Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
All Treats, No Tricks
No one ever comes to our house to trick-or-treat. I think it's mostly because I live in a small condo community with retirees. The last couple of years I have been able to go to Trunk n Treat with Sabra and her kids, but this year I'm staying in Phoenix to watch the dogs while my mom goes to California for Maggie's 2nd birthday. Anyway, to get to the point, I wanted to do something fun that involved candy and I came across a really cute blog in which Hershey's bars were used as the "body" of a bat and a mummy. I quickly found some black card stock, googly eyes, and white crepe paper. I figured I would make them for my employees. They have been doing such a great job lately. I try very hard to make sure they know this and even though it's not a lot, I hope they enjoy!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIU3k3SHvK22lSViylCnq_g4860E44HMIE2Xms1yP38wu-Q3uKzaS8SYMHt4MIgCVGfCbxYB5Y64Keum-w38uJaB2XbPCnfRYHhBXADQS5Sl3tkYNj3t289AQCAZFmInVISAr6nLZLn35H/s400/DSC01165.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOeOgCDDljDTRH_0AWgh_LqL3b8wrDV1QXvEPRyHgr7FlEL9XVWMszY5g_ppSuhz4b3gq8PZlrs7X305MgJcPnZ0uCzmwgCR71Q4annNRLt93GLdL3cDz_WyZTcUM0m3JUbcZuHt3PRq_/s400/DSC01167.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRtyjDULwQMDNcx7736w0pNwv0dx7JjIxcKSV7EQIbEhofopEio0CWgNzwT2P3ABWAxDWJoXFqXfgQhOMBELRBHNX6QofKFLegpG5i_p-qS6Ms50_f3shqOoa2iptxPZvIMp-cS35g43x/s400/DSC01166.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVGByWR3V5DOTHQNy7KTA4XtiAPBnulF-_87pu5-WwkhhISmcxaMP2ujidY1ZSjllfWnPDZM-bdQdLFBqJ6SucDVLefMWAwomNex2Fh-GEt-tOTX8amNPIx_ggg7DaNKum07miegNIo4v/s400/DSC01169.JPG)
BTW, I thought tracing and cutting out all of the bats was a pain, but in fact, wrapping the mummies was more tedious. Mostly I did this over a couple of weeks while watching tv. I think they turned out super cute.
BTW, I thought tracing and cutting out all of the bats was a pain, but in fact, wrapping the mummies was more tedious. Mostly I did this over a couple of weeks while watching tv. I think they turned out super cute.
Monday, October 25, 2010
My two funny finds
So I found the first one while hanging out in Barnes and Noble looking for something to page through while I had my Starbucks "nectar". It's actually pretty creepy! The vampire stalks the kids and hides under their beds and follows them around and finally they include him in their games and the mom befriends him too and they all sew capes to wear and it's really bizarre. The next time you're in a bookstore, look for it and just peruse the pictures. It's really worth it.
Secondly, this little gem of a "book" was shown to me by Robert while we were checking out a new bookstore in our area. I immediately took a picture of it with my phone and forwarded it to my book dept. supervisor and my sister. This is wrong on so many levels, it exhausts me just thinking about it. Why are we teaching The Notebook in school? I mean, that's the only reason to have a Cliffs Notes guide for it, correct? Disturbing! Plus, I'm just loving the pic of Nicky Sparks on the cover. What marketing genius came up with that one? As my sister, Sabra said, wow...on so many levels, wow!
Yeah, that about sums it up.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A "Snow" day in Phoenix!
