from the heART: Goose Poop

I love running. I love running the beautiful greenbelt. I probably love running more than any normal person should. However, what I do not love, is goose poop. Goose poop all over the greenbelt trail for about 1/4 mile stretch. Sure there is something fun about trying to dodge poop as I run but also not something I seek out. Yes the geese are surrounded by nice green grass but being the sweeties that they are, they chose to dump right there on the concrete. Big piles of poop all over the road just sitting, waiting for me and others to step in. Luckily I have been agile enough to avoid doing so and only hope that continues to be the case or else the geese better watch their backs.

from the heART: Number 39

One of the perks of celebrating Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend is that on black Friday I didn't feel as guilty buying "me" presents. On top of that, I also felt a little more justified in doing so because my purchase also helped me check another number of my 101 list. Number 39: subscribe to a magazine. Well, in my case, it being black friday and all, I was able to subscribe to three magazines for $30 dollars.

Two were $5 (elle decor & house beautiful) and the other I splurged on was $20 (real simple) but totally worth it. Thank you black friday amazon sale!

from the heART: Number 49

Regardless that on any given day, the temperature may still hit three digits and our "fall" here lasts maybe 45 minutes at best, I like to tell myself that fall is indeed upon us!

Last Tuesday, the Moody girls all ventured to Tucson and then a little further south to the delightful world of Annie's Apple Orchard. It was nothing shy of amazing! We went to the pumpkin patch, cut our own pumpkins off their vines, picked sunflowers and even found some delicious peppers and produce. After the patch we headed down the road where I checked off number 49 from my 101 list: Go apple picking.

I have never picked an apple from a tree, let alone been to an apple orchard (that I can recall) but I loved every second. Before heading into the thick of things in the trees, we stopped by the bakery, purchased, and devoured a freshly baked apple pie, almost in its entirety. It was without a doubt the best pie I've ever eaten. Oh how I love fall and loved spending an amazing day with my Moody girls!

from the heART: 5.25 days of vacation

With holidays right around the corner and trying to prepare myself for 12 hour, 6 day work weeks, I decided to go on vacation and I am so glad I did. I first headed to the great city of Des Moines, Iowa to visit my dear friend Megan. We spent a day seeing the city she now calls home, from the beautiful lake she runs around, her hospital, the local bars and the best part, we played with the two new puppies she got the day I arrived. Iowa is not what i expected yet was so much better. The next day we packed up the car and made the 5 hour drive to Chicago for the weekend which was fabulous.

First night in the city we headed out and it was non stop from there. We headed out with Taylor and friends and when we entered and looked up, there they were hanging in all their glory, UA banners. As it turns out, of all the bars in the city we ended up at the UA alumni bar....awesome! The next day, Megan and I took on the city together and felt like we did it all. First stop was Millennium Park where the spitting fountain and bean sculpture awed us. From there we headed to the Art Institute of Chicago and couldn't have been happier to see work by van Gogh, Picasso, Dali, Seurat, Caravaggio and the list goes on. We then headed up and walked the miracle mile, stopped for Chicago's famous deep dish pizza then continued on which ended at the Hancock building and up we went. All the way up to the Signature Room at the 95th floor. The view could not be beat and the drinks were incredible. Later that night we headed up to Wrigleyville for a night out with Missy.

Sadly the following morning Megan headed home to Iowa but I headed to Old Town to once again meet up with Missy and other fellow UA alumni to watch the cats game. The games didn't end there because I headed to the University of Illinois Chicago to watch Taylor's soccer game which they won. The celebration continued with heading out for my last night out in the city and had a blast! The next morning I met up with Nikki, Missy and Kristen for a lovely breakfast with my Chi O's. Overall the vacation was incredibly relaxing yet energy filled and turns out exactly what I needed. I loved everything about my trips and can't wait to return to the windy city and Iowa soon.

from the heART: Daily Interactions

I'm not saying that I want to be best friends with the guy that lives above us in our condo but I would like to think that as far as friendly communication goes, it could be better. Tonight as I was leaving home, my neighbor was coming home and it should go without saying that our paths crossed. We had the common quick interaction with which he led "Hey, how's it going?" To which I began my reply of "Good, how are......." but before I could even finish, he simply cut me off with "Good." and continued right on by. Like I said, I don't have a desire to be best friends with the guy but it did sadden me to think that is how many of our daily interactions occur. From co-workers, to cashiers, to servers, to those you just happen to pass by, it is all the same. I like to believe that the relationships I have built with those in my life go deeper than the casual surface conversations. I do value my relationships deeply and feel blessed everyday for those in my life. And as a personal goal I would like to become a better listener in hopes of having more meaningful conversations with those I interact with on a daily basis.

from the heART: theatrical thursday

Once upon a time, five years ago, four girls moved into one room together. And so began the wonder that became sophomore year. This video is just a small taste of the crazy that took place in 317 and it couldn't be any more of a sweet sweet gem of our past.

from the heART: 101 in 1001

When I heard about the 101 in 1001 day challenge I was immediately intrigued. The challenge is to compile a list of 101 goals that you would like to complete in 1001 day time line. Simple enough right? Well I think coming up with the list was a challenge in itself. It took a whole week but I am happy to announce that my list is complete! Here it is, my list ...

