Trip to Tucson

We had a rare occurrence in our family a couple of weekends ago. DJ came home and informed me that he had Saturday, Sunday & Monday off from work. I know, I know we both were in disbelief too. So we immediately picked up the phone and called our good friends down in Tucson, Jen and Pat. We told them the good news and planned a quick trip down Friday and back Saturday to celebrate my B'day and their 1 year wedding anniversary. DJ and I were so excited to see them as we miss them terribly since they moved down south about 9 months ago. So Friday night I loaded up the car with all our bags and the dog and we were ready to hit the road when DJ got off work.This was our first road trip with Roxi, and she did great. We made pretty good time getting to Tucson around 12:15am. So since everyone was awake and raring to go we decided it would be a good time to introduce DJ and I to Guitar Hero. Here is our friend Jen playing the bass, and doing a smash up job might I say. Oh my golly gee williakers is that game fun or what! We both quickly became enamored with the game and DJ full out let himself go with the moment getting in touch with his inner rock-star.
The next day we were treated by Pat to a wonderful field trip to the Pima air museum. It was so cool to see all the planes so large and in real life. First we went through the Boneyard, which is one of the largest storage yards for active planes in country. There were planes as far as the eye could see. Inside we got to see planes from all eras.

Here are the boys looking and admiring one of the WWI planes and that my friends in the background, why that is a real life SR-71 blackbird - only the coolest plan in existence!
Here's a view of it from the front in this photo.
This is a guppy. It is used to carry the boosters for the space shuttles. The front area where you would usually see a pilot actually opens up and that's where the boosters come out.Here is the actual Air Force One that flew JFK while he was President. We got to walk on and look at the accommodations the President once enjoyed. Let me tell you all, we have come a long way for sure. That plane was so small it was amazing to think that was considered a luxury accommodation.
The Presidential seal, so cool!!!!!
Later we ran off to see Cloverfield. I liked it for what it was, a scary monster movie. Believe me this is not winning any awards, but I liked it for the same reason I like Lost (JJ Abrams directs both the movie and Lost) you can either sit and analyze the plot and possibilities to death or you can just enjoy the ride. I'm not sure I can watch it again though because it is very intense. That night we watched Stardust. Ohhhhh soooooo goooood. I just loved this movie and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy movie. I can't say too much without giving away stuff so I'll just say that it's worth giving it a shot. Ok, now for a laugh. My friend Jen's dog Panda is the sweetest little thing with the biggest under bite ever. He looks like this all the time and I laugh each and every time I look at him, so I had to share his cute little face with ya'll. We ended up staying longer down south then we had planned because Pat the Awesome fixed my laptop by completely wiping everything and re-installing Windows and everything on it for me. So in the morning we got up and enjoyed a little breakfast and the boys both hopped on the computers and played WOW for a while.
DJ was a little scraggly by then, lol.
Then we hopped back into the car and chugged back up to Phoenix. Roxi loved the ride in the day light she could look out the window at all the lovely scenery going by. I took this of her in the passenger vanity mirror. She's such a cutie.

Just gonna catch you all up already

I have been suffering from some serious bloggers anxiety over here in Christine land. I have so many pictures I want to share and I have been having nothing but technical problems since I have got my computer up and working. I want to post about all the wonderful things that have been happening over here in my little world but I just can't bring myself to do it with out the accompining visual stimuli. So I went into a little blogger denile and just let the time pass beautifuly by whilst I ponder the great complexities of the universe (why do hot dogs come in 8 packs and buns in 10 packs, where do the socks go if they aren't coming out in the same numbers as I put them in the washing machine, just how many licks does it take to get to the center of a totsie pop) all the while expecting my computer to simply control + alt +heal thyself and be back to normal. And everything was going along swimingly until I opened my email tonight to find that my denial-ic actions may cause the fall of the world as we know it know. I was informed by the famous blogger Amie that she would be going on strike if I did not post something new. Well I knew that I couldn't be responsible for the collapse of the blog world as we know it, because I know if I don't read her blog daily I feel like I've missed out on something and then I go all kattywompus. So I hustled butt in to my office and fixed my computer so I could bring you all a little joy when you open my page and see something other then my Chrismas pictures. Yes I've decided to share with you all my .........New Years pictures!

