JUNE BIRTHDAY MONTH

It's my birthday month and I have to say I am not complaining at all. It's only three days in and I have been busy busy busy! I expect nothing but the less.

I had a wonderful bday day! I went to market downtown with Apple works stuff and the weather was beautiful. Sunny and 80 which we have waited all year for that kind of weather. I took Jacob to his soccer game on the westside. On the way we picked up Ginger and her two kids and Dan. Split a chickfilet sandwich with ginger and then Dan made a nutella and banana sandwich...YUM!

After the soccer game we went to the yogurt shoppe for some yummy frozen yogurt.

Thursday we stayed around the house and then we went to the airport to see my friend Tracy land from China with her new baby girl Elise. This was an amazing experience I know for Tracy and her family but for me it was truly amazing to see the love in them. It left a good feeling in my heart! :)

Ok...so now this weekend we have Claire's recital and we have Jacobs soccer tournament. This will be a fun filled weekend and I will post pictures up here as soon as I can. One more week till our out west vacation!!!

Summer 2011

I can do it

Ok so with the winter months that have just past I have realized that I do not like....let me repeat DO NOT LIKE the winter here in Indiana. I look back at my life and I can honestly say the winters are probably my most unsatisfying experiences of my life.

Now I have to tell you that when I have good experiences of winter I am most likely on an adventure and not even here in Indiana. I will admit that there are somethings that I like....such as maybe a good dinner for christmas.....maybe even a get together with friends...or even a birthday celebration of Dan's. But that does not get me through the long boring days of gray and snow.....and not to even mention the snow.

So, with that in mind I haven't had much to write about in my adventures because well to be frank...i haven't been on any adventures in the past two months.

I have however been on the up and down of college life. I have studies my head off and didn't do well on exams. Made me think twice about what I was doing but isn't that what all college students do. Study and cram for a test and then take it to realize you didn't study enough or get exactly what the professor told you. Yep I know you have been there! you can not deny!!

With that said I have been on a challenge of my life. wondering if I am doing what I need to be doing with myself. I have asked myself ...."am I doing the right thing?" I don't know is the answer.

I will say this no matter how hard I try it will be ok. And the doors that will open up for me are endless. I do lack the confidence that I need to use the key to the doors to be open but it is ok it's all part of my journey. do not know where I am going but I know that there are doors that will be there to open when I am ready! :)

My adventure is this....

I was told recently by my professor....of a class I am not doing well in might I add....let me give you back ground on this one......

Ok....I have not done well in my class of which I thought I would do well in because I LOVE the subject....I went to my professor because well I really do like her, and I told her OMG I am not doing well...she admitted I was a bit of disappointment and thought that for my enthusiasm I should be doing much better in the class. I literally had a boo hoo moment with her and then she said something to me that let me just say might stick with me no matter what I get in this class or even if I get anything out of my college life......she told me as she grabbed my shoulders and said..."repeat after me.....'YOU CAN DO THIS'....." really did my teacher just say that to me? yes she did!!!!!! she just told me to tell that to myself......

WOW took that with enthusiasm!!!!!

so even if this winter was a blue one...which if it was any better for you, you are free to tell me about it because I know others had a blue winter too and still waiting on the much needed warm weather....I can walk away with this...I CAN DO IT!!!!

<3 love ya

Cinnie

I have sat here all day thinking I should do something but I haven't done much of anything. Looked outside a couple of times. Told the kids about oh at least 100 times, I am not kidding more like 125 times that they could not walk down the road to their cousins house to play. If it were snowing I feel safer that they would actually make it there safely. But it's not snowing....it's Icing! Not like icing on a cake but icing in your freezer. Wouldn't that be cool if it were icing like on a cake. Be very sticky but at any rate you could probably walk somewhere without falling make some cupcakes to dip in the icing on the way. LOL

ok so I have been inside too much....as you see I am day dreaming about cupcakes and icing now.

