CherJoy

Lately in the Johannes household

2012-02-27T17:18:00.001-07:00

This past week and weekend has been a total whirlwind for us. Me, cramming in as much time as possible with friends & family and packing; Robby, shoring up his job situation for California and being my saving grace throughout all of this.

I really must say that garage sales and Craig's List are brilliant. We sold SO much last week, which has really put us ahead. However, I almost cried when someone carted away our ping-pong table.

In other updates, Lucy is officially starting her bikini diet (great idea, Steph!). She is a little plumpy right now, so I've cut her food intake and have her on a strict walking regimen.

Rob says this is her sexy face.

Tacoma went in for his first grooming and mani/pedi this morning at Petsmart. I got him a toy for his good behavior and the sweetheart that he is shared it with Lucy.

Until she was over it.

I used this morning to do our change of address, packed up a few last things and planned out our general itinerary. I also noticed while packing that I'm not the best speller:

With all my down time lately I've been reflecting a lot on how amazing and hilarious my friends are. How each have carved a special place in my heart forever. I am truly so happy when I'm around them and don't know what I'm going to do without them!!! You know who you are!! I also couldn't have done this move without my parents, who have been so willing to help us pack and sell things - fix bubblers, pack food for the road and lend us some things we really need. They're really the best and I'm going to miss them terribly.

Am feeling anxious and really sad all at the same time. I think it's a good thing though. No regrets. Well, until Wednesday, I'm going to go enjoy this beautiful, breezy Arizona weather... Santa Cruz, here we come!

Joy

2012-02-27T08:06:00.001-07:00

Here's what brought me joy last week!

The Bachelor. That show is addicting!

My packing party with my fab 6. A night I'll never forget.

This post from Nat the Fat Rat. I hope my ladies come out to have brunch with me in Santa Cruz!

These Spring colors.

Fashionable usb bracelets via Mohzy.

A new blog to follow - Elephantine.

Our last Johannes-Thomson dinner with Jack & Kristin.

My morning with my Mom, packing up my kitchen and snacking on breakfast taquitos.

Lucy's new hair cut. She's been extra spunky ever since! Guess mats between your toes aren't too fun. I'm such a bad momma.

Craig's list. Don't know what we would have done without it through this move.

Dinner & dancing with my friends. Love them all so much.

BAD Bingo with my work peeps. No one won but I got another night with my friends from the office. And we danced a lot.

Catching up on The Vampire Diaries.

Breakfast with Shannon at The Coffee Shop at Agritopia.

Tears with Heather.

Rob's news of an interview in San Jose! We're praying all goes well!

Attire for your dog, inspired by Downtown Abbey.

My other Heather's new blog design is up! Also designed by @OFF_thegrid.

This will be helpful in California. Plus, I didn't know there were so many ways to tie a scarf!!!

A farewell in black & white

2012-02-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

My sister threw us the nicest farewell party last weekend at the Grigio. It was a lovely night with our friends and family, where we mingled, ate cake and toasted to new beginnings! Here are the pics from the party, portrait style:

Love how my Dad is getting ready to flip someone off. Hahaha

I'm going to miss them all so much. Can't believe we're really moving!

Salad is for lunch

2012-02-24T13:45:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite meals is romaine lettuce, shaved almonds, chicken and salad dressing. I normally don't change out the main ingredients (unless I'm adding fruit or beans), but the dressing I like to switch up all the time. I LOVE salad dressing. So much I could eat it by itself. These are some of my favorites:

And, I just found the best thing - a mini salad shaker (Target)!

Trust me, try these out. All can be found at Trader Joe's or Fresh & Easy. Enjoy!

A nacho & hot dog bar

2012-02-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

Our friend Sandy turned 30 this past weekend (Gus' mom) and we went over to their darling house in downtown Phoenix for a little backyard party.
We'd been looking forward to it for a few weeks, knowing they were going to have a hot dog and nacho bar!!!!

The nacho and hot dog bar was absolutely DELICIOUS. There were so many spices and flavors fusing together in my mouth! That's all I can say. Hahahaha My mouth starts watering just thinking about it.

Here were some other fun details from the party:

Love what Steph did with the sucker gift idea I had:

We also got to bring Tacoma and Lucy. Gus got his hands on a hot dog bun and went to town. Then what did my dog do? She went right up to him and took a chunk of it for herself!

Which is not good for the new bikini diet I have her on.

Tacoma was so tired on the way home. Isn't he beautiful?!

Love these sisters! Happy Birthday Sandy!

It's Spring!

2012-02-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this look divine?

(Image taken by Sarah Britton via My New Roots)

I envision myself doing a lot of this in California (but on a beach). Her Goji Ginger Lemonade looks amazing! I've never had a Goji berry but I'd be willing to try it! Spring has definitely arrived because I can't stop sneezing. So instead I'm staying inside (packing, too) and perusing all the delicious lemonade recipes on Pinterest. Enjoy my favorites below:

Mint Blueberry Lemonade

Fira - Santorini (Thira)

2012-02-20T07:39:00.010-07:00

I'm so excited to share Santorini with you! We spent the last 3 days of our Greece vacation on this volcanic island and really lived it up. Ever since watching The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I've always wanted to travel here. Guess you could say we saved the best for last!

Day 1 was getting there, checking in to our Villa, eating, seeing Fira and relaxing.

Five hours on the ferry...

..made us thankful to get to our Villa and be greeted with a glass of fresh orange juice.

The view from our Villa:

These Villas were wonderful. The staff was incredibly friendly, taxied us to and from the port and offered to help us book tours, gave us complimentary drinks and served us breakfast by the pool.

Next we headed into Fira for some more Greek food!

The view from Thira was AMAZING. However, I'm realizing now that I needed to have cleaned my lens more, hahaha.

We went back to our Villa to spend the afternoon by the pool.

Robby doing his model pose.

That night we sat on the patio and watched the sun go down, snacked and went to bed early.

So much more to come!!!!

This week's joy

2012-02-19T19:26:00.002-07:00

This past week flew by. Especially with it being my last week at work. Plus my allergies and a sinus infection have been bringing down my levels of joy. However I still found some in these below:

Our new rental in Santa Cruz. We officially have a new home in Aptos, California. Yay!

Making my Valentine's Day treats for my co-workers. I dare say they were a hit!

Valentine's Day with Rob. He made my favorite (spaghetti) and bought me a sweet arrangement of roses and lilies.

Watching Rob open his Valentine's Day gift. Carrying 10 heart-shaped balloons around town was a lot of fun!

Cup of Jo posted about these firefly pics and I loved them, too.

A good post on comparing yourself to others. We're all guilty of it, but how freeing would it be NOT to?!

New York fashion week, via The Beauty Mark.

Taylor Swift's Safe & Sound video. Love how it incorporates Katniss' pin. Very eerie, but I think it ties into The Hunger Games perfectly:) 1 more month to the movie!

OPI's new Holland Collection. Perfect for Spring.

An adorable onesie via Bobo Choses.

S@#t Your Girlfriend Says. This is HA-LARIOUS. I've totally said some of these.

This gets me in the mood for Spring. *sigh*

Sweet Salvage with my Grandma and watching her find the best buys!

The basket of gifts my boss gave me on my last day. I'm still thinking about how amazing it was.

A night with all of our friends to say farewell (more on that to come). Our families gave very kind speeches... which made our move a little more real.

Cupcakes and Cashmere's interview with the WSJ. She is fabulous.

Promise Tangement Hair Guide. I would love to fluff my hair like this.

Have you heard Katie Perry's new song? Rob has been humming the chorus all week, ha.

Our weekend in Santa Cruz

2012-02-15T22:08:00.000-07:00

When we weren't looking at rentals, getting lost or admiring our surroundings, we were at Olive's (a gal I get to work with soon!). Her place was darling. I loved her kitchen sink and organic products throughout. Hopefully she doesn't mind that I snapped some pics!

I wish my name was Olive. I'd be all over that.

Heather made it a point to take us to West Cliff Drive so we could check out the dog beach. I can't wait to take Tacoma! Look how stinkin' cute Heather's dog Rudy is!

The boys chatting.

We enjoyed our down time, too. Kicked off the Tom's, drank some local red wine, cooked dinner and watched movies. Have you all seen Midnight in Paris? The music and scenery are SOOOO romantic. I might need to go to France sooner than I thought.

Good news is, we found a place to live and it's PERFECT!! Rob also got to meet everyone at my new office, which I thought was pretty cool. For more on our weekend, check Heather's weekend in pictures!

See you soon Santa Cruz!

