Florida in December

I made a rather unexpected trip to Florida this month to visit my grandparents. My mother, father and brother, Andrew, came along and made it sort of a family trip. Paul started a new job so he was not able to make the trip. And Mathew had finals so he was unable to make the trip as well. Lucky for Andrew he celebrated his birthday while we were in Florida. My aunt and grandmother went all out for the happy occasion.One afternoon we headed to "Ding" Darling wildlife refuge on Sanibel Island. We had a pretty good time looking at all the animals. We only found one alligator. He looks like a log floating in the water...but it's not a log. He was watching all the birds. The mangrove trees provide homes for all types of animals. The red mangrove trees were the prettiest but I liked the picture of this grove:
Can you find the bird in this picture? I was so happy that I was able to see my grandparents during the holiday season. I wish I was able to visit with them more often. Hopefully, my next trip back won't be long delayed.

No Children, But I Have a Scout

I have no children so I talk about my dog, a lot. The other day I referenced him as an "only dog" instead of usual term "only child". He is so happy when I walk through the door that it warms my heart. Sometimes he'll follow me around the house just so he doesn't have to be alone. He is a great friend to me. He truly is a member of our family. My parents swore no dog would ever live inside the house. Scout does. No other dog was given weekly baths. Scout gets them. No dog has ever dictated to our family. We all listen to Scout. For over seven years he has been a part of our family. I really don't know what I would do without him. He is so smart and so loving. So, when I see him sad, it's breaks my heart. My brothers are his most favorite people. He loves the boys, probably because they wrestle with him, take him running, and let him play in the front yard. Mathew and Andrew left after being home for the holiday weekend. Last night Scout laid in Mathew's room waiting for his return. When they weren't home by midnight, Scout moved to the front room, where he laid by the front door awaiting the boys. At some point in the night he gave up and probably realized they weren't coming home, especially since they packed their suitcases and loaded up their cars. (Scout knows what the suitcase means.) This morning I found Scout on his bed like this:He looked so sad curled up with his paw covering his face. He misses his friends. I'm sure he will be so excited come Christmas. The house will be busy and full again.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! This year Thanksgiving was rather quiet. Mathew and Andrew both came home for the long weekend. We kept our usual tradition of having Thanksgiving lunch at my grandmother's house in Northern Arizona. Paul spent the holiday with Rachelle's family so he did not eat turkey with us. I absolutely adore my bothers and love spending time with them whenever possible. No one can make me laugh like my bothers do. I appreciate all of their humor, it eases my Type A personality. Poor Scout Dog. With Mathew and Andrew both home he didn't know where to sleep and ended up being shut out of both Mathew and Andrew's rooms. He finally made his way to his bed in another part of the house. In the morning, I found him so dejected and depressed lying on his bed, like this: Imagine what the poor Scout is like when everyone leaves.

Friday morning I actually awoke, grabbed breakfast at Starbucks, and made it to Target by 6:15 am. I wasn't even shopping for anything. I just couldn't sleep and shopping is one of my favorite things to do. Eventually after some confusion as to where I was, my mom joined me for Black Friday shopping. I didn't find any fabulous deals but I did purchase gifts for almost everyone on my list. I don't think I have ever been done with my Christmas shopping prior to Christmas Eve. Now what?

We decorated the house Friday afternoon as well. I cajoled Mathew and Andrew into hanging Christmas lights. I definitely could not have done this alone. It took so much longer than I anticipated especially after Mathew and I hung the first lights and in the end they did not work (and we did test them before hanging)! I totally appreciate Mathew's help with the roof. I'm not a fan of heights, and I've worked in personal injury for way too long! Soon, decorating the house became a family affair. It was a really nice way to spend the holiday with the family.Mathew and Andrew both left today. It is way too quiet around here now. I miss the 2:00 am ruckus, the sibling banter, and the laughter. But most of all, I just miss my brothers. This Thanksgiving I am most thankful for my brothers and, of course, my kind and loving parents.

Olive & Ivy

It was girl's night Friday night. Brooke, Britton, Kate and Kristy all had babies over the summer. So, when Brooke suggested going out it sounded like heaven to all the moms. I begged Nick to come meet us at Olive & Ivy . There is definitely plenty of laughter when he is around. Plus, I was no longer the only single, childless person. It was definitely a good night with plenty of good food and friends.

Walking Scout

As soon as Scout sees his harness or the leash he is absolutely out of control excited. He runs around in circles, barks and jumps. There has never been a happier dog. He loves his harness so much that he practically jumps in it before we can properly put it on him. It's a sight to see. Shortly after Andrew finished his time with the Air Force he came home to Phoenix. Being the avid outdoors man and taking advantage of the great weather, he started taking Scout running. Andrew became Scouts most favorite person in no time. Now Scout wants to go for a walk every day. I am certain that no matter how many times I take him for a walk, I will never be his favorite person. Darn.

History and a Book

A few days prior to Election Day I was in Borders browsing the books as I waited to meet a friend. I review the titles in the same fashion every time. I start with the new hard cover releases. If nothing catches my eye I move on to the newly released paperbacks, then to the buy 2 get 3 books, and then to the shelved books starting in literature and working my way throughout the store until something catches my eye. I rarely leave Borders without a book.
On this particular trip I did not even make it to the new paperback releases. The yellow jacket with a picture of Abraham Lincoln and Union soldiers caught my eye. As a student of History I have grown to love the Civil War. It is, perhaps, my most favorite part of the past. As soon as I saw James McPherson authored the book I knew I would be taking this one home with me. McPherson is undoubtedly the foremost Civil War historian of our time. He has done countless research, written numerous books, and can actually write so the reader understands what is going on. Tried By War has been featured on NPR and reviewed by The New York Times.