I did get up and make a dinner for us all, Dan, the kids and I. I made a lasagna. Cleaned the dishes and well that is about all I did for the day. I did attempt to do some homework but that didn't go so well, found myself looking up things on the internet instead and telling the kids, nope you can't go to your cousins. lol

The kids did venture out and I told them they could walk around the house and not to go anywhere else. They were out side for about an hour.

My parents bought the kids a ping pong table for Christmas. It is a big table and takes up half of our living room. At first it was a shocking surprised to see how big it was and I realize that it is ok. I had to tell myself it was OK! They did, well I did too, play some today. I was told by Dan that Jake would beat me. I told him to bring it on. Jake beat me.... :P

We will be in our house for at least two more days. I don't see myself trying to get out at all unless I know I can. I am pretty adventuresome and don't mind trying to get out when it snows. We live at the bottom of a hill, in the woods, on a lake about 10 miles from town. I am hoping with all the trees there is not too many of them down.

I have even not once but three times this winter already tried to go up our hill in the snow to get out and have not made it up the hill but only to make it as far as half way because I can not get a running start up the hill and start sliding or spinning that is on the hill. Thankfully we have a nice gentleman....troy...that plows for us. In this case with all the ice I am pretty sure it isn't going anywhere especially since the weatherman, lady, has already told us that the temperature is going to be cold cold cold for the next few days and when it does warm up a little by Saturday theres going to be another chance of snow by then.

Maybe I should get motivated and finish cleaning out my basement so that I can move the ping pong table down stairs. :)

cinnie

Scottsdale, AZ #3

Ok so I serious thought that I would get to the third day before now. I have consumed my weekend with 'the girl with the dragon tattoo.....the girl who plays with fire....and the girl who kicked the hornet's nest'.

I might say this was good trilogy. I had not heard too much about them but those who have said they have seen them say only good things about this movie or book. I loved them. I am glad I got to watch all three at once. I can't imagine if I had to wait for the next one. :)

So on to my third Arizona day...which really was our last day there. On Monday our true last day we didn't do a whole lot checked out and returned the rental car so I would have to say that it was not as exciting as our other days but a good day to do what we did and that was sit around the pool in the sun! :)

On Sunday, Jan. 23 we went on a trip to Roosevelt Lake which is just east of Phoenix. I have told Dan of stories about going to this lake as a little girl to camp there with my dad's family....cousin who he says is a true mountain man. I remember a few things about this trip and they are ....my dad's cousin actually camped in a Teepee. They had horses and I remember getting to ride them, even if it was a short ride it was the coolest ride when I was kid to do. The other memory I had of this trip...the one when I was little girl....was that my sister and I sat in the sand on the beach and dug up indian pottery. Now as a kid this was truly a neat thing to do but as an adult I think it would be almost surreal to actually be sitting in the sand and find an artifact that a person used so many years ago.

As I remember these pieces were not very big. They were no bigger than a sticky note. Just a little piece history. Something that someone made to use for everyday use. Makes you think about a part of life that I do not have to do. Make my own things other than a meal.

So, as we set out on that day we took the road north to see the lake from that north. No plan was made other than to just drive over there to see what it was like and for Dan to see something that I talk about, a memory. When we got just north of the lake we stopped at a store to pick up a drink and lunch. We picked out guacamole and salsa.

We made a stop on the lake to eat our lunch. Dan and I walked the shore line to see if Dan could find any pottery. But I was pretty sure that we would not only because that was 25 years ago if not more. If there was any it was long gone ....or on a hill somewhere. After reading the literature at the rest stop we realized that in recent years they have redone the dam there to the lake and raised it 77 feet. If that were the case....which it was....the part that I even explored 25 + years ago was now under water.

After lunch we drove south and saw the newly built bridge and dam. Pretty amazing site to see. We took pictures and then realized that the road we were about to take back to Phoenix was about 24 miles of dirt road all on a side of a mountain. The apache trail. Roosevelt claimed that it was the most scenic route in the world.....and it was very scenic if I might say so myself. Most parts were narrow one lane road that you had to yield for other cars. Up and down the mountain we went. We saw several lakes and mountain cliffs that were very unique and not of what we see here everyday in Indiana. We even saw a cave that I know Dan really wanted to explore but there was not a parking spot because others were exploring and we didn't have a flash light.

