w e i r d

Eleven months. 11 months? Sometimes it feels like forever, but most of the time I feel like we just pulled up in our U-haul to our way too big house with Penny with no idea of the kind of life we would be living here. No idea what kind of friends we would make (if any!), no idea how brutal an Arizona summer really is, and really no idea of what a silly, happy, sometimes destructive, goofball of a puppy we would be getting in Bear. But- Eleven months in and it's feeling pretty good! We've had an almost ridiculous (but always welcome) amount of visitors, made it through the summer, settled into work routines, made some fantastic friends, and somehow slowly but surely made this house a home.
It's slowly but surely cooling down around here, and Paul and I are so ready for Christmas. AND snow! I don't even like snow and i miss it!! It's hard to feel like it's the holidays around here because its still over 70 degrees on a daily basis [this is where all of my Oregonians can roll their eyes at me...]. I've been feverishly decorating the house with Christmas and Holiday decorations, playing christmas music, knitting, and trying to convince Paul that maybe we should just skip thanksgiving this year [it's not working].
I've been sitting here for about twenty minutes writing and rewriting the same thing over and over but I can't seem to get the words out right, so sorry if this is one big ramble. It feels weird- life does. Weird to not be home this time of year, weird to not be cold, weird that our lease is almost up and we're house hunting AGAIN, weird that Bear is almost one (ten days people!), and weird how fast this year has gone. Not bad weird. Good weird. weird weird? We're in a this limbo, where we want to celebrate the holidays in this big house that became our home- but we're moving in four weeks. Limbo where we could be moving at any time and kind of want to- but Arizona is growing on us. Maybe the word I'm looking for is ...... i don't know. Someone help me out!
All right. Done with weirdness. Or maybe not, but we're embracing it around here! There's nothing about this year that hasn't felt new and yes, weird, and unfamiliar and exciting. But it's always felt right.
So on that unfortunate and WEIRD ramble.. here's an inspirational quote to make your day better!

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I promise I'll return soon with a less unfortunate and more informative post. #micdrop

f a l l

Hi guys! After a long [and I mean seriously long, sorry!] hiatus from the blogging world, I'm back! These past few months have been a complete whirlwind! I went up to Portland for my beautiful friend Madison's bridal shower, rented a cabin with some of our friends in Flagstaff for a weekend, had Paul's mom and step dad visit for the fourth, went to Vegas for a weekend with my girls, stayed at home in AZ for the first time by myself while Paul went on a guys camping trip, turned 23, left for Portland for ten days for said beautiful friend's AMAZING wedding [seriously guys, this was the most gorgeous and love-filled wedding I have ever been to! It was the most amazing expression of Tyler and Madison's love, and it could not have been more perfect.], returned to Arizona, camped in Sedona with our friends Kim and Chad for a weekend, went to a Blake Shelton concert, floated the Salt River, and somehow between kept working 50 hour work weeks. Told ya- whirlwind!! But I have finally had a few minutes to get my head back together and realized I hadn't blogged in four months!! Here's a very compressed photo dump of the last few months, and a long awaited "taking stock" post. 

Making: can you guess? Christmas stockings! I'm trying to convince myself that it's fall here (without much luck), but I got back into my favorite hobby- knitting!

Cooking: guac, guac, and more guac!

Drinking: So much water. I wish I was saying something more interesting but really. Staying hydrated!

Reading: more like rereading. The last book of my favorite series came out in July and I've read it a few times, but it keeps getting better with each read!

Wanting: snow. and rain. and fall. and trees. 

Looking: at my dogs furiously playing at the foot of my bed. It's not big enough. 

Playing: more Blake Shelton. His concert was amazing. 

Wasting: probably money by turning down the AC, but seriously. 106 in September? It's a crime.  

Wishing: for snow.

Enjoying: finally blogging again!

Waiting: for the dogs to fall asleep so we can move them on the floor

Liking: how tan I am right now! this is extremely unusual

Wondering: why people move to Arizona in the first place

Loving: that Paul and I are doing well at work. It feels good when hard work pays off!

Hoping: that it rains soon. We're supposed to get some flash floods this week and I can't wait!

Marveling: At how our little house has slowly but surely become a home... just in time for our lease to be up!

Needing: to sleep but let's be honest.. I had a coffee at 3pm so that's not going to happen. 

Smelling: aloe vera. always. It's become a serious staple in our house. That and my pups breath.. shockingly good because of these new dental bones we got them. 

Wearing: Paul's camo shirt that I wear 90% of the time to bed. 

Following: trulia, zillow, groupon, the clymb... lots of discount websites going on over here!

Noticing: how freaking cute Penny is. I seriously think she is my soul mate guys. Oh yeah Bear and Paul too.. ;). 

