Patio Makeover

most of my fam and friends know that i have been on the hunt for patio furniture, oh since about last year. The problem is we have a nice sized patio, which means lots of room to fill, but patio furniture is so dang pricey! and i'm sorry but i just refuse to spend that much on something that's going to get all beat up anyway. well, i've been scouring craigslist and have found some things here and there, but they're always gone by the time i call. so, then i found these great lounge chairs (bonus, they recline all the way and came w/the cushions) for super cheap. my cute friend nicolle lent me her truck for the day so i could go and pick them up. then, i stopped by world market (one of my fave stores) and spotted this little number which fit perfectly under the lounge chairs. it's amazing what a little bit of color can do to lift your mood. seriously, i love it, i think b/c it's the view i see right outside my window. now, i realize our patio is not going to win any hgtv contest for looks, we still need a table and umbrella to spruce things up, and something to block our neighbors direct view into our patio and vice versa, notice the tarp and wine bottle of our neighbors, lovely! any suggestions? but trust me it is so much better than before.

Watch this, it'll make you want to dance.....

so, I haven't quite mastered the whole post a video on the blog thing, let's be honest, i was just overjoyed that i could post some pics. anyway, i spotted this on a friend's blog and i loooooved it!! oh how i would've loved to have been there when it was happening. enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQ

Flossing 2+ times a day/electric toothbrushing keeps the Dentist away......

So, today I had a cleaning appt. with my Dentist and while I know this is a bit of an overshare, I'm proud to report that this will be my 6th consecutive visit w/no cavities to report!! Seriously for a while there it was so frustrating, could've put a healthy down payment on a new car for the price i had to pay for gum surgery, crowns, etc..., etc... The funniest part of my visit came as I was walking out to the reception area. There was a lady who was trying to step up to the desk right as I was walking in front of her, so she stepped back trying to avoid me and fell right into the lap of this other man who was waiting on the couch. I wish so bad my words could do it justice. It was like comedy of errors!! I felt bad for the lady, but she survived the fall, I think was just very embarrassed.

G'day Mate!!

Excuse the rather lengthy blog I'm sure this will be, but just want to get everything down so I don't forget anything:

I just got back from one of my favorite trips ever: to New Zealand and Australia. I was lucky to have gone w/2 of my really good friends, Misty and Alison. It was the perfect mix of amazing places w/awesome company.

So, here's a recap of our little adventure:

First stop, Auckland, New Zealand: We went to the top of the Sky Tower (the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere at 1,076 feet!) The views were beautiful and looking out we could see people being strapped in to bungee jump off the top, no thanks!! Seriously, no desire whatsoever. We also hopped on a city bus tour to see some of the sights. From Auckland, we drove out to Rotorua, went to a Maori Village and watched the guys perform the "Haka" dance. It was so cool to hear about some of their traditions, it's such a cool culture. On our way back we had the chance to do the funnest thing, we went on the Zorb. What it is is this gigantic ball with a smaller ball inside. Basically, you slide into the small ball, they spray some warm water inside and then push the ball down a very long, steep hill. Honestly, I was a little freaked out at first, but once we got going, it was so much fun!!

Next stop, Christchurch, New Zealand: I loved this town so much!! Hands down, it was our favorite of the whole trip. Everywhere you look: green! tons of parks, gardens and really cool architecture. Plus, overall in New Zealand, I just really, really loved the people. Everyone was so incredibly helpful and friendly. Having said that, I was this close to buying a book to translate all of their little expressions, seriously, there were times I had to ask 2,3 times for them to repeat what they had said :) We ended up going on this Lord of the Rings tour while we were there (a little crazy considering I've only seen the 1st movie and fell asleep before it ended). But it ended up being soooo cool! The scenery was so beautiful and it was cool to hear little secrets about the filming of it and how they chose locations.

Next Stop, Sydney, Australia: I was surprised at how huge Sydney is! I loved Darling Harbor and the area by the Opera House. It had some really beautiful parks and neighborhoods, but it was a little too big for my taste. One of our first plans when we booked our trip was to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. I know I'm being a copy cat of the Amazing Race, but after I saw them do that, I was thinking, I have to do that. We had to put all of this gear on and attach to this cable to do it. The views were amazing from the top and it was really cool to hear the history of the bridge.

