I loved Carli’s idea of a quiz for both husband and wife. It was interesting knowing a little bit about the both of them and noticing how similar they are in their humor and laid-back personalities but how varied their interests are. Besides, this blog is rather a “journal” for me and I know I love reading stuff about my parents when they were young so hopefully my kids will get the same joy. David and I are about as alike as an Arizona summer and an Idaho winter, but we sure do love each other. Let’s start with me . . .

Segment 1: Me
Relationship status: Married and guilty of "falling of the face of the earth" after doing so. Can you blame me? My husband is a sexy babe!

Celebrity Crush: Cate Blanchett (have you seen her?)

and Mark Ruffalo (have you seen him in Eternal Sunshine or 13 Going On 30? <-- Let’s pretend I haven’t.) Favorite Band: Matt Pond PA (because everything about every song is almost flawless) and David Gray (because he was my soundtrack in Ireland as I walked around Powerscourt).

Favorite Movie: Shadowlands (I can’t even talk about it), Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain(makes me so happy I could die), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (makes me think about love and relationships and I live for those two things). What kind of pet do you own? I so wish we had a redbone coonhound puppy. Someday we will have one and I will name it Frankie – boy or girl. Where do you live? Arizona, bleh.I'd rather be living here though. OH, how I’d rather be living there.

Where do you work? I'd rather not talk about the work I do. It's very secretive and also boring.

What do you look like? A human girl. Mostly like this:

What do you drive? I drive this:

but I wish I drove this:

What is your favorite TV show? LOST (can’t watch this alone), The Office (can’t watch this without peeing a little) and Gilmore Girls (I died a little inside when they told me it was over)
How would you describe yourself?
I'm a prisoner of love.

What is your name? Work: Elizabeth, Most Family: Liz, My Mother: Elizabeth, Brothers, Christian, Stephen and Marcus: Lizzy, Mitch: Lizzy or E, David: “Girl”, “Liz” or “Wife”. Mostly “Girl” though.

Favorite candy? I love me some Riesen and 5th Avenue. I also quite love fruit Mentos (a trait I acquired from my husband) and Red Vines.

{go d-backs!}

On Tuesday night, we went to the Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers game at Chase Ballpark! The best part? Sitting in 2nd row seats and having our own waiter for our section! A guy David goes to school with had 4 season tickets from his work. Oh, four $145 tickets! Luckily, the tickets were free so our $5 hot dogs and $5 Diet Pepsi were in the budget. Who do they think they are? The same hot dog is $1.50 at Costco with a drink! Anyway, it was a great game. We won (D-backs are doing awesome this year!) and had a blast heckeling the Dodgers fans. It was a beautiful night with the roof of the Ballpark open, a nice breeze and about 70 degrees. Lovely. I was real nervous about being hit in the face by one of the fly balls like Drew Barrymore on Fever Pitch. David promised that he would dodge in front of me if one came my way. There were definitely a few times when it could have happened. Lots of "eeek"ing from me.

I take it back though. The best part of the game wasn't the awesome seats or the heckeling or the beautiful weather. It was flirting with David, getting butterflies when he would put his arm around me and kiss my cheek, giving him flirtatious smiles and the long drive home as we listened to good music and laughed about funny things. All in all, it was a fun night and I hope David's friend invites us again!

{april fools}

This year, I played the best April Fools joke ever! It may have to do with the fact that I waited ALL day to play the prank (and the anticipation got me all riled up) but it was soooo worth it. It was bedtime and while David finished up his homework before coming in to brush his teeth, I squeezed a little toothpaste out of his tube, pushed in a raisin and covered it back up. Perfect. Then I waited in anticipation with my phone handy and caught his perfect reaction as he came into the bathroom to brush. I don't know why it was so funny to me but I cannot have been more happy with the outcome (read: I laughed until I cried). {Other pranks I played: taped down my boss's phone receiver and then called her and watched her answer a dead phone (hee hee), taped a piece of paper on the bottom of her mouse so that it wouldn't quite move right (heard her mumble, "Da*# my mouse is dirty!")}

Me like-y redecorating. What is better than taking a fugly piece of furniture and making it lovely? Oh dear, I really love doing that!

Example A: Take this stained (with who knows what? - mind you) chair from Salvation Army. I do believe the cost was $10. It was a might stinky and very, very dusty. However, it had a great shape and once I took a wet rag and a bottle of Febreeze to it - it was good enough to be covered in this red and olive fabric and brown rope trim. Result: comfortable and functional.