Knowing: how lucky I am so have such a solid foundation. 

Thinking: about work tomorrow and how much laundry I have to fold right now. 

Feeling: pretty content right now! Wishing it was 50 degrees though. 

Bookmarking: houses for rent that we like

Opening: an Etsy shop!! I just opened one for everything that I knit. I realized I stopped knitting because it's way to hot here for knitted items but I missed it so much that I figured why not make them for other people (and make some extra money)

Giggling: over Bear attempting to ump on our bed. How he can't when he is taller than it cracks me up. 

Feeling: excited for winter. 

Memorial Day

let me tell you all about an extra special set of siblings i know..
When Paul and i first started dating i knew he came from a pretty big family, which was very scary for me, coming from a fairly small one. i knew he had over six step-siblings, over 40 cousins, 8+ aunts and uncles.. the list goes on and on. I knew his dad was 6'7 and he was incredibly close with his mom. But I also knew there was one person that Paul loves more than anyone else in the world, his sister Chrissy. Even with tons and tons of Wilsons and Ryles waiting for me to meet them, there was only one person I knew i'd really have to pass the test with, and she was the first one i met!
Of course within five minute of meeting Chrissy i understood why Paul cares about her so much. Because she is seriously goofy and funny, ridiculously smart (seriously.. who goes to college for math), can hang with anyone, and always brings the fun.
I know from personal experience how strong the bond between siblings can be, but Paul and Chriss take it to a whole new level. Paul would seriously do anything for Chrissy, anything. It's one of my favorite things about him, and about her. I think coming from such a huge family, going through a divorce as older children, and going off to school together made them exceptionally close. But seriously guys, i don't care if you've donated organs to your siblings, these Wilson kids have you beat.

WHICH is why we were so excited to have Chrissy come visit us on Memorial Day weekend. We celebrated the holiday by drinking, shopping (duh), dog-parking, pool-partying and just hanging out. It was the perfect weekend and I know how happy it made Paul to have his crazy kid sis here for a little while, and we absolutely cannot wait to see her again.

#golfshirt

A little background for all of you- a few years ago when Twitter and Instagram became pretty popular, my brothers and i tried to teach my dad what hash tagging is. After rounds and round of failed explanation he finally got it an proclaimed "HASHTAG GOLFSHIRT!" leaving my brothers and I laughing our butts off.
This kookie dude is one of my favorite people in the world. He just gets me. We have the same weirdo sense of humor and goldfish memory, interest in things (except for Space, which for some reason he loves and I am terrified of) and same sense of reasoning. Unlike my mom who I am used to spending some time away from because of her work (even though i don't like that), I have not been apart from my dad for more than two months.. in my entire life! So this move was a big old shocker for me and him, and definitely a transition! Having my dad and his girlfriend visiting Paul and I was such a treat, and so much fun. It's weird when for all your life you live at your parents house, and then somewhere in life your parents come to visit you. Incredibly strange to host your parents, but fun to show them this new life that we are living.
We showed them all around our favorite haunts, including the dog park, our works, tempe, scottsdale and Chandler. We had a barbecue that our friends were able to come to, played corn hole and just had an amazing time! Having my dad and G here for just a few short days was so great and made my heart very very happy. I love you both so much!

round two

Hello everyone!
Last weekend we had our second round of parents, and our fourth round of visitors: My mom and Joe!
They got in late on Friday night and we all went to bed almost immediately because P & I were exhausted from work and they were exhausted from flying. On Saturday we woke up early and went to brunch at this amazing place called Morning Squeeze. They have literally anything you could ever want for breakfast (and lunch!) and crazy good coffee and plus! They serve almond milk for all of you lactose intolerant people such as myself. Basically, it was perfect. After breakfast we ran some errands including going to Costco to get dog food and essentials for the next week (a normal Saturday activity for us down here), and then headed back home.
After some seriously needed naps and snacks we got to catch up with my cousin Scot who lived in Phoenix and popped over for an hour. My mom and Scot are really close, and even went to Oregon State together. I think it was great for them to be able to catch up, and fun for us to hang out all together. Once Scot left we all headed to Ikea and my mom spoiled us rotten by getting us two nightstands for our guest room and new lamps for our room, and a bunch of other "really need this but would never buy it for myself" stuff like artwork, frames, lighbulbs, etc. Thank you so much, mom!! 
That night we [Paul] barbecued up some steaks, made quinoa [mom] and salad [joe]. Basically no one lets me cook.. ever.. and for good reason! After dinner we played sequence, an awesome board game thats kind of like connect four and dominoes with cards and I don't exactly remember who won but i know it was a ton of fun! Also, Joe is a complete card-shark! Who knew!?
Sunday morning we woke up early and ran to the dog park with my mom to wear out the pups after a weekend of being crated. Afterwards we came back and had Mother's day brunch with Scot and Tom which was amazing. My mom made her famous breakfast casserole- seriously this stuff is like crack, and we had mimosas too. Perfect brunch! After brunch mom & i quickly ran to the mall where my mom amazingly spoiled me with new work clothes.  Thank you. 

