It’s Okay to be Thankful

Today is Thursday… I’m still having to deal with the fact that week is practically over and I don’t know where it went. I wanted to join in on two little link-ups today, because I find them totally appropriate for the moment.

 

and

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It’s Okay…

… to have coffee, cake and two apricots for breakfast once in a while

… to miss my mama like crazy

… to be completely and utterly in love with your dog

… to think that said dog is absolutely adorable when she cuddles with her toys

… to want to trade lives with said dog or the neighbors dog as they lay around and take in the sunshine (for a day)

… to have a sink full of dishes … it’s actually kind of gross and I’m avoiding the kitchen so I don’t have a meltdown

… to get dolled up just to sit around the house

and

… to not get out of your sweats all day

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I’m thankful for …

… the monsoon that we got yesterday, it cooled things down a lot

… the little rain that Colorado got

… the fact that my friends and family are safe and away from the fires as of right now

… my husband, family and friends

… the internet and the ability to do my job and classes all from the comfort of my home

… my clients

… my life

Sometimes the little things get overwhelming. Sometimes I don’t see the big pictures because I’m so concentrated on the little things. Sometimes I get so stressed that even ice cream and a bubble bath can’t calm me down. I take for granted what I’ve got and always want more. I forget to be thankful that I’ve got a roof over my head, food on the table, a loving and caring family, friends who’ll be there no matter what, unconditional love from a little dog named Lilly, a good job, an education and so on. I forget that there are millions of people out there who never had the opportunities that I had, and only dream of half the life I have. Really, I feel ashamed that I’ve been so ungrateful for all the good in my life.

And yes, the weather here is still hot, but it’s only temporary. Come September it’ll cool down and I’ll once again be able to breath normally.

SEEEEEE… this too shall pass.

Hope you all are having a great Thursday!

Keep Colorado in your thoughts and prayers. My beautiful state is being destroyed.

In need of a vacation

The title to this blog is a fact. Nothing more.

I am very much in need of a vacation. Between work, school, photography, Lilly and this house, I just need a drink (maybe 10) and some sunshine.

These flowers are sitting on my kitchen table. They make me happy.

I’m not really sure where all my days are going? I get up at 6 AM … every single day, because Miss Lilly does not like sleeping in … at all. So I get up, have coffee and get my day going. Before I know it, it’s 8 PM and I feel like nothing got accomplished. Maybe it’s just the Arizona heat getting to me.

Yes, she is on the brand new couch. She’s a spoiled brat 

Speaking of Arizona heat, it’s been over a 100 for over 3 weeks now. It’s really gross. I hate hot weather, and I’m not really sure why I agreed to moving out to the desert… since by definition it means HOT!

I literally get depressed when it’s sunny and hot for an extended period of time. I want rainy, gloomy days. I miss rainy, gloomy days. I hate air conditioning too, I would rather it never be hot so I never have to use it. I freeze when the air conditioning turns on. AND since it’s hot all the time, the AC has been on, and I’ve been freezing.

F. you Arizona. Is it really necessary to be this dang hot?!

There really isn’t a point to this post. But I did want to bring this up, in case there are people out there who hadn’t heard about it and see the video.

 

I don’t even know how kids have gotten so mean and disrespectful. I know that when we were in middle school, we thought we were such grown ups and could do whatever we wanted to, BUT we knew full well that we need to respect our elder and something like this would have gotten me disowned.

 

This poor woman could be any of our grandmothers. And if someone made my grandmother cry, it would not end well for them. I sure hope that I can be the type of parent who raises my children to be respectful and caring, especially towards adults.

 

Well… That’s all I’ve got folks!

Hope you have a good Tuesday!!!

Something to be Thankful for

I’m one of these people that has lots of “first world problems.” Really! And the whole hashtag (#firstworldproblems) has really brought out how much I should really be thankful for.

Some of my current problems include; no living room furniture, because I’m too snobby to settle on one. Dirty floors because the backyard is full of dust, sand, dirt and the dog brings it all in. And so on.

While most of you will agree these are problems they are not the end of the world. While I don’t have a beautiful living room set (or any furniture in the living room for that matter) I have a beautiful house that will eventually get filled with the perfect couches, tables, chairs, and décor. My floors? Well they’ll get scrubbed with a gallon of bleach as soon as the hubs is done with the yard and Lilly is running on rocks and fake grass.

So here are some things that I am Thankful for on this beautiful Monday morning.

• The internet: I don’t think anyone of our generation really appreciates the internet as much as we should. It allows me to work from home from a different state. It allows me to see my parent’s faces on a daily basis and speak to them in real-time. It allows me to go to school from the comfort of my tile floor () and keep in touch with all of my loved ones via Facebook, email and so on.

• My job: I work… a LOT. Probably more than I should. BUT I love my job. I really really do. I’m thankful that I can sit at home and do what I love and get paid for it. Who else can say that?

• Husband: We have our ups and downs, and all married couples do. I’m thankful that at the end of the day, the hubs cares and loves me. Even if we are sleeping on a mattress on the floor (which is actually NOT that bad), I know that I’ll wake up every morning to a snuggle and a kiss.

• Lilly bug: This morning, I was not thankful for her at all. Especially her insistent whining and licking of my face witch cow hoove breath. Only dog owners who give their dogs cow hooves will actually understand how gross they smell after chewing on one of those things. I’m thankful for her health, for her constant want to play and then crash not 5 minutes into playing. OH and her love for running and sliding on the tile floor. She may not be too happy when there is furniture in the house.

• Our awesome neighbors: Seriously, best part of moving to Arizona and to this small town. Our neighbors are beyond awesome and we couldn’t have asked for better. Who else will volunteer to help clean our house and then put together a plan on how to do it?! OH or feed us yummy food? And help move a really heavy couch? And the list goes on. BEST NEIGHBORS EVER! PS: C if you are reading this, I LOVE YOU!

• My Parents and their health: My parents aren’t really just my parents. Their my best friends. I can talk to my mom about anything, literally, anything. My dad’s pretty much the same way. In fact, I think I’ve talked to my dad about things that no one would really talk to their dad about. AnyWHO. I miss them BUT I’m thankful that their only a short flight away. I can hop on a plan and be in Denver in under 2 hours.

AND I just realized that my list can go on for a very very long time. So here are some in short order with no explanations: my grandfather and his health, my brother and the fact that he’ll be here in less then 26 hours, my computer and camera, the house and cars, and in general the life we have.

So what are you thankful for this Monday?

Home made pizza and babies!

Last night we made homemade pizza… crust and all.

It was pretty tasty. Mine had all kinds of things on it, like mushrooms and fresh mozzarella cheese. Hubby’s was a boring cheese and pepperoni.

 

Lilly helped make the pizza by laying right in front of the ovens and guarding the food while it baked. Unfortunately, she did not get to have a slice as she get’s too many treats as is, and is starting to put on a bit of extra wait. Dog parent FAIL

After dinner, I met a little cutie.

He’s name is Ian and his has some bright blue eyes!

He wants to be just like dad when he grows up.

And this may be my favorite picture by far from the whole shoot. The face says it all!

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!!!!

Z

It’s Okay Thursday

Today is Thursday… we’re almost at the end of the week and it’s been hectic around here. Lots of new things, and the process of getting settled into a new place is a little overwhelming at times. But it’s Thursday, which means that no matter what it is… it’s okay.

It’s okay that … Lilly got me up 4 times during the night to take her out. Her poor tummy doesn’t feel good. It’s also okay that I’m heartbroken over her not feeling great.

It’s okay… that I started out my day with a very large cup of coffee and called it breakfast.

… that I have no desire to change out of my PJs or even take a shower.

