Things That Never Cross a Dog's Mind

- I should probably go lay down, mom will feed me when she's ready

- I don't think I'll swim today, I don't wanna get my hair wet

- I don't feel safe in this car without a seat belt

- I better be careful where I wag my tail, I could break something

- I'm not hungry today

-I haven't showered in like, 3 weeks

- I feel naked

- I should celebrate my birthday

- I'd rather not put my mouth on that bone, it's kind of dirty

- That was really rude of me to beg for your food

- I feel dirty

- I'm getting bored chasing this ball

- There's no room for me on this chair

- That's mom's spot, I'll move

- That's just a car driving by, I don't need to bark at that

- I asked for a slutty nurse costume

- Too bad I don't have thumbs

- I wonder if mom will blog about us today? 

I'm Carissa and I'm a Feminist. I think.

You can tell by the title of this post, that it might be a doozy.

And also a rant. I can't guarantee it won't turn into more of a rant.

A long one.

A long rant.

You've been warned.

If you frequent my blog often you know I don't get too deep 'round these here parts.

I avoid controversy, hot-button issues, and scandals of the like. 

I hate conflict, and I fear all the aforementioned will bring conflict to my blog and mean people will leave "anonymous" comments and then I'll cry myself to sleep at night.

I'd just rather be happy and tell you a good joke instead.

But alas, today calls for a serious post cause I've had something on my mind lately, and I think it's time it makes its way onto the blog.

Hi. I'm Carissa and I'm a feminist.

I think.

It all began on Sunday when I was perusing the interwebs and a featured story on Yahoo had something to do with Robin Thicke and his music video for "Blurred Lines."

I remember hearing a bunch of fuss about the video when it came out, but I ignored it because I really don't care about Robin Thicke.

But out of curiosity, I pulled it up on the Tubes and watched the video anyway.

So stupid.
Albeit not that much more stupid than anything else out there nowadays.

So then I went back to Google and started reading about why people were so upset about it, what all the talking-heads were saying, and lastly, what Robin Thicke himself said about it in an interview.

In a nutshell, people were upset by it because there's topless women running all around, the lyrics to the song are "rape-y" (their words, not mine), and the video is degrading to women. 

That said, when I watched the Robin Thicke video, it really didn't stand out to me as anything more scandalous than any other lame artist with a catchy song, shallow lyrics, and no creativity other than to put half-naked women running around in their video.

Even when I went back and looked up the lyrics, the lyrics didn't even stand out to me as "rape-y." After I read what people said about them, I could certainly see that. But at face value I really
wasn't that offended.

Until I read the interview Robin Thicke himself gave regarding the controversy.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you, Robin Thicke:

"...People say, 'Hey do you think this is degrading to women?' I'm like, 'Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I've never gotten to do that before. I've always respected women.'"   

(Source)

Really, Robin Thicke? Really???

I can't even...I just...I mean...ugh...you just...you can't fix stupid.

That's where my issue with Robin Thicke ends.

Cause you just can't fix stupid.

What I'm bothered by, is that women are OK with people like this, with entertainment like this, with statements like this. 

It's the status quo.

I said it myself earlier, at first glance, the video and the lyrics didn't seem 

out of the ordinary.

How sad.

This guy has a wife who defended this video.

A woman directed this video.

Why are we OK with this?

Cause the song is catchy?

Let me tell you, I'm weary.

I'm weary of being inundated with advertisements, messages, double-standards, social norms, and pop culture that objectifies women, and portrays us with no other purpose in life other than to sit there and look pretty.

And sexy.

And hot.

And that's it.

And we don't even care.

We don't even recognize it happening.

You wanna know what else really chaps my hyde?
The idea of gender stereotypes and gender roles.

I stumbled on a conversation with my coworkers last week when we started talking about lunches, and three of my coworkers (2 women, 1 guy) looked at me like I was crazy when I said I didn't prepare my husband's lunches for him.
Is that what I'm supposed to be doing?

Last Christmas my brother-in-law asked me what size jeans Nate wore so he could buy him a pair for Christmas.
I told him I didn't know what size Nate's pants were.
He said, "Don't you do his laundry?"
And then he looked at my like I was crazy when I replied, "No. I don't."

Here's the thing - Nate's a big boy. He can do his own laundry and he can make his own lunches. Just like I'm a big girl and I make my own lunches and do my own laundry.
Why is it expected that I would do that for him?
Cause I'm a woman?
Being a military man and spending 15 months overseas in war, he's had to take care of himself in ways none of us will ever have to take care of ourselves.
The guy can handle a load of laundry.

I'm really not even saying this to sound mean, or bitter, or even make Nate look bad.
These things don't come up, we don't fight about it. It's a non-issue
We both know who we married, which for him, means he does his own laundry.

