come fly with me

With a heavy heart.

2011-03-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

I have been offline for awhile just because I was still trying to understand my time in NYC and write about that but taking my time because school and work and life gets in the way of keeping something like a blog up that need to be something you want to do anyway.

I may be hard to understand and in a very different mood than any other post as well as unsure of myself and what to write.

There has been a death in the family (that is what I keep telling the people I have to call and write to like managers and professors)

To be exact it was my brother Manuel that has passed away.

So much has gone through me today that I just don't know what to feel.

I'm only writing right now because I need something more to do than sit and look at the wall with my family, friends and loved ones.

I thought today that I was going to come over to my mom's house and do laundry and hangout and not have to talk to police and the medical examiners office. I never thought I would have to look up funeral homes.

My mom carried that child with her, in her for 9 months and now she has to carry him to the ground and thinking about that alone breaks my heart.

This is such a traumatic and sudden event we are in the process of getting all the pieces of what happened as the day goes on.

People are so nice- that is what is killing me about today that everyone is giving us so much support and love. People are offering up anything and everything they can do for us and it just doesn't seem real yet.

I don't know how this is supposed to happen. How we are going to keep on going from now on. I wish there was a website that gave me a plan of what we are supposed to do from here.

Things are so bad about this situation I just needed to spit something up on the computer and go from there.

I feel like this isn't my life.

Our Lover's Days

2011-02-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

I'm ehh over Valentines day because I truly love Ross everyday and gush about him 365 days a year and not just one. If I have a day off we would spend any day like we did this past Monday but on Valentine's day we eat everything we can in a heart shape.

Anyhoo these are some photos I couldn't help but take of our beautiful picnic and lovely weather.

WHOOPS!!!

Don't worry It is just Ross's hariy leg. Boy did this picture make me laugh...

Ross on the other hand was less than pleased.

By this time tommorrow I will be boarding a plane to NYC. I'll be blogging as much as I can to document and remember while I'm gone.

Lots of love lovers.

2011-02-15T20:52:00.000-08:00

As some of you already know I am on my way to NYC at the end of this week.

If you don't know and would like to read a little more about it you can read about it here.

Anyways I'm leaving this Friday and have started a little blog to document my experiences as a delegate for the organization I'm going with as well as for student here at ASU. You can find it here.

I will also be posting some of the posts here while I'm away so that Ross can see it and you'll can read about it. I'll be posting about some highlights from the trip as well as some problems or interesting situations I've dealt with so far.

AS of right now I'm hoping I'm not getting sick and trying to comprehend how cold it's gonna be in NYC.

A question out there for anyone in NYC:

Anything you really loved and would advise someone to do?

And how easy is it for a newbie to navigate public transportation with luggage in tow?

Happy day

2011-02-11T12:57:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining!

I got a new haircut (it's a little Katy Perry inspired)

had some chai tea with boba

The news in Egypt...

this day is BEAUTIFUL!

PLUS when I got home not one but TWO of my books had come in from amazon

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Little Bee

(I needed some great airport and down time books for my upcoming trip to NYC!)

Oh yeah- this time next week I'll be getting ready to go to NYC and boy am I excited

(I had to figure out what business casual was and now I want to do like 10 outfit posts on the stuff I ended up finding)

anyhoo- I also got these fantastic business cards in the mail and am in love!

Thank You so much Brittany! You can see and shop all of here wonderful designs

HERE

Plus being the great friend that she is Brittany is profiling my shop on here site today so go check that out

HERE

PLUS tonight I'm hanging out with Ross's mom Suzanne and we're seeing a play.

Perfect Friday!! Have a great weekend lovers!

Not a happy camper.

2011-02-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

I was in such a good mood

correction- Thankfully I'm a good mood everyday so

I was in my everyday mood when I heard some news.

Family members. medical stuff. not good

and it just makes me sad because I just don't know what to do?

where do I go from here, how can I contribute and make something happen that is worth while?

Do I cry? Do I make you cookies?

Do I blog?

I wish these things didn't happen but is there something I can do to help you?

(is that how I should ask them)

BLAHH

I'm very much in a contemplative place right now and I just hope we can all work through this.

At the end of the day we have to keep living right? Some people get to do great and wonderful things in their lives and others are sick (or they then get to do great and wonderful things while being sick)

I'm just going to offer my help, say I'm sorry, be there, hope for the best.

Pray to...science(?) that they can figure it out and start a blanket because I'll take my cues from southern women who, come hell or high water, have some fantastic quilts, yummy food, and a hand a hold when shit gets tough.

Etsy

2011-02-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

MY NEW ETSY SHOP

Yeah I know I've posted about my brand new shop on Big Cartel but long story short I did not like big cartel after all (it sucked) and have since learned the error of my ways and have headed over to Etsy where I just opened up shop for the second time =0

So stop on over and check out all the new cool stuff happening over there and as a special treat for all come fly with me readers I'm offering free shipping for all orders booked this month!

Use coupon code: newshop

Also look out for some crochet items exclusive to the blog here (meaning not posted to Etsy but just available on this here blog)

Thank you Ross for helping my with all the photos and for snapping this picture of me and Mao who was watching us work the entire time.

In my best Casey Kasem voice...

2011-01-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

"This one goes out to Ross Johnson from your girlfriend Marisela who says she loves you more and more day after day"

I love him just a little bit =)

Burrito Ross

2011-01-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

I love Chiptole. Like love them so much I submitted one of those cheesy cup and bag stores (oh black beans I love you so much) just to see if they would pick me and send me some coupons or a free burrito or two. I love Chipotle that much. Yo being a vegetarian the rice-black beans-fajitas veggies-pico-corn-sour cream-cheese-guac combo is TO DIE FOR.

I also love Ross.

Me and Ross spend tons of time together, almost all of our time together, and I love it. Sometimes when we've stayed inside to long watching netflix and eating leftovers we do tend to get a little stir crazy and I tickle him or in this case combined my love for Ross and Chipotle into on to create Burrito Ross.

Want to make your own burrito someone?

All I did was make our bed and make sure everything was nice and neat got Ross to lay down and then rolled him up in the covers. Remember you're making a burrito so make sure to tuck and roll and you go.

I shoved a pillowcase on his feet that were hanging out so they wouldn't be cold but I was laughing so hard I had to take a picture.

I wrapped and tucked so well that Ross was basically stuck (and then I laughed harder and told him to get out of it while I watched).

When Ross finally gained control of his arms again he promptly tried to cover his handsome face. :(

I'm way to mean to Ross sometimes. I tickle him and poke him and sometimes wake him up if I'm bored and can't fall asleep. He is such a good sport and I'm so happy he let me roll him up in a blanket. That's love =)

Happy Monday

I'm not a lady

2011-01-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Whenever anyone uses the word lady to describe someone else I instantly think of Audrey Hepburn. To me she is the epitome of what a lady is and when someone uses that descriptor I compare that person to Audrey.

If we are making comparisons to Audrey I sure don't make it to the cut of lady.

I don't dress up every day. I actually almost never dress up.

I burp and say bad words

I tickle Ross and say unlady like things.

I drink and I let loose unlike a lady.

I scare kitties.

I sat down next to Ross and told him that sadly I'm not a lady.

He said "you're enough of a lady" and that makes sense to me.

I feel that need to look pretty and be polite and nice but I love that freedom to be brave, wild and crude. Ross gives me that freedom, I give myself that freedom to do stupid things and dress in pjs all day if it pleases me. I can fix cars or bake cookies or make a mess or sleep in till afternoon and that is okay. I'm a lady enough. I don't stress myself out trying to be anything more than me and sometimes I just have to remember that is good enough.

Wanna be pen pals?

2011-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

Summer posted about wanting to use up some amazing stationary she had and start writing snail mail and I think is is such a great idea.

I know postage is more expensive than an email and writing an actual letter takes time but there really is nothing like opening up a fresh letter that just came in the mail. I would love to sen out some letters and you would like one from me or to become pen pals email me at

marisela (dot) cabrera (dot) 2011 @gmail.com

I get so happy when I get letters in the mail and I would love to be able to send some out there too. =)

Goodbye 2010 Hello 2011

2011-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

In 2010 I..............

On New Years Eve last year I celebrated with my sister and friends and got sick of jello shots :(

I made my first crocheted beanie and never stopped.

I had another life changing experience with Anytown's's programs and was a counselor at the collegetown camp.

I had a tattoo photo shoot and died the rest of year because of lack of funds to keep getting tattoos.

I mushed on gushed on this blog and told you about Ross. I loved 2010 because this blog saw me fall in love.

I shared my love for Queen in 2010

I became a vegetarian.

Ross had a birthday and I made him Cheesecake.

I was In It To Gym It for awhile and need to be again

I saw Muse and died when they played Starlight

I realized that I wasn't the size or shape of my body.

I made a mistake and learned big from it.

I wrote about my secret love of musicals!

I moved in with Ross, got my beautiful bicycle and had an adventure.

I fell in love with the Kitties and we had more adventures

We went to ASU's Homecoming and then it was Halloween and we went out.

I super fell in love with Ross but sometimes we still disagree.

I opened a store at Big Cartel, but am now in 2011 moving so look out :0

I got accepted into a program in NYC and I'm going in February and couldn't be more excited.

I finally turned 21 and we celebrated

And then it was Christmas and we were all happy.

How was your 2010?

New Years Eve 2010

2011-01-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

In 2010 it was the best Christmas of my life: It was also the best New Years Eve too.

I had a midnight kiss to remember.

(I really wanted a 70's look for this picture because It reminds me of pictures of my parents from the 70's that we have in photo albums in storage. )

Met new friends for 2011. (and hello I want purple hair soooo bad!)

Found a gorilla at the party.

Found a friend too.

