Strawberry Templetons

change is happening!

2010-08-04T15:48:00.000-06:00

Not only have I just recently (and finally) moved into my new, darling house with my darling boyfriend, but I've also accepted a new job! Wow. The house is not yet organized, but it is slowly starting to feel like home. As for the job(!!), it has a much more stable schedule, and I can't wait to start it! Just knowing that I won't be going in the field anymore makes me sigh in relief. I'm sure I'll miss my little excursions a bit, but I'll have free time (and energy) to take fun trips, rather than work trips. Yay!

I once said I'd never go caving.

2010-07-08T16:31:00.001-06:00

photo of Waitomo Caves in New Zealand.

Our experience wasn't like this at all, but oh my, wouldn't this be amazing?!

I seem to be on an adventurous kick! I like to think of myself as a risk-taking lady but lately, I've been even more so. There used to be certain boundaries I wouldn't cross. No longer.

This past weekend I went climbing (normal), mini golfing (not out of the ordinary) and CAVING. Yep, as in squeezing my claustrophobic self through tiny, tiny spaces. As in getting stuck and mildly freaking out, and then getting unstuck. As in climbing in dark, damp, thin crevices, ten feet above a small stream for a long way. It was completely scary, but I felt completely tough after I made it back out. I also felt completely bruised, but mostly tough. And the greatest thing about it is that I didn't flip out, and I even had a good enough time to want to do it again.

Have you ever gone caving? What's something you've done even though you were terrified to do it?

what the cuss.

2010-06-22T14:45:00.001-06:00

Have you all seen Fantastic Mr. Fox? What a treat it was! I have a huge spot in my heart for children's movies, but something about this one made me not very interested in seeing it. That is until a bunch of friends that I never imagined would like it, did in fact, like it. Wait, I mean love it. They loved it! And so, I rented and watched it last night with the boyfriend. The only regret I have about the movie is that I didn't watch it earlier! Oh my, it was so charming and clever. I don't buy many movies, but I feel this is one I must own. What do you all think. Have you seen it? Did you love it too?

it's time for an update.

2010-06-14T14:30:00.000-06:00

via On a High Note

Since I've last written, so many things have happened!

I dressed as Yoshi for the 1st Annual Mario Kart Pub Crawl! It was so much fun. About 12 people dressed up, and we made it to 9 out of the 10 bars we planned to go to. All characters were represented except Mario and Luigi! Funny, right?

photo by the boyfriend

The mixer was used yesterday to make a delicious lemon cake. The recipe I used is called "1, 2, 3, 4 cake" and I got it out of my new cookbook "Pie in the Sky". It's a cookbook specially designed for those that bake at high altitude. For each recipe, it gives different proportions based on your altitude and breaks it down by sea level, 3K, 5K, 7K and 10K. I'm at 7,200 feet, and I've tried making other recipes that are typically baked at sea level. My cakes always come out deflated and way too dense. But not with this new cookbook! The cake turned out perfect. I couldn't be happier!

Pie in the Sky Susan G. Purdy

This past weekend, the boyfriend and I celebrated the big ol' one year anniversary! We spent the day in Denver checking out the Science Museum, eating at awesome restaurants, and shopping (because Laramie is void of decent stores). We also decided to move in together! It's true. And, as luck had it, the place where I had already signed a lease (the one with the split kitchen apartment) was really flexible about letting me out of the first apartment. As more luck would have it, they told us that they also manage a few houses around town. And as even more luck would have it, they had one house available. And it was perfect. And we took it! It is red with white trim (and lovingly called the gingerbread house), has two bedrooms upstairs, one bathroom, a large kitchen with a gas stove AND a washer and dryer (my favorite part) and a huge yard. Oh! And it has a balcony off the bedroom upstairs, and a front porch. It really is exactly what I wanted.

photo by yours truly

I can't wait to show you all the projects I have planned for the new house. We don't move in till August 1, which means the growing season will be nearly over so no planting this year, but next year a garden is definitely going in. :)

oh.my.goodness.

2010-05-23T17:13:00.000-06:00

photo by *Cinnamon

You guys. I don't know how many of you already have a stand mixer, but up until last Wednesday, I did not. And as I'm sure you've guessed, now I do! This is amazing. I've joined the club! No, I didn't buy it. I didn't win it either. My mom sent me her old one, because somehow she'd acquired two kitchenaid mixers. Gift, gladly taken!

I used to try to make recipes that called for a stand mixer, without a stand mixer. My thought process went something like this, "My grandmother didn't have a stand mixer, and she made all sorts of amazing goodies! So there." Maybe my arm isn't strong enough, maybe my whip isn't fast enough, but the recipes never turn out! Never, ever. So I began to pass on any recipes needing a mixer (which is a ton of recipes!). But no longer! Now, I'll be a mixer extraordinaire. Just you watch! :) Any suggestions for recipes I must try?

I've been working in the field a bunch lately, and am heading out again on Monday (have I told you I'm an archaeologist? Well, I am.) so I won't have time to use it just yet, but soon. Very soon. And I'll surely show pictures.

photo by yoshiart.com

P.S. June 5, Mario Kart Pub Crawl. I'm going to be Yoshi. I can't wait to show you my costume.

photo by netmen!

P.P.S. The Lost Series Finale is on tonight. Goodbye friend. You were a good one, and a super confusing one, too.

big decisions.

2010-05-19T14:05:00.002-06:00

photo via Just be spLendid

I've been reconsidering most everything in my life lately. Job, education, everything. I feel stuck and tied down, and at the same time like all of my strings have been cut and I have nothing to lean on for support. It's a conundrum, I tell you. Do you ever feel like this? How do you deal?

I have a counselor friend. He tells me that in between the life phases of adolescence and adulthood, they've recently added "Odyssey". Aptly named, and I think I'm right in the middle of it. I'm wandering. And searching. And wandering some more. When will I find what I'm looking for? How will I know I've found it? This life thing is hard.

(top two photos: unknown photo source. know the source? message me.)

the new place.

2010-05-14T14:18:00.003-06:00

photo via A Violent Yet Flammable World

Lease terms for apartments in Laramie is a strange business. Because it's a college town, all rental places try to secure leases for August (i.e. fall semester) by the end of May (i.e. the end of the current school year). This means that you're out (among throngs of other rental searchers) looking for a place, putting down a deposit, and signing a lease for a place now, but you won't move in for three months. When I lived in Arizona, you never had to fight the crowds for places. People/complexes were always renting and there didn't seem to be any pressure when looking. Not so much here. Because everyone is looking, there's immense pressure to find a place, and claim it as your own. And so, I did.

After looking at a few places that are run by the rental company I go through now, I decided to pop over to the old west hotel that is now an apartment building. What I found were very inexpensive strange/charming apartments, in the heart of downtown, and with a laid back manager. Awesome.

The apartment itself is a normal one bedroom, one bathroom. It has plenty of space, beautiful hardwood floors, and a great view overlooking the stained glass windows of the church next door. There's only one thing that held me back from proclaiming it mine immediately, but I think i've worked out how to make it a good thing, rather than weird. This so-called weird thing is regarding the kitchen. It's split! And by split, I mean, it's really split. Half of the kitchen is in one place, and the other half, in another. I'll fill you in on why. Because the place is an old hotel, for my apartment they took two hotel rooms, and joined them together. On the kitchen/living room side, what was a bathroom in the hotel room was turned into the kitchen. When it first became a kitchen, all appliances, storage, and sink were in the little area. In my particular apartment, when they replaced the refrigerator and stove they decided to get larger units so those pieces were moved into the living room, along with a free standing cabinet. The sink remained in the old bathroom and they put in lots of cabinets. Initially, I thought, "no way, going back and forth to the sink will not work for me". So he showed me the unit directly above which still had all the appliances in the old bathroom. It was so tiny! I love to cook, and I wouldn't be able to get anything done in such a small space. So I went with the split kitchen! And now I'm planning to build a custom kitchen island to add more counter space and storage. It'll be adorable. Here is the floorplan, which is so far from scale, it's not funny.