It was so wonderful being able to see my mom & brother, but super weird to have them stay at our house! Paul and I felt so grown up having my parent be our guest. Definitely a weird feeling!! This visit made me realize how lucky I was to be able to pop over to her house at any time and see them every day. I miss you and love you two so much! Thank you for coming!

A seriously belated post

Last month we had our first parent visitors- Paul's dad and stepmom, Mike and Kristin! Told you this post was belated!
Mike and Kristin (and their service-dog in training Elliot, a St. Bernard) flew in on Friday morning, so Paul took a half day to spend with them! Once I got home from work the four of us (plus Elliot) went out for dinner and drinks in Scottsdale. We stayed out late catching up, playing pool, drinking martinis and whiskey and laughing our butts off. Paul and I were so excited to have them here and it was so fun being able to show them around our new city. The next day Kristin went to Sun City West to stay with her dad for the weekend and the following week because they were in a golf tournament! (which I think is totally kickass). After Kristin left, Paul Mike and I went out to explore and wound up at the Casino! We spent quite some time there and actually won some money!We headed home and made a steak dinner and hunkered in for the night :). Our last day I wasn't feeling very well so Paul and Mike got to spend some quality father-son time together. Paul showed him all around Scottsdale, Tempe and Chandler including the Intel plant, where P works.
It was so much fun being able to see Paul's parents (round 1)  and definitely made Paul and I feel more grown up because his parents were staying at our house. And! Penn and bear got to have their first taste of playing with a dog that was WAY bigger than them! It was a hilarious and wonderful weekend, and we can't wait to see you two again!

may the fourth

Happy Star Wars day to all my nerds! Here's to our fifth month in Arizona!

Making: plans for this month. We have four rounds of visitors in May and a busy June so we're trying to make some time for just us.
Cooking: Nothing right now but Paul and I are reading tons of recipes of yummy things to eat when it's too hot to cook.
Drinking: Water, water and more water. A beer-filled camping weekend + 100 degree weather makes for a veeeery dehydrated girl.
Reading: Real Simple Magazine a.k.a. the best magazine in the world!
Wanting: a hammock so bad right now. perfect for nights like tonight
Looking: at Pauls tan. I wish I was half Italian too!
Playing: corn hole! I just made a set with Paul and my friend Skyla and they are finally finished!
Wasting: seriously nothing right now. Well probably something but today is a pretty happy Sunday
Wishing: it was next weekend already! My mom and brother are coming to town and I am really excited
Enjoying: how busy we have been! Sometimes I wish things would slow down but honestly? it's kind of nice.
Waiting: for Bear and Penny to calm down! We boarded them this weekend and they have been going nuts all day!
Liking: the heat.. kind of.
Wondering: where we'll be in a year, if we'll be in Arizona still, where we will go next
Loving: camping in Arizona! Though it was 100% more dry than Oregon camping and probably 20 degrees hotter it was so nice!
Hoping: that the heat will kill all of the bugs in Arizona. Wishful thinking? probably
Marveling: at how much life has changed between last year and now.
Needing: a duster
Smelling: so much sunscreen. and bug spray. I just started using this sunscreen that smells like old school Coppertone and it is sooo yummy
Wearing: shorts and a sports bra. too hot to wear anything else. <<same as last month. seriously.
Following: some foodie blogs!
Noticing: How big Bear is! When did that happen?!
Knowing: that in less than four hours Paul's sister will be 21! Happy Cinco de Chrissy!
Thinking: how nice it would be to have your birthday on a Holiday
Feeling: very excited for the next month
Bookmarking: work clothes. Tryin to figure out what the hell I'm going to wear to work when it is 120 degrees here. No ideas so far.. << Again, same. Still wondering, still nothing.
Opening: nothing actually but I think I'm due to start my next knitting project here pretty soon!
Giggling: at Paul dancing with Bear and Penny. all three are so uncoordinated its hilarious
Feeling: settled

catching up

Hello neglected blog!
We've had an insane amount of activities going on in the past few weeks that I've barely had time to think let alone blog, and honestly I'm still crazy exhausted so here is a nice little photo dump about our past few weeks: A trip to Crown King with our friends Phil and Kelsey, Bear's first trip to the dog park, some house renovations, a DIY experiment, and our first night of camping (more on that later)!

your not-so-average cup of Joe

As some of you know, I made a quick trip up to Portland this past weekend to surprise my not-so-little baby brother for his 17th birthday! i remember how hard it was on Joe & I when our older brother Braden moved away, so I can't even imagine how difficult it must be for Joe to be kind of an only child right now. I love my brothers so much and wholeheartedly believe that we shouldn't be without each other especially on our birthdays. It was so much fun being able to surprise Joe, which let me tell you wasn't easy. Due to some super excellent secret keeping by my friends, and some trickery by my parents, Joe was completely shocked!

