Never a Dull Moment...

Yesterday Mr. and I drove out to Arizona for what feels like the hundredth time since arriving back in the States.  This time, it was to have our week late Christmas celebration with his family.  It’s pretty exciting really…started off the holiday season with a party with my girls (all FOUR of us!), then had a pretty awesome Christmas with my family where Mr. got to experience the always fun Christmas Eve party, and now we get to end the season with yet another fabulous get together!  

The six hour drive to get from Escondido to Queen Creek seems to be getting longer however.  I’m pretty sure they’ve been adding road since our last trek, but the clock continues to tell me it really was only a six hour drive.  Liar.

As always, it was an eventful drive at least!  Here are the highlights from our journey:

-          Saw about 20 low-flying helicopters (and no, for once I am NOT exaggerating) that appeared to be putting up new, giant power lines through the mountains.  I would have gotten pictures, but I was driving and apparently this didn’t seem picture-worthy to Mr.  I DID manage to stay on the road while playing the part of dramatic looky-loo.  Impressive, yes?

-          Watched a dog in the back of a truck trying to eat what we guessed was flying hay.  Had about ten heart attacks thinking said dog was going to jump out of the truck bed…glared at truck driver as I drove past that had an extended cab with NOTHING in it where the dog could have been riding safe and sound.

-          Saw a parked truck in the middle of nowhere.  By itself, this isn’t that amusing.  However, this truck was parked in the EXACT same spot as it was last month when we drove to and from Arizona twice…not to mention it was parked in the same spot when we came out to Arizona in September too.  Seriously, NOTHING around for A LOT of miles. 

-          Passed a semi with about 500 bales of hay on it, uncovered…assured we were right about what the dog was trying to catch.

Okay, so maybe not as many fun things on this trip as there was last time, but I think the helicopter excitement totally makes up for it.  Too bad we didn’t get pictures…  And, to give you all a little cliffhanger, I plan on calling someone (CHP maybe?) if the truck is still parked there when we drive back to California next week…because someone should totally check that out.  To be continued…?

Christmas Funk

So for the past few days I’ve been working on completing #25 on my list (finishing…although nowhere near purchasing…the photo-books of our last trips in Europe).  I’ve completed our last Italy trip to Venice, our Amsterdam book, and am not working on the 100 page Ireland book and can I just say…this is depressing!

I know, don’t complain right?  I mean, we DID get to actually take these trips.  But now, being back in the States and travel-less (unless you count Arizona) for the past 3 months, I’m getting the itch to go somewhere.  And…we can’t.

It’s temporary, but living in a motor home and being jobless really can put a damper in ones Christmas spirit. 

I miss having a house, having our things, and having money to celebrate the holidays in style.  Although it’s not all about money, I’m pretty sure it CAN buy happiness if used properly.  Going to dinners with good friends would make me happy…but we can’t because we have no money.  And forget having them over to our humble-abode-on-wheels to save money and make dinner for the night.  It would also be nice to reciprocate some of the wonderful gifts we’ve been given.  I know our friends and family don’t expect anything from us right now, but I hate being the one to give a lousy card in response to a $50 dinner/movie date night gift certificate. 

I do appreciate all we’ve been able to do, and that we have been able to do it all AND put a good deal in savings so we’re not drowning in credit cards right now.  I also, more than words can say, appreciate being “home” and able to spend the holidays with our family and friends.  Finally getting to mesh our family traditions together WITH family is priceless. 

Let’s just say I’m hoping that next year we’ll be giving out amazing presents to all those we adore to show them how much we truly do value them being understanding and non-judgmental of our current situation. 

I may be in a woe-is-me mood at the moment, but I’m so thankful for all that we have and the people that make our still amazing life possible.  Here’s to owning our own home filled with friends and family next year…fingers crossed!

Thai food...check!

This last week, Mr. and I were taken out to dinner by our friends M&M West.  (Not the candy.) 

Thai food, at Koon Thai Kitchen in San Diego.  Delicious, for the record.

Since I ordered my favorite dish, chicken pad thai, and Mr. tasted said dish, #8 on my 30/30 list is officially complete!

More exciting than completing TWO things on my list this week, and even more exciting than the excellent Thai food we got to eat, is that M&M West know about all kinds of good restaurants in San Diego!  Indian, more Thai, and I’m sure tons of other yummy places…which means there will be lots of good eating in our future!

And, bonus, they seem to share our love (or should I say Mr.’s love) for ice cream…which means the DQ lounge was our last stop of the night for some completely un-Thai dessert!

Thanks M&M!

#16...check!

Yesterday I accomplished one of the most meaningful things on my 30/30 list.  It is something I wish hadn’t taken over 5 years to achieve, but at least it’s done!  (And, for the record, I don’t plan on future updates taking another 5 years!!!)

#16:  Get an updated and equally fabulous pictureof my girls Laura, Carolyn, and Katie!

Amazingly enough, we all made it to the same place, at the same time, WITH a camera! 

The last time the four of us were together was at my wedding, which apparently was not the right time for a picture of all of us since I didn’t get a single shot of us girls the entire night.  (My biggest regret from my wedding.  FYI to all you future brides…make a list of the people you need pictures with before your wedding and give it to your photographer.  You’ll be crazy busy all day, and it’s the photographer’s job is to make sure you get the pictures you want…not yours!)

We’ve planned girls’ trips in the meantime while I was in Spain so we could all see each other.  The stupid blizzard weather stopped Katie from making it to NYC in 2010, and later that same year I missed the Borrego Springs trip (although my face on a stick showed up in MANY pictures!). 

But this year we all made it to the Cross’ for our first girls Christmas in 4 years!  Given it was only a 30 minute drive for Carolyn and I…but Katie came all the way from NY to be here.  And, bonus, brought her awesome boyfriend Micah along too so I could finally meet him in person! 

Enough with the rant…here’s #16 in all its glory. 

This is the original...Thanksgiving 2006, over 5 years ago!

Here we are, 2011, trying to make the same picture.  Close enough!

We took about a zillion pictures of the four of us...because we were all there, we wanted to, and, well, that's just who we are.  I won't make you look through them all...(although if you want to they will be up on my Facebook shortly of course!).  I think this one sums us up pretty well though!

Hands down THE best girls in the world...love them always.

Ripper and Vicious

It happened.  It was inevitable, although I suppose I naively thought it could work…or at least hoped.

Our boys, Jack and Sid, are officially being evicted. 

For two months (long months most likely…for Ashley, not the boys) my cousin-in-law Ashley and her kiddos have been taking care of our cats. 

They made it through October, and even through the Thanksgiving holiday...but then it happened.  They were able to be good, resist temptation, but not THIS.  Not their biggest weakness.

The Christmas tree.

Up it went, and four days later, down it went.  Despite this being their first clawless Christmas, Jack the Ripper and Sid Vicious found a way to demolish the tree.

I must say, I’m actually surprised it took them this long.

So now, out into the cold they go…uphill, both ways, in the snow, shoeless…

Okay, so not really.  But they are being picked up by Mr.’s amazing brother Mark who has agreed to take care of them for the duration. 

Good luck Mark…and thank you for taking in our precious little demons!