living in limbo

New Blog

2010-11-13T16:06:00.000-08:00

In anniversary of it being 1 year since my previous blog post, I started a NEW BLOG!! Marcy and I started a new blog- and he keeps claiming that he plans to post frequently on it as well- we'll see! Anyway- check it out:

www.somewheredownintexas.wordpress.com

Happy Halloween!!

2009-10-31T01:04:00.000-07:00

I made a video for my sister-in-law. It's a Happy Halloween/Happy Belated Birthday and i wanted to share it with everyone. BUT- can't figure out how to post it on here. So i'm just putting the link!
ps- yes, i stole it from a friend. Hope you don't mind Jen :)

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/lwOHc4OrcFAlBmxG

Fall is HERE!!

2009-10-25T13:07:00.001-07:00

I have to apologize that the pics are not where they belong. Blogger will not let me move them for some reason!!!
Marcy's is the headless horseman on the left. Mine'e the Trick or Treat.

It has Finally started to cool off here in the Rio Grande Valley and it makes it feel almost like FALL!!! i am LOVING it!!! (and let me clarify- "cooling off" down here means it's been high 70, low 80s). Beautiful!!

So here's a little bit of what we've been up to.

My birthday was Oct 12th, which happens to be Colombus Day. We got the day off school/work and decided to go spend the day at the Beach and not to ANY wedding planning!!! It was a Beautiful day at the Beach- Sunny, breezy, 80 degrees. Spent a few hours enjoying the sun and then Marcy took me to Pirate's Landing for dinner. It's this "pirate-themed" seafood restaurant- but it's actually pretty nice and Really good food! I had blackened halibut, crab cakes, and some pretty amazing stuffed shrimp!!

Last Monday our ward had the BEST activity EVER!!! Let me explain- There is an extremely generous family in our ward that has a home that sits on 5 acres. They donated 1 acre to the ward for a "ward garden." There is Another guy in our ward that is an organic commercial citrus farmer. He has been the leader in this project and donated the first round of seed/plants. SO- Monday night was Planting night. We had a lot of members show up and we planted broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, and artichokes. He is also gonna use a machine to seed plant carrots, cucumbers, and some other things i cant remember. Oh- and we're also planting potatoes. So anyway, we spent monday night working side by side with everybody, digging, planting, burying, etc- and it was Awesome!!! There were families with kids and everybody was helping. I can honestly say it really was the best activity i've ever done. Got to talk to a lot of different people. The weather was great, and there's something really cool about digging in the dirt, getting dirty, to help things grow!!! We had Great turnout, and i'm excited to see how things go over the next few months!! I went by yesterday and everything looks alive still- and no weeds yet- but i'm sure that will start soon!!! (Pictures are forth-coming!)

Along with fall stuff comes Halloween- I am not going to be here for Halloween but i LOVE carving pumpkins!! It's one of my favorite things. Marcy and i didn't have anything to do last night. It took ALOT of prodding and convincing to talk marcy into going with me and getting his own pumpkin and carving one... But he finally gave in and we ended up having a really good time! And his Pumpkin turned out Great!!!

I'm leaving town on Friday to go home to AZ for some wedding planning and a bridal shower. I'm super excited about seeing my family and getting some stuff done, and even going to a Marcos football game! But i'm sad about missing halloween. (At school, everyone is dressing up on Friday as their favorite book character- i was gonna be Fancy Nancy- guess i'll have to try next year). Marcy is gonna spend the evening hanging out with his sister and passing out candy :)

Wedding planning is going well and starting to slow down. We got our engagement photos back and they are Fantastic!! Marcy is very photogenic! I don't have them with me Currently- but i'll get a few up as soon as i get a chance!!

October Already!

2009-10-08T14:56:00.001-07:00

My sister reminded me today that my last blog post was from July, so i guess it's time to do a quick update on my life!!

I moved back to McAllen, TX in August. I ended up back in Arizona less than a week later to attend my dear grandfather's funeral. He passed away rather unexpectedly, but i'm so glad i was able to attend his funeral, and celebrate his great life and the wonderful family that i am a part of.
Thanks to the help of MANY other people, and the Lord keeping an eye out for me too, i finally got my housing and job situation straightened out. I got a GREAT job working in an elementary school library. i LOVE books, and i'm getting great exposure to the different grade levels. I'm taking a college algebra class at the community college working towards my teacher certification- i should be able to start teaching next fall.
The apartment i'm staying in is furnished and free thanks to the great generosity of some ward members. Marcy and i are attending the same ward- i got a calling teaching the 16-17 year old sunday school class, and marcy is in charge of locking up the building on wednesday nights after mutual. Marcy and i are both Really busy, but we enjoy the time that we DO get to spend with eachother.

And- in case you haven't heard, Marcy and i are Getting MARRIED!! Marcy proposed after i'd only been here for a couple weeks. He wanted it to be a surprise, and he knew that if we went anywhere special, that i would be expecting it. So instead, he proposed while i was sitting on the sofa eating a fudgesicle and watching TV on a saturday :) Definitely Caught me off-guard!!
The ring is beautiful and Exactly what i wanted- actually, even prettier than i imagined!! i wish i could fingure out how to take a better picture of it! (i think it's just my hand i don't like)

The date is set for December 19th here in McAllen, TX. The plans are coming together really nicely. But it is DEFINITELY keeping us BUSY!!