Example B: These chairs are of excellent quality. David's grammy passed away in September and we were given her dining table and chairs. The table and chairs are very sturdy and in excellent shape. I don't just LOoooVE the stain of the wood - but you know what they say, "beggars can't be choosers". So, I recovered the seats. I'm not as crazy about this fabric as I was when I recovered them but Amy Butler is pretty great. I'm thinking that in our next house, I will cover these in a stripe or just a plain color. Maybe like this or this or this. Dear Restoration Hardware . . . will you marry me?







Example C: I love getting things for free. Moving into our old school house was good to us. The previous tenants left this trashy bookcase and so after much deliberation, I decided to paint it "English Bulldog Black" and cover the back with some awesome green brocade scrapbook paper. Voila! Mod Podge is the bomb.








Example D: I do enjoy a good filing cabinet now and then. Putting my receipts and tax information in one secure place is so gratifying! This piece of junk was rusting, coated in dust and a very boring color of cream slightly dotted in old, crusty pink bubblegum. So, last Saturday, I sanded this sucker and spray painted it "Arctic Blue" (couldn't the "spray-paint-color-naming-people" come up with a better one than that?) and now it sits in my new guest room/office.

{martin and friends}

It is MLK Day and I am at work. {Bleh} for me but {Yea!} for you because I am one of the only people blogging today. Everyone else is sledding or shopping or sleeping in or sipping cocoa or studying (this one's David) or sight-seeing or sending "Thank You" cards from Christmas or shaping up at the gym or maybe just sitting around. Notice the common thread? All my action verbs started with "s"! I am obviously bored on this MLK Day.

My friends and I got together on Saturday morning for a little breakfast at Crackers and Co. It was so good to see them but even better to have some "girl time". When David and I first got married, I didn't believe him when he said that I would want some time for myself or with my girlfriends. In fact, it hurt my feelings that he felt that way. Now I crave my girls for some good conversation, reminiscing, belly-laughing and the wisdom that we gain from each other through our long conversations. I love being married (and I strongly believe in marriage between a man and a woman) but there is such a difference between the relationships of a man and a woman and a woman and a woman. I love each relationship so much and I am grateful for my friends! Thanks Tricia, Julie, Kemra and Sarah for a grand time! I love each of you!

{cabin weekend}

There was a lot of snow at the cabin and we had a good time cuddling next to the fire(s), watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy (yes, all three), making s'more brownies (soooo good) and sledding.

Here are our sledding videos:

P.S. My bum is "Larger Than Life".
P.P.S. They sang "Larger Than Life" last night on Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann.
P.P.P.S. I watched Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann.

{new year's karaoke}

Christian + Karaoke + New Year's Eve + Air Guitar + Creedence Clearwater Revival + Not Knowing The Words = Really Funny

I guess Christian digs for nuggets when he gets nervous. Who knew? Can you all hear me laughing very annoyingly? You're welcome.

{in character}

I can honestly say that Christopher's blog always makes me laugh . . . harder than I should. This one especially was hard to read at work - since I really shouldn't be reading blogs at work. The Jolly Porter is a director/actor/playwright/etc. hence the purpose of this "In Character" post.

Does he look familiar to you? That's because he's famous for Stalking Santa, a really great Christmas movie that he just directed and starred in and that you should see.

Oh, and he is also famous for being the brother of famous bloggers like CJane and NieNie.

{christmas 2007 summary}

I love Christmas! Oh, it was such a grand time! We went to California this year to spend it with David's family and it was wonderful. We had so much fun with them and they spoiled us rotten. So much good food, so many wonderful presents, so much laughter.

I especially love my new phone. I've had the stupid Razr for 2 years now and I hated it. If you like your Razr, then please don't take offense (see my comment on the previous post) but it just wasn't working out for me after breaking 3 times. That insurance I had sure came in handy. So, I begged and pleaded with David to get me the new LG Venus with our renewal discount and he did! Yea! I feel so modern and cool now.

It was such fun to spend time with my in-laws. I really feel like we've moved to a new level in our relationship. We played their Wii for hours and busted up at the sound the cow makes when it jumps on the racing Wii Play game. We talked as we made orange rolls, enchiladas and set the table. We shared Christmas traditions around the dinner table and we laughed until we cried as we played games after Christmas breakfast. David's sister and I sang together at the Christmas program and I felt so good when someone at church took David's mom aside and said, "David's wife is lovely. He did very well. You must be so happy." Yep, still smiling.