Once we made it back to the paved road we came out where we were the day before...the lost Dutchman's park. We started to the north and made a circle to the loop back to the phoenix area.

We did not make it back in time to catch the bus to dinner with the rest of the group but that was ok because we found a restaurant by using 'yelp'. It was in walking distance from our hotel. Petite Maision, a french restaurant rated 5 stars for the scottsdale area.

It was a very good dinner. Nice to sit outside in January and enjoy a nice meal.

I must say this adventure to Scottsdale, Az was an amazing one. I really enjoyed spending time with my best friend. Making me realize once again I am truly blessed to have such an amazing person as my husband. He is my best friend and I am lucky to have found that in my life. I only wish that everyone could experience my adventure with me. :)

cinnie

Scottsdale, Arizona #2

So... on the second day of our trip we decided to rent a car and go to a trail that was recommended by another Angie's list traveler. The Lost Dutchman's mine....siphons drawl. This trail is located in the superstition mountains.

This day of our trip was Dan's bday.

On our way there we were amazed at the beautiful mountain. When we parked the car we had no idea what was in store next. We started on the trail just with the goal that we would go as far as we could. Two hours into it Dan did leave me and that was ok. He went up the mountain to the spot called flatiron. The top! :) ( 4,300ft) I was really excited for him that he did it! At first I was upset with the disappointment that I did not make it as far up the mountain. It was ok after I thought about it. I actually started to sing the song....."just the way you are" by bruno marcs. Your amazing just the way you are...I thought of that because sometimes we try to do things that we just can't do and we need to know it's ok. Just try. Even if you can't climb that mt. the first time, try again another time. Sometimes it takes up more than one try to get to the top. Now it makes me want to start working out and train to other mt.s and trails. ;)

I was just happy to be in the sun. Looking at the scenery. I love the mountains. I love looking at them. I lived in Tucson when I was a little girl and one thing I missed the most (other than my grandmother) when I moved to Indiana was the look of the mountains.

After we were finished with the hike we went to a mexican restaurant which we found on yelp.

It was really good and I could see why it was rated 5 star on yelp. Dan had a second helping because it was so good! :)

Truly a fun day! Didn't know that when we left for the day that our adventure would be so awesome.

Scottsdale, Arizona

My husband and I recently went to Scottsdale, Az. We went without our children. We have done this now for the past three years. It was a hard thing at first to leave our children, but we got used to it and it helps that we have family watching them for us.

We went with my husbands work. There were about 100 people that went on this trip. We stayed at 'Hotel Valley Ho'. This was a very nice hotel and I loved the decore. Very retro....modern look. Humphrey Bogart stayed in the suit there at the hotel.

Dirty Martini style is what I would have called it. There was even a martini set with a small mini bottle of Belvedere vodka. I love martinis.

We partied on the roof top the first night. The scenery was 'amazing' on the roof top.
We had a mashed potato sundae bar. Never had one before but my mother in law has already thought of the idea herself. The toppings there were such as blue cheese crumbs, onions, bacon, cheese, sour cream, butter, even pecans for the sweet potatoes. :)

Boy I am going on and on about the food and the first night. I think I will take a break and write more tomorrow about the second day and what we did on our adventure to AZ!

Cinnie

The adventures of spice girl cinnie

I have wanted to do this for a long time now. I have even wanted to write a book. I am really excited to start this adventure of writing something about nothing.

I recently watched the movie 'Julia and Julia' and that made me want to start my blog even more.

She writes about recipes that she try's from Julia Childs cookbook. Oh how I loved this story because I too love food and it is my safe haven. I love to cook and eat!

I am a terrible writer when it comes to writing in the correct format. I have even taken classes on how to write and I must say I am still an awful writer! I just write what I feel....how I feel it and there it is.

I don't know who will read this adventure I have started but I really don't care. I am just writing to write. Blogging to blog. Seeing where this will go....

;)