I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Jennifer at Becoming A Mrs


The rules are simple:

1)  Go to your photo files, select the 8th photo folder


2) Select the 8th photo in that folder


3) Post that photo along with the story behind it.


4) Then challenge 8 blogging friends to do the same.

Left to right: Zack (younger brother), Mataya (his girlfriend) Sam, Me, Dad, Mom, Gavin (my nephew) Justin (older brother) Phaedra (sister-in-law/Justin's wife), Austin (nephew) Bill (youngest brother) Kym (Bill's fiancee)

Okay, this is kind of funny.  It's one of our family photos that we had taken last May.  The photographer told us to all make funny faces.  My dad was actually really disturbed by the thought of getting our photo taken with all of us making funny faces. 

Boy do I miss them all! 

I'm not going to tag anyone, as I know this is going around the blog world.  If you haven't already done it, let me know-I'd love to see your photo!

Vegas Baby!

Woo hoo!  I'm going to Vegas!!  I'm so incredibly excited!  Seriously.  It's a little ridiculous how excited I am!  Sam will not be going.  I'm flying in Wednesday 6/2 in the morning.  Mom is going to pick me up, we'll hang out all day, until Rachael flies in around 11pm that night.  We have no plans at all, other than laying by the pool and having some much needed girl time. 

I think it'll be good to see my Mom too.  I haven't seen her since our big family reunion last July.  There's definitely been a lot of distance between us, as I feel like she's made some pretty selfish choices, putting her friends before any of her family.  Growing up we were always taught that family comes first.  And she's definitely not been following that at all.  It makes me kind of sad.  At any rate, I'm looking forward to seeing her. 

I frequent a message board on The Nest, and there has been a lot of talk lately about a program called Bountiful Baskets.  I thought it sounded interesting, and looked like a great deal, so I decided to do it last weekend.  What it is, is they get the best/freshest produce at a really low price, and pass the savings on to you.  It's all run by volunteers.  Anyway, we got SO much stuff!  Here's just a few photos of our bounty. 

We got 1 package of blackberries, bananas, a bag of apples, pineapple, cantaloupe, tomatoes, spinach, swiss chard, green leaf lettuce, 2 bags of red potatoes, celery, and baby carrots.  I had also added on the tortilla pack.  I think we'll be set on tortillas for awhile!  We got 2 dozen HUGE flour tortillas (probably bigger than the ones they use at QDoba or Chipotle.  2 dozen soft taco sized flour tortillas, and 2 dozen corn tortillas.  And they're delicious!  Pretty darn close to homemade tasting.  For all that, we payed $28.50.  The fruits & veggies were $15, a $3 first time fee, and $10 for the tortillas.  We'll definitely be doing that again!  Such a great deal!

Last night we went to dinner with Monica & Shawn, and Michelle & Ty.  It was SO much fun.  I really don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time.  My cheeks hurt from laughing so much.  It was a good mix, and everyone got along great.  It was my first time meeting Ty, and I've only met Shawn a few times when he'd come see Monica at work. 

Sam's parents will be here in just under two weeks.  I think I'm equally excited & nervous.  I love my in-laws, really I do.  They are so good to us.  They love me like their own daughter, and have always welcomed me into their little family.  However, they can be a little exhausting.  Sam's mom is always making suggestions (I get it, she's trying to be helpful, but after awhile, they're rather irritating), and she's one of those people that can't handle quiet.  Every minute we're together has to be filled with conversation.  And if I don't have something to say, and I'm having an "off" day?  Then something is wrong, and she thinks I don't like them.  Nevermind the past 5 years, suddenly because I'm a little withdrawn it's because I don't like them.  Now, normally it's okay, because we would see them for little spurts of time... No more than one overnight trip.  But now?  They'll be here for nearly a week.  That's a lot of time for me to be "on".  And that's exhausting.  But, at the same time, I am looking forward to seeing them, spending time with them.  It'll be nice to have them around.  I'm excited to show them around, so they can see where our new life is.  And see how much we love it here.  I'm excited to have family visiting, as I've really been missing my family.  So, there you have the equally excited & nervousness.  Luckily, they will be staying at a hotel, and not with us, so I do have a slight reprieve.  Thank goodness!  I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories to share after the visit.