Overall, I'm so glad that we had loved ones to be with for Christmas. I'm so grateful that we were safe, that we have people who love us and that we could celebrate our belief in Christ's birth and Divinity. It was a lovely Christmas and I hope yours was wonderful too! Thank you all for being my friends and for your wonderful influence on my life.

To All My Democrat Friends:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or explicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes.

To My Republican Friends:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

{the many faces of my links}

Tartraz

{Disclaimer: This is the only picture I could find of Erica where she wasn't being "hardcore" or "pretty".}

I haven't seen Tartraz with my own two eyes for approximately 5ish years. She is one of those friends from my adolescent days that I really like but never know how to bridge the gap between Senior Graduation night and the present day. However, thanks to the wonderful world of Blogger, we have at least somewhat bridged the gap by using the WWW.

Some great things about Erica include:

a) her enormous sense of style. It's rather paradoxical when you think about it because her style is enormous but captured on a tiny little frame. The way she dresses is bold and punchy and she has the body to just make you want to be sick (literally) so you can have her anorexic silhouette. Did I just say that? Strangely, Erica eats more than your favorite farm animal. I think almost every other post, she mentions some kind of burrito that she ate or the Quesadilla Cheeseburger that she WANTS to eat.

b) that she is really, really, really funny. Only every once in a while do I read someone's blog and laugh really loudly and continue to laugh because it was so funny. Pretty much only CJane and Tartraz do that to me on a regular basis. I love it. I also love it when she randomly confesses things like, "Sophomore year of high school I cheated on all my Spanish tests by writing the words on my desk in pencil. I got an A. So, joke's on you morals."

c) that she is marrying her high school (junior high?) boyfriend whom I have also known during my adolescent years - poor guy. I am super excited for that wedding. It is going to rock. I can tell by how beautiful her ring is. I hope she invites me. Although I am a little worried about what this marriage might do to her very serious relationships with Daniel Craig and Clive Owen. Wha?

My favorite part of Erica's blog might be her Tuesdays With Jihone segments. This one might be my favorite. Or this one. Holy crap they are funny! I have tears in my eyes from re-reading these.

CASE IN POINT:
Jihone: So what are you getting me for graduation? Something cool I hope.

Erica: Rollerblades?
Jihone: I think someone’s already getting me those. Maybe you should get me a BB gun.

Erica: Ok. Or a butterfly knife?

Jihone: No. I'll be fingerless.

Erica: Okay, how about I just make you a burrito.

Jihone: That’s kinda scary.

Erica: Yes it is.

Jihone: Something tells me it'd be like chopped up hot dog pieces and popcorn with spaghetti sauce. Half eaten.

Erica: That is sick.

Jihone: Then why did you eat half of it?

Click here for more UNREAL hilariousness.

{the many faces of my links} part 2

C Jane

You haven't lived until you've read C Jane's blog. I don't know how she does it, but when this woman blogs it makes you wish you were half as clever (or had half as interesting of a life).

C Jane is NieNie's sister . . . and those two surely love each other. I have 6 sisters of my own but if you combined all of our relationships into one, I don't think you would have the kind of relationship that those two girls have. C Jane is married to a equally fabulous man. I've only met him once and, I have to be honest, he scared me a little with his looming height and bushy beardness. I knew he had to be wonderful though because all I heard around the house was how great Chup (the neighbor) was.
One of the best things about C Jane is her fearlessness. I mean, the girl sang a rendition of cheesy songs in front of my entire family at NieNie's wedding dinner! Now that takes guts. I remember being a little unsure of how to react during her display of music. At 16 years old, I didn't want to laugh at someone older than I (especially a stranger) but her singing was so funny that I'm sure I snickered a little. She lives a ferocious life and couldn't care less if she looks silly doing it.

The best part of C Jane's blog is how easy going she is but in a really anxious sort of way. It's very urgent, the way she writes, like a call to action. Her blog header named, Enjoy It, is self-proclaimed as merely "an invitation not a requirement" but I disagree. It's practically impossible not to Enjoy It around C Jane's blog. She also reads all her comments and will probably respond to them too! Amazing when she gets greater than or equal to 30 comments a day!
Plus, she doesn't get enough credit for how beautiful her house is. She mostly gets credit for being clever, cunning, hilarious and fun to be around. Check out all the fun here.