… that I would rather play with my Lilly bug then do anything else in the world.

It’s okay… that I’ve been dying to get these Loubatines, and have been trying to figure out how to justify the purchase when we need to get so many things for the house.

It’s okay… to miss my parents and friends in Colorado, but it’s also okay not to feel guilty about enjoying our lives out in Tucson.

It’s okay … to wear dresses and skirts every single day of the week even though the furthest and most exciting place I’m going to go is the grocery store.

It’s okay also okay to priorities getting landscaping over bedroom furniture… hey our dog’s needs outweigh ours

Finally… it’s okay to plan a meal around the bottle of wine we have sitting in the pantry.

Hope you all are having a great Thursday. Head on over and link up!

What I’m Loving <3

It’s been a really long time since I’ve done one of these posts, and I figured what a better way to start of my busy Wednesday then by reminding myself about the things I love.

 

As you all know in the last few weeks we’ve been doing a lot of back and forth driving between Tucson and Denver. We’ve also managed to pack, move, get a new car, bring home our baby all while working full time, traveling for work (on the hubs part) and being extremely sick. So here is what I’m loving now that things have settled back down.

Our beautiful house!

This was the day we finally got our keys. I had just gotten a diagnosis of bronchitis and a sinus infection. It seems every big event in our lives is marked by illness (we were both sick on our wedding day).

What I love most about the house, is the amazingly beautiful and large kitchen.

This was taken the day we had our initial walk through of the house, so there is actually a fridge in the gaping hole in the wall, and the counters are covered in dishes/boxes and other things to still unpack.

I’m absolutely loving the neighborhood and I am so glad that we picked Sahuarita over Oro Valley.

Not only is it all green and beautiful, but there is also a pool at every corner, a water park for kids and teens, several parks all around, over 7 miles of walking trails, a full gym that is included in the HOA fees and two DOG PARKS.

I’m loving the kitchen table we got to match our barstools:

AND the price on it! The whole set, delivered was $320.00. I had bought the bar stools about 2 and a half years ago, for $50.00 a piece. The backs, the metal and the cloth all match, and I cannot wait until it gets here.

I am loving this housewarming present from my parents.

It’s seriously the best invention every! I love that it takes less then a minute to get my coffee/tea ready in the morning. And the fact that I can make ice tea with this as well, makes me one happy girl.

I’m LOVING my new car.

We had really outgrown our little beater, so I gave the Camaro to the hubs and we got ourselves an SUV.  Lilly loves the back seat! I love the roomy interior and the great, smooth ride. This car is going to be fantastic for long road trips, and runs to Costco and Home Depot.

I’m also loving this little shrimp:

 

Our Lilly Bug is such a sweetheart and the best thing that’s happened to us! She is currently sleeping with her head on my lap and I couldn’t be a happier gal!

And of course, I’m always loving this handsome man:

Hope you all are having a great Wednesday. Head over to Jamie’s and let us know what you’re loving today.

A Formal Introduction

Hi all, hope you didn’t think I died, or anything like that.

We’re finally moved, and getting settled in. There was lots of big changes in these parts of town, not only did we close on our house in the last month, but we also got a new car, started putting together our house (which has depleted all of our savings) and got our baby girl.

Out of all the new things we’ve gotten lately, the one that makes both the hubs and me the happiest is our Lilly.

Please meet Lilly!

She loves her food, exploring the backyard, long naps and car rides. She is also a fan of getting her mama up at 6 sharp every morning for a little walk and a long nap afterwards. Lilly is about a year and a half, and one of the best dogs I’ve ever met. She is super smart and learns quickly. She’s already figured out that our lives revolve around here. She’s also marked the house as her own and is now a guard puppy. Granted she is chicken shit and will bark and then hide behind me. She hates baths, but loves rolling in the dirt. She is also not a fan of being left alone, and follows me around all day long.

