Things I'm Thankful For

Per all my social media outlets, it seems November is the season to tell people what you're thankful for. Everyday. 

And by the looks of the rest of blogland, FB, and Insta, I'm suuuper behind in giving thanks. 

BUT since I never want to miss out on the latest social media trend, I figured it's time I give thanks for stuff. 

I'm thankful for being a member of the blogging community, because without it, I might actually have to do work and be productive for the first two hours of my workdays instead of reading blogs. 

 I'm thankful my husband is a hunter, because when else would I be able to catch up on the Real Housewives of anywhere if it weren't for him being gone like, every weekend? 

I like to watch my trashy reality TV in peace and without judgement...and we both know that's not happening when he's home.

I'm thankful that I'm an Arizona State Sundevil, because if I weren't I'm pretty sure people might mistake me for a gang member whenever I throw up my pitch fork. 

I wouldn't blame you if you profiled me. I pretty much scream gang banger.

 I'm thankful for fruit. 

Grapes, especially. 

Fermented grapes, really. 

Actually I'm thankful for wine. Just the wine. 

 I'm thankful for the 24-hour news cycle our country is blessed with, because if it weren't for them I would never know that Kourtney Kardashian went to the grocery store sans makeup, or that there were naked girls at Justin Bieber's house party, or that Jessica Simpson was in (shocker) a bathing suit (shocker #2) at the beach!!! 

My life isn't validated until I know celebrities wear bathing suits to the beach too. 

 I'm thankful for Little Ceasar's Hot n' Ready pizza's and their conveient location right down the road from my house, making it oh-so-easy to forgo any sort of cooking plans, because let's face it, cooking is work. 

 I'm thankful for Sprint, because without their terrible reception and horrible coverage, I wouldn't learn the value of patience every time FB has a "Network Error" or when Insta "can't refresh feed" or when Twitter tells me my request has "timed out." 

As my dad would say, it builds character.

I'm thankful for Michelle Obama and her Drink Up campaign, because without it I would've never known that drinking more water was good for me.

Thanks Michelle. I always knew you had my back.

And last but not least, I'm thankful for social media, because without it, I would never know what you all are thankful for.

The Fit Heard 'Round the Canyon, and Other Lessons in Hunting

If you follow me on Insta you know I went hunting this weekend for my first rifle deer tag. My husband took me down to southern AZ to see if I couldn't kill a buck.

Breaking news: I didn't kill a buck.

In fact, I never even saw one (insert sad emoji here). 

We saw 30+ does.

Nate killed a coyote at 400+ yards (cause he's kind of a bad @$$).

But me?

Nothin.

Nate found a buck Sunday morning and got me set up on it, but I couldn't find it in my scope before he moved over the top of the next canyon.

And that's about as close as I came to any action.

It's OK though, cause we still had a good time and got to spend the weekend together.

We also learned some more important lessons when it comes to hunting with 

your spouse.

If you remember, back in August when I tried to fill my archery tag, I reported the 

tell-tale signs of how you know you're on a hunt with your wife. 

Folks, the lessons kept on comin' last weekend.

For example, I learned that you shouldn't set your brand new rifle down on the ground cause the barrel will get all scratched and you'll get reprimanded by your husband.

You set your pack down first, then set your rifle on top of that.

Everyone knows that (including me........now).

Nate learned that his wife needs to take pictures of the pretty trees before she can help unload the truck upon arrival.

In my defense, it's the only glimpse of "fall" I've seen in AZ since "fall" began.

Nate also learned that he may need to tell his wife twice when there's a potential shot opportunity.

 "Deer!! Hurry up, get your rifle!!"

"Who ME??"

"You're the only one with a rifle aren't you??"

Right.

I learned that since I'm the only one with a rifle, and a tag too for that matter, that when my husband says "get your rifle," he's talking to me. 

Noted.

Nate however, learned the most important lesson of the weekend:

I hate hiking.

Guys, I'm not talking about just plan ol' hiking. 

I hike. I typically enjoy it.

Nate's version of hiking, if you can even call it that, is other-wordly.

It's scaling the side of a steep mountain, with no established trail, trekking through dead grass and Yucca plants as tall as I am, all while trying to avoid the cacti beneath your feet and trying not to twist your ankle on the lose rocks that you can't even see because of the thick brush.

And then there's really no other way to get back down the mountain except to sit down on your butt and slide down. 

