Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum

I must admit "Little Drummer Boy" has always been on the bottom of my Christmas favorites list. It just irritated me for some unknown reason. I was talking with Todd yesterday, and he informed me his favorite Christmas song is "Little Drummer Boy." Seriously? He asked, "Have you ever listened to the words?" Honestly, I have never listened to the words in all my 30 years! He then shared the final lines:

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Immediately, my mind flashed to my little 4-year old nephew. I imagined little Ollie in a crowd of people, all giving expensive gifts to their king. I then saw him walk up to the Savior, in complete earnestness, and offer share the greatest gift he had. Can you just imagine him (or your son) playing those drums with all the intensity of his little 4-year old soul? "I played my best for him!"..."Then He smiled at me"
We may not always be in a place to give the "finest" gifts to our king, but we can offer him our hearts. We can give the best of whatever seemingly insignificant sacrifice we may lay before our Savior in gratitude. I challenge any of you who may not like this song to picture your son, grandson, or nephew as the little drummer boy and tell me if this is now one of your favorite songs!

I am kind of in a Faith Hill Christmas mood, so her is her version. However, there are a ton of great renditions.

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

(Why not use this post to show off the newest member of the clan...isn't he adorable!!! Check out more fabulous photos here)

I stumbled upon this blog and fell in love. It makes me so excited to have little boy one day!

1001 Rules for My Unborn Son

*As a side note, I can totally see Todd doing something like this for our little guy one day...as much as he plays it cool, he is so excited to have a little son to teach rules such as #337: Carry two handkerchiefs. (The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.) or #360: Never under any circumstance ask a woman if she is pregnant. Hahaha, so true!

Swan Lake

Whether you are a fan of ballet or not, you must watch this...absolutely incredible!!! There is something powerful about witnessing greatness in others that truly inspires me to cultivate the talents I have been given.



*If you are the impatient type at least watch the last 2-3 minutes ;)

Hmmm...Really?

Two people, yes two, have stopped me randomly on the street and entering a restaurant to tell me I look just like Christina Applegate. You remember her...the tramp from Married With Children!

And today:

I don't really see it, but hey she is hot...I'll take it ;) How about you, who do people say you look like?

30 Something

Does anyone remember their parents watching this show when they were kids? Does anyone also remember thinking 30 is so old? I do!
This past week I have noticed clerks in the store have moved from saying, "Excuse me miss" to "Excuse me mam." Aaaahhh...am I really turning 30 this year! Perhaps I should be sad about leaving my 20s, but I am quite excited to welcome the next decade. I feel like life gets better every year. Plus, I have yet to meet someone who didn't say it has been their best decade yet. However, I do want to cherish my last bit of "twentysomething" years...before I get too old ;)
Any ideas how I can make the last couple months of my 20s memorable?

Home is Where the Heart Is

I am obsessed with kitchens these days. Todd and I daydream about the kitchen we want in our home someday...his is a tad more elaborate than mine ;) Perhaps it is because we love hosting dinner parties, but nothing is more important in a home to me than a beautiful kitchen that opens to a warm family room. I can't wait to bake cookies with our kids, throw elaborate holiday celebrations with Todd, and fill our home with incredible aromas and memories!
How about you? What do you think is the best room in the house?

I'm Back...?

It is always strange writing a post, after a hiatus. Let's face it, my blog has been one continuous hiatus for some time now! I know I keep saying this, but I truly am hoping to get back into a blogging groove one of these days. Things are truckin' right along here in good ole' AZ. Here are some of the highs and lows of life in the fast lane. Ok, maybe life isn't too fast and furious but it sounds good ;)

Highs:

(Does this picture not just melt your heart?)

*I have a fabulous new job as an adoption and pregnancy counselor and absolutely love it! Who knew a switch from the known, eating disorder therapist, to the unknown (alright, "less known") could be so fabulous. Truly, I feel blessed everyday. It was time to switch life up a bit.

*The temps are finally dropping! I can actually walk out the door without sweating like an old man post workout. (Ummm, was that too visual?)
*Todd and I are looking for a house. I am obsessed with realty. Does anyone have any questions about homes for sale in AZ? I am sure I can help you!
*I'm still crazy in love with my baby! I love that I married my best friend.

Lows:

(Welcome to my commute)

*AZ traffic and drivers are horrendous! Seriously, I thought it was virtually impossible to find worse drivers than Utahns. However, the AZ jerks in their trucks combined with super slow snowbirds have me pulling my hair out every day during my hour long commute!
*Not really any other lows right now, life is good...knock on wood!

*Photos from Google Images

Finding Hope

I realize quite a few bloggers have added this inspirational story, but I couldn't help but share it myself. What a profound testimony of finding hope and faith through the tragedy of 9/11. I hope we can all remember those impressions we had when we witnessed the towers fall...to love our families more, serve others more, have more gratitude, have more faith, etc.
Thank you to all the heroes out there who fight everyday for our freedom!

Let the Rain Come Down

There is something magical about a Phoenix thunderstorm. Perhaps it is the illuminating lightening, the deafening thunder, or simply the pouring rain washing the film of dirt away. Whatever it is, I can't get enough!
As the rain was pouring down the other night I couldn't help but think of all the muck and dirt that accompanied my arrival in Phoenix. My experience mirrored my feelings about the city...everything was covered in a layer of dust that distorted all the beauty around me. Then, as a monsoon through the desert, everything changed. The dust was lifted and life became beautiful again. Oh, how I am grateful for the rain!

