Let's Do This!

Finally, much thanks to my cousin Kate, I've opened up my long discussed Etsy shop!  Now having done it, I'm not sure what took so long!

I'm starting with pillows since it's a minimal initial investment but I'd really love to get into duvets, curtains, and even shower curtains or tablecloths.  I added my little "widget" on the right side of my blog so if you're interested it will take you right there :)

I've got a couple more pillows up my sleeve...just need to get the perfect fabric and get sewing. 

If any readers out there have any suggestions or ideas....this girl would love to hear them! 

Addicted

.....To Indexing....

So, there is an awesome website called FamilySearch.org where you can discover your geneological history.  I'll be honest, I've never used the thing, but I know a TON of people that do. 

I got an email from a lady at church the other day explaining how you, well...I, could help the process.  Basically you look at old documents and then you computerize the data so it can be searchable.  It allows people to access whatever documents are connected to their ancenstors!

Like I've said, I've never actually used the site, but I've always been interested in geneology, PLUS, the nerd in me that isn't working 45 hours a week anymore, actually enjoys the work.

It's super cool :)

This is me being productive at work

So, this is a super rare opportunity for you folks. 

Not because I am ashamed of how my body looks, but because I think it's weird to splash it around on the internet.

ALAS....

In an effort to share with people I don't get to see and purely for the sake of documentation when I print this out....here is what the two of us look like at 6 months!

Yes, that is my desk, at work, at 4pm, when I didn't feel like doing anything else. Maybe you can actually thank my brain shutting down for this rare opportunity.....

Here's the Rundown

Alright folks...this is the worst blog famine I have created in a long time.

Sorry!!!

1. Work (good excuse right?!)
2. Tyler's school (lame excuse...don't judge)
3. Got nothin' else you'll likely except :)

Life is good to us, we've gotten a lot of good family time in, went to an awesome ward Christmas brunch, finished this dumb semester, gone to the sand dunes.....we're happy, but obviously nothing crazy is happening....hehe

I'll post before Christmas you have my word (and if you're lucky you'll get some pictures!)

Sewtime Showtime

Yee-Haw!!! My first big girl sewing machine!

You'd think with the sewing I've done up to this point I would have a nice little machine....well I didn't. So, this is the debut of my most recent purchase!

She looks so beautiful and valley-girl'ish, but trust me...I've done some research, and this is a hard core thread pumping machine!

Once this pretty little girl shows up at my door I will have a whole new adventure in front of me.

Trust me, you'll hear all about it!

I Got Nothin...

Sat here for too long trying to think of a post title, so you don't get one today :)

Life has been crazy and I know that isn't much of an excuse, but whatever, it will have to do (just like my lame title, haha)

1. You saw that I went to Chicago from my prior post. I was there for work for 4 days and then stayed for another week to visit my family and Tyler flew up to visit as well. That was his first time east of Arizona! Here's some pictures:

We ditched church and got White Castle....ooops!

Out on the glass at the top of the Sears (Willis) Tower

4th of July Fireworks with the Family

With the oxen that pull wagons around Nauvoo

The 4 acres that Tyler's ancestor owned in Nauvoo

Tyler in the Mississippi River where the pioneers crossed

1. I had a big pitch in California for some work I have been doing around the Yogurt category layout. I worked with some people in suggesting the best Yogurt set for Safeway 5 years from now (A set is literally the 'set' of shelves that yogurt sits on). Does it have more Kid yogurt, what flavors should stay, where should we put organic yogurts....all of that fun stuff.

2. Went to Santa Barbara with my work team. We had some good brainstorming and also some good team bonding. I got to eat at an amazing restaurant called Downey's, got a coconut cupcake from one of the shops on Cupcake Wars, and went on my first vineyard/winery tour.

I'm not a drinker, as I'm sure many of you know, but it was an educational tour so we got to go behind the scenes and see how they harvest and actually make the wine. Did you know there is 23 POUNDS of grapes in one bottle!? Crazy. So long story short, it just smells like vinegar and alcohol, so I still don't get why people like it so much, but it was intersting to learn about.

3. Christie and Dan (Tyler's brother) had their baby! Durham Everett was born Tuesday, July 13th and I haven't seen him in real life yet, but he is SO cute in pictures!!! I can't wait to snuggle him up! So, there's the highlight real!

My Recent Sanity

So...some of the best things about my job are the people I work with, I know that is SO cliche, but, meet Pam........

This is us at a little office outing to Bucca de Beppo where we absolutely stuffed ourselves! Don't get me wrong, this isn't a Pam love fest (love ya Pam!!), BUT it's people like Pam that make my days go smoothly.

I love people that are equally as goofy, but appropriately serious, not afraid to be totally crass or abrasive (becuase trust me, I can hold my own in that department), and have such a kind heart at the same time.......

those are my kinds of peeps :)

Pretending to be Vietnamese

You read it correctly! I made a Vietnamese Spring Roll....the bonus....we got to do this at work for Asian Pacific Heritage Month! The rice paper was super sticky, so I was pretty proud of my quality. I'm such a nerd.

I Can Always Count on Jane

Friday was a stinky day for me.....work was pretty awful, Tyler went on a boys trip, and my hips were feeling particularly large that day. :)

I got a call from my friend Lyndsey who was also having a stinky day (woot woot!) and she wanted to go grab some dinner at Paradise Bakery. We both got some yummy sandwhiches with pasta salad and soup, plus some yummy cookies to make us feel better about our lives...hahaha.