The overcast skies were a welcome relief on Tuesday morning. With temperatures still over 100 degrees most of this past week, I started wondering when the Arizona summer would start winding down. For the past couple of weeks, I'd been hearing fantastical stories from friends and family in other parts of the country about the leaves changing colors and sweaters coming out at night. Not here in Phoenix. The A/C was still on high with no relief in sight.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLddhZBAfhcOJtcgX_0WZQiFa5LGmrW_Xx7jrReHOO0f8luvXwi1Mo8OvfMBFCxYj78zO7eOB-9zcFQGVyCuFayLTg8BODTgY0XzZLkOHHv8YTMxBPJLzWrexkWkNPYWcFEcCxRRn3PI9U/s400/P1050316.jpg)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
After a delightful trip to Southern California with my sister, it was back to work and the desert. Because of the heat, most activities have to take place indoors or near a pool. Well, we have been night swimming because it is way too hot to get in the pool during the day and seeing lots of movies. In the last two weeks, I've seen:
*Cyrus
*The Kids Are Alright
*The Girl Who Played with Fire
*Inception (twice)
*Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
All of them were actually really good. I've also been hanging out with an old Yuma friend, Peter. He introduced me to the best Chinese restaurant I've been to in forever and now I'm a regular. The cute lady who owns the place calls me "Kitty" in a sweet Asian accent. It's my "Cheers" moment! She loves Twilight and Edward and she and her husband love cooking great, fresh food. What a find! Peter also cooked me a great meal one night and we watched "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". I loved it! Hysterical.
Last Saturday, Robert and I went to the Rollerderby. This has become our once a month fun time event ( I mean, what guy doesn't like hot chicks in short skirts on skates? lol) Needless to say, it is a great time and nice and air conditioned in the Coliseum at the state fairgrounds. Here's a couple of pictures:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdmQQeWfToRDROq-3-7kASIzpiUM_2qqjIXLPgRP_RJmOxJF64HOXB6VTRjzSge4FFW7HdIrySlyE1Jy2bpIHr96Dncrm2039wYCWWqY3kXoZgp7PHwkRMufCyUa0W7_b4VLtxHdmNV7s/s400/DSC01094.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UQvGrSVjUCZuFQka9uPCMcqeB9UUVgwNIWoJQOkKvT2x6bF6xjPXBGBPAnxonPNYo8wijdCyOHlbfy1jzaH6co3C3Z75kNvc6iMPwfXL2XYvhoNax4Cp6svmoHAbq2cSw9ZOeiy3A7a8/s400/DSC01089.JPG)
If you're unfamiliar with Rollerderby, rent Whip It and see what it's all about. It is really a fun time!
Well, here's hoping the upcoming week is productive and awesome. I am having car problems again and the check engine light is on. Also, I'm trying to decide if I should go visit Joan in Maryland in September or if I should have a party for my 35th. I have been inspired by some really cool blogs I've been reading to throw a Wonderland themed event. Loving the idea. I guess it will all boil down to money and what happens with my car. I'll let you know. Have a great week!
*Cyrus
*The Kids Are Alright
*The Girl Who Played with Fire
*Inception (twice)
*Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
All of them were actually really good. I've also been hanging out with an old Yuma friend, Peter. He introduced me to the best Chinese restaurant I've been to in forever and now I'm a regular. The cute lady who owns the place calls me "Kitty" in a sweet Asian accent. It's my "Cheers" moment! She loves Twilight and Edward and she and her husband love cooking great, fresh food. What a find! Peter also cooked me a great meal one night and we watched "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". I loved it! Hysterical.
Last Saturday, Robert and I went to the Rollerderby. This has become our once a month fun time event ( I mean, what guy doesn't like hot chicks in short skirts on skates? lol) Needless to say, it is a great time and nice and air conditioned in the Coliseum at the state fairgrounds. Here's a couple of pictures:
If you're unfamiliar with Rollerderby, rent Whip It and see what it's all about. It is really a fun time!
