Things I love today

*Going to work in skirt i bought for $4.99 at Goodwill that feels like pajamas

*That it's becoming a ritual for M to tell me I look stylish on my way out the door (even when wearing said pajama skirt)

*Making this. It calls for cooking sherry and made me feel a little rebellious.

*Cooking with Mitchell

*Mexican Coke vs Mexican Pepsi competition

*The overnight hotel stay M planned for me and my two best friends. He forced me to take a vacation! Believe it guys.

*Coming home to a clean house and laundry put away...hopefully. (Mitchell?)

xxOoXoOx
L

Cookie Dough and other Life Lessons

It's no secret that I have anxiety. (Is it a secret?) I've been told recently by a close friend that I don't share my feelings. It was blamed on my sister-less upbringing(what a relief, I thought for a second I was gonna have to take the blame for something). Anyway I have anxiety. And my anxiety is made worse by the unknown and unsure. Read: the future.

Last night M and I figured some stuff out. You know, work stuff, school stuff, budget stuff. As much as I avoid this type of conversation for fear of an attack of the panic variety, maybe they aren't so bad. I feel much better after this planning session than I did before.

And the moral of the story is: make sure to have plenty of cookie dough on hand at all times in case you need to bribe yourself.


Here's some pre-packaged happiness for you to share. As a reward for my self(indulgent?)improvement.

L

A Birthday Party

It turns out that we are the kind of people that throw parties for their dog. And hey, I understand that it's totally ridiculous. But seriously how cute is that dog in a party hat?

Sister-in-law-Stephanie helped me make these cupcakes for the party. I think some of them turned out a little scary but such is life.

Before you make fun of my lameness you should know that I'm a fan of the theme party, and Fender's first birthday was as good excuse as any to invite our friends over and have dinner and some tasty doggy treats.

I told one of the doctors at work about this party, and she told me I needed some kids.

She might be right.

L

Hello, Diana

Guys, I've been having so much fun with my new Diana camera. Here are some pictures:

These are from the park across the street. Yes, those are my wedding converse.

This was an impromptu date to the carnival in the mall parking lot. We took long exposure photos and ate funnel cake. It was one of my favorite nights ever.

Please excuse my amateur-ness. But I love the effect of the old-school film cam and we have fun with it.

I would write more but my head is about to crack in two. Advil here I come.

G'night!

L

Commuter Chronicles

I drive 14.2 miles to and from work . Yes, it takes 30 minutes. Yes, I am very tired of it, thank you.

Lately I've been taking side roads to avoid the nightmare that is the 101 in rush hour.

Here are some of my thoughts from today's drive home:

In the Scottsdale portion of the drive, there are lots of runners. And teenagers riding beach cruisers. And old people walking dogs. Somehow it always makes me feel like I'm missing out on this wondrous time, 6 o'clock. The time when people are home from work but its still light out (what's that like?) so they venture outside. I never cease to be jealous of these people.

At about this point in my journey I pass one of the dozen man-made lakes I see daily and think, just like I thought yesterday and every time before that, I should really bring my camera and take some photos of this lake. With the tall grass. And the pretty trees.

Then I pass one of those signs that tell you how fast you're driving and it flashes angrily 52 !!!

Whoa Leanne, slow down you're 7 miles over speed limit here.

There's a place called Eye Care Animal Hospital on the right. Really?

Oh hey Macayos billboard, you look just as delicious today as the first time I saw you. Yes, it is dinner time. Kinda rude.

Then there was a fantasy about smashing into a photo radar police van and I was home.

Very exciting times here. Very exciting.

L

P.S. Fender was sick but then M took him to the vet and paid $90 and now he's better. magic.

Husband

This morning, as I was dragging myself out the door headed to work, M says to me, "hey you look really cute." Now normally I would make fun of him for using such a girly word. Today however, it made my day.

And that's all there was.

xoxo
L

A Collection of Miscellanity

As I sit here sipping my delicioso QuikTrip hot chocolate, watching my #2 guilty pleasure show, some thoughts have flipped through my head.

It goes something like this:

QT is the best. Is there anyone who does not think so? M and I had a related conversation the other day that went like this:

"I wish there was a QT by our house. OR even better, by my work. Then I could eat there for breakfast AND lunch. Every day."

"You would get so fat."

"At least I would be happy."

Isn't he a dear?

I am grateful for spare keys. If you don't have a spare key to your car you should really get one. I've learned this from experience. This week we've had 2 opportunities to use our spares. Once when I locked my keys in my car and couldn't leave work (subconsciously it was on purpose because I love work so much?) and once today when M locked his in the car at the bottom of a mountain.

It's not that cool to be scared of your neighbors. I sincerely hope the large black man with the baseball bat's wife recovers quickly from the dog bite she sustained from our other neighbor's large pitbull. I also sincerely hope that he never yells at or around my husband with a baseball bat in his hand again.

Waiting is BORRRRING. I'm tired of waiting for stuff. I resolved today to stop waiting for things I can't speed up. Be happy now and all that jazz. How you ask? Beats me. Maybe my new hobby will help me forget about the things I'm waiting on. What hobby is that you ask? You'll see.

:) Happy weekend folks!

L