tucson blossoms

One of the things I love most about Tucson is the that the landscape is raw...it's wild...and it's immaculate.  The weather has been perfection these past couple weeks and I've noticed the little sprigs of color popping up between the rocks and sand.  Quite a site!

The desert is unusual..it's not cozy and inviting like other parts of our country.  It's thorn covered...dirty...dusty...with deadly spiders and snakes burrowing all over the place.  But plenty of fuzzy jackrabbits too.  Oh...and quails and roadrunners...I love a fast roadrunner.  I hear the coyotes outside at night.  Yes...I suppose some might think it's scary...but it can be colorful and beautiful.  It's a unique place, the southwest.  The sun is bright, the nights are warm...and it is home. 

These are the blooms in my "backyard."  

*note:  I'm going to take the next few weeks off from blogging (though it pains me to do so).  I really need to focus on my last rotation in the emergency department - lots and lots of research at night!!  Next time I write I won't be living in Tucson anymore.

delicate soles

I wear a lot of flats.  Well, actually I don't own lots...I just wear the couple pairs I have a lot.  High heels kill me...though they give me quite a nice swagger.  I'm partial to the shoes that keep me grounded and casual.  Except these are kinda shiny...and flirty...and fun.  Sign up to win a pair at A Chocolate Lover's Confessions!

bookshelves

Don't remember where I saved this file from. 

Regardless....I think Tommy and I need this.  

We could probably fill it up today...

but for now it will remain on our "someday list." 

Isn't it divine to love books so much you want to surround yourself with them?

I love that my lover is a reader.  

You read anything stimulating lately?

yellow weeds

These weeds are suuuper small.  Smaller than a pencil's eraser.  And they are so very pretty. I was getting such bizarre looks as I was crouching on the gravel to get a closer look.  They are just so sweet..and vibrant...yet almost hidden because of their size.  I didn't overlook them.  A small sort of accomplishment I suppose. I hope I live my whole life never overlooking things like tiny flowers growing in peculiar places.

Tucson's desert is spectacular.  The prettiest in the whole state.  I could live here.  I really could.  There are so many wildflowers in bloom right now.  Pink and orange and green and yellow. 

Yellow flowers.  They seriously just mystify me.  I'm awfully glad I'll be carrying yellow blooms at my wedding - anything else just wouldn't feel right.  Not for me, anyway. 

frosting mustaches

Birthday boy Luke - making a wish

We attended a birthday party this weekend...a 2 year old's birthday to be exact.  And it was, without a doubt, one of the coolest birthday parties I've ever been to.  I spent the entire morning cracking up while watching the little kiddos paint with pudding, splash water, play in the play house, slide down the jungle gym, get covered in shaving cream, and then mud puddles, and then start over.  It was awesome!  And my favorite part - the doggie decorated cupcakes...and the mess the little ones made eating them. No really - this party was dope.

Doggie face before...

doggie face after...devoured.

Canan...or was this Jonas?  I couldn't keep 'em straight.

pretty pretty Peyton...

Luke and Ella...besties...

admire Ella painting with pudding...

watching my fiance entertain babies...

Hadley and Conner in the new raddical playhouse.
Man.  I kinda want a playhouse.
It was too cool.

towels for tea

I am becoming more and more interested in interesting kitchen linens.  Is this peculiar?  I find myself spending entirely too long gazing at, and feeling up, the beautiful cloth goods in kitchen boutiques.  In fact, I even purchased a set of yellow napkins.  They were clearance...6 for $1...and they are a mustardy yellow, with a nice durable weight to them - quite a steal right!?  I bought them with the intention of embroidering something cute along the edge.  I bet that never happens...and they stay yellow. 

I'm rather smitten with the kettle image on these tea towels.  I thought for sure the tree would capture me (as most trees do)...or the lighthouse (Tommy and I had our first date at a historic lighthouse!).  And then, the octopus is clearly rad in ever stylistic way. 

Except.  I'm partial to that kettle.  Go enter to win them at Style Obsession.

griddle?

via HerDaily

I dream of pancakes.  Frequently.  Usually on the weekends.  And then I sleep in so late that I wake up famished and then tend to head straight for the cereal to cure the hunger pangs asap.  My sister makes  a mean french toast - and so I dream about french toast 50% of the time now.  She puts bananas on top...and a teeeeeeeny tiny shimmer of powdered sugar.  And I die.  Because it's divine.

I threw one of these griddle contraptions on our registry - I've heard these things rule. I've never used one - but I see them being used all the time on cooking shows.  So obviously, I want one too. Do you use one??  Are they better than a cast iron skillet?

Register to win one from A SAHM Looking For A Deal.

1700's

18th Century Blog

Wow.  When I find people reveling in their outrageously interesting hobbies...it inspires me.  I tend to get all jazzed up about things that my friends and fam might think are a lil odd or lame.  Life is short - might as well pursue those little things that bring you joy.  Take, for example, the random escapade I had in exploring a blog dedicated to the 18th Century? 

