T - 1 hour

-The Last Meal-

Josh and I finally found good Mexican food and it is only 5 minutes from our casa. Since it is our last meal before the 2010 Chapa House Biggest Loser begins, we went all out. Tacos, carnitas, chips, 3 different kinds of salsa, mango margaritas and a chocolate chimichanga (all Josh) could be found on our table at Rosepepper.

We will be heading up to the terrace pretty soon to watch the fireworks on the river downtown. Oh, how I love living close to all the action!

I can still remember ringing in 2000 with dinner at Ichi Ban, and it hardly seems like a decade has passed.

Well it is about that time. You know, the time to close the 2009 chapter and begin 2010 with a list of resolutions (or revolutions, as I mistakenly keep calling them). Maybe my psyche is trying to tell me something. Maybe my list will be more revolutionary this year. Actually, I have never had a New Year's resolution before. I haven't quite solidified the inaugural list, but I plan on taking some time to really think about where I am in my life and where I want to be this time next year. The past couple of years have been crazy. I have made so many mistakes, and taken so many wrong turns. I jumped into things too quickly and never really calculated the total cost of my decisions. But, it hasn't been so bad... for these are the things that make up a life. These are the experiences that make me who I am and help me become a wiser person.

Here are some of the highlights of 2009:

• January Finally took Josh (and Lola) to see the beauty of the Grand Canyon • February Took a trip to Rocky Point with my dad and step mom • March Spent quality time with my mom, step dad and brother in Denver • April Made the scary (smart) decision to leave Arizona (again) to attend graduate school at Vanderbilt • May Celebrated one year of married bliss • June Spent a magical weekend in San Diego to celebrate the wedding of my dad and step mom • July Fell in love with and became the aunt of the sweetest boy in the world, Owyn Joseph • August Took the 3 day journey through 6 states to Tennessee • September Started a new job, and a new program in a new town and managed to make some new friends • October Moved over the river and through the hood from West to East Nashville • November Welcomed our very first Nashville guests (Josh's parents) • December Finally learned what it feels like to go home

Here's to another great year. I can't wait to see where we are a year from now. Cheers xoxo

Sweets

Our gingerbread house... 5 minutes later it fell apart...

I did a lot of cooking and baking over the Christmas weekend, and I tell ya, it is boring when there is only 2 people in the house. So much of what I make goes bad before we eat it all. I really need to start cutting down recipe's and making 2 person portions.

2009 recap and 2010 resolutions coming soon!

Merry Christmas!

Picture: Frankie Claus

I am busy making all the fixins for a traditional Christmas dinner. Josh, Lola and I will be alone this Christmas, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate in true holiday fashion! I'll let you know how dinner turns out, maybe even take a couple of pictures if you're lucky!

My Favorite Little Man

I am so lucky to be the Aunt of this little guy. Thank you Chelsea for creating this perfect creature, who I have full intentions of spoiling once he is old enough to enjoy it.

Owyn met me at the airport with his Mama and smiled as soon as I said hello. I'd like to think we have a special connection, although he might just be drawn to my big eyes and glasses, because lord knows babies love glasses. All I know is that he is the sweetest baby, and I would love on him all day long if I could. The fact that I am living 2000 miles away from my favorite little man is quite depressing. But I rest assured, knowing that no matter how far I am, I am his one and only Aunt Whitney. Oh how lucky I am!

Tempe, Oh How I Missed You

A visit home was just what I needed. I got in everything I love and miss in Tempe:

Sister time watching silly TV and doing crafts

Grocery shopping at Sunflower Market

Iced Chai's from 3 Roots, Solo Cafe and Xtream Bean

Walking through campus on the palm lined pathways

Catching up with old coworkers and running into people I know on the street

Strolling around Tempe Town Lake and admiring the lights

70 degree weather and the bluest skies in all the land

San Diego

I had a great time in San Diego last week, thanks to my Dad and Step Mom. As far as I am concerned, the beach is heaven on earth. There is nothing more relaxing than just planting your butt in the sand and listening to the waves crash. It's good for the soul.