It was so cold in Arizona on NYE that we were inside a house yet everyone still had on their jackets. We left at around 1 and when we left there was frost and ice on everything. This is not typical behavior for AZ so all those folks out there saying "oh no ice!? WE GOT A BLIZZARD!" my thin blood isn't prepared to deal with it. I was freeeeezing.

NYE 2010

I pray

2011-01-09T23:03:00.000-08:00

I'm not religious. In fact I don't believe in God.

I can't.

Even when I was singing in the choir at my old Catholic church I never felt moved. It just felt like I was trying to hard.

What I do feel sometimes though is the need to pray. It doesn't make sense since it's not really directed to anyone but I pray for health, for the ones I love, and for people in pain. Those old Catholic habits die hard and so I pray. I pray for motivation and inspiration to make change happen and to handle the change that happens to me. I pray to the world. I pray to myself.

On Saturday I prayed. I was born and raised and still live in Arizona. The mountains, the dirt, the heat, and the sunsets are a part of me. I am so saddened and hurt by what happened in Arizona on Saturday in Tuscon.

I pray for Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, everyone injured, those who have sadly passed away and their families.

I was so mad and hurt and upset. Twitter and Facebook were a storm and from the people around me I kept hearing explanations to the rest of the United States like "This isn't what Arizona is like" and "Arizona is the wild wild west" to try and not make it seem like Arizona is this beacon on prejudice, bigotry and hate, but for when you think about it kinda is.

I was saddened and hurt by what happened on Saturday but a part of me thought that that could happen here and that part of me got really sad.

We have minute men who volunteer to turn in (sometimes shoot??) desperate immigrants from Mexico. We have private prison business investors writing legislation like SB1070 so that they can make money off of those desperate illegal immigrants. We have Sheriff Joe Arpaio who with his campaign of cleaning out is targeting the Hispanic community. Even though it isn't legal for gays to marry in AZ we pass legislation to change the constitutions to further that sentiment and only value the marriage of a man and women.

I will always love Arizona, but being a first generation Hispanic I don't feel like Arizona loves me back. I feel like there is target on me questioning my citizenship status. I wonder if while I sit in class my fellow classmates wonder if I'm legal or not. I pray for those who have no other financial and social options but to stay in Arizona and work but fear Sb1070.

I pray for change in Arizona so that we don't seem like a state of prejudice, bigotry and hate but from where I stand It's getting hard to see past it all and see all the things that make Arizona great.

It was a very Merry Christmas

2011-01-06T12:47:00.001-08:00

Easily the best Christmas of my adult life so far.

We put up our tree (read: Ross took it out of the box and plugged it in) before thanksgiving. I just couldn't wait any longer and Ross was okay with the idea of it going up early. We strung up lights around the apartment and up the handrail on the stairs a couple weeks later. We got really into the spirit by watching tons of holiday movies like Love Actually, Elf, White Christmas, A Christmas Carol, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and others. As soon as I got a present home I would wrap it up and stuff it under the tree to make the apartment glow a little more and to keep Ross from peeking at his presents. Ross was so sweet and got me a stocking for Christmas since we don't really do them at my parents house and I didn't have one.

It's Hello Kitty!!

I kept begging Ross to open up a present. I tried to barter gifts to open up a big one he had under the tree which was odd because I have never had trouble with waiting for christmas or being nosy with presents. He didn't budge =/ but we did open one of the candles we had gotten for ourselves because Ross got sick and it was gonna help him get better.

On Christmas eve eve I finally got Ross to open up the gift that I was most anxious for him to open.

They have an arts festival in Tempe at the beginning of December and in the spring where tons of great artists and vendors come to sell their stuff. I passed by this great booth that had ornaments you could personalize and I just couldn't pass on by without grabbing us an ornament to celebrate our first Christmas together. Hopefully we'll be able to keep on getting on ornament for each our Christmases together =)

Here was our little tree and the gifts underneath. I couldn't pick a wrapping paper for the presents this year so I opted for brown postal paper and fun ribbon. It wasn't the easiest to wrap but I like the simplicity and highlighting the beautiful ribbons.

We went to Ross' mom, Suzanne's house on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and boy did I like it there. She is so creative and has such a great eye for decoration and her house just felt like Macy's it was sooo pretty.

We went to my parents house Christmas afternoon and evening and playing a pretty fun game of White Elephant. I'm still trying to deal with the fact that I don't have a working camera (aside from my camera phone) So that is another resolution for 2011: to save up some money and buy a nice camera and find the power cord for my current pocket Nikon.

-Mari

I turned 21 (part deux)

2011-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

After the little party at my place we rode over to Mill Ave. and started the night at Z Tejas with some fantastic girls from work.

The had me drinking uh-mazing margaritas and infused Patron shots that later caught up to me. They brought a piece of cake for me and everyone sang happy birthday and i just felt so loved =)

Ross, Me, Laci

The most amazing girls to work with

Shannon, Laci, Me, Carissa (missing Cydney, Mindi, and Symon)

My old friend Sandra even made it too and it had been forever since I had seen her. Made my heart grow three sizes!

Next we went to an underground dueling piano bar where the alcohol really started to kick in. Someone ordered me a skrewdriver and an Adios Mother Fucker after three very strong Margaritas and a Patron Shot.

I've known Sara since Sophomore year of HS!

I kept on telling them to get a good picture of me and Ross because since my camera broke we have so few and I feel like I'm missing out on catching important moments.

At The Big Bang they called me up on stage twice where they had us celebrating birthdays dance and the second time I came up they had me and one other girl demonstrate how to use the shake weight. I thought I was gonna die because me and Ross keep having running jokes about the shake weight and I had it on some awesome-random-weird creation pedestal that I think I squealed when they brought them out. I was thinking somewhere along the lines of "Oh my God I get to hold one!" (also I just tried to spell squealed by writing "skwelled" instead thank you college education and spell check!)

We then bar hopped to a place called College Dropouts where things quickly went south. Ross said i had moments of lucidity where I was in and out and someone had the bright idea to order me their favorite shot-tabasco and tequila. Right after taking just a sip of that I quickly made it to the bathroom and spilled my guts. All I remember is that I held up my hair, cleaned my face, and that the floor was wet. blahhhhh

Everyone said that you have to get sick on your birthday and boy was I feeling it then and the next day. I did get some battle wounds in form of random huge bruises on my legs but I learned an ever more important lesson on alcohol tolerance and now I'm really excited to be able to go out and do adult things with my 1-2 beers or mixed drink/wine.

I turned 21

2011-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken by Ross at Four Peaks in Tempe, AZ at around 12:08 AM 12/18/10 or my 21st birthday. I was so excited to have my first *legal* drink and finally be part of the big kids club. It's been hard always having friends who were older and especially hard when so many of them turned 21 and wanted to hangout at 21 and over places. I am sooo happy to be able to go to the local pubs or little bars around the corner and hangout after work or on weekends. I'm not a big drinker but I'm so excited to be able to buy a bottle of wine or beer to go with pizza or even liqueurs to bake with.

We had a party at our apartment for people to meet up and then hit Mill Ave. or the local ASU college bar scene. The party was complete with a Hello Kitty theme.

A sweet birthday gift from Ross' mom Suzanne

A cuuuttte banner we found at Target/Wal-Mart (?) and a clean apartment

Unique beer cooling system (read: broke and not wanting to spend money on an actual cooler) This idea was great thought because the ice melted right into the sink! =)

Cupcakes, cheese tray, spinach dip, chex mix, and veggie wraps. (plus a piece of art Ross did!)

up next- the drunken pictures from out on the bars.

*hint**hint* I puked =/

2011 Resolutions

2011-01-03T15:38:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!!

This is a candid picture a friend of ours took at his New Years Eve party right after the ball dropped.

I took one of those blogging breaks that i like to take so often this finals/holiday/birthday season. I really wanted to blog and I still read blogs every day even if I don't write or comment but I just didn't feel like it? I don't know I think it was this pressure that putting on myself that my blog isn't that good and it never will be so why try? I thought about it alot over the holidays and really wanted to take the whole surge everyone gets after the new year and put that into some resolutions I made. Perhaps this does blog suck- but at least in 2011 I can say this will suck with gusto!

#1 Reconnect with Friends

I have this bad habit of making great friends and then not keeping in touch. School and work are always number one priorities so I almost use that as an excuse to not stay in touch with good friends or fade away from old friends. I would really like to strengthen my existing friendships and reconnect with some old friends that I've been missing and would like to see more in the future. I'm learning that this isn't high school were you see your friends everyday and don't have to try. Now, in our more adult lives you do have to try and make this relationships happen and stay connected or your friendships will fall away or disintegrate. It's something that has taken me a bit to learn but in 2011 I would like to not be such a homebody and do the same things over and over again but seek out new friends and old friends and interact and live my life with theirs more.

#2 Fibers Crafts

2011 is the year for me and yarn and my sewing machine. I can feel it! This year I would like to focus on getting focused and serious about my hobbies. I feel really comfortable with crochet and Ross' mom Suzanne was so kind to gift me knitting needles and books to learn how to knit. I also got a set of round knitting looms (thanks 50% off Michael's coupon!) and have had tons of fun experimenting on that so far. (I made a little bobby looking knitted hat!) Ross gave me a beautiful Kitchenaid mixer for Christmas too and I would love to sew up some napkins and dish towels and an apron to all match and inspire both sewing and baking ideas. I can feel so much creativity for this year and I'm excited to have an easier school schedule and graduating this semester to focus on my hobbies some and loosen up and have fun.

