FLOOD!!!

When I very first moved away from California and learned that people in other parts of the country actually use their basements as living spaces I snootily vowed that I would never live in a basement. However, in a love fueled trance Richard's and my very first place ended up being a basement. The apt complex where we lived back then had terrible management who couldn't figure out how to adjust the sprinkler system and our carpets got really wet and we even found mushrooms growing behind the furniture!

EWEWEWEW We moved away as soon as we could and I renewed my vow to NEVER EVER LIVE IN A BASEMENT AGAIN! Well 2011 rolls around and we find the cutest little place that just happens to be a basement. "Its OK" I naively tell myself "this time it will be ok, lightning never strikes the sames spot twice right?..."

WRONG!!! Bountiful Utah gets the biggest rainfall in 35 years and yes you guessed it... Our place flooded!!! It was just the living room but still.. Luckily however this time around we have AWESOME landlords they came in helped us move all of the furniture from the living room up to their house were they'll keep it safe until things dry up down here. They even bought us dinner so we didn't have to cook! They had to cut open a few of the walls and tear out a bunch of carpet so our home is a bit of a construction site right now. They were able to find were the water was getting in from and they are getting it fixed so hopefully it won't ever happen again.

But, believe me when I tell you this:

Basements you and I are through!

The world needs more fancy dress parties!

I've recently been introduced to Lolita fashion from Japan and I'd have to say I LOVE IT!

Found a website with TONS of Lolita dresses most under $50 bucks.

So I took one of my favorites and combined it with some other of my favorite things to get a sort of Lolita meets Panic at the Disco.

The only trouble is where could you ever wear it?

So I came to the logical conclusion of:

The World Needs More Fancy Dress Parties!

Just 2 or 3 times a year it should be custom to have a fancy dress party, sort of like Halloween or Christmas parties but just focusing on being fancy and classy.

Job Hunt!

Just placed 4 resumes/portfolios! 3 positions open and one cold sale. Hopefully I'll hear something soon. I've had bad luck lately with getting interviews. But I think these new portfolios might do the trick. Cross your fingers for me!

4 Chord Song Axis of Awesome

Every pop hit from the last 40 years with only 4 chords

(WARNING strong language at 0:45 and 4:58)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I

oops if you checked this on Tuesday I had the wrong link.. here is the right one.

Pictures of our new place :)

Here they are finally :)

Hawaii Here We Come!

Well its officially the plan! Looks like Fall of 2012 Richard and I will be heading out to Oahu! We are so excited. Ever since our honey moon to Maui we have wanted to move there full time. Its been my personal dream since 4th grade and now... I THINK ITS REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN! They have Richard's Degree and they have a Doctorate of Architecture that would only take a few months longer than the Masters of Architecture I've been looking at here on the mainland. We've been researching housing, jobs, and the college and I'm soo excited! Paradise here we come .. (in a year and a bit lol)

We got a Barbecue!

We got a cute little barbecue to go in our new driveway, well actually its so little we put it in the closet when we aren't using it! Its inspired my latest menu item, Ronnow Steak House Potatoes! Heres how I make them:

3 - 5 small red potatoes in 1 inch cubes

2 Tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves

2 green onions

1 tsp parsley

1Tbs parmesan

sea salt to taste

garlic salt grinder to taste

Boil potatoes in salt water until just tender

toss with olive oil

add remaining ingredients and toss again

put on cookie sheet separated so they aren't overlapping and broil on low until golden brown with crispy edges!

Here they are with a few of our bbq meals :)

I Loathe doing the dishes AND I Loved them first :)

So now that I am graduated and we are moved in to the new place, Richard has started working nights again, and I am still job hunting, I find I have these big pockets of something entirely new to me.. a strange concept referred to as "free time". I have most recently been filling this new found void with the universal sports channel that we have at the new place, watching none other than rugby! I have NO CLUE whats going on but its very exciting! But alas, even rugby is not enough to fill these blocks of time. So (drum-roll please!) I am going to keep our blog posted regularly!

This being my first 'real text' post I am going to make it a double whammy!

Firstly I LOATHE DISHES!

This adorable place we moved into (pics of the place hopefully in the following post) has a bigger kitchen then our old place! I LOVE IT! so cutely designed and brand spanking newer appliances. BUT one important appliance is missing - a dishwasher.

Now before I go any further I must explain how truly spoiled I am. For about 4-5 years now I have NEVER washed a sink load of dishes. I just have had a dishwasher every place I've lived PLUS Richard always washes any other dishes, pots and pans etc., for me because he says thats his job since I do the cooking.

Now that he is working full time and I'm not I said, "No honey, I will cook dinner and wash the dishes too!" BIG MISTAKE!!! This is what happened when I made a yummy Lemon Garlic Chicken over Couscous dinner with a side steamed broccoli and brownies with ice cream for dessert! Its hard to tell from the picture but there are dishes piled that high all the way to the back of the counter. THATS JUST ONE MEAL! I have officially taken my husband for granted. My hands are all shriveled and pruney, my t shirt is soaked, and I almost broke 3 glasses! Wow I love you honey!

Now on to,

I loved them first!

A long time ago when the Killers first started to get played on the radio where I lived I really liked their song Somebody Told Me. All my friends didn't like it but it was ok because I always felt that it was the things that made me different that made me cool. Well the Killers got big and Hot Fuss was everyone's favorite album. Then one of my friends who had originally teased me about enjoying the Somebody Told Me song said "Hey have your heard of the Killers? They are really cool. I just bought their CD,".... This lead to a new emotion for me I don't have a name for it but in my head it feels like "NO You Cant Love Them! I Loved Them First!" Mixed with "Thats so cool you love them, now we can love them together!"

I have to admit I had totally forgotten about this little part of my past until just recently between the Royal Wedding and the Kentucky Derby, suddenly facinators are popular again. Richard got me one 2 years ago and I just LOVE it I wear it whenever I can. But now everybody loves them and is getting them and at first I feel "HOORAY! everyone can be cool with me!" But in the back of my head I can hear a young teenage me shouting:

"NO! you can't love it! I loved it first!"

GRADUATION!!!

Here is graduation for COAST (college of applied science and technology) On either side of me are the other girls who graduated from our Major this semester. There were five of us all together and ALL of us received honors! made my little feminist heart happy :)

Getting the Diploma. I'm all smiles cause well I AM GRADUATING! and I have the type of family who completely ignores the "Please hold you applause 'til after all the graduates names have been read" comment. It was so nice to have them there :D

It's still just sinking in! Thanks to everyone who have helped me get here!

As for news on the future:

I GOT ACCEPTED TO U OF U'S Masters of Architecture Program! With a rejection rate of about 60% I'm super proud of myself! It looks like I will be taking this year off though and making some big bucks doing engineering work. I'm also considering doing my masters somewhere warmer and greener but we'll all know more in 9 months or so.