The pics below are from us taking time out for FHE this last monday. We decided to make a paper chain counting down to the wedding. We'd been talking about it for a while and finally got around to it! Monday was 75 days. Today- it's 72. It makes me nervous just thinking about all the things we still have to do!!

I just want everyone to know that I am So happy!! Things in my life are busy and a lot of work, but i feel SO BLESSED every day as i think about how things have worked in my life for the last few years. The Lord is SO much more aware of us and involved in our lives than we have any idea of. If we can just learn to trust him, take leaps of faith when we don't know what the outcome will be... the outcome will always be what is Best for us!!

july is OVER??!!!

2009-08-03T20:02:00.001-07:00

I cannot BELIEVE how fast this summer went!!! I won't say i wasn't busy- i got to do a lot of travelling and visiting friends and family! I just can't believe it's Over!!

I have to apologize- with everything i've done- i have been in a really "anti-picture-taking" mood. i Always have my camera with me... i just really don't feel like taking pictures anymore. So here's all the pictures i've taken in the last month. This picture is from the beginning of July when i was in Utah (AFTER san diego). i took Lola on a bike ride by her house and we got out and got to see some of the horses and cows that live by her.

This is from Lunch at Zupas with amy and lola. sorry- no pics of me or amy.

I drove back to phoenix on the 4th of July and spent 2 weeks at home in AZ. THEN i turned around and drove Back to Utah on Monday the 20th. i drove through A LOT of rain and storms on the way- this pic is from the scenic overlook just south of Jacob Lake. All that blackness- the storm i just drove through. It was much prettier from up here than being in the middle of it!

I made it to Utah just in time for Lola's 2nd birthday. i KNOW this is not a good picture. But she was having a lot of fun. She got dress-ups of Belle, Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty- along with matching shoes! so fun!!

This picture is from shopping with Julie after spending 4 hours laying out at the pool. These shoes were only $11. And she didn't buy them. Can you believe that?

These pictures don't quite do them justice. They were SO sparkly!!

After we walked out of Nordstrom Rack we saw this car. And yes- i am missing texas.

These are the ONLY pics i took at our family reunion!! My mom's family hasn't had a reunion in like 13 years. We stayed at a Beautiful Resort in park city in these super nice condos. It was So fun to visit and catch up with everyone. and it is so COOL in Park City- like "i need a jacket at night" cool. i LOVED it!! These 2 pics are from the family talent show. Each family prepared a Great skit. Our Family- we don't really "do" skits. So we got the grandkids dressed up and made them dance around for a while.

I wish i had a video of this. It was great!

Marcy flew out to Utah on Monday night and we spend Tues, Wed, Thurs in Utah. We went to BYU, Temple Square, the Oquirrh Mtn Temple Open House, provo canyon, park city, etc. We had a GREAT time. He got to meet a lot of my extended family and they all really liked him too :) We also did dinner one night with my parents, russ and selena, and amy and marcus, in honor of russ's birthday.

Friday we drove from salt lake to az- with a stop at the north rim of the grand canyon. Beautiful- but i wish we'd had more time to spend there!! We stayed Friday night in Flagstaff so that we could go to my oldest nephew's (colton) Baptism in Cottonwood on Saturday morning. That was another great family event! Scott and Clint came up from phoenix.

Anyway- marcy picked up these matching t-shirts for us at South Padre Island and had them airbrushed with our affectionate nicknames for eachother. aren't they lovely??

And this is the hat he bought for me while we were at the outlets in Park City. Which brings me to the next step in my life.

I'm MOVING TO TEXAS!!! i decided about a month ago and it feels like things are really falling into place. I have a place to stay and a job lined-up working as an aide with the Pre-K kids at an elementary school. I'm so excited about the chance to move back and be a Texan again!! But again- i can't believe it's so SOON!!!! I'm hoping to leave on August 10th!! 1 week!!! I have so much to do! But i'm so happy about how things are working out and it's so nice to feel like i have some goals and i'm moving forward!! The end of "living in limbo" might be in sight!!!

sorry it's been so long...

2009-07-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

This is gonna be more than you ever wanted to know about my trip to San Diego!!

My best friend julie flew down from salt lake and then we drove over to san diego a few weeks ago. We got there monday afternoon and stayed until friday morning. It was a Great week! and thanks to clint's generosity with a free hotel room- it was pretty cheap too!!

The first few pics here are at Sunset Cliffs on Ocean Beach. We ended up there by accident, but i think it was one of the coolest places we went while we were there. There was a bunch of tide pools we got to explore. Mostly a bunch of crabs- but we also found this big EEL!! Too bad we didn't have anything to poke it with...

Look close and you can see the eel! and i just Loved these Crabs!!

Tuesday morning we got up and drove out ot Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument. We wandered around the old lighthouse, learned about the defense of the coast in world war two, hung out in the visitor's center, and wandered down to the tide pools. It was overcast and breezy and cool. It was AWESOME!! And julie made friends with this little lizard...

To get to the monument, you have to basically drive through part of the Naval Base. There's a national cemetary there and we stopped to look at that too. Very, very cool area!