I got married because I wanted a husband, not a child who I have to take care of and clean up after.
And I don't.
So why is it that our culture, and pre-determined gender roles expect me to?

Trust me, I'm rolling my eyes at me too right now.
I realize how ridiculous and cliche I sound.
But I'm not even going to apologize for it, because it's really been bothering me, this issue.

I'm tired of hearing about "rape culture" (which I won't even get into, but really, it's there) and having people excuse it; I'm tired of victim-blaming; I'm tired of hearing about women traveling overseas who are raped and then charged and held in prison for having sex outside of marriage; I'm tired of companies who can't sell a cardboard box without putting a half-naked woman in the ad; I'm tired of people making a big deal about working moms, and female breadwinners, and blaming the collapse of public education on mom who dared to "leave the house" and have career.

Society would rather you just parade around in your underwear for some tool-bag's music video.
It's so annoying.

--------------------------

I think that's all I can muster for one post.

I don't always go on a rant,
but when I do, it's a doozy.

Kinder Creek 2013

This weekend consisted of one really super fun and active day, and one really super lazy unproductive day...which is totally fine by me.

Since you probably don't wanna hear about how I slept in, read blogs, lounged around, ate Chinese food, and watched a Harry Potter marathon, I'll tell you about the hike I went on with my family instead.

I'll sound way more fun that way.

Each year since we've done this hike (check out previous years here and here) I always hesitate whether or not to blog about it. Cause quite frankly it's my most favorite spot in Arizona and I really don't want people finding out about it and making it all busy and populated and stuff.

Cause I'm selfish like that.

But alas, I'll share with you cause it's just too awesome not to.

With any luck you'll forget all about it after this post.

Or maybe I'll give you wrong directions if you ask me where it is?

Muahaha

Kinder Creek is my favorite day hike because it's short, fairly easy with the exception of one really steep, really rocky part, and once you get to the bottom there's water to swim in, scenery to take in, rocks to naps on, and crawdads to catch.

This year, priority one was catching crawdads.

We caught a bunch last year, but wasn't expecting it, so we had nothing to put them in but empty waterbottles. So this year we came prepared with traps and buckets and all sorts of shenanigans.

But first we had to get down there.

The summer monsoons usually roll in and out all day up in northern Arizona, but they started early this particular weekend and made for one really wet, really slippery hike down to the water.

My dad however, was prepared.

We couldn't even make fun of him for looking silly, cause we all wanted his rain jacket.

But we definitely didn't tell him that.

Guess he got the last laugh on that one.

Our first spot is this really neat sandy beach area. I promise, the pictures don't do it justice.

The guys didn't waste time and started catching crawdads...

...and my mom and I didn't waste any time getting our float on

The water was really cold.

After Nate and Adam caught all the crawdads they could, we moved on to our next spot...to catch more crawdads.

It doesn't get much prettier...

We spent the afternoon on our favorite rock, watched the guys catch crawdads, enjoyed the monsoon rain...and it just doesn't get much better.

My sister, unfortunately couldn't get off work for the day, so Adam created a stand-in for her.

This one's for you, Audrey.

Once we got home, some serious dinner was in order.

Before:

During:

After:

So you know, it was a super fun day, and that's really all I have to say about that.

I love AZ.

I love Kinder Creek.

I love hiking with my family.

I don't love the fact that it's Monday however.

Bad Monday, bad.

H54F

It's Friday, and you know what that means right?!

Linking up with Lauren for 5 of my fav things from this week!

1.) One of my dearest friends Kayla, from The Lindholm Life had her baby this week!
Below is big sister Kenzie holding her new brand new little brother.

Kayla and her husband Kenny welcomed their second child, baby boy Tate into the world! We can't wait to meet the little guy!

2.) Not only did baby Tate enjoy a birthday this week (quite literally), but so did Henry:

Henry turned one year old this week.

He's one of my other dearest friend Charlene's Golden Doodle.

He's growing up so fast, that Henry.

3.) Draw results are in and my hubs and I both got drawn for our deer hunts this fall!

The above picture is from my pig hunt earlier this year (you can read about that here).

I've never been on a deer hunt before, but that will change come November!

4.) The Dbacks scored 6 runs or more two nights in a row this week.

Do you know what that means?

Free tacos!

In case you don't live 'round these here parts, whenever the Dbacks score 6 runs or more, you can go to Taco Bell the next day, buy a drink and get 3 free tacos.

I don't even care that you probably just judged me for having taco bell twice in one week
...I like free stuff. And I like not having to cook dinner.
So really, it's a win-win.

5.) Lastly,
my weekend plans include a trip to Kinder Creek, and I'm pretty dang excited about it.
Read about last years visit HERE to take a looksie.