#3 Blog 5 days a week

I am going out on such a huge limb but I would LOVE to be able to have something I'm proud of online and a 5 day a week blog. Sometimes when I look at my blog I get a little down because it's sporadic and not too creative or a representation of me. It sometimes feels like a chore and I, while trying, never got the real flow of it or got my blog to point where it would be a creative outlet and something to be really proud and happy of. This year I am going to try and really spend some time (especially before the school year begins) on making this blog look, sound, and feel the way I feel and what I want to put out there. I started this blog when I was coming out of a time where I was severely depresses and had communication anxiety to help me find my voice and self again. That was a long time ago and I'm a very different person today but I do still feel like i'm finding my voice and I might always be looking for it but this blog and my new years commitment to it is going to help me in my journey. As always I've so very pleased you've spent some sidebar time on me and feel so blessed I've *met* so many great people through blogger and online.

I have loved reading new years resolutions that others have posted and I'm hopping that together with all this excitement and energy we can all make some greta change in our own lives and in the lives of others. Here are some thing I'm really looking forward to in 2011

Going to the UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting in NYC in February

Ross' 25th birthday

Graduating from ASU with my Bachelors

The birth of my brothers third baby in July

Applying for graduate school and maybe moving to a new state.

What are some things that you are looking forward to in 2011?

-mari

Start Spreading The News

2010-12-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not leaving today but I am going to

via ♥

I am so over the moon excited to be going (The farthest east I've traveled so far is New Mexico! Yep Arizona born and raised) and I wish it was happening already.

via ♥

While New York Is super exciting in and of itself I would probably never get around to going if it wasn't for a great opportunity and a great opportunity came my way and somehow I got accepted. In February I will be a going to the delegate meetings at the UN Commission on the Status of Women!!! I got accepted to this fantastic program and I'm so excited to be in New York in the UN!!!

One day I would love to be looking at the corporatization of development through a communication lens and next to getting into a graduate program that has a strategic communication center going to the UN is the biggest opportunity that has come my way. I believe very strongly in feminist activism and through my classes on political communication and women and social change I hope to one day use communication theory to discuss how the procedures and policies used by NGO's like the World Bank and the IMF impact development in third world countries and what that means for the labor force, migrant workers, access to resources and how those developments impact women. I'm feel like I'm just getting started on my education career (even though this year I'm a graduating Senior) and can't wait for the opportunities available at this practicum.

via ♥

Anyways I'm over the moon about going to New York. I am not so happy about flying alone or navigating subways and cabs and city streets all by myself. And while I got some funding from ASU and from the organization hosting the practicum I still have to figure out how to pay for tuition and housing for the week =/

via ♥

T-shirt, I totally feel you.

Somehow I'll figure it out so I can be singing Neeeew Yooorrrk on the plane ride there in February.

It's Finals Season

2010-12-09T17:03:00.001-08:00

Goodness I really wanted to be able to post everyday but I had my first final today and thankfully have all my finals and classes will be done by Tuesday.

December 9 – Party Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Author: Shauna Reid)

The social gathering that WILL rock my socks will be my 21st birthday. In exactly 9 days I will be 21 and you better be sure that I am going big. My birthday is one week before Christmas and it has always sucked so the past 6 years I didn't have a party or do anything really special because I knew it was really just an imposition on people's busy holiday calendars and forgetful. I was sort of saving all those missed birthdays so I could have one night that is really mine. One night where I counted on peopel to coem and celebrate my birthday with me. A 21st birthday, to me, is the last real community wide rite of passage you go through other than marriage or buying a house but this one is the most participative. I can't marry everyone on my wedding day but I can get fabulously dressed up and get pissed drunk with everyone on my 21st birthday. I plan to serve chips and dip, finger foods, cupcakes, cake, and hot chocolate before we go out to the bars. I plan to really look and listen for an amazing soundtrack for the night and I am using some Lady Gaga and Katy Perry (Firework would be perfect). I am trying to have a Hello Kitty theme too complete with hats and cake =) If you have any vegetarian appetizers and fantastic party songs send them my way!

December 8 – Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond)

I had a real hard time growing up and thinking I was beautiful. Everyone I saw around me that were "beautiful" looked nothing like me and so I just never could describe myself as beautiful and instead I started to think of myself as smart and funny and creative and my identity was formed around that. I think what makes me beautiful is that I don't ever fell is (if that's not backwards thinking I don't know what is but it's true). I developed other aspects of myself other than pretty hair and a beautiful body because I never though I had those things. Now I know that I am beautiful but it's my intelligence and whit and whimsy and creative side that the most personal aspects to me and are my most treasured and beautiful parts of me.

December 7 – Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

My first sense of Community in 2010 was definitely found in collegetown. Those folks I met there gave me so much that I could ever ask for and once again it was a life changing experience. You can read about it here, here, here, here, here, here and I really do miss everyone. Anotehr place I got a sense of community would be from the girls I work with at The Shoe Mill. They told me when I got hired that their coworkers are more like a family and everyday has just shown me that more and more. I feel blessed that I get to know everyone and have been given the opportunity to work there.

When I catch up

2010-12-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

This weekend in Tempe was the Festival of Arts or a huge art fair that had our little shoe store so busy and me still aching from helping all the costumers. Anyways here is me catching up on reverb promps.

December 6th- Make

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

The last thing I made (and finished) was a hat for my friend Ashlee. I used yarn and a crochet hook from my ever growing collection to make her this hat in navy. I hope she loves it and it keeps her hairs warm. I would love to be able to sit and crochet some more and that is what I will be doing once school is over and I can do it free of guilt. I cannot wait to wrap up presents and make Christmastime beautiful and I would love to sew up some projects and craft some decorations. Also Ross' mom is the most expert decorator and crafter I know and I would be sooo happy if I could spend some craft time with her too. She knows how to KNIT!

December 5th- Let Go

Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)

I feel so bad about this one But I feel like I let go of friends and in particular a friend f mine named Liz. Once I switched jobs and moved to Tempe I didn't see her. It may have been because I couldn't drive or because I didn't try enough but I haven't seen her since March and she was the girl I told everything to. I hope she can come to my birthday party and we can figure out a way to work our lives back together so we can still live our lives but see each other.

December 4th- Wonder

How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

This may sound silly but I guess I wondered with the kitties. I have school and I have work and I spend a lot of my time on that and in those aspects I am very cynical or responsible and I can't wonder but I pick up the kittie here and they are my kitty babies and I play wit them and ponder what they think. I pretend when school gets really stressful how they would handle it if we switched places. I make up lives for them in my head when they sit and rest with me. I know that they can't really understand who I am but I know they love me now too and I'm mommy for them now.

Friday I'm In Love

2010-12-03T08:44:00.001-08:00

check this girl to see the series

This Friday I am love with work!

There is this big arts festival down Mill Ave. in Tempe and the shore store is going to be super, super packed and I'm nervous but excited since this is my first art fair and I'm still the newbie.

I'm so excited to be almost done with school and I'm in love with already having done all my presentations and I can totally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I turn 21 in 15 days WHAAAHOOOO! I'm having a Hello Kitty party and It will be the best celebration to bring in my birthday and end the semester GAHH so excited!

It would this date

2010-12-03T08:23:00.001-08:00

December 3 – Moment.

Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).(Author: Ali Edwards)

I can't remember the date now or if I actually blogged about it or no but it was an early date I had with Ross back in the spring. It was a Friday night and I had come over with some chocolate hostess cupcakes I made for him. We lightrailed over to Mill Ave and started the night at an Irish bar called Rula Bula. I had the best pint of guiness I have ever had there and dark mahoganies and rosewood countertops made it feel warm and cozy. We walked out to an outside patio that was covered with twinkle lights and we found a little table and sat by the bar and looked into the restaurant where the Irish band was playing. After we finished our pints and the corners of the picture I was seeing got a tiny bit fuzzy (like one of those lomography pictures) We walked down Mill Ave. to RA sushi and got in and was blasted with the bumping of the DJ. We sat down and I had the best dinner of my life. I felt so happy to be there with Ross and with some Saki bombers and a spicy plate of sushi the entire bar washed away. I have no idea how many people where in that bar because all I saw was Ross. My leg tingled when he put his hand on it and the sushi looked like it was glowing, heck Ross looked like he was glowing because all I could do was focus on our table and our time together. The way he was looking at me and the way I couldn't stop looking at him let me know for the first time that this was for real. THis was the night that I started to really fall in love with Ross...I felt the seed get planted and it started to grow over the next couple months. When I'm 50 I'll always be able to remember that night

Hey hey

2010-12-02T16:00:00.001-08:00

A year in reflection. I hope once the semester is over I can really start blogging and crocheting again =)

December 2 Writing.
What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?
(Author: Leo Babauta)

The surfing OH THE SURFING! I surf the internet like crazy and I fell like I have to take a bloggy break when even writing assignments for school. Every couple of sentences I scroll over to safari and start looking at my favorite blogs and the start internet surfing and half an hour later I've just still written those couple of sentences. I have a couple more papers to write for school and I am going to try and eliminate the bloggy breaks from the writing process.

I'm a growing girl

2010-12-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

I have soo much homework to do and I cannot believe it's December already but give me a couple more days and I will no longer have to worry about school! I won a giveaway from my lovely gall Brittany and I am so excited and not only did she she excited me with the good news today but she started doing this Reverb10 thing and I am hooked. I am so bad at journaling and really being genuine and I'm being told all the time that time flies after you turn 21 so I would really like to remember it all.

Today's Prompt:

December 1 One Word.

Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

Growth

I feel like I have grown up more this past year than any before. I fell in love with the most amazing person I've ever met. I made a dumb college mistake but learned so much from it. I'm almost done with my undergraduate career and now I know where I would like to go from here. I moved into this little apartment here in Tempe and have never looked back. I have loved 2010 for the good and bad it gave me because through all of it I really grew up.

For 2011 I would love to be able to call the year an Adventure. I'm taking a year in between undergraduate and graduate school to save up money and I hope it will be the time I can explore everything I've learned and continue growing up and hopefully do this outside of Arizona and the United States.