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

In lieu of us moving, I wanted to do something extra special this Valentine's Day. So, I combined these and with this idea for a sweet treat for my co-workers who I'll miss so much.

What you need:

Ingredients for rice crispy treats (marshmallows, rice cereal and butter
Frosting or candy coating
Sprinkles
Heart-sharped cookie cutters
Sucker sticks
Plastic wrap, ties & scrap paper

Make your rice crispy treats, flatten out and using your heart-shaped cookie-cutter, cut out some hearts!

Let harden just slightly and then "stick"'em! Have fun with the frosting, candy coating and sprinkles to decorate.

Let dry and then insert into a clear baggie cover and twist tie shut.

Add your personalized note. In my case, mine said '"OWL" Miss You'.

Then give to your friends! Happy Valentine's Day!!!

This week's joy

2012-02-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

What brought me joy this week? Lots, but as always, here were the highlights:

Charlie has his own Facebook page now!

Smash started.

I would totally wear a top like this for Valentine's Day.

Collide by Leona Lewis and Avicii. We warm up to this song at Ballet Fusion and I'm obsessed with it!

These cute ideas for Valentine's Day gifts: Smores, Oranges and a scrabble game.

This adorable pirate-themed little boy's birthday party. Definitely tucking this away for the future.

Reading about the Krispy Kreme Challenge. Running and eating donuts at the same time? Sign me up!

A nice devotion.

Scheduled a night of BAD Bingo with my work peeps. Excited to play!

My obaz emails definitely bring me joy. I haven't bought anything yet but the items are very unique.

Maybe I should make breakfast in bed for Rob on Valentine's Day?

Our weekend trip to Santa Cruz to look for places to live. More on that later!

Mrs. Meyer's Basil line. It smells SOOOOO good. I'll be buying a lot of this.

When we came home from California, we found our floors sparkly clean and dinner on the table (thanks Mom!).

Adele's performance at the Grammy's. She is amazing.

Spending some quality time with Heather finally! It's still surreal to me that I'll be working with and living near her in less than 3 weeks!

My new Tom's. Thanks, Olive!

It's a SHORE thing

2012-02-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

I have news! No, I'm not pregnant! My husband and I are moving! I was offered a Marketing Manager position in Santa Cruz, California... and I accepted! Moving to California has been a little dream of ours for a long time and magically, everything recently fell into place! I can remember, 4 years ago in our first year of marriage, we told ourselves we'd be in California in 5 years. And look at us! We made it in 4!

(Photo by Heather Wilhelm via Found in the Central Coast)

I'm going to miss my family and friends more than anything, but for some reason, this move just feels right. You only live once and we're ready to take on this adventure together. To get back to us and discover what God has is store for us and for our marriage. We're flying out this weekend to look for places - I'm so excited! I saw a really beautiful quote this week that has set my heart at ease throughout all of this, since I've been sort of a wreck. It may calm your heart, too if you're dealing with distance:

"Distance is nothing when two people are close with their hearts. Emotional closeness conquers physical closeness any day."

Photobarn.co

2012-02-07T08:30:00.006-07:00

I found something my friend Heather would totally LOVE: Photo Barn. Photo Barn prints your photos on a wood canvas - it's brilliant! I would love to do this with one of pics from our wedding or from Europe.

(Images from Photobarn.co)

Our mini Alt

2012-02-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

If you're in the blogging world, I'm sure you've heard about the Alt Design Summit. There are blog posts galore about how fabulous the retreat is, especially when you get to hear from some of the most creative and innovative bloggers out there. Kristin and I were sad to have missed it this year and will hopefully get our registration in early for the next one.

For more about Alt, you can watch this great video or read these recaps by Oh Happy Day and Oh Hello Friend.

As you may know, One Pretty Place and I like to have blogging parties (where we kick the boys out of the house and blog for hours at a time). For this recent one, I called it a "mini Alt", a night of blogging and brainstorming! Normally we are in jammies, but because we did dinner out before we got dressed up.

Don't mind my Color Run tattoo ;)

Love Kristin's new glasses!

And her leopard print flats.

While we blogged we watched some empowering movies (like The Devil Wears Prada and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), sipped on red wine and cocktail jelly bellies and put dents in our to-do lists.

Gift idea for a 30th birthday

2012-02-06T07:45:00.007-07:00

My twin cousins turned the big 3-0 this year and I put together a little something special for them (remember, I'm trying to be more thoughtful?). I got the idea from my friend Katie and had to tweak her bouquet of suckers so I could ship something to Michigan.

Here's what you need:

Candy suckers (any kind of sucker will do, I chose a variety)
Scrap paper

His and Hers.

Add the note "30 Sucks" or "30 Blows" (if using just blow-pops) and you're done. Don't forget to add a little "just kidding" on the back of the card since this is more of a 'gag' gift!

Hope you like!

My faves from the Super Bowl

2012-02-05T22:04:00.001-07:00

Hands down THE best commercials from the 2012 Super Bowl:

I'd seriously consider buying the new Volkswagen beetle because of this commercial. Now, THAT'S good advertising. Plus, it's super cute & sporty.

WOW. That's all I can say.

This week's joy

2012-02-05T09:52:00.002-07:00

We made a BIG decision this week. I mean BIG (stay tuned).

Still looking for a Valentine's Day craft. Try this.

These free downloads are great, too. I might use one for my Valentine's Day treats.

Tulips and a love letter from my husband.

Thinking of doing these Valentine's Day nails.

This video. Why are puppies so dang cute?!

These would have been brilliant to make for Super Bowl.

Need stamps for your Valentines? Try one of these.

Some cool ladies (whom I don't know) started the Phoenix Style Collective. If you're in Phoenix, you should join!

My new mint-colored top from Francesca's, inspired by The Beauty Mark girls.

The Coyotes game with some great people (who I get to see every day at work).

All of Daniella Marie's posts are enjoyable.

This beautiful wedding at home. The dog throughout is so cute.

What brought you joy this past week???

The Color Run

2012-02-01T19:01:00.001-07:00

My sister and I joined my friend Melissa and the rest of the 'We Color Outside the Lines' team in The Color Run last weekend. We had a blast! The minds behind The Color Run ask that you wear all white at the start of the race. So, we did.

Love her.

Before.

(Picture taken by Melissa)

After.

The "Color Extravaganza" at the end was by far the best part! My favorite was the teal color.

(Picture taken by Melissa)

I had Tipped Out hair for a day!

Waiting for someday

2012-01-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

I receive DailyOM emails and if you don’t receive anything like this, I highly recommend it. I look forward to these daily emails and feel so happy after reading them. Yesterday’s DailyOM particularly hit close to home, as we have some exciting things going on around here.

I wanted to share the message with you in hopes you may be able to apply it to your own life. I love how they wrap ‘joy’ into it, too.

Waiting for Someday
Why Not Now?

All the joy and passion you can envision can be yours right now, rather than in a future point in time.

The time we are blessed with is limited and tends to be used up all too quickly. How we utilize that time is consequently one of the most important decisions we make. Yet it is far too easy to put off until tomorrow what we are dreaming of today. The hectic pace of modern existence affords us an easy out; we shelve our aspirations so we can cope more effectively with the challenges of the present, ostensibly to have more time and leisure to realize our purpose in the future. Or we tell ourselves that we will chase our dreams someday once we have accomplished other lesser goals. In truth, it is our fear that keeps us from seeking fulfillment in the here and now—because we view failure as a possibility, our reasons for delaying our inevitable success seem sound and rational. If we ask ourselves what we are really waiting for, however, we discover that there is no truly compelling reason why we should put off the pursuit of the dreams that sustain us.

When regarded as a question, "Why not now?" drains us of our power to realize our ambitions. We are so concerned with the notion that we are somehow undeserving of happiness that we cannot see that there is much we can do in the present to begin courting it. Yet when we look decisively at our existence and state, "Why not now, indeed!" we are empowered to begin changing our lives this very moment. We procrastinate for many reasons, from a perceived lack of time to a legitimate lack of self-belief, but the truth of the matter is that there is no time like the present and no time but the present. Whatever we aim to accomplish, we will achieve it more quickly and with a greater degree of efficiency when we seize the day and make the most of the resources we have at our disposal presently.

All the joy, passion, and contentment you can envision can be yours right now, rather than in some far-flung point in time. You need only remind yourself that there is nothing standing between you and fulfillment. If you decide that today is the day you will take your destiny into your hands, you will soon discover that you hold the keys of fate.

Joy moments

2012-01-29T16:09:00.001-07:00

Bought two tickets to One for the Money for $12!

The first issue of Capitol Couture came out.