Brain Dump

I have a whole lotta randomness floating around in my head (frightening, isn't it?), so I figured I'll just do a little brain dump, and not try to make any sense of it. :)  So here goes:

I only took 2 1/2 (who am I kidding--nearly 3) years, but I finally made a photo book for ourselves with our wedding photos.  I know, pretty bad, huh?  In our defense (really mine, because let's face it, Sam has nothing to do with it) I did make one for each of our parents as Christmas gifts back the year we were married, and we do have a few framed photos.  Just not a book showing the "story" if you will.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.. Here's the link.  I used MyPublisher to make it, taking advantage of an incredible special they had going on.  We paid only $20 for our book!  Yay for good deals!  I had used Picaboo for the ones I did for my parents.  I liked the layout & background options better with Picaboo, but the overall quality of MyPublisher is better (in my opinion). 

I'm once again struggling with being home-sick.  I feel like it should be easier by now.  It is, don't get me wrong, but I still have horrible bouts of missing my friends & my family.  It's the silly little things that totally get me too.  For instance, Phaedra posted a new photo of my nephew, Gavin, on Facebook, and I teared up.  He's growing up so much.  He's only five, but ay yi yi... he's gotten so big in the last 10 months.  Another little thing?  I went shoe shopping this weekend.  Shoe shopping is something Rachael & I would do often & she was definitely my partner in crime when it comes to shoes.  So I was really missing her even more than normal.  See, random little things that make me miss "home".   I think I just need to go back & visit for awhile.  Get my fix, and come back here. 

A few weeks ago, I surprised Sam with a birthday weekend in Scottsdale.  We stayed at the Firestky Resort & Spa for 2 nights.  It was so nice!  I totally fell in love with the resort.  Unfortunately, so did everyone else in the world (or so it seemed)  My grand plan for the Saturday we were there was to lay out at the pool all. day. long.  We got out there around 11, and there wasn't a pool chair or towel to be had.  So sad.  We kept checking back, and finally gave up around 2.  I was totally bummed.  Other than that, we had a great weekend.  Went to the Frank Lloyd Wright house (Taliesin West), and the Phoenix Art Museum.  Both were amazing.  We still had a great time together that weekend, just bummed that we weren't able to have the chill time at the pool.  Here's a few photos from the weekend:

Recently, my cousin found out that her biological dad passed away.  She didn't have a relationship with him, and struggled with whether or not she should go to the memorial.  She has formed a relationship with her aunt (his sister) in the last 10 years, but he chose to not be a part of that, and flat out refused to see her.  Anyway, it got me thinking about my bio dad again.  Part of me thinks maybe I should make another attempt to contact him.  But then the bitterness and resentment sets in again, and I wonder why is it up to ME to make an effort?  Why can't he?  I'm really trying to imagine how I would feel if I got the phone call saying that he passed away.  I think it would be sad that I never got to know him, or that he never got to know me.  But on the other hand, I have a dad.  I don't feel as though I'm missing anything.  I don't know.  It's all a lot to think about.  I just really have a hard time understanding how a parent could just walk away from their child.  I don't get it.  He CHOSE to not be a part of my life.  I guess I just need to remember that.  He made the choice.  And apparently, he continues to make that same choice.  Even though I have given him an opportunity to contact me.  Can you tell I'm really torn on the whole sitch?  Blar.

Well, I think that's all I've got.  For now.  It's late & I'm heading to beddy bye!

Goodnight!

I Gots Da Fever

Baby fever, that is.

Seriously.  It's a little ridiculous.  I really wish that we could start TTC now.  Alas, all our ducks are not in a row.  Almost.  There's just a couple more things that we want to take care of before we start.  Like moving into a bigger place.  Sam & I have decided that when our lease is up in June, we'll be looking for a house.  To rent.  Unfortunately, we're not able to buy at this point, so we'll be looking for a rental.  And then?  Then I do believe that most everything else will be in alignment (or close to) and we can start trying to have our own little family.  How bad is it that part of me wants to pick up things here and there, for when the time comes.  Sad, huh?  Blar.  Not too much longer.  Of course, that's provided that we actually have no issues TTC. 