 18th Century Blog

The blogger behind 18th Century Blog is fascinated with the fashion of that time...which makes me somewhat fascinated with her.   The whole site is one fantastic resource after another...complete with costumes she creates herself (what!?)  This is surely a site my mom (the history teacher) and me (the art historian) could spend hours devouring.  Makes me want to wear a big puffy dress and watch Marie Antoinette. 

garter envy

Honest to God I hate the whole tradition of men creeping up their new bride's leg...under her fluffy dress...to seductively yank off her garter.  In front of Grandparents and small children?  Yuck.  Not my favorite wedding tradition.  And we will certainly not partake in this lil "ritual" when we tie the knot in 50 or so days.  (50ish days....wow!)

Whereas I sorta hate the tradition...and the ritual... I'd still totally wear a glam garter.  It would be like my little sparkly secret...and how pretty is that Florrie Mitton garter??  Enter to win this at Chic' n Cheap Living.

pretty lil pink things

I'm on an earring kick.  I swear I'll go months and months without changing my lil studs...or I'll skip 'em all together and my earlobes will be naked for weeks on end.  And now?  Earrings everyday.  The ones that dangle ever so slightly.  Makes me feel all springtime...and flirty...and girly.

Go enter to win these pretty lil pink things from broken*saucer.  Or don't, and up my chances :-)

pre-nesting

 all of this decadent original art work by Stephanie Levy...

i like getting lost in her colors...

Tommy and I get married next month.  Makes my cheeks hurt from smiling...even just thinking about it!  I'm excited to cross that threshold, to start that next chapter in our lives...to start fresh in a new place...and to purge ourselves of the material objects we have been hanging onto.

When we move to New York, we aren't taking all our stuff with us - we'll be shipping a few boxes of clothes, and coats, and towels and bedding.  We'll pack our cars full of wedding gifts - hopefully new pots and pans, dishes, and kitchenry items...and of course a couple boxes of our fave books, and our fave artwork.  And that's all.  Sounds liberating. (That might actually sound like a lot of stuff to you...you have no idea the amount of stuff that we have held onto...we're sorta packrats.

It gets me daydreaming about what our future home will be like.  Will we sleep on an air mattress for 6 months before we can afford to buy a real bed?  Those practical thoughts stress me out....so I skip to more of the "dreamy" nesting images...where we have been settled for a little while, have a little savings in the bank...and a real sofa to sit on.  What will it look like?  What will "our" space feel like?  I'm assuming it will feel like home.

I love anticipation like this.

future foot fixer

Even though I may not wear heels, doesn't mean I don't find them stunning...
like all of these bodacious hand painted beauties...from cocopunkz.

Two months.

Two months to the day.  That's how much time I have left as a student. I know I keep going on and on about this. But I've been in college/med school for the past DECADE and the thought that I will actually be:

1) employed
2) a doctor
3) not in school

is making me pretty dang excited.

So. In two months I will no longer be a "future foot fixer." I will actually be a foot and ankle specialist...a real podiatrist.  A surgeon.  My last rotation begins today in the Emergency Department at the hospital. 

Two months. I can handle two more months.

But can you handle these hand painted shoes?

easter weekend

I like to celebrate in as many ways as I can.  Do you like my new spring shower buddy?  I do. 

I love holidays.  All of them.  Especially Easter.  It's a spiritual event...a joyful religious celebration spent with family.  Yet, to me, it's also about bunnies, and colorful eggs, little girls in pretty hats, pastel colors, daffodils and jelly beans.  Oh, and sugary peeps.  I love it all.  

This Easter Sunday promises to bring together my sisters and our beaus...to spend a morning of worship at St. Mary's Basilica downtown (truly divine space)...and to spend our afternoon together.  We might decorate eggs...or cook up an Easter brunch that would make my parents proud.


Do you celebrate in little ways too?   Happy Easter.

salad endeaver

 Orangette -  Summer Romaine Salad with Lime Garlic Dressing

When I went to college in the fall of 2000, I was not a fan of eating salad.  In fact, it never crossed my mind to eat healthy... I never worked out in a gym...never drank milk...or much water for that matter.  I lived on cafeteria food since I lived on campus...it was "free" on my meal plan.  I ate pizza probably more days than not, with a Coke, and ice cream for dessert.  I shudder at the memory. 

I still struggle to be healthy.  Though most of those gross habits have hit the curb since medical school started.  I work out...and think about what would be good for me....well, most of the time.  I still eat whatever I want (which isn't the smartest thing...and I'm constantly surprised that I'm not the size of a house...but if I keep doing what I'm doing I very well could be.)  So.  I want to start eating a salad at least once a day as a meal.  There.  Commitment made.
Maybe I'll try my hand at some of Molly's salads - they look tempting (not quite as tempting as her desserts...but I gotta start somewhere.)

What is your fave healthy treat?

Warm Chicken Salad with Arugula, Olives, and Pine Nuts

Balthazar Salad, Slightly Bastardized