1. swim alcatraz
2. complete a half ironman
3. buy a puppy
4. do bikram yoga
5. move out of arizona
6. vacation to new york
7. ice skate on a frozen lake
8. go hunting with pops
9. attend a concert
10. travel to europe
11. take a tap dance class
12. hot air balloon ride
13. get new glasses
14. go fishing
15. start volunteering regularly
16. get a bikini wax
17. cook at least one homemade meal a week [0/143]
18. join the chi omega alumni phoenix chapter
19. mail snail mail letters to family and friends
20. make tea cup candles
21. second shoot a wedding for lex
22. annual trip to an art museum [0/3]
23. read 5 unread books on my bookshelf [0/5]
24. watch sunrise over water
25. donate hair to locks of love
26. start a vegetable garden
27. fly a kite
28. soak in a bubble bath
29. make wine bottle glasses
30. go on a spontaneous trip
31. run [another] marathon
32. skype with a friend once a week for 6 months [0/24]
33. finish seasonal paintings
34. learn to play the guitar [better]
35. make a xmas card with video link
36. get wisdom teeth removed
37. blog at least once a week [0/143]
38. go to a drive-in movie
39. subscribe to a magazine
40. see a broadway show
41. picnic in a park
42. make a homemade pie from scratch
43. read the bible cover to cover
44. buy a new computer
45. go paint-balling
46. finish scrap-booking college
47. go a week without spending any money
48. sing karaoke
49. go apple picking [in wilcox]
50. watch on golden pond [name sake movie]
51. purchase a home
52. own a chicken
53. take a new license photo
54. attend an NFL game
55. whiten my teeth
56. go sledding/skiing/or snowboarding
57. pay for the next person in line
58. leave a ridiculously large tip
59. hike the grand canyon
60. run a half marathon a year [0/3]
61. visit lex in tucson
62. finish my state quarters collection
63. sew a dress
64. go on a wine tour
65. deliver holiday cookies to our neighbors
66. ask a guy out on a date
67. go para-sailing
68. drive/ride on a motorcycle
69. go paddle boating on tempe town lake
70. tape record mom and pops story of how they met
71. host a dinner party
72. make a piece of jewelry
73. give blood
74. go to the zoo and feed a giraffe
75. become an educated voter
76. annual trip to the beach [0/3]
77. go camping
78. have sunday school class memorize the Lord's prayer
79. hit the bull's eye with a bow and arrow
80. write a letter to myself to be opened in ten years
81. invest my savings
82. complete a yearlong thankful journal
83. handstand for ten seconds
84. send someone flowers just because
85. go on a mission trip
86. buy a paper shredder
87. order dessert for dinner
88. go salsa dancing
89. go to a psychic
90. complete a 365 day photo challenge
91. complete a 1000+ piece puzzle
92. get picture taken with santa
93. visit nicole in memphis
94. buy a road bike
95. go to a movie by myself
96. go to a comedy club
97. build a snowman in pinetop
98. send and receive 100 postcards from postcrossing
99. fill all empty frames in house
100. get [another] piercing
101. witness a miracle

Start Date: Sunday, August 14, 2011
End Date: Sunday, May 11, 2014

from the heART: paint mistake

It has now been about four months living in our condo complex and aside from a few bugs in the house [see previous post] it has been simply delightful. Our place is very peaceful, the pool is great and this past week they even started to repave the parking lots. Yesterday they repaved our section of the lot and today while at work they repainted the numbers and visitor stencils back on the appropriate spaces...sorta.

Driving home from work and circling the parking lot for a place to park I see a car in our spot that is neither mine [obviously] nor Maggie's. Which at first glance doesn't even make me think twice because Maggie's car happened to over heat yesterday so I figured it was a simple case of Maggie borrowing someones car for the day.

Sadly it was not a simple case of "Maggie borrowing someones car for the day" rather a crappy case of someone painting the word "visitor" where they should have painted "231"! For crying out loud how hard is it to keep track, 229, 230, 231, 232. Another one of life's little speed bumps.