End of the Year Review

2010-11-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

I stole this little questionnaire from Miss Summer and you should fill it out too

The Past Year

1. How have you spent your time?

Mari: Working, learning, loving, getting into trouble, being happy and blessed, living up my youth, being free, falling in love

2. What were you grateful for?

Mari: I am grateful for Ross, for my job and my education. Our apartment and the kitties. My mom and my family and that I have an imagination and a capable body that lets me do what I can dream.

3. What were your sorrows and disappointments, and how did they change you?

Mari: not having a license but I moved to Tempe and fell in love so that I feel blessed to have happen. It stinks sometimes how tight money can be or the fact that I have some debt but it's taught me to pay attention to the love and great friends in your life and just make sure you can pay rent and buy food and that buying things other than that won't make you happy. I much rather be poor and living where I live than have money to buy things and not be a quarter as happy as I am now.

4. What books, films, etc., moved you?

Eating Animals, Inception, Ishmael, I can't remember...

Now you!!

If I ever marry

2010-11-21T22:37:00.000-08:00

I was never really one to plan out my wedding. Heck half the time I keep thinking about reasons to never get married but when I do plan out things it's always the music. I always think of what would be the perfect song for walking down the isle or a first dance and I think they are the most perfect song for the me I am at that most perfect moment. Of course things change but right now I would love to start dancing the night away with Queen's The Millionaire Waltz.

You can read about how much I love Queen here.

I think the song is TOTALLy appropriate and after years of playing in orchestra and listening to good old rock and roll what is better than a rock waltz? and puhh-leaze there is nothing dreamier than Freddie on the piano (excpet maybe Ross on the guitar)

Imagine us like this + Queen

Happy Monday Folks!

Friday I'm In Love: The List

2010-11-19T12:49:00.000-08:00

My Birthday and Christmas are exactly one week apart. I'm usually not that much into getting presents and would much rather have people come and enjoy themselves sans gift or give that money to a good cause I am making a list of gifts that would be nice. Wait? I thought you JUST said you didn't like gifts?? That's right I'd be fine without them BUT I really want to get Ross something nice for Christmas and this is me posting this list hoping it will inspire him to post a list for me so that I can have some sort of idea where to go for his gift.

(I ask him now what he wants for Christmas and all he says is "You") =)

Any who these are all items I was looking to grab for myself at some point or another so here they are.

#1 Cross-body Bag

I'm hoping this will make riding a bike and life easier not having to balance a bag on my shoulder and instead have it secured with a strap across my body.

From Target

#2 Anything Hello Kitty

These bags aren't cross body but they are Hello Kitty!

From Sanrio

#3 Hello Kitty Sweater

I've been on the lookout for a Hello Kitty sweater for weeks now and I just can't find anything cute like this =/

From Tumbler

#4 Yarn

I just realized that there was a yarn store around the corner and they have the most incredible selection of fancy yarns there. I would love to take a class there or try out some of their neat wool blends. If I also was gifted any yarn I would be a happy camper.

#5 My Charger or New Camera

We can't find the charger to my little black friday deal of a Nikon from last year so right now the only camera I have is my phone. I would love to be able to just get a charger and keep my camera that still looks fantastic but one day (my savings are still nowhere close right now) I would love to have a beautiful Nikon D70 =) (or any fancy camera)

From Nikon

#6 Disneyland

Now I'm not asking for a trip to Disneyland (though that would be amazing) I'm down with someone to go with me! The last time I went was almost four years ago and I've been dying to put on my Mickey ears and go have a blast.

From We♥it

What is on your wishlist for Christmas?

One Day We Went Hiking

2010-11-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

I'm behind on like 3 papers and have a project to work on and all I want to do is lie in bed and suck my thumb.

On Veterans day we went hiking

and going down into South Mountain was way fun

and we found rangers who took us off the trail and showed us drawings done on the mountain walls by the Hohokams from about 1400 B.C. which was really fun

and then we had to go up the mountain to go back to our car

and that was not fun at all (read: I whined and had to stop- a lot)

but I conned Ross into getting Chipotle after and thus the world was okay again.

Now I'm off to try and get this shizz done.

Senioritis why are you bitting me in the behind??

Holiday Well Wishes

2010-11-15T10:47:00.000-08:00

My family has never done Christmas cards or holiday family pictures.

We've never gone caroling or made gingerbread houses.

Growing up we hung up stocking but our shoes would be the ones getting filled up on Three Kings day way after Christmas (think January 6th)

So when I stumped upon the famed dollar section at Michael's and found the most adorable Christmas cards I knew I would have to find more people to send them to other than my family.

So I want to send them to you.

If you are sad at the thought of holiday e-cards and not part of a big community of holiday card senders and want a card sent to you then this is the thing for you.

Even if you do send and receive a bunch of holiday cards and want one more this is perfect for you too.

All you have to do is send an email with your address to

Marisela (dot) Cabrera (dot) 2011 (at) gmail (dot) com

and you'll get an email from me back with my address in case you want to spread the love and send a card back.

I think the holidays are a great time to reach out and get to know people better and make some real connections even if it's just through a thoughtful holiday card.

Also if you like the idea and want to do this yourself fell free to take this picture and the button I have on the side (I'm gonna be lazy and make you copy and paste it off my blog) and write your own post.

If you write a post make sure come back and link it up so I can participate too.

Grand Opening!

2010-11-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

What I've always wanted to do I've done.

I finally got my courage and strength up to work my nimble fingers and opened up

"Cat and Mouse- crochet by Mari"

I am sooo excited for this new adventure. I want to thank the best blog friends a girl could have, who a year ago told me that my stuff was good enough to sell and gave me confidence to keep crocheting and making new things.

The store has a couple designs and well loved hats but expect to see more and more pop up everyday. I just couldn't wait any longer to open up shop since I was too excited!

The lovely Miss Rasha Marie is being so kind to host a giveaway for me

So stop on over at her blog to ch-ch-check it out.

Peace on love to all on this sunny Friday =)

Growing Pains

2010-11-11T16:44:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was just a bad day.

I've always been a really positive person or someone with an extra amount of resilience and I don't see there being any time for moping when you are looking to the future for opportunity.

Yesterday it got to me and it was just a bad day.

My camera died. No big problem, right? Not really until we couldn't find the charger anywhere

Ross might have left it the hotel well he was last on vacation

I was taking pictures of all the items that are going to be the opening line of my shop so that really bummed me out.

Then I slammed my thumb in the car door on my way to work and not only did it make me cry then, it throbbed all day and kept me from sleeping.

I'm sure the nail is gonna fall off and that puts my total nail count down to 18. damn.

Then work was sloooooow and filled with some difficult costumers,

but the cherry on top was an argument with Ross.

Yes I just posted about how happy I am but this was one of those arguments that I like to think of as a growing pain. You know when you have to tear down a wall to build a bigger room or when you were a kid and your legs would ache all summer but that was the year you grew three inches?? Those are growing pains and this argument was one of those that you have to take three steps back to take two forward, then another step back and then at the end three steps forward.

It was draining, and there was crying and pain and hurt going on but that's reality.

You love someone, you grow, you love, you have some growing pains, you love and you grow some more.

I almost wasn't going to post about it but I don't want to make it look like life is 100% amazing all the time- it isn't and I'm almost a little weary of blogs that are super positive all the time every post. My blog friends are like blog family and this is something I want to be genuine and that means telling you about the love, and the cute boots, and fun crafts but it also means posting about stress from school, relationship woes and tifs with friends.

Thank you for letting me be able to post about all this though- I've "met" the most amazing people here

On another note I do believe we may have found a substitute camera to take pictures with so I'm hoping tomorrow may be the day when I finally open up shop!

Something's Coming

2010-11-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

have you ever heard the song from West Side Story "Something's Coming"?

"Who knows?

It's only just out of reach,

Down the block, on a beach,

Under a tree.

I got a feeling there's a miracle due,

Gonna come true,

Coming to me!"

"Could it be? Yes, it could.

Something's coming, something good,

If I can wait!

Something's coming, I don't know what it is,

But it is

Gonna be great!"

This one song is in near the beginning of the movie and it always fill up my chest, no my heart up with joy and hope. November has always been my favorite month because in arizona things get just a little bit quieter. The gets the sudden chill in it and you can feel an electricity around you. What can it be? For some it's the approaching holidays, others it's the end school coming up on the horizon and for me it's the feeling of hope.

wishes, fairy dust, love, and magic make up that electricity for me.

It always happens in November when that sudden chill hits.

from ♥

I saw a butterfly today and fly right around me while I was riding on my bike.

It was telling me to be hopeful- that one day everyone will go to sleep with food in their bellies, people will celebrate marriages of love and we'll be saluting a Madam President and that for it all to happen we can't stop fighting.

Fighting for hope.

This post is for me folks, so if it doesn't make sense that's why. It's for me and the butterfly.

Mushy Gushy

2010-11-08T23:18:00.001-08:00

I grew up thinking love was a fallacy.

Love was something that was made up like Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, or Daylight savings time just to waste my time.

"I wasn't going to do that fake stuff called love because I was going to go to school and be smart one day" I thought

Yet here we are, me and Ross, (living together in sin and so much in love) and I was proven the fool.

The things I've learned about love

by Marisela C.

Same Day

I didn't know that love meant you would take care of me. You take care of the dishes and the shampoo, and my bike.

From here

I didn't know that love would be so funny and that we would stay up until 3 am watching cat videos and you telling me stories about when you were a kid.

From here

I didn't know love would mean you would by me booze!

no- I didn't know love would mean you would make sure I had fun for once.

From here

I didn't know love meant you were it it. Even when being in it means biking home in the rain at two am with a broken flip flop. I didn't know that love would mean you trying to save my flip flop and I probably shouldn't have thrown it away.