Christmas pictures

My mom just posted a bunch of pictures from christmas when we were growing up. I LOVE this one!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I finished my last final and turned it in (which is due next Wednesday by the way, the things I do for AZ), and decided I should celebrate. This mini-celebration would be between me and a good friend Gigi (who I never see, I promise!). I stopped by Gigi's on the way home and picked up this....

"The Good"

When I got home I took a couple of bites, as much as one can handle in a given day, and this is what I found...a hidden treasure in the center of the cupcake.

"The Bad"

I swear I didn't have one more bite of that thing... now I remember why don't see Gigi very much. Well, with all this excitement I got clumsy, as usual, and dropped my phone (for the bajillionth time), but this time it actually broke. At least the face did....

"The Ugly"

Really? That sucks. At least it still works! Looks like I have something to add to the Christmas list. Which is lame. I like my phone and had no intentions of giving her up for at least 20 months.

I am off to the Valley of the Sun tomorrow! As a courtesy to my hubby, I will be leaving the lap top at home. We don't have cable and I figured it would be cruel to leave him without Internet. Aren't you proud I am becoming a good wife...we or even he comes before me with increasing frequency. Now if only I could get a grip on the laundry...than I would be prime.

In case you forgot what she looks like...

Oh, wait...that is Lola. You remember what she looks like. You see her all the time. Here we go. Chelsea, you might have forgotten what you sister looks like. When you go to the airport to pick her up, this is how she will appear. Longer hair with serious roots, but pretty much the same clothes, face, big eyes, smudged black eyeliner, and sarcastic expression. ; )

She is excited to see you, baby Owyn, Grandma('s), Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Friends, oh and Dad and Wendy too! Because YES, she is going to CALIFORNIA while she is visiting! (Thanks to Wendy!) Woohoo!

Cold Toes

In a hurry to get out the door this morning, I made the mistake of slipping on a pair of flip flops with my wide leg jeans. I have not seen the sun in a few days now, and it did drizzle a little last night, but I did not expect to be scooping up water and wet leaves into my flip flops as I rushed into my 8am Monday morning meeting! My toes went numb and I felt silly sitting next to people with rain boots on. You would be proud to know that I only own 1 pair of flip flops now, which is absolutely crazy considering they are ALL I wore for about 5 years. But I guess that one pair is going to have to go back in the closet for the next couple of months.

I spent the last week relaxing, watching french films with subtitles on Netflix, catching up on Dexter season 3, reading about culture wars in American schools, writing a paper about homeless education and working on a case study of the Massachusetts tax system. I am so ready to kick this semester and move on to the next. I only have 2 weeks left of class, can you believe it? I have yet to have a meltdown, and I do not see one on the horizon!!! With my transfer credits from ASU, I only have to take 2 classes each semester for the remainder of my program. Only 6 classes, 3 semesters and 1 practicum left. I am pretty stoked about it.

Minus the frozen toes and dreary weather, life is good. I can't wait to plan a trip home!

Oh, and congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Greene! Neil and Jenna have been close friends of ours for our entire relationship, and I could not be happier for them. I heard the wedding was beautiful and I am so excited for you guys! Wish I could have been there. Judging by the several pictures I have seen of Josh dancing via fb, it looked like a good time! I love love love my dear friends for thinking of me and giving me a call during the festivities. I truly have amazing friends, and I appreciate them now more than ever.

I am thankful for...My Siblings

This one is going on the fridge...

Lola, November 2, 2009

I have been validated as a Vanderbilt graduate student. I got my very first paper back, and contrary to my apprehension and the near nausea I experienced while the prof passed them back at the beginning of class, I actually did pretty awesome. The brutally honest prof said, "some of you did very well, others..." I was sure I was one of the others. (Side note, I once over heard this prof telling an undergraduate student she needed to go back to the 9th grade to learn how to write...yikes right?)With every name he called I was thinking, "Oh, dear God please at least let me get a B, I need a B to know that I fit in here, I need a B to know that I don't need to go back to the 9th grade." Well, I did better than a B, thank you Mrs. Mooney, I do not need to go back to the 9th grade!

