Day 342 - It's getting hot in here

I'm doing it...I'm going to make these for the 4th (I'll let you know how it goes)

While it's 117 degrees out this weekend I'm going to be sitting inside baking next to a hot oven

Sadly, I know I'll still be cooler in the kitchen next to the hot oven than I would be out at the pool

Day 341 - Is it November yet!?!?!?

It might be Wednesday, June 29th but my mind is living in the future...namely November 19th

That's when Ricky & Cynthia tie the knot (yay I'm so excited!!!)

And I'm already trying to figure out what I'm going to wear, what we should get them...

(Mom I might need to order another one of your famous "Our First Year" scrapbooks)

I'm imagining how they might decorate the venue, wondering if I'll be able to get Steve to dance...

Yeah, sending me a save-the-date is dangerous! This is all I'm going to think about for the next 4 months!

PS. How cute are they!!!

Day 340 - The price of love

Well Ashby made it 3-1/2 years with out an emergency...

(Her brother barley made it 3 months - he's been an expensive little boy)

Today when we got up Steve noticed that Ashby had a puffy muzzle

Within an hour her whole face was bright red and about 3 times larger than normal

If you've ever seen the movie Hitch (with Will Smith)...well Ashby looked just like his

By time I got Ashby to the vet her face was so swollen that she couldn't see

She was crawling around on her belly trying to find her way - poor baby

The vet said that she was probably having a reaction to a bug bit like an ant, bee, or scorpion

We are thinking it was the ants (there were some in the backyard but Steve took care of them this afternoon)

Either way: after an emergency vet trip, a pretty decent bill, 2 shots, and an afternoon of rest...

Ashby is almost all healed...just a bit of puffy cheeks and chin left

* Sorry for no picture of Ash and her expanding face...but I was kind of stressing out at the time

Day 339 - Oh my stars!

Oh Anthropology...how I love you!

And I love that you love me too...or at least it feels that way when I get this in the mail

If you even remotely like this store I would suggest signing up for their rewards program

It doesn't cost anything to be a member and even if you never use it...

At least once a year you'll get a 15% off coupon in the coolest packaging ever!

(Last year it was a letterpress card with a cute candle necklace - so cute!)



Day 338 - Beep Busted!

Last night was all about Wes and his devilish handsome looks...

And tonight is about Ashby (Beep) and her destructive commitment

This little girl can not be left unsupervised with toys!

When she gets a hold of something she loves...well she'll love it to death

And she's not happy until she's unraveled every mystery that toy has

Needless to say...no toy squeaks in our house for longer than a day

Day 337 - "That's not really the trend in vampires..."

Have you ever hear the song Vampire by Antsy Pants? (It's on the Juno soundtrack)

Well you should find it and listen to it...cause this is what I picture when I hear that song

I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire,

I am a vampire, Vampire, I am a vampire, I have lost my fangs

I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I have lost my fangs

So I'm sad and I feel lonely, So I cry and I'm very angry

And I hate some garlic

So I'm so no more sad and ache yeah yeah

I am a vampire and I am looking in the city

Pretty girls don't look at me - Don't look at me

Cause I don't have my fangs

But I have lost my fangs

I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I have lost my mouth again

I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I have lost my mouth again



Day 336 - Going Pro

Remember that banner my mom and I made for Adrienne's wedding...

Well here are some professional pictures she put on face book

I'm thinking we should go into business mom - what do you think!?!?!?!?

PS - Ace, you and Colton are soooo cute! Love you guys!!!



Day 335 - Point & Shoot

I got a new toy today...

A rep brought in toy water guns as a little "beginning of summer" treat

Apparently I was the only one at work that was excited about this, so I took all 3 home with me

Anyway, all you really need to know is: this Summer is packing some real heat!

Day 334 - Making a good thing better...

A six dollar pillar candelabra plus a four dollar plate (and a string of clear silicone) equal one great pedestal (My mom put these ones together for us when we first moved into our place)

I've used this pedestal for decorative displays and as a cupcake stand

But by adding a small displaced glass hurricane shade (from a broken vase so it was "free"),

A mercury tea candle holder ("free" from our wedding decor stock pile - we've got 100's of these),

And a two dollar tea light sized Yankee Candle in sent "Early Sunrise"

(It smells amazing and also matches the plate and my kitchen perfectly)

And what you've got is one hell of a (cheap and) beautiful, great smelling kitchen table centerpiece!

Day 333 - Color me beautiful

My color is L'Oreal Superior Preference #4 Dark Brown Natural

Described (on the box) as: "a rich, coffee brown shade"

Yeah, I box dye my hair back to my "natural" color every 3-5 months

I used to dye it blond (professionally) and now I have to keep dying it brown to match my natural color

(The ends still fade out back to a blondish-brown - one you dye your hair, it's never ending)

Anyway, I  like that the cheap dye dries out my super greasy hair...

But I don't like that I can still smell the super strong chemical fumes in my clean hair - Yuk!



Day 332 - Puzzled

The Grands insisted we take home one of their favorite puzzles so we could give it a try

(We gave them a family picture puzzle for their anniversary)

This is the one we brought home (and put together while unpacking and doing laundry)

And this is the piece that is missing...luckily we were still able to figure the rest of the puzzle out

Day 331 - Southern Utah & The Grands

We are home from our long weekend trip to southern Utah

We were visiting Steve's grandparents in Dammeron Valley just north of St. George

They were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary!!! (not to mention it was Father's Day weekend)

The weekend was packed full of hiking, sight seeing, eating, and lots of great family time

We spent all of our time around the amazing areas that surround St. George like

Snow Canyon State Park and Zion National Park

Let's start with the anniversary and Steve's grandparent's place...

Steve and Jesse - Jesse and Anne

Steve and his grandpa Carter Cowley

The view and lot right our their back door...it looks even better in person if you can believe it!

The chandelier at The Gun Barrel where we had dinner

Steve's grandparent's with their surprise cake (don't mind the bbq sauce bottle in the foreground)

Below are the cakes we had back at the house...a chocolate/chocolate and a carrot cake

Day two brought our first day of adventuring...

Phil, Shelley, Anne, Jesse, Grandma Cowley, & Steve

Zion National Park

Anne on the trail

Back row: Steve & Phil

Front row: Shelley, Jesse, The Grands, and Anne

And one with me in front of the camera

Other than great rock formations...we also saw some great wild life

And some not so real wild life...

Next we stopped at Grafton, a wild west ghost town that was both beautiful and chilling

The entire town died out in the early 1900's

Some from natural causes, Indian attacks, floods, and other hazards of living out on the range

(Apparently a 13 year old girl and 14 year old boy died in an accident listed as "swing broke")

Reading the town history and the headstones was so sad

One husband and wife had 5 kids over 10 years - The oldest lived to be 8 years old; 3 died before turning 1

I couldn't imagine living that life...those pioneers where very courageous people!

This couple shared Steve and my wedding date...only 126 years before we were married

On to happier things...

Day three brought more hiking but this time a little closer to home - Snow Canyon

Our "album cover picture" - as Phil called it

The folks album cover picture - love'n the pose guys!

Jesse, Steve and Anne on the edge

Anne and Steve with their guide - Grandpa Cowley

Phil and his kids Anne and Steve - Happy Father's Day Phil

Steve climbing too high

And looking pretty good!

I staid low to the ground with the flowers

Last we stopped at a small artist community at the end of the canyon

And that my friends was the trip!

We saw, climbed, and discovered about 1/3 of what The Grands had to show us (or so they say)

But we feel like we did it all - I guess we'll have to go back up there soon to see what all we missed!