Same Day

If you have been following for awhile- then you've been able to see this all happen and thank goodness for that because then I have other people to ask and make sure that this is real- that I'm not dreaming and that it's all really happened.

if not- you can see it happen from

here, here, here, here, here, here, to here

Hey Ross- I love you.

Kitty Connection

2010-11-08T00:32:00.000-08:00

If you have read my little 'ol blog for a bit you or know me in real life you may have followed my relationship with the kitties from one one ambivalent anxiousness to love and undying devotion.

If not you can see me mention them here, here, and another very important kitty here.

Even though I started not totally okay with the kittties and their hair covering every square inch of the apartment or the fact that they poop in a box under our stairs, I liked them. Liked turned to appreciated and appreciation turned to care which then turned to love. Now I pick them up while they cry for Ross to come save them while I rock them around calling them "kitty baby". (I do this about one to three times per day, give or take)

They are my fur babies and I am their step/foster people momma. So I snap pictures of them and tell people about the cute (read: annoying) stuff they do. I already had the yarn so I guess Ross was just a blessing in disguise delivering me the kitties.

Because I love them so much and I have like four papers to write, three chapters to read and 30 some pages in a reader, and grad school applications to worry about (read: having to cancel our much anticipated morning hike) I decided to show you all pictures of the kittie babies doing the cutest shit ever-

F**ing Adorable!

I find him like this and want to cuddle him till his bits pop out he is so cute (Ross one time called me Elmira Duff and I just about squeezed him too)

Grey likes my pillow ♥

"Wow! Twin cats!"

-direct quote from Hungry Howies delivery boy one night.

I l♥ve them

Discussion Questions for comments:

What are you most looking forward to this week?

BOOTS! and NYC

2010-11-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

I live in AZ so I know it is not practical for me to even think about boots let alone love the, want them, covet them or own the and wear 'em when it's 89 degrees outside.

The reason I have them is because I started a new job when school started at The Shoe Mill here in Tempe that does tons of super comfy really cute shoes. So not only are these boots made with exquisite materials but they are most importantly comfortable.

I have a possible chance coming up to travel to New York in February for an educational opportunity. While I'm super excited about this possibility and fretting about the application and pulling together the money I'm most of al scared of the weather. This AZ girl has only seen snow twice but hopefully I can get into the practicum and wear these luscious boots in NYC!

From Pikilino

I absolutely love them and hopefully I can stomp around NYC in them.

From UGG

I have these cute guys on route to my closet and it will be my first pair of UGGs! I'm excited for the comfiness but not for the stereotypes that come with UGGs.

If I go to NYC I will probably need to get some other boots (maybe fancy black?) does anyone have a pair they just love?

New Shop

2010-11-03T14:02:00.001-07:00

Isn't open, or even ready.

School and work- I blame you.

via ♥

I have this feeling that I just need to crochet and get this feeling out of me and I cannot wait until you can see what this feeling is like- what it makes me come up with and crochet.

grr...Lets set the goal for Thanksgiving to be able to do a soft opening of some stuff...

I hope you all like it

Halloween Photo Recap

2010-11-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

After watching the election outcomes here in Arizona- I have no words

So I posted a bunch of pictures for you to look at from happier times.

7 things

2010-11-02T18:31:00.001-07:00

I am stealing this from the fantastic Summer who stole it from someone else.

1. I can't stand finger nails scratching on ice- it's like nails on a chalkboard for me.

2. I'm afraid of heights but I really want to go sky diving once, fly through the air, and cross it off the list.

3. I need to have at least 7 hobbies- it keeps me from actually doing real work on any of them

4. I want a super fancy camera really bad (mmm Nikon)

5. If I had the guts I would see all my stuff and go do humanitarian work in developing nations- but I don't have the guts so I'm going to keep going to school and do it on the policy level

6. I really like my major (communication) but if I could have a redo I wouldn't choose such a shit major (hello my classes are full of frat boys and sorority girls)

7. I lost a toe nail over the summer and I've been so embarrassed about it that I've been covering it up with a band-aid until it grew back enough to resemble a normal nail

It's still not all there and the one thing I want really badly is a pedicure.

I'm tagging in my post Rasha, Caitlin, Gabby, Brittany, Kara, Vivianna, and Carol

Homecoming

2010-10-31T21:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 31st was ASU's homecoming.

I have don't follow college football.

I have never been to an ASU game

I'm still not 100% sure how the is even game played

Don't get me wrong I don't hate football in fact I'm a Cardinals fan because Ross is a huge fan and it's fun to sit down on Sunday and watch a game or two but I'm not gaga over it.

Now a parade about ASU football just down the street?? I AM ALL OVER THAT.

Saturday morning I made Ross get up early (*cough* 11!) so we could both go to the ASU homecoming parade for the first time.

There were tons of booths out and about and different programs and groups on campus with stations set up with fun games and activities

(I actually saw my college there and almost asked the director of my program if she got my emails and if we could discuss graduate programs but I figured when she was handing candy to kids wouldn't be the most opportune time)

We found a photobooth and took great pictures with foam fingers that I would post but I'm without a scanner so you will just have to take my word that they were cute.

We found a giant spider that ended up moving when I walked over to it and scaring the crud our of me.

But Ross made best friends with it.

It was nice to finally go to a homecoming parade and even nicer now that we are heading into November and the holiday season.

I hope you all had a happy halloween- I'll post about ours later =)

This is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween.

2010-10-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

Halloween weekend is here! With it comes just about everyone's favorite time of year! Next is thanksgiving, MY 21st BIRTHDAY, Christmas, New Years, and then hopefully some vacation time.

In Arizona it means so much more too because we finally get some of colder weather and i can wear boots (which I have a whole post about shoes coming up) and sweaters and jackets.

Not to mention how fun the holidays are with family and food and this year will be so much more special doing things with Ross.

We have yet to carve pumpkins but I made some pumkin bread and cookies already and I'm ready for more.

Me and Ross already dressed up this year. Thank goodness for early halloween parties and being forced to pick out a costume is all I have to say.

This is what I dressed up as last year.

and this year we are:

an ASU football player and referee.

It's funny because I got these gold leggings from American Apparel to wear as my football shorts and everyone thought I wasn't wearing pants because apparently I'm gold! My skin color was so close that people were telling me they didn't want to look down for fear f being a perv or something but I pulled up my jersey and showed everyone the top of my leggings so they would believe me.

Hey, I guess it's better than being orange like Snooki.

I hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween and what is everyone goes as and what plans do you all have?

I'm trying to convince Ross to go see Rocky Horror live at the Madcap Theatre here in Tempe but I have late homework and so much stuff to do that this may be a quieter Halloween for me.

Maybe next year when I'm not doing 10 million things at once I'll go big on Halloween and make this picture become reality...

Thanks Piknic for letting me twilight myself.

Where is my Mind?

2010-10-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

I miss this.

I finally looked at my blog in over months to look something up and gasped at how much i missed this. It hurt not to write and love each and everyone one of you as I had been doing for so long and it does feel like I've been cut off from friends.

School I blame school, and work, and Modern Family and Glee, and sleep for not every having the time to even think about this and write.

I read though...boy did I read. I may have not commented since I was reading during lectures and in bed and on my phone at work but I was reading and missing you all.

Today I looked at this blog for the first time in ages and there was a message from Caitlin about how we lost touch and it was a very blatant sign for me to write again. Thank you Caitlin and I miss you (and Rasha...I live JUST DOWN THE STREET and yet here we are and I'm forgetting what you look like)

I'm almost out of the storm that is Senior year.

I have established life in Tempe

I got a job MONTHS ago at a shoe store nearby.

I have a store coming, for real this time and I'm working hard to crochet with love for you.

I missed you.

I really did.

But oh am I happy...and so much happier now to be back.

"Give 'em hall Devils!"

2010-08-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

My Senior year of college starts Thursday at good ol' ASU.

I have one jam packed Fall semester to look forward to and then after that just one class between me and May commencement.

Next semester I will be hopefully studying for the GREs, and applying to different master's programs, and getting letters of recommendations, filing for financial aid, jumping through rings of fire, and getting my cap and gown.

Driven isn't even a good enough word for how motivated I was to make it this far and yet it somewhat feels surreal that I WILL be graduating this year....

My parents didn't make it past grade school in Mexico.

My mom was 10 when my grandpa died from a gunshot wound and only 15 when she came to the US.

My dad picked cotton from the fields in Mexico and slept on the ground at night looking up at the stars.

My parents met at the orange packing plant that was filled with Mexican immigrant workers working for next to nothing.

My mom was pregnant at my age and would soon after giving birth get pregnant again.

and I'm going to graduate from ASU this May

and I WILL go on to graduate school because if they could do all that for me,

I can do this for me too.

"You dropped the bomb on me, Baby"

2010-08-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

via ♥

Yesterday we had a bomb threat at work. (the Albertson's in Tempe)

My boss picked me up and we rode in to find that the entire street was blocked off and a police blockade was up. We parked a couple blocks away and walked up and had to tell about three officers that we worked for Albertson's and needed to go in. We reach the back and see that we got there towards the end of the excitement and see that the threat, in reality, is minimal to none. That's when we start singing super appropriate songs like "You dropped the bomb on me, Baby, you dropped the bomb on me"

My manager is crazy and wild and fun so we joked about going over to the liquor department and making a fallout shelter there.

Work got underway and within an hour costumers were allowed back in but my thoughts were still on what I would do if the threat was real and intense.

If it was a real and serious threat I would be:

calling all my loved ones and saying how I love them

calling all good friends and saying goodbye

forgiving those who have done me wrong

and eventually I really would make my way over to the liquor department

It may seem young and immature to go out drunk as a skunk but if that were an option I'm positive that I wouldn't want to leave this life scared, or worried but with a smile on my face and a drink in my hand.

If that were the case, I would at least like that consolation.

What would you be doing in my case?

Wait, they don't love you like I love you

2010-08-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

"ma-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-aps...

