree is one of my favorite activities throughout the entire year.

There is something so majestic about a Christmas tree, and setting it all up. Every ornament is special and brings back memories, and every year we add more to mark new memories.

This is the first year Owyn has really gotten into the tree, the lights and Santa Clause.

He doesn't quite understand why we have giant socks (stockings) or why we hang them.

Checking In

2011-12-01T21:47:00.000-08:00

This past week we have been recovering from illness, recovering from thanksgiving, and getting ready for Christmas.

It's a tradition of ours to decorate our tree on Thanksgiving but we weren't able to, so we're going to this weekend. I can't wait!

Be back soon to share.

scenes from a monday

2011-11-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

Oh Monday, we meet again.

Today Im telling myself that it's actually Wednesday, because our weekend begins on Wednesday this week! Thank you Thanksgiving!

1. day after laundry day 2. real life builder bob, all day every day.

3. cold, but not cold enough 4. another rain, another mess

5. making meal after meal so owyn can turn them all away 6. getting ready for Turkey Day!

food, why do you have to taste so good?

2011-11-17T21:04:00.000-08:00

This week our taste buds are traveling Asia.

Well, they think they are, but it's really just me experimenting. Shhh.. don't tell them.

I've been going outside of my comfort zone this week in the kitchen and we have not been disappointed.

(1) Homemade Thai (2) ice cream with left over twix from Halloween

(3) Chickpea Curry, Basmati Rice and Naan (4) a full sink of dirty dishes

I gotta hand it to those Indian woman, wow, that meal kicked my butt! I was so exhausted when I was done, I didn't even have an appetite. And look at all those dishes! My dishwasher is full of clean dishes and I really don't want to unload just to load all of those, so those babies are stayin there overnight!)

I'm pretty sure Im headed for obesity. Thanks a lot Pinterest.

Recipes!

image 1: Pad Thai

image 3: Naan

Indian Stew

everybody loves a good jam sesh.

2011-11-16T20:34:00.000-08:00

owyn cracks me up. he has to be the coolest kid on earth. pretty sure.

whenever he hears a song he likes, he runs for his guitar (everything must be rushed in his little world) and makes me play piano. he's very serious about it. "MOM, MOMMY PLAY PIANO!" he yells while pointing to the coffee table. how could i say no?

Little Miss Riley Jo Jo

2011-11-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

I love my niece, she is the most precious thing in the world.

Owyn is also smitten. He talks about her ALL the time. Everything that is pink, girl or baby, he thinks it belongs to Riley. Sometimes he wakes up from a nap and asks for her. It's adorable. But, when they are together after a while, he starts acting up and doesn't know how to express his emotions and takes it out on her. It's pretty sad.

He likes to teach her everything he knows. Some stuff, I wish he'd leave out..

I used to love rain storms.

2011-11-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

And then we bought this house.

And now a rain storm means loads of cleaning up to do.

We are pretty OCD about our patio. I don't know why, but we are. We clean that thing off more often than we clean our floors.

I am also OCD about our windows. I hate having dirty splotchy windows, it makes the whole house feel dirty.Last week Owyn and I went on a cleaning spree and I cleaned the windows inside and out. Cleaning our windows SUCK because they are 60 years old and are actually 20 little windows that make up 1 big one ( okay, that's probably not explaining it well, but you can see what I mean in the photos) so it takes 20x longer to clean. I have a method that works really great now, after trying different things. I spray it all down and then take my carwash glove, dip it in a bucket of dish soapy water and scrub the windows, then I spray them down again and squidgy. After everything is dry I go over then with a micro fiber cloth and Windex or rubbing alcohol. You see, I take it pretty seriously. And it takes forever! I used up an entire nap time cleaning windows. And you wanna know what? It rained 3 days later and now I have dirty splotchy windows again.

Awesome.

Peace and Freedom

2011-11-10T21:20:00.000-08:00

Last night I read this incredible post by Jennifer.

I bawled my eyes out. I can't shake the thoughts this post has brought into my brain. And you know what, I don't want to. Occasionally we come across these awful unimaginable stories that hit the pit of our stomach and then we fill our minds with meaningless things to distract us from the evil that is in this world. Because we can. I think we need to know and be aware and not forget.

Tonight as Dave and I were discussing the bible and new things we've learned or discovered, as we do every night, I told him about this post. And bawled my eyes out again. It really makes us realize how a.) incredibly blessed we are to be born with so much opportunity and b.) how we need to use these blessings and opportunities to serve the Lord.

Then I came across these two verses:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Psalm 29:11

Jennifer is such an inspiring woman. I want to have the strength that she has to go to such a dangerous and unfamiliar place for the love of God and his people. What a blessing it must be to for these young girls to have someone like her to devote themselves to give them hope, peace and freedom.

I know that by prayer, I too can obtain the strength that she has been given.

Thank you Jennifer for doing what you do and sharing it with all of us.

Please go visit Jennifer if you are not already a follower.

For another inspiring faith blog that I love check out:

http://beautifuljourneyblog.com/

xoxo

Recently

2011-11-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

It's obvious that I haven't been posting as much lately.

I recently discovered that when I'm not on the computer I'm getting a million other things done. Who would've known?

other things that have been happening recently:

- Trying to plan for our future and our next move. This includes where we want to buy our next house, when I should get a full time job, whether or not I should go to grad school, when to have our next child, what career changes Dave wants to make and what we should invest in. This grown up thing is hard.

- It has finally cooled off here in Phoenix. Thank goodness!

It's so hard getting out of bed in the morning.

I love bundling up in a blanket, drinking hot coffee and having an excuse to wear sweats.

Back in the Kitchen

2011-11-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how long it's been since Ive cooked.
I've been in a funk lately. Some might call it lazy, but Ill call it a funk.

Dave doesn't get home until at least 7pm so that means we have 1.5 hours to cook, eat, clean, bath, and read stories to Owyn before he goes down and then we're beat. I never thought Id be that woman to eat frozen meals but that's been me the past couple months. Well, I'm sick of it and quite honestly getting bored so I'm back cooking in the kitchen. I forgot how much I love to cook and how happy it makes Dave (as long as I do the dishes ;)).

The other night I made pasta carbonara for the first time, it was uh-mazing!

Dave and I took our first bite, looked up at eachother nodding our heads up and down with huge smiles saying "aaaw- yeah"! Anything with "carb" i nthe name is bound to be delicious, right?

I did a traditional carbonara with bacon, parmesan, egg, parsely and lemon but I also sauteed breaded chicken and threw that in there and baked it all together. wow.

Halloweeeenies

2011-11-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, guess what, we're back from our vacation!

We have been for a week but Ive been bad and haven't posted.

Checking In

2011-10-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hello there, internet friends.

I just wanted to check in and tell you that I am still alive.

The mister and I will be off on our honeymoon in just a short 2 days! I am SO EXCITED!

Everything has (so far) worked out perfectly. We are flying my mom out to watch Owyn, the dog and the house while we're away. We're flying into San Jose, starting off in Monterey and driving up the coast to Sonoma, and back down to San Fransisco. Sounds amazing right? We have flights, a car and a cottage for our 2 nights in Sonoma and that's all. No plans, no reservations, no where to be. I can't wait!

our adorable little barn cottage

scenes from a perfect day.

2011-10-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

new boots arrived today / out my bathroom window

perfect day to make slow cooked bbq ribs / open windows

beautiful cloudy sky / owyn climbing bleachers

walk at the park across the street / look dad, proof that i'm watering the plants

Today has been a perfect day. The weather is amazing, refreshing and motivating.

I've been in dire need of a day like this. It has been one crappy week.

I know this weather is only lasting a couple days but it's getting me so excited for our San Fransisco vacation next week.

Not Yo' Momma's Mom Hair

2011-10-02T21:42:00.000-07:00

Hair tutorial?

Yeah, that's right.

I wanted to share my own little secret on how to totally fake people out and

make them think you took time to do you hair.

My hair is (almost) the same everyday I have to work.

I either put it in a pony tail or do the messy waves thing I'm about to show you.

I don't know how your life is, but on the days I have to work, my mornings are chaos.

I'm trying to get ready (Im a shower in the morning kinda girl) and handle Owyn.

Dave is usually gone by the time we even wake up so it's always a battle between Owyn and I.

It never fails, I run out of time to do my hair. For a while I was going to work with damp frizzy gross hair and eventually I had to devise plan to look more polished. Logically I figured out a way to fake it instead of having to wake up earlier.

So hear it is, my hair is usually wet, but lets just pretend it is in these pictures.

1. gather damp hair

2. twist hair and wrap into low bun

3. pin the bun (not too tight because hair wont dry)

4. blow dry (if you're in a hurry, on my days off I let it air dry)

5. release and spritz on some hair spray, while scrunching

bits of the weekend

2011-10-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally put together a little art space for myself...

I feel so inspired now!

....... made some awesome jalapeno cheddar corn bread and hit up the UO sale

where I got a pretty little ballerina to hold my ring when Im not wearing it..

(finally! I've been loosing it everyday)

got to wear my new purple cords AND ordered some new Fall boots!

Cousins

2011-09-29T22:35:00.000-07:00

Family Night

2011-09-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

Zoo Days

2011-09-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided to advantage of the beautiful morning and take Owyn to the Zoo.

Since we're members, we get in an hour early and within that hour I saw 2 elderly folks getting exercise and that was about all the human contact we had. We were the only ones around. It was pretty awesome. We stayed over by the petting zoo the entire time we were there, sitting on the tractors. Of course. This week Owyn's obsession is tractors.

My hours were recently reduced at work and I am starting to get a little bored.

I think we've gone to the grocery store every day this week.

And I've gone to the car wash twice this week.

I never like going into work (who does?), but now that I rarely do I'm starting to feel very lost.

It gives me time to think about all the thing I want to do and be and it's bringing me down. And not to mention way too much time on facebook and blogs.

must. stay. busy!

Mantel

2011-09-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got an itch to finally paint my mantel.

We've been putting it off because we knew it'd be a huge job. And, it was.

Luckily I had my little helper.

I took the right side and he took the left side.

Clearly, he helped out a whole lot.

Now I want to get a big work of art to rest on top.

I have my eye on a Nativity Scene I've been wanting forever.

I also really want to paint the brick but I'm scared Ill regret it.

What do you think? Paint, or not paint?

Please Fall, Come Quicker

2011-09-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

We have been experiencing those perfect Fall mornings.

It only lasts until about 8:30 but hey, Ill take it. After all it has been high 90's in the mornings for months now.

Isn't it crazy how nice weather effects everyone so much? I couldn't imagine how happy and healthy everyone would be if we had nice weather all the time.

Hello again Monday.

2011-09-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here we are, another Monday.

I hate Mondays because all the fun from the weekend ends (or gets put on hold until next weekend) and Dave goes back to work.

I love Mondays because the museums are closed, meaning no work for me. Ever. And I get to spend all day long with Owyn.

I'm sad that this weekend had to end because it was such a good one.

Thursday we went to the concert.

Friday was Dave's birthday and Owyn and I went with friends to a Bouncy House!

Saturday we made an awesome steak dinner.

Sunday we spent with friends and celebrated a friends 4th birthday!

Another thing we did this weekend was book our honeymoon!

Hip hip HOORAY!

*sucking in helium and making Owyn laugh*

Date Night with Fleet Foxes AND Bon Iver

2011-09-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Dave and I had a super hot date the other night.

We, and everyone else in this metropolis we call home, went to see Fleet Foxes AND Bon Iver show.

Okay first things first. Dave and I are going crazy by people pronouncing Bon Iver wrong.

Please, go here for proper pronunciation.(Is this bitchy? Sorry..)

Okay, moving on..

remember last time we saw Bon Iver? When I had long dark hair and bangs?

It was our first concert after Owyn was born, and earth shaking. He is AMAZING live.

And remember last time we saw Fleet Foxes? Just a couple months ago?

We had such an awesome time.

We were right behind the control panels, above the huge crowd and right in the middle, so our view was perfect and we didn't have to stand. This concert was a BIG one. I like how small the other ones were.

I've said it before and I'll say it again..
I LOVE my alone time with Dave!
We have way too much fun together. It's like, hey you, man I fell in love with, there you are! It's easy to forget about the person behind the parent when you become parents. Not that I don't absolutely adore Dave as Daddy, because I do! I believe it is very important to spend time together as Chelsea and Dave, away from being Mom and Dad. Our relationship is the glue to this entire family. And you know what? One day, it's hard to imagine, I know.. one day, it's just going to be us again.

changes

2011-09-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

My mind is set on re-decorating my house. My style has changed and I want my home to reflect that taste.

It might also be because my mind is board? Dave gets frustrated with me sometimes because I always have to be planning things and changing things. I always have him helping me set stuff up or asking his opinions on stuff. I blame it on my mom. :)

So yes, the changes are coming. Our new bed is the first change we've made so far. I'm so excited to do everything else! Now, if only I could come across some funding for my new ambition.

P.S. sorry if this post looks weird, I'm waiting for dave's cars oil to be changed and detailed and its my first post from my phone. Wow, this is boring.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Happy Birthday Husband!

2011-09-16T23:19:00.000-07:00

Happy 30th Birthday to my lovely husband!

Dave has waited years to be able to wear this shirt that was given to his dad for his 30th birthday, back in the day. The picture looks just like the picture I've seen of him! Pretty awesome.

I am pretty lame and didn't have anything planned for him. I suck. I should have had a huge surprise party or something. I tried to distract him by giving him his favorite things. A.) Stone IPA B.) Red Wine C.) Awesome Steaks ~~D.) Boston Creme Pie ( oh wait, that my favorite thing).~~ It seemed to have done the job for now.

Wedding Photography

2011-09-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

Have you SEEN??

The amazing Langs have posted pictures from our wedding.

I'm sure you you've seen, if you follow Stacie, which you'd be crazy not to.

GO HERE. NOW!

Weekend

2011-09-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm sad to see this weekend go.

I was pretty worried about how the weekend began.

On Friday it was one of those days where you struggle ( in other words, you struggle with the toddler) to get out of the house. Finally, hours later we were on our way to a friends house to do some serious thrift shopping. Before I got there, my work called me expressing their concern on why I haven't shown up for work the past two days, so, I had to turn around and go to work.

Then, when I walked in my front door after returning from work I smelled a very familiar smell...

a bad one..

Turns out, Mitzi had gone poop (#3!) all over our nicest rugs. Not just one.

That sure put a damper on my weekend, let me tell ya.

I did what any girl would do and cried, had a little tissy and saved it for when Dave came home.

Only, we somehow forgot about it and went to a friends house for a dinner party without cleaning the rugs. Is that sick, or what? (Before you judge too much, I did have the rugs pulled outside)

In the end, we had a really great weekend and were able to salvage the rugs.

I even got to rearrange the front room after the rug was cleaned.

Owyn spent the good part of his weekend watching dirt bike videos on YouTube. Strange, I know. That's all he wants to do.

He likes to watch real dirt bike videos and hold a toy dirt bike in his hand. If he doesn't have one in hand, he yells at us with his arm out, but eyes on the screen. He does the same thing with skateboard videos and guitar videos.

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-12T00:53:00.000-07:00

Today we went any admired the flags and America's patriotism at the Tempe Beach Park.

It was really neat going and seeing all the flags, but when I thought of each flag as a persons life lost, it really changed my perspective. Each flag had a tag with someones name on them and a little about them. I wish I could have read every one of them.

This car was parked in front of us. I was wondering if they keep that 9-11 sticker on all the time, or just for today?

I'm sure everyone remembers what they were doing while the towers were hit. I was getting ready for school and was watching it on the news, and then had to catch my bus for Junior High! Either time is flying by, or I am still pretty young, because it feels like it was yesterday.

Stormy Night

2011-09-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight we are enjoying a lovely, much longed for, rainy shower.

Of course, when the rain started pouring down, we were out at MCA's Season Kick Off.

We ran into the theatres, grabbed a beer and waited it out until it was light enough to run back to the car. We got home and had a little photo shoot.

It is actually chilly outside, guys. This is EXCITING stuff!

Fall is on its way!

This means I need to work steady hours to buy my new Fall wardrobe!

I have 2 weeks off from work, that is not good for my clothes fund.. not at all.

C to the G

2011-09-08T23:01:00.000-07:00

I am now a Gramp.

It feels so strange. Did anyone else feel different when they changed their name? I look at this picture of me, in my wedding gown and say, " Chelsea Gramp" and feel as though I'm looking at a stranger. I'm kinda likin' it. It's like I have a new identity. And I can be whoever I want.

I didn't think I'd feel any differently towards Dave (and it might be because it's only been a few days), but I do. I have a stronger respect and bond towards him. He is my husband and I will forever be his.

The MIM

2011-09-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

Have you been to the MIM? You should probably head over there. Right now.

I'm pretty sure Dave and Owyn were in heaven. Dave took 130 pictures. Seriously. They are both obsessed with instruments.I was a little concerned about how Owyn would behave at a museum full of them but I've never seen him so well behaved in his life. I've been taking him with me to museums since he was born so he understands not to touch anything or go behind bars but a building full of guitars, pianos and horns? He went from one thing to the next in awe but kept his distance and never tried to pull any sneaky moves. He was loving life.

If you ever decide to go, give yourself at least 3 hours and make sure you hit up the cafe.

Left overs

2011-09-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

(I am in LOVE with our new backyard. We have been spending all of our time back there. Thank you DAD!)

We have a TON of left over beer and taco goodness from the street taco cart we had at the wedding, so we've been inviting friends to come finish it up with us. I must say, I am loving the friend time. Why don't we always have kegs and a fridge full of meat?

Tonight we had our friends Jamie, Nic and their young one Jimi Jaden over. The kids played and we drank. I love them! Dave and I met through mutual friends. Before I got to know him I knew he'd be an good person because every single person in that group of friends has a beautiful spirit. There's not a single person I could say something bad about.

Dave goes back to work tomorrow and I am sad :(

We've been livin' up the newlywed life.

Luckily he's only going back for 2 days and then it's the weekend again!

I can't wait to show you all picture of the wedding and tell you all about it.

It was absolutely beautiful. Like a dream.

The most beautiful part about it is the love that we share for each other.

Official

2011-09-06T18:37:00.000-07:00

Welp folks, it's official.

I'm finally a Mrs.

Can't wait to share the AMAZING pictures from the Langs.

Last Date Night as "Singles"

2011-08-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

(Dave and I being nerds together)

Dave and I took our very last Date Night on Friday.

Well, as "singles", of course.

Because next week we'll be MARRIED!!

How exciting is this, my friends?

Do you have any idea how patient I have been for this day?

Very. We've been talking about getting married since I got pregnant.

And just in-case you don't remember, that precious little surprise gift is now 2.

Do the math.

We had an amazing time together, as usual.

I hate to be cliche but I am so happy to marry my BFF.

And, I am damn lucky to have a BFF like him and he gives me new reasons to everyday.

It's true, he's writes them on little sticky notes and places them around the house.

Only joking. That would be a little weird.

One of my very favorite things about Dave is his sense of humor. He's not one of those "oh Im so funny hahaha!" outgoing kind of guys. He's one of those of "I'm super clever and say really funny smart things in a nonchalant manner and see if anyone picks it up" kinda funny. He is so intelligent it makes me sick. But mostly because I feel stupid and have no idea what he's talking about half the time. I need to read more..

The funniest things Dave has said to me in the past few days that make me happy (and can remember):

- Dave: "When we make more money, I want to trade in my car for a pick-up and a mini cooper"

Me: (thinking in my head.. yeah cause an xB will def. get us both) "Why would we need three cars?"

Dave: Cause we'll have our family car (my car), a truck to haul stuff and a car that gets good gas.

Me: "Couldn't we just get a trailer that a.) we can use our family car to haul and b.) we don't have to pay a ton of insurance on every month?

Dave: silence...

Oh, I love it when I seem smarter than him. Because that NEVER happens!

Another funny thing he said:

Me: How big is 4X4?

Dave: (holding up his hands to show me)

Me: no, no, in FEET!

Dave: oh, well, it's like four of me put together.

And another:

Dave: This world is lying to us! They are lying and making a profit. And I don't like it one bit.

(talking about shirt sizes and yes, being completely serious)

I could go on and on. Our conversations are never dull.

****************** SERIOUS CONTENT ********************

On a more serious note.. another thing that I just absolutely love about him is that he keeps me grounded. We end everyday in the same bed, in the same place in our lives and always reminds me of the true meaning here on earth. When I express my want/need to travel the world and "be someone" he reminds me that that is not what is important in life. When I am stressed about money flying out the door for this wedding he tells me, money comes and goes, we are blessed to have it and should enjoy it, not stress about it. And when I feel guilty about crushing his dreams he had before our little family came along and ask him what he really wants to do in his life he recites Genesis 1:28, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it". Most importantly, he helps me strengthen my relationship with our Father. He know SO much the our Holy Bible and teaches me and challenges me everyday. I did not grow up in a Christian family so I'm still trying to learn about the life and the word of Christ. Sometimes I feel so naive or like a "beginner Christian" and Dave says, "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:29. And then I feel really special. (I will share my testimony another time).

At any rate, I feel incredibly blessed.

*************************************************************

Back to the single life..

I was sligless all day on Friday. Do you have any idea how boring life is when you don't have a little maniac as high as the crease of your butt cheek to run around after?

I had to entertain myself. For a while I was lounging on the couch watching Netflix but occasionally I'd catch eyes with one of the people working in our back yard looking as if they're going to die of heat stroke through the the glass doors and then felt extremely guilty. And lazy. So, I searched and searched for an ounce of motivation deep within me, found one, played a little tug-a-war for a while, lost, and began to clean my house.

.. one hour late I was done. Whaaa.. ? One hour?? Did I take some speed that I forgot about or did our power go out and stop the clocks? Oh, wait, I don't have a slig behind me making messes as I clean.

So I did what any single gal would do with time on her hands..

Spend an unmentionable amount of time on hair and make-up, tried on 10 different outfits, and took pictures of myself. What? Like you don't do that?

My Little Cuddle Bug

2011-08-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Owyn loves to snuggle?

It's true! It wasn't always true. When he was just a pup he didn't like to be close.

He always wanted his space, just like me but the older he gets, the more and more he loves on me.And the more and more I love it.

I can't get enough. All I need to do is lay down and he climbs on me. Most of the time he says " GO GO GO! Horse!"

He's so wonderful.

Champagne Bruch, For ME!

2011-08-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

My lovely Matrons of Honor hosted a beautiful champagne brunch in my honor last weekend.

It was lovely. I have pictures to prove it.

Improvements

2011-08-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

There is nothing I find more relaxing than doing home improvements.

And we have been doing a lot of them lately.

Our neighbors probably think we're getting ready to sell the house.

There's a new truck outside our house everyday.

I finished my latest project last night. Repainting the white picket fence.

It took 3 nights to sand and paint.

There's only so many hours in the day you can handle being outside in this darn heat!

Did you get a peek at our new drive way?

Love it!

Happy Weekend!

2011-07-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy it's the weekend!

We're hoping for rain. Lots and lots of rain!

While hoping for rain we need to get Groom attire,

see Harry Potter (and get tissue),

figure out desserts for the wedding,

finish cleaning up this outta control yard,

and hopefully take a day trip up to the cabin to spend time with cousins.

Now, can someone tell Owyn that kitchen utensils are not necessary during the rain dance unless you're wanting it to rain spaghetti and meatballs?

My Big Fat Cake Pop Failure

2011-07-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

I attempted to make cake pops and it totally put my perfection to the test.

I wanted to make them for Owyn's B-Day and I ran out of time.

Then, I decided to make them for my friend's daughter's birthday.

I was so excited! I was thinking, oh yeah, these will be the hit of the party!

And then... after I dipped them in that sweet goodness, I tried to pick one up...

And the stick pulled right out!

What a devastation. Coming to a party with no pops when I told everyone I was bringing them.

But then I remembered. While I was making the pop mix the night before with my cute little short friend she said "a teaspoon a milk?? That doesn't seem like enough! I'm just gonna poor some in".

And then I let out a sigh of relief. Phew, my perfection still stands. Its that darn extra milk!

(Yes, this is sarcasm. I don't think I'm perfect. But close!)

Friends

2011-07-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we not only celebrated Owyns birthday,

but we also celebrated our friends daughters 1st birthday.

I love being with friends, especially when we get all the kiddos togetha!

Happy Birthday sweet Addison. We miss you here in AZ.

somewhere along the way Owyn lost his suit?

Two Years of Parenting- From a Fathers Point of View (AKA David)

2011-07-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

Although it was two whole years ago, it still seems like only yesterday. The memory remains flash-burned in my mind, vivid now as it was at the moment… Chelsea and I were at the hospital waiting anxiously for our lives to be thrust into some unknown strange new universe… parenting.

And what a universe it is! It’s all very memorable and it passes in what seems like an instant. It’s an incredible adventure and the zenith of the human condition. It’s the reason why we’re all here. It’s a lesson in character and a test of your faith and your abilities. But most of all, it’s wonderful. Every day brings us a new reason to laugh and smile with our son. And many days bring us new tests and trials to overcome, or (hopefully not) be overcome by. Our latest is in the adventures of language and communication. Yay!

The manifestation of linguistics into our son’s skill set has been both a blessing and a big pain in the butt. It’s very rewarding as a parent to see your child smiling, excited about learning and communicating their ideas to others. It’s a blessing to experience the unfolding of a young mind and to watch it grow exponentially with each passing day, and to know that as a parent, you have a direct first-hand impact on the character and values that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. However, with communication also comes rebellion. And tantrums. And much frustration for parent and child alike. It’s during these tribulations that it is most important not to react in a knee-jerk sort of fashion, as I and many other parents can so easily find themselves doing, but to realize that these moments will be gone as quickly as they have come.

When I reflect on the past two years of being a parent I recall most fondly the good times, and the tougher times as a vapor. I remember how foolishly frustrated I became with my family when I didn’t know what to do, when I reacted on selfish instinct before reacting in love and patience. I still have these problems every day where I end up kicking myself over reacting stupidly to something that really doesn’t matter so much at all… and although it’s something that I only have myself to blame for in the end, I can’t help but hazard the thought that our overindulgent media-driven culture has reinforced in our masses self-centered thinking and behavior in no small part at the macro level.

Western culture has become very preoccupied with things that are fleeting and of little significance… but while entertainment is usually harmless on the surface, it can be a great tool in distracting our minds and switching off our souls. As fast-paced as our hyper-ADHD society has become, it is all too apparent that in order to stay human it is paramount to set aside some time for actual human interaction, especially with our families and other loved ones. This seems to be an attractive and romantic idea to flirt with in our minds, especially if you’re a marketing executive creating commercials for cleaning chemicals, but how much are we truly giving back to our fellow man and putting it into practice? Lest your average Target commercial would have you believe, most of us have become quite selfish, which is very tragic and worthy of prayer.

How is it that as Western-world dwellers, we are somehow entitled to the rest of the world playing in to our agenda? I know my hands are red. Most people’s are. We have cast ourselves the leading role in the silly films of our own glorious lives… but sometimes the perfect movie with the happy ending in our head doesn’t quite match what we see on the screen… and when our precious egos are touched inside their cage, it can make us a tad uncomfortable. But who are we? Are we really so valuable among other men? By what authority do we crown ourselves the kings and queens of our own little worlds? Why do we send our food back to the kitchen when entire nations are starving… why do we get angry in traffic when other populations have a maximum life expectancy of 30 years or less… the poorest among us live better than some kings in the world… and even the poorest among our poorest have at least one TV set, cable and high-speed internet to boot. But sadly, these are the greatest “problems” that our fallible society can come up with. Oscar Wilde painted it beautifully even back in 1891’s “A Picture of Dorian Gray” when he penned the superlative cynic as “knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing”… but I digress.

In the process of becoming humbled, one surely has to butt heads with the egos of other kings and lose. I have found that our children are not only the most selfish little things, but are the greatest teachers and thinkers among us. They are unknowingly and ironically what transform us into strong, loving adults. They are the tiny revealers of our tempers and our true character. They show us who we really are, and sometimes that scares us. Sometimes that pleases us. It should please a parent to know that they are doing the very best that they can, as it should humble them to know that a huge lot in raising a child is also at the mercy of luck and chance. It is our job to do the best with these as we can. Our children’s accomplishments are a great source of their parent’s happiness, but should not induce boastful pride in my opinion. It is a dangerous, destructive and really annoying thing that parents often do, to engage in wanton braggadocio over their child’s most minute accomplishments and fret over so-called “milestones” not being met at exactly the “right times” as outlined by mysmartbabyiswaybetterthanyourstupidbaby.com (of course I’m being facetious) or whatever unaccredited child development website you happen to frequent.

One of the greatest things you can do for your child is to patiently let them learn and develop at their own healthy pace, asking them many questions and letting them discover the wonders of their world with your help – not with the hindrance of your clout. One would be a fool to do otherwise. I have many personal faults, but I’m not about to let forceful parenting be one of them. I have no race to win. I have nothing to prove to the Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Phil’s of the world. Some parents tragically force their kids into every possible direction they can in efforts to inflate their own self esteem and deflate others’, AKA elevation of me via depression of you. In living vicariously through your child, you not only alienate yourself from them, but you risk denying them their own healthy childhood, personal development and passionate endeavors. More than once has this created paternal contempt later in life. I’m not saying that a no rules approach is the healthy alternative by any means, the former is just something to think about. I always tell myself that there are no wrong ways to raise a child, but there are plenty of wrong ways. In short, the most successful parent has a happy child. The end. And keep in mind all of you parents of future astronauts, all-star quarterbacks and cancer-curers out there… Albert Einstein didn’t speak in multi-word phrases until after he was four years old – just food for thought. But feel free to track me down, put your finger in my face and say “I told you so” when your child has observed and demystified the quark-confinement and Higgs-boson, ended world hunger and has a few Super Bowl trophies on their mantle. I’ll be more than happy to eat my words. Or maybe I’ll just say “you got lucky”.

Sorry, sometimes I just have to vent. I usually get carried away. Owyn was not watching, I promise. But always, we should carry with us the knowledge that our children are always watching, listening and processing their environment even when it appears to us that they are not. In that respect, it would behoove us to constantly hold dear what is truly important in our lives, and to constantly reflect on what we have been blessed with. I recently made a list for myself to put things in perspective – it doesn’t always work, but it’s better than nothing:

Appreciate always.

Give thanks always.

Treasure every breath.

Pray without ceasing.

Chelsea and I are on same team.

Repeat First Corinthians 13 in your head if you are feeling frustrated. (Here is an interesting exercise: Replace the word “love” with your name in verses 4-8 and see how pleased you are with the results… but don’t be too disappointed… I mean, nobody’s perfect, right? Then replace it with Jesus’ name. It’s kind of corny, but I think it’s cool, and it definitely works.)

In recent weeks Chelsea and I have renewed our faith in Jesus Christ both together and separately. We both realize that as a building with no foundation, a relationship with no foundation will surely crumble swiftly and be swept away by the breeze. There’s nothing like a kick in the butt from the omniscient creator of the universe to humble a person. Which brings me full circle on the importance of reflecting ceaselessly on what truly matters in this life.

Our family has much to be thankful for, and many blessings to count. Not the least of which is our health, the help and support of our wonderful families, and each other. It is vital to reflect daily on the great things we have been blessed with, taking a step back from the tumultuous ephemera that would seek to take our focus away from what is truly important - our family and our partnership together. While the days and years seem to be getting shorter and shorter as time passes, you can bet that I will enjoy the good times while they are here, and try to keep an open heart and mind when times get tough.

-David

Owyn Turns 2!

2011-07-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our adorable son's birthday last Thursday.

Can you believe he's 2??

I can't.

It's strange how so much can happen in such a short amount of time.

Owyn is so special to me.

We had a small celebration for his birthday on Saturday and we all had such a good time.

I totally half-assed it, and for you who came you can consider this my apology.

I worked all week including the night before and the entire day of his party so I didn't have anything prepared. I didn't even get to do the shopping or make a cake! Thank goodness Aunt Whitney made him one.

I was so bad, I didn't even take a single picture.

I did however get some pictures of him opening his first gift the night before his birthday. It's tradition.

Seeing Blue

2011-07-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

The first color Owyn has learned is blue.

Now, I keep seeing blue everywhere.

Hodge-podge of Happiness and Happenings

2011-07-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a long time since I've posted. There's been a lot going on around here.

For one, the wedding planning is in full force and I am doing everything on my own. I've been getting pretty stressed out, to say the least. And it's not even the oh my gosh I'm so stressed I'm gonna have a melt down stress, it's the sneak up panic attack kinda stress.

So, in order to update in a true hodgepodge manner, I'm just gonna lay it all down.

Scatter brained and all.

Here we go..

Our AC went out again this week. That makes #3 this summer. So, naturally, we replaced it.

In the next couple weeks the outside of our house will be under construction. I am super excited!

Here is Dave on our adventure at Home Depot picking up some odds and ends for the house.

I've been able to spend lots of time with my girlies lately and it's been amazing!

I got to see one of my nearest dearest friends who lives in Denver while I was visiting. I can't wait to see her at our wedding! Last weekend I went out with my moms sisters, my own sister and one of my friends for some margaritas, talk about a good time!

Here is a picture of me and my aunts!

I am a bridesmaid again!

I was so honored when my friend told me she wanted me to be in her wedding. I've been waiting for their engagement since before I ever met Dave. Being a bridesmaid = getting to spend lots of time with the bride and other friends in the wedding. "Hey babe, gotta go look for dresses, oh, and we're hittin up happy hour after. I'll call ya if I need a ride home". AND a double bonus, getting to spend time with this precious creature who goes by the name of Addison..

Addie loves wedding dress shopping for her aunty!