All the way down.

When I tell the story out loud he always interrupts me and tells me I'm being dramatic.

But since this is my blog and he can't chime in, I would just like to say, for the record...I'm not even being dramatic.

I'm so serious that I actually stopped and I threw a fit right there on the side of the mountain.

He thought I was joking at first and started laughing.

Then he looked around and gave me the "shush" signal cause I was gonna scare away all the deer.

Guess what? I didn't even care. I was seeing red.

Questions came out of my mouth like,

"Where the hell are you taking me??"

"How the hell am I supposed to get down from here??"

And I made threats like,

"Don't ever do this to me again!"

"Don't ever take me this way again!"

And guess what? I have no shame.

The fit heard 'round the canyon is totally and completely justified, because that kind of "hiking" is ridiculous.

And my husband is crazy for thinking I'd be down for that.

I've done it twice before, on two javelina hunts, but I just wasn't havin' it this 

time around.

...And then we hiked back to the truck in silence.

And the next day we sat at a water hole for 3 hours.

Sooooo, I mean, I don't endorse throwing fits to get what you want; in fact, fits aren't even really my style (unless of course, it's a first world fit), but it was my hunt, and Nate told me I call the shots...so I'd say the fit heard 'round the canyon was pretty effective.

Score one for me.

That One Day My Sister Got Married

I so badly want to tell you what I did this weekend, but since some of it involves somewhat of a surprise for someone, I can't really tell you until tomorrow after 7pm-ish. 

Don't worry though, I'll totally spill the beans by tomorrow COB. 

...that's "close of business" for all you non-office people, and on second thought I'm regretting putting that in my blog post since it usually belongs in work emails, and it's Sunday night when I'm writing this, which is much too early to be thinking about work.

But I digress.

Since I can't tell you about the hilarity from this weekend, I'll tell you about what I did last weekend (since I'm super up-to-date on my blog and stuff), cause that's when my sister got married!

Sidenote, since I was busy being a bridesmaid I didn't take very many pictures, and since it's only been 10 days since the wedding there's no professional photos yet, so I've cherry-picked all that I could from a plethora of photos posted to Facebook.

Thanks, Facebook, you're always there when I need you most.

Audrey and my now, brother-in-law, Adam got married on a Friday and the day couldn't have gone any better.

For me at least. I'm not sure if you ask the bride if she'll give you a different answer, but as for me, I was doin' pretty good, ahead of schedule with hair and make-up, snackin' the day away on some Cheddar Harvest Sunchips (cause really, is there any other 

kind of Sunchips?).

Actually I take it back, my bridesmaids dress was giving me fits all day and night. Fits as in, didn't want to stay on my body. As in, didn't want to keep the girls in where they belong...IF you know what I mean. I did this all day and night:

But x10.

Or a million.

Ladies, you know that move when you see it, right?

Hashtag sooooooannoying

Also, I know the day was about Audrey and Adam but I just have to give a shout-out to my husband...he cleans up pretty good right?

So since we're limited on photos, I'm gonna leave you with my toast I gave to Audrey and Adam at the wedding, and some photos of her and I.

Cause we're sisters.

And my speech talked about us being sisters.

So sister photos are only appropriate.

..............................

Hello! I’m the sister of the lovely bride here, and I just wanted to say a few words to the newlyweds tonight.

...Mostly because Audrey was kind enough to give a toast at my wedding and now

I feel obligated to return the favor.

 

Just Kidding.

It’s actually because I’m so happy that my sister is finally getting married, and in doing so, it’s made me think back and reflect on all the years of sister-ly love and bonding.

But before we start I just need to make one thing clear.

In case anyone here hadn’t heard, we played a game at Audrey’s bridal shower where Adam was asked a

series of questions ahead of time and Audrey had to guess the right answers at the shower.

I just want everyone to know that they cheated and Audrey asked for the answers ahead of time and Adam gave them to her. So they’re both cheaters and it’s been my mission ever since to publicly shame them for it.

I’ve forgiven you guys and all, but it’s coming out of your money dance donation.

So moving on...

Sister-ly love and bonding…

Audrey and I, actually, have never been the kind of sisters that are super close and do everything together. We never shared the same social circle, never played on the same sports team, or spilled teenage secrets together over chocolate…cause Audrey’s weird and doesn’t like chocolate.