Here is how I plan to layout furniture. Keep in mind that I don't live there yet, and don't have exact dimensions, so my ideas might not actually work. Let's just go with it.

For this to work, I'll need to build two pieces of furniture. One is the kitchen island and one is the wooden cubby room divider. Luckily, I stumbled onto Ana White's blog, Knock-Off Wood. She breaks down expensive furniture pieces into plans that you or I could follow. I can't wait to get started!

I don't move in until August 1, but I can't stop coming up with ideas (which could be bad, considering I don't know the dimensions of ANYTHING). Oh well. :)

What do you think of my 2nd half of the kitchen plan? Do you think the island will separate the room well enough? Do you have a better idea? And most importantly, how would you do with a split kitchen?

two weeks!

2010-05-12T14:19:00.000-06:00

Photo via On a High Note. This photo has nothing to do with this post,

but it's so adorable that I couldn't help putting it up! Oh boy, I want a kitty!

So sorry! I've been running around and have completely lost track of my blogging. But I've missed you! Here's a quick update on what I've been up to:

The boyfriend moved into a new apartment. He let me (and helped, of course) build a fun headboard/shelf. I'm a carpenter!
It's been snowing every few days here. Last night we got a couple of inches, and surely, more has fallen during the day today. It seems Winter will never end.
I signed a lease for a new apartment. I don't move in till August, but I've already planned what I'll do to it to decorate it. I can't wait to get started!
I've looked into other school options. The most recent ones are radiography and sonography. I won't be able to attend until Fall 2011 (assuming I get accepted) but I can start on my prerequisites!
I've started playing video games at the boyfriend's new place. Oh my. Crash Bandicoot (a silly and totally fun game) is my new addiction.
I've been working on a new tattoo design. It's slowly coming together and as soon as it's done-ish, I'll post it on here!
And of course, I've been staying current on Lost (my favorite show). It's getting crazy, and there are only a couple of episodes left! I'll miss it when it's gone.
Ooh! And I recently picked up the latest Charlaine Harris book! It's called Dead in the Family and is so good. I love the whole series! I think I like the books better than the show (True Blood), but the show is so fun to watch too!

What have you been up to?

summer plans.

2010-04-28T14:31:00.000-06:00

photo by Wolfgang Staut

This summer, the boyfriend and I will be making the 17 hour drive from here to Arizona. I spent my junior high, high school, and college years in the Valley of the Sun and I still have family and friends there. We'll be there in late July, early August. If you've ever lived in or visited Arizona during that period of the summer, you may be wondering why, oh why(!) would we visit in the hottest portion of summer? It's because my brother, who is currently serving in Afghanistan with the Army, will be taking his leave in Arizona at that time. So, even though we Wyoming folk will shock our systems with unbelievable heat, it'll be worth it to see my little bro! Bonus: the boyfriend will get to meet him for the first time, along with some more of my fam!

When we're there, I hope we are able to float down the Salt River, hike Usery Mountain, spend an evening on Mill Avenue (the Big Bang!), swim in my pop's pool, see some good old friends, go to great restaraunts and pubs(In-N-Out Burger, Red, White and Brew, Four Peaks Brewery, Casey Moore's), and who knows what else! I'm excited!

photo of people floating the Salt River by joelstine

photo of Usery Mountain by bethany8183

Do you already have plans for the summer?

snow, snow, snow + knee update.

2010-04-26T11:00:00.002-06:00

photos via Just be spLendid

All together now, check your calendars! What day is today? That's right, it's April 26. And what did I wake up to this morning? Right again! Snow. And what did I wake up to for the past three days? Snow. Snow, snow, snow. It's everywhere! Now, I'm not a Wyoming native so this whole year round winter thing is still a bit foreign to me, but really, it's time for a reprieve! Laramie summers are lovely. I've spent two here thus far, and while they certainly don't make the winters bearable, they do help. So let's get on with it mother nature, bring on summer (or at least spring)! I'm ready to have fun in the sun (like in the above pictures)!

As for my knee, there are no visible tears! Woohoo! So while I'm still not able to do any hard labor, I'm not destined for surgery either. What a relief.

I've decided to implement a spending freeze. What is a spending freeze, you ask? Maybe you don't need to ask this, because it's quite obvious, but I'll explain just in case. A spending freeze (my definition) is a period of time that you don't spend any unneccesary fundage on anything. This means, no eating out, no drinking out, no frivolous shopping, no going to the movies, no sushi (say it ain't so), etc. It's tough, but is a handy way to cut down on spending, especially when it's gotten a bit out of control. I'll make more time to bike outside, go on hikes, go to the gym, take a picnic, and all sorts of fun free activities! I'll let you know how it goes!

Have a great week!

i finally baked bread.

2010-04-25T14:27:00.000-06:00

I've been talking about baking bread for a long while. Back in January I saw this no-knead bread recipe on honey&jam and went out immediately to gather the ingredients (yes, I know, there are only 4 ingredients and all are basics. Don't judge my unstocked kitchen!). But then, the ingredients just sat there day after day, and I continued to make excuses about what little time I had to mix ingredients and wait for it to rise. Pish posh.

But I've finally done it! This weekend was the perfect storm of a bum knee and cabin trip (that I didn't get to go on, but my pals and bf did) so I had oodles of time at home alone. On Saturday I made the dough, let it rise, and sat it in the fridge and then this morning I pulled a lump of the dough out, let it sit for about an hour, and popped it into the oven. And now I have this!

photo by yours truly

Cooking and baking is like magic! I vow to bake much more often. Not only do you get to pull a magically formed loaf out of your oven, but the smells...THE SMELLS! I still have a bunch of dough in the fridge so at the very least, I'll be baking the rest of this week. Yum!

earth day, every day.

2010-04-22T13:22:00.004-06:00

nature is not here to serve you

-ani difranco

photo by voss

The boyfriend, a bunch-o-friends, and I saw Ani Difranco last night! It was so cool. We had 4th row seats and a great view. She is such an amazing woman, songwriter, singer and guitar player (among other things). It was completely inspiring and really makes me consider making music a larger part of my life. On top of that, she's such a powerful female figure and I can't help but admire her for her strong points of view. Very cool.

photo by alexis mire

photo by I'mBlakeColeman via On a High Note

And today is Earth Day! The quote at the top is from Ani's song "Amendment". She sang this lyric last night and it stuck with me. It seems the perfect line to describe how we should view our relationship with our planet. In my part of the world, Mother Nature is letting her presence be known with fog, rain, wind, and snow. It' a great day for it! Are you doing anything to celebrate Earth Day?

photo by bekathwia, note: not my mri, of course

I had my MRI this morning. No word yet on what the deal is, but the tech did mention that I have a bunch of fluid in the joint. I have no idea what that means so I'll wait until I get the phone call. Your knee is DESTROYED! That's what I imagine they'll say, but surely, that won't happen. :)

Happy Earth Day!

bum knee.

