The ABC's of Me!

Happy Friday Everyone! So the hubby and I are going on vacation for a week starting tomorrow night. I will be busy cleaning, laundry and packing tonight and tomorrow, but I am going to try and schedule some posts for next week. I have the update to our Catalina trip almost ready to go, another craft post, and a Coffee and Conversations link up on Monday. I am going to TRY TRY TRY to get it all in before we hop on our red-eye tomorrow night! Wish me luck. Anyways I thought that I would share a little bit about me for my new followers! Yay! Welcome to my site! Here we go! 

The ABC's of Me!

A: Available or Married?

I am as married as they come! The hubby and I have been together for 12 years and will celebrate our 6^th wedding anniversary later this year! Not going anywhere!

B: Book

*Blush* I am currently in the middle of several books. I am about ¼ of the way through Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I know I know. I saw all of the movies first then decided that I needed to read the books. The other one that I am about half way through is “The Girl Who Played with Fire” by Steig Larsson. I am really trying to get into it, but I just can’t seem to. Anyone else think that he was a little too descriptive in his writing style and leaves nothing to the imagination? Just my opinion. Also I started The Hunger Games…..I need to finish the first one (watched the movie first again) and try and get in Catching Fire before November when the movie comes out.

C: Cake or Pie? 

Oooh. This is a toughie. I am not so much a “cake” person as more of a cupcake person. It’s the perfect amount. But honestly I wouldn’t refuse a chocolate silk or cherry piece of pie! So the answer is BOTH!

D: Drink of Choice? 

I am not really a coffee person. I really have to be in the mood, that being said black coffee on a cold morning is really really good. I get my caffeine jolt from Diet Pepsi. (or Coke if that’s what’s available) I drink water because it’s necessary, but it’s not my most favorite beverage in the world

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E: Essential Item?

Mascara! I have blonde BLONDE eyelashes and if I don’t enhance them with a little mascara then my eyes look like something is missing.

F: Favorite Color?

As apparent by my home and wardrobe teal and grey. Seriously it’s everywhere!

G: Game to Play or Watch? 

I really don’t like watching sports on television. I prefer to see them live, but since my sports game budget is pretty nil I guess I can tolerate football on television. Since it’s on almost every Sunday during pro season I have gotten a little bit more appreciation for the game.

H: Hometown?

I grew up in many cities but I call my hometown Simi Valley. It’s where I spent the majority of my youth and my parents grew up there too!

I: Indulgence?

I indulge in YouTube vids….Jlovesmac1, leflooftv, itsjudy'slife, blog reading and Ghost Hunters. All things my husband just doesn’t understand! But I love it!

J: Job Title

I am an interior designer. My firm specializes in commercial design and tenant improvement, but every once in a while we get to do some great and fun things!

K: Kids and Names?

Yes! We totally want kids! Sooner the better! We keep trying with no luck, but that’s not stopping us! Oh no it’s not! As for names, I have a couple boys names that I truly LOVE! Girls are another story. Frankly I am kinda on the name your girls with gender neutral names trend. I love Spencer, Kennedy, and Presley a lot…..sigh. I guess it will only matter when the time comes.

L: Life is Incomplete Without?

My hubby and our puppy. We have such a wonderful life, and constantly make each other laugh. Our pup is just as quirky. I guess the saying pets are like their owners is true!

M: Music Group?

I worked in a music store for 4 years in college. My music taste is vast! Gangster rap and polka are really the only thing I don’t care for. I have girly music, boy bands, classic rock, scream-o, punk, grunge, alternative, country, hip hop, electronica, trance, dance, r&b, jazz, you name it, I either will listen to it! Although I have been on a country kick lately.

N: Number of Siblings?

Biologically I am an only child. I did marry into a family with multiple children so I now have siblings! Yes! A brother and a sister!  

O: Oranges or Apples? 

Apples! 

P: Phobias/Fears?

Heights! Greatest fear of all! I am doing things to try and overcome that though! Like zip lining! I was so scared! Next time we go to a theme park, I will attempt to talk myself into roller coasters again.

Q: Quote?

“Love me without fear. Trust me without questioning. Need me without demanding. Want me without restriction. Accept me without change. Desire me without inhibitions. For a love so free…will never fly away”

R: Reason To Smile?

Every day should be a reason to smile. I have a wonderful family, a great career, I am healthy. What’s more to need? Possessions only make you unhappy. I have made a pact that I want memories and laughter in my life. That way, when I am feeling a little blue I have those to look back on and smile.

S: Season? 

Fall. I love the cool breezes and the color changes (even though they are few and far between here in So-Cal)

T: Tattoos? 

None yet. I have one planned but I just need to get up the courage to go and get it done!

U: Unknown Fact About Me? 

My favorite cartoon character is Sleeping Beauty for a reason. I can fall asleep anywhere. At a motocross race, in the middle of a party, while driving (in the passenger seat of course!) Seriously I LOVE to sleep!

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V: Vegetable You Love?

Currently I am loving sugar snap peas. They are the perfect snack!

W: Worst Habits?