{hotter than a volcano}

Don't you love it when your husband still uses pick-up lines on you even when you are clearly happily married? To be frank though, I think that's what keeps us clearly happily married. David just e-mailed me this: "You're so hot!! You're so hot, you make deep freezes melt on contact. You're so hot, volcanos melt when you walk by. All I have to say, is beware of Elizabeth Bryant, cause she'll burn ya!!" How awesome is that?

Speaking of hot, it is October 26th and the high temperature is 94. Take that, Fall.

P.S. Starting next week, I'm going to spotlight each of the people on my "checking this" list. I have so many dear friends who have blogs and I want you all to meet them. It could be you!

{the many faces}

When you're trying to take a picture of yourself and your husband, it's really annoying when he'll only make these kinds of fake smiles. However, I love that man.

Life is so good.

We are going to spend the whole weekend in bed . . . cause that man is getting a cold! Sicko.

{to marty}

Dear Marcus,

Remember how cool and hardcore we were in front of the British Museum?

Remember how you got totally wasted in Wicklow Jail and those Irish fiends put you on the slow boat to China?

Remember how I was punished for your prohibition crimes and put in the gallows??

Remember how you played the lute at the edge of the Irish Sea like a leprechan . . .

and then, remember how you played "Scarborough Fair" for me on the stone wall overlooking the Irish Sea?

Remember how we sang silly Irish drinking songs even though we didn't know the words?

Remember how cute we were at Tivoli Gardens?

Rememer how high you jumped at Hamlet’s red doors?

Remember how we strolled along this path before we came to the shore of the Baltic Sea?

Remember how your sister loves you?

Remember how she is proud of you for serving a mission in Germany?

Me too.

Love, Elizabeth

{sherlock holmes - cafe rio edition}

Getting your lunch stolen at work is not fun. Especially when it's a leftover Cafe Rio salad and fresh strawberries. This morning, I put my lunch in the refrigerator right by my desk in the break room. The thought of heating up that soggy tortilla and wrapping the rest of my salad up into a little burrito sounded delightful and I had specially sliced those strawberries to a perfect size. I really love leftover Cafe Rio so today was going to be a really good lunch day.

About an hour later, I went into one of our manager's offices. Let's call him "Smitty". Smitty was showing me some project renderings on his computer and as he tried to locate the pictures on his laptop, I noticed his half open desk drawer had a Ziploc bag of fresh strawberries tucked inside. Most suspicious.

After a quick trip to the restroom, I opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water - no salad. No strawberries. I quickly interrogated the office manager, asking her if she had cleaned out the refrigerator that morning. The answer was no but her solution (after I told her about the suspicious strawberries at his desk) was to root through his desk drawers when he went to the bathroom. Not a good plan. So, I sent out an e-mail to the entire office staff that went like this, "I had a bag of fresh strawberries and a plate of food in a tin foil container that I put in the fridge this morning. It is now gone. Did anyone happen to take it or throw it away? Please let me know cause that's my lunch. Thanks."

Very simple-like.

A few minutes later, Smitty arrived at my desk with a bag of strawberries in his hand. "Elizabeth, this morning, I accidentally knocked over your salad onto the floor {my heart breaks a little} while reaching for a Diet Coke. I thought these strawberries were leftovers from yesterday. I'll buy you lunch if you want."

Well, Smitty, I don't want a new lunch. I want my Cafe Rio leftovers!

friday's joke

women, as explained by engineers . . .

21 days until Hawai'i means: 21 days until I might get a tan and roll around the sand knowing that I'm not at work, but instead, dipping my toes in the blue ocean. I will eat sushi and other delicious items known as fruit and icy drinks. I will take long, dusky walks with David on the surrounding greens at the 8th hole cliff to watch the sun set over Kona. I will snorkel (even though it scares me half to death) and hopefully sail again. We will celebrate our one-year anniversary by doing lots of romantic things - I'll spare you the details. I will hike in the rainforest to waterfalls and other beautiful scenes. I will sleep in and on a beach towel with a delightful book and fully appreciate "doing nothing".

Here's where you (my wonderful readers) come in: Where can I get a cute swimsuit this time of year? Does anyone have a good book recommendation?