Oh there was such good times happening that splendid night. Toni and her hubby, Amie and her hubby and myself and my hubby all went out for a wonderful dinner at Macayo's. We talked and laughed and stuffed ourselves to the brim with yummy, yummy, yummy food. ................... Soory had to clean up the drool .
Then we went back to Toni's house for good ol Wii time. We played Mario Party 8 as teams. I totally love this photo series of the Amie Danny team. Amie was being instructed by her partner who was very into the idea of winning this challenge. This series makes me crack up :-) So now we are going to go this way and do that thing over there..... Yehaw! (Amie is a master of disguise, don't let her mellow demeanor fool you, oh no, she is in fact a wild woman...) There it is, unbridled joy. Awwwww such a great pair! Next there was much DDR going on in the house. Oh we were a shaking our groove thing for sure. And my hubby got schooled by Toni's 7 year old son - hahahaha - so glad it wasn't me cause it could have been , oh yes it could have been. There was midnight kisses - so cute aren't they :-) And freezing col , very windy noise making. All in all it was the best New Years we've had in quite a while. Thanks guys for such a great night and a wonderful new addiction. Yes we went a bought a R game for our PS2 with our Christmas Best Buy gift card - of there is much shaking of the groove thing a going on over here.

So that brings me to my New Year's challenges. I am dubbing this year the year of No Fears. I am going to stop letting the world dictate to me what I can and can't do and start only taking orders from myself. So what if I'm struggling to get clients for my photography - I'm gonna start advertising outside of my box and get my business back up and running. Heck I fed my family before on my talent and I can do it again. I'm going to start writing again and I don't care what people think of my stories, I'm gonna just keep writing until my little heart is content. And for that matter I'm writing poetry again too - so there world, that's right poetry and I might even rhyme something! I'm gonna learn to say no more often an not let people guilt me into changing my answer. Just because I don't have children doesn't mean my time is less valuable; I enjoy being home and snuggling up with my computer and scrapbooking just as much as the next girl and gosh darn it I'm a gonna do it when ever I can (but this doesn't mean for all of you to stop inviting me to things - let's face it I'm still a little needy). Ok I'll share with ya'll each month the challenge I'm working on to face my fears this year and that should help me keep on track - woo hoo I'm gonna kick fear's butt.
Now one last thing I had to share about the holiday season then I will sign off for a little bit. I have to share my Holiday miracle - her name is Abigail. Abby and I grew up together and have shared major milestones in our lives. She was my maid of honor in my wedding. I sat by her bedside after a horrible accident took her ability to walk. She is the strongest woman on the face of this planet and I love that she is my family - no matter what the DNA says. We had been separated by life's crazy ways for about 2 years when I got a call out of the blue that she was going to be in AZ over New Years. Oh it was so wonderful to she my darling Abby and hear her laugh and get to see her new artwork (she's applying for graduate school right now). She truly was my favorite part of the Holiday season and I can't wait to catch up with her again soon, love ya girly!