That afternoon, we got a little lost, but we eventually found our way to Balboa Park. We kinda just wandered around- we ended up in this botanical "building" that was SO cool! Then we ended up in the Japanese Friendship Garden. Little pond with the fish, and Bonsai trees. Pretty cool.

This was the display of all these different kinds of Orchids. i've decided that they are my Favorite!! SO Pretty!

One of the only pics that jules and i took Together while we were there!!

Collection of Bonsai trees :)

Tuesday evening we went down to Old Town and wandered in some of the shops, spent $40 between us in the candy store, and had dinner at this Great pizza place :)

Just some of the fun things we found in the shops in Old Town :)

Wednesday we decided to go to the Zoo. I haven't been to a zoo in a long time! We took the bus tour when we got there- got a good view of most of the zoo. But some of the other cool stuff we saw- the reptilie house, the INSECT house full of bugs, there was an aviary with different kinds of hummingbirds- VERY cool, and we saw a bunch of really colorful lizards that we really liked. And of course the pandas were cool :)

After the zoo, we ended up driving back to point loma to check out the tide pools again, but it was still high tide. we asked around and ended up driving along the harbor (which we LOVED) and ended up at some aircraft carrier/museum that we wandered through. Also very cool! After dinner at the fish market- we headed back to the hotel!! (Our hotel was super nice and had indoor heated pool, outdoor heated pool, and hot tub. I think we ended up down there every afternoon/evening. The weather was Perfect!! )

This was an Acutal ship that was moving through the harbor! Jules and I were thought this was pretty cool!!

Giant memorial on the harbor by the museum- and then the aircraft carrier museum.

Thursday morning Jules and I went back to Balboa Park. We went to the Hall of Fame sports museum, and the Car museum. Both were pretty cool, but we didn't spend very long there. We were ready to get to the beach!! The weather was gorgeous and we spent a good few hours out there!!

After enough sun to get a nice burn, we got some food and went back to the hotel for a little more pool time :) we went to a late movie (The Proposal- Great movie!!) and then packed to leave the next day! We had a nice road trip Friday driving from San Diego to Salt Lake.

I'm disappointed in myself that i didn't take any pictures AFTER i left San Diego. I spent a week in Utah catching up with family, friends, mission companions, roommates, and even some dog-sitting. But mostly i spent my time hanging out with my sister and my niece Lola.

And to catch you all up on the rest of my life, i'm back in Arizona for a couple weeks, and i'm headed up to Utah again on Monday. I'm spending 2 weeks up there- including a family reunion and Marcy is coming up for a week, too! and THEN- I'M MOVING TO TEXAS!!! Yup- i'm finally getting things together, and after a year of "living in limbo" i'm finally gonna have a Plan!! And it feels Great!!

The last few weeks...

2009-06-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

...have been VERY busy. I'll try to fill you in and keep things brief.
My dad's only brother, Steve, passed away on May 29th after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. It was a very sad occasion and he will be dearly missed. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, coworker, and friend to so many. I haven't been to many funerals in my lifetime, and I'm very grateful I could attend this one. As hard as it is, I think it is very healing to be surrounded by family, friends and loved ones during such times. Steve's parents, siblings, children and grandkids were there, as well as my parents and all my siblings. the funeral service in Utah was beautiful, as was the graveside service in Idaho.
Steven Ray Sorensen was born Oct. 18, 1949, in Mesa, AZ, to Bert and Raeola Sorensen. His early years were spent at the P.Z. Ranch near Winkelman, AZ. By age five, his family had located to Phoenix, AZ; and at age 14 to Winslow, AZ, where Steve graduated from Winslow High School in 1967.Steve began college at Northern Arizona University on a music scholarship. He interrupted his education to serve as an LDS missionary in the Kentucky/ Tennessee mission. After his mission, he continued his education at Ricks College in Rexburg, ID, and later at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, where he earned a B.S. in history and a M.S. in library science.Steve's greatest loves were his family, LDS church history and fishing a dry fly. In 1974, Steve married Mareen Peterson in the LDS temple in Provo. In 1980, he began a distinguished career as an archivist for the church, serving many years as the Director of Church Archives, a stimulating job that took him to many areas of the world. Steve's significant contributions to the preservation of the church's history were acknowledged by many, including the Mormon History Association, which awarded him its highest distinction in 2006. At the time of his death, he was an editor of the Joseph Smith Papers.Steve's earthly life ended May 29, 2009, at the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA, where he had been a lung-transplant recipient following a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He slipped quietly away surrounded by his wife and seven children.Steve is survived by his wife Mareen; seven children, Dane (Cassandra), Kirsten (Jason) Carson, Andrew (Merilee), Ernest (Melanie), Jon, Annikka (Jason) Fluckiger, Curtis (Emily); 11 grandchildren; five siblings Douglas, Susan Bryson, Andrea Rhoton, Gwen Higginson, Jean Zufelt; and his parents.Steve's family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses at the Stanford University Medical Center, including the Heart and Lung Transplant team, as well as Dr. Tracy Hill in Provo, UT, who worked tirelessly to allow Steve to spend more precious time with his family and loved ones.

Engagement pic of Steve and Mareen.