I pick at my face! All the time! It’s no wonder my skin is always breaking out! The hubby is always pulling my hand away from a scabbed over pimple. It’s really bad! However when I put on foundation and concealer I pick less…..perhaps I should do that more often.

X: X-Rays? 

I have had a couple, but have never broken any bones. One for a majorly sprained ankle….I can’t remember what the other ones were for.

Y: Yummy Food?

PASTA! I love pasta especially my family’s home made sauce!!!!!

Z: Zoo Favorites? 

I am more of an aquarium person. I love looking at fish, seals, jellies, and of course SHARKS!!!! Shark week is one of my favorite tv series!

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Clickety Clack, the noises in my car send chills up my back!

I have a fairly old vehicle. She turns 10 years this year and she has over 150k miles on her. She has been a wonderful car, running like a champ my little 2-door Pontiac. Last year was the first year I dealt with a major issue with her. My fuel pump died, in the middle of the fast lane on the 210 fwy. That was scary, but I made it safely to the right side emergency lane and was able to call AAA. We fixed that and she has been purring like a kitten since.

My hvac however has been an issue for some time. Yes it works, cold air when A.C. is switched on and heat when needed, but none of my settings were working. It would never blow out onto my feet, or through the defrost areas....only through my vents. I dealt with it because really it wasn't as important to fix. Well, in Nov we had a really cold weekend and this LOUD clicking noise from behind my glove box started screaming at me. It only happened one evening and then it went away. Really strange. Well jump to last weekend and the noise started again, and never stopped.

I mean LOUD. If I was on my bluetooth the person on the other line could hear it clear as my voice. It sounded like a jack-hammer was trying to escape from my glove box! If anytime was good for road rage its when that was going on in my car. The only time it went away is when you turned the settings to recycle air....which of course wouldn't stay because of the broken dial....there was no way in hell I can drive and hold the button every time. Especially when my work commute is 45 minutes each way. I took it in, and it was the blend door actuator. 1 hour to replace, including the fact that he pulled out my dash and fixed the issue with my dial! YAY! Apparently the cable had gotten bunched up back there preventing it from working properly. However, it could bunch again and need to be fixed again, but for now I have heat to my feet, which is a blessing especially when its cold out! Oh and my defroster works too so when my windows are foggy, I can see...which I guess is important too. You know, priorities!

The World is an Anthill

The first thing that came to my mind when I made the post title is this Smashing Pumpkins song, replacing vampire with anthill. Anyways.....my world has turned into a GIANT anthill! I am going nutso over here! It all started the week before we went to the lake. Well let me back up.....it started about 5 years ago when I started to working with the company I work for. Every summer we get an ant raid. This means no food in the trash, no food in your desk, no food in the refrigerator. Seriously we had to clean out our fridge, microwave, and Arrowhead cooler every summer! It sucked and I felt itchy ALWAYS! The owner saw a trick....pour baby powder around the water cooler and the ants will stay away. We did that and we have been sans ants for 2 summers! YES! This year they are back, but just in the main bathroom! Buggers (no pun intended) just wont GO AWAY! They are looking for water I know!

So the week before we left for the lake, D left a bowl of food out on our balcony for our pup (Mon). Well she didn't get to eat it, cause those little bastards made their way up two flights and attacked the hell out of it. So my friend Mr. Raid came in. I love raid, however I hate that I have to clean the area after it, because its so toxic. So I used up the rest and sprayed ALL THE WAY down the trail. The next morning (Tue) there was a trail of ants around the coffee maker...so I tried to use up whatever was leftover in that raid container and made a note to get more bug spray on my way home. (Wed) I come home from work and start to pack for the lake. I get hungry and go to look for a snack. Damn things have SWARMED our pantry!!!!!!!!! So I have to pull apart the entire pantry....trash everything that they got into, including pups food (what they were really after) and scour it. Then put everything away and pack for our trip. Not something that was really very fun! Especially when the fumes of the "organic" bug spray that you bought from Target smells like Bengay and you have a gianormous headache!  The smell lasts all night and through the next morning.

We were gone Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun and we returned Mon around 10PM. We get home dump our stuff and go to get a drink. Open the refrigerator and they are in our fridge and FREEZER! I look defeated. I say to D "Your turn!" and go and unpack the suitcases. The good thing about the organic spray is that its non-toxic....bad thing IT DOESN'T LAST! Cause come Sunday morning those bastards were back in my freezer! I pulled out the fridge, pulled everything out of the cabinets and discovered that they are coming from above the cabinets, down inside them and making their little ant trail around the edge of the freezer door and inside. Once inside the freezer they die of course...freeze to death. I had enough! I called our leasing office to ask them what we can do. They sent an exterminator out to "spray" our apartment. This was last Wednesday. I bought ant traps and sprayed my organic spray again (have gone through the entire can in under 2 weeks!) No inkling of ants for 3 days. I am a happy camper. I wake on Sunday, go into the bathroom and boom....invasion from our sink overflow! >/ Looks like they didn't do a thorough job. Back out they will come! Save me from the ant invasion before I got nuts!!