Red nails.

This story of brotherly love.

Glee’s cover of Usher’s “Without You”. Can't stop listening to it.

This Bear Naked website. Web design like this reminds me why I want to get into design one day!

My autographed ‘Charlie the Ranch Dog’ book.

Think I decided on my Valentine's Day sweet treat I'll be making.

Lunch dates with my Mom & Dad, each on a different day.

Yellow carnations. I'm so ready for Spring!

Gus visited again.

The Littlest (again). She brought me joy with a post about her grandmother. So sweet.

Watching my long time friend, Jen, coach. Go Mustangs!

Rediscovered Instagram.

This necklace is back in-stock! Also like this and this. Plus, you can't beat free shipping.

Blogging party with Kristin. Pics to come!

I really need to take more pics of our dogs. Like this.

Dinner with the Thomsons

2012-01-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

Kristin really outdid herself this week. Not only was the meal sweet & delicious...

But the dessert took the CAKE! Literally ;)

(Pics by Kristin)

It's called Toasted Marshmallow Fudge Cake. And it melts in your mouth. Recipe is here via Confessions of a Cookbook Queen. Enjoy!

It's here!

2012-01-26T21:10:00.001-07:00

I'm a volunteer for the Arizona Basset Hound Rescue, and for our Chip in for the Hounds Casino Night event (which my friend Renata designed the logo for), Ree Drummond, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, graciously donated 100 autographed "Charlie" books. To raise money, we sold them for $10 each.

And I bought one. Unfortunately it was a pre-order and I JUST now received it.

And guess what? Charlie signed it, too!

How sweet is Ree Drummond?! I really wish she would schedule a book-signing tour to Phoenix already. It's just not fair! My friend Katie got to meet her and I'm so jealous.

For now I'm adding this to my baby box.

If you see my husband

2012-01-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

Tell him I want this for V-day ;)

(Source)

This week's joy

2012-01-22T02:02:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you, but I can't stop listening to Domino by Jessie J! With lyrics like "dirty dancing in the moonlight", "Like glitter's raining down on me" and "Every second is a highlight"... how can you NOT like it!? Plus she's British and her accent is awesome.

Found a new vintage store on Etsy. I want this, but of course it has be $400.

Dinner with the Thomsons.

Found my Valentine's Day cards at Target, and they're a "hoot"!! ;)

My dinner date with my sis at The Vig.

The Time Traveler's Wife was on sale for $4.75 (another find at Target).

An adorable onesie line.

Joy the Baker.Where has this blog been all my life? The smashed raspberry chocolate chunk pancakes look amazing.

Perfect accessory for Valentine's Day.

This post from Lost & Found. I'm inspired by the art of ballet too and admire those who do it professionally. Would love to take some beginner classes myself.

I think I need to keep an emergency watercolor set in my purse like The Corner of the Internet I Call Home. How fun.

Porn for pregnant women.

Mad Men Teaser - starts again March 25.

A friend opened up her business - Inspired Wellness by Gina.

What brought you joy last week?

Italian night with the Thomsons

2012-01-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

Every week we have dinner with our friends Jack & Kristin Thomson. We took December off in lieu of the holidays and busy schedules, so this week we were finally able to reconvene!

It was our turn to host so I made Chicken Parmigiana. We nibbled on bread, drank red wine and ended the night with some gelato!

(Kristin's Instagram pic)

I may post on our dinners weekly, in case a recipe tickles your fancy!

Tacoma

2012-01-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm so in love with our little pup. I call him 'Coma' for short and have decided that Karma Chameleon is his theme song. I sing the chorus to him all the time. I like how it plays off "coma, coma, coma, chameleon...". It's really "karma, karma, karma, karma, chameleon, etc." but my version is better. Wow, that music video is hilarious.

These were his puppy shots when we adopted him. How could we have said no?

This is another favorite of mine, where he's still puppy but growing.

Now he's a little teenager and has a lot of energy.

He sleeps in the most awkward positions.

He loves his snuggie and as soon as we get up he has it in his mouth, dragging it around like a toddler.

He also loves the park and going for long walks. Still growing into his legs! (FYI this is NOT my lawn)

He loves to hold hands. Every time you pet his head he thinks it's an invitation to holds hands, or sit in your lap. He was totally meant for me.

He is always up for a game of tug-a-war.

And one toy isn't enough, he needs two at all times.

Just wanted to share the joy this dog brings me!

Time for Greece!

2012-01-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

The second portion of our European adventure was spent in Greece - the first two days being in Athens. We originally only had one day planned, but failed to book our ferry to Santorini early, so we ended up staying two nights in Athens. Truthfully, we would have been fine with just one day, but oh-well. The first thing we noticed was that the transportation was MUCH easier to understand than in Italy and mostly everyone spoke English. Such a relief!

Athens was HUMONGOUS!

Upon our arrival we settled in to our hostel - Pella Inn.

Aside from the uncomfortable bed, out of suite bathrooms and travelers partying into the night, it was rather nice. The view from the rooftop patio was amazing:

We then set off for lunch at the Restaurant Steps (a string of delicious restaurants along this particular alley of steps) and the Acropolis.

We ended the day with some Mythos on the roof top to watch the sunset.

The 2nd day we woke up and toured Ancient Agora and Plaka.

So pretty.

Then when we found out we had overlooked the ferry times, we spent two hours booking our tickets for the next morning and I was at the verge of tears. Thankfully it was nothing a little McDonald's couldn't solve.

I'm really proud of this picture, ha. Plus, Rob's shirt matches perfectly.

Then I still needed some cheering up, so we went to Chocolate street for... chocolate! I had to buy this little guy - it was an owl! And it was DELICIOUS.

That night our hostel was hosting a barbecue so we ate (AGAIN), mingled, and Facebooked.

This was the girl who worked every day we were there. She was sooooo nice! She kept giving us free shots of Oyzo! Tasted like black licorice.

She looks like she could be the daughter of Denzel Washington. Right?

Overall, Athens was pretty rad. I found some great buys for my friends, we saw the ruins, and ate some delicious food. It was incredible to be in one of the oldest cities in the world!

Happy Gus

2012-01-16T07:29:00.003-07:00

Gus came for the weekend and we had a blast!

This week's joy

2012-01-15T21:00:00.001-07:00

A fun activity to do with someone you love in lieu of Valentine's Day.

Framing special moments. I soooo want to do this.

Martha Stewart and Avery partnership. Easy, cute labels to use for when I buy my 'thank you' stamp!

This brought me joy, because the same thing TOTALLY happened to me, except with a chocolate birthday cake for my sister-in-law.

My gummy vitamins. It's like eating candy for my health.

The new Paper Source catalog. Might copy this for hand-made Valentine's Day cards ;)

My hike with Sara, watching the LSU vs. Alabama game with Megan, walking the canal with Melissa and coffee talk with Jen. I <3 dates with my friends!

Rockstar Diaries. An adorable new blog I found.

Realizing that Underworld Awakening comes out next Friday!

Gus. This is my all-time favorite basset hound in the whole wide world and he spent the weekend with us.

As always, feel free to share what brought you joy last week!

January is flying

2012-01-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already mid January! Time flies when you're having fun. Lately I've been living up to my 2012 aspirations. I'm super proud. Instead of dancing in my car, I'm using that time to talk to God. It's rather freeing.

Working out 5 days a week is a great feeling. I'm using our erase board calendar as my Fitness Calendar!

Finding peace each day has been more of a challenge. It's somewhere between eating Cheez-its on my couch, watching old episodes of Friends or climbing into bed at night with Harry Potter. The little things, right!?

And most of all, I think I'm already more thoughtful. I've already purchased one of my Valentine's Day surprises for Rob and am also getting ahead on some special 30th birthday gifts for my cousins.

Trust me, you won't be getting this kind of update every week, but I'm excited at my start to the year and hope this momentum lasts!

In other updates, there's been a lot of coffee on the run in plastic cups.

I've also been thinking about getting a new pair of eye glasses and a new hairstyle, maybe something like this.

Hope your 2012 is off to a good start, too!

'Joy' moments

2012-01-06T23:51:00.001-07:00

I'm going to start something new on my blog. Seeing that my theme is to 'cher joy', I'm going to reflect on my week and post what brought me joy, in hopes that it might bring you some, too!

Here we go:

This post from The Littlest.

The Pioneer Woman's second cookbook is out!

Wouldn't it be fun to go beach sledding?

Tom's is releasing ballet flats.I should start saving now.

A wedding using vintage furniture. Gorgeous!

Ballet fusion. It's incredible. Makes me want to twirl my hair up in a bun and wear black leggings.