Tomorrow is Sam's birthday.  It'll be a pretty low key birthday.  We're going to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants.  Will is in town again, so he's going to join us.  Then, of course, next weekend is the birthday get-a-way weekend.  I can't wait!

Random Randomness

When I first started this blog, I thought I wanted to remain incognito. Not share my real name, or my husbands. I wanted to use an alias for everyone that I wrote about. But let's face it... that's a lot of work! :) And so I decided to go ahead and let this little blog truly be about me, and my life. I don't really know why I felt the need to share that, I just did. ;)

I'm really missing my girlfriends lately. I miss our laughs, and silliness, and of course the talks we used to have. I've been pretty bad at keeping in touch with most everyone since I've moved here. I think it's partly due to life just being busy, and also because it's sometimes easier. If I don't talk to them, I don't know about all the fun stuff I'm missing out on. I know, it's definitely failed logic, but whatevs. I'm really hoping that in the next few months I can plan a trip back up to WA & get some much needed girl time in!

Thursday is Sam's birthday. I'm really looking forward to it. I've got a couple things planned for him. He's always spoiling me, and I really do think it's time for me to spoil him for a change. So we're going to dinner Thursday night at The Keg. Will is going to be in town again, so I'll see if he is able to meet up with us. Then, the first weekend in April, I've booked us a room at a resort in Scottsdale. I'm going to take that Friday off work, but not tell Sam that. I'll take us to work, and then head back home to pack for the weekend. I'll head up to the hotel that afternoon, and check in, as well as decorate or something. Then, go pick him up from work, and head back up to Scottsdale. I'm really excited! We'll stay there Friday & Saturday night, and come home that Sunday. While we're in Scottsdale, we'll tour the Frank Lloyd Wright house, Taliesin. Sam has wanted to do that since he found out about it. Other than that, nothing else is on the agenda. Just some nice, quality time together. I'm definitely looking forward to that!

Updates Galore

My poor neglected blog! :)

Sam & I are doing well. Things are really falling into place for us. He got a new job at his company. He was working as a contractor; meaning that he wasn't actually employed by B of A. He was employed by another company. This also means that because he wasn't actually employed by B of A, and by another company, he didn't get vacation time, or benefits, or paid holidays. Yes, we moved here all the way from Seattle for what was technically a temp job. We took a huge leap of faith, and trusted that this would be the best move for us. Anyway, he got hired on with big bad bank, and is now a full fledged employee. This comes with a fabulous benefits package, as well as a hefty pay raise. We couldn't be happier. :) I'm very proud of Sam. I know he's worked very hard to get this position, and it's going to lead to a lot of wonderful career opportunities with B of A.

Unfortunately, for some of my family, things aren't going as well. Things are pretty tense between my parents. My dad has been working out of town for the past year. Although he'll be there indefinitely, my mom doesn't want to relocate to where he is. So a year of long distance, and my mom living alone has put a damper in their relationship. To the point we're not sure if they'll make it through this. It's so very sad. My mom is my dad's world. My mom & work. That's the two most important things in my dad's life. I feel like my mom is being very selfish right now, and it's really difficult to bite my tongue. I don't really feel as though it's my place to comment on their relationship. Yes, they're my parents, but they are husband and wife first and foremost. So, that's weighing heavily on me.

One of my younger brothers has struggled with drugs since he was 15. He's now 27. He has been in and out of jail since he was 19. He was released last February, and went to live in WA with our older brother. He had a girlfriend that was a former addict, and had been clean and sober for 4 years. They were doing great, staying sober, working the program, good jobs full of potential... We all thought that maybe this will be the time. The time he actually stays sober & stays on track. Then he lost his job, and of course, he doesn't know how to cope with life when it's not perfect without using. So he started using. His girlfriend also started using. They moved in with her parents. They were kicked out of there, and started living with his buddy. A couple weeks ago, they were busted for possession of oxycontin with intent to sell. Of course, they swear they only had one pill between the two of them, but I don't buy that for a moment. He's a pathalogical liar. Always has been. Probably always will. I can't believe anything he says. It sucks. He's my brother. I love him. But I can't believe him. And I certainly can't trust him. Now he's waiting to hear what will happen to him. He could be extradited, or he could just serve a few months where he is. We'll see.