Technically, this hasn't happened within this week, so maybe it doesn't belong in this link-up,
but it's whatevs. I've been looking forward to it all week so I'm counting it.

Woop woop!!

Happy Friday peeps!

You can find me...

Over HERE today guest posting for my dear bloggy firiend Hayley.

We're getting pretty deep today in the political world, so you may wanna check it out.

Just sayin'.

Hotel California Part II

I started telling you all about my trip to California earlier this week, and you guessed it...it's time for Part II.

Check out Part I here

The morning of my cousin's wedding, Nate and I, and my sister and her fiance decided a little beach time was in order, so we headed out to Redondo Beach and spent the morning there.

After a while, the boys came to the conclusion that boogie boards would make their morning that much better. So they walked up to the pier and bought a couple.

Cause yes, it's cheaper to buy boogie boards than to rent them.

#touristprobs

And then, after a while, I started to think that boogie boards would make my morning that much 

better too.

And then I would go put my feet in the water to think about it and they instantly got frost bite.

Almost.

Not really.

But the Pacific Ocean is so freaking cold!

So you can see my complex here: boogie boards=fun; cold water=no fun.

Hmmm....

I decided to put my big girl panties on and make it happen.

#YOLO

...just kidding, I'm over that hashtag actually.

I make boogie boarding look goooooood.

You can look up "graceful" in the dictionary and you'll find the above picture.

Just so you know.

After boogie boarding it was time to head back and get ready for the wedding. So we packed up and took half of Redondo Beach's sand with us in our bathing suits back to our hotel room

Really though. 

It hurt.

--------------------------------------------------------

Here's the thing about weddings, and monumental life occasions in general.

I never think I'm gonna get emotional, but then when you're there and it's happening, I get a bit of a frog in my throat, I won't lie.

All weekend my sister was like, "I can't believe Jeff is getting married! It's so crazy!"

And I just kind of thought to myself, "Yeah. It happens. I got married. You're getting married. NBD." 

But then when we got to the venue and I saw my cousin all suited up in his Groom attire, there was a little part of me inside that went, 

"Awwww..." 

and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face for the rest of the night.

My cousin is the one in the middle lookin' all handsome and grown up.

My cousin Jeff, and my sister and I were the only cousins close in age growing up. So naturally, we hung out...

hung out, and also ganged up on my sister, since she's the oldest and bossiest and that's just what you do when one cousin is older and bossy.

You continuously change the password to the fort so she can't get in.
And when I say 'change it,' I mean whisper it in each other's ear. And then if she guesses correctly, you whisper in each other's ear and change it again, and tell her she's wrong anyway.

Neener neener.

She still is older...and bossy, by the way.

Muahaha. I'm gonna get a nasty-gram after she reads this =)

We did all kinds of cousin things together.

Like put on parades for our parents. 

Occasionally we would put Jeff in a dress.

Cause that's just what you do when one cousin is a boy and the other two are girls.

  

Neener neener.

He's lucky I don't know where those pictures are...

We also played watched a lot of video games together, cause Jeff always insisted playing video games was fun, except it really wasn't.

Polly Pockets and My Little Pet Shop blows video games out of the water (duh). 

But I think the cat's outa the bag on that one, so he shouldn't be mad at me for putting that out on the interwebs.

We also played various simulated war games and ran all around their two-story house with Nerf guns, and got yelled at for sounding like a "herd of elephants" coming down the stairs.

Oopsie.

So needless to say, when another one of us got married (I was the first. I'm a pioneer, what can I say) I got a little teary-eyed.

It couldn't have been a more perfect afternoon for a wedding!

It was a beautiful ceremony, and by the end of it, they were officially pronounced husband and wife! 

Presh.

While they went off to do their wedding photo thing, we decided to do our family photo thing.

Cause I always like a good family photo.

We all made sure to take advantage of the open bar hours.

...including myself.

And then I also made sure to take advantage of the wine my sister AND my mom didn't 

want with their dinner.

Haaaaay.

Dad and his sons-in-law (son-in-laws?)

  

After the cocktail hour it was time to partaaay...and eat dinner, and do first dances, and toasts, and all that good stuff too.

But then it was time to partaaaay!

But I don't really have pictures of the partaaaay cause I was too busy, well, partying.

But trust me, it was a doozy.

It the midst of all the fun however, we made sure to get our traditional "cousin shot" with the three of us.

Here's us at my wedding:

Jeff's wedding:

And in October will be my sister's wedding, and then we will have completed the 

cousin-wedding-shot trifecta.

All of our significant others:

We're so happy to have Brittany as part of the fam-bam!

It was the best way to end a wonderful vacation!

Congratulations Jeff and Brittany!