Steve with his Dad when they returned from their mission to the Philippines.

Steve and my Dad on one of their MANY trips together.

There are countless pics of Steve with his grandchildren- he Loved spending time with them.

The Cabin in Idaho

The Grand Tetons in Idaho.

I flew to Utah Thursday morning to attend the funeral that morning. I stayed at my sister's house and spend thursday and friday with her and lola and the rest of my family. Saturday morning we drove to Idaho for the burial in Ashton, and then drove back to utah late Sat afternoon, so we could get up Sunday morn and drive back to Arizona. It was a lot of driving, but I'm so glad I was able to attend. It gave me more a sense of the wonderful family I'm a part of and I'm so proud of the heritage I have.

This was the Last pic I took with my camera on my trip before the battery died :( Just Lola and I brushing our teeth together. She loved to come in the bathroom while I was getting ready and play along. I wish I had a pic when she put eye shadow all over her face!!

A picture from one of the Many stops I made with Dan and my Parents on our drive home from Utah. It was a Long drive, but quality time with my family. This pic is from when we stopped at Lee's Ferry. We got out and wandered over to Lonely Dell while my dad gave us history of the area and the people who settled it. It is an area that he had visited with his brother, Steve, so I felt like we got more information than the average traveller. Steve was a Historian for the Church, and Exceptionally knowledgeable about the early history of the church in Utah and Arizona.

Back in Arizona, I had only ONE WEEK left at my current job. It flew by so fast! I have been working at Physiotherapy Associates in Tempe, AZ since September. While I have enjoyed working there and learned a lot, I have felt strongly for a while that it is time for a change. I'm not looking for a change in job, but more a change in Career. I have been working as an Athletic Trainer since I graduated 4 years ago. I enjoy my work, but I am totally burned out on the hours and having work dominate my life. So after a couple vacations, I'm looking to get back into school and maybe get my teacher certification. Still weighing my options :)

These are pics from my last day of work. The little package i'm holding is actually my Gigantic Purse- graciously saran-wrapped and compacted by a few of my co-workers. Thanks a lot guys :)

One of the therapists I work with was also leaving Physio- so we had a big get-together at Majerle's in chandler. I didn't take any pics that night, so I had to steal some from other people.
Bethann and Austin.

My favorite girls I spent the last 10 months working with! Nicole, Megan, and Katsy.

The last thing I need to blog about is my trip to Texas this last weekend. I had not been planning to go back to Texas anytime soon- I was just barely there 5 weeks ago. However, I was talking to Marcy on the phone Thursday night and he informed me that he was planning to get baptized on Saturday evening. I knew that Marcy had started attending church and meeting with the missionaries, but he hadn't mentioned much about how things were going, and I'm not one to push. Then with everything that was happening with my family and the funeral and travelling, he didn't feel appropriate bringing it up. I am So glad he told me when he did! Thanks to helpful parents and a VERY generous family friend, I was able to arrange a flight out Saturday morning and make it in time for the baptism! SO- after a 12 hour work day friday and a party at Majerle's, i made it home late friday night to make hotel arrangements, rental car, and cancel/reschedule everything i had planned for the weekend. I got it all pulled off, and surprised Marcy at his house Saturday afternoon about an hour before the baptism!!

The baptism was a Beautiful service. His parents and sister came and were Very supportive. There were also a lot of ward members there. I'm excited for him and it comforts me to know that he has so much support from friends and members of the ward.

This is outside the church after the baptism.

The rest of the weekend was a lot of fun!!! It was one of the Only trips I've had to texas that I wasn't on a tight schedule and just had time to relax and enjoy myself. Marcy and i were able to spend a lot of time together, talking and learning and connecting- it was just Really good!

Sunday afternoon we got to spend a few hours with good friends and their new baby. I felt so at home there and enjoyed catching up with people that were like family to me while I lived in Texas. We got to have dinner Sunday evening with Marcy's family. I love hanging out with them and they always make me feel like part of their family. This is a pic of Marcy's parents- they are Awesome!!

Monday was a nice day that Marcy and I got to spend together- and we kept ourselves busy. We went to lunch, and bowling, and swimming at the hotel, and dinner, and went and hit golfballs at the driving range! It was just a Fun day!!

We bowled 3 games- and the scores of the last game were pathetic- but i'd like you to notice the Overall Scores of the 3 games. I Finally found something I can beat Marcy at!!

So I was in Texas from Saturday to Tuesday. I had a great time and I'm SO glad I got to go and be a part of such a special event in Marcy's life and hope that I can be a continued support for him as he continues to learn and grow in the gospel.