So that's my family drama at the moment. Sucks, but it is what it is. I just keep praying that it'll all work out, and all that. I really hope it does.

We had some friends in town this past weekend. It was so good to see Will & Anna! I absolutely adore them. Seriously. Everytime I see them, I am so thankful for the friendship we have. Will is Sam's best friend. In the 2 1/2 years Sam & I have been married, we've become more and more close to them. Unfortunately, they live in the OC. So we don't see them nearly often enough. But they're the perfect "couple friend". Sam & Will are obviously close, I adore Will, and Anna & I become closer friends with each visit. They're at a similar place in life as we are... in that they're newly married, and don't have kids yet. I wish we could find another couple that's local that we click so well with. We had a great time hanging out with them. Lots of laughs were had, and just good ol' catching up.

It was so nice having Will & Anna here, as Sam & I are still somewhat struggling to have a social life here, in AZ. We don't know many people, so it's kind of limited. We get together occasionally with one of his coworkers & her husband, but that's about it. Hopefully we'll meet other people, and slowly start building up a nice group of friends. We're hopeful. :)

I have rejoined Weight Watchers. I finally got on the scale on Saturday, only to discover that in the nine months I've been in AZ, I have gained back nearly all the weight I lost prior to moving out here. It's not surprising, but it is a little disheartening. So, i'm back on the wagon. Baby's wedding is next March. I've got a little less than a year to get myself in shape, and lose some of this weight!

Well, I think that's about all I've got for now. I'm going to try (no, really!) to blog more often. Hopefully I'll keep to it!

Who'd a Thunk?

I came accross this test this evening. It simply asks your color preferences in a series of questions, and based on your answers, it is able to determing your two most enjoyable day-to-day occupation skills. I took it, and found the results quite interesting. Here's my results:


Best Occupational Category

You're an ORGANIZER

Keywords

Self-Control, Practical, Self-Contained, Orderly, Systematic, Precise, and Accurate

These conservative appearing, plotting-types enjoy organizing, data systems, accounting, detail and accuracy. They often enjoy mathematics and data management activities such as accounting and investment management. persistnce and patience allows them to do detailed paperwork, operate office machines, write business reports, and make charts and graphs.

ORGANIZER CAREERS
Suggested careers are Administrator, Secretary, Printer, Paralegal, Building Inspector, Bank Cashier, Private Secretary, Statiscian, Operations Manager, Financial Analyst, Bookkeeper, Medical Records Technician, Developer of Business or Computer Systems, Clerical Worker, Proofreader, Accountant, Administrative Assistant, Banker, Certified Public Accountant, Credit Manager, Store Salesperson, Actuary, Dental Assistant, Business Education Teacher, Food Service Manager, IRS Agent, Budget Analyst or Underwriter.

ORGANIZER WORKPLACES
Your very careful, conscientious, conservative nature gives others the confidence to trust you with handling money and material possessions. Structured organizations that have well-ordered chains of command work best for you.

Suggested Organizer workplaces are large corporations, business offices, financial lending institutions, banks, insurance companies, accounting firms, and quality control & inspection departments.


2nd Best Occupational Category

You're a DOER

Keywords:

Emotionally Stable, Reliable, High Energy, Practical, Thrifty and Persistent

These adventurous types prefer action-oriented, concrete problems rather than dealing with thought-provoking, ambiguous, abstract dilemmas. Fields of interest include mechanical, construction, and outdoor carrers. They might also enjoy working with machines, tools, and equipment to repair or build something.


As crazy as it may seem, this analysis is pretty much spot on. Not only does it describe me, but all of my jobs have fallen into one of the occupations listed. (Bookeeper, Medical Records Technician, Clerical Worker, Food Service Manager) Good to know that I'm doing something that I'm best at... if that makes sense.