Odds & Ends

Hellllooo! I have a bunch of random things to share so I thought I would share a few photos and a some odds and ends as well.

First of all, I've been having such a great time the past couple of days. Last night was extra-great because Hank took over on Daddy duty once Henry went to sleep and I got to enjoy a night out with friends. Amber and I started the evening off at The Raven up on the outdoor patio, then Adie came out and met us and we continued our night downtown. It was a great time (minus that Lone Star beer I tried in honor of Amber's visit from Texas. Yuck!).

Then today Amber, Henry and I headed down to Phoenix for the day so she could get more work done on her thigh piece. The wonderful fellow who tattoos us is a good friend of mine, so it was awesome to spend the day with him and his daughter, laughing and being ridiculous. All in all, awesome. And tomorrow night I'm having a girl's sleepover at my house. Can't wait for yummy food, dancing via Amber's new Michael Jackson game for the Wii, and going out for awhile too. Sleeping bags in the living room? Yes, please! Maybe we'll even play truth or dare. Obviously we're getting crazy.

Here are a couple blog-related things as well:

1) I've been getting tons of questions about the jalapeño mustard I talked about in this post!  Believe it or not, I got it at Walmart! Yes! And although I really don't like Walmart very much, I do like that they carry this mustard, so if you have been looking for it, check there. It's in the condiments aisle, with all of the regular (see also: less delicious) mustards.

2) Yes, Journal Day is continuing. I'm trying to get away from weekly features (I don't like feeling obligated to blog about something specific when I'm not feeling it- and journaling has to really be "felt," in my opinion), but I will be doing it at least 2x a month. The next one will be next week!

3) Recently I've been getting lots of questions about my camera. Lately I've been using my Nikon D60 more than ever, along with my brand new 35mm lens (birthday present from Hank).  I love it, and I've been having fun experimenting and trying out new things.

4) Yes, it's true. "Slice of" posts are coming to an end. I have about 5 or 6 more to share and that's it. It's been fun but to be honest I'm excited to wrap it up. The last few I have to share are awesome though, so yay for going out on a positive note! So to answer a very common question- no, I'm not taking anymore submissions.

5) I wanted to thank each of you for all of your support regarding Hello Giggles! I've been having so much fun being a part of their team and writing for them, and it's so neat to see your comments over there as well. I just wanted all of you to know how much I appreciate it, and you!

Have a great weekend! xoxo

4th of July Parade!

Yesterday was our annual 4th of July Parade, and it was the best time. Red, white and blue everywhere, banners, streamers, American flags waving in the wind- hot dogs and cupcakes, lemonade and sandwiches. My family comes up every year to soak up some of our small-town goodness, and this year was extra special because Amber Joy's family spent the day with us too. I love love love when Amber is home, and it always makes me a little sad even when we're having fun, because I really wish she still lived here! A girl can dream, right? But really, I can't get enough of days like today, and having a little one around makes times like this much more special. This was Henry's first parade, and surprisingly the loud noises only made him laugh. My family took turns holding him, and he eventually took a nap in my Mom's arms, right in the middle of the celebration. It was a great day.

a June afternoon

Spending time outside yesterday renewed my spirits and pulled me out from underneath a little storm cloud that was threatening to get comfortable right above my head. Thank goodness for great friends, our quaint little town, and lots and lots of laughter.

Adie and I (and Henry too) spent the day working on a little project, and we walked and drove and hopped and skipped all over town. It was a great day, and while out and about we decided to capture a bit of it on film.  So, here's a little video from our afternoon!  The song is "Oh! September" by Mirah. Enjoy.

a spring day

Yesterday was one of the most beautiful days in Prescott we've had so far this spring.  If only I could have somehow bottled it up and saved it for later! Truly lovely, and I'm so happy Adie and I took full advantage of the sunshine. We started the morning at Wild Iris, one of my favorite coffee shops in town. Adie got a jalapeno bagel and I got oatmeal.  Let me make a quick note about Wild Iris' oatmeal- it is so, so delicious. It's rich and hearty on its own, with just a touch of salt to bring out the flavor of the fruit. Oh, it's to die for. So we enjoyed our brunch, Henry finished his morning nap, and then we walked over to the square to meet my friend Jennifer and her son Sawyer.  Sawyer was born about a month after Henry and it was so cute to see the babies together. Jennifer is just the sweetest thing, and we all sat and chatted for awhile, then Adie and I headed over to the candy shop to indulge in some sweet treats. And indulge we did!  I got a small piece of white cherry chocolate fudge and a bag of chocolate covered pretzels. Yum. And it tastes even more delicious knowing that they make all the candy right there!

Days like yesterday make me so grateful to live in our beautiful town. It's a great feeling to love where you call home, and I'm very thankful to be surrounded by such beauty all the time! If you're an Arizona resident or just passing through, I'm currently working on a special Prescott post, just in time for summer day trips. I'm hoping to post it in the next two weeks.

Here are some photos from the day:

a May Day picnic

Yesterday my little family went on a wonderful picnic downtown. We got salad and pizza from Bill's, some lemonade (it was National Lemonade Day, after all!) and enjoyed a slightly cool afternoon in the grass. This weekend was the Whiskey Off-Road bicycle race, so there were things going on each day, from the day-before activities/booths, to the pre and post events, to the actual race itself.  On Friday my friend Lisa and I walked downtown and checked out the vendors, sampled some new Clif bar products, and enjoyed seeing all the fancy bikes. Today we managed to catch the tail-end of the event, and there were still some cyclists pulling in as we walked around.

Have I mentioned how much I love our little town? It's one of my favorite places in the world, and I adore the fact that we have so many weekend events throughout the entire summer. It's perfect here in during the warmer months- it never gets too hot, and the crisp mountain air is always refreshing.

Today we definitely felt some of that "crisp" air, and it was almost borderline too cold for a picnic, but we managed to find a spot with tree-filtered sunlight and the afternoon worked out perfectly.  We enjoyed our salad and pesto/tomato pizza, talked and talked, and really soaked in a wonderful Sunday.

Here's a video from our day today, and some pictures below too! If you're curious, the song is "Step Outside" by The Finches.  Happy Monday!