Owyn is still just being awesome Owyn.

He's getting ready for his big 2nd birthday! Which is on Thursday!

Today Dave came come with a new guitar (for himself, not Owyn) and Owyn flipped out when he saw the closed case- in a good way. As Dave was opening the case he acted exactly like those "YOUR GOING TO DISNEYLAND" kids on the commercials. It was priceless.

Shakin out the Sills

2011-07-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we need to bust out all resources available to get all our toddler's sillies out in order to even come close to relaxation.

But somehow he always out sillies me.

Adventures in the City

2011-07-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

Denver Aquarium

2011-07-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Denver Zoo Revisited

2011-07-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

Remember the last time we went to the Denver Zoo?

Owyn doesn't seem to remember, but I keep reassuring him he was there.

Date Night: Denver Style

2011-07-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

Last night Dave took me on a date downtown.

I love getting him all to myself!

We went to the Cherry Creek Art Festival Preview and did a little shopping.

We asked a couple people at Urban Outfitters where we should go grab some drinks and they sent us to the hippest part of town. When I say hip I mean real hip. I actually felt kinda out of place. I should have expected it from UO employees. We had sushi, wine, beer and went to the coolest Goodwill I've ever been to. It was the Goodwill I dream about.

Even there no-parking posts are hip.

Dedication

2011-07-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning we made a long walk to show our dedication to caffeine.

We decided to walk "cut through" a trail instead of taking the streets which turned out to be the long route. By the time we reached home there was no trace of coffee.

And We're Off!

2011-07-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

Well folks, we're in Denver visiting Grand-Jen, Grandpa Scott and Uncle Sean.

The flight was Owyn's very first (outside of the womb). It wasn't the best flying experience Ive had. I'll live it at that.

The weather here is beautiful and everything is green and smells fresh. Can someone tell me, does Denver know that Spring is over? Lets not let them know..

My Little Dolphin

2011-06-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Owyn started his Dolphin swimming lessons on Monday.

Lets just say, it didn't go as I imagined it would.

This kid loves anything to do with water, especially swimming.

I guess I didn't think about how he would be going in the pool with a complete stranger.

He cried the entire time. It was pretty sad. I wanted to cry as he was reaching for me the entire 30 minutes balling his eyes out.

The women at the school say they all cry. They also say that the second class is the worst. Well, that's something to look forward to. I couldn't help but take full advantage of his sadness, because when this kid is sad he loves to cuddle. So, I think we'll go back ;)

Have I Mentioned the Good News?

2011-06-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

My sister moved back from Nashville with her family!

AAHHHHHH!

It's like my life just got 20x better.

I get to see my niece and my sister any day I want!

My mom helped them with the drive across country and she stayed with us the past couple days. It felt so good being together just us gals again.

{ Grand-Jen and Riley Jo}

Is she not the cutest thing??

Only because I'm impatient.

2011-06-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share Dave's fathers day gift with you.

It's not complete yet, but I just couldn't wait, because I'm so excited. Mostly because he is.

I gave him a band room make-over!

We stayed up until 12am painting. I don't stay up that late for anything other than Mad Men. But, Dave let me listen to Brittany Spears to keep me up. There was some serious booty shakin' goin on in that room. I woke up with Owyn around 7:30 and guess who was already up and in their room taking down tape? Yep, you guessed it! Mr. Dave. He hasn't left the room all day.

We took the bed out of the room and moved it to Owyn's room. Now, he thinks it's his.

I caught him chillin' out on the bed (with one leg resting on the other of course), watching the bougainvillea brush up against his window with TMNT playing in the background. He is so serious sometimes. He reminds me of an 80 year old man.

Happy Fathers Day Weekend!

2011-06-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

We have BIG plans to celebrate Fathers Day.

Sadly, I won't see my dad, but I will see him soon!

I can't wait to show you what I planned for Dave. I had a hard time thinking of the perfect gift. I know he want's several new guitars and a banjo, but I always get him music related stuff. And finally, it hit me. The perfect way to show our appreciation of his excellency in fatherhood.

{Story time with Owyn. I love how he rests him left leg over his right. He does it every time. It reminds me of my dad. 9 times out of 10 you can catch my dad like this chillin' on the couch}

I don't see him, but I sure can smell him!

2011-06-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

City Lovin' {Part 2}

2011-06-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

Vinyl Rush Cafe

An adorable new coffee shop opened up down the street from us and from my work.

It's the sweetest little place hidden within down-town Mesa.

The service is great and the woman who runs it is very friendly.

Check it out!

Go get yourself an espresso and your young ones a blueberry smoothie or delicious danish and stroll over to the Museum of Natural History to see dinosaurs and the old jail house.

Steak > Chicken

2011-06-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

I had a problem with dinners last week.

Out of nowhere Dave decided he doesn't like chicken.

We have chicken 4-5x a week. This is a problem.

Who on earth doesn't like chicken?

And I've been cooking for this man for years now and he's just telling me this?

His reasoning is exactly this: steak > chicken.

What a weirdo.

Chicken only appears once (or twice, I can't help it! it's chicken!) in this weeks meal plan.

He said it's okay if its in something or has sauce, so I think I added it into a salad.

Tonight we had kabobs with a penne salad.

Kabobs:

organic beef

zucchini

red bell pepper

mushrooms

Penne Salad:

penne

raw asparagus

raw green bell pepper

cherry tomatoes

arugula

ricotta cheese

red wine vinigar

olive oil

pine nuts

The salad was really good. Easy, simple and healthy. Just the way I like my meals.

I got the recipe inspiration from this months issue of Martha's FOOD magazine page 83, but I changed a few things.

Weekend Archived by Crappy Phone Pictures

2011-06-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

How was your weekend??

I sure hope it was better than mine.

I worked 20 hours this weekend and it sucked. To say the least.

Have I mentioned that I hate my new job? Well, I do. The job is great and I love being with kids all day but the people I work with.. are, well, not so great. I can go on and on about it but Ill save it for another day.

On Friday afternoon Owyn and I went on a date down-town. MCA (where I interned) had an opening reception for 2 new exhibits and so we stopped by for some catered food, friends and wonderful art. It's so strange going in there and seeing art on the walls that I did not install or have anything to do with. It actually breaks my heart. Especially when they are such great works like these ones!

After the reception we continued our journey down Main Street for Second Friday to view local art. I am on a mission to FILL my house with original one-of-a-kind artworks.

We ended the night with a pizza party. It was perfect.

Some other highlights of the weekend:

- getting a giant Lite-Brite at work

- selling my adorable vintage bed frame for way more than what I snagged it up for

-discovering an underground discounted art gallery!

- breakin' out Owyn little pool

City Lovin'

2011-06-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

What does your drive home look like?

For some strange reason, I decided to photograph mine.

Don't worry, taking pictures while driving is totally legal and safe.