2010-04-21T16:08:00.000-06:00

photo via On a High Note by ƒranchesca

I was supposed to leave for a long work trip on Monday. Have I told you yet that I'm an archaeologist? Well, I am. And Monday marked the beginning of a really neat project in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. However, on the last project I was on, I twisted my knee and it's still bothering me, even after three weeks of physical therapy. I have an MRI scheduled for tomorrow and even if that comes back negative, the doc says there's still something wrong. All of that means that I can no longer go in the field. How awful!

Instead, now I'll be able to help the boyfriend move into his new place (that's nice of me I suppose, considering he'll help me move later this summer). I'll also be able to keep off my knee, which is the biggest issue.

But I hate that I'm the one abandoning the project though! It's certainly not my choice, but I still feel like I'm causing problems. Oh well. I have limited options. So! Now, the goal is to continue with my rehab and cross my fingers that there isn't anything on the MRI that requires surgery. You can cross your fingers for me too!

Oh, and two people (TWO PEOPLE) got laid off/partially laid off today at my work (partially laid off means there's no work right now, but when we have work again, they can come back). That's pretty terrifying. I'm trying to get to the point though, where I stop stressing about these things I can't control. I have to keep thinking, "everything will be okay". I always seem to land on my feet, so this time should be no different. :)

amazing weekend recap.

2010-04-19T09:22:00.000-06:00

photo via On a High Note

This weekend was chock full of good stuff! Let me first start off by saying that the weather did not cooperate completely (so rude, when I asked so nicely) but it did give me the opportunity to wear my bright green puddle jumpers! Score. Okay, it's best to discuss this weekend in bullet form. At least, that's what I hear.

Friday

The boyfriend and I met up with a group of pals at a great new bar downtown. They have a bunch of local beer on tap, including a delicious Irish Red. Be careful though; it's more than 8% alcohol! Ooeee.
We ended up dancing at a bar called The Parlor. It's not often we make our way there, but when we do, we get our groove on...or at least I and my lady friend do. The boys weren't really into it. Boring. ;)

Saturday

Yummy bagel sandwiches for breakfast with the boyfriend.
Flea market shopping with a lady friend. I found some beautiful plates. $18 for the set of 8. What a steal! They'll be perfect for a lovely outdoor meal. I'm envisioning it now...
Met up with the boyfriend again and some other pals for the University of Wyoming's Biennial Keepers of the Fire Powwow. The outfits, the singing, the dancing: it was all amazing. It's inspiring to see how much preparation goes into an event like this and to witness a part of their culture.
RAIN
Later that night, we attended the House of Joy BBQ in town. It was a fundraiser for the Laramie Plains Museum. 10 dollars for all the beer and food you could handle, plus 6 live bands all night. It was so cool. I don't think I've been to a better event in Laramie before. We all had such a blast. Aaaaaand you can't really go wrong with free beer. :)

Sunday

From dawn til dusk, the entire day was beautiful. Sunny, some clouds, blue skies. Perfect!
The boyfriend and I had tea in a downtown coffee shop.
He organized a picnic, so we met our friends at a local park in the afternoon for sandwiches and frisbee. It was the best day for a picnic and it was the first time I've been barefoot in the grass this season! Ooh, and I took some shots with the Diana. We had a lot of fun.
After the picnic, we saw the movie Kick-Ass. Loved it. Violence isn't usually my thing (and let's be honest, I closed my eyes during the bad stuff), but the story was really good! I recommend it.
And what's the best way to top off an already perfect weekend? With sushi of course! It was delicious, as usual.

I hope you had a great weekend too! I might not be posting very often this week. It's going to be a busy one. Have a great week!

happy weekend.

2010-04-16T08:57:00.001-06:00

photo via Just be spLendid

What are your plans for the weekend?

Mine will likely consist of some local beer at a local bar, bread baking, flea market browsing, and catching up on some work. Ooh, the last one doesn't sound too good, does it? Nope. But alas, it is necessary. Hopefully I can make up for having the bore of work in my weekend with all of the other fun stuff that will go on! And please, oh please, let us have sunshine!

Have a great weekend!

girl's night.

2010-04-15T11:15:00.001-06:00

photo by ginnerobot

Last night, six lovely ladies and I got together for a girl's night. We drank wine, ordered chinese, and played games. It was the perfect escape for the middle of the week!

my own diana prints.

2010-04-14T08:00:00.002-06:00

When I was in Fort Collins last weekend, I dropped off two more rolls of film from the Diana! They'll mail them to me as soon as their done and oh boy, I can't wait! The photos above are from my last roll of Diana film. The next rolls will be in color. I'm excited to see how they turn out!

i cook like this.

2010-04-13T08:00:00.004-06:00

The boyfriend sent me this video yesterday with the message: I'm not gonna lie...this is kind of like cooking with you.

Well folks, he's right. There are many things that this little cook and I have in common when we're in the kitchen. Enjoy!

weekend recap.

2010-04-12T09:45:00.001-06:00

photo of Old Town Fort Collins by David Kingham

How was your weekend? I hope it was filled with sunny days and blue skies. Here are some highlights from mine:

The boyfriend and I checked out Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. The campus is beautiful. Awesome.
Went to an information session for a program I'm interested in at CSU. Tons of information, mostly good, very overwhelming.
Met up with our good friends and went to FOCOMX, a music festival in Fort Collins.
Saw The Dovekins and Stella Luce. Both killed it. They're so good.
Witnessed a strange drunk fight. A mustache and super wasted man were involved.
ATE A HOTDOG. Delicious.
Stole a cab from someone else. Maybe that sounds not nice, but it was late.
Woke up the next day and ate at Lucile's (best breakfast in town).
Shopped at Target, and other lovely shops downtown.
Had lunch (complete with a blood orange, yum) at Whole Foods.
Headed back to Laramie.

The rest of the weekend was pretty relaxed and normal. It was a good weekend. I hope your weekend was too!

this day will be big.

2010-04-09T08:00:00.001-06:00

photo via a violent yet flammable world

Today is the day! Which day, you ask? It's the long awaited meeting for the program I'm looking at at Colorado State. I'm anxious to see what they have to say and ask some questions. I'll give a total fill in on Monday. I'll also get to check out the campus in general. I've been on campus once, and it's lovely, but I haven't really explored.

After all of that, some friends are meeting the boyfriend and I to attend a music festival called focomx! It's not your typical fest. This one is 15 dollars, 15 bars, 150 bands, over two days. Lots of music overlap, but I don't know many of the bands so that's not a big problem. One of the bands we do know and are going to see is The Dovekins, of course! Golly, I love them. I'm super pumped to introduce our friends to them. Stella Luce is also playing, as is Fierce Bad Rabbit. The latter band of the two is one I haven't seen live, but the violinist from Stella Luce is in it, and they sound pretty rockin' on their myspace. Another band I just found that will be playing sometime tonight is The Tanukis. They've got a real gypsy sound to them and I think the boyfriend will really dig it. A fill in on this part of the adventure will come Monday too. Yay!

Have a great weekend!

it's nearly here.

2010-04-08T12:03:00.005-06:00

photo by Tender Letters via Just be spLendid

There's magic in the air. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is set to open in June of this year. If you're a Harry Potter lover then this will certainly be a must see for you! I know it will be for me. Just a few of the delights they have in store: Hogsmeade Village full of shops you'll recognize from the stories, butterbeer at the Hogshead Pub, the Hogwarts Express, rides based on exciting parts from the books AND Hogwarts Castle complete with talking paintings and recreations of Dumbledores office, the Room of Requirement, the Gryffindor Common Room and more. Read more here and see pics here. Amazing. It will be AMAZING. Are you planning to go?

relationship rules i think are bogus.