For those of you who don't have the extreme fortune to have a brother (in my case two), let me tell you- it is one of the most amazing things! And I have even more luck than the average Joe (pun-intended) because I have one on either side of me.

Braden is [to put it lightly] the most free-spirited, creative person I know. He approaches life with a perspective I could only dream of having, and has so many mediums to express his incredible viewpoints. From poetry, to multimedia art, to theater, to having his own radio show, to being in several different music groups, he has been able to share with the world some incredible personal discoveries as well as some over-arching truths about humanity. He's amazing.

Joe, on the other hand, is wise. He is by far the most kind-hearted, sensitive, sassy, and intelligent 17 year-old I know, or have ever met. And I'm not just biased. Joe has this uncanny ability to win everyone he meets over, and whats more, he somehow gets to the core of their being and really understands who they are and where they are coming from. And he is smart! My little broseph Joseph can code with the best of them, build computers from scratch, and I can call him from three states away and he can troubleshoot my computer for me! Amazing! This past year I've been able to watch (figuratively) Joe transition out of an incredibly hard year with grace and poise that most people would kill for.
 It's crazy for me that the little Bud whose diapers I used to change, who I taught how to ride a bike and swim, who used to flying-side-kick me and who I could run blocks around is now over half way out of his teens, and fast approaching college & adult hood. Crazy.

It has been one of the biggest joys of my life to be sandwiched between this two incredible men, and as we always say to each other: At the end of the day and our lives, it's just the three of us against the world! And man, am I lucky to be their sis.

On top of seeing my incredible brother (wish you could have been there Brade!), I also got to take in some of my special home-state that I have been craving since I moved away and see all of my friends. I could write a whole blog about how special Oregon is to me (oh wait, I already did), but instead I'll just post some of the best pictures I took in the day and a half that I was there:

taking stock

Is April seriously half way gone already? We've lived here for four months people! It feels like we've lived here forever, and it also feels like we've lived here for a day. But Arizona is finally starting to feel like home. Here's a little update on our lives down here:

Making: Actually nothing right now! Paul made us a coffee table a few weekends ago that we have to stain but that's about it!
Cooking: Again, not too much.I did make some iced coffee this morning? 
Drinking: ^^ iced coffee can cure almost anything, I think. 
Reading: I'm re-reading this amazing series of books called the All-Souls Trilogy, written by a history professor named Deborah Harkness. She is a fantastic writer and I can't resist a fantasy fiction book with roots in history. They are SO good, and the last of three comes out in two months!
Wanting: a new sleeping bag! We're going camping in a few weeks and realizing that some of the things we left behind in Oregon would come in handy right about now..
Looking: at bear and penny spooning. So freaking cute. 
Playing: seriously anything to keep Bear occupied at this time. He's teething so bad and chewing up everything in sight so we're just trying to divert his attention
Wasting: i don't know right now. Probably money, we had to turn on the AC for a few days this week which sucks, we we're trying to wait until May but it's been ridiculously hot here this week. 
Wishing: for a little rain! just a little and i'll be happy!
Enjoying: this weekend! It's been really relaxing and we definitely needed it after a super stressful work week. 
Waiting: for it to cool down! fingers crossed guys. We have four fans on right now but it's not really doing much!
Liking: penny right now. she's been acting out a ton over the past week or so but today she has been the sweetest. 
Wondering: whose social security number is 000-00-0000. seriously. that would be so nice!
Loving: how our little home is coming together! after four months of DIY projects and little purchases here and there, it's actually starting to look like human adults live here!
Hoping: to see my parents soon. I miss those suckers
Marveling: really at nothing right now but i am loving this new fan we have thats pointed right at me
Needing: duh duh duh. new underwear. probably tmi but whatever. 
Smelling: our scensie! we put in a new smell today: clean linen. yum
Wearing: shorts and a sports bra. too hot to wear anything else. 
Following: lately I've been looking at a ton of home decor blogs. these ladies are so crafty!
Noticing: how when the clock strikes 7 Paul and I are immediately tired. Feeling old because of that!
Knowing: that I'm getting my hair done next week.. I can't even tell you how excited I am! It's been 6 months and these fake blonde locks don't like their owner right now!
Thinking: Wouldn't it be weird if hair actually had feelings? 
Feeling: excited for work this week!
Bookmarking: work clothes. Tryin to figure out what the hell I'm going to wear to work when it is 120 degrees here. No ideas so far..
Opening: bears mouth to find a collection of rocks. what is he thinking?
Giggling: at bears mouth. he's losing all of his teeth right now and looks like he took out his dentures and forgot to put them back in
Feeling: sleepy, hot, excited