Before moving to Mesa, we were a little worried about the hood. It turns out that it's really quite nice, and becoming pretty hip if I don't say so myself. We have lovely neighbors and I love the character of the buildings and homes that surround us.

Some of my favorite Mesa locations include:

Stalling

2011-06-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have a lot to post about, but every time I sit down and open my computer to begin a post I get distracted. We have been very busy around here.

Between family snuggles, wedding planning, work and random projects, there's only time for Mad Men at night.

Zoo with my Boo

2011-05-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

When we woke up on Memorial Day Monday and did the usual letting Mitzi out to do her biz-nass, I realized how unusually nice the weather was and how bad we had to get out.

I decided that Dave needed a day to himself. I usually have to beg him to do something for himself, but this time wasn't so hard, thank goodness. Men need their alone/guy time. Even if they say they don't or don't say anything at all, they do.

One of my awesome aunts (who's a lot more like a sister) met us with her hubby and youngest son Alec. Owyn loves his big cousins.

[Owyn and his cuz]

Owyn's favorite part of the zoo was the cwack-coooor. Or as we call them, tractors.

The day turned out to be a great success. Dave came home from record shopping/day drinking with his pal with huge smiles. I love seeing him happy.

Memorial Day BBQ

2011-05-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

Over our weekend we had some of our lovely friends over for a little BBQ. Four of those friends just so happen to also be engaged (!) (two couples) so I got to share all of my wedding planning with people who might possibly care just a little.

Tony is playing guitar at our wedding and was showing us some songs that we might like and Owyn was jammin' out with him. He loves his uncle Tony! He thinks he's the coolest thing around. He followed him around with his guitar in hand and played along side of him all night.

Feeling Icky

2011-05-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

I had a really yucky few days during the end of the week.

I woke up Thursday morning at 4am feeling really sick. I was nauseated, drained and experiencing vertigo. I ended up calling in and staying in bed all day. I felt the same on Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday I went back to work barely spoke a word to anyone all day. I was still feeling weird and wanted to go home and go to bed.

Eventually the time came, and I got to be with my babes and cook them one of our favorite meals for dinner.

Did you know that it is absolutely impossible to stay down when you come home to this:

It's true!

p.s., notice my new beautiful ring? grad gift! green amethyst.

Breaded Chicken Parmesan with Spinach Noodles and Sun-dried Tomatoes:

Accidental Traditions

2011-05-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

It's become a tradition to take Owyn to do something fun on Fridays.

I ask my jobs to give me Mondays and Fridays off.

I use Monday to clean and rest and Friday to party.

This Friday we went to the pool with our friends Brittany and Gage.

Owyn loves the water. He is a natural.

Friday night Dave came home with gifts!

He brought Owyn a motorcycle and play doh. He brought me a bottle of Pinot Grigio.

Good man..

Owyn is obsessed with his new toys. He didn't let the motorcycle out of his sight for a few days.

We went out to Joe's Farm Grill for dinner and waited in line for an hour to order our food. But, it was still lovely.

{Owyn hangin out at home working on a very important paper with a fry in his mouth. ha}

{tired and dirty from a long day in the sun}

Overuse. It's Possible, my Friends.

2011-05-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

I love Raising Hope, so when I saw this episode I was rolling on the floor with laughter and joy. Finally someone has made one of my pet peeves a laughing matter.

Words are the way to speak your emotions. Punctuation can be your best friend, or your enemy.

Wedding Mumbo-Jumbo

2011-05-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

So I finally started planning our wedding.

We have so many really neat things planned. I can't wait to see how everything turns out!

a little sneaky peaky..

Dave and I are collaborating on invitation designs.

Dave is very creative and talented in the graphic design dept., so I give him my rough idea's and he turns them into magic. I was telling him what I want as for a map and he was wanting to know what the invitations were going to be like. I showed him the actual invites and envelopes and he didn't like them. So, today he came home with all of these sample books of different papers and envelope sizes and started talking all this printing mumbo-jumbo.

So now our invitation are going to be a lot more elaborate than I was thinking. Which means more time. And more money. I guess this is why people always end up going over their budget??

At least I can turn over the invitation responsibility, right?

At any rate, I can NOT wait to see how they turn out!

(i just like saying that phrase and wanted to throw it in)

Green Thumb

2011-05-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

I really suck at keeping plants alive.

I even killed a cactus recently. How does one kill a cactus??

I didn't even think it was possible if you tried, but ey, I guess it is.

I just planted these flowers Saturday and they are already looking a bit weepy.

Good thing I got this kid put to work. Hopefully he'll be better at gardening than me.

Peach Pickin'

2011-05-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

Peach Festival

2011-05-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning we took Owyn to a peach festival.

How cute does that sound?

Last weekend at work I heard a woman tell her kids they were going to a peach festival and my ears perked up like a little doggy. Peach festival? (I just like saying it). I did a little research and just had to take my two favorite boys.

Owyn had the time of his life. We road the hay ride, pet little baby goats, road little tricycles, got bit my a horse, picked peaches, at huge hot dogs and soaked in the sun. It was perfect.

Grilled Chicken Sammies and a Little TS3

2011-05-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been everything a weekend should be.

I worked a short day on Friday, I went in for a tour and was done.

I had an awesome tour group. One that us gallerina's dream of. The group group was well behaved and a mixture of classes and grades. Which mean, I got enjoy the awesomeness of the question asking of the first graders AND the answers to the question I ask from the 3rd graders. On top of that, there were more than one teacher in the group to keep the kids in check (one of whom wasn't so bad looking, which def. encouraged me to give a great tour and be extra cheery).

I got to spend the rest of the day with my beloved Owyn.

He has been super rad this week. It's a phase. At this point in his life I've realized that kids go through phases. Kinda like how women go through phases. PMS-ing to normal ( or somewhat at least) and back to PMS-ing. Sometimes Owyn goes through phases where I want to pull my hair out. Every single little thing pisses the kid off during these phases. It's like walking on egg shells or living with someone who's bipolar. Seriously. But the time between is pure bliss. He is sweet and wants to love on me and is ridiculously silly. That's what I am loving right now. <3

Friday evening Owyn and I went to the Home Depot to pick out some flowers to plant in our yard. It took us over an hour to pick some out. Whenever someone would ask me if I was okay or had any questions Id just have to explain to them, "I'm just extremely indecisive". We then went home to the Papa bird and fired up the grill. All in all, Id say it was a pretty good day.

Summer makes me crave Shirley Temples. Yummm...

sammies, corn and cole slaw

grilled chicken sammie with tomato and mushroom

oh, those faces

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A little off topic..

We've been watching a lot of Toy Story 3. Don't you love that movie?

I have surprisingly not grown tired of it yet. I always notice new funny things.

My favorite two lines are:

"Sweet Potata??? Who do you think you're talking to?? I have over 30 accessories and I deserve more respect!!"

- Mrs. Potato Head

and

"Authority should come from the consent of the govern, not from the threat of force!"

