Monday is a day off

Monday...usually people don't like them. I, on the other hand, am beginning to really like Mondays. My dad doesn't work, I don't have a steady job yet so we got to hang out as a family. This was my first monday in a very long time where I didn't have school or homework or have something that I needed to get done. It was really nice to just be able to be present and do things with my parents. 

My mom's car needed a few parts so we got up relatively early and headed to the junk yard. I really like the junk yard. It's amazing to see all theses broken down vehicles and think that these were once in someone's garage or on the road. Some of these probably had names at one point. If you looked around the junkyard and picked parts from a bunch of different cars, you could probably get some of these to work. So much waste. So much oil and grease.

 My mom's first time at the junk yard. She wasn't too stoked on it. I guess it didn't really help that it was really hot out. Here she is trying to catch some shade. 

 I found a trunk..

We found a few of the parts we needed. After a few hours of walking around in the soupy air, we were famished. We headed to golden corral. I think it was the first time in a long time we were able to go out as a family. It was cool. It brought back nice memories. 

 So much for eating healthy. Also, fried okra...real good!

 Pretty much sums up their relationship

While we were at Golden Corral it rained. My dog is terrified of rain and thunder and she always looks for a way to get under something or behind something. We always leave the back door open for her so she doesn't pee or poo in the house. It might not have been the best idea on that day. We were all food drunk and half asleep when we got home and realized that she was nowhere to be found. We split up, got into separate cars, and started around the neighborhood looking for her. It turned out that she ran to the house that she always runs to when she's scared of the rain. This one pretty much sums up their relationship. I missed them.

Late post

     So this is a late post of my last couple days in Arizona. I can't wait to go back. Florida is still Florida. Don't get me wrong..it's not that Florida isn't pretty or a good place to live. It is. It has the ocean, and gorgeous green trees, amazing birds walking around everