{Tunes} on Tuesday: Featuring Coldplay

if you follow lauren on twitter or facebook, you may know that yesterday was a hard day for her family. ted left for basic training. i had the opportunity to go meet little zoey and i got to see the interaction between ted and zoey. and my goodness, it was precious. i've never seen such protective and doting father (i mean, LOOK!). i can't imagine how hard it must be for him. i can't imagine how hard it must be for lar to do this for a time without him. but i also think what they are doing is beautiful, and that they will be blessed for it and be stronger for it.

and i have no doubt that zoey will know her daddy loves her.

  as i was reading about his departure on various social media sites, this song popped into my mind--it was the song that marcus and i would listen to when he left for college at in Idaho and I was still enrolled at ASU.  We were still dating and we didn't really know what our future held at that point, but we knew it wasn't fun or easy being apart. This song just helped me feel--feel the emotions i had inside. I love songs that can aid in that process.

Fiesta Con Los Amigos

 something you might have noticed about me, is that i'm a big fan of celebrations.

life is too good not to take every opportunity to celebrate the fact that we're here, alive, happy, healthy, and together.

so i was really excited when ted tweeted me, asking if we had any plans for cinco de mayo, because i was literally in bed the night before wondering if it was too late to put something together.

we had a simple potluck style dinner, ted and lauren had a friendly cook-off to see who's (whose?) enchiladas were better--it was a perfect tie if my calculations were correct. 

while they were both delicious, i preferred ted's, marcus preferred lauren's--and it went like that around the table.

after dinner, we played with sparklers,

 and talked in the living room as marcus comforted ty and sierra's new baby boy through his traumatic mustache experience...

a real winner of an evening.

What did Cinco De Mayo look like at your house?

check out last year's party here.

eleven things.

There are six rules:

1. Post these rules.

2. Post 11 random things about yourself.

3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.

4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.

5. Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them.

6. No saying, "If you are reading this, you're tagged."

11 Random Things About Me:

1. I studied for two weeks in high school in an effort to learn how to whistle. Yes, i said studied. I checked out multiple books on it, went to several websites, watched innumerable amounts of youtube videos, asked friends and family members, and hear i sit, 23 years old, and I still can not whistle a single note. 

source

2. I can't get myself to eat either end of a banana. only the middle. I never have, and I never will. I have no idea where this phobia stems from, but it runs deep. 

3. My goal is to be a student all my life. I was obsessed with all my classes (except research methods) in college and I can't wait to sign up for a few classes at the community college next semester. It's just my hobby I guess.

4. I'm a hemophobe. That means I pass out when I see blood.

5. I thoroughly enjoy popping zits. Like, it's disgusting how much pleasure it brings me.

6. I've kissed 4 boys in my life. My forth, last, and favorite was Marcus.

7. I think marriage is the bee's knees.

8. My left foot is a half size bigger than my right. It's the bane of my existence.

9. I have no temperature regulation.

10. I never have and have no plans to read/watch the Twilight series.

11. I'm highly superstitious. Especially with things like fortune cookies and the proper way to drink a jones soda for best fortune.

source

11 Questions from BusyBeeLauren:

1. If you had to wear skirts for the rest of your life, or jeans for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

Aye, yi, yi! You're killing me, Smalls. I would never have to make this choice, but I'm going to say skirts, because in Arizona in the summer, skirts are the only way I survive, and you can always pair skirts with tights when it's cold outside. Plus it's easy to dress up a skirt and wear it casually. I'd hate to show up at a wedding in jeans, ya know?

2. What was your favorite PBS kids show growing up?

Bill Nye the Science Guy. duh. 

VS.

3. Who is cooler? Zack Morris or Cory Matthews?

I was basically enraged when i read this question. like, honestly--how in the world am i supposed to make this choice. Lar, if i didn't love you, i'd hate you for this question. I had a major, and i mean major, crush on Zack Morris--probably my first love. How could i not with that perfect 90s hair that has always made me weak in the knees?! But Cory is the sweetest, and in the end, sweetness always wins for me, even when faced with blonde-haired-boy-dreamboat, Zack. So Cory Matthews it is.

4. What is your least favorite smell in the world?

It's a toss-up between petrichor (the smell that happens right before and right after it rains on dry earth), I love both the smell and the etymology of the word. It comes from Petra, which is Greek from stone or rock (remember Peter means rock?), and Ichor, which is the liquid that runs through the veins of gods. Pretty great, right? I had a word obsession in high school...i think it's showing. The other sent I love is Marcus, when he sprays on the Red Lacoste I bought him. HEAVEN!...err, wait, i just re-read this question and realized it was supposed to be least favorite...oops. Probably onions on someone's or my own breath.

5. What's the worst injury you have ever had?

There were only two people in high school that I really and truly did not like. at the time i would even go so far as to say i hated them. now that i think about it, i probably didn't really hate them, but back then it felt like it. one of those two people was flirting with my boyfriend while on a group date, and in her flirtatious story-telling, she somehow kicked her leg out, and in the process, kicked my big toe nail completely backwards. I, of course, didn't want any of her sympathy, so i walked away from the circle without her even knowing what happened and cried in the car the rest of the night. Half because of my painful toe, and half because i thought she was a terrible person. Hahah, i forgot all about that story until now.

6. What book have you read more than once?

The Book of Mormon and The Harry Potter Series.

7. What do you take the most photos of?

Shapes/colors. I'm obsessed with shapes in nature and architecture. I notice them everywhere and when they're really cool, i stop and take pictures.

8. What is the first perfume you ever purchased/wore?

I've been lucky and have pretty much always got my perfume as gifts, but I think I might have bought GAP Dream in the 90s. Remember that stuff? That smell will always remind me of Abercrombie bags and Jewel (the singer), in other words, that scent will always remind me of my sister, Leisel.

9. What is your ideal date?

Something that involves nice weather, beautiful surroundings, good music, and the opportunity to be silly, fun, and creative. Cuddling is nice too...

10. Tell me your favorite thing about the state you live in.

Arizona sunsets. I've always appreciated our beautiful skies, but it wasn't until I moved away for a few years, that I realized we REALLY and truly do have the most beautiful sunsets in the world. I've seen them in Ireland, Mexico, Honduras, Hawaii, countless states in the US and Arizona wins. Sorry folks.

11. Most frequented website?

Either Blogger or twitter.

11 New Questions for the Tagged:

1. Who was your first famous crush?

personally, i've always had a thing for foxes...

2. How old were you when you had your first kiss?

3. Was it good or bad?

4. Where's the best place you've ever visited?

5. If you could have the starring role in any musical what would it be?

source

6. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

7. What's your favorite quality in a boyfriend/husband?

8. Most embarrassing moment?

9. Which power ranger did/do you want to be?

source

10. Given the choice between finding a vintage, thrifted gem or a big-time designer deal, which would you prefer? 

11. How'd your parents come up with your name?

I tag JenniAustriaGermany, Eday, Kristine, and Debbie Jo.

Happy Birthday Week Lauren!

10 reasons i love lauren k. brimley:

1// she loves me through my shiny white ghost phases. why do i look like this?

2// she's best story teller i know. you guys, this girl has me rolling with shock and laughter during our weekly cinema night.

3// she's ubber thoughtful, like one of those people you feel like you could call at anytime and she would do whatever she could to help.

4// also amazingly creative, did you see that baby shower she threw for Sierra?!

5// "best hair in high school"-- the volume this woman achieved is something the rest of us can only dream of.  i don't know if we ever got to vote on this for the yearbook, but i voted in my mind, and she won--"She owned that ponytail; she worked that updo!"

6// she sang a duet with me in our high school musical, that was not High School Musical, but rather Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. We chose to forgo solos because we didn't want the whole school to hate us for our exceeding talent--not because we were scared or anything. Definitely not because we were scared...