2010-04-07T08:00:00.004-06:00

photo via a violent yet flammable world

Being in a relationship is one of the joys of life. It's wonderful to have someone to count on, and love on, and do fun things with. It can be hard though with friends, family, the internet, and the media telling you what relationships are supposed to be like and how you and your partner are supposed to act. How do you know who to listen to? My advice? Listen, but just do what works for you! Here are some "relationship rules" I've been told that (in my opinion) are NOT to be listened to:

Rule: Relationships are hard work.

Really: The problem with this rule is not so much the rule itself, but the interpretation. Sure, relationships take work. Both people need to be engaged and active in relationship. There needs to be compromise. Both people need to work to grow together and keep the relationship alive. This is all work. But where some people go wrong is they use this rule as an excuse when the relationship really shouldn't keep going. Lack of communication, lives going in different directions, excessive arguing, and even worse, emotional or physical violence are all signs that really, something isn't working; not that you're not working hard enough. Try and look at your relationship honestly. If it feels like pulling teeth to just talk with your significant other, or if everything turns into an argument, the relationship is probably not a healthy one for you. And when you find one that is, you'll see that while it will take some work, it won't feel like it because you'll be doing it together.

Better Rule: Be active in your relationship.

****

Rule: Arguing is good for a relationship.

Really: Discussing is good. Fighting all the time is not good. Not to say an argument now and again isn't normal, because it is, but that's not what I'm referring to. Again, I see this rule used as an excuse. I've heard many a lady say, "We fight a lot, but arguing is good for a relationship." Um, not everyday, or anytime you don't share the same opinion. That's a bigger problem. Communication is one of the most important things in a relationship. Learn how to communicate with your partner so a simple difference in opinion doesn't turn into a fight. And bonus! With good communication, you can actually work problems out, instead of creating more.

Better Rule: Communicate effectively in your relationship.

****

Rule: Never go to bed angry.

Really: Okay, nobody likes to go to bed angry but come on. Dragging an argument out until all hours of the night just to follow this rule will only make things worse. I promise. If you have a big argument and it's nearly time for bed, call a truce for the night and continue the discussion the next day. Not only will this give both of you time to calm down, but sleep can clear your head and help you think about the problem in a better way.

Better Rule: Try not to go to bed angry, but if it's bedtime, call a truce and finish the discussion the next day.

****

What relationship rules do you not buy into?

P.S. To the boyfriend-You're the reason I understand why these rules aren't good ones to follow. Thank you. XO

hyperbole and a half.

2010-04-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

banner from Hyperbole and a Half, as I'm sure you guessed.

I've recently found the blog Hyperbole and a Half and I think the writer maaaaay be my soul sister. She uses words like "pokey" and "crawly" to explain feeling sick. Hello! She's speaking my language! She despises creepy crawlies (death to spiders). And best of all, she draws hilarious, hilarious pictures. Here's an example. My reading of her blog may borderline obsession. I get the shakes if she doesn't post, and when she does post? Oh man, the excitement is unreal. Seriously, check it out. I want you to get addicted too.

wandering.

2010-04-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

photo by lauren {elycerose} via Just be spLendid

I'm a wanderer by nature. Because of this, I'm always daydreaming of places I'll someday visit, and adventures I'll one day have. And while that's all good and fun, sometimes I need to remember to stop daydreaming and just be here. Because really, there is no place I'd rather be. :)

happy easter, friends.

2010-04-04T11:55:00.003-06:00

photo by {tribal} photography

I hope your day is filled with friends, family, and jelly beans.

Mine is going to be filled with triple ginger cookies (which is the best way to fill a day, I assure you).

Happy Easter!

good words.

2010-04-02T09:07:00.000-06:00

photo via a violent yet flammable world

alright snow, you win.

2010-04-01T09:36:00.001-06:00

photo by Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho

The weather has played an April Fool's trick on Laramie. Forget about those pesky weather reports that predicted today's white stuff; nobody pays attention to those anymore.

Yesterday's scene:

Weather: Warmish and springy!
Clothing on me: Dress, tights and converse sneakers.
Sleeping arrangements: Slept at the boyfriends.

Today's scene:

Weather: FOUR INCHES OF COLD, WET SNOW. Wtf weather!
Clothing on me: Still in a dress, tights and converse sneakers. NOT appropriate clothing for snow.
Morning situation: Woke up late (as usual), so I rushed outside, in my innappropriate spring clothing, heaved the snow off my car using my muscles, drove to my place, showered, put on appropriate, dumb, winter clothing, and got to work late (again, as usual).

So the snow didn't change my schedule too much, but it did make me look silly for 5 minutes while I was outside in a dress (who is that crazy woman?!) and it soaked my poor little shoes. But now I'm eating homemade bread pudding so it's alright.

Either way, good one snow. You certainly fooled me.

happy april fool's day!

2010-04-01T08:00:00.002-06:00

photo by Scott Ableman

Now that I'm getting ancient (haha) I'm not much of a prankster anymore, but when my siblings and I were younger we lived for April Fools Day! We had so much fun saran wrapping the toilet, dying the milk blue, tying doors shut, plus lots-o-other tricks. I'm sure it drove our parents crazy but that's what they holiday is for, non? What trick did you pull this year? What pranks did you pull as a kid?

which way to go.

2010-03-31T08:00:00.005-06:00

photo by NKPhillips

Making the decision to go back to school is a tough one. There's much to consider, and whichever decision I make will have far reaching implications. One day, I think it's time, and the next day, I don't feel ready. I'm nearly sure that I've decided what to go back to school for, if in fact I do go. I have an information session at the school I'm looking at on April 9, and hopefully that will help in making a decision.

Here are the two sides:

Side 1:
I really enjoy my life right now. I'm young, I have a great group of friends, an awesome boyfriend, I live in a place where I can be very active and have access to lots of outdoor activities, I'm working in the field that I got my degree in, and for the most part I enjoy my job, right now. Why mess up a good thing?

Side 2:
I've known for a while that I don't want to continue doing this job for the rest of my life, which means that somewhere along the line there has to be a career change. The field I'm looking at getting into is booming right now so if I don't get in now, will it be a saturated market by the time I go back to school? There are many other places that have access to outdoor activities, and they'll also have great cultural happenings around town (like the town I'd have to move to for school).

So I know I want a change eventually, but I'm not sure if it needs to be right now. I suppose I'll go to the meeting, gather more information, discuss it with those close to me, and make the best decision I can. Wish me luck!

peace and quiet.

2010-03-30T08:00:00.001-06:00

photo by ~brrb via just be splendid

How lovely would it be to hang out in a tree for a while? I'd bring a thermos of hot tea and a couple books. And a wonderful dress like the one above just in case any passerbys want to capture the moment. :)

home, sweet home.

