It's about time...

I've been wanting to start a blog for quite a while. Facebook and Myspace suffice, but they just aren't personal enough. I think mostly I need a blog for myself... I get so caught up in life, that I forget to stop and enjoy actually living, and geeze, I'm barely 20! I am slowly learning about this whole "grown-up" thing. I used to think that I was all big and mature when I was like, 14... Oh what little I knew then. Ha ha.

So, here's an update for everyone who's hopefully going to read this....


I'm 20 now, but I feel much older most days... It's a bad habbit I really have to get rid of. I'm living in Phoenix, and have been here for *gasps* around 18 months now. I used to swear I'd never move here "it's just a big dirty Yuma" was my thought growing up. I was exactly right, it's hot, and dirty, and there's not much to do unless you can afford to drive across town to the ball park, or the water park every weekend... of you're really lucky and have a friend with a boat. So, I put in my 40-50 hour weeks, and spend my weekends/evenings at the apartment pool, or at the gym. It's a good life:)

Phoenix:

Phoenix, in all honesty, has treated me really well. I've lived in just about every suburb there is... (Started in Phoenix, then to Tempe, a short few weeks in Mesa, then Peoria, and now I'm stationed in Glendale, where I've proudly been a resident for about 10 months now, in a itty bitty 650 square foot apartment that I share with one very fat cat (Chloe), and way to many clothes... ) Being my mother's daughter, I also became the mother of Cyah, a cute little mutt who lived with me for about 2 months, before she decided the pool hose was a chew toy, and the roommate kicked her out... She has since been re-adopted by my parents, and lives a happy life there with my Mom's 3 other dogs, Lucy, Snoopy and the Standard poodle, Hercules. Also included in that zoo, just for an FYI to all you family that never get's to visit... my mom has a cat, Mo, 4 kids, Adam, Arika George and Pat... and a recent addition of a horse , I believe his name is Chance (Oh, make that TWO horses... Casper and Chance... pictures to come). Oh, I miss them!!!
Work:

(So I wrote this blog a few months ago and never actually posted it. So I'll update it, but leave the old info too. I quit the job about 3 weeks ago, thanks to the lovely market, I was behind in paychecks, and got just fed up. So... I am living off of the owed paychecks, and searching for a new job. It was a good move for me, I feel so relieved to be out of a bad situation, but I just have to find a better one, before I run out of money:)

I work for Fusion Design Group, previously Yurkovic Design, INC. I am the Director of Sales and Client Services. It's a fancy title meeting, I do everything that the architects don't:) I've been here since April of '07, so it's officially the longest position I've had, and I LOOVE it, no matter what I say every other day. We originated as a Residential Design firm, specializing in High-end custom Hillside homes. Basically we build houses where they really don't belong, mostly high on the top/edge of Camelback mountain. We have been pretty roughly affected by the downturn in the housing market, but we are getting through... I've learned more than I thought could be possible in the last year and a half, and I really am fufilled by what I do. I enjoy meeting with clients, and watching as the design of their dream home comes together.... I just love being part of that experience. I work with some really talented people, and with the downturn in the industry, and the unfortanate cut backs that we have experienced, those of us who remain, have become very close, and are quite the little family. Often times I want to throw my hands in the air, and, being the only girl, I do my fair share of crying when the boys forget how to play nice... but all in all, it's truley my dream job. Working in a high rise in downtown Phoenix, and being part of this crowd is fun. Oh, and it pays well too. (This is the job that I am currently wasting the day blogging at... ooops)

Love life:

(UPDATE: Nick and I just proudly celebrated ONE whole year together! Ahh... life is good. We are constantly finding something new to laugh about. And, I'm happy to say, we are much much happier now that we don't work together. Something to do with the fact that I'm actually EXCITED to see him at the end of the day! He is such a great guy, I am so blessed to have him in my life. I think I'll keep him.)

Nick. He's pretty much a copy of me, grown about a foot, add 50 pounds, and give me some ruggedly handsome features. Oh, and shave my head and remove the manicure/pedicure combo.... yea, that's about right.

Nick and I met.... now, I don't want to hear any comments about how "oh, you should never date someone you work with... blah blah blah" I've heard it all!... at work. I had a crush on him, and it was so lame, I was always teased by the girls at work. I honestly didn't really think I was attracted to him, but he made me blush, and I got nervous around him, and I just didn't know what was up. I've usually been pretty confident around guys, so this akwardness was new for me.

Here are the reasons why I shouldn't have been intersted: 1. He kind of sort of was my superior at the time of introduction at work. 2. He's a complete nerd. 3. He's 28, making him exact;y 8 years and 21 days older than me.... 4. He's from Alaska, and I might just freeze to death on family vacations to visit his Mom.

Okay, those are lame reasons, but they all seemed pretty ligit when the girls at work were teasing me constantly.

Anyways, eventually those same girls accidentally hooked us up... He went out to dinner with me and a friend, and we've been stuck with each other ever since. Since the first day we hung out outside of work, we have pretty much been inseperable. He has quickly become my best friend, and we enjoy everyday of our lives together.

I'm posting pictures of some of the adventures of '08.... many many more to come!