Soft fluffy puppies on the brain!!!

I am in NEED of a puppy! Yes we have cats, but they are sooo independent and don't pay any attention to anyone but Micah! To them, Micah is their god.

So I started to do some research on what kind of dog would be the best fit in our little family unit. It needs to be a breed that can get along with other animals and likes children, as they will someday be a part of our household.

So I took a test: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

I got matched up with 15 dogs, and of those 15 I narrowed it down to 4 that I really like and think will be a good fit in our house.

First up is the Australian Labradoodle! http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/australianlabradoodle.htm

THEN There is the Kerry Blue Terrier! They are soooo cute! And they really are a blue black color! http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/kerryblueterrier.htm

Next up the Miniture Goldendoodle! These guys are pretty freaken adorable http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/miniaturegoldendoodle.htm

Last but not least is the Schnoodle! http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/schnoodle.htm

Here is the list of all the dogs I got matched up to, some I cant even pronounce:

Australian Labradoodle
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Hairless Khala
Kerry Blue Terrier
Labradoodle
Miniature Goldendoodle
Miniature Labradoodle
Peruvian Inca Orchid (PIO)
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Petite Goldendoodle
Schnoodle
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Whoodles
Xoloitzcuintle

Fun in the Snow!

As one of our wedding gifts, Micah and I were given a timeshare weekend in Sedona!

We headed up Friday night, checked in and laid low the rest of the night.

Saturday we went and had a nice breakfast and then headed out to do some hiking. It was Soooo cold out that you couldn't see your breath! Thats freaken cold. We hiked around Slide Rock Park for a bit. We found a creepy little shack that was falling apart.

Then headed up the 89A towards Flagstaff in search of snow. It was only about a 20 minute drive when we came to a huge open field full of knee deep snow!

(It was very exciting)

We were very ill prepared for the snow, I had on my chuck taylors (very non-water proof) and Micah had on a pair of shoes that had a hole or three in them (I have only been telling him to get new shoes for who knows how long). Also he then informed me that the soaking wet pair of socks he had on were his only pair for the trip, soooo on our way into town we stopped and got him some socks and me some soup!

Here is a fun video of me making a snow angel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_tWA4kpq_k

After our adventures in the snow, we came back to the condo and relaxed by the fire. We watched the Muppets Take Manhattan and took a little cat nap. For dinner we found one of the most amazing Italian restaurants! Cucina Rustica! Its a MUST if you find yourself in the Sedona/Village of Oak Creek area! http://www.cucinarustica.com/index.htm

Today marks our one month anniversary of being husband and wife! I couldn't be more happier!

Making a difference

Now that the wedding has come and gone I have a lot more free time on my hands and I really want that free time to go unwaisted.

I did some thinking this morning and have decided that I want to make a difference in my community and in the lives of others.

I thought about volunteering at an animal shelter, but I don't think I could handle that. I would want to bring all the animals home! I have been begging Micah for a puppy for well over a year now and he isn't budging, so working at a shelter would just be torture on me.

SO I have decided that I will either be volunteering my time to either the Big Brothers, Big Sisters http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.diJKKYPLJvH/b.2286705/k.89B2/Be_a_Big_Sister.htm
Or to the Girls Scouts of America http://www.girlscouts.org/for_adults/ I think Either one would be extremely rewarding!

I love 7th Avenue & the Melrose District!

This past Saturday I got to go to the antique and boutique shops on 7th Avenue (Between Indian School & Camelback) and let me just tell you, it was HARD to hold onto my money. I wanted to snatch up one of everything!