2010-03-29T13:25:00.001-06:00

photo via on a high note

I'm so happy to be back.

dream series: my dream home

2010-03-26T08:00:00.001-06:00

photo by linda yvonne

Okay, so you know a little about my apartment. But I suppose eventually I'll want to settle down into a home (settle down?! ME? Yep, it's true. One day it will happen). When I do take decide to make one town, one home, my home, these are the bits I hope I hope the home has:

Charming architecture-It doesn't have to be old, but it should have a little character.
Large kitchen-Oh boy, this will be awesome. Space to store lots of appliance goodies, space to chop lots of ingredients, space to have more than one person in the kitchen!
Garage-I've got a ton of large crafty ideas that are possible with a garage. Not so possible with an apartment. And with a garage, I wouldn't have to warm up my car or scrape ice and snow off! Yes, please!
Front porch-It doesn't have to be a big porch, but it'd be so nice to sit on a front porch in good weather. Sweet tea optional.
Stained glass-Is there anything more magical than colored light shining in from stained glass windows? I say not!
Garden area-I'd love to have a small area to grow a little bit of produce for myself. Co-workers bring in homegrown tomatoes in the summer and my oh my, they taste like sunshine! I want to grow some sunshine too!
Location-I'm not sure if this exists, but I'd love a little garden alcove within a city. Ah, perfection.

Oh and it'd be nice if there were some mountains and water nearby.

What are you dream home desires? And isn't that home at the top adorable?

i have a crush on my apartment.

2010-03-25T08:00:00.025-06:00

photo by yours truly, showing front entrance to my lovely apartment.

i can't find interior shots right now, so this'll have to do. :)

I really do! It boasts wood floors, charming arches, windows overlooking trees and the beautiful Courthouse. The windows let a great deal of light in and are perfect to have a cup of tea under or read a book by. In the summer, I keep the windows open to hear the constant rustle of leaves. I can't wait until I can do that again!

Of course, there are things my apartment lacks. A large bathroom. It definitely lacks that. A mirror in the bathroom that I can see my whole face in. It must have been built for a very tall person...or maybe just a regular sized person. Either way, I can't see myself! A large kitchen. Yep, it's a small one. Okay, okay. It seems what it's lacking is SPACE but isn't that how apartments are supposed to be? They challenge you to find new ways to create space out of no space. It's a little test of your ingenuity. So far, I'm passing. But I'm a lady that likes change so when my lease is up, I'll probably move along and find a new space to fill up. It's just the type of bird I am. But for now, I've got a crush on and miss my apartment (and super comfortable bed)!

I'm in the field: 5 hours north of my humble abode. I'm not sure when I'll be back but I hope it's at least by the weekend. Quality time is need with the apartment. And with the boyfriend. But that's not what this post is about. :)

Apartment-I'll be seeing you!

I almost forgot!

2010-03-24T21:06:00.000-06:00

photo by smcgee, view of Blue Sky Basin at Vail

When in Vail, I skied a black diamond! More than one actually! Skiing a black diamond on a big mountain was on my list of things to do and now it's done. Booyah!

oh gelato.

2010-03-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

photo by josh.liba

I forgot to mention our stop at a yummy gelato shop in Vail. I had the coconut and lemon gelato and combined it was delicious. Of course, it was super chilly out, but the gelato was worth it! Are you a fan of gelato?

Vaaaaail.

2010-03-23T08:00:00.001-06:00

view from the eagle's nest, photo by me

me riding the gondola, photo by the bf

Super. Awesome. Weekend.

It started with a scary drive through the mountains but once we got through that, the weekend was perfection! Once we arrived in Vail, my cousin directed us in dropping our luggage at the gondola and then we grabbed a delicious, delicious dinner (plus delicious, delicious beer) at a restaurant called Garfinkel's. Afterwards, we ourselves rode the gondola to the tippy top of the mountain. We expected my cousin to take us to some random shack on the mountain but no, he actually lives inside the huge gondola building at the top! I couldn't stop gushing about how cool his living sitch was. I'm sure I drove him crazy. :)

The next morning, we decided to have breakfast down in the village. Because we were already at the top, to get back down to the bottom we had to ski down. And by saying we "had" to ski down, we had the opportunity to ski down. We had the whole run to ourselves on perfectly groomed snow. It was so cool! After breakfast we skied all day and even though we all got separated half way through the day, we all had a blast. The mountain was so big and there was so much to ski! We're already planning our next trip out there and will definitely be skiing more than one day. After a day on the slopes, we had dinner at a great pizza place called Vendetta's.

The next day, we slept in and then had breakfast at an awesome place called the Westside Cafe. I had captain crunch coated french toast. Yes. And it was sooooo good! The boyfriend had banana bread french toast. Also soooooo good. After breakfast, we grabbed our luggage, and got a start on the road. It was hard to leave such an idyllic place, but we know we'll be back!

Recap: We stayed at the TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, skied an awesome day all day Saturday, ate amazing food for nearly every meal, and had a great time with the cousin. I can't wait to hang out with him again and am so glad he invited us to see him!

leaving, again.

2010-03-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

photo of me by RR during a past field project

I'm heading into the field today for the first field project of the season. I'm itching to stretch my legs and walk miles and miles, all while getting paid. Oh the joys...

Tomorrow I'll do a full fill-in on the Vail weekend (aka super awesome weekend). Keep your eyes peeled!

road trippin'.

2010-03-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

photo by -RobW-

This weekend the bf and I are going to visit my cousin! He lives in Vail, CO, works at the ski resort there and lives on the mountain. ON THE MOUNTAIN. Yeah, it's going to be a good time. The plans are to head down Friday, ski Saturday and maybe Sunday, go out on the town every night we're there, and have a rockin' good time! I'm sure that there will be great pictures had so I'll be sure to update you on the weekend when we return!

P.S. Wouldn't it be fun to road trip in this super cool green bus? The answer is yes, it'd be so fun!

art projects.

2010-03-18T08:00:00.004-06:00

photo by -mrsraggle-

Creativity has been flowing through my veins lately. Unfortunately, I've been too busy to put any of the ideas to the test. Time! I need time! Hopefully in the upcoming weekends, I'll finally be able to get creative outside of my brain. Not this weekend though...this weekend the bf and I are going to Vail to visit my cousin (and do some awesome skiing)!

Back to the ideas. Here are a few that I've been tossing around.

Photo series with the Diana

I've finally got an idea for a photo series (which I'll tell you about after I flesh it out a bit more) but I want Spring/Summer light instead of flat Winter light. That means this project has to wait a little while longer. Sad...but when it's finally time, I'll be ready! I also want to try some basic portraits of individuals or couples, but again, I'd rather do it in Spring/Summer light. Till then!

Painting Project

I've seen this done a couple times, and I'm ready to attempt something similar myself. Here are the two links I've seen (here and here), both with a different take on the how-to bit. Cute, non? We'll see how it comes out!

P.S. I just found this diy project and it looks so fun! Maybe I'll do both!

Baking Bread

Some may say that baking bread is not a creative expression, but I say it is! I'm of the opinion that baking and cooking are both artistic endeavors (or at least, they can be) and in the case of baking bread, for me it will be. I have found the perfect no knead recipe but can't seem to find the time for the two rises it calls for. Perhaps I should do the main rise on a Sunday and then the shorter rise the next day. Hmmm...I think I'm on to something!

Those are the ideas I've been playing with lately. Once I've completed them, I'll be sure to show them here!

everyone is irish on march 17th.

2010-03-17T08:00:00.001-06:00

photo by cobalt123

Happy St. Patrick's Day folks. I hope you're wearing green! Enjoy some green beer, corned beef and cabbage and keep your eyes peeled for any tricky leprechauns.

photo by James Jordan

I have a friend who is an Irish Dancer and surely we'll be seeing her dance tonight. If you have the chance to see Irish Dancers, do it. It's an awesome thing to see.

live music.

2010-03-16T08:00:00.003-06:00

photo by jesse.millan

I'm a conditional fan of live music. I don't love being in a huge arena and so far back that you're essentially listening to their (muffled) cd while being jostled by giants that somehow only come out of the woodworks when I actually want to see something.

