4th of July

The 4th of July is my favorite holiday (tied with Christmas.) 

This year we will be celebrating with family in Michigan. My immediate family, cousins, aunts & uncles will all be spending a week together; boating, shopping & lounging around. I am very anxious for the trip because Neil has never been before but has heard many stories. My dad rented a house for my family but we will be spending a majority of the time at my uncles lake house or on his boat! Every year I make it a point to celebrate this day & I am hoping Bay City, Michigan can top the fireworks of Tempe Town Lakes, this is hard task, but hopefully they can do it!

She's growing up so fast!

Happy 1st Birthday baby Minnie!

(Neil & I are BAD parents; we will be vacationing on her 1st birthday which is May 30th)

 She is a little puppy no more!

(well, she still is little; 8 pounds to be exact.)

no work today

Today Neil and I both had off work. We had such a nice day of relaxation and catch-up. We took a long bike ride, bought some flowers for my garden and had lunch with my mom & minnie at AJ's outdoor grill. It was a cool 67 degrees outside which was pretty enjoyable for a bike ride. Now its time to have home-made teriyaki chicken (outside on the patio table to enjoy the weather) and dairy queen afterward ;)

 

The beautiful flowers I planted today. 

I do have an obsession with beautiful flowers. Neil thinks "I am always buying and replacing flowers." With that comment I decided to hook myself up with some miracle grow; I will show him and have the most beautiful flowers on the block.

matching pink nails

I love my little family. 

We really enjoy our family time with little Minnie. We take her pretty much wherever we go; she gets so much love from her parents! 

Last week was her first grooming appointment at Petsmart. She got a report-card and it was too cute; she received all "excellents" and the groomer said "Minnie was the sweetest dog she had been around in a long time." She even got her nails painted pink like her mommy!

We have been considering buying a second dog so sweet little Minnie has a friend to play with all the time. It is just a matter of what breed and if we can handle two puppies. We are thinking a small dog (I LOVE all dogs, but for myself, I can't do big dogs. Big dogs=huge poops, slobbering, shedding & tearing up furniture.) For now she can play with her little friends!!
 

Minnie &  daddy nap time. Minnie heard me sneaking up with the camera and quickly opened her little eyes for this shot.

"Minnie its time to go out"... and this is where she goes & hides.

 She loves her little chicken. She runs around the backyard, flipping it around in the air.

A family trip to the art fair at Fountain Hills. Stylish little thing with her new leash.

Running up and down the hills at the park.

do you remember when?

"we first met i sure do, it was some time in early September, though you were lazy about it, you made me wait around
I was so crazy about you, I didn't mind"

I didn't think it was possible to listen to a CD the whole way through. 

Over and Over again.

Until I listened to Jack Johnson's music.

Neil and I are veryyyyyyyy fortunate to see him live in concert this October! He called earlier to tell me we were in row 5. Yay for Jack Johnson!

 

East Coast

Neil and I are East Coast bound tomorrow. 

We fly into Connecticut, will be visiting Boston then attending our "second east coast wedding reception." Minnie doesn't want her mom to go, she keeps getting in my suitecase. It breaks my heart leaving her behind :(

punching the clock from dusk til dawn

Nothing is more satisfying than having a career that you truly enjoy. I sincerely enjoy mine.

After graduating college and the real estate market slowing down, I knew I had to find something. I sort of "stumbled" upon a position, interviewed and was hired. I immediately feel in love with the company, my job and my co-workers.

Since I started last May, I have been promoted (as of March 1st). I was ecstatic because my hard work paid off. From this job I realized how important having a career is to me. I do not just go to work because I have to, I go to work because I want to. I am a career woman and it is the main focus in my life right now (well, second to my family of course). It feels so good to say I am a career woman.

My recent promotion is just the beginning and I can not wait to keep on advancing.

Success is a priority of mine and I will settle with nothing less than the best.

Housewarming

I have been best friends with these girls since elementary/middle/high school and they have been by my side every step of the way. What would a girl do without her best friends?

God truly blessed Neil & I with the greatest group of friends. We had our housewarming party this past Saturday and it was a hit. It was a nice bbq with plenty to eat, boxing on showtime and drop dead gorgeous AZ spring weather. All the girls brought their desserts to share and, of course, the guys brought plenty of beer. Veryyyyy late night for Neil & I made for a very unproductive, lazy Sunday :o)

newest purchase

The commercials sucked me in.

I went to Bed Bath & Beyond to make one purchase; this brownie pan. Whoever created the commercials for this pan, kuddos, because I have HAD to have one ever since they came out. With our house warming party next weekend, I will be going on a baking frenzy so this was a necessary purchase. The fact that I wanted yummy brownies had nothing to do with it ;)

baby?

Now that I am a married, people are constantly asking "so when are you going to have a baby?" I never realized that getting married meant I had to have a baby shortly after. A baby? I have got one already; Minnie. She is already a handful. In all seriousness, no babies for Neil and I in the short or near future. We have too many career goals to accomplish before we start expanding the family. So maybe after a couple years, people should start asking. For now I will focus on my husband, puppy, friends, house and career; they already consume my life.

For now Neil and I have decided to enjoy the married life for a while. Tons of vacations are a necessity. At the end of the month is Boston & Connecticut, June is San Diego and July is Michigan.

from scratch

Dinner.

I needed to add to my dinner selections so I decided to make chicken noodle soup from scratch. On a cold and rainy day what is better than a hot, fresh, homecooked bowl of chicken noodle soup? I have it cooking in the crockpot and it smells amazing!

projects galore

Neil painted all these cabinets a dark cherrywood color.

yellow is my accent color.

Neil's dad helped us put up the gorgeous new lights.

My husband sure has been busy around the house. He has done so much to make it warm, inviting and beautiful. I owe him a lot! Recently he painted all the cabinets in the house. It makes the house look more sophisticated. He now obsesses over doing house projects here and there. DIY has become his new favorite channel. Thanks honey for being a wonderful husband and making our first home adorable.

a field of tulips

Tulips are my favorite flower.

Yesterday Neil and I went to Home Depot to buy flowers and plants for the yard. I saw these tulips and had to buy them. They add a nice touch to the outdoor decor. Our yard is almost complete; I just want to add a few more flowers here and there.

sour patch kid

Minnie is our little sour patch kid; at first she's sour then she's sweet.

Wanted: A friend for Minnie.

Yes, Neil and I have two dogs, Minnie & Bear.
Minnie is our 8 month miniature Sheltie and Bear is our 14 year old Pomeranian.
Present a problem; I think so.
Minnie needs a small, playful friend her age.
Next weekend I am going to take my little one to play with friends her own age.
She needs it.
I love my little sweetheart.

need a partner

My wonderful husband purchased me a cruiser bicycle for Valentines Day, now I just need a bike partner until he gets one!

Today was a beautiful day, 74 degrees, so I went on a nice little 4.5 mile bike ride.