A blog book to jot down blogging ideas. Brilliant.

Vampires Diaries started up again.

Friends with Benefits. I actually really liked it!

A Valentine's Day surprise I might just try.

My new skirt (but in a vibrant blue).

What brought you joy this week? Please share!

Craving cheetah

2012-01-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Atlantic-Pacific - this girl is so fun

This whole post is to die for via Erin After

(source)

Rome - Part 2

2012-01-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

Our last night in Italy, after our journey to Rome, Orvieto, Venice (Part 1 & 2), Naples, and Capri, was spent in Rome again.

We stayed at The Beehive. It was the cutest hostel!!! They had the best lounge area, patio and cafe!

That night we went to the Borghese Garden for the sunset, stopped at the grocery on our way back and had a picnic in our bed.

Look! It looks like a heart (which is Rob and I's signature mark)

That completes our Italian vacation. Greece next!

A grand road trip

2012-01-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

I made a goal to go on a road trip by the end of 2012 and the procrastinator that I am put it off until the last day of the year. We went to the Grand Canyon!

Rob had never been to the Grand Canyon so it made for the perfect day, road trip.

After we drove into Flagstaff to bring in the New Year. Post dinner we bundled up and went downtown to the Weatherford Hotel to watch the famous Pine Cone drop. They played music and served hot chocolate ... it was so fun to dance in the street!

We saved our champagne and strawberries for our room and watched movies late into the night. It was the perfect NYE!!!

What did you do for NYE?

A fresh start

2012-01-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Another year is upon us. Time to reflect and hit the reset button. To start fresh. I'm not sure 2012 will top the year we had in 2011, but we'll see what God has in store for us.

(source)

I don't want to make resolutions this year, because I tend not to keep them. So, I'm going to call these my aspirations for 2012:

Work out 5 days a week. - It doesn't have to be a high-impact cardio work-out every day, but something active, even for 20 minutes. Undressed Skeleton has motivated me to eat better, too.

Pray more - I need to work on my relationship with God and devote more of my time to talking to him.

Be more thoughtful - This also entails planning ahead for things. No more last-minute, procrastination for gifts or special moments that need an extra touch of joy. I really want to get a 'thank you' stamp, too.

Blog more - Time to take advantage of the blogosphere and have fun! I'm going to be myself without being afraid and devote time each week to keeping up with my favorite bloggers. I'm going to aspire to post 3-5 times a week. I think more time on Pinterest wouldn't hurt either ;)

Save money - I have some pretty aggressive goals in life - Ireland, own a home, plant a garden, beach cruiser, Hawaii, road trips, children, decor... all of which require money. So, I need to save and set it up to happen automatically!

Enjoy each day - I need to slow down and find peace in each day. My stress levels get pretty high sometimes and I need to remember to breathe, and enjoy the little things.

Happy New Year friends!!

Capri

2011-12-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to go to Capri, Italy for the longest time and it was my dream travel destination before St. Bart's moved into the slot. Capri was absolutely breathtaking. I took so many pictures (763 to be exact) that I'm going to have to be a little selective in which I post and save for our Italy slideshow.

This.

is.

Capri!!!!!!!

What did I love most about Capri? Everything! But here were the biggies:

The view.

Pizzeria Ristorante Longano de Tarantino - this was our go-to restaurant. We ate there all 3 nights! Call us crazy, but we couldn't pass up the pasta (and seafood), service, lemon shots, view and ocean air.

Our awesome servers! They worked every night we came in.

Marina Piccola Bay (300 steps down, 300 up - I counted!) - I loved watching the moms scoop up jelly fish and children paint rocks.

No idea who this little girl is but she's adorable.

Anacapri & the chair lift to Monte Solaro - absolutely breathtaking I'm telling you!

Limoncello - we definitely picked up some of this.

Augusto Gardens & Via Krupp (famous windy road!)

Who gets married on the cliffs of Capri? Someone crazy! Ok... I was super jealous of this ceremony set-up. How awesome would THAT be!?

Boat tour around the island - this was soooo much fun!!!

There was the sweetest girl on the boat that I wish I would have captured on my iPhone. She spoke a different language but every time a school of fish would come by our boat, she'd tap me on the shoulder excitedly and say, "Fish, Fish!". She was so darling. We waved goodbye to each other at the end of the tour and I wished we could be pen pals somehow.

And, last but not least, The Blue Grotto (the top excursion of the island) - You enter through a VERY small cave opening, to the point where you have to lay down flat in the little row boat. The tiny entrance radiates enough light to fill the grotto cave and the inside gives off this beautiful blue glow. It's like you're in Avatar! If you watch the whole video, please don't mind the singing of our guide! Ha!

I'm now checking you off my bucket list, Capri (check!)! Next, Ireland, Hawaii, London or France - whichever is first ;)

If you're ever in southern Italy, take the ferry to Capri. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

The nifty fifty

2011-12-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

I've decided on my next lens (one of my 12 before 2012 goals) - the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8.11 - a recommendation from my cool friend Adam!

Look how pretty it is. And affordable. Can't wait to buy it in the New Year!

Red lips

2011-12-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

I spent some time browsing all the lipglosses and lipsticks at Ulta and found the perfect red - Revlon's Colorburst lipgloss in 'Fire'.

Rob and I wanted to do our Christmas together this year so on Friday we exchanged our gifts to each other and went to City Hall for dinner. Perfect occasion for red lips!

Not the best picture here but hopefully you can see how red it is.

XOXOXOX!

And I must share my Christmas gift from Rob. A new camera bag! I love it.

He is also getting me a new camera strap but I have to pick it out still. Will mostly be from Dollbirdies.

What did you get for Christmas?

Done & done

2011-12-22T22:22:00.001-07:00

Tattoo? Done.

I closed my eyes for the whole 5 minutes and focused on my lollipop. The pain was very tolerable. And I really love that it's in my handwriting!

And if you look at it upside down, it's looks like our little family:

Do you see the mom, dad, and 2 dogs?

This was Tayler's: Yaweh Love of Mine This Life is Yours

Christmas dinner party? Done.

Not a lot of pictures to share, but I was rather proud of my cranberry sangria, succulent centerpieces and mitten party favors (Kristin's idea). I simply ran out of time to do everything I wanted to do... and have LOTS of cranberries to prove it. Makes me a little sad because I had all of these cutesy ideas! But, overall, it was a lovely evening with our friends and I couldn't be more blessed to have them in my life.

All the girls!

And our gift exchange game brought me a new bowl for my Wednesday night pasta cravings:

In other news we decided to put up our tree. I've also been busy putting together Christmas baskets for our families this holiday. Think Easter, but for Christmas.

Lastly, I'm been overwhelmingly in love with my husband lately. I don't know what I'd do without his "Good morning love" emails, to-do lists and reassuring words when I start doubting the world (or my tattoo). I love him even more for fancying up our cocktails. I think he's officially trained!!! ;)

Thank you God for great friends, an extremely loving husband and pumpkin pie.

Rooney, you amaze me

2011-12-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Saw the American version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo tonight and was shocked by how incredible it was. I've read all of the books by Stieg Larsson and am quite the critic. But I wasn't disappointed, whatsoever. The person that impressed me the most was Miss Rooney Mara. She was electrifying, brilliant, captivating, mesmerizing. Spot on. She TRANSFORMED into the literary heroin Lisabeth Salander so perfectly that I'm still in awe!

Rooney, you and your red lipstick amaze me. I can't wait for the 2nd movie!!! Hurry and start filming it.

Today is the day

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

(From the one and only - Norman Rockwell)

I'm getting my tattoo tonight with Tayler. I'm pretty much freaking out.

Goody gumdrops

2011-12-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

If I had kids, I would totally shop at The Land of Nod. Not sure why the mail gods sent a catalog to me but I wish they hadn't. I can't stop looking at all the toys and kiddy stuff. It's either incredibly overpriced, or crazy cool in the mommy world (which I'm not part of yet...)!

Look at these awesome stocking stuffers for kids! I'd go crazy.

These would be some of my picks if I had a little one (or a couple) to shop for:

A Nod Chair:

A monster art kit for creativity:

A fortress:

A blackboard to play classroom (I loved playing this with my sister):

A plush friend:

A growth chart! Too cute:

A puzzle to stimulate their little mind:

They also have a pretty rad blog - Honest to Nod.
Have you guys finished up your Christmas shopping yet??

(Pictures sourced from The Land of Nod)

Update on my 12

2011-12-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

1. Wear red lip gloss
Still looking for the perfect red! Any suggestions?

2. Blog at least three times a week (starting today)
I'm way behind and will need to kick it into gear to make up for posts missed!