I have been seriously doubting my abilities since coming to Vanderbilt. While I am a Sundevil at heart, ASU isn't exactly known for academic rigor. I had been worried my grades were inflated, and my work would not be up to par. But alas, I have been validated, I am capable. I paid a quarter of what some of my classmates paid for their private school degrees, yet I am in the same program getting good grades. I guess hard work does mean something. And boy does it feel good.

PS Am I too old to pin my paper on the fridge?

Loving

Concrete colored nails. Chinchilly by Essie. Check it out.

Happy Birthday Fake Lake

Tempe Town Lake was opened 10 years ago this month. Today the Arizona Republic highlights the history, development and past 10 years, you can find the article (including the picture) here.

Now I know it is a fake lake, built in a dried-up river bottom, but I love the 2 miles of dirty water regulated by deflatable rubber dams. I love flying into sky harbor and seeing the lake, adorned by A mountain to the south. I love having the lake as a backdrop while waiting outside on the cobblestone sidewalk for our name to be called for our table at Monti's. 10 years have gone by fast, I remember when that river bottom was empty. Look how far Tempe has come since then. Marketplace, light rail, orbit!

In Nashville, there is an actual river that runs through downtown. You can see it from the terrace on our building. The Cumberland winds through the city and is in no danger of being dried up and turned into a man made lake.

But, I still love the fake lake.

Homesickness

Great Grandma, me, Mom, Grandma

Homesickness has finally hit, and boy has it hit hard. I know, you are probably thinking "but Whitney, you bashed on Arizona for years... claiming you would never return once you left the desert." It is true. I did. I am ashamed. I caught myself talking to two different people within the span of about 30 minutes about how much I miss home. When the first victim of my bantering passed by while I was carrying on the same conversation we had shortly before with someone else, I was embarrassed and hoped she didn't hear me. She was probably thinking, jeez girl, get over it. Well I am not over it!

It might be that I have completely lost the memory of the intense heat (weird how quickly it fades). Or maybe the fact that the holidays are slowly creeping up. Whatever it is, I want to go home. I want to see my freakin nephew, who doesn't even know me and wouldn't recognize my big bulging eyeballs if they were popped out in front of him! Sigh...

I also miss things like Sunflower Market, highways that have exits every mile or so and also have on ramps at the same place as the exit, streets that either take you north-south-east or west, and the light rail. I really got used to her convenience last year.

It has only been 3 months. I need to suck it up and stop thinking about it! But, I will tell you, it definitely makes you appreciate your family and friends. And at least I will know what it is like to live somewhere else...cause everyone wants to know that, right?

Mi Casa es Su Casa

This is our home. Complete with so much stuff from the Tempe house. Thanks for all of the stuff Dad and Wendy! The chairs, the painting, the table behind the couch, the bread rack on the island, the glassware in the window and on the table. Man, how did you part with these beauties? They are perfect here and make me feel like I am not so far from home.

Vanderbilt in the Fall. . . it's Interesting

Peabody lawn and the Wyatt Center. You can kind of see people playing frisbee.

The library steps. (Dad: This is where I was stranded in my flip flops without an umbrella when it was pooring down rain, like a true Arizona girl.)

I had a group meeting in the Wyatt Center atrium yesterday afteroon, so I brought along Josh and his parents. They strolled through campus while I discussed the history of bilingual education. Which is very interesting by the way.

Speaking of interesting, do you find yourself using the same phrases over and over again. I say interesting ALL THE TIME. I am so tired of the, "that's interesting," "it is so interesting," "in-ter-esting" nonsense that flows out of my mouth in almost every conversation. Ugh, if I am annoyed, I know you must be!

Anyway, back to Vanderbilt in the fall. I managed to snap these shots while waiting for Josh and his parents at the car. (Yes Sundevils, be jealous that at Vanderbilt they place you in a parking lot next to your school at no extra cost). I was trying not to look like a visitor taking pictures, which probably made me look even more conspicuous as I dropped my camera down into my bag at the first sight of a passerby. As if people really pay attention to what I am doing, I must have seen at least 4 other people with cameras in hand. Ehh, whatever, if it makes me weird I guess I am weird.