Lilly is a Doberman Pincher with natural ears and a docked tail. She is about 70 pounds and will fill up to about 85/90 when she is fully grown. She loves to grin, which can be scary at first, smile and roll around on her back while her daddy gives her belly rubs.

In short, we’re completely in love with our little girl and couldn’t be more thankful to the a-hole that dumbed her at a shelter with her brother, because his fiancé said it was either her or the dogs.

Well… Hello there

So it’s been a little while… 2 months and 1 day (but who’s counting) since I’ve been on here. You can go ahead and give me the worst blogger award right now, but I’m back… at least for the day.

I’ve missed writing and I’ve missed all my amazing readers. For those of you who know me in real life or follow me on Facebook, you know a lot is going on. I figured, I’d catch everyone up on here in a bulletin point type of post… as I’m writing this while I eat a late (very late) lunch.

• We finally have a start date for the hub’s job… April 9th. This means that we need to be living in Tucson by then. That sounds fine right? WRONG. The hub’s has to work the 2nd through the 6th of April here in Denver AND report to his new position on Monday the 9th. Leaving us with just the weekend to drive down.

• We didn’t get the house we initially wanted, the builder sold it two days before I called them to put in our offer. Instead we got the bigger version that’s right next door. More space = more money to spend :-/. We’re not crazy about this, but we needed a place to live and the builder’s offer was fantastic. We close on the house on the 26th of March… a week from today. Great right?! It really is fantastic, BUT we have to be there in person, which means we need to leave Denver on the 24th to drive down there. No biggy! Aside from the fact that hub’s doesn’t get back from Baltimore until the night of the 23rd…

• Speaking of the hub’s being in Baltimore… well he’s there for 2 weeks, he’s been gone a week already, leaving me to pack everything on my own. While this is no fault of his as he’s gone for work, it’s stressing me out to the max.

• Oh and packing?! I thought we had everything boxed up, and it would be a breeze as we’re getting rid of almost all of our furniture… well, turns out we have more crap then I thought. We’ve already got my in-laws Wells Cargo full with a couch, book shelves, boxes of books, clothing and shoes. Sadly, there is still a ton of stuff in my parents basement, including all of our kitchen junk (dishes, pots and pans, small appliances…).

• OHHHH, and the fact that we have to buy appliances (just a fridge, washer and dryer) drives me insane. I can’t find anything I like in the price range I want.

• In addition to the appliances, we need window treatments as our windows are bare, we need to seal the tile throughout the house and the garnet counter tops in the kitchen.

• To add the cherry on top, I found the perfect pup that we’re adopting… and we have to get her on the 25th of March… the day we get into Tucson and before we close on the house (I’m a genius … I know). Thank GOD for pet friendly hotels!

The newest addition to our family, Lilly the Doberman

• Then we’re in a shamble about a car… do you remember my little hot rod?! Welllllll… that was suppose to be a truck or an SUV with 4 doors and a back seat. Instead, we got another two door car with no back seat. You’d think that between two adults we’d be smart enough to figure out that we need something that seats more than 2 people. Well… now with the pup, and me having to drive back to Denver every 6 weeks for work… I need a different car. Except that hub’s isn’t willing to give up the Camaro, and I don’t wont a higher payment.

In short, we found out 6 weeks ago that the Hub’s work papers and clearance went through and started the house processes then. Between the realtor, lender, builder and title company, we finally got the paperwork worked out and all set. 4 weeks ago, hub’s start date was April 22nd to May 6th, 2 weeks ago it turned to the 9th of April.

Between working full time, going to school, and dealing with this move, I’ve had no time to take care of myself or sleep. BUT, we’re almost there. In two weeks time, I should be sitting in my beautiful house in Tucson stress free!

Well, my lunch break is over and I hope to get another post up for tomorrow. So many things to share with you all!!!

Do you have any moving tips for me? What about cars? What are your favorite SUV/Crossovers? I am trying to decide between the Tucson and the RAV4… thoughts?