The Sunny Side

When I first noticed Will in class he was the boy who always had the daily newspaper in hand.  After meeting and learning that I had absolutely no interest in current events he was astonished.  This difference still remains and Will is still surprised and annoyed when I don't keep up on the things going on around me.   I open the newspaper rarely and it's only to read comic strip "Blondie" and then I promptly pass it on.  I definitely have improved by my 100 percent dedication to the Today Show but I feel that program is a whole different nature. The reason: I have a beef with the news.  9 times out of 10 it's negative or depressing stories and I have my own things I can dwell on if I want to be stressed or sad.   However,  the other night after I hung up the phone with my Mom, it hit me that I spent the entire twenty minutes complaining and informing her of all the negative things going on.  What is it about human nature that makes the negative so much more interesting to tell than the positive?  I hated this because Will and I, apart from being down here, are perfectly happy!  I don't hate my job, we should feel blessed that Will has a job, Miles keeps me company, our fridge is filled, we have a cute apartment, our marriage couldn't be better, and our family is healthy.  Really, what do I have to be complaining about?  So I have made a list of events that are positive and I have loved.  I have been working a little bit more this week so a lot of them are from Charlotte Russe:

1.  School is about to start for K-12 down here (so early) so there has been a lot of mother-daughter shopping in the store to find the perfect first day of school outfit.  I LOVE THIS.  I remember how important the first day of school outfit was and how I would gather my friends to discuss the options.  The mom and I have a fun time with winks and giggles while the 8th grade girls perfect their ensemble.  It's so fun when the Mom's get really into because they know it's so important for their daughters who are entering their first day of high school or their first day as the top-dog eighth grader.
2. I am now the Accessory Specialist at work which I find HILARIOUS.  What does this even mean? No one knows but it makes for some entertainment.
3. I found a box of cookies under the bed on Will's side while vacuuming and I still think it's the cutest thing ever.
4. Will has really been doing some career-soul searching lately and while it's a little confusing when he has a new business plan everyday I love watching him search and find what he wants to do with his life and be a part of it.
5. Will bought some french speaking CD's to listen to in the car so he can buff up on the language and I really enjoy it.  I would rather listen to him repeat and translate french than listen to annnnny music.
6. I recently watched the Miley Cyrus movie: Hannah Montana and I watched it again afterwards and then again in the morning.  I then ordered cowboy boots and my ringtone is now the "Throwdown Hoedown".  Who knew Hannah Montana could make you smile for 48 hours?
7. A 60 year old lady bought a puffy flowered dress that she wanted to wear out of the store.  She, and the dress, were adorable.  The dress was a little funky for a 60 year old and to make it better she wore it over the outfit she had on.  The cutest thing: I commented on her gorgeous wedding diamond and she goes, "Well, you should see the man that goes with it" ;).  I loved it.  I'm going to be that in- love with Will when we're 60 and still wear fun things.
8.  I have now watched Aiden's video of the toad on the porch over ten times.  I'm so proud to be his Ami.  I know I'm not his mom, but it's true for Auntie's too that your own just seem like the cutest kids in the world.
9.  I called my mom for advice and then right after I called Jenny for advice and their advice was NIGHT and DAY.  It was so reflective of their personalities that I just had to laugh.  I should have guessed exactly what it would be.  Mom is rainbows and lollipops and Jenny is cut-throat.  It just made me giggle and still does.
10. The other day my engaged manager said to me: Do you ever just think, you know, I'm going to go out there and get me an upgrade?!  My reaction was surprise.  My response was: Actually no, I have never even considered it; but Will and I are a little obsessed with each other. I think she was surprised but I have never felt happier because selfishly, I love that I don't have her problem or thoughts.
11.  I love that my dad thanks me for just calling.  He appreciates everything so much that I feel like just being in existence makes his day.  And that makes everyday worth it for me.
12. I love that the only thing on my TO DO list yesterday for my day off was getting grocerys and making warm fuzzies.

Ok, so these are the positive moments that popped into my head just laying in bed.  See? There are a ton. I could probably go on but my readers probably didn't even get to this portion of the entry.  Just so you know, although negative things may be more fun to talk about and dwell on, the positive things count so much more.

Will and I testing out the "photobooth" on the new Mac.

Visiting Rights 2

Will and I attracted some more friendly faces down to the desert.  Pia and Mark (her main squeeze) came to visit and we had them for five whole days!! Pia is my best friend and although distance has separated us for three years now- nothing has changed.  We still giggle too much, tell each other too much, and talk about our feelings too much (Will pointed this out). Our only complaints to each other have been our phone calls have cut down to once a week because of her first full time job :), Mile's bad affect on allergies, and the fact that I won't give her back our favorite t-shirt (which technically belongs to her).  Mark earned a couple brownie points by putting the ca-bosh on her "mission: get T-shirt back" part of her trip.  Their trip was complete with the main ingredients:  a campus tour, board games, the pool, lots of A/C, an Arizona margarita, sand, and SWEAT.  Don't say I didn't warn them.