7// she trusted me with her secret (please tell me you've checked her blog to read her secret?!)

8// she wrote me a letter one time when i was going through a transitional phase in my life. i didn't think she ever thought of me after high school, so i was pretty touched when i got the cutest letter in the mail from her.
(said 'transition' was not pirating, in case you were wondering...)

9// She changed my life by introducing books like Delirium and the Hunger Games to me!

10// i kind of have no idea how we became such good friends again after high school, but i'm so glad we did, because she's one of my very favorite!

lately.

lunch at a local favorite: urban picnic/ still enjoying the beauty of fall around here.

loving that it's finally cool enough for welovecolor tights/ scenes from one of our many recent trips to ikea

dinner at another favorite, la grande orange and a movie with ty, sierra, ted, and lauren.

especially loving these tights/ trying to come up with as many ways as i can wear green and red together this season.

more holiday fun at the Hale Theater, seeing The Christmas Carol with the Nielson family.

trying out the three twisted buns again.

kicking myself for not waking up early and bidding on this cute 'snack set' at the auction!

some many things to thank lauren for, one being the ceviche recommendation, and another being this adorable vintage camera she gave me for my birthday! xoxo

I also wanted to thank everyone for their well wishes after the flood in our house. It made me so happy to know there were people praying for us and thinking about us. We're getting things fixed up and it's not going to be as expensive as we had originally thought, so that's a huge blessing. life is good. 

How's everything going for you? I'm starting to really stress about how soon Christmas is and how Marcus has like two things on his amazon wishlist: a $7 screwdriver and a $800 camera lense. So ya...not sure what to do about that one...Enjoy the Season!

shabby apple winner was announced here.

haunting the haunted.

One week ago, today, Marcus and I had the pleasure of going on a little day trip to Jerome, Arizona with Lauren, Ted, Sierra, and Ty. Jerome is a charming little town with a population just large enough to staff the cute shops that line the tiny, European style streets. 

Sounds quaint, right?

Well, there's something you should know about Jerome.

It's haunted.

Don't believe me? 

Take a look for yourself:

 Marcus was in the restroom behind this wall when he heard the scream of a woman.

Okay, okay, so some of these might just be slow shutter speeds, light flares, wooden figurines, and rusty pipes, but please tell me how these men showed up in my picture, because I'm still baffled.

Lauren, Ted, Ty, and Sierra were all in this little general store, as Marcus and I snapped a picture. 

The street was empty. These men never passed us. Never. Neither of us ever saw anyone in the street as I took this picture, I lowered my phone to look at the picture and saw two figures on the screen, I looked up to see where they were. Nowhere. There was NO ONE THERE!

This little experience made me a believer in the Haunted nature of Jerome.

Don't Hate Me.

BusyBeeLauren tagged me in this game. 

I, like Lauren, don't play along with these types of games, but I liked this one, plus I'm doing all I can to not do my homework. 

So...ya.

the rules: you must write out your answers so your readers can see your actual handwriting.

the questions:

1. what's your name and blogger name?

2. what's your blog's URL?

3. Write, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."

4. Favorite quote?

5. Favorite song?

6. Favorite band/singers?

7. Anything else you want to say?

8. Tag bloggers to participate.

I tag these ladies (but send me a link if you play too):

Elizabeth @ Lizzy Writes 

(I hope she plays because she seriously has the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen. I still haven't thrown away the envelope her Christmas card came in, just so I can look at it when I'm bored. I think she was trained by fairies...)

Jenny @ Jack & Jenny

(She's one of my best friends and yet I don't know if I've ever seen her handwriting.)

Miss Hannie @ Tea & Biscuits

(I'm curious, does she write with an accent, too?)

Lovers of Loving Love

Are you in the mood for a good 

love story?

Date on the Ferris Wheel.

 Head on over here to learn more about how Marcus and I got a major bite from the love bug!

Do it. I dare you.

If you like what you see, go ahead--follow along.
 I'd love to have you join in the adventure.