I decided I would wrap up the night with a good cry so I came home, curled up and watched my girly movie: Sense and Sensibility

Please believe me when I say this is one of the best movies ever!!!!!!!!!! You all need to watch it!

I can always count on Jane Austen to make me feel like a hopeless romantic and I love every second of it!

A Few Key Points About My Life

1) I love working for a food company.....instant dinner without grocery shopping!

2) I have not spent one red cent on something frivilous for myself in quite a while (except for that $2.10 at Jack in the Crack, but after a puppy poops in your car....it is NOT a frivilous expense). Let me just say I am incredibly dissapointed in myself for acting like this is such a big deal! Heaven forbid I might actually save a few bucks BUT I just want to buy something. This is my new resolution, to not 'want'. Go ahead, wish me luck with that, haha

3) I have not found a good time to exercise and so I don't. I have decided I will never find a good time to exercise so I'll just have to suck it up and use the bad times (like 4:45 in the am...AHHH)

4) I love drawing floor plans. Love Love Love Love it. I will build a house one day and it will be everything I could have ever wanted. I love putting all my big fancy dreams down on paper. (Note...this doesn't go very well with #2)

5) No matter how grouchy, rude, ungrateful, snotty, and unkind I am (and trust me, sometimes I am) I am continually blessed by my Heavenly Father. His hand is unwavering in my life and is the only constant in which I have come to place my reliance. Even though I may feel like being the opposite I cannot deny that I am continually thankful and amazed at the blessings Tyler and I are given.

These Are a Few...

1) I hate to admit it, but I am absolutely in love with the new Miley Cyrus song. IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Listen here: Party in the USA

2) I am so glad I went out with the ladies dancing on Friday night. I forgot so much, including how much I love dancing. It is tough to convince boys to dance with you when you have a wedding ring on, but it was worth the good time. I'm so thankful for a confident husband.

Come with us: Paragon Dancing for only $5 on Fridays

3) I'm starting a tri-healthalon at work and the winning team gets a pair of customized running shoes....Yoga-Booty-Ballet....here I come!!

That's right friends; I bought it, and I love it: Yoga Booty Ballet

Rollin' with the Homies

So...post number one in a series of quick catch up posts so prepare yourself!!!

Colorado Springs

I had never been to Colorado before and I had heard so many great things so I was really excited when I found out we would be having some work meetings up at the beautiful Broadmoor Resort.

The Broadmoor Hotel & Resort

Me and the Homies
(on what I'm sure was a pure silk couch)

Not only did I get to stay at this mansion estate of a resort but I really got a good taste for Colorado as well. We each got to pick a 'recreation' for our second day at the resort...now understand this is a 5 star Luxury place and the spa is ranked in the top 5 in the nation or something ridiculous. What did your girl do????!

JEEP TOUR!!! Why wouldn't you want to drive around in the beautiful weather soak up the sights, go for a hike and cross over 7 waterfalls, see the Garden of the Gods, and drive through an old gold mine railway?

That is way better than getting a little foot rub if you ask me :)

Near the Top of Pikes Peak
(standing over a waterfall)

Garden of the Gods

This picture does not do the Garden of Gods justice. The landscape was so green and lush and then there would be huge red sandstone formations just jumping out of the ground. This view is actually from a higher view and then we drove down through the canyon. There were little spots like this for at least 10 square miles. It was awesome! I also got to see these guys:

Our jeep driver said he had been driving this path for about 10 years now and this was only the second time he had ever seen these rams come over the side of those cliffs. The man who actually built the Broadmoor in 1910, also built his estate in the Garden of the Gods and the Rams live on his property. It was really awesome!

View of the Broadmoor from Cripple Creek Railroad

To top it off we all got some really nice gifts from our company for the close of the fiscal year. It was a nice little reprieve from the daily grind at the office. I can't wait for next year...where could we go next!?

It's Rainin, It's Pourin, The Old Man...You get it

I'm in the big "T"....Texas! Boy is it muggy down here! There is a ton of thunder, a little lightening, and I think it will probably rain tonight. I guess I have always thought of Texas as the desert. I picture the Alamo with dust devils and tumbleweeds, but it's so green here! It's beautiful! BUT....no thank you wet air...my hair doesn't like it, my sweat glands don't like it, my clothes don't like it....I don't like it....hahaha.

I just got some yummy room service...hallelujah for people that don't mind being anti-social because we are all tired. Long day of work in Tejas! It's time to curl up, eat some pasta, and watch some reality tv.

Whoa Whoa Whoa...where did it all go!

My time is just escaping me! I've been traveling for work and out of town for fun so I am running behind in my posting :) Right now I'm in Minneapolis ready for a training. It is about 50 degress and drizzling. It is such a refreshing change from the Phoenix heat. I am a cold weather girl at heart that is for sure! My favorite thing is to walk or run in the cold so after our AMAZING dinner tonight (sea bass that just melted and an amazing tangy sesame sauce with asparagus), we walked the 1/4 mile back to the hotel...sorry girls! Mmmm...it was so nice!
Well, it's 10pm in the big MN right now so I better get some beauty rest for tomorrow.