I really enjoyed Paris Envy, and decided that if I ever won the lottery and didn't have to work, that I would open up a little shop like that...they don't have a website, but I found their blog. http://parisenvy.blogspot.com/ ALSO their wall color was amazing, and believe it or not, they actually sell the paint there because so many people love it...and I am one of them! Here is a picture with the wall color in the background

Another shop I visited that doesn't have a website or blog or anything and REALLY should is Melrose Vintage! They had the most amazing things for sale and carried a lot of Rachel Ashwells fabulous items http://www.shabbychic.com/ . Melrose Vintage also and had a huge room devoted to scrap booking, which I have just recently gotten into. I picked up a few fun things from there, like a pattern for a felt flower.... So I worked on that yesterday. Once I master them and they don't look like Franken-flower I will post a how to ;)

Angelika's Baby Shower....

My soon to be niece Olivia's delivery date is fast approaching which means a baby shower is in order!

Her nursery will be shabby chic, so I decided to carry that theme over into the shower. It will be a shabby chic garden tea party of sorts... Pinks, Greens, and Yellows will be the parties pallet. Bunnies, Flowers and Teapots will be a part of the decor.

I put an inspiration board together for the look and feel I want for my sisters baby shower...

Once the shower occurs I will post pictures of the outcome. I have a crafting day schedule and have called upon some of our girlfriends to come help me paint and glue and tape. I'll post pictures of the projects and simple instructions on how I got the looks!

As for the menu, I want to keep it simple but girlie!

For drinks, Honeydew & Mint Agua Fresca

and Old Fashioned Pink Lemonade will be super refreshing and easy to make (We received a really awesome juicer as one of our wedding gifts!)

Snacks will be simple tea sandwiches , fresh fruit and cheese.

Dessert will hopefully be a show stopper! I really want the cakes (yes plural) to be amazing! I had my eye on 3 designs, sent them in to several bakeries but the price range of $200-$600 for a baby shower cake was just to steep...so I am going to try my hand at making them. Here are the 3 that I feel in love with.

I really liked how cute and simple this first one is.

I really fell in love with this pink cake with the cameo on it! It SCREAMS shabby chic

The third one completly knocked my socks off! Its the perfect cake for a garden party!

My goals for recreating one of these cakes is a bit lofty, but we shall see. I am 85% sure I can pull off one of the looks of these cakes.

Holy HOT DEAL!!!

I HAD to share this!!! If you are in the Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale area you MUST MUST MUST go check out The Lamar! Its a fabulous day spa that wont break the bank!!! My mother in law (that feels weird to say) turned me on to them, and oooh man it was love at first sight!



The staff is excellent...The spa itself isnt stuck up, you dont feel out of place like some of those snooty places make you feel. AND they ALWAYS have a Hot Deal of the month!!! AND the first Wednesday of each month its bring a friend and buy one service get one free!!! Seriously awesome! I took my husband (even stranger to say) there the week after the wedding and we both had hour long swedish massages for only $100 TOTAL!!!! Plus you get to use their steam room, sauna, whirl pool and heated pool for free all day long the day of your booked appointment!!





ANYWAY...That not even what prompted me to type this! I just got a little info email from them. If you buy a $100 gift card during the month of December...for $25 extra bucks you get a free Spa Day credit of $85 PLUS a $50 Cuccio's Natural Nail kit!!! HOLY SMOKES! If you dont have anyone to spoil with a gift card, freaken spoil yourself twice, use the gift card and then the spa credit!


And NO I dont even work for this place! I just wanted to share such an awesome deal! Its good for the mind body and soul to be pampered every now and then!

http://www.blogger.com/www.thelamar.com

Here I am!

Soooo I am going to give this blogging thing a shot. I want this blog to be personal but useful to others. I am not a designer by any means, but I do have a passion for throwing fun parties, hosting amazing events and crafting when ever I have the time! I will use this blog to journal my ideas for events and crafts, then show the outcomes.

I also love to cook, which goes hand in hand with hosting fun parties. So I will be sharing recipes that I love along with picutres of how they turned out.

I am also newly married, so you may be hearing about that as well :)

Here we are on our wedding day, November 22, 2008

this photo was taken by Dawn Rosa Cole.