Well, here's hoping the upcoming week is productive and awesome. I am having car problems again and the check engine light is on. Also, I'm trying to decide if I should go visit Joan in Maryland in September or if I should have a party for my 35th. I have been inspired by some really cool blogs I've been reading to throw a Wonderland themed event. Loving the idea. I guess it will all boil down to money and what happens with my car. I'll let you know. Have a great week!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
What I've been reading:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdrnFd_Mu_n8K1n1EsePItKfV-7U5xfTQvTx83GbbKMmAhvlAdQFr_snnMThZ1I1mu_BMUWs-t8_W-SE7J-DoHmAb3C9mDcK9Z_U9gg5QjRBqezZcRd0ehoJzoOnT_w8pMLV4utr4BShd/s400/passage.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GZ4dpo8A3RL7hIKvWvWVOoZARKngKNiLy2HonSZG22dyc16tc5c0EVA5zznqUPrAZe1HhrkTMSdN2hxGDOlP9kbutJvKnLzvPfCG1ZpnjkadzdJEnqzcVtljLUppyMsiaNAk2lmSQyZD/s400/cloisterwalk.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5_Yf8KMiNcDngrW8f1_IGkQFRN8w5wiaduDtkA9JlwCylIH4Kfcr9Zd-Y937fbyfrX6TemTkoXfH9ZO6Q8DBdjbiYa8mkuHYBb1AvtN646Qw7oMx9ifo-oZjXI8QoSr0d8itsnOjKgno/s400/dragontattoo.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9qOl9xFpRiRladAARvw5RUWFpaEYQy-MVYyWZxymUKxLe279DTZhahpKmxcyhpkkIek-eFRfwP-Pq5MX73lzzW8aLdHpQuwZsSo4qU_1zC-bZlorWyll1m2_zz8ESAVeUyI-kw4pqsIW/s400/womenfoodgod.jpg)
I am notorious for reading multiple books at a time. I often start a new book hopeful that it will hook me and keep me turning the pages. Most often, I find another book that sounds interesting before I am really sucked into the original book, and the cycle continues. I am currently reading 3 books, probably giving the most time to Women Food and God. I really want to like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it hasn't grabbed me yet. Perhaps I spoiled it by seeing the movie. I want to spend some time at a monastery this year, so I started reading the Cloister Walk. Again, very interesting, but not a fast page turner. I am getting ready for vacation in San Diego and the must have book (so I am told) is The Passage, so that is what I plan on reading during my down time. I am told it is the "crack book", meaning it is highly addictive and impossible to put down. Sounds good to me!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Brightening my day...
Monday, June 21, 2010
A different kind of list:
I got this idea from a really great website called OPERATION NICE. Of course, I loved the idea so I sat down with a pen and some markers and my great (ha,ha) artistic skill. Not quite a masterpiece, but definitely a thought provoking activity. My list of things I LOVE TO DO includes:
- Learning new things
- Read
- Day Dream
- Visual Merchandising
- Travel
- Solving Problems (especially work ones)
- Spend time with Sisters
- Write Letters
- Window Shopping
- Buy Books
- Play with Ginger
- Craft
- Stopping to smell the flowers
- Listen to Music
- Decorate
- Dinner w/Friends
- Collect
- Catching Sunsets
- Plan Parties
- Watch Movies
![](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4698356812_2d9878cd75_b.jpg)
My List:
Today is the day to
dream of trips to France & Italy, celebrate, write letters, believe in more, read books, buy flowers, take a walk, discover something new,
take a compliment, let go, love your dog, plan on dessert, think up new ideas, say sorry, compliment your mom, rock out, have a picnic, stare @ clouds, catch a sunset,
use your camera, turn off the computer, take a dip in the pool, laugh til you cry, buy new shoes, shave your legs, feel GREAT, eat well, plan a trip & a dream,
finish something that is still unfinished, smile @ a stranger, tell someone you love them, BE the example, believe in others and yourself, know it is never too late to start.
dream of trips to France & Italy, celebrate, write letters, believe in more, read books, buy flowers, take a walk, discover something new,
take a compliment, let go, love your dog, plan on dessert, think up new ideas, say sorry, compliment your mom, rock out, have a picnic, stare @ clouds, catch a sunset,
use your camera, turn off the computer, take a dip in the pool, laugh til you cry, buy new shoes, shave your legs, feel GREAT, eat well, plan a trip & a dream,
finish something that is still unfinished, smile @ a stranger, tell someone you love them, BE the example, believe in others and yourself, know it is never too late to start.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
What a GREAT idea:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8b8ujS3cRIJzQkoz-WNcrl-T6dUpBol4FvZ-5VjbMTKTTquw9kduQKH-HbhqaMVLkZEDlxzZcJLg04_Z-gbcQzO8tDREhPT3VNiyAmgGrXMKNTDPtN6yj_FTy6SHZcAjFuPJtbswzLJrx/s1600/summer+pierre.jpg)
I've been spending a lot of time reading other people's blogs looking for inspiration. When I came across this, I just loved it. It makes me want to have a better outlook on life and explore all the great gifts around me. My next step is to make my own list and start doing the stuff I keep wishing to do. How about you?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Easter 2010 in Yuma!