As for me- I'm back in Phoenix and working on a plan for my life. I'm headed to San Diego next week for a vacation with Julie. and Then up to Utah for a few days. Eventually I'll come up with a plan and start acting like a responsible adult again. For now I'm enjoying vacations and trying to figure things out :)

no more posts

2009-06-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

i lost the charger to my camera battery. and the battery is dead. so my camera is useless, and THEREFORE there won't be anymore blog posts til i can find my camera charger. i hope it's soon. because i don't want to disappoint the hundreds of people who check my blog daily waiting for insights and updates about my ever exciting life!!
and while i'm at it, i'll remind all of you that tomorrow is my LAST DAY at my current job! time for VACATION!! :)

Escaping the city

2009-06-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

I’m beginning to notice that most of my posts have a theme about how great it is to get OUT of phoenix and… this one is no different!! Alison and I took a quick drive up past payson on Saturday to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. It’s only open for the next few weekends and then closed for the rest of the summer. I’ve been trying to get out there for the last few weekends and finally got a chance. It was PERFECT!! It sprinkled on and off and we got a little hail, but it was cool and breezy and red rocks and green trees and it was GREAT!!
If you’ve never been up there before, it’s an easy hike down to this giant natural bridge and then you can climb around on the rocks and boulders to your hearts content!! Just make sure you’re wearing good shoes! Alison was the adventrurous one and pushed us to follow the ½ mile trail along the creek and out the other end! It was PERFECT!! This on is right at the base of the bridge/cave looking back out! it is GIGANTIC!

You have to notice the People to appreciate the size of this place!

that's alison in the red sweatshirt on top of that rock!

Alison taking pics from behind.... right beffore i climbed up that boulder. Long arms and legs were very helpful down there!!

Good thing that my hat and my shoes apparently have glow in the dark strips on them :)

Creeks and pools... too bad they don't let you get in the water :(

It was so green and pretty! i LOVE arizona!!

Alison hiked up some more when we reached the end of the trail- she had more energy than i did!

After the hike we were STARVED (well, i was anyway) and KFC hit the spot!! and had to take a pic with the colonel :)

memorial day weekend :)

2009-05-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

This has been such an AWESOME break from work!!! i got off work on Friday at 12:30 and don't have to be back til Wednesday Morning!! I haven't really had a day off since i started back in September, so it's also a Much Needed break :) And an added bonus is that my sister and her family got here on Thursday and i've been able to spend the weekend with her- and some of my other nephews and niece! Just a few pics of me getting to play with Lola and Dacie

Other than playing with kids, i haven't been able to find much to do :( i have spent HOURS looking for some kind of project or something to keep me busy. i finally found a sewing project i liked and did it this afternoon. Kept me busy for a few hours.

i found it in this book of silly creatures. This one is a "Hexapus"- like an Octopus but it only has 6 legs. Not the best project i ever did, but it still turned out cute :) and my Lola likes it, so that's all that really matters!

can you call it art?

2009-05-19T16:46:00.000-07:00

i came home this afternoon and this is what i found... we might make it permanent. maybe pot some plants in it?
my parents are remodeling the master bath and the toilet was replaced today... but i'm really not sure the contractor or plumber meant to leave that there...

While i was outside taking pictures, i snapped one of the flower bed. In case you remember, i planted all new flowers in march during spring break. and they still look awesome!! Except a few of the petunias, they have all grown and blossomed and are still doing really good! we'll see how much longer they last in the summer heat of phoenix...

I wasn't Born in Texas...

2009-05-17T16:26:00.001-07:00

...but i got there as fast as i could!!
Most of you know that i spent 2 years living in Texas- Mission, TX to be exact- down in the Rio Grande Valley. I Loved my time there! i made great friends and learned and grew so much! And i love having an excuse to go back and visit!
I took 2 days off last weekend and made a trip down for 4 wonderful days! i knew they would be busy, but i fit in as much stuff as i could!! I flew into San Antonio and my amazing boyfriend drove up from Mcallen to pick me up at the airport. We went to lunch and wandered around the mall for a few hours before we had to get going.
My roommate, Sandra, that lived with me for about 6 months before moving back to utah, was getting Married!! The wedding was at the San Antonio Temple and it was Beautiful!! Sandra is one of the best people i've ever known. She is so kind, and compassionate, and loving, and works so hard!! She taught me SO MUCH the 6 months we lived together and i just love her to death!! i'm so happy for her that she met such an amazing man and i'm SO happy that i was able to be there and celebrate with her!! Sandra and Alfredo.

Sandra with her family- that i came to know and love while i lived down there!! i was so glad they made the trip up to san antonio! her nieces and nephew are so cute and so much FUN!!

LOVE this girl!!

After the wedding, Marc and I drove back to Mcallen that night. we didn't get home til after midnight and we were EXHAUSTED!! Luckily Friday was gonna be a little slower day!

We did some grocery shopping because we were gonna make dinner for his mom on mothers day. there was a small argument about mushrooms :) but we worked through it. Marcy let me go by the school for a little while to visit with coaches, kids, and coworkers. i Love seeing everybody! the RGV was home to me for 2 years- and i think it will always feel like home to me! the people there are Awesome!! We spent the rest of the day going to lunch, hanging out with marcy's dad, looking at apartments and even managed to squeeze in a nap! Friday night we went to Sandra and Alfredo's wedding reception in Mcallen. Again- just fun for me to see and visit with people :)

SATURDAY we got to spend at the BEACH!!!! i LOVE going to south padre island!! i LOVE that it's so close! We took a walk on the beach in the morning, went to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center (which marc has never done before! it's so cool!!), and ended up laying out by the pool instead of the beach cuz it was super windy!

