Payson, You Will Always Hold A Part Of Me

A week ago today, I rushed home from work to pack up our things and head out of town to Payson, Arizona to spend Thanksgiving with my parents, brother and girlfriend and my gram.  Oh, and did I mention two dogs and a cat?  It was going to be a full weekend in every sense of the word.


We pull into Payson at 8ish and headed for a little Mexican food restaurant which is both divey and wonderful at the same time.  $15 and full bellies later, we head to my parents home, unpack and relax.  Sounds divine, no?  Cue intense stomach pains at 3am.  I Google "food poisoning" in my spare time as I CANNOT SLEEP and immediately blame said divey Mexican restaurant.  The day goes by in a blur of pain.  


I wake on Friday morning hoping that the food poisoning (which I was assured was just a bad case of the stomach flu) had passed.  It had, for the most part, but an ache had settled in my right side.  I come up for breakfast hopeful that I'd be able to eat and salvage my weekend.  My dad (aka Emergency Room Doctor) pokes around and concludes a trip to the ER is in my near future.  By 2pm they had confirmed appendicitis and by 3pm I had my appendix removed.  


There are a few awesome parts of all of this:  1) my 3rd year medical student brother was able to stand in the OR with me and observe the surgery, 2) I was exonerated (I may have been called over-dramatic a time or two in my life *ahem*, but this time?  Hellz yes I really was in pain and not being a drama queen!) and 3) I was able to eat again.  In fact, by 8pm I was checked out and driven to (a different, not divey) Mexican food restaurant for Albondigas soup.  


The only crappy part was that my Thanksgiving weekend didn't really start until Saturday morning.  


So now I'm still recovering, although quite well.  It was a laparoscopic surgery so I only have 3 small incision points (one below my bikini line, one at my belly button and one below my ribs on my right).  And the good thing?  I never have to worry about my dang appendix again.  Oh, and the divey Mexican food restaurant was exonerated as well.  If you are ever driving through Payson, Arizona and have a taste for the most awesome burrito of your life, head to Alfonso's.  


Hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving! 


xoxo

Music is the soundtrack of our lives

If I could have one wish, something to change about myself, I wouldn't change much.  But I wish I had a good voice.  

So this has been a big week in music for me. 

First off, Sunday night we went to see The Phantom of The Opera.  It's playing in Tempe at Arizona State's campus.  I've seen a few musicals in my life, but of all that I've seen, Phantom is my absolute favorite.  The singing! The story! The dancing!

The show was amazing.  I sang every word under my breath, I laughed, I cried, I nudged my dear Hubs who willingly went along.

And then tonight...

I watch The 43rd Annual CMA Awards.  Now, for any of you all who don't know, I'm referring to the Country Music Association awards.  This Arizona girl was raised on country music.  There was a time when I thought it wasn't "cool" enough to admit to my friends, but now?  Heck yes!  Give me country music over Kanye any day (yes, that was a direct reference *ahem, Kanye*).  

There is nothing I love more than singing along to America's music.  I have been singing into my remote control microphone all night.  I've laughed, I've cheered, I've even gotten a little choked up (standing ovation for our armed forces?  on Veteran's Day?  Duh).  I love hearing the newcomers just the same as the good ole guys and gals.  

So for those of you who don't share my passion for country music, I'll cut to the chase.  If you could have anyone's voice from any time/genre/etc, who would you choose?

Me? I wish I had Jennifer Nettles' voice.  Hands down, that girl can rock!

xoxo

Us, through the years

xoxo

Four Years Ago Today...

We said "I do, I will, I promise, for eternity" in the eyes of our family, friends and God.

Looking back on it now, I realize we were so young then. At the tender age of 24, did we have any idea what was in store for us?

We've been through law school, the Bar exam, two layoffs, four new jobs, moved into our first house, bought our first cars together, traveled to Mexico, Europe, California, Chicago, Oregon, Washington, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

 

 

We've been through the highest highs and lowest lows.  What matters is what we've never forgotten...

That we will always have each other to turn to for love and support. That we will be each other's best friend. That we will have each other to laugh with and cry with - that we will never be alone. That the bad times won't be quite so bad and the good times will be even better when we're together.

I'm so thankful for you, for this life we've built, for us.

It's been a great four years....and we have exciting things in store for us.

I can't wait to see where the next four {and more!} take us.

Happy Anniversary, Hubs.

I love you forever.

Kreativ Blogger Award

First off, I'm sending a huge thank you to Sara at This Beautiful Thing for giving me this amazing award! I am so very honored.

Here are the rules:

• Thank the person who gave this to you.
• Copy the logo and place it in your blog.
• Link the person who nominated you.
• Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.
• Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
• Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
• Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

  Here are 7 things you may not know about me...

1. I wear glasses all day at work.  They help me focus on the computer screen that I stare at for hours upon hours.  The rest of the time, I don't really wear them.
2. I lurrrve salty foods.  Give me potato chips over chocolate any day.
3. I have little fingers.  Not freakishly little, they fit my body, but I wear a size 4 ring.  Most people can barely fit my wedding rings on their pinky finger.
4. My two best friends in the whole wide world are my oldest friends; I met them both in 2nd grade.
5. I had a horse named Dakota as a kid.  He was pretty much my life.  I can't wait until I have the time/money for horses again.
6. I must start my morning out with coffee.  No ifs, ands, or buts about it.  And I like it sweet and creamy - lots of milk and Splenda!
7. If I could do something totally different from my current career, I would be an esthetician. 

I'm tagging 7 of my newest followers. I can't wait to read your responses!

Tasha at The Hot Spot
Sara at That's Sassy
Bella at Bella Serenity
Ashley at Pink-ture Perfect
Ashley at {Let Go, Laughing}
Rachel at Beautiful Life
Elizabeth at Gangl*icious


And to everyone else, what is something I may not know about you?  Leave me a comment and let me know!


xoxo

My week by the numbers...

4: Hours of Gossip Girl watched (finally caught up on the season!)
3: Times I repeated the mash-ups on this week's episode of Glee (ummm, who didn't love this?!?)
2: Boxes of Kleenex used (just call me Rudolph)
1: Pack of Ramen Noodles that Hubs so lovingly prepared for me to stop my whining

In all honesty, there might be nothing better than seeing your sweet husband play nurse to make you feel better.  He made me food, sympathized, sent hugs my way, and didn't complain once about having to take care of me.  Thanks, J!

I'm getting back to the swing of things.  I am at work today, but longing for my pj's tonight.  Come on, 5 o'clock!

Do you have anything fun in store for the weekend?

xoxo

Sick as a DOG

Hi, friends.  Just checking in.  What have I been up to all week?  Sick in bed. 


I've used up a full box of Kleenex, drank two 2-liter bottles of Diet 7UP and watched countless hours of Tivo'd television.  


Good news is that I think I am turning the corner.  By tomorrow I should be back to normal.  I even made it up today to disinfect the kitchen and bathrooms and {gasp!} shower.  


Now, time to load up on more medication and take a mid-afternoon nap.


How have your weeks been going?  Do fill me in.  I've missed you all terribly!


xoxo