What I do love is going to an intimate show with pretty close seats (or the kind of place where everyone can see) and having a real experience with the band. Some bands that I've seen this way are Stella Luce, Murder by Death and the Dovekins. All awesome. All even more awesome because they play in smallish venues. I'm a short person. Really short. And quite often when I'm at a larger show, I can't see a dang thing because giant mcgianter always stands right in front of me. It never fails. But smaller venues seem to either have better viewing all around, or there is more room to move around and get a better view. And the sound quality in small venues? While some of these bands may not have the most up to date sound equipment, because you're close to them, the sound is raw and amazing.

Next month Ani DiFranco is coming to Laramie and we have 4th row tickets! It's going to be amazing! What's even more awesome is that the venue she'll be playing at isn't very large so I know already, I'll love her show. I can't wait!

life has a way of working out.

2010-03-15T13:06:00.000-06:00

Photo from restartmyheart via justbesplendid

Last week I was feeling stressed out. My work had asked me to take two Fridays off in a row because of a lack of projects to work on. From this, I jumped to the conclusion that I would probably have to take every Friday off until my inevitable pink slip. Dramatic? Yes. Did I think I was being dramatic at the time? No sir, but I was. Oh how I was. So dramatic in fact that I started a search for new jobs, researched school options and even cried to my thoroughly understanding bf who whilst being understanding, also gently told me I may be being a bit dramatic. Did I believe him? Nope.

Of course then, today I get news that a project I've been waiting to start is in fact starting. This means months of work. I also was told that I'll be needed in the field for a week, if not more. More work! And so, my bout of drama-queen-itis was unnecessary. Lesson learned. Better lesson? Even if it seems a situation warrents feeling dramatic, it doesn't! Feeling/acting dramatic is a choice. Instead, roll with the punches, go with the flow, choose to be happy no matter what, and life will work itself out for the better. It's true.

grab your cup. it's time for tea.

2010-03-12T08:00:00.003-07:00

photo by visualdensity

What's so great about tea? Besides being awesome, there's not too much caffeine, plenty of flavor, and choices(!), so many choices! My go-to tea is Good Earth Original. It's robust and spicy and it doesn't need any sweetening whatsoever. Some may say that tea doesn't need ever need sweetening (hmm, the bf might say that...) but I disagree. Sometimes teas need a little sugar to bring out the full flavor. What do you think? Are you a tea drinker? If so, to sweeten or not to sweeten? What say you?

just breathe.

2010-03-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

photo by Anna Gay

Have you ever seen the movie "Ever After"? This post's title is a quote from that movie and is one I repeat anytime things get a bit overwhelming. It helps. Try it.

summer on the brain.

2010-03-11T08:00:00.002-07:00

Woah! Slooooooow down lady, it's not even Spring! I know, I know...but I can't stop daydreaming about lovely summer activities. Of course, all of the things I'd love to do right now wouldn't even be possible where I live at the best of times. I suppose that means that I'm free to daydream since I'd have to travel somewhere warm and near water anyways! What are the desired adventures, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

Scuba Diving

photo by Ilse Reijs and Jan-Noud Hutten

Sail in a little Sunfish

photo by Simonds

Sea Kayaking

photo by adrimcm

Visit Mackinac Island (my favorite place ever)

photo by humbertomoreno

What adventures are you dreaming of?

bubbles, bubbles.

2010-03-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

photo by grazie, davvero

One of my favorite blogs to read is Not That Kind of Girl. The writer is "on a quest to do 250 completely uncharacteristic things before August 23, 2010" and it's so fun to read about her journey. I love all of her posts, but her post yesterday (link here) had the most magical effect on me! After reading it, I was filled with glee and couldn't wait to follow in her footsteps.

What did she do you ask? To help her quit smoking, she's taken to blowing bubbles. Now, I'm not a smoker, but blowing bubbles is certainly a habit I'd like to pick up! Everywhere she went, hundreds of bubbles flowed after her and the people she came across on the streets all had positive reactions. Bubbles are so cheery and magical; people can't help but smile around them! I am in love with this. How often do you come across such a simple (and unconventional) idea that can warm the hearts of so many?

If you see bubbles on the streets of Laramie this Spring, I'll surely be close by!

it's coming.

2010-03-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

photo by Ken Schwarz

Spring is right around the corner. We still have snow on the ground and even some coming from the sky, but it's melting at a rate faster than it's accumulating. That means we're in the home stretch! We no longer have weeks upon weeks of negative temps, nor do we even have days upon days. I can see the temperature steadily rising and boy oh boy, I can feel it too. It couldn't have come at a better time either. Everyone (myself included) was starting to get the "this winter is too long" blues, but no longer! Spring is in the air.

Here are some things I can't wait to do:

Wear dresses!
Barbeque
Backpack/Camp
Rock climb
Hike
Bike around town
Play frisbee in the park
Not wear a jacket!
Walk barefoot
Smell the flowers
Take sunny pictures with the Diana
Feel the sun!

Spring is nearly here!

weekend update.

2010-03-08T13:33:00.004-07:00

follow link for tickets

Oh. My. Goodness.
My weekend was chock full of goodies (and one epic moment of not so good. Let's just say that the bday girl, me, had a bit too much to drink on Saturday night). Here's the rundown:

Friday.

A very low key night. The bf and I walked through a warm snowstorm (it happened) to meet another couple at a local bar. We played good music and not so good pool. Let me rephrase that. The boys played good pool. The girls didn't do much to contribute...unless chatting, drinking beer, and occasionally hitting a ball is contributing. Hmmm, I feel like it is.

Saturday.

The bf and I woke early to attend the local Gear Swap. We weren't looking for anything in particular but would've bought something had it jumped out. My wallet thanked me that nothing jumped out. After the gear swap we walked around the now warm and sunny town (with boatloads of melting snow, slush, rivers of water). We had a yummy lunch at a little bakery downtown and then popped over to the grocery store to pick up my eagerly anticipated, (and early ordered) tall, pink cake that only this store makes.

I informed the baker that I was scheduled to pick up the cake at 3pm. She stared. Only stared. Once she snapped out of her trance, she walked around the immense baking area for twenty minutes, looking in their seemingly endless amounts of refrigerators. She found the order slip for the cake, but no cake. No cake? "The party is tonight" I told her. She stared (again) at me and simply stated, "Well we ordered the cake, so we did our part". Ugh. Apparently all cakes are shipped in from Denver. They don't bake them in house. I don't even know if they bake anything in house. What is the purpose of the HUGE baking area then? To make you feel as though they bake it there? They said that they had no idea where the cake was, and I could pick out another cake for free. While kind of nice, it wasn't the same. I ended up picking out some weird generic cake and as I walked out of the store, I vowed to only order from the local bakery from now on.

After the cake fiasco and the miles of walking, I needed a nap, so a nap I took. Of course I slept too long, so after awaking, I scrambled around to get ready for the "80s & Gangsta" party. That's right. I dressed as a Cyndi Lauper wanna be. And most of the other partygoers dressed up too! I love theme parties, but when everyone else gets into it, it is so much more fun. I don't have pictures yet, but soon...very soon. All in all, the party was a success and fun was had by all.

Sunday.

The next morning, after my epic moment of drunkenness, the bf and I headed to Fort Collins for breakfast at one of our favorite places: Lucile's. So good. Can't even tell you how good. Go there. We had "breakfast" at 1:30 (a bit of a late start). Afterwards, we headed to Denver to walk around and then see "Mary Poppins" the musical! Again, SO GOOD. We were in the 6th row, had a perfect view, and watched an incredibly talented bunch put on a magical show. The set design, the lighting, the caliber of singing and acting…it was all amazing. I loved every minute of it.