3. Buy a Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleanser
Santa is buying one for me ;)

4. Go on a road trip
Road trip scheduled - Grand Canyon, New Year's Eve!

5. Finish my photo challenge
Sadly my 30-day challenge has turned into an 8-month challenge. I HATE not finishing something.

6. Decide on my next camera lens
Still researching. Any suggestions?

7. Create a slideshow with our pictures from Italy & Greece
Still cleaning up all my pics.

8. Host a Christmas party
Scheduled for Dec. 17! See a preview here.

9. Find something great at a thrift store
I'd say the 80's jacket I found for my office 80's Preppy Christmas Party was pretty great.

(I'm the one in the green headband)

10. Have a beautiful lawn
There are a few patches that don't want to grow, but I think it's as beautiful as it's gonna get!

11. Complete 3 DIY projects
1 done, 2 to go!

12. Watch a movie in the park
We watched Christmas Vacation. It was so much fun!

'Tis the Season

2011-12-07T21:51:00.005-07:00

We've kicked off the holiday season with some fun activities lately! It smells like Christmas here in Arizona and I love it.

Tree lighting @ the Scottsdale Biltmore:

Movie in the Park @ the Biltmore - movie was Christmas Vacation:

Decorated Gingerbread houses with the fam:

Ours in the middle with the blackberry bushes, whipped cream snow and dog houses won 1st place!

Look at this soup that Rob's Grandma Margie made. It involved mussels, crab, shrimp, and scallops - all of which I love. I hope they serve this in heaven!!!!!

Started the next book in my book club - The Christmas List:

And I almost bought one of these tonight at Fresh and Easy. Might go back next week and get one, and some cranberries, too!

What are you guys doing to get in the holiday spirit??

Need some joy

2011-12-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

I've been a little stressed lately and I need your help. I need some joy! Life feels a little crazy right now. I don't even have time to paint my toe nails! It's so sad. My to-do lists keeping getting longer. My work days are filled to the gill, and now I'm on a vitamin kick to help my brain stay focused and my body fueled! I need to breathe. Or cry. Or take a Tylenol PM and peace out.

What helps you kick the stress? What brings you joy when you need it most? Do you say a special prayer? I only have a handful of followers but I'd love to hear from you!

(source)

p.s. I'm trying my first Ballet Fusion class this Friday and I'm so excited!

Napoli

2011-12-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

The 20 hours we spent in Naples, Italy was probably the scariest 20 hours of my life. Just kidding. Actually, I found the people rather friendly!

But Naples WAS pretty sketchy. It was a zantax day for us, flying from Venice to Naples, taking the bus, finding our Bed & Breakfast, fighting the Italian crowds, dodging the crazy drivers, avoiding the crazy-looking people, and finally finding our hostel.

It ended up being one of the cutest places we stayed at! Donna Adelina Bed & Breakfast is owned by a mother and 3 daughters. We met all 3 daughters and they were SO nice, and loved talking to us.

We stayed in the blue room. It had two balconies, a full bath and a HUGE bed! It was perfect.

I was crushing so much on these girls that I HAD to take a picture with them! Look at their fashionable belts! How cool to be Italian.

There were two things I wanted to do in Naples: eat real Napoli pizza and see Pompeii. We decided on lunch first and set off for Antica Pizzeria da Michele. We got lost doing so but this incredibly beautiful Italian woman ended up walking us to the restaurant after I showed her the name of it in my guide book. There were nothing but gorgeous Italian women in Naples!

There was a ridiculous wait. In case you don't know, this was the same place Julia Roberts ate at in Eat. Pray. Love. They had a big picture of her inside, too. Since we didn't have a lot of time, we ended up ordering a pizza for each of us to-go, waiting 10 minutes and eating on the sidewalk.

I ate the whole thing and it was amazing.

Next we took the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii for the afternoon. Pompeii consumed me! I was so moved by the history and remains of the city I read about in college. I've always dreamed about going to Pompeii and seeing Mt. Vesuvius (I love volcanoes) and now I can check it off my bucket list!

We trained back to Naples in the evening and walked swiftly back to our B&B. Rob refused to go out on the town in Naples so we stayed in our room, ate crackers, and went to bed, safe from the chaos of Naples.

I truthfully don't know what we would have done without the wonderful ladies at Donna Adelina. Our stay was so nice and the complimentary breakfast in the morning was great before we set out for the port to Capri.

I probably WOULDN'T go back to Naples. Would definitely do Sorrento though.

Hopefully I didn't bore you with this post!

Party details

2011-12-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

My friend Kristin turned the big 3-0 this fall. So... her husband and I created a party planning committee between ourselves back in July and set off to create the party of her dreams.

First I must disclose that I am NOT a party planner, whatsoever. But I attempted to be. Kristin's requests were simple: champagne, pink & gold decor, and her friends & family. It was easy to get her friends & family there, but the details required some planning!

When I first started planning with Jack, I wanted to rent out an art gallery for her party. So I did some research and the costs involved were outside our budget. So... I resorted to my option 2 - a big house somewhere new! Fortunately I knew someone in Montana Ranch in north Scottsdale and we were able to rent out the community clubhouse. It was perfect! It had a great space for dancing, a fun entry way, a large patio for outdoor seating and a full kitchen.

I owe everything to our joint Pinterest board. It truly empowered me!

These Metallic Silver Foil Fringe Curtains were only $5 each from Designed2BSweet.

Learn how to make this tassle garland here, via the Knotty Bride.

Of all the things we pinned, I was drawn most to the sweets, so I made a sweets table as guests came in. It included gluten-free, pink gumballs, gold swirl lolli-pops, pink cotton candy, Almond Roca and cake-pops.

I hate my handwriting. Should have printed these!

These silver and gold cake pops from Mind Over Batter were AMAZING. I highly recommend!

I used raw and white sugar for the rims :)

Took this from Facebook so you could see the "CELEBRATE" die cuts I made! Unfortunately I didn't get a good pic with camera.

Lots of balloons!

The birthday girl!

Another detail I wanted to share that isn't pictured above are these awesome sparkler number candles from Amazon I used for the cake:

We danced the night away, drank champagne and lit sparklers... it felt like her wedding all over again!

A Cranberry Christmas

2011-11-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

I'm in full Christmas party planning mode and using none other than Pinterest to get me inspired. I've surprisingly decided on a cranberry theme:

Rob and I are so excited to have all of our friends over this year. Our house is itsy - bitsy, so we'll be taking the dinner and party out on the back patio. I pray it doesn't rain!

Now I need to go find where I can buy a million cranberries.

Giving thanks

2011-11-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

I woke up, pet-sit and did a 65-minute high-impact cardio class at the gym and am feeling GOOD! I am so ready to eat a big Thanksgiving feast today with our family and am feeling so incredibly blessed for this life that's been given to me. I thank God for all he's provided and know he's watching over me, especially while I drive. I'm so thankful to have such wonderful people in my life.

This year I'm especially thankful for my adorable second cousins! I had the pleasure of seeing them just a couple of weeks ago on my trip home to see my family in Michigan.

This is Larry, my cousin Nichole's little bear. He's so perfect, and smart, and independent. And very loving! So happy I got to see him 2 days in a row.

Don't we look like sisters? ;)

And this is Brody, my cousin Chad's little man. He is so lovable and kissable! We got to spend a whole afternoon with him and we had a blast. I must say I now have extreme baby fever because of this little thing.

I love these babies so much!

I wish you all a lovely Thanksgiving with your loved ones!

Finally

2011-11-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

I just had a very needed conversation with a good friend and my heart is finally at peace. I love this feeling, but I HATE the crying that came with it. Our tears were much needed, but it was still sad. It just reminds me how important communication is between friends. Sometimes I would rather hide my feelings than say anything that might hurt someone else's feelings. But I think it was time to really get it all out, because ultimately you'll find how similar you really are. How their challenges and faults are the same as yours.

I hope that if any of you are feeling conflicted with a friendship that you speak from the heart instead of holding it all in, like I did with this friend. I learned my lesson and think things could have been resolved a lot sooner if I had just scheduled a lunch to talk. Silly me. I'm a little ashamed actually for avoiding her and swallowing my feelings. For not being more honest.

I can now go to sleep tonight knowing that our friendship is still intact and that we both still care so much. That our friendship lives on as strong as ever.

Lately

2011-11-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather has finally cooled down, I've been on a running kick. Running is the best in Arizona when it hits the 70s. I haven't ran this much in A WHILE, and my calves are in pain.

