MY ENDLESS SEARCH

I HAVE, FOR what feels like my entire lifetime been searching for the perfect combination of scents between laundry detergent and dryer sheet. Now this may seem fairly simple to find, BUT it is not; am I right ladies(and maybe gentlemen..id like to know who)? This preoccupation has driven me half crazy in the laundry isle at the store - standing for hours(according to Shelby) unscrewing lids and smelling until I can smell no longer. Lets break it down! Stores, who has the best selection? Products, so many and do we stay green and go with less "chemically" ones or do we stick with less expensive SUPER awesome smelling ones? After that has been decided which one will be chosen out of a mile long wall of options boasting 'fresh meadow', 'clean rain', 'citrus scentsation', and 'lovely lavender'. Say you find one you like. Now the battle of dryer sheet -vs- fabric softener. I am pretty sure, only pretty sure I am a dryer sheet person. So the same problems arise between stores, products, and scents. Say you once again find one you "think" you like the best. Next is the compatibility; do they smell well together? Who knows, standing there in the store!UHHH! Another obvious component (taking it a step farther) is the body chemistry factor; how does your shirt smell once you have worn it a few hours. Do you contribute to the smell or collide creating the "weird smell"?
Those who have labored this decision, please tell me your combo. I would love to know! I have a feeling Moriah might have some insight, my little sock ironing friend!
So far this is my choice-

SHELBYS DAY

BECAUSE OF A very busy week(maybe even month), I feel like i didn't spend much quality time with Shelby, so to make it up to her(and to pacify my own guilt)I put aside and dubbed today-Shelbys Day! This morning we ran to the store and bought blueberry muffins for breakfast came home and watched cartoons together while eating on my bed.

After that I let her water the plants with her 'turtle' cup(got it for her in Hawaii)full of water, needless to say I was on my hands and knees mopping up the spilt mixture of H2O and potting soil just grateful for my daughter. Next on the list was Blog stalking for a good playlist; Jesica Williams won, she always has great jams goin! Volume on high we danced our booty's and my blueberry muffin off! One last activity before nap time..Shelby toned it down and decided she wanted to draw....on me! It being Shelbys day, I of course obliged but 'drew' the line when she headed for my face. Now that I think about it though, I should have just offered it up as her canvas to see how it would have turned out; my curiosity usually wins out...hasn't always served me well! This is her art on my arm, immediately following the final touches Shelby politely added "Thank you, mama"!

So now it is only noon, I don't know what the rest of the day holds but Shelby will inevitably let me know. A promise of baking "coco" I will probably make good on.

SIMPLE THINGS

I WISH I would have gotten a before shot of this planter in front of my house. It was filled with rocks, trash and even worse....cat poop! Shelby and I took a trip to Lowe's and this is what we came up with..



STRAWBERRIES, SAGE HYBRIDS and CHERRY TOMATOES
I'm not much of a flower planting kind of gal, it makes more sense to me to plant useful things like herbs and vegetables. Pretty ones! What a difference replacing cat poop can make!

DIAMONDBACKS -VS- TIGERS

I WENT TO a Diamondbacks game Friday night with my friend Paul. It was a good game and a great time with him and his friends. Paul and I used to ride the bus to Show Low together during my 6th, 7th, and 8th grade year before I moved to Snowflake. The Diamondbacks won that night 4 to 3, much to Paul's dismay. But the die hard Tigers fan gained his dignity back the next night with a 3 to 2 win - Detroit.

ALOHA, SHELBY!

SWEET LITTLE MISS goin to aunt Noelle's Luau(I know, I know, dang pacifier).

AND EARLIER THAT day.

WAITED MY WHOLE LIFE FOR

PICTURES - MOTHERS DAY AND A FEW EXTRAS IM EXCITED ABOUT

FLOWERS FROM MIKEY and Lewis Williams for mothers day.

CUTE LITTLE CHAIR for Shelby i found at a garage sale for $10!

VINTAGE CAMERA GIVEN to me by Michele, trying to get moved herself.

MOVING DAY

YESTERDAY I MOVED again for the 4th time in 10 1/2 months(I think I have you beat Lindsay!). I found a really cute duplex in downtown Mesa(scary), yes it is bordering ghettoville but I love it and its cheaper than my apartment was(major bonus). As much as I DID NOT want to do this again, it went well and was actually kind of fun. Thanks to some good friends, three trucks and two cars we got it all in one trip. Thank you so much guys!