Last stop, Brisbane, Australia: Of the 2 towns, I liked Brisbane better. It seemed like a smaller, quieter more authentic Australian town, and the bonus is it's only about an hour and a half from the Gold Coast/Surfer's Paradise. We ended up taking a train there and we're able to do a little shopping and walk along the beach. Another favorite stop of our trip was going to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. We were able to hold a koala and feed the kangaroos. On our last day we went to church at the Brisbane ward, and then were able to see the temple since it's right next door.

Oh and by the way, have a new favorite airline: Qantas. Oh my gosh! The best customer service, the flight attendants were so stylish in their wrap dresses and the male stewards were really handsome and manly, so rare I know. The seats were so comfy and they had this feature called Seat Chat, where you could send text messages or talk to other passengers using your remote. Too bad the only other people I knew on the flight were right next to me :) So funny, b/c on our flight we were sitting right behind this huge group of kids from a dance group in Australia who were coming to perform at Disneyland. It was so cute to hear how excited they were about seeing America for the first time, probably how we were about flying into Australia. Classic quotable: one of the girls looked out the window and was like "oh look they have a Mcdonald's, we'll for sure have to go". I was thinking you're in luck chickadee b/c they're everywhere. Then another one of the girls was looking down at an aqueduct somewhere around Inglewood and was like "I think that's where they filmed Grease". I was trying so hard not to laugh!

Happy Birthday Millie and Janet!!

So, last week we celebrated a couple of my friends birthdays by going out for some Thai food and hanging out at my friend Millie's house. One of the reasons I think I love my job is the chance to work w/so many amazing people, and these guys happen to be 3 of them. I love it because they are always so willing to share ideas and they constantly crack me up. We always have such a great time together that we actually choose to hang out outside of work. Thanks for a great night you guys!!

On a side note, this is Millie's dog Kita. Isn't she the most beautiful dog? I know some of you are big on the little dogs, but I am a sucker for big dogs. She is so cute and playful and it's hilarious b/c even though she's huge, i don't think she realizes her own strength....my friend calls her baby huey. :)

Good music and a Good Read

So, I love a good c.d. and particularly if it's a soundtrack. Here's an oldie but a goodie that my friend Alison let me borrow. Who remember's this show? So, the theme song is by far the best, the other ones are a tad too instrumental for my taste. Maybe I'll put one of the songs on my playlist for old time's sake. Kim, this soundtrack will forever remind me of you!




Next, onto a great little book I just read. I've always loved Teddy Roosevelt. I think it was after hearing how he used to let his kids ride their pony through the White House that sold me. Anyway, it's a quick read (with big print :)and I really liked that it was a little peek into who he was as a person.

Guilty Pleasures......

O.k., so I'll admit while I would like to say that I spent 3 hours of last night doing more productive things, but would they have been as entertaining as my Bachelor marathon? The funny thing is, I know a lot of acting goes into their "falling in love" and I think a lot of people are just there for the exposure, but the way they built up the finale, I felt like I couldn't afford to miss "the most dramatic Bachelor finale in history".

So, the first 2 hours were dedicated to his final 2 picks meeting his fam and having one last big date. Oh and almost forgot to mention, in New Zealand, where each of the girls was put up in a beautiful home w/amazing views (geez, sign me up if that's part of the package). So, long story short, he chose Melissa, tried it out w/her for the 6 weeks after the show cut and realized that their chemistry had changed and called things off w/her "live" on the "After the Rose" show and then asked Molly if she would be willing to give him another chance, after he had already said he was in love w/someone else. She agreed and now they're going to give it another go.

I personally think he should've gone w/Jillian, totally felt like they were a better match. I don't know maybe it's the pride in me, but I don't think I could be as forgiving as Molly. I think I would be like "Nope, you had your chance and I've moved on".

For those fans out there, and I know there are many, don't be afraid to admit it, what did you guys think of the finale?