I've been having the itch to shop lately, too. Which isn't good or smart, with Christmas right around the corner. Although, I HAVE started Christmas shopping!

Some of my splurges include:

These adorable bowls that I picked up at the Sweet Salvage Holiday Antique Boutique in Phoenix. They're a grey/white color, which is perfect since I love grey.

Western looks. Found this skirt and these earrings at Francesca's on the sale rack.

Classes at Ballet Fusion. Bought 5 classes for $10 off Living Social and can't wait to try it out!

p.s. I have a little over a month to get my 12 before 2012 done. AGH!!!!!!!! I'll have lots of posts coming up on my progress. Stay tuned...

Venezia - Part 2

2011-11-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Now, back to Venice!

We woke up the second day to sunshine and blue skies. It was the perfect day to see the sights and take in more of the Venetian culture. First stop was St. Mark's Square and Basilica with a Rick Steve's Audio Tour.

Then we headed to the Rialto Bridge for lunch on the Grand Canal.

Best dessert I had the WHOLE trip.

After lunch we shopped. I loved all the window displays. This one made me wish we lived somewhere where I could wear fun gloves.

Doge's Palace was pretty amazing, too!

Is this what my future son will look like one day? Hahahaha

That evening we timed our gondola ride with the sunset and set out for the 45-min ride. I must say, it was probably one of the most romantic things I've ever done. Watching the moon, holding Rob's hand, resting my head on his shoulder, kissing under the Bridge of Sighs, the peaceful water... my heart was on overdrive. Then on our walk to dinner after Rob dipped me in St. Mark's Square for a kiss and I about passed out from the cheesy, romantic gesture. I really loved it actually.

If you're ever in Venice, I definitely recommend a gondola ride. Didn't get the best pictures though, sorry. Still learning to use my camera and wanted to enjoy the ride!

Leaving the next morning was really hard. I wasn't ready to leave the smell of the ocean, the pebble-stoned alley ways and bridges - the history.

Tattoo - yay or nay?

2011-11-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

My 18-year old sister-in-law, Tayler, is getting a tattoo in December. And, I really want to go with her! If an 18-year old can do it, can't a 28-year old? It makes me a little sick to my stomach to think about, but I've always toyed with the idea. It would be great to go through the pain with someone I love.

I know what I want, but I'm not sure yet where to put it and in what font. I went searching for inspiration online for placement ideas.

You'll notice I'm leaning more towards a wrist or back placement. For the tattoo - I want to spell out "joy". 3 letters, very small, a good font that will last over the years and not mush together with fading, and just one color - black.

If Lea Michele can sit through 10, I'm pretty sure I can sit through 3 letters.

So, are tattoos all that painful? Tayler isn't even WORRIED about the pain and her tattoo plans are FAR MORE extreme than mine. She's going upper shoulder blade, with 4 lines of text!

Any advice or placement recommendations for the least amount of pain?

(Image sources: Google)

Fall blogging party

2011-11-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

My best friend Kristin and I LOVE to read blogs. We'd do it all day if we could. But there is just NOT enough time in the day and night to do so!

So... I came up with the idea of a Fall Blogging Party, where we could read blogs all night, watch Halloween movies and make some headway on our own blogs - all without being interrupted by our hubbies.

It was awesome.

Our Friday night started with take-out from Wildflower Bread Co., then Practical Magic, wine, Teen Witch, more wine, blogging and cookies!

I spent most of the night on these blogs:

Urban Grace Interiors blog

We literally spent 6 hrs blogging! If you ever want an excuse to hang out with a girlfriend, make up a theme and formally invite her. It was silly to name our little get-together but we might make it a monthly/seasonal party! Let me know if you want to be invited to the next one!

Venezia - Part 1

2011-11-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

There is only one word I can think of when I look back at our time in Venice.

ROMANTIC.

Venice wasn't originally in our itinerary, but we re-thought it, scratched Florence and booked two days in Venice instead! And I'm so happy we did. As soon as we arrived I was in love.

It was raining when we arrived via Easy Jet, but we didn't care the least. We were in VENICE!

As soon as our water taxi dropped us off at St. Mark's Square, we dropped our luggage off, went mask shopping and grabbed lunch in sandwich row (which was a street over from our hotel).

We checked into our hotel - Albergo Doni. It felt a little haunted to me, with the peeling, warped wall paper, red furniture, dark drapes, and gold accents.

Look at the canal right outside our hotel!

That night we put an extra layer on and set off for a real Venetian dinner - a pub crawl!!!

1st stop - Osteria il Milion: very hungry!

2nd stop - Rosticceria San Bartolomeo: satisfied, enjoying the 1.99 Euro glass of red wine.

3rd stop - Osteria Enoteca ai Rusteghi: ready to mingle! We met the nicest couple from Canada, the husband looked like Christopher Reeves!

4th stop - Osteria al Portego : dessert time, but with more wine.

Last stop - Bacaro Jazz: a funky jazz bar to get us silly ;)

We had so much fun that first night. It was relaxing to stroll, kiss in alley ways, and snuggle under an umbrella.

I didn't realize how many pictures I took in Venice until I started really going through them. So, I'm going to save day 2 for another post, or you wouldn't stop scrolling!

Gooey butter cake

2011-11-05T07:20:00.001-07:00

I ate the most delicious thing a couple of weeks ago. Gooey butter cake. And boy was it GOOEY! My wonderful boss Amanda brought some back from her trip home to St. Louis, Missouri. The yummy, butter gooeiness is a St. Louis tradition and I'm so happy it was brought into my life. Food like this is why my jeans have been fitting tighter, my jogging harder and my teeth more sensitive lately!

She also brought home a pumpkin (my favorite!) gooey butter cake flavor and it was AMAZING. So, I'd like to share her recipe!

Photo: Tina Vega/Flickr

St. Louis Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake (made from scratch)

1 (18 1/4 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 egg

8 tbs butter, melted

Filling

1(8oz) package cream cheese, softened

1(15oz) can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

8 tbs butter, melted

1(16oz) box powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350

To make the cake: Combine all of the ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9in baking pan. Prepare filling.

To make the filling: IN a large bowl beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Miranda

2011-11-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

The highlight of the day, beside my deluxe pedicure with the ladies from my work, was buying Miranda Lambert's new CD off iTunes that came out today.

Now if you know me, I'm crazy about country music, but I especially love me some Miranda Lambert. She's the right amount of twang, kick-ass country and melody I love.

She's also in The Pistol Annies with Ashley Monroe, another artist I like but don't hear a lot of these days. Might need to check it out from the library!

Hope you like!

Gus's dog park birthday

2011-10-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

Our regular pet sitting client, Gus, had a birthday party at the Cosmo Dog Park in Gilbert last Sunday and we had a BLAST!!! This Cosmo Dog Park is awesome. They have a great lake for swimming, another gated area with obstacles and good space for running and another for timid dogs. We spent most of our time near the water!

Gus wasn't one for posing for the camera though. I ended up getting more pictures of his butt than his face.

Guess he was too interested in walking around the park looking for new friends;) I love that about him. I was happy to get him to look once here!

Lucy could be found either by the water fountain laying in the muddy water, or under the picnic table.

Tacoma on the other hand was all about the water. He loves playing in the water and with the other dogs. I love that he's so social and happy!!!

Gus's mom, Sandy, made pup-cakes for everyone and customized goodie bags.

Sandy is seriously so cool.

Lately

2011-10-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

... I've been a little busy. It's kind of a hate/love relationship. I hate being busy, but I thrive on it, too.

So, to help me find some serenity in the week, I've been listening to a lot of Selena. Her story still breaks my heart. I Zumba in my car to Ya No, Bidi Bido Bom Bom, Techno Cumbia, El Chico Del Apartmento 512, Amor Prohibido and Como la Flor. You should try it (at stop lights)!

Lately, I've been waking up to water my flowers in the front and look at my grass growing.

I've been drinking coffee in the morning to save money, too. Spent WAY too much on Starbucks last week. I listen to CMT, drink my home-made peppermint mocha and do anything BUT get ready for work. Like blog.

Also had some pet sitting this weekend. This is one of our regulars, Majestic:

I'm off to Louisville this week for work.

Have a great week!

Orvieto & the 3 C's

2011-10-21T21:39:00.000-07:00

Our third day in Italy (since it fell on a Sunday) was spent in Orvieto in Umbria. As soon as we got up we took the first train to Orvieto early that morning.

Now before I continue, you must know that Orvieto sits on a grand hill made of tuff (volcanic rock). It sits up 1,000 feet and overlooks the beautiful valley hills below. It's famous for its 3 C's - Ceramics, Cathedral & Classico Orvieto wine. All of which I enjoyed!