The weekend was so good, and everyone was so good to me. I can't ask for a better bf or group of friends and love how familial it feels when we're all together. Thank you everyone.

I'm 26!

*update*
After realizing that my pink cake never arrived and the store offered me a different one, I asked what would happen to the cake I originally ordered when it did finally reach the store. Her response was that they would of course sell it to someone else. Fine. Two days ago I was at the same store grabbing some salmon so I stopped by the bakery cooler to see if my cake was actually there. Sure enough, there it was. And it was the ugliest cake I've ever seen! The icing wasn't thoroughly mixed and it was globbed on like a 2 year old had done it. What a mess. Here's a picture I took with my phone. The glare obstructs part of the view but you can still see the strange globs of icing on the top and the unmixed icing.

UGLY.

photo by me

!!!

2010-03-05T13:07:00.001-07:00

photo by tharainbow.

My 26th birthday is this Sunday. I'm so excited for this weekend as there are many fun things happening! Check back on Monday to hear about the festivities!

can you grow overnight please? thanks.

2010-03-04T13:53:00.004-07:00

screenshot from "Lost Things" by Angela Kohler

I've had short-ish hair for about a two years now. As many women do, I tend to cycle through the long and short hair over and over...and over. My hair is now to my shoulders, but I desperately want it to be longer. Oh hair of mine, please grow faster!

Another phase that used to be my calling card was ever changing hair color. Since the 7th grade I haven't shown my real hair color to nary a soul, including my own, and that's just as well as it's a boring, dishwater blonde. But that's all changed since I've discovered the glorious red that coats my hair now. I'm in love with it. In love. I do wish it was a little brighter though, so I'll experiment the next time I color. That's right! I'm a DIYer in the color department. Sally Beauty supply has saved my life (and my money). I'm due for a visit.

This video fell into my lap today. It's a stop motion short called "Lost Things" shot by Angela Kohler. The video features Alison Sudol (aka A Fine Frenzy + a song she wrote just for the vid) and boy oh boy, do I want her hair. The length, the color, the curl, it's all so perfect. Everything about the video is magical and beautiful. But the hair is what I dream about...okay, and the clothing too.

the sun is shining.

2010-03-03T10:06:00.001-07:00

photo by stephanie ★

It's a new and beautiful day.

wayfaring stranger.

2010-03-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

photo by sidewalk flying

I've started to play the guitar. There are a couple of friends of mine that are in various stages of learning as well, and we occassionally get together to play. We've coined this little group with a band name: Knock Knock and the Moles. It's a weird name, but say it enough and you'll like it...I hope. Anyways-At first I tried to just play different chords over and over but that got really boring, really fast. To liven things up a bit (and make myself feel like I'm progressing), I decided to pick an easy song that I love, to learn. I chose the folk song, Wayfaring Stranger. It has a simple melody and it's a song that I already know lyrically. Perfect. Starting out, the chords were easy enough for me to do until I got to the F. The blasted F is messing everything up! At this point, it sounds like a dying cow whenever I strum that particular chord. To do this chord you have to use one finger to hold down all of the strings, and then use your other fingers to hold other strings down. Here's a link to the song I'm learning. If you hover over the F, you'll see what my fingers are supposed to do. Needless to say, the song abrubtly stops everytime I get to the F. But it sounds pretty dang awesome up to that point! Happy strumming!

delicious, delicious crepes.

2010-03-01T08:00:00.006-07:00

photo by yours truly

Two weekends ago (and during last week...and this weekend), I finally made crepes. I love crepes, but before last weekend, the only way I'd had them was when someone else made them. Maybe it was their fancy name that intimidated me, but I found that they couldn't be simpler! And let's not forget, delicious. The recipe I used is found here. We topped our crepes with cottage cheese and jam, and sugar and lemon juice. I liked both, but the simplicity of the latter really hit the spot. Do you make crepes? When you eat them, what are your favorite toppings?

The photo at the top was my breakfast last Saturday. So good.

oh diana.

2010-02-26T11:29:00.004-07:00

photo by amyelyse

photo by occhichiusi

For a long while now, I've wanted two cameras. Those were a Diana and a DSLR. The Diana was a (perfect) gift from the bf last Christmas so that just leaves the DSLR on the list. Well, as I was perusing the web (as I so often do), I read a headline essentially saying that demand for luxuries is down so the price for normally expensive cameras is too. With that in mind, I popped on over to Best Buy's website to check it out. And I saw this. A Canon Rebel XS for 499? Oui and Oui again. But I still can't justify it as a purchase. Why oh why can't I just spend money frivolously?!

On the plus side, I do have the Diana. And I loooove her. I'm on my third roll of film. I've only had the first roll developed as of yet, but next weekend I'll be trekking to Fort Collins so I'll be dropping off my next two rolls. I'm so excited to see how they come out! Working with film adds a whole new depth to photography. Instant feedback with digital cammies is of course lovely, but the anticipation of what your photos will look like is so fun. I'll post some of my Diana shots as soon as I scan them in. The images up top were shot from a Diana. Lovely, isn't it? I couldn't agree more.

but I thought it was green.

2010-02-26T08:00:00.003-07:00

photo by jbrownell

I hail from all over the place. I'm an Army brat and being one means that there are many places I call (or have called) home. My most recent, and longest, is Arizona. I'd had the itch to move on for a while, but education called so I stuck around. After I graduated college, I decided it was time to hightail it out of there. I got a job in Wyoming, found it on a map, and drove north to start my new life. Upon entering the state that is now my home, I was struck with how brown it was. Wait. I just left brown. Arizona is brown. But this is brown too! I expected green. Sadly, I naïvely assumed that everywhere outside of Arizona was some lush oasis. But all that means, is that Wyoming certainly isn't the last stop in finding the place to lay down some roots. And I'm sure that whatever that place may be, it'll definitely be green.

Why do I need green so much? There's something about a green, wet, lush landscape that makes everyday feel magical. You can smell the life in the air. It makes me feel alive. I think Washington/Oregon/Vancouver B.C. would be perfect. You have the ocean, the green dense forests and mountains to ski. That sounds pretty perfect to me.

is it almost over?

2010-02-25T08:00:00.002-07:00

photo by left-hand

Although I'm sure this isn't the case, it seems that this year's winter is the longest winter I've ever experienced. As this is only my second "real" winter in about 12 or so years, I only have one other winter to compare it to (last year's), but this one seems extra long. I'm not entirely sure why...Last winter, I cross-country skied a bit, and went snowboarding once. This year I've either cross-country or downhill skied every weekend. You think that would make the time go faster, eh? Apparently not. Our first snow came in October. We've had a couple big snows since then but for the most part it's been snowless and miserably cold (we're talking -15s and such). February is nearing it's end and March is nearly here (along with my birthday!) so hopefully some warmer weather will come soon too!

I shouldn't get too excited though. The bf and I went backpacking for the 4th of July last year and there was still snow on the ground!

Oh spring, how I miss you.

mornings.

2010-02-24T09:28:00.003-07:00

photo by Gabriela Camerotti

I'm not what you would call a morning person. Not at all. Given the opportunity, I'd probably lounge in bed all day (maybe not all day, but I'd only get up to make crepes, then I'd get back into bed). As that usually isn't an option, I get up as late as time (and work) will allow. A typical morning should have me waking at 7am and leaving the house by 7:45. Do you think I follow that schedule though? Of course not. For each week, I probably only wake up at 7 once and am probably on time (8) to work only once. It is lovely that my work schedule is remarkably flexible; technically 8 is just a guideline and as long as I get my hours in, nobody minds if I'm in at 8:30 or even 9, but I should be there at 8.

