bunny tea party

Julia threw a "Springtime Bunny Tea Party" for all the girls in the family yesterday.  It was so fun!

gardening

Julia and I are trying our hand at back porch/container gardening.  Squash, kale, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, and lettuce...plus a hydrangea and a few friends we're "babysitting" for Mom and Dad while they are between houses.

pinetop

This week's adventure was going up to Pinetop for the weekend.  Grandma McLaws was kind enough to let Julia, myself and Julia's bestie Alec stay at her "Cabinot."  We drove up after work on Friday and stayed through Sunday afternoon.

Driving up on Friday night we kept seeing signs telling us to "Watch Out for Rocks."  Kinda scary -- not sure what we were supposed to be watching for, but luckily nothing rocky happened.  When we were between the Salt River Canyon and Show Low I drove around a corner and there were two HUGE elk grazing right at the side of the road.  Kinda cool.  Mostly scary.  That's one of my fears when I'm driving up north in the dark.  I'm always afraid of a deer or elk running out in front of me.  Luckily, these two seemed content to stay where they were.

Saturday we went out and explored Pinetop, Lakeside and Show Low.  We went to:

• The Gingerbread Cabin - super cute store!  I bought an adorable bunny plaque, some awesome smelling body wash, and a super cute Easter card with quails!
• Goodwill (half-off Saturday!) - Julia and I found a few awesome pieces of clothing
• Grandpa Gooses Variety Store - a waste of time, don't bother
• The Irish Peddler - again, another waste of time
• W&Z Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar - the sautéed veggies and beef that I got for lunch, and the edamame were really good!  The lettuce wraps were really spicy, and neither Alec or Julia were impressed with the sushi
• The Show Low Historical Museum - this was really fun and interesting!  And it was free! The last room was my favorite - model trains set up with different Arizona towns and areas.  So cool!
• Safeway - Julia and Alec needed food/snacks for Saturday and Sunday

When we got back to the cabin after our adventures, Julia and Alec set up their hammocks in the backyard and I watched some TV.  Then we watched "Beauty and the Beast."

This morning we slept in for a bit, then I got up and studied the "Come Follow Me" lesson for the week and worked on my bullet journal.  When the other girls woke up, we watched "Cinderella" while Julia and Alec ate breakfast.   We went for a walk around the neighborhood - giant ravens everywhere and cute squirrels running around.  When we got back, the girls went out to their hammocks for a little while, then we cleaned up and got ready to leave.  

It was a fun weekend - just wish it was a few days longer!!

renaissance festival

In the twenty-one and a half years I've lived in Arizona, I've never been to the Renaissance Festival.  That changed today.  Julia and I went and had a lot of fun!  We will definitely be going back!  

 Wearing the dress and skirt we bought last week at the Highland games.

 An Ent!

 Hot blacksmith dude

 Knights and jousting!

 Firewhips

phoenix highland games

I went with Julia, Mom and Dad today to the Phoenix Highland Games.  I didn't go last year...I don't remember why.  It's always a fun day!  I love this part of my heritage, even though, according to the Ancestry DNA test I had done in 2017 I am only 7% Irish & Scottish.  It's enough!  It counts!

We walked around all the vendor booths and looked at the pretty Celtic jewelry, kilts, daggers, flasks, shawls, dresses, and food.  I bought a really pretty Bohemian/peasant style dress that I'm excited to wear to the Renaissance festival next weekend (but it's also appropriate enough I can wear it to work or church as well).  Julia bought a skirt and mom bought a necklace.  Dad got some "beard schmeare" from one of the vendors.

For a couple hours, we sat in the performance tent and listened to the different bands that play every year: Wicked Tinkers and Traveler.  The Tinkers as my favorite.  The didgeridoo player (CJ) is really attractive.

Let me sing you the song of my people...

I think we were the only ones in the audience who got CJ's reference to "The Bushes of Love".  LOL!!!  (If you don't get it...search YouTube for it.  You're welcome.)

The best part of this song, was the little boy who jumped up on stage to dance - totally impromptu.  Totally great.

141 pounds

Last January I started a weight loss journey with Optavia (Medifast).  My aunt, Caytie, has been my health coach and she has been amazing.  She asked for some updated pictures, so I took some this morning.  It's kind of amazing.

I'm kind of amazing.

The first set was taken the day I started: Jan 3, 2018.