Wait! They don't love you like I love you..."

by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

This song probably has nothing to do with maps or traveling in reality but it sure does make a good post title =)

Last week I took my lovely bike out (btw I named it Keiko for the Japanese flavor it has) to ride to a girl I just love that, now since I moved, happens to live just down the street from me. YES!

I decided to pop out the good old cell phone and chronicle just how much fun the bike ride would be

This is the view towards ASU from our apartments

Here I am riding down ASU's campus off of Apache after almost falling off of Keiko when crossing the crosswalk

This is where I get mad at myself for riding on the wrong side of the street where the bike lane ended with no sidewalk. I'm sweating buckets by now too...thank you Arizona!

These are the railroad tracks I have to cross because I was stupid and was on the wrong side. While crossing I heave my bike over it while practically running over the train tracks because in reality I really haven't seen enough videos of train accidents and fatalities

This is the requisite "I'm so happy I didn't fall on the tracks and get caught and impaled by an oncoming train" photo

p.s. there was absolutely no train in sight I just like to be a scared sissy poo

This is good old Mill Ave. Not the Mill. Ave with all the Blonde sorority girls getting trashed but the Mill. Ave just two streets South of that...the one with the Walgreens??

Finally with drenched clothes and 2 lbs lost of water weight I make it to my amazing gals house!

Here is a later bike ride with my lovely friend!... You recognize her right??

Miss Rasha of and that's what she said has made Tempe that much better for me! I love you girly and I can't wait until tomorrow when we do this all over again!

Have you taken any fun bike rides lately??

You've got a hold on me

2010-07-29T13:40:00.001-07:00

I spent a beautiful Tuesday with Miss Rasha and took some pictures that I will blog about

I went and figured out school stuff so I was going to write about that

Or how I have a sewing room now!

The day I made it home with four shopping bags on my bike was something I wanted to mention too

Arizona and SB1070 have been on my mind alot and I never did post about it but I've wanted to

It's because you've got a hold on me...

via ♥

"I don't want you

But I need you

Don't want to kiss you

But I need to

Oh, oh, oh

You do me wrong now

My love is strong now,

You've really got a hold on me

You've really got a hold on me, baby."

I love being here in Tempe so much. It feels like I'm alive again.

Tempe

2010-07-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

I officially have moved in with Ross and now I am living, once again, in beautiful Tempe

via ♥

Everything is still new and I sorta feel like I am just visiting and it hasn't at all hit me that in a couple days I'm gonna NOT gonna pack up my weekend bag and go back home...

I am home.

We are both adjusting and getting used to sharing space and organizing and compromising with how we manage everything

I brought too much stuff and that sorta wigged Ross out...but honestly I don't need that many springform pans so I started a "going back" box to help out

oi. I really, really excited to be living in Tempe, so close to school and with Ross

but,

it's gonna take some work and getting used to and we will have bad days

and we will have really good ones too =)

I hope everything with you is dandy =)

I'm super pumped to start the Home Ec sewing class and I need to get out and about and start searching for fabrics. I'm dreading unpacking everything and finding a place for my stuff but right now I'm gonna concentrate on snuggling and trying to wake up Ross before noon =)

what I do at 4 am

2010-07-20T04:34:00.000-07:00

I fell asleep at 8 to avoid my nuisance of a nephew in his rampage through the house but then ended up waking up bright eyed at the lovely hour of 4. While browsing the blogosphere and trying to scratch my shopping itch I kept thinking about how when I move I can't bear to leave my sewing machine behind and how it will be coming with my on the first round of moving things.

♥

I found this and that lunch box is such a cute idea to store embroidery stuff and yarn!

Ok back to the 4am rant. I came across this Home Ec class and sorta spur of the moment signed up for it! I am soo beyond excited because I've had my sewing machine for awhile and beside the little projects I have done here and there I haven't done much on it yet.

I'm self taught and with school and work to juggle there is not much time left there so I can teach myself but this was an awesome way to really dive into sewing and get alot the basics out of the way so I can move onto more fun and exciting things like making clothes!

Hopefully school and work won't get too hectic and I'm banking on this class finishing pretty early on in the semester and for Ross to give me space to sew my heart out but again I am really excited and looking forward to the class.

A wedding

2010-07-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

My good friend Austin from High school got married to his wonderful husband Todd recently. They went off a couple of weeks ago to legally get married and had a reception on July 10th in Arizona. I being of the cake making kind and Austin being of the poor college student figured out a plan so I could do their cake for them! I was soooo excited and nervous and technically it's fake cake (only the top tier is actually cake with the rest being Styrofoam) but it was honestly the happiest I've been making a cake knowing I was doing it for true love and such a sweet cute couple.

This is me, Austin, and my good friend Ashley

♥

This is a short update for now as I'm going to be utilizing all my spare time by packing because I'm moving to Tempe NEXT WEEKEND/WEEK!

Hello Kitty (see also: time for an intervention?)

2010-07-12T22:35:00.000-07:00

It all started with a debit card...

via ♥

Bank of America won me over while opening an account and I HAD to have this debit card. I should have seen this all coming before.

Afterward I found this cute little avatar for my steam account and just thought it was cute and innocent!

via my camera phone

Then I found these adorable key cover at F21 and had to have it to make a special key (Ross' apartment) stand out. I thought I had a hold on this, okay?

via ♥

Then while browsing weheartit I found this super cute nail art with Hello Kitty and I needed to do this too...

via my camera phone

This is my version that I quickly snapped a picture of and sent to Ross so someone could appreciate it with me

via my camera phone

This is how my nails are decorated as I'm typing this.

Okay, I really like Hello Kitty.

I get it. It's not that bad.

I swear

via ♥

I had to have the Hello Kitty band aids to make me feel better when I got a boo-boo.

via ♥

I found post its at the dollar section at Target...How could I not??

Ross says I have a problem. He thinks I need some help. I tell him to just deal and hand him another beer to forget his Hello Kitty woes.

I forget my Hello Kitty woes with these.

via ♥

I just would like a couple more things! Like this coffee mug would make my mornings so much brighter.

via ♥

and if I have the coffee cup I need to have the toaster to make Hello Kitty toast to go with it right?

via ♥

I've already got my heart set on a Hello kitty themed 21st where I make a huge Hello Kitty masterpiece of a cake. Hey I was thinking maybe I can go as Hello Kitty for Halloween

See it's not that bad! Not a problem at all.

via ♥

Except I saw this car down the freeway the other day with this huge white, gorgeous decal of Hello Kitty on the back and I think nothing would look so beautiful on my window too.

When I told this to Ross he just gave me a look of pity. (???)

yeah umm Hello? it should be a look of envy since I'd have one huge bitchin' decal.

via ♥

Maybe we can do something on Ross' terms? Ross is uh-mazing at guitar and we could totally rock out together if I just had a guitar like this.

It's just a few things okay? I just want what I want, okay?

please?

via ♥

Now really it's not like my room looks like this okay?

via ♥

but by golly would I would be a happy camper if my house looked like this.

Complete with Hello Kitty kitchen? white granite countertops, pink cabinets, pink appliances, complete package with a custom Kitchen-aid pink mixer with Hello Kitty painting.

Okay Ross! I get it. I need help. I get it...

via ♥

but I'm thinking maybe we can compromise if I get some Hello Kitty gear like this?

I'm pretty sure those would go over well with him =)

What is your current obsession? maybe we can get a discount on therapy if we do it in a group

I wish they all could be CaliforniaArizona girls.

2010-07-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

"The west coast has the sunshine

And the girls all get so tanned"

"I dig a French bikini on Hawaii Island

Dolls by a palm tree in the sand"

"I wish they all could be ~~California~~ Arizona girls

I wish they all could be ~~California~~ Arizona girls"

"I been all around this great big world

And I seen all kind of girls"

"Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back to the states

Back to the cutest girls in the world"

"I wish they all could be ~~California~~ Arizona girls

I wish they all could be ~~California~~ Arizona girls"

"California Girls" by The Beach Boys

and a grill picture because yes we were that drunk on the 4th of July =)

One Week

2010-07-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

I spent one full week (a staycation) if you will with my dear sweet boy Ross. Since I will be moving in by the end of the month I needed him to get a nice big taste of what it would feel like to be together 24/7. If he is gonna freak out on me and what moving in together could mean I would rather it happen before it's too late and we hate each other or something. Thankfully we both really enjoyed each other's company and he only adds to my happiness and boosts my quality of life and I hope I do the same for him. I can't wait for the next two weeks to pass so I can go play house with the most amazing guy I know.

Here is a couple pictures I had to snap so I could post them here to remind myself how sweet that week together was.

I'll be the first to say that I've never been a cat person (or a pets who shed hair all over my nice black pencil skirt person) but boy oh boy do I love these kitties. Ross asked me today if I was gonna be okay living with the cats and all I could think was "of course! They're the fur babies!" I did think to ask him if he could keep him from pooping anymore but I think that was pushing it.

Ross is a hard body now and when I hadn't seen him in two weeks and go over there to find he has joined a gym, is doing weight training, and downing protein shakes, I yelled out in anguish "You're not gonna have a neck anymore!". After I realized that no neck Ross was gonna be without a neck because he would be rippling with muscles I figured it would be better to jump the band wagon and spend my week there to eat healthier and join him in the gym. So here's my yogurt and fruit snacks I made for us which totally made me feel better after the terrible things Ross made me do at the gym.

The same day as our epic bike ride through Tempe we biked to Sake Bombers (we're terrible vegetarians) and feasted on some uh-mazing sushi.

I'm pretty good on not eating any meat but the one and only exception from being vegetarian would be our beloved sushi! I can't say no to something that makes Ross this happy.