Take a step into my time machine

cause we're going back to 2007. I can't not post about our family's little Christmas celebration. We were able to spend the Christmas Eve evening with my in-laws. DJ and I both had to work so we didn't get over there until after 5pm but we got in a good 6 hours with the fam. My BIL & SIL came in from CA for a couple of days. Bless their hearts they drove 17 hours to get there too.
Here is my BIL (who isn't the always fond of the camera being around so I snuck a few while he wasn't looking)
And here is my beautiful SIL (seriously isn't she gorgeous? And she is truly as sweet as she looks, no lie).We ate the most yummy Indian food on the planet. I just marinated myself right into the curry and nann and found my little piece of bliss. Oh food, oh joy. We were introduced to this lovely dessert when we attended the dinner after our friend Vijay's baptism and I have been dreaming of it since. It's made with carrots that get cooked and cooked with yummy additions until it's almost the consistency of sweet potatoes. So it was the first thing I looked for when I was getting dinner together with the SIL. Oh my heavens I love it so much. I happily took the leftovers home after our Christmas Eve feast.
We got spoiled this year for sure. The boys got golf goodies and DJ got a honest to goodness buck knife. And Jeannie and I got heated socks for those cold nights and ear rings and gift cards galore. DJ and I decided to combine all of our Khols cards together and get this lovely box of goodies, and boy howdy are we as happy as pigs in a huge mud hole. Thanks family!

Then we got up on Christmas morn and got to do something we've never done before...have Christmas morning alone together in our own home. It was so wonderful to share that time together. I got up to find my darling hubby making my favorite breakfast in the world; corned beef hash and eggs, yummy. We enjoyed breakfast and then opened up gifts together, which was a huge treat after 4 years of no gifts due to poorness (we're still poor but the recent change in jobs resulted in some un-used vacation pay that I was able to collect on so we splurged on some presents). Here's some of the funntivities of the gift giving in the house.
DJ's loot.
He got a tie rack (I was almost as excited as him since the ties have taken over mu closet door prior to this little beauty).
And a how to play guitar book complete with new strings for his guitar.

Which he promptly strung...and broke.....


My loot.
Scrappy stuff.........ohhhhh buttons...........


And stickles...................be still my heart look at all of the sparklieness and joy. Seriously how can you not smile when looking at stickles?

And tons of other scrappy goodness. I was just elated to get my paws on all this fun stuff. I also got shelves for my scrappy room. Oh supplies and organization - what wonderful gifts!


We cleaned up and went over to my parents house for some gift giving and then a wonderful dinner. Look at her beautiful tree!
A happy Christmas Dad!

He surprised my mom with brand new knives, the first set in 12 years! He employs the best elf around I tell you, always hooking him up with suggestions that earn him the big ticket points.

The grandparents came over and we had a feast of lasagna and Cesar salad. We hung out and watched a movie with them and then mossed back to our place so we could go to work in the morning. It was a wonderful holiday for sure, though not long enough at all. I really miss getting to hang as a family. My parents both work nights and my dad works weekends. The BIL & SIL live in CA and both have demanding work schedules. The J man's rents are local but my FIL works nights too and my MIL - well I love her but she and I are best mixed in small portions without the buffer of others around. Well I know it's late but I hope you all had wonderful Holidays and were able to enjoy the families and friends in your life.
Next post you'll get to see what happens when friends let friends play with a Wii!

It's Alive!

My computer is finally fixed! (the big desktop that had the video card go out - not the laptop, which sadly has given up it's fight for life. Hangs head in a moment of silence for the lost comrade and the ability to blurf {blog surf} and internet shop from the comforts on her bed....taps plays softly is the distance......... So what does this mean to those of you who are reading this little fun filled blog you ask. Why let me tell you my friends - it means I'm back baby. Oh yea you'll get to hear about Indian food, stickles, gutiars, DDR (for those of you who don't know what that is like oh my gosh you so have to find out cause it's like totally awesome and I'm totally addicted now - hrmph thanks Toni and Amie like I really needed another addiction - but at least it's exercise right?), Wii bowling, scorpions, DUI laws (not first hand don't worry), dog drama, weddings, break jobs, scrapping, WoW and the best most yummy soup recipe I have created yet. And that only gets us to the 7th of January!
However, since it is past midnight I'm going to save the stories for next post and in honor of the up coming Super Bowl, whit to me means funny commercials I leave you with the best commercial from last year - enjoy.

Stay tuned

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I've had some computer drama with a faulty video card and it's almost fixed yea. I'll post a nice long juicy post hopefully by tomorrow night!!!!!!!! OK have to get off the computer I just hijacked :-) Happy New Year all!!!!!!!