So, as I sat there on Election Night watching Barack Obama become our President-elect, I could not help but think of another President from Illinois who laid the foundation for a man like Obama to be able to achieve what no other has done.

If you're interested in the Civil War, I suggest starting with McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom. It's the most comprehensive account of the Civil War in one book. The size is intimidating but it just might inspire you to read more about this period of History.

Teavana

So, I've found a new expensive guilty pleasure...tea. I gave up soda a little over two months ago and have become obsessed with teas. I have most recently converted to whole leaf teas. Whole leaf teas are fresh and do not come in little bags. Over the weekend I stumbled upon a new little store at the Biltmore called TEAVANA. I was in tea heaven. They have an entire wall filled with different types of teas: white, black, green, red, and herbal. Some of the combinations I could smell from across the store. I wouldn't say the tea is exactly cheap, but it's so flavorful that it's worth it, especially if you love tea.

Rachel's Vegas Birthday Bash (Part Deux)

Last weekend myself and ten other girls met in Las Vegas to celebrate Rachel's 28th birthday. The weekend had been planned for six months so its arrival was anxiously awaited. Last year only five of us made the trip. We more than doubled our rowdy number this year.Friday night we checked into the Venetian and barely made our dinner reservations at San Marcos. Luckily, we arrived five minutes before the kitchen closed and were still able to order dinner.Then we spent the night dancing at Tao. We had to work our way through he jungle of people and up to the VIP area. Seth MacFarlane (super-cute creator of the Family Guy and American Dad) hosted the night at Tao and even came to dance with us- happy birthday to Rachel.
Saturday we made our way down to the Bellagio for a late late breakfast next to the garden. I love the Bellagio, it's beautiful and has the most delicious restaurants.
Saturday night we dined at the recently opened Lavo at the Venetian. I don't think any of us knew exactly what to expect. I would describe it as a sort of Mediterranean tapas. It was pretty dang good. While the restaurant was fantastic, the night club, not so much. The age group 28 to 35 seemed to have disappeared from Vegas last weekend. But there was no end to the AMEX black-card carrying college senior that claimed Vegas was "....just what we do...." when we asked if they were there for a special occasion. Typical. We moved on the JET fairly quickly after Lavo. Supposedly, Justin Timberlake was supposed to be appearing at JET, but we only saw some Privilege stars.We had a fabulous 36 hours in Las Vegas. Happy Birthday Rachel!

Limoges

In August 2006, I traveled to France with my mother, grandmother, great aunt, and second cousin. After we spent an amazing week in Paris, we traveled to Toulouse in Southern France. When planning our trip, we decided to drive the 586 kilometers (roughly 364 miles- the distance from Phoenix to Los Angeles) from Paris to Toulouse. This was a serious road trip. We took two days to travel the route because there were so many places to see along the way. This included more cathedrals than I can count. As day one of our road trip came to a close we decided to spend the evening in Limoges, France. We found a quirky boutique hotel that defined "shabby chic". Limoges is famous for one thing- French porcelain. So after our night's rest in the shabby chic hotel and breakfast next to an original RCA phonograph with the signature RCA dog listening (above), we headed to the porcelain factories. It was at the Royal Limoges factory that I fell in love with French porcelain. My Aunt Kathy and I outside the Royal Limoges factory.Here I am pointing to the plate pattern I like. I now know what a china shop looks like. This picture doesn't accurately portray the factory. It was huge and there were so many beautiful patters to choose from. Finally, I made a purchase, larger than I would have liked at the time, but not nearly enough since I returned home. I returned home with a rather expensive tea cup and saucer and a few other pieces. I fell in love with the Gilda pattern. I have since learned I cannot purchase this pattern in the United States. Sigh. And so, I have a hobby that I do not believe a single one of my friends know about. I collect French porcelain. Not all of my pieces match, but that doesn't matter to me. Someday I hope to visit Limoges again and purchase the remainder of the Gilda set. But for right now I am loving the vintage dishes from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I'm really having a great time browsing the antique shops for Limoges treasures. So, next time you see a vintage plate flip it over and admire where it came from.

Four Seasons- Not the Hotel

Sadly, I am not writing about a fabulous stay at the luxury resort. As the weather is changing all over the country from Summer to Fall, I got to thinking about the things I miss out on living in Arizona. Granted I get a sunny sixty degree day in January but there are definitely things I miss about living in Utah. Next to Winter, Fall is my most favorite season. The air changes, the temperature drops, and leaves change. Perhaps it's more the excitement that Winter is coming that I love it so much. I'm so ready for ski season that I check out the Alta website weekly. Here are a few of the most recent pictures of Little Cottonwood Canyon. This is why I miss Utah.
Yup, I took all the pictures from the Alta site for the last three weeks, but they are the prettiest! It's snowing in Utah, Colorado, and Montana within the next week! Needless to say I am very excited because those are all the places I am skiing this winter. Now, if it will only cool off in Phoenix!