Like any good staycation should end we spent our last day together finishing season two of True Blood. I fell in love and have read all the books and then begged Ross to watch the show with me. Him being the sweet guy he is said of course and lo and behold he LOVED the show. Our favorite character is Eric and the whole Jessica/Hoyt romance just warms my heart.

That was my little week and here I'll be patiently waiting until I can spend all my weeks over in Tempe with Ross ♥

An Adventure

2010-07-06T20:35:00.001-07:00

On Friday Ross played hooky and instead of going to work we decided to have an adventure on our bikes in Tempe.

We found a movie theatre that used to be a Harkins on Mill Ave. Now it shows more indie films and I snapped this picture in the middle of begging Ross to go see the bollywood movie "I Hate Luv Stories" with me. We set a date for another time.

Have I fallen in love with fun and whimsical bike racks??

Oh yes, yes I have.

We stumbled upon a giant rabbit habitat with water fountains for kids.

Ross very quickly overpowered this giant bunny and became king (?)

I counldn't help from being a little kid and hopping into the water...

and about 30 seconds after this picture was taken I slipped and almost fell and Ross gave me a semi-dirty look so I quickly hopped out and onto dry land.

We eventually made it all the way to Tempe Town Lake and found a little boat dock to sit on.

Ross sat there gazing into the sunset looking dashingly handsome.

I rested my tired feetsies in the lake.

This was the first of our bike riding adventures in Tempe but definitely won't be our last! I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th and not to shabby day back to work.

BICYCLE!

2010-06-29T14:56:00.000-07:00

"I want to ride my bicycle! bicycle! BICYCLE!"

I am in love! I picked up this beauty from the seller's house last night rode it over to Ross' place and fell instantly in love. It's a 1960's Japanese vintage bike. The former owner, Erin, had just graduated from ASU and needed to get rid of it before moving back home to Virginia. I got it from her for just $100 and add a silver bell and a silver basket and it is the most beautiful perfect bike ever. I never though I would be so in love with a bike!

You wanna know something I don't love?? ARIZONA HEAT! Holy cow I just rode across the street to pick up a bell and basket and back to Ross' place and just about melted! I guess I haven't noticed summer being here since I've spent most of my time inside or at work, but I better get used to it quick because I'll be riding to work the next couple days. After I melt though we're going tubing down the Salt River Saturday to burn so on Sunday I will be melted and burnt but hey what else is summer for?

This is me back from riding around in an oven. (I don't even brush my hair anymore)

I had to push down the sunglasses and pout! come on now.

My new old gorgeous bike! I just need a name and can't think of one!

What would you name her.

I kinda like the 60's vibe so I'm thinking Estelle, Gladys, Betty, Donna maybe Beatrice?

What would you choose?

"Ohhh, I wouldn't have really shot her"

2010-06-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

Turner Classic Movies has very easily become my favorite channel this summer. This month on TCM it's Natalie Wood month and to celebrate every monday they are showing a bunch of her movies. Last Monday I was lucky enough to catch West Side Story and Gypsy with my mom and as I'm writing this now I'm watching Annie Get Your Gun on TCM.

♥

Annie Get Your Gun has insane good music and was really cute. I loved how it's basically a makeover movie of Annie using her wits and talents to get her guy. It reminded me of Oklahoma and how much fun that was Junior year. (I played Aunt Eller) The songs in Annie Get Your Gun were soooo much better than Gypsy to me so that basically means I'll be blasting them from my ipod all week long! (Ross will be soooo happy)

♥

Gypsy had one really good song I liked (and that just may have been from this scene in Glee) but what stood out for me was the burlesque dancing Natalie Wood's character Gypsy did. The rest of the movie was slow and maybe I was tired but I only really like the last 45 mins or so.

♥

West Side Story is my favorite though. I remember watching it my sophomore year in Orchestra after we played an arrangement from the movie and falling in love with it. This was the first musical I went out and bought the movie and soundtrack and then listened to on repeat for months. Then came Rent, Wicked, Chicago, Cinderella and many more but it all started with West Side Story.

♥

The Sharks are legit and the dance fighting between The Sharks and The Jets was so funny to me. The Jets have way better dancing and songs compared to The Sharks but my favorite character is Anita!

♥

I would die a happy, happy girl if I could play Anita in some community theatre production of West Side Story. America is probably my favorite song out a musical ever. I crave Anita's parts in Tonight and A Boy Like That/I Have a Love and really with her spunk and sass how could you not love Anita?

♥

"When love comes so strong,

There is no right or wrong,

Your love is your life"

♥

I can't get over how beautiful Natalie Wood is as Maria. Her and Tony's sad ending had my mom chocking up and me bawling the first time I watched the movie. I'll be bringing a box of tissues for when me and Ross watch it (he's just a real sensitive guy) =)

What are some of your favorite musicals?

Hey Friday! I'm in love..

2010-06-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

If you don't know that it's Friday and that we're all in love then you must not know Summer and truly that is a travesty. Shoot over to her blog and see what an amazing, sweet, beautiful, caring, strong, creative, funny, (I could go on for days) kind of girl she is.
Now that you have shot Summer a sweet "Hello" I can tell you that I am seriously in love with bikes right now.

♥

I've been searching on craigslist for a sweet ride that will be getting me around Tempe. I doubt that I could pull of that move but now I know what my goal is after getting super good at riding a bike around without falling off or getting hit.

♥

Ross has a really nice red bike that his dad passed down to him so we are gonna (I'm gonna beg him to) go take rides around and find empty fields in Phoenix to recreate this picture in.

♥
chances are that this is how I will end up about 75% of the time. oh and don't google "bike crashes" unless you want a billion reasons to never ride a bike again.
Have a Friday full of love =)

Ok let's try this again..

2010-06-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

I'm okay. I freaked out and then moped, realized it wasn't the end of the world, moped and then was completely sucked of any want to post anything at all and so I didn't. If I didn't feel like writing anything, my thinking was that if I posted no one would feel like reading.

what happened? oh yeah never did post or email anyone did i? Yeah it's because I did something that I like to call a Stupid College Thing and long story really short

I am without a car until late October.

♥

which wouldn't be so much of a problem if I didn't live at my parents house in Queen Creek and starting my Senior year at ASU which is Tempe (a good 45 mins away). Now add in my worries about having to go to work and going out with friends in the summer or road trips to the beach. yeah you wouldn't want to blog either.

but thankfully the most important worry is now gone since I will be moving to Tempe in August just in time to start my last year at ASU.

♥

I'm excited to be on my own again and really the move from home is long overdue.

The big huge cherry on top is that I'm gonna get to see these handsome guys everyday.

♥ my cell phone

Yeppers Ross has been so sweet and caring to ask me to move in with him since he lives just down the street from ASU.

I took the time to also reevaluate where I want this blog to go. I originally started it as a way to show my family how I was doing wherever I was since I really want to travel (hence the URL address of "WhereisMarisela") and want to keep that goal in mind. I'm gonna use this as a place to blog about traveling to a new home, about getting around Tempe on a bike, and traveling in Arizona and around the world. Maybe I can jot down the process of planning to since my good friend Sara and I have just started planning our huge European adventure that will take place next summer.

♥

I have so much stuff to talk about though that I hope I can stick with this blogging kick. I have started on headbands to open a shop and shopping on craigslist for a bike to get around in Tempe and I've never lived with someone I was dating so I'll have to chronicle the journey from I think his snoring is sweet and cute to days where I have to sleep on the couch from fear of smothering him in his sleep to get some peace and quite. I'm also gonna try C25K and the size 8 challenge is back on!

Thanks all for well wishes and concerns and reading this blog and being along for the ride.

I'm gonna get to commenting and reading all of great blogs I've missed!

OHHHH I almost forgot. Ross came for my mom's birthday to meet my parents for the first time and not only did my brother tell him he had guns, my mom chaperoned my tour of the house with him, and my dad taught my 2 year old niece how to slam down a shot glass yell "YUMMY" and pick up a lime to suck on at the same time... of course it goes without saying but that gets a post all on it's own...

Thank You

2010-05-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

Do you like my super melodramatic moment? I'm sorry I posted the most vague and silly post and then disabled comments but right then and there it felt like the world was starting to crumble in on me. Blogs are meant to be honest, raw and real...or at least that is how I want mine to be.

Thank you to the comments, emails, text and inquiries...turns out I was okay...

short story...I got in trouble with the law...had to fess up to the parents and low and behold they laughed and told me it was all a part of growing up.

I should give 'em more credit.

I also realized that I can make myself sick with anxiety and worry which is not good. You know what is good? Having someone who cares about you so much that they know just when to swoop in and say the right things and hug just the right way.

Thank you Ross for being more than I could have ever wished for making me the luckiest girl.

I'm okay...and as I calm myself down and look at the love I have I'm gonna be just fine =)

Smile?

2010-05-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

"Smile though your heart is aching

Smile even though it's breaking

Where there are clouds in the sky

you'll get by"

please oh please tell me I'll be okay.

because right now I'm not.

I'm just wondering how I could be so stupid.

I'm so sorry..

Chit Chat

2010-05-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

Is it alright if we can just cuddle up and chat for a bit? It is seriously my favorite thing to do. Grabbing coffee with a good friend or bugging my mom while she is watching her telenovelas and snuggling with Ross, him making me laugh, make my days so bright and happy.

There has been so much going on lately that I haven't had to blog or do other activities that are on my dod to list. But don't ever feel like you're just running to catch up all the time? My room is a mess and my mind is just as cluttered and I just want to chit chat with you all about something things on my mind.

On School- My focus was so off this semester and it showed in how ehh my grades were. I'm just so apathetic to it all and it feels wrong since my one dream in life has been to go to college but boy oh boy is it all getting old fast. I went to my best friend's graduation ceremony last night (Congrats Sara on your Bachelors of Science in Design Studies, Design Management!!) and it helped to put everything into perspective. I'm feeling that want to learn more and study and do the whole college thing and that makes me quite excited for next semester and for getting my shizz together to graduate in the next year!