some questions & answers

i am the hugest fan of Inside the Actors Studio, as every one who knows me well can attest to. I love hearing how people came to be where they are now. I love how creative people can be (mostly because I am the least creative person ever). But most of all, I love the questionnaire "invented by Bernard Pivot at the Buillon de Culture" [as James Lipton would say]. So in honor of this fantastic series, heres my answers to the questionnaire and I challenge you to think of your answers!

1. What is your favorite word? my favorite word in the whole world is Zarf. I got my dad a rare words book when I was about 14 and zarf was the very last word in the book. It is the actual name for a coffee sleeve!
2. What is your least favorite word? i despise the word "bored"
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Most of all, I think there is nothing better than a fantastic song. And it doesn't have to be one song, but there always seems to be a variety of music that is inspiring
4. What turns you off? Rudeness. 
5. What is your favorite curse word? This is a new one for me, and probably inspired by a certain Wilson but i love saying "HORSESHIT"
6. What sound or noise do you love? The noise of trains! As my mom would say, its the noise of industry!
7. What sound or noise do you hate? When you move a straw around in a to-go cup, it makes this nasty squeaky sound that is just awful
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would absolutely love to own my own scuba diving shop. I can't imagine anything better than being in the ocean every day. 
9. What profession would you not like to do? I would hate to be a judge
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? April Fools!

this weekend

Paul and I haven't had a weekend just us in so long, so this past one we decided to spend some quality time together. We made no plans, talked to no one, and did what we like best: made things from scratch.
We've been throwing around ideas for a coffee table for a long time and this weekend just seemed perfect to get started! Wood working is kind of a one person job, so while Paul was figuring out how to make our table, I was deciding on a project I could work on. After pinterest and buzzfeed searches I finally settled on a project and got to it.
We had another two hour Lowe's trip [the people there now know us by name!] and got all of the wood that we needed, headed home and got to work! This time the table and art only took us a day and I became very handy with a jigsaw and a sander but we did it! Oh and we had an amazing sushi date! Finally realizing seafood isn't all that bad down here. Another perfect weekend for the books!

 Our Lowe's Cart

I'm wayyy to proud of building this frame!

 Our workstation!

The finished project!

Paul's table will be in the upcoming living room post!

You can take the girl out of the city..

But can you take the city out of the girl?

Since Paul and I started dating he has slowly waged a movement towards getting me to like [shock] country music. And [bigger shock] it's working!

This started by sneaking on country radio when I wasn't paying attention in the car, singing songs to me, and the next phase of this was a concert.

That's right people. Paul and I went to a country concert this past weekend and [biggest shock of all] I actually liked the music. You'd be hard pressed to find a concert I wouldn't go to, especially when there is beer and sunshine involved, and this one wasn't any different.
We went and saw Lady Antebellum and Kasey Musgraves with a ton of my coworkers/new friends this past weekend and had the best time.

And i think maybe just maybe I'll start listening to country music on my own between my regular classics like the Beatles, Elton John, Queen, The doors and the rest of the world of music that I love.

Us at the concerts with work friends!

When I have more time I'll post more about work and all of the amazing people, but for now.. check out how Beaver Orange this carrot juice my coworker got me at lunch is! 

awakening

Even though it is March [gasp] already, i thought i would share with you guys what my new years resolution is. It's so silly but I never really feel like it's a new year until like June but this year with all of the changes going on in our lives everything has been new. I generally like to pick a resolution that is fun for me and that i can make exciting, and this year is no different! My past ones have been to make every meal more colorful, to try something new every months, etc. This year, i knew there was going to be a lot going on in my life that i just wasn't prepared for.

As my friends & family know, i am a pretty consistent, stubborn person. When i find something that i like i tend to stick with it and never change my mind, and i don't try new things very often. This year i knew that that just wouldn't be an option for me because i was moving completely out of my comfort zone leaving Oregon and all of my habits and go-tos along with it.

 So in honor of change, i made my new years resolution to be more open-minded.