When the train started, Rob dozed off and I read Harry Potter. Felt like I was on the Hogwart's Express with the drizzle coming down on the windows!

Once our trained hushed to a stop, we got out and took the funicular up to the town. It was still sprinkling out, but once we got to the top, we didn't care. The view was gorgeous. Vineyards, farms, hills and old Italian houses and castles - it was all so lovely.

We got on the little trolley bus and it took us to downtown Orvieto where the Duomo, shops and eateries were. The cathedral was by far our favorite of the trip. At the base of the cathedral are four marble pillars carved with biblical scenes that tell the story of the world from left to right in 4 acts - Genesis, Old Testament, New Testament and Revelation.

Lunch involved a lot of meat and cheese.

We wandered the streets, bought chocolate for my mum, stopped at a gelateria - then relaxed in a small park for some more panoramic views.

Once the rain stopped, the humidity was back. We had walked our little hearts out (AGAIN), so we opted for some cold Classico Wine before we caught the train back to Rome.

It was the perfect day, and quite relaxing. The rain was refreshing and really made the scenery come to life.

Missing Europe!

Another year

2011-10-15T08:24:00.005-07:00

I just want to say that I think I had the best birthday EVER this year. Turning 28 was a lot more fun than I thought it'd be. Our night started with a little pre-show VIP gathering at Jack & Kristin's for root beer float, whipped cream vodka martinis and mingling. Doesn't Kristin have the best hand-writing?

My sweet Sarah made it out before her flight to New Jersey in the morning (yay!).

The boys and their scotch.

(Thanks Kristin for the pics!)

After we headed to B.A.D. (Bingo After Dark) Bingo at the Lone Butte Casino in Chandler. My friend Kristin stocked us with glow bands, and me with a tiara, lei and flashing rings. We had front-row seating to the bingo fun and dance floor and I'm pretty sure I danced more than I daubed my Bingo sheets. We all got pretty into it. Bingo was $7, the dauber $1 and the music was FREE (and non-stop)!! Pretty cheap outing if you ask me! Don't mind these iPhone, no-flash pics, please:

I'm so thankful to have such amazing friends. They're really the best.

A week later I was able to really dive into my birthday money. I'm very proud of how I spent it, too. Four pairs of shoes sounds about right ;)

But my favorite birthday gift of all may have been our new old-school dryer - given to us free from a friend's neighbor. No more crispy towels! No more hanging clothes out on the line! We can do laundry in one night if we need to. It was the perfect birthday gift.

I'm in love with my friends!

12 by 2012

2011-10-15T00:46:00.000-07:00

I’m going to join Oh Hello Friend’s project of goals before 2012. You pick 12 things to accomplish before 2012.

My list of twelve before 2012:

1. Wear red lip gloss

2. Blog at least three times a week (starting today)

3. Buy a Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleanser

4. Go on a road trip

5. Finish my photo challenge

6. Decide on my next camera lens

7. Create a slideshow with our pictures from Italy & Greece

8. Host a Christmas party

9. Find something great at a thrift store

10. Have a beautiful lawn

11. Complete 3 DIY projects

12. Watch a movie in the park

I plan on keeping up with the others bloggers who are doing it, too! So excited!

Wish me luck!

When in Rome - Part 1

2011-10-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

Do as the Romans do. And we did. We napped in the Forum, sipped cappuccino, went for a stroll and chatted about the future over dinner.

Our first day was spent admiring our view of the Church of San Giovanni and Rome's city walls from our penthouse studio (5 floors up with no elevator) in Pilgrim's Rome. Our landlord Gabriella (who owned a B&B across the way) was so nice! Our studio apartment had a large terrace, a bedroom off to the side, and a full bath and kitchen.

This is Gabriella.

After we got settled in, we set off for the Colosseum, Forum and Pantheon.

We look a little tired and sweaty here - but happy!!

That first night we got lost for a few hours, and when we finally found our rental, we stopped and picked up some wine, cheese, meat and crackers to enjoy on our patio. It was exactly what we needed after walking around Rome all day.

The morning after:

Our second day in Rome was spent in Vatican City.

It was incredibly humid so we stopped and had some cold beer.

That evening we took a night walk across Rome, starting at the Spanish Steps. After the steps we splurged on dinner, then headed to the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona to people watch. We ended our walk in Campo De' Fiori and sat and watched the young bar scene. Sort of felt like Mill Ave., but cooler since we were in Rome.

Rome was one of the most amazing places I've ever been. So much to do and see! We're already planning our next European vacation, and it starts with Rome again! Then, France, and London and Ireland... he.he.

Part 2 to come later...

Getting into character

2011-09-29T22:51:00.002-07:00

Getting excited for my Halloween costume! I'm going to wear red lipstick, smoke like a chimney (pretend) and bat my eyelashes like Mrs. Donald Draper (ex Mrs. Donald Draper) a.k.a Betts, Betty.

Wishing for Fall

2011-09-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Fall's here - I can smell it. Maybe it's the popcorn in the air I can smell from the football games, the cooler morning temps or the grass that's finally starting to grow in my front yard. Who knows. But I love fall. I just want to drink apple cider, watch Practical Magic and eat pumpkin pie. Even though it's still in the 100s during the day, I can still dream of cold nights, rainy days and leaves changing. Some things I'd wear if it actually rained here or were cold:

(source)

Tacoma is the perfect shade for fall, don't you think? ;)

And look at these darling owl-themed paper goods from Paper Source! In love.

Happy fall ya'll!

I'm Back

2011-09-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

And it was by far the best vacation I've ever been on.

It's 4 am and I can't sleep. Wide awake. Been up since 1 am. Went to bed at 9:30. Is this what jet lag is? My eyes burn but I can't calm my mind.

Back to my blog post.

7 cities in 18 days. I still can't believe we did it. I'm so proud of us. Proud that we survived all the modes of transportation needed... the map reading, nights of being lost, language-barriers, sleepless nights, pushy Italian crowds, and minor hiccups along the way. There were a lot of "should'ves" and "wish we would'ves", but also a lot of "glad we did's" and "thank God's".

Here is just a glimpse of what you'll be seeing more of (in more detail of course). I took over 2,000 pictures and can't wait to clean them up and post them! Not all 2,000 of course, just the highlights! Still digesting them all. I still feel like I didn't take enough! I'll definitely be including all the food shots, as we ate some pretty amazing food. Oh, and I will try to post some videos, too. HILARIOUS.

Rome, Italy

Orvieto, Italy

Venice, Italy

Naples, Italy

Capri, Italy

Athens, Greece

Santorini, Greece

I fell in love with my husband all over again. He was the best travel partner I could have asked for. He made this trip absolutely amazing and I'm so thankful to have him in my life.

I was happiest when I was watching him eat (lots of pictures to come like the one below), or swim in the ocean, or smile at me, even when I was about to have a nervous break-down. We laughed a lot and will hold these memories in our hearts forever. Getting a little choked up now. Jeez.

I'm glad to say that I did everything I wanted to do while I was there. More on that to come!

I think I'm ready

2011-09-01T01:14:00.001-07:00

We leave for Europe tomorrow morning. I can't believe it's finally here. My stomach has been in knots all week... no sleep... My heart hurts I'm so excited. I think I'm pretty much ready though!! I have the goodie bags packed up for the dogs, my travel journal (thanks Kristin!), passport wallet (thanks Heather!), a bigger memory card for my camera and my reading material. And I DID fit everything in my carry-on. BARELY.

I'm going to miss our sweet doggies, but I know they'll be in good hands. I have a pretty intense itinerary planned for us but I need to remember to relax and unplug! Especially when we get to the beaches on Capri and Santorini. I have no idea what to expect... 18 days off to explore Italy & Greece and celebrate 10 years together. I'm still in disbelief that we're finally going!

Until Sept. 20 - CIAO!!!!

Exciting news!

2011-08-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

NO... I'm not pregnant.

The Pioneer Woman now has her own show on the Food Network!!!!! As soon as I read the words on her blog I started jumping around and ran to my phone. I then called Robby and started screaming. I watched the first mini- webisode and am already IN LOVE! Just to hear Marlboro Man TALK is exciting!!! Ree Drummond is darling. I might need to call COX Cable and ask them to turn my cable back on for this. Oh, I'm so thrilled right now I can barely contain myself!!!! I actually feel kind of nauseated.

Without a doubt I will be watching.

In other news, another favorite of mine, Whitney Duncan, will be on the next Survivor! CRAZY!!! My heart is bursting with happiness right now.