Pia would have been more than good enough for me but to put some icing on the cake we made the short trip to San Diego for a day to see our old friends, Claire and Beth.  All four of us haven't been together forever so it was re-freshing to see some friendly faces and re-connect. After some authentic Mexican food we went to the piano lounge "Shout House".  The piano players are absolutely amazing and anything you want them to play they pound out without hesitation.  Of course, to get your requests played a small (OK, big) fee helps and unfortunately, the one dollar bill Pia folded into a flower didn't quite cut it. 

Icing on the cake would have been MORE than good enough but to add a little strawberry sauce on top,  I got to see where Will goes every month! We stayed in the mysterious place where Will calls home (just kidding) and I love that I get to put a picture with where he is when he's not with me.  Results: I'm not feeling to bad for him :) The place was beautiful and there was lots to do. However, I did begin to feel sad when he introduced me to half the staff like they were his friends.  I don't like my husband being on a first name basis with a hotel :(.

I've never been to the other side of the US so I got to touch the cold Pacific for the first time. We weren't prepared enough for the beach because the way everyone talked it felt like the Artic.  PSH-Turns out it was busy with bikini bodies and surfers and I would have joined in a second.  Next time! Will and I aren't city people so by the time it came to relaxing on the beach we weren't exactly relaxed anyway.

All in all - I love Pia, she has a good guy on her arm, and I can't wait to see her again. 

The Ladies.Note: The first day Will dared Mark to swim across the entire pool without coming up and he lost his contacts. So he was stuck with his glasses all week :) Oh, Will. Claire and her boyfriend, Andrew. The married folk :)The piano players were playing "Eye of the Tiger" and I was taking too many pictures. So the boys got creative. Best Buds. Beach feet- Will in I in the ocean. Love Birds.

                                                                           The boys takin' it in.

Fashion Sales

I tell her "the dress makes you thin"
"the colors-so good it's a sin!"
She agrees with my thought
though it's just poppycock-
But some cash- she's looking to spend.

"Layers are the trend of the year.
Go look! You'll see in the mirror.
So you must buy a few-"
I'm a fashion gurue.
or so, for some reason, you think.

I gather three pieces of flaire.
More plastic and fabric I wear.
with accessories on,
my outfits a con
the girls scavange for the rings that they see.

Why do they look all the same?
Am I the girl who's to blame?
I tell them the fashion,
soon they will cash in
and blend into the posh Scottsdale scene.

A girl new to town comes to me,
She's single and sweet like ice cream.
She says she needs clothes
and no style she shows-
but she wants to attract a nice boy.

I tell her "Go shop your own room"!
Trends won't find you a groom.
You have your own look
and you can't be mistook
Your passions will attract your soul mate.

Mae Cousin

You know you're married when....

Will and I have been married for about a year and half now and I continue to stop and think...what a married thing to be doing.  Confession: I LOVE IT!  Sitcoms and movies can pick on the married lifestyle however much they want but when it comes down to it...happy couples love the comfort and routines of their marriage. 
A year and half in, Will and I have established the comfort level and connection that I always dreamed of. 
I no longer put on mascara and lip gloss after my bedtime shower (girls, you know you've done it).  And Will sits through my "no picking your nose in the car" lecture without shame (or stopping). 
Last night I had the "we are sooo married" feeling and had to laugh to myself. 
Bedtime went like this:

So my favorite time of the day is when I'm watching the Today Show at 7 while Will gets ready for work and he comes out smelling of aftershave, cologne, hair gel, clean, and simply WONDERFUL!  I had a thought that he would probably like it if I smelled that delicious and clean.  I always forget to put on perfume in the morning and it's usually worn off anyway by the time he gets home. So last night while Will took a break from our reality show (America's Got Talent) to get a snack I thought it would be great if I really lathered up with the new yummy lotion I got at the Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual sale  (cucumber and lily water..mmm!).  So, I'm sitting there smelling of radiance when Will comes back and has this reaction:

OH GROSSSSSSS! DO YOU SMELL THAT? WHAT IS THAT SMELL? IT SMELLS LIKE AN OLD LADIES HOUSE OR SOMEHING! EHHH!

Me: oops. dang it.

So after explaining and taking notice of the fresh bowl of blueberries he brought in I began to dig into the fruit.  But gross..I have so much lotion on my hands that the blueberries taste like lotion and soap.  But I HATE getting out of bed once I'm snuggled in and have found the perfect spot so I plead with Will to feed me the berries.  Will does not want to do this so for the next ten minutes I'm pleading, "just one more bite" unless America's Got Talent steals my attention. 

The evening ended with us both falling asleep by ten, with tummy's full of berries and the room smelling of grandma's house.
Sooo married :)
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Oddly enough, one of the stories on the Today Show this morning was about a man who had to get his face removed because of a rare cancer.  During the interview, when the wife was asked if she ever wanted to leave she said..."It was hard but he's mine. I have got the papers to prove it!"  For some reason I loved that.  In 70 years Will may be feeding me blueberries for entirely different reasons but  we both know we will be there for each other...it's written.