I know this might seem like a pretty broad idea [and it is] but i wanted a simple phrase to repeat to myself when i'm scared and feel like retreating into a safe zone. And believe me, everything about moving is scary and unknown. So far some things have been easy, like being open-minded to eating sea food in a land-locked state [for my fellow PNWers you can probably appreciate how terrifying this is]. And some things have been really hard, like making new friends and opening up to people. But as i continually challenge myself to step outside of my box and be more open to the world, moving has become more of an excitement and less scary. I don't mean to say that i wasn't excited about moving, because i was, but for me whenever i venture into the unknown theres always a little voice in my head that says 'what if...' and 'wouldn't it be easier to...' I think a better way to say it is that this move has been challenging, but my sticking with my resolution it has been more like an adrenaline-heart-pumping-oh-my-god-rollercoaster-challenge and less of a 'im-too-scared-lets-go-back-challenge'

So here's to challenging yourself and keeping an open-mind!

madison

A few weeks ago Arizona was made a lot more lovely by the arrival of the sweetest person I know, my dear friend Madison. Her visit was short and sweet and we talked & laughed all weekend, and it was perfect. I could write about how great the trip was [which it was], but i think i'd rather give you guys a little glimpse into the fantastic world of being Mad's friend.
If you're lucky enough, then you know what it is like to have an unexpected friend. And that's what Mad was to me. unexpected. In fact neither of us wanted to live together! But somehow we found ourselves in our dear Chateau one summer four years ago all alone in that huge house for three months. And after about a week of weird hallway passing and 'see-ya-laters' we found ourselves actually getting along, which was definitely a shock to me, and i'm sure it was to her too! As the summer went on we had the best time. And it became the beginnings of a fantastic friendship. Not one of those friendships because you live together...an actual friendship. Over the next two years Mad's incredibly kind heart and spirit became a rock for me. and BONUS- she is hilarious! and goofy! and sensitive and welcoming and opinionated and fierce. I can go on and on and on. And I think anyone who knows her will agree with me 100%. She is a shoulder to lean on and a silly dance partner and can talk about politics and serious issues with the best of them. I learn something about being a fantastic human being every time i speak to Mad and I couldn't be more grateful for her friendship. And that is the reason that those 72 hours of her visit were the best. Because even if it was just one hour I knew i would be a better person after, and because i got to see my sweet, unexpected, lovely, graceful, crazy friend.

 love you so much Mad and I'm a better person for knowing you!

Taking Stock

Making: more diy projects! This weekend Paul is finishing up the table with more staining and a sealant, and I am making simple art to hang around the house!
Cooking: Really?? Well as I'm out of cheerios my go-to has been strawberries in lactose-free milk. I LOVE dairy but over the past few years realized it doesn't love me. Since I switched to a dairy free life my tummy has been way happier!
Reading: Nothing right now! I'm on the hunt for my next good book... suggestions?
Wanting: honestly? nothing right now. 
Looking: at Bear and Penny play in the yard. I love how they are such buds
Playing: music all day long! Pauls choices? Country. Mine? Classic rock. [and musicals, duh]
Wasting: away the sunshine. because I get so much by accident i try to stay out of it as much as possible. Sorry Oregon family!
Sewing: ummm nothing. I should sew buttons back onto Paul's shirts though. 
Wishing: that August would come sooner! I just got my save the date in the mail for Madison and Tyler's wedding and got SO excited. 
Enjoying: work! I love the atmosphere and all of the people and feeling like I'm actually doing something that I am good at. 
Waiting: for Paul to get home from his third trip to Lowes today. Such a dude.. I can't keep him out of that store!
Liking: life right now. It feels like everything is falling in to place!
Wondering: what else i can make for the house for under five dollars...
Loving: work! give me a few months and I don't know if I'll be saying that but I can't wait for Monday!
Hoping: that Bear's teething ends soon. This dude is chewing EVERYTHING, including his supposedly 'indestructible' bed
Marveling: at how good it smells here today! Juniper, orange trees, sunshine.. yum!
Needing: to go to the store 
Wearing: my favorite jeans, a flowy grey tee and white converse! Perfect Saturday outfit.
Following: bear around. this teething has resulted in lots of chewed up socks so i'm trying to nip that in the bud
Noticing: my skin! think i'm actually getting some color [shock]
Knowing: that this year is going to be a huge one for me. I don't know how or why but i can just feel it
Thinking: about how excited I am! Paul and I are going to a rodeo tonight! 
Bookmarking: book clubs! It's something I've always wanted to do and I think i've found a good one in town!
Opening: mail!!
Giggling: at paul, always.
Feeling: prepared

ode to Oregon

its funny how a teeny tiny piece of plastic can change your life. Today i got my Arizona drivers license and Paul got his Arizona license plates, and it feels weird. We've lived here for two months and its definitely settled in, but I knew & know that at some point we'll go back to Oregon. But for now... we're Arizonans. Which is so weird. There's something extremely special about being from the Northwest and it's completely tied in with my identity. So in honor of my sweet special home state, heres a list of my favorite things about Oregon:

-how when you fly home and step of the plane theres that sweet sweet smell of rain and trees and something you can't really but your finger on, but you know you're home. 
-the rain. which never. ends.
-when the rain does end [even for five minutes], somehow everyone flocks outside to enjoy a brief glimpse of the sky
-voodoo donuts. i've actually never had one [shocking I know]. but how theres some cult following about pastries. Only in Oregon!
-you can hike anywhere
-its so green!!! I didn't know how much I loved that silly color until I moved to a brown world
-the way the pear trees at my dads house change colors in the fall
-the sunsets!
-how i know our state animal, state bird, state tree and state flower because i have that much pride about my state
-that our state animal is the beaver! so fitting for a logging state
-attempting to see the green flash at Seaside even though its always too cloudy
-the gray days in winter.
-wearing scarves and boots and jackets- all year round!
-the beer!! I am a beer girl at heart and Oregon has the best beer, and so many types!
-the christmas lights on the trees downtown
-how eighty degrees feels like 120 [trust me, it actually doesn't]
-by the time it's April everyone gets so excited for summer when it actually doesn't show up until mid-July
-camping in the forests
-camping anywhere. even when its 30 degrees and rainy
-curling up in front of the fire at my moms house
-knitting being socially acceptable
-the blues festival
-that people actually get spray tans and lie in tanning beds! Its so ridiculous!
-coffee shops. everywhere.
-the homemade chai at Interzone. If you live in Corvallis and haven't tried it, you're missing out.
-Crater Lake, Mt. McLoughlin, Klamath Falls.. the list goes on
-The view of the mountains from Paul's moms house
-cruising down the river on Brizo
-The beach, the river, mountains and the city all being within a days drive
-Multnomah Falls hiking [they also have the best ice cream]
-Powells!
-Food trucks that actually have good food
-Timbers, Blazers, Hops. Even if they aren't the best teams, the city loves them and stands behind them, because that's what people from Oregon do
-River place marina and all the memories I have there
-how every building at Oregon State is made of bricks! It makes it feel so homey and is beautiful 
-when it snows people freak 
-that everyone gets in swimsuits when it gets over 55 degrees! [makes me shiver now]
-how when people say 'the mountain is out today' everyone knows what it means
-the huckleberry milkshakes at Burgerville. RIGHT?
-how they turn the deer on the Made In Oregon sign into Rudolph during the holidays
-OMSI
-lastly, my absolute favorite thing about Oregon is how it feels, because it's home.

bag lady

i'll admit it- i'm a snoop. i think you can pretty much judge a person by what they carry around them, and for that reason i'm completely obsessed with 'whats in your bag' blog posts. i can't get enough of them! so to satisfy all of you fellow snoops here's a glance at what is in my bag.

[1] Sunglasses are an essential in Arizona and these are my go-to! Even if i'm wearing gym clothes i automatically think i look cooler when i throw these babes on; Ray-Ban Wayfarers, 55mm in tortoise shell
[2] This moleskin day planner is my life. As most of you know i have what can only be described as the memory of a goldfish, and without this planner i would be lost; Moleskin day-by-day calendar
[3] What kind of a lady doesn't carry around a wine-opener? Am i right or am I right?
[4] As a dogmom i have to carry around bribes with me! And my sweet pups are allergic to everything so these all natural peanut butter cookies are Penny and Bears favorites; Nutro Crunchy Treats in peanut butter
[5] i unfortunately am one of those people with oily skin. This face powder is my savior; Smashbox Halo powder in 'fair', and kabuki brush
[6] gum. need i say more?; Orbit gum in peppermint
[7] i have no idea why i had stamps in my purse because i don't even own envelopes!
[8] Living in the land of sunshine my lips are constantly chapped and this stuff is heaven; EOS lip-balm in mint
[9] sometimes my fair skin needs a little lift and this lip/skin tint always does the trick; The Balm's 'Staniac'
[10] in case of an allergy attack i pretty much always have some sort of medicine on hand; Sudafed Pain & Pressure
[11] looking for a great eye highlighter for tired mornings? this stuff is amazing; Smashbox 'Photo Op' under-eye highlighter
[12] I've had this wallet since i was 16! i love it, and i think it loves me too; Hobo clutch
[13] the one absolute necessity in my purse- an extra dog leash; KONG large-dog leash in cobalt

As most of my friends [and definitely Paul] can attest, i have an abnormal amount of purses. I have a tendency to go through 'purse phases'. When I get a new one I usually use it for months and months until it's time to change it up, and folks I am definitely in a purse phase right now. This Kate Spade tote was a Christmas present from Paul's dad Mike and step-mom Kristin and guys, its amazing! It's safe to say I'm in love. I've been using it basically non-stop since Christmas day, and I don't see this phase ending any time soon!