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Buzz
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRczu7yqKS0eciXYJjdkJngSBoR-Uw_m0rTRR0W0ZfH6USEUP2dArC0vmVmB5786VnbSZzs_Z5SZHHaT6rB3kNjogjc7lDONwfqNmtyy9F8UORfcOp_eUiFb0HrU4gl0_FzrnqAttDa85t/s400/littlebee.jpg)
"We don't want to tell you too much about this book. It is truly special story and we don't want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say this: This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again. The story starts there. Once you have read it you'll want to tell everyone about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is in how it unfolds."
Having finished the book, I can honestly say this statement was completely unnecessary and an obvious marketing ploy. So, job well done. I bought the book and read it.
The story is about a refugee girl, Little Bee, who has ended up in England looking for the white couple she encountered two years prior on a beach in her native Nigeria. It is a story of loss and sadness. A story of hope and survival. It received fantastic critical praise when first released and while I enjoyed the way Cleave wrote the book by alternating the narration of each chapter between Little Bee and Sarah, the English woman from the beach, the story overall was lacking something. I liked the descriptive thoughts of Little Bee but I didn't buy some of the changes the character goes through once she is in England. The scenes between her and Lawrence (Sarah's married lover) just annoy me and honestly, Lawrence is a throw-away character (plot-filler). I also was pissed at the ending. I wanted a more substantial, concrete ending. There is no written resolution, only what you as the reader plug into these character's fates, so that was a disappointment. Overall, I would recommend this book, but I can't guarantee that you won't also be disappointed. And if you don't want to read it, you can always wait for the movie. It will star Nicole Kidman and starts shooting in 2011.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
This week's book...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdViDLTr21ZGPOyMXCPuQZpaXlk_vnwY_QNAm996Uf5BG8grkCd71Ds_CoB0eA5PUyIRBwPdJNzFZZ_LAfp4_4_2K5-VQ4fueeIX8Ekga_ErkFeQwWbQP1IsX08pqtq4YJE2u0XsjlxHhC/s400/51qemXxilkL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg)
I couldn't have said it any better!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Lots and lots of reading!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9kgzE9qM1fz-Mpo5LuJMqDip0fhFbWwRS4lRSftKskID3bboW53ttAVWsPU3BLciBp1TRO_oy28OiYOkKfq0-pDysPX_hG8XdnzVC-zDjTPflFMwvVvJ42fqACpMXATXkd4RlvuP_bkm/s400/51ZmDHIrTML._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBxKYq_2FnqBU3u60fW30vSMBGaIYyuoAfo-xo0u3OMItTL4tEz52DjffQuxpnU0BfFFrbAmMVXOLnR0ciPUvT_Xny19y0yeh_0rSCmujuoGE4Ag3hZSOGAGB61WEfj6POUt7UqHJnUjp/s400/41k4vIqNbRL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
I just finished...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGyf2mkiC5eZy-esCY_eooZ5_2oqJg9WJwAzBTcw-LeKGfw2BVIz3t7apongg5wbbUE8vtf-gZjkXL69tNMcubU6ZRbMDwBClAkyxLMLKTSAgcFL9AhiJrhUJ0ohrHFO-rJBMwsvaHNSf/s400/51P8peXsSZL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg)
During a recent meeting in Tucson, I asked my friends and co-workers for a few fiction suggestions. Normally, I read non-fiction or whatever teeny bopper series my sisters suggest ;)
But I don't read a lot of fiction. I try, but I usually give up after 35-40 pages. This is not to say I don't ever read, I read every day, I think I just pick the wrong fiction titles. Sarah, Katy, and now Marshall are all great resources as I have liked pretty much everything they have suggested, so I think I will stick with their recommends for a while. Anyway, Marshall suggested "Then We Came To The End", which was quickly seconded by Sarah. I found a copy at work, started reading, and couldn't put it down. 400 pages, 2 days. If you have ever worked in an office or with a group of people you might not necessarily be friends with out in the real world but spend countless hours with at work, you will probably like this one. Think "The Office" in book form. Some drama, some comedy, and a couple of laugh out loud lines thrown in. Definitely worth your time.
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