This is at marcy's parents trailer. they have a lot out by the beach for the whole summer!! Sweet!!

i tried to load this picture 3 times, and it keeps loading sideways. but i guess it doesn't really matter. this is one of the turtles at the rescue center. you can't really tell- but they're pretty big! and so close! but don't stick your hands in- they'll bite your fingers right off!!

Can't get enough of this guy!!!

You know your boyfriend is awesome when he'll put up with you making him take pictures like this!!

Marc about to feed one of the turtles. apparently they love romaine lettuce?

Laying out by the pool- trying to get rid of some hideous tan lines!!

We had to head home from the beach saturday afternoon because we had a big night planned!!Marcy did the most AMAZING thing ever and bought us tickets to go see GEORGE STRAIT!!! any of you that know me, know how much i LOVE country music and i have been wanting to see George for YEARS!! i was totally Ecstatic and had to believe it was more than coincidence that he happened to be in concert in the RGV the weekend i was gonna be there! I was so giddy and excited! and George lived up to every expectation!! he was Amazing!!! i LOVE when i have a chance to get dressed up and wear my hat! my boots and belt are regulars in my wardrobe- but the hat is for special occasions :)

LOVE this guy! he is the BEST!!

Sunday was we busy trying to get dinner and dessert started before we went to church at 11. then we only stayed for the first hour because we were going to marcy's parents house to eat at 1:30. we made lasagna and salad and garlic bread- nothing too difficult but it was Really good!! and at least his mom got a break from cooking on mother's day! (although... i'm pretty sure she ended up doing the dishes? oops...)

My flight left mcallen around 6 and i made it home around 11PM- only to get up at 5 and start the week over again! i was totally exhausted- but it's always worth the trip. and i hope i have a reason to go back again soon!

In other news- in case you were interested- i turned in 30 days notice at my job this week. i'm gonna take a nice vacation this summer and then figure out what i'm doing with my life- for REALS this time. it's time to swith careers or something- maybe go back to school. we'll see what i come up with. i'm planning on getting some quality thinking time in idaho and utah this summer.

getting out of town

2009-05-16T16:52:00.001-07:00

i was really needing to escape from life this week- so i took off wednesday afternoon and thursday and spent a couple days with my brother and his awesome family in cottonwood! i have 3 nephews and a niece up there and i LOVE that i live close enough to see them- but i definitely don't make it up there as often as i should!
i got to hang out at their house with them wed afternoon and then take all the kids to the park while colton had baseball practice. Then i stopped and bought them all candy on the way home- i'm not the favorite aunt for nothing!! The kids are great- i can't believe how old they're getting and how fast they grow up it seems!! and i LOVE spending time with my sis-in-law Alicia. she is amazing has been such a great counselor, confidant, and friend over the last year. what a Huge blessing in my life!!
These pics are from quality Dacie and Aunt Kerri time on thursday morning. The boys were at school, and alicia had some errands to run, so we got to hang out, just the 2 of us. These were sitting on the porch swing in the morning. SO nice outside!

Feeling Crafty

2009-05-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

Things at work have slowed down a lot with spring sports and i've found myself with a little more time on my hands. In an effort to keep myself entertained, i started working on some kinds of crafty things. This is an apron i made for my boyfriend's mom. i've been wanting to make one for her for a long time- but never got around to it. i borrowed the pattern from my sister and she helped me pick the fabric too- it turned out SUPER cute! I was down there this last weekend and gave it to her for mother's day! she loved it!!

I was so excited about it that i decided to make a 2nd one. This one i gave to one of my coworkers for her birthday- she was pretty excited. you can't really tell in the pic- but i used red thread to sew it and it really stood out- just a little more fun :)

I made these 2 picture frames for my mom for mother's day. i bought really basic wood frames at michael's and then used scrapbook paper and spray adhesive. i sanded the edges and used some chalk ink to make it look older. i was pretty impressed with myself how they turned out.

And then there's this random picture on my camera. Sometimes on my lunch break, i grab lunch and head over to Kiwanis Park close to work. i keep a blanket in the back seat of my car- so i sit out and eat. and these ducks get fed WAY too often- they're not afraid of people at all- they just wandered Right up to me. so instead of feeding them, i took their picture. However- i won't be doing this again for a LONG time- it is SO HOT here now!!

Trip to Utah

2009-04-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, i'm feeling like a bum because i went to Utah last weekend and only took like 4 pictures. But i decided to put them all on here and fill in the blanks?

Phoenix is a concrete jungle. i commute 40 miles each way to work and back 5 days a week. i spend nearly 2 hours a day on freeways and stuck in traffic. I was really needing a chance to get out of town, and realized i haven't been to Utah since October!! i still have family and friends up there, so i bought a ticket and went up for 2 days.

My friend Julie came and picked me up. She is SO much fun to hang out with! i don't realize how much i miss her until i see her again! (like when i got in her car- there was a bag of mounds candy bars with like 12 empty wrappers- Totally Julie!!)

We went to Mimi's Cafe for breakfast- which was Amazing!- and then went shopping. My sister Amy and my niece, Lola, came to meet us! Lola was shy for a little while, but eventually warmed up to me :) She is So dang cute and has grown up SO much since Christmas when i saw her last!!
We ended up back at Amy's house just hanging out for a while. We went to dinner at Rubio's and then went over to Grandma Rawson's house to hang out! Me and Grandma have always been close and i really miss visiting with her on a regular basis.