...But you better believe when I’m trying on clothes at Forever 21 and suddenly Audrey’s screaming at me in a panic that there’s reports of a gunman in the mall and everyone has to evacuate, I was dressed and scrambling to find my sister faster than it takes a Kardashian to file for divorce.

 

That is to say, you don’t have to hang out all the time and be best friends to recognize the importance of your sister in your life and the love you have for her.

I mean, I passed on some really cute tops that day just to make sure Audrey wasn’t laying there, bleeding on the floor of Forever 21.

That’s sacrifice.

I also recognized just how much Audrey meant to me when I was entering the 5^th grade and she was starting the 7^th. She was a big bad Jr. High-er now and way too cool for elementary school, which meant that for the first time in my young life I had to go to school WITHOUT my sister.

It’s not like we were in the same grade and saw each other all the time, but just knowing that she wasn’t going to be in the same school, the same building as me anymore, was enough to make me worry all summer-long about it.

...I quickly got over it when she started coming home with that Jr. High attitude and was as bossy as ever.

The good news now though, is that Adam’s on the receiving end of that now.

And he’s a good man for it.

Nate and I have always said, “I hope Audrey and Adam work it out and get married, I like Adam a lot.”

 

We’re so thrilled that Adam is part of the family now, and that you guys actually got married and that this wedding actually happened.

You make Audrey a better person and you make our family a better family.

…except when you cheat and ruin games.

And that goes for the both of you!

We love you both so very much, and wish you nothing but the best!

Cheers! 

.................

So just to forewarn you all, you'll probably be getting another recap of wedding fun when her professional photos come in. Cause I'm sure they're the bomb.com.

Cause Audrey and Adam are the bomb.com and I'm so happy they are finally married!!

H54F

Linking up with Lauren today for my fav weekly blog partaaaay and my five favs from this week!

1.) Out of town guests 

My sister's wedding shower was last weekend (read about the scandal here), so a few of my family from out of town flew in for the weekend. We all had so much fun and I can't wait to see everyone again in October!

2.) Halloween DIY

Had a little DIY sesh for new holiday decorations.

Diggin' my tulle wreath.

You can try and tell me it's too early to put up Halloween decorations, but I've figured out a way to justify it to myself, so I'm totally OK with it.

3.) Harry Potter spin-off(ish)

Word on the street is JK Rowling is writing a movie script that's sorta kinda a spin-off of the Harry Potter series (aka the best book series ever written in the history of man and wizarding kind). I don't even care that Harry and company won't be in it - I just heard the words "JK Rowling" and "wizarding world" in the same sentence and I've been fan-girling out ever since.

4.) The pumpkin train

I jumped on it this week.

And I'm loooooving it.

5.) ASU vs. Wisconsin this weekend

Ooooh boy I'm excited for Saturday night.

It's gonna be a blackout at Sun Devil Stadium, and the game has been all over everything this week here in AZ...and it pumps me up.

Go Devils!

Happy Friday folks!

Thanksgiving 2012

We interrupt this broadcast Christmas season to bring you a word from our sponsors Thanksgiving.

I realize everyone is in Christmas mode right now (rightfully so), but I'd like to take a few steps back so I can post about my Thanksgiving.
Cause I haven't yet.
Cause I'm always on top of my blogging like that.

Anyway, another year, another Thanksgiving.

Another week of Facebook "I'm-thankful-for" status updates behind us.

Another day of pure and uninhibited gluttony under our belts (quite literally).

My Thanksgiving this year was fabulous, as usual. We even had extra family in from out of town which made it even more fabulous.

After everyone was done eating, per the usual...the boys went outside and threw things at each other.
No really.
Last year my husband, my sister's fiancee, and my two cousins went outside to play cornhole. Except by the end of the game they were throwing the bean bags at each other instead of into the cornhole (cornhole?).
(See last years' events here)
So since the cornhole game is broken (per last years' events), the boys had to find something else to throw at each other.
So that's what they did.
They ran around the backyard throwing balls at each other in some version of a dodgeball-like game.

After that we all sat outside on the patio talking about what we're thankful for conspiracy theories.
Mermaids, chem-trails, big foot, you name it, we discussed it.

After that we took some family pictures.
Which started out nice and normal:

And ended, well... pretty normal: 

Food, dodgeball, conspiracy theories, and cuh-ray-zee family photos make for a pretty dang good Thanksgiving.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming Christmas season