Oh My Goodness...

I have been laughing about this all morning. Hearing things like this reminds me just how crazy guys (and women, of course) can be while looking for their true love. Thank goodness for marriage to a non-creep :)

Click here to listen

Disturbing, No?

I am not sure about you, but I find the two shows listed below to be thoroughly revolting. So much so, that they don't even fall into the "It's so bad I have to watch" category. I have only seen one episode of each and knew I had had enough.

1. "Toddlers and Tiaras": What in the world are those mothers thinking?!? How can encouraging your daughter to strut around in an over sexualized leather two piece ever be a wise decision? If one is intending to raise a neurotic, eating disordered, psychologically disturbed child then be my guest.

2. "More to Love": How can one say this is a show celebrating body acceptance only to publish the women's weights as they introduce them on opening night? AAARGH! Don't even get me started on how creepy the bachelor seems to be!

*Are you with me on this? What shows do you find to be horrendous?

Lisa & Julia???

It is true, I am no Julia Child. A baker? Somewhat, but a chef? Hardly!!! Seriously, where does one even begin with a raw turkey?

My dinner entrees tend to enlist the help of places like this:

and this:

(What can I say, I married a fantastic chef)

However, tonight a magical thing happened...I tested my culinary skills in full force (french cooking techniques and all) and it turned out pretty darn good, plus I thoroughly enjoyed the creative process. (Ok, maybe there was one teensy moment where I got a tad flustered ;)) Perhaps there is hope for me after all!
Todd and I are going to try alternating cooking nights, rather than our usual...he cooks, I clean. So here is where you come in...Do any of you have fantastic recipes to share or food blogs that inspire you? Have any of you found a passion for cooking and creating wonderful dishes? Please share!

*Unfortunately, I can't find my camera charger to take pictures :(

Amazed

Sometimes I am amazed that I grew up in a place where I can run to spots like these in a mere 10-15 min from my doorstep! Yes, running at 10 o'clock this morning and NOT melting was absolute bliss :)

Highs & Lows

Have you ever been so excited about a new adventure, only to be hit by a dose of reality upon embarking upon that journey? I suppose you could say there have been quite a few reality checks that have come with our Arizona escapade. However, rather than wallow in the frustrations (Did someone say one of the hottest July's on record?) I thought I would share some of my favorite parts of this journey. Of course, the absolute best part has been creating a new little life with Todd. There is something magical about setting off with the one you love to build up your family together!
Along with loving my time with Todd there are some pretty awesome aspects of AZ. So, in preparation for visitors in the fall/winter (hint, hint, nudge, nudge) I have decided to begin compiling a "best of" AZ list.

Best Restaurants:

Thai: Malee's (Be adventurous and get the sweet pickled jalepeno crispy pla! It is to die for :))

Anything by this owner: La Grande Orange (Yummy Breakfast!)
Chelsea's Kitchen (Good comfort food...I would recommend the short ribs served by chef recommendation with an over easy egg on top)
Postino's (This is technically a wine bar, but has fantastic bruschetta and a great atmosphere)

Japanese/Sushi: Zen 32 (I firmly believe that sushi is only good when one veers away from the California Roll!)

Down Home Southern Cooking: LoLo's Chicken and Waffles (Just putting this out there...it is in the hood and Todd and I were the only white people in the restaurant. I am not even much of a fried chicken fan, but it was delish! Nothing like fried chicken with a mason jar full of Kool Aid :))

Pizza: Pizzaria Bianco (Apparently this place is known as one of the best pizza places in the country...however, we haven't been up to waiting outside in a line, in 115 degree weather, for up to 3 hours! We promise to make the trek once the weather cools down and let you know if it lives up to all the hype)
Grimaldi's (We have yet to try this as well, but it is the same owner as the original in NYC)

Mexican: Rosa's Mexican Grill (Yummy yummy Shrimp Tacos)

Gelato: The Gelato Spot (This gelato takes me back to my days in Italy. I could eat it everyday. Good thing it is a bit of a drive ;))

Best Weekend Getaways: Sedona (Truly breathtaking with some incredible hikes. Plus, the 10-15 degree drop in temperature is sure nice in the summer. If you are into Vortexes, this is certainly the place to go...although I must admit I haven't explored that aspect of Sedona)

Prescott (Again, the drop in temp is fantastic. Plus the town square with its old town feel is rather charming)

Payson/Strawberry (Great hikes, cool antique shops, and charming little cafes/homemade icecream shops)

Best Shopping:
Last Chance (This is a Norstrom Outlet...Waaaay better than Nordstrom Rack. Basically, anything that was returned or they couldn't sell for some small defect is there. I can't tell you how many Zegna, Armani and Canalli suits Todd has found for like $40.00. I think you have to be a little more patient to search through the women's apparel though. Isn't that how it always is?)

Scottsdale Mall (A girl can dream right? One day we will have money to blow there...yeah???)

So there you have it, not too shabby eh? I will be sure to add as we continue our adventure. Does anyone else think it is pathetic how many restaurants Todd and I have found? Perhaps I should go do my P90X dvd ;)