"adjustment"

Adjustment. Adjusting. Adjust. 

I have been repeating variations of this word to myself for a month. And I have been given some great advice, and some not so great advice- all of which has included this word.
I have come to strongly dislike this word. "You'll adjust to the heat." "You'll adjust to the move." "You'll adjust to not having family around." "You'll adjust to having no friends." Over and over and over again.
I do not like this word and I DO NOT like adjustment. Somewhere over the past two months adjustment has slowly turned into appeasing myself. Lets face it- I love having my family around, I love the rain, I love having friends. and, I love Paul, I love that we moved to Arizona, and I love how our relationship is growing and our life down here.
It is incredibly hard not having my family and friend here, but that doesn't mean I have to adjust to anything and I have been trying to trick myself into this thought for so long that it has been driving me crazy! I think it's okay to be sad about everything we left behind in Portland, and I will be, and I don't think that will ever change. But that does not mean that I have to adjust. and i won't.

Let me be a little clearer- I miss Oregon so much. This move have been incredibly hard. I've been alone a lot of the time, without friends or family or anything to do. But, at the same time it has been incredibly rewarding. I have thought day in and day out about calling my mom and asking her to fly me home for the weekend, but I'm not going to do that. And here's why: I have lived and loved in Oregon my entire life. But i love Paul more. And we owe it to ourselves and to each other to start our own life in a place we don't know, and grow and love a new place together. Having no friends is so hard for both of us. Paul is a very stoic kind of person and would never admit that, but I'm not as strong as he is. I'm moody and impatient and impulsive, and he grounds me. And living here has made us so much stronger. More than I could ever imagine. We've had to come up with ideas of how to fill our time and have fun with nothing. We literally moved here and had nothing. Don't get me wrong, we are both super fortunate to be able to afford the live we're living, both have salaried jobs, and so much love. But what neither of us has ever had to deal with is a huge excess of time, with nothing to do. With this time I've had to confront myself on a daily basis and really evaluate the kind of person that I'll be.

So, for that reason I've decided that I am never going to simply "adjust". I'll grow.

Reppin my Beavs today. Miss you, Oregon. 

If you can't stand the heat....

In my life, the kitchens in my houses have never been just places to cook.
It's the room where a family comes together.
At my dads house, most of my major life events have taken place in the kitchen. I found out I was going to college in that room. I was standing in there when I got the phone call that my grandpa had died. I introduced my guy to my entire family there. It's where we have all our serious conversations, and where we stay up until four in the morning drinking wine and laughing. When family comes into town, we go immediately to the kitchen for hours to catch up!
And I think I've spent more time in my mom's kitchen than the rest of her house! It is far and away the best area of her home [I think], and even though she hadn't lived there that long by the time Paul and I moved, we had some amazing times in that room! Not to mention, my mom is a phenomenal cook. She could challenge Julia or Betty to a cook off and win. [I wish I had gotten that gene!]
To me theres just something so comforting about kitchens for this reason, and now I don't even usually associate kitchens with food. Is that weird?

When Paul and I first moved to our new house, the kitchen was the first room that was completely unpacked, ready to go and felt lived in. I seriously didn't even care about setting up our living room [probably why it wasn't set up until we had lived here a month and a half.. whoops], i just was focused on the kitchen! Especially because we were given so many amazing kitchen appliances for Christmas that I was getting to unpack for the first time! [Thanks mom, dad, Joe, Braden, Nancy, Mike and Jeannie for all of those amazing gifts!]

Every morning when we wake up at 5am [yikes!], while Paul hops in the shower I run into the kitchen, turn on the coffee pot, and usually assess the damage from the night before.... if i haven't climbed back into bed again! When I actually wake up for the day [usually around 630], I put the dogs outside and get to work! I would love to be the kind of person who can't sleep with a dirty house but I just don't have the motivation when it's bed time [nothing can come between me and my bed when I'm tired]. So my first job of the day is always cleaning the kitchen. I don't know how, but Paul and I go through SO many dishes! I mean, it's a little ridiculous. I can't cook to save my life so the majority of my dishes are coffee cups, but Paul somehow manages to fly through at least five dishes a day. Throughout the day as I attempt to make lunch and snacks [usually a PB&J or a smoothie.. or an avocado.. or carrots...Paul always tells me I eat like a rabbit] I end up cleaning the kitchen A LOT. And when I'm not cleaning the kitchen, or running around chasing my dogs, or sitting outside, you can bet I'll be sitting at our kitchen table!

I could literally talk about our kitchen in everyone of my blog posts, but to spare you guys my rambling I'll just get to the pictures [thats the fun part anyway!]

So here it is, a little view of my favorite room in our house.