THE NEW PLACE

KITCHEN

"GIRL IN THE BATHROOM"

TAKE ME TO Vegas baby, cuz dang I'm lucky! Friday night I went to see one of my best buds Scott Ables play in his band Signs of Betrayal at the Venue of Scottsdale. Not only did I find Scott out front in a crowd of over 500 people, he took me around to the back entrance to get in as opposed to waiting an hour in line. As we strutted our way up to the door the manager of the Venue stopped us and said in a very very burly, very scary voice "she has to wait in line", Scott protectively rebutted this evil man and said back to him "shes with ME!" (in the mean time i am flashing burly manager man ultra cool, confident stares reading - I'M WITH THE BAND YOU SON OF A...) Just when I thought my luck had run out, the power trippin manager walked away - WRONG MOVE DUDE! He obviously did not know who he was dealing with.
Out of the shadows came 'managers' side kick. Immediately 'side kick' took my arm and said "come with me"! Oh it was on! A full blown covert mission. Running down the hall behind 'side kick' listening to him yell above the music commanding me to "hide in that bathroom until I get back"! WHAT! Well okay man. Suddenly I am standing backstage in the dressing room bathroom. For some reason the only thing I could think to do was take a picture of this shower/boy closet, documentational instincts i suppose.
I am stoked standing there in that obscure green Lu, stuff like this is right up my alley, adventure adventure adventure! Suddenly after a very fast 15 minutes I hear the words echo down the corridor, "girl in the bathroom". Yikes, I sure hope its 'side kick' and not security. It was neither, it was who i would call 'side kicks' side kick! Rushing me out of the bathroom and down that same familiar race track of a hallway, 'side kick' the original barks a warning "keep your hands in your pockets because you have no wrist band" again, WHAT! as I politely point out to 'side kick' the burly manager implementing the wrist band checking system 7 people ahead of me. "Come here! Back to the bathroom! Go, Go, GO!".
Ah my little olive lavoratory, hello again. 5 minutes later, lead singer walks in, I introduce myself (not bothering with my name) "Hi, I'm girl in the bathroom". 5 more minutes later there it is again, the words "girl in the bathroom" 5 seconds later 'side kick' is galloping me down the Brick Yard applying an orange wrist band to my left wrist and directing me off to stage right. Mission accomplished!
The show was amazing which was expected knowing how talented Scott is. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. The 'adventure', the music, the making fun of groupies in my mind. Thanks for everything Scott, especially for being such a valued component of my life for the last 14 years.

FUN TEST, THANKS JES!

I'm a Porsche 911!

You have a classic style, but you're up-to-date with the latest technology. You're ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige - you're one of the elite,and you know it.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

WHEN LEFT TO HER OWN DEVICES

NEED I SAY more?

HER PERSONALITY

SHELBY DOES THIS very 'endearing' thing every time we head out the door. When I say that it is time to go for a car ride she quickly drops whatever it is she is doing then rushes around like a mad woman gathering all she can to bring with her. We now have this 3 item rule for the car. 3 things sounds like alot but if you are Shelby, that is just leaving an entire army of her troops behind. At ease soldier!

FAREWELL FELLAS

I HAVE THIS group of friends I met a few months ago, after a long year of aimlessly wandering around wondering if I really belong in any certain group of friends. Constantly asking myself if I was tapped out on resources in the valley for a chance at a new social circle that cares about me for me; a 'do over' of sorts. One would think not if they knew the enormity of my ex-husbands family. And STILL they know his cousins but I can settle for that. Settle may be the wrong term to use...exceptional people I am lucky to have been befriended by is more like it! You know the kind that build the character of everyone around them just by being them. This is not directed at any one person; collectively they have opened their home and their hearts to little old me and I am a better person for knowing them. Anyone is. Now that I have portrayed myself as a former helpless vagabond, I might clarify that I was always a "Bad A"(there ya go Dave)! They just helped me to remember that a little more often. Thanks Dave, Anthony, Jamison, Ben, and Brandon, and Katie and Ruth!

NOW, FAREWELL FELLAS being the title of this blog, I had better explain. Reminding myself that they will be back in 4 months. Dave and Anthony are going to Portland and Jamison to Las Vegas to sell security systems. They deserve a proper send off!



5 THINGS ABOUT these guys that anyone could see if they met them only once!

DAVE

1. Honest, honest, honest
2. Can keep a secret like no other. Fort Knox baby!
3. Self sacrificing for his kids
4. The very first person in the ward to befriend me
5. Strives everyday to touch someones life

ANTHONY

1. Truly, genuinely cares about the people in his life
2. A real mans man; camper, fisherman, Alaska goin, hard workin, mans man!
3. 6'5"
4. Extremely intelligent
5. NEVER brags about himself to get ahead, and he has a lot to brag about.

JAMISON/MR.CHARISMA

1. Most self perfecting person(in a good way) that I have ever met in my life
2. Re-defines excellence
3. Best Sunday school teacher ever, I mean ever ever! Cant do that without a stellar testimony and an unreal knowledge of doctrine
4. A true entrepreneur and networking extraordinaire
5. Has this amazing desire for true goodness in his life