Crazy times, special places

Life just seems a little busy right now. It's not bad but I'm just feeling it a bit hard to fit in all that I have to do and all that I want to do in the week. Exceptions are good....unless they're not.  Among all this craziness I'm feeling, the week started out sunny and warm here in Washington. I managed to sneak a quick sunset walk and water temp testing down at my special spot (still to cold for swimming). 

Wow you think you know a store?...

Wow you think you know a store?...and then you download their app, only to realize that they cary pet urns! Life is certainly full of surprises.

Insta"Muddy"gram

I'm still on the fence about Instagram. Mostly because I'm not sure I want to sign up for one more thing that will take up my time. I have lots of friends and family who use it so I know that I would use and like it...but for now I'm choosing the road of social media resistance.  I'm not saying never but right now I'm trying to keep my time open for blogging. 

So for those that want a glimpse of what I would post on Instagram, here are some random pictures from my phone that I took over the last few weeks. 

#LunchOnTheFarm

 A few weeks back we had some really great spring weather here in Washington. The Farm was exploding with many many kinds of Rapini (the immature flowers of plants in the Mustard family, which is a big family). Lately my favorite lunch has included Collard rapini lightly grilled in butter, topped with hot sauce. 

#LadiesNight #DinnerInHeals #FancyForNoReason

Last spring me and my friend that helped me network my job on the farm, went out to celebrate by going out for frozen yogurt in high heels. This year we decided to do it again, just because, and we added another friend. We went out to a seafood restaurant and it was really fun.

#FindingGarbageCandy #EatingGarbageCandy  #DidThat

I found some garbage stashed under the rootwasher at work Friday. I think it got left from a group of people that came to put up a display garden at our educational center. As I was hauling it over to the garbage can, I found a bag of Tootsie Rolls. Score!!! Kind of made my day. 

Those that know me, might have picked up on the fact that I am pretty nostalgic, especially with my childhood memories. Well finding these babies took me back to a spring cleaning event from when I was around 6 years-old. We had been moving around things in the bedroom me and my siblings shared, even the massive white earthquake proof bunk-bed. This thing was nothing but sturdy. It was less of a bunk bed and more of a indoor jungle gym. The fact that it belonged to my uncles, survived them, me and my siblings and then a few of my cousins is testament to that.  I don't know what happened to it but I like to think that it had a second life as a "BUNKER"....Hey brainstorm  "BUCKER BEDS!" That's how I'll make my internet millions!!! Any way back to Tootsie Rolls, I remember my dad pulled the bed away from the wall (as best he could) and he asked me to pick up the things that had fallen under the bed and you know what I found? Yup, a big old fat Tootsie Roll, a precious lost treasure from someone's Halloween bag that was at least several months old. I snatched that thing up and hid it from my sibs. I remember sneaking away to savor it. Well actually, I was too young to understand the concept of savoring but that thing was so hard I go a crash course. Good times. 

Arizona Trip summed up : Dam, Hot, Wedding.... Grand Canyon!!!

First trip to Grand Canyon. Highly recommend being there at sunset. 

In March one of my college roommates got married in Phoenix. The original plan was for me to drive down to AZ from UT with one of my other ol' roomies. During the planning stages, I had called up one of my cousins living in Utah and invited her (and her car :) on this road trip, as my ol' roomie would be very close to her due date and might not be able to go. Turned out to be a good call since as the wedding drew closer, my ol' roomie felt to stick close to home and not go down for the wedding. A hard call for her to make because she really wanted to go but completely rational one.

So that's how I ended up on "crazy cousin road trip, 2013". We started the day out around 4am and hauled down to St. George where we stopped for some breakfast at the grocery store. We took our chow up to Pioneer park and ate it overlooking St. George as the sun was cresting.

Then we got the blood pumping by taking a quick squeeze through crack in the rocks that last a few hundred feet. 

From there we got back on the road and drove on down through Vegas, making a quick stop at the Hoover Dam. It was a first time for both of us. It's pretty big but the pictures just don't do it justice. 

We got to Phoenix in the afternoon where the temp had peaked at 93 deegrees. We met up with yet another ol' roomate at our hotel, who found us tired and stinky, so we laid around watched "The Help" (first time seeing it, very good) and got destinkiefied. 

We found out there was a BJ's Pizza (one of my favorite places to eat when I lived in Long Beach) close by so set out from our hotel room. As we were walking out to the car, we witnessed one of the most amazing sunsets ever! The desert has a way of making you feel that every sunset is the "most amazing ever" though.  

Look, how grown up me and my ol' roomie are now!

The day of my ol' roomies wedding I ran into some old family friends on the temple grounds. I didn't even know they were living in Arizona. Turns out one of their family members was getting married on the same day as my roomie.  Its a Small world, but being LDS makes it smaller! (when I say they were old friends I mean that she was practically like a cousin to my mom and I grew up addressing them both aunt and uncle) 

Mr and Mrs Newlyweds 

Killing time by taking in some downtown Tempe art

Looking at Fish! Killing more time at Bass Pro Shop! (Yup, we were the only ones in dresses) 

This is just one reason why me and this roomie are friends. She had Erlenmeyer and Florence flasks instead of vases at her wedding.  

It was a pretty fancy reception so we did our best to blend in

When we were leaving the reception, the valet brings the car around and comments on Nickelback playing on the stereo...Why Radio, Why?!

On the Drive home we made a detour to the Grand Canyon. We snapped this shot while getting some lunch in Flag Staff, AZ. Super cool town, hard not to be when you've got route 66, lots of history and hippies.  

Here is my thing with the Grand Canyon. I've never not wanted to go, but it wasn't high on my priority list since it seemed like one of those touristy things "everyone" does. Well "everyone" does things either for hype I agree with or disagree with... 

 ...Well I here by endorse the hype of the Grand Canyon! Lives up to the name. 

We made our visit to the Southeastern part. We didn't have time for hikes and pretty much just stopped and check out the views from the road. If I'm ever in the area I'd like to see more

 We had a late night of driving back up north but after the views we saw, completely worth it!!!

 

Easter

(Lately I've been posting songs that I like and that go with the mood of my post. Please feel free to listen or not while you read)



This Easter we invited some friends over, who like us found themselves without family around this holiday. I love when we do this because it just doesn't seem like a holiday without a house full of people. Plus my mom only knows how to cook for an army, so this it nice to have friends help us make a dent in the abundant feast. 

After dinner we took the dogs on a walk. You really couldn't have asked for better weather on Easter. 

I'm still kicking myself for not capturing the grandeur of this view so a big thanks to KK who sent me the ones he took. They turned out really spiffy.

When I talk about Washington to people most the time they go off about how rainy it is and they can't seem to get past that.  I'm not about to deny that we get our fair share of grey days, but it's not grey everyday and when that sun does come out prepare yourself because it's a sensory overload of the evergreen state kind.

One thing me and my sister have come to a mutual conclusion on, is that every place we've lived has had it's "Draws" (Sun, Green, Oceans, Mountains, Financial Stability..etc.) and "Drawbacks"(Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Blizzards, Tornadoes, Traffic, Floods...etc.).  Life has taught me that if you choose to fixate on the drawbacks, you'll be missing out on chances for new experiences and adventures...and you probably won't be very happy.  I've kind of adopted an attitude of "enjoy where your today because who knows where life will take you next". I'm mostly preaching to myself so if I read this on a "grey day", I can adjust my attitude accordingly.