Starts Sept. 14th while I'm in Europe so I'll have a lot to catch up on when I get back.

Alright, I must go. My stomach is in knots!

Want!

2011-08-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

I think Gossip Girl has brainwashed me into LOVING chunky necklaces. They seem like so much fun, and would add flare to any dress, top or blazer. These are some of the necklaces I've seen lately that I love.

Also loving these feather earrings!

I really need to get off Pinterest. It's taking over my life.

Fun at the Lake

2011-08-18T21:00:00.005-07:00

A few weeks back we went with our friends Kim & Mac to their family's lake house in... I can never remember the city so I'm going to say it was north of Phoenix. We've been up to this house quite a few times and always have so much fun. I really love these weekends with Kim especially. We'll just float in the water and catch up on life. We'll sip on drinks and giggle about anything and everything. I'll watch her ski and hide from the sun; she'll watch me wake board and bask in the sun. Instead of getting all crazy on the boat, I decided this time to just lounge around, swim, and take pictures.

Speaking of pictures, here were some I took!

Rob caught the football off the dock.

A lot.

Like, the whole time.

And I got to see Kim slalom ski! This is her first year at it. Look at her smile!

And of course, Mac's an expert.

Kim is so sweet, and such an amazing friend. She brings me so much joy! I look forward to many more weekend getaways to come!

Found the Bag

2011-08-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

We're 16 days out from our European vacation and I'm so excited my stomach hurts. Our to-do list is outrageously long, but nothing we can't handle in the next couple of weeks. At the top of my list is a semi-large, carry-on suitcase since I won't be checking a bag (and neither will Rob). To save money I'm borrowing a suitcase from my sister's roommate, and I LOVE IT!!!

Next on my to-do list? Figuring out how to fit 18 days into this thing! The inside is rather spacious so I'm excited to start rolling my clothes and packing my toiletries. I'll let you know how it goes!!

Our Casa

2011-08-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

My friend Heather keeps asking for pictures of our new rental, so here you go!

Front exterior:

I LOVE our mailbox!

The back, covered patio area:

Our extended, back porch while they were replacing the rotted wood:

Another BEFORE shot:

AFTER:

Looks much better!

I'm very happy to have these shelves in the laundry room for all my random dishes, vases and appliances. Still haven't used my bread maker or rice cooker (if that's even what it's called).

The crown molding throughout the interior is nice, too.

My little bathroom decor. If I could, I would have a succulent in every room in my house. They're so darn cute!

That's all I'm showing for now. I think once we get back from Europe we'd like to get the grass up and growing (maybe with some DURATION NPK), pull out the weeds and put in some plants in the front. I'll post more pictures then! ;)

I had a Basset for 5 days

2011-08-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is Gus. He also goes by Gustopher. This was the second time we pet-sit Gus and we absolutely love him. He was such a good boy!

Tacoma and Lucy had the best time with him. Especially Tacoma. They played the entire time. We were all sad to see him leave. I think Tacoma even cried.

One day I will have a basset hound... like The Pioneer Woman's Charlie.

Happy Birthday Lucille!

2011-08-06T20:47:00.002-07:00

Lucille Ball would be 100 years old today if she was still alive. If there was one person I would choose to eat dinner with, dead or alive, it would be Lucille Ball.

Here are some of my favorite episodes. They crack me up! You really need to sit back, relax and watch!!!

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Lucy!

Bridal Shower Gift Idea

2011-08-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like the queen of last minute. Or, at least lately I do.
I've been late on birthday gifts, bridal shower gifts, housewarming gifts, and so on.

I had a little post bridal shower dinner planned with a girlfriend and hit up Bed, Bath & Beyond the night before. See what I mean?

Well, I went through what was left of their registry and tried to get my creative juices flowing.
So... I came up with this: Breakfast in Bed for the Happy Couple!

It included:

Breakfast serving tray (Bed, Bath & Beyond - wrapped separately)
"Breakfast in Bed" Breakfast Blend for Keurig (Bed, Bath & Beyond - they registered for it)
"Bed & Breakfast" Blueberry Pancake Mix (Home Goods)
Two Coffee Cups (Home Goods)
Flower

Maybe it's been done before, but I was pretty proud of it.

Girls Weekend in Sedona

2011-08-03T07:07:00.001-07:00

TravelZoo had a great deal for a one-night stay at the Sedona Rouge, so myself and 3 other girls took advantage! Here was our agenda for the 2 days:

Saturday - Arrival, poolside with Skinny Girl Margaritas, hour-long massages, jacuzzi and dinner at Elote Cafe:

The dresser in the room was to die for. I wanted to take it home!

Sunday - "JOY"oga, breakfast at the resort and then downtown Sedona for fudge, ice-cream and Body Bliss.

I had one of the best breakfasts I've ever had - corn-flake, cinnamon french toast with strawberries (and lots of syrup)!

These are the lovely ladies I went with:

This is Jen. She is so much fun! I absolutely love her laugh and personality. What brings Jen joy? I'd say her booming make-up business!

This is Beth. I really enjoyed getting to know her more and admire her clever sense of humor. What brings Beth joy? I'm going to say her sweet daughter, Baylor! (p.s. I would kill for her house.)

And this was our organizer for the trip, my wonderful friend, Kristin. She is so special to me! I cherish our friendship and am guaranteed happiness whenever I'm around her. What brings her joy? Creativity, details and party planning! Hint, hint - her blog and business are soon going to be up and running. So excited for her!

I had such a nice time in Sedona - a girls' weekend was much needed. But, it was far too short!

iPhone Food Dump

2011-08-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest and greatest from my handy dandy iPhone:

The peach cobbler I made after reading The Help.

My weekly pasta dish I make for myself, normally on a Wednesday.

Salmon is so good.

Skinny Girl Margarita by the pool, thanks to Beth.

Root beer float - was craving it.

Peach pancakes!

The Magic of Coronado

2011-08-01T23:09:00.004-07:00

Welcome to my new blog!

I first want to say thank you to Renata Miles. She is the master mind behind my design and captured every color and feature I wanted. Thank you Renata! Love you dearly!!!

For my first post, I wanted to share some pictures from our weekend in California over the 4th. I'm having so much fun with my new camera, if you can't tell.

Rob and I spent our first day and night in La Jolla and downtown San Diego. Our hostel was a little sketchy. However, it was a block from the Gas Lamp District and a fun cigar bar so it was worth it.

The rest of the weekend we spent with my family on Coronado Island.

If you’ve never been to Coronado Island, you really need to go. Especially on the 4th of July. You can actually smell freedom in the air - the people, the decor, the annual parade, the bunting flags, the roses ... oh, the roses. They smell AMAZING. On the way to the beach I usually stop at every rose bush just to inhale the fragrance. It's one of my favorite places.

(please ignore the weird shadow; I think it's Rob's arm)

It's such a magical island. Even the sand is magical - it's GOLD!

It's crazy how many people can fit on an island.

Coronado Island brings me so much joy (*sigh*)...

CherJoy

Lately in the Johannes household

Joy

A farewell in black & white

Salad is for lunch

A nacho & hot dog bar

It's Spring!

Fira - Santorini (Thira)

This week's joy

Our weekend in Santa Cruz

Happy Valentine's Day

This week's joy

It's a SHORE thing

Photobarn.co

Our mini Alt

Gift idea for a 30th birthday

My faves from the Super Bowl

This week's joy

The Color Run

Waiting for someday

Joy moments

Dinner with the Thomsons

It's here!

If you see my husband

This week's joy

Italian night with the Thomsons

Tacoma

Time for Greece!

Happy Gus

This week's joy

January is flying

'Joy' moments

Craving cheetah

Rome - Part 2

A grand road trip

A fresh start

Capri

The nifty fifty

Red lips

Done & done

Rooney, you amaze me

Today is the day

Goody gumdrops

Update on my 12

'Tis the Season

Need some joy

Napoli

Party details

A Cranberry Christmas

Giving thanks

Finally

Lately

Venezia - Part 2

Tattoo - yay or nay?

Fall blogging party

Venezia - Part 1

Gooey butter cake

Miranda

Gus's dog park birthday

Lately

Orvieto & the 3 C's

Another year

12 by 2012

When in Rome - Part 1

Getting into character

Wishing for Fall

I'm Back

I think I'm ready

Exciting news!

Want!

Fun at the Lake

Found the Bag

Our Casa

I had a Basset for 5 days

Happy Birthday Lucille!

Bridal Shower Gift Idea

Girls Weekend in Sedona

iPhone Food Dump

The Magic of Coronado

Archive