Sunday I hung out at Amy's house. We made Taco's for dinner and my brother, Russ, and his wife, Selena, and Grandma came over for dinner. Julie came over to hang out too. SO much fun!

So, nothing too exciting but a great break from my busy, work-filled life, and much too short! The only down side to the 2 day trip was that it RAINED the WHOLE 2 DAYS!!

Lola- climbed into my bed and made herself comfortable :) Jules, Me and Lola outside of Rubio's after dinner. QUICK picture cuz it was SO cold outside!!

Lola- saying "cheez" when we take her picture! But if you tell her to smile, she closes her eyes! Toss up- funny lips or closed eyes?

Lola and me- again, she's saying cheez :)

At the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. To be honest, the only reason she's letting me hold her is that she's really scared of that bear.

Easter Saturday :)

2009-04-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

I know this post is long overdue- i just didn't have my camera for a little while and then was out of town. But- i'm back in business and excited about Finally having something to do a new blog about!

The Saturday before Easter i got together with my 3 best friends and their husbands at Jen and Russ house. (Yes- i was the only person there without a spouse). The night was SO much fun!! We (the girls) dyed Easter Eggs together, while the boys BBQd and talked amongst themselves. Then we ate dinner- some super yummy grilled salmon, couscous, salad- everything was great! and THEN we watched a great "Easter" movie. My friends thought for a long time trying to think of a movie about easter or bunnies or something... so we watched House Bunny! i know it's a stretch- but it was SO funny! Overall had a great time!

The finished products.

and this is what the boys did. BBQ-ing and other Boy stuff.

2 weeks of Spring Break!!

2009-03-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

okay, so i didn't ACTUALLY get 2 weeks of Spring Break. As most of you know, i spend my afternoons working at a high school. My spring break was March 7th-14th. Instead of just relaxing for the week, i decided to use my extra time to get LOTS of things done! i had a chance to straighten out my finances, send some important emails, update my resume, wash and detail my car, get new tires, get my windshield fixed (FINALLY!!), plant flowers in the flower beds out front, make an appt to get my eyes checked, take the dog with me to hike Thunderbird mtn, a trip to the temple, and even got a chance to finish my book and start a new one.

BEFORE i cleaned out the leaves from fall and old dead flowers.

And after i finished planting the new ones. i was pretty proud of myself. Now i'm doing my best to keep everything alive!!

Marcy had his Spring Break the 14th through the 21st. and he decided to spend it with me :) He got in Saturday night and i LOVE seeing him!! We went to eat that night at BJs at Desert Ridge. Great food and Great ambiance. AND, the suns game was on and we got to see my brother on TV!

Marcy was a great sport for the week and tagged along with me at the high school for 3 afternoons!! He hung out in the training room, got water ready, loaded the golf cart, hung out at softball games with me, cleaned water bottles, sat at track practice with me, and even met with my school principal and several of the coaches (all of whom were trying to talk him into moving here to AZ and they'd give him a job). It probably wasn't marcy's first choice for how to spend his spring break, but i appreciate his good attitude. Spending time with Marcy is the best! no matter where it is or what we're doing!

Marcy and I both enjoy eating out. and we did ALOT of it while he was here. it's possible i put on 10 pounds in 7 days. We ate a little of everything: BJs, Qdoba, Wingstop, Quiznos, KFC, Amado's, Cinnabon, TGIFridays, Carlos O'Brian's, In-n-Out, Sneaker's Grill, AND Dairy Queen. BUT when we weren't eating out, we did find some fun things to do!!

Wednesday night we went to the Suns Game! Superfun time and our seats were great! Marc took some good pics that night!

Thursday night we got together with some of my friends and their spouses and went to a Spring Training game: Padres vs Mariners. Marc and I both wore our Padres shirts- but we were pretty stoked to see Ken Griffey Jr playing for the Mariners. But the best part of the game was just hanging with friends :)

Overall it was a great week! but like they say, all good things come to an end. Marc had to fly back to Texas on Saturday morning. He's been gone for 3 days and i miss him already. Time to settle in for the next 6 weeks til i get to see him again!

Valentine's Day

2009-03-21T19:46:00.001-07:00

i know this is a little late, but i just barely got some of these pics. i went to Texas last month to visit my boyfriend, Marcy. He is wonderful and made this the best valentine's day EVER!!

It was a quick weekend for me, but totally worth the trip. i got in late friday night so we didn't do much, but i did have flowers and cards and gifts waiting for me :)

Saturday morning, Marc had to coach a basketball game, so i finally got to go and watch him in action. And even though his team got beat pretty bad, he's still a great coach and the kids love him.

We went to lunch that afternoon and watched a movie- just enjoying spending time together. I don't know how many of you have ever had a long-distance relationship, but they're not easy. More than anything, i just miss being in the same room with him.

Anyway, he had reservations for us that night at La Boca Paila, located at Rancho El Charco in La Joya, Texas. Translated into English, we ate at this cool restaurant on the lake at a ranch outside of town. We got there a little early, and got to watch the sunset over the lake and even go on a wagon ride through the ranch- they have some cool animals and an old church and a few other things- (they hold a lot of weddings and special events out there.) The wagon ride was narrated with history of south texas, including bits by John Wayne himself.

