birth-month

This year, I didn't have a birthday. I didn't have a birth-week. I had a birth-month. And I'm kinda sad that it ends today :(

It all started on the 3rd when my bf surprised me with my birthday gifts (yes, plural) - a pair of Toms shoes and a new sweater. Thanks B, I love them!

Then my Tucson birthday trip started early on the 4th when I got my iPhone :D I never knew I could love an object as much as I love this phone! Thanks to my brother Christopher for staying at the Apple store and getting my phone while I went to the doctor! On the 5th was my birthday dinner with my family - I love them! The girls got pedis and we all celebrated Steph's birthday on the 6th with tacos. And before I left Tucson on the 7th, I got the best present of them all - no cavities when I went to the dentist (total joke, but I was super happy about it)!

When I returned from Tucson on the 7th, I got a haircut and had a massage - my birthday gift to me! And on the 8th was my birthday dinner with the bf's family, so nice of them! When I returned to work on the 9th (yes, I actually took three days off work), my desk was decorated with balloons and confetti and streamer paper and my team got me a space heater along with a "happy 13th birthday" card (yes, I'm the baby in the group) - totally love my work family! My co-workers Jeremy and Liz both took me to lunch that week too! My consecutive birth-days finally ended, but that Saturday, my friends and I went dancing in Old Town for my joint birthday bash with Jenna. And the following Saturday I got my sewing machine - thanks mom and dad!

Thank you to everyone who had a part in my birthday this year, you made me feel so special and loved!
(and I know I used lots of "!" this post, but this month was just that good!)

fair play

The last time I went to the fair was when I was little - like 5 years old. I only remember being mesmerized by the kids playing in the Fun House, but when I turned around my family was gone. Someone quickly realized that I was missing and my dad came back to get me. Not the best memory of the fair...

This year I went to the state fair with some friends. So. Much. Fun.
I was kindof tired after work, but as soon as I saw the fair lights from the freeway I got so excited! First, we got some dinner. I decided to try Indian Fry Bread. It was decent. Then, the rides began: bumper cars, the spaceship, tango, the giant slide, cyclone, and the ferris wheel. I laughed and laughed and laughed the whole night! I don't think I could have had a better fair experience. And I didn't get lost this time :)

a day late...

... or almost a month late...

Over Labor Day weekend, I went to Utah to visit my family and a friend. This was the first "vacation" I've had in a lllllooooonnnnnggggg time. For the first part of my trip I stayed at my aunt's house (thanks so much Aunt Robyn and Uncle Joe, love you!). It was nice to have some down time and see my family, especially since I don't get to see them a lot. Then I went camping with my friend and his brother's family - hence the "vacation".

I knew Utah was going to be colder than Arizona, but I didn't know it would be that cold. I lived in my jeans and a hoodie the whole weekend. And if I wasn't in the sun, I had goosebumps. I'm pretty sure it was below freezing at night. Even with long johns on I was beyond cold. And I was this close to frostbite.

The first night of camping was spent in a tent. I think I slept a total of three hours max that night. I tried to curl up into the smallest ball possible to keep my feet from falling off, but my 95-year-old-woman-hip made that painful. Add an unemptied bladder and it quickly became a very long night. This is why we slept in the truck the second night. With the heater on :)

Some of the camping highlights were: spending time with Riley, riding the quad, campfires, and s'mores!

It really was a great "vacation"!

embarrassing

I don't even know why I am posting this. Probably because it is a milestone. It was my first, and hopefully (but probably not) my last. Tonight I ran out of gas on my way home. And it was AWFUL!

I remember the first time my "check gauges" light came on while I was driving, I freaked out. I went to the closest gas station and filled up a.s.a.p.. As the years have gone by, I have tested that light time and time again. But tonight the light won.

While driving home from Queen Creek, the dreaded check gauges light came on. I was already on my way and figured I had plenty of gas to get home. But I was wrong. Very, very wrong. I made it almost half way home when my car suddenly gave up. It just stopped working. When I pushed the gas pedal, nothing happened. The RPMs rapidly decreased, as well as my speed. Then the steering wheel locked. And then lots of lights on my dash came on. I made it safely to the side of the road and did what any girl would do - called my dad. Then AAA.

I was kinda freaked out, but I remember turning on my hazard lights and trying to explain to my dad what happened. I also might have mentioned that I was low on gas. But it totally could have been my dying fuel pump! AAA said I was a "priority" because I was stopped on the side of the freeway (oh yeah, forgot to mention that little bit of info above) and that emergency roadside assistance would be on their way in the next 3 hours. I called at 7 pm! After waiting sweating in my car for half an hour, I called my friend Chris who lived nearby. Thankfully he was home, was not busy, had a gas container, and was willing to save me. He had about a gallon of gas already in the container, so we tried that first. But no such luck, my car still would not start (that's when I really started to freak out). So I called my dad again, who gave a few suggestions, and we took a trip to a nearby gas station. After 3 gallons of gas and several attempts later, my car started!

Next time that check gauges light comes on, you better believe that I will go straight to the closest QT I can find!
And a special thank you to my dad and Chris for saving me!

step two complete

Don't worry, I'm not in a twelve step program...

Much like the last post, step two also involved lots of stress and LOTS of waiting. Step two is kinda the "make it or break it" step. I stressed and waited for the step to come, and now I'm stressing and waiting to see if I make it to the next step (of 4, but the next step is really like ten steps in one). I guess all I can do is WAIT!