On Moving- Yep I tweeted about it the other day but I am moving from my parents house out to another place a little closer to town and Tempe and ASU. My parents made an investment on a little mobile home (which looks more home than mobile so that works) and I'm moving in with my brother and maybe sister to take care of the bills and fix up the place. I am excited to get to paint and decorator but I already started with the closet (it had wood paneling! I though I was gonna die!) and after 4 coats of paint and still not anywhere close to being done I'm already feeling that I've bitten off more than I can chew. I haven't even started packing or cleaning so that adds more stress but I am excited to finally be moving my bed and desks and for the first time officially moving out of my parents house 100% (this means ALL my stuff and furniture) I'm excited for that change and taking another step to really growing up.

On Working Out- Since classes ended so has my regular workout schedule =( I;m not eating that well and trying to fit in workouts when I can but I can already feel the effects of not working out all the time! I'm tired and sluggish but I am really hoping when I get moved in and ready to go I can dive head first into working out and cooking and planning out meals and all in all a healthier lifestyle.

On Ross- Wow. I fell like the luckiest girl in the world. Luckiest girl in the world or lottery winner...both? yeah I feel like both having an awesome hair day and feelings skinny...that's how good I feel. I would get all mushy gushy but Ross has seen the blog! I know and if that's not bad enough we're following each other on twitter now so my plan B of escaping to tweet abou all the mushy gushy I can't contain is a no-go.

On Cats- Hello Ross' kitties! However much I was totally not a cat person before I can't help but love your furry little butts! The way you two meow or the cute little faces you make just makes my cute-o-meter go off the charts! Even if you two started picking me flowers, no amount of cuteness would make up for you two pooping in a box and then walking around all up in it. EWE.

♥

What do you wanna chit-chat about?

Killed It!

2010-05-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

Me and Ross were going to go out Saturday Night (he has been planning this secret project, but alas the stars were not aligned so we nixed the idea) but we stayed in and had an epic night in instead.

We both love Betty White (honestly who doesn't) and she seriously killed it on SNL.

♥

We started the night with some take-out sushi

♥

a couple of bottles of wine

♥

watched Dr. Strangelove (that movie is hilarious! We were cracking up so hard)

and then seeing this lovely lady along with a gripload of former SNL cast members on SNL's Mother's Day show.

♥

Sadly though I don't quite remember the whole episode. I think we may have had too much wine and we both might have had a night like this...

♥

at least I wasn't the only one this time.

Here is to my last day of finals and getting everything finished up today! Here is also to tylenol and bottles of water and sliced bread...you guys saved my bum yesterday!

Happy Monday!

I'm not a size 2

2010-05-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

I have never been this size. I would have to stop eating completely to get even close to a size 2 and in the end I think I could only make it to a 4.

♥

No matter how much I wish I looked like this when I looked in the mirror- I will never have that body. Looking into a picture of Megan is the closet I'll get to looking like that.

♥

What i've realized is that it's not the end of the world...

I'f I'm not a size 2.

These girls realized that it's okay to not be like Megan.

They aren't a size 2 but they look every bit as fierce as Megan.

♥

This beauty looks better in a retro style than Megan in a bikini to me.

♥

Christina Hendricks was Esquire's sexiest woman and look! She's not a size 2.

Actually you can surly see her curves are killer.

♥

None of these girls are a size 2 and I can't help but find everyone one of them more beautiful than Miss Megan too. They have confidence and radiant beauty. They aren't starving themselves to be thin and beating themselves up when they eat badly and neither should I.

♥

I work out 3 times a week and eat regularly pretty healthy foods and if I'm never a size 2- so be it. I am proud of how strong I am getting and how good I feel when I eat lots of veggies and greens. Felling good and strong is more important than hitting a certain number and I just have to remind myself that it's just not the way my body was built. I am curvy. Hell Ross loves my curvy body and this is my declaration that I love it too!

Curvy to me is real beauty and it helps just having a reminder of all the other beautiful women who will never be a size 2.

Like this classic beauty. She was never a size 2...

and pretty sure that didn't stop her from being the blond bombshell

♥

Eat healthy loves. Workout and feel great and don't beat yourself up over that slice of chocolate cake or curvaceous hips.

Winner!

2010-04-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway.

Seriously you are the most amazing people ever!

The winner is...

(please ignore my gym outfit and hair, the echo from the bathroom, my shiny nose, and overall nerdiness)

Elesie!

email me at comeflywithme (dot) mari (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your prize!

I will be back with a plethora of blog posts as soon as my end of the semester papers and finals are under control.

Waking Up

2010-04-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

I hit the alarm clock when it read 6:08 Am.

I've let it go on already for an extra 38 minutes.

Ugh.

Gym clothes? check

sports bra? check

shoes, phone, ipod? check, check, check

laptop, backpack? check and check

keys? lets go

driving down the 60 in congested traffic is just enough to get me angry this morning

"no, breath, just breath"

I tell myself

''look in the rearview mirror and see the sun rise"

It's not so romantic when you're already late

♥

Late

story of my life

Shit missed the exit

wait no- signal, move, and out

next right, left, right, right, left

park

6:52?

fuck

I'm late

Insert key, turn doorknob

say hi to cats

two stairs at a time

turn doorknob, open door

and there he is

walk over, climb in and enjoy the rest of the morning right where you should be

♥

that is until that 10:45 class of yours just down the street

Happy Monday!

Heres to hoping you're right where you should be.

P.S. don't forget to enter into my custom chucks giveaway!

Be an All Star Giveaway

2010-04-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

I live in Converse.

I have about 7 pairs that are more beloved to me than any pair of high heels.

I take mine to concerts, school, work, dates, and if you're gonna walk a mile in a pair of my shoes, you'll be doing it in converse.

♥

might as well be my closet

About two years ago I found out that you could design your own and quickly made these beauties for myself

For my first giveaway I himmed and hawwed over what I wanted to do. I wanted it to be something someone would really enjoy, something that would get use, something that meant a lot to me and something that was near and dear to my heart.

Then it occurred to me: Converse!

So for my first giveaway I am giving away, to one lucky reader, a $75 gift card to Converse.com to make your very own pair of custom chucks.

I love mine dearly and want to pass on the love to one lucky reader.

Here are the rules:

Giveaway open from Friday 4/23 to midnight Thursday 4/29

(I will announce the winner on Friday 4/30)

leave a comment telling me your shoe obsession = 1 entry

be a follower = 1 entry

tweet or blog about this giveaway = 1 entry (please link to your blog post and give me you twitter username)

I hope you all have an amazing weekend. I'll be appropriately dreaming about this:

♥

please make your way to my closet

Rah-Rah-ah-ah-ah-ah

2010-04-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

I want your Bad Romance...

are we sure it's "Rah-Rah-ah-ah-ah-ah" though?

could it possibly be

"RRAHHH RRAHHH AHHHHHHHH!"?

The similarities are striking.

Even to the point where I'm positive Lady Gaga breaths fire too.

One more day until my first giveaway! Check in tomorrow to enter!

C

2010-04-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

What to Eat Wednesday is brought to you this week by the letter "C"

Things that start with the letter C

Candles

Cars

Castles

Cream

Cookies

Candies

Maybe I've watched a little too much kids TV...

♥

The word I like that starts with C is

CAKE

Today's post is just some cakes I've done in the past couple months and I'm going to use it as a little inspiration to get myself baking this summer.

nothing says "I love you like" like Elmo?

"don't eat the fondant!" "is it edible" "well yeah, duh, why would I put it on a cake if it wasn't? but don't eat it!"

"blow, blow, blow!"

Happy Wednesday lovies...next week I swear I will cook something that isn't as unhealthy as cake is.

p.s. How amazing was Glee last night?? I might have to post on that or at least make good on a promise I might have made on twitter off Brittany's comment.

Fat Kid Syndrome

2010-04-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Surprise, surprise I was a fat kid.

♥

White bread eating, m & m loving, inside staying fat kid.

As a former fat kid now trying to get in shape I feel that I'm now suffering from fat kid syndrome

Fat Kid Syndrome: n; latin, stems from being an over weight child who was not active and now effects activity, energy, and ability when exercising in later life.

I hated going outside in the hot Arizona sun.

I loved arts and crafts and subbing my recess for reading time.

I ate like I needed to build up a layer of fat for hibernation.

I had asthma as a kid and would rather do long division than run.

Cut to the new me that is IITGI and spending more time at the gym then on the couch. I have shreded, yoga-ed, sweated it out on an the elliptical and bike but was still too scared to try to run.

That was until Friday night when I had to make it to that lightrail stop and needed to book it to get to it. I ran. My lungs didn't burn. I didn't want to stop after three steps. I actually felt like I had great form and speed and was really having fun.

♥

I really thought I had something like Fat Kid Syndrome that kept me at the back of the pack or from really trying because I knew I'd just fail. That short Friday sprint was the boost of confidence to keep me going on.

before my hike Sunday

Fat Kid Syndrome can eat it...I'm going for a run.

some things I've learned

2010-04-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Education doesn't just happen in the classroom.

Here are some things I learned this weekend.

That if I get dolled up Mr. Better-Than-Prince-Charming will dress up too and take me out.

Giving a night time tour of ASU can be more fun that Disneyland and that Old Main is beautiful day of night.

The elliptical not only is good for exercise but improves your cardio so much that when you have to run for the light rail you're the first one there.

Even if it is Arizona check, double check, and triple check that the pool isn't freezing if it's 1AM. Shit it felt like jumping into ice water.

A hot shower will cure anything. Especially when there's someone else who can get your back.

Happy Monday everyone! This is post number 100 and I have made it to 53 followers so expect to hear from me everyday this week and for my first giveaway this Friday.