The restaurants was cool, and food was great. Service left a little to be desired, but it was a busy night. They had a live band set up after dark and things really started to fill up. It was a beautiful night and i was ready to be somewhere not so loud. Marcy and I ended up on his property by the river. We put down the tailgate on his truck and got to talk and look at the stars. i saw my first ever lightning bug (or fire fly? i think they're the same thing?) Then Marc put on some music and even attempted AGain to teach me how to dance. All things considered, it was a wonderful night and i couldn't have asked for anything better! My boyfriend is so good to me and i love him so much!!

Sunday consisted of Catholic mass in the morning, a trip to the cemetary, and then a couple hours of Mormon church. My favorite thing about Sundays in Mcallen is that we always go to Marcy's parents' house for dinner. His mom always puts a lot of effort into making a special meal while i'm visiting, and this was no exception. I really love spending time at Marcy's house with his family- they're so much fun and i'm so comfortable with them. Overall, it was a Great weekend!!!

Sunday afternoon with the girls

2009-03-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

My 3 best friends from high school are all living here in Phoenix. We try to get together still as often as we can. This past Sunday was a great reason! Amber gave birth to Baby Harrison 2 months ago, and they were blessing him at church on sunday. So naturally, we all went to sacrament meeting and then skipped the last 2 hours of church to go back to Amber and Cory's for lunch. Just a few of the pics from the event.

Everyone got a chance to hold that ADORABLE BABY!!

And another side note- Amber is definitely tackling being a new mom better than anyone i ever new. and she's SO DANG CUTE!!

People Watching

2009-03-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

For any of you that have never spent the month of March in the Phoenix area, it is the time for Cactus League Baseball. There are 14 MLB teams that play their Spring Training games in the area. Don't get me wrong, i can enjoy a good baseball game anytime. But the lawn seats at these games are the Best!! i have very fond memories of ditching high school at lunch time and coming over to watch these games. You just throw down a blanket and spread out! There is good baseball food, LOTS of sunshine, and some of the most interesting people you'll ever meet! (or maybe not "meet" so much as "stare at through your sunglasses so they don't know you're looking" and "take pictures of them while you pretend you're taking pictures of something else") My friend Alison and I caught the first few innings of a game (after showing up an hour early on accident) a couple weeks ago. Here's the only pics we had!! but don't worry- i plan on taking LOTS more next time! But to get the full effect of everyone trying to show off their bods in the outfield lawns, it's just something you'll have to experience for yourself!!

PS, this is my first time trying to post pictures, so sorry they're at the top and not the bottom. Notice the guy in the Background of the first one. He was NOT the only old dude exposing himself in public.

Pakistani Kite Festival

2009-02-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, you read that right. i know that i just said that my life wouldn't consist of any exotic vacations, and that remains true. but thanks to my awesome cousin Chelsea always keeping her eyes open for fun things to do, we got in a culture packed saturday afternoon right here in phoenix. We headed out to the far end of Mesa for a few hours on saturday to enjoy the 7th annual pakistani kite fesitval And we had a blast! it was a BEAUTIFUL day outside!! There were a lot of people wandering around in traditional clothing (and plenty of people dressed like americans- we weren't too conspicuous), henna tattoos, vendors selling clothes, jewelry, food (if you're interested, ask me sometime about the chicken...) and KITES. i can't remember the last time i flew a kite, but i had no idea it took so much skill. at least these kites did. they're very small, light and fragile. making matters slightly more difficult, there really wasn't much wind. the guys that are pros at this weren't really affected. but for amateurs like ourselves, this presented a huge problem. Chelsea and I actually tried a couple times ourselves resulting in quick crash landings and a torn kite. a quick trip to the kite repair table and some help from the "professionals" was all we needed. we had a very nice man from Bombay, India volunteer to help us out and he was a Great teacher!! He got the kite pretty high, showed me a few tricks, and then let me take over. it was actually a lot of work, but so much fun!! i'm anxious to get out and try it again.

Preparing pakistani food. we tried a few different things. and they were very different tasting.

Getting my first Henna Tattoo- that i definitely didn't leave on long enough.

Me and my Indian friend teaching me how to fly the kite. i did A LOT of watching.

He was ABOUT to hand it over to me.

i FINALLY got it into my own hands!

The kites in the sky on a beautiful day!!

i'm officially a newbie

2009-02-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

so i decided since the rest of the world is giving in, it's probably my turn. However, it could be months before i tell anyone about this... if i ever tell anyone at all. I have been pretty hesitant to even make an attempt at this for several reasons. who needs one more thing to do? i have 2 email accounts, facebook, myspace, reading everyone else's blogs, and after all that, still trying to fit in some face-to-face interactions with those around me. but my number one reason for holding out is fear that i won't have anything to blog about. All of my friends that do this are married, and it's mostly a way for them to post pictures and stories about every cute thing their kids do. or their new homes and decorating projects. or vacations to far ends of the earth. mine isn't gonna contain any of these things. i am a 27-year old single person that works way too much, and doesn't take vacations because i can't get time off. however, i tend to keep myself pretty entertained, so i'm gonna see what i can do with this. just give me a little time.