This morning however, was different. The bf had to be at work early so he woke up at 6:30. I laid in bed until 6:45 promising my body that I'd go back to sleep and wake up at 7:30 or something. Nope! Once he got up (and started making lots-o-noise), there was no turning back; I was awake. So I got up, took a shower, and I still had oodles of time! I took my time making oatmeal for breakfast, made a lunch for the day, read a blog or two, blowdryed my hair and left for work. And I arrived with time to spare. It was amazing! Today made me realize why morning people are morning people. Whether it's a choice of theirs, that I don't know, but it may become a choice of mine. But only sometimes...let's say once a week.

koalas are punks.

2010-02-23T08:00:00.007-07:00

photo by echoforsberg

They're just so cute and cuddly, right? Wrong. Over the past couple of months, I've been confronted with evidence that points to koalas NOT being cuddly. The icing on the cake came in the form of a video today. But first, I'll give you the essay that started the koala explosion. And BAM! After I read that essay, there were suddenly pictures of koalas and stories about koalas everywhere! Here are some of my favorites: koalas and more koalas. It seems that everyone hates koalas!! I couldn't quite understand the disdain most people (and other animals) have for koalas, that is until I saw this video.

Now I understand it. They're crazy orc beasts on the warpath! No wonder nobody likes them. Did you hear the noises they made? Crazy. Unfortunately, this video disproves the kid's essay. They sure don't look weak to me...

photo by the bf

My costume is modeled after the koalas in the kid's essay above.

Notice the koala hat and the "sharp but weak" claws.

feed the shoe monster.

2010-02-22T12:15:00.008-07:00

I'm not your typical girl that saves every penny to buy my very own Louboutins. Don't get me wrong; I can appreciate a beautifully crafted shoe and now and again, when the time calls for great shoes, I will wear them. But I live in the mountains. Here we have two seasons, winter and an itty bitty summer. Winter in the mountains=snow and ice. Summer+my job=working outside. As you can see, there isn't much time for beautiful (and incredibly expensive) shoes. That's not to say I don't have to feed the shoe monster now and again. I just feed it with adorable and practical shoes. It seems to get the job done. Check out the shoes I'm drooling over now:

link

The first two are both sorels. They (strangely) have Sorel stamped in HUGE letters on the sides, but it's kind of growing on me. What do you think: weird or cute? The last pair are KEENs and I've actually tried them on. They look kind of weird but I promise, in real life they're cute as heck.

My birthday is coming up. Maybe one of these will be my bday present to myself. :)

poker run. aka drink a ton and ski.

2010-02-22T10:23:00.004-07:00

photo by Valeriana Solaris

Yesterday was the annual Murf the Surf's Poker Run. Imagine this: hundreds of people, half dressed in costume, most drunk or on there way to being drunk, on skis. Sure sure, some were on snowshoes, but the majority? Yep, on death sticks. And I only call them death sticks during the Poker Run because hello, we're all drinking...and skiing...downhill. The event supports some charity (I've been told). It takes place on a popular, mostly downhill cross country ski trail. I've skied this trail a number of times but never inebriated, which brings me to the problem. I have never face planted so many times. And I'm not talking just on this trail. I have never face planted this much. Every 30 or so feet, I went down, face first. Where were my arms to help me fall you ask? I have no idea. It seems they decided to take the day off and let me fall in all of my tutu-ed glory (that's right, I was wearing a tutu). This particular trail typically takes one and a half to two hours to do. Yesterday? A cool four and a half hours. Hundreds of people on the trail, half of those people (myself included) falling all over the place and our poker run stops really held up the day. By the time we made it back to the car, the bf and I decided to skip the raging party that follows the run and headed home. We had our party on the slopes.

Have you ever done a Poker Run?

ski ski.

2010-02-21T08:00:00.005-07:00

photo by Scott Teresi

Last weekend the bf and I (plus 8 other friends) rented a condo in Winter Park, CO. We arrived Friday night and were scheduled to leave Monday am. I'll have you know that I ski. I grew up skiing as a kid, stopped when I moved to the desert, and started back up this year. So I ski, but I'm not amazing by any means. On the little ski hill by my little town, I can ski the whole mountain, green through black. On Winter Park and Mary Jane, I can ski up to blue. That leaves blue/black, black and double black all off limits to me. A big mountain is intimidating! It's also liberating. There's so much space; the runs are incredibly wide and long. And even though I was scared half the time, I wish I could ski big mountains all the time. Do you ski? If so, where is your favorite place? What do you ski on?

As for the condo: Amazing. Amazing! It was huge, was right by the shuttle for the mountain and was crazy beautiful. Oh, and there was a hot tub. It was heaven! After a long (and I mean long) day of skiing, it was so perfect to come back and soak. We'll be going back again I'm sure, and when we do, I'll make sure to take pictures this time. :)

where to go first.

2010-02-20T08:00:00.004-07:00

photo by - reuben -

Northern Michigan
Oregon/Washington/Vancouver
New Zealand
Hawaii
Australia
N/S Dakota
New England
France
Germany
E Europe
England
Ireland
Chile

This is the list of places the bf and I want to go. It's long, and it'll probably take years and years but it's so exciting to imagine the adventure, non? Coming from a military family, I spent a large amount of time traveling. But since we've been back to the States, large trips went by the wayside. In the past 14 years I've spent six months in Central Mexico during college and I've traveled to Vancouver, BC. Both trips were amazing, but not enough to quell my travel bug. I can't wait to start checking this list off! Happy travels!

the list.

2010-02-19T15:37:00.009-07:00

photo by kharied

The List is the primary reason for this blog so I need to type it down before I forget. The List represents all of the things I want to accomplish in my life. On many blogs, I've seen the 30 before 30/25 before 25 and so on lists so depending on the number of entries I have, I may convert it to a list like that. Here goes.
The List:

~~Start a blog~~
Take a ballet class

Get one more tattoo

Live near a Farmers Market and shop there often
Live near the ocean & mountains
~~Ski a black diamond (on a big mountain)~~
Go back to school for Counseling
Cook more often
Learn a new knitting stitch
Sew an outfit
Make a terrarium
Start a container garden
Tune up my bike
Add places to my "traveled" list
Get mendhi on my hands and feet
Sing while playing a song on guitar
Make my own sushi
Have a magic fruit party
Take a ceramics class

Okay, that's all I've got for now. I'll keep adding to the list and when I can think of no more, I'll put it in the sidebar. It feels so good to see these written down!

el gusto es mio.

2010-02-19T14:45:00.004-07:00

This blog was started as a way to organize my crazy mind. My life? Not so crazy. My mind? Filled with a million, swirling ideas that can never all be captured. But I've found my butterfly net and soon, the ideas will be captured and preserved for posterity. Success! Let's hope.

Like most blog writers, I started as a blog reader. I read far too many blogs and still not enough. I'm continually finding new writers to devour on the web and my eyes never tire of all the gems that get posted. I only hope that this blog will one day serve as inspiration for others. I hope that my little journey in life can push someone, just like all of the blogs I love push me.

This blog will typically be ramblings of yours truly, thoughts that cross my mind, things that inspire me, lists, lists and more lists, and visual gems.

I'm excited to get started!