A typical night

A typical night in our home consists of dinner making with the hubby, cleaning a bit, and either watching T.V. together, or getting in a bit of exercise. Afterwards we lounge with our pup and relax before pouring ourselves into bed to start the cycle over.  This particular evening, while I was on the floor doing my workout, I glance over at the couch and see D and Miss ShelbyDoo snuggling up. You can see how much that pup loves her daddy! It was so precious I couldn't help but snap a quick phone photo!

Flower Balls and Gunslinging Frenzy

So it seems like I never have any free time anymore! We are always off and running on new projects or new sights to see and whatnot. This weekend was no exception. Saturday, even though the hubbs had the weekend off, I had made plans to go out to Simi and help my mom's dear friend prepare for her daughter's wedding next month. We went over layouts, and then went into tying ribbons, stamping thank yous and helped her with her flower balls....all while out of the corner's of our eyes watching the 3 boxer pups out back playing it a hilarious manner. Back flips, in and out of the pool, and loud grunting noises kept our eyes and ears thoroughly entertained. D had an eventful afternoon as well. On the 4th, because of the fireworks that spooked our beloved pup we had to fix some unsightly damage to our door frame (she was desperately trying to get into our apartment.) His mom came over and they patched and painted. When he went to rinse off the patio, our hose exploded unexpectedly. So they made their 3rd trip to the home improvement store then settled in for a cold beer. When I got home I admired their work and set to make dinner. We watched 21 Jump Street after finally getting our cable box working properly and called it an early night.

Gracie, Lucy and Harley

Pretty flower balls for ceremony

Sunday was our relaxation day. We moseyed out of bed late, took a leisurely walk to get lunch with the pup and then went and sunbathed until it was time to head over to a local park for a friends church picnic. We met up with him early to hear about his 4th of July lake trip. We carpooled over to the park and sat with his parents and members of their church and had a wonderful dinner of Cajun Sausages (SO SPICY but YUMMY!) and I had potato salad, D had coleslaw. It was a perfect summer picnic including a presentation from rope twirler and gunslinger. He was hokey with his jokes, but his skills were pretty impressive. After that we went and played some pool and then headed home to crash out for work the next day.

I guess this is what summer is all about. Enjoying life, packing it full to the brim and enjoying the company that you choose. Looking forward to next weekend. D turns 29! :)

PS - Finished going through the photos from the A.O.P and the Queen Mary. Stayed tuned for that post coming this week!

Making progress!

Last year I vowed that the hubs and I would do more things and be more adventurous. We'll it fell by the wayside, so in December I revamped the bucket list determined to get stuff crossed off. We'll we are halfway through the year and I am glad to say that we have done some fun things already and are looking forward to the next half of the year! I have blogged about a couple already; Santa Barbara Mission, Las Vegas, etc....but I have more posts to come! Long Beach Aquarium, Queen Mary and Bubba Gumps for my birthday, Cherry Picking, and Medieval Times! We aim for something new a month and thusfar we are smashing that goal! It helps when you have and adventurous mindset and a group of friends that are willing to trek along with you! :-) Can't wait to share more with you!

50 Blocks, not in the shades of grey

My weeks seem to be so packed full of activities lately, that I hardly have found time to craft! My mom and I are making a joint quilt for a dear family friend and I have had the fabric to make my blocks for almost 2 months! EEK! So this past Saturday my dear friend Mrs. M came over and we sat, talked and sewed until my machine was smoking! Not really, but it seemed like it. Since this has to look like it came from one sewer I had to pay special attention to my nesting to make sure my blocks looked perfect! 8 hours later, with a sore back I finished all 50 of my blocks. That's a record for me! I can't wait to see the finished product!

All 50 done!

As the weekend left me all alone cause the hubs was working, I also took to Pinterest and my busy fingers board on Sunday. I remembered I pinned a clutch and had some really pretty fabric so I just whipped this bad boy together as well before we headed out to Medieval Times for Mr. and Mrs. A's birthday dinner! I love working on quick and easy projects, just to have on hand! This clutch needs a little something still, and when I find it. I will repost!

Happy Sewing!

Wizards, Witches, and Wands

15 years and 8 movies later I decided to borrow the Harry Potter series from a friend. I'm through The Sorcerer's Stone and 3/4 of the way through The Chamber of Secrets in 2 weeks. Quick reads! I'm enjoying myself!

The Silence is Deafening

For the past month-ish we have had major road construction on the off ramp over our complex. It starts at 6AM and continues through the morning. Sometimes it continues at night as well. This morning it was different though. Silence. Silence. No metal banging on metal, no grinding, no slamming. Just pure blissful quiet. I got in my car, drove past the pool and remembered....they are filming in our complex. I can thank Hollywood for a peaceful morning, but will probably curse them later when I try to find a parking place. Happy Thursday.

Naked

So last night I took all my jewelry off to clean it. Woke up early to go to Hell on Earth (the DMV) and forgot to put it back on!!!!! My hands and ears are naked! :-(

Slip of the Tongue

D: "What Harry was a clu clux??"
Me: "You mean a holcrux?"
D: "Thank you"
Me: "Harry Potter is not a member of the Clu Clux Clan!

Ahhhh the conversations that are had in my household!