- Barbie

Dave's favorite line (judging by his chuckles) is between Barbie and Ken:

Ken- " I "

Barbie- " love"

Ken- " you." " Okay, okay, now you go.."

Barbie- " I "

Ken- " love "

Barbie- " you "

Ken- " you see, it's different everytime!"

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Hope your weekend is swell!

Happenings

2011-05-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

Still a little red..

Spending all of my free time treasure hinting for my new project...

Letting Owyn eat cookies before his sammy. And letting him have my own. (At Sweet Cakes. Yumm.. Everytime I indulge in a Turkey Delight I think of my sister.. )

And letting my child eat like this in public.

Day Date with Owyn

2011-05-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

The day after graduation I decided that I really needed a day off. So, naturally, I called in from work and spent the entire day with my babe. I took him to the library and then to the Phx Children's Museum. Owyn was so happy. When we pulled up he was sleeping so I got him in his stroller and got some lunch. When he woke up to children running around like crazy animals his eyes lit up and he jumped right into the craziness. Man, I wish he woke up like that from every nap! There's nothing I love more than seeing Owyn happy.

Graduation Celeration

2011-05-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

I am so happy both of my parents were able to make it out to my graduation.

You know, my awesome sister graduated with her Masters from Vanderbilt the day after I graduated, so I am lucky I got to see both of my parents.

I had a small grad party at our house afterward and it was better than I could have asked for. A lot of my friends and family weren't able to come but we had such a good time with the really good friends that could make it. We laughed all night.

Hey, Guess What? I'm a College Graduate!

2011-05-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

There's so much I want to say and so much I want to tell you.

But, I am leaving you with a few photos and I will be back soon!
{I have just begun the first season of Mad Men, can you blame me?}

{gold not hold}

Mother's Day Weekend

2011-05-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

I had such a great Mother's Day weekend.

I got breakfast in bed, got to sleep in and take naps.

On Sunday Dave took me to Tucson for a Fleet Foxes concert.

We had such a fun time. Like super duper fun. We stayed in a hotel room a few doors down from some friends that we love and met up with other local friends for some fun. We walked around the city, had delicious sangria and spent spent the entire Monday under the sun by the pool. I got really burnt. I'm more burned than I have ever been. I felt so sick last night I went to bed at 8 and woke up every hour on the hour in tears. BUT, we still had a blast!

I am so sad because I took some special Mother's Day pictures with Owyn before we left and then realized that I left my memory card at home and all those pictures were gone. So I didn't have my camera during our trip either. So here are some phone pics.

We had the best seats in the house. We had balcony seats smack dab in the middle of the stage.

After this weekend I realized that I owe a lot to Dave.

He does so much for us around here and I still take out all of my stress or anger out on him. It sucks. I feel so crappy. You know this guy tracks down my phone and plugs it into the charger every night?? It's true.

I need to do something really special for him. Feel free to leave me ideas.

Loving your child...

2011-05-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

means showing them how to make a straw out of a Redvine.

Life Lately

2011-05-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

So, guess what?

I'm done with school!

Heck yeah! I can't even explain how good it feels.

Today I went out all by myself after Dave came home from work and went to Gap and Barnes and Noble. I got to walk around slowly, take my time deciding what I wanted, use a small fitting room, went around aisles that weren't stroller friendly, drove with the windows down and inappropriate music on (Big Boi) oh and the best part, I had nothing to stress about! No exam to study for, paper to write or articles to read. It was liberating. It took me back to when I was 19. No worries in the world.

Is this how life is going to be now? Awesome?

I can breathe and it feels oh so good, my friends.

I have so much to update you on. And I will. Soon.

But for now, I must enjoy my peace.

And so, I leave you with my favorite Owyn pictures from the week.

Just because he's the raddest thing on earth.

Just wearing dad's vans and walking his dog around in a bowl.

it's a bowl-hat

He really wanted to bring his lawn chair in.

Taken a load off. I love how tense he is trying to relax. Check out his spread toes and mini water bottle. Psh.

Jamin' with the pops.

Weekend Activities

2011-05-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend I worked and did homework,

re-arranged a couple shelves,

bought new wall flowers (my favorite sent at Bath and Body, the Aromatherapy Orange Ginger Energize)

my house smells like a serene spa. mmm... i love it.

watched Owyn and daddy mow the lawn,

and bought Owyn some new shades. and some frozen chocolate covered bananas. hence the choco-goatee.

Welcome to my Office

2011-04-27T00:07:00.000-07:00

I also like to call this room my bedroom.

Where all the magic happens. The academic magic, that is.

I am super duper stressed out about this next week.

I am working on this big paper that I have been researching all semester long (about Marco Palmezzano's Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist). It's amazing how attached you get to art after you've invested so much time researching it and dissecting it's context. Especially Christian works like this one. Oh, I could go on for days talking about this piece. And, I have. In this paper.

[um, that belly button book isn't mine. i swear]

I think Dave's going to kick me out of our room pretty soon if living conditions remain this way..

There are books everywhere!

I don't even have sheets on the bed! Who have I become??

btw, partially open drawers are a huge pet peeve of mine.

I am actually quite embarrassed to show this pic.

I am presenting my research tomorrow.

Cross your fingers for me! These Art Historians can be pretty awful at times.

Easter!

2011-04-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

Today has been long.

And I mean, really really long.

So, I'm not going to spend too much time typing about how crazy the candy made Owyn,

I'm only going to say that I learned a very valuable lesson today...

never give this todd candy again!

And Ill leave you with that and some pictures, enjoy.

If you were wondering, yes those are Virgin and Child stickers. And yes, those are twin chicks (or would have been.. sorry).

Hope you have a fabulous Easter weekend!

It's a Damn Good Day to be Alive

2011-04-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

" Let all that has breath praise the Lord"

Psalm 150:6

It's Good Friday, and it's a damn good day to be alive!

I hope you all have a beautiful Easter weekend.

**************************

In other news...

My wedding dress and graduation gown are hanging next to each other in my dress closet (yes, I have a separate closet for dresses). It's a good sight to see.

And those two are dominating that closet!

Think About It

2011-04-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

At this point of my life, I've learned a very valuable lesson when it comes to shopping.

Think about it

Ill tell you why I strongly believe this..

a. you won't spend money and regret it

b. you can save for it

c. you can usually find it (or something like it) elsewhere

I consider myself to be a professional shopper. I find something that I want, or "absolutely need", and keep my eyes out. I always always find what I want somewhere else for way cheaper. Remember when I wanted Melissa shoes really bad but they weren't selling them in department locally yet and then I found them in a thrift store? On my birthday!!! Or the wicker rocking chair for Owyn's room that I dreamed up and then found a thrift store?

Another example, I have been wanting these shoes (or some like it) for a while. They even made it on my birthday list. Last week I found a similar pair at one of my fav thrift shops and passed them up. But, today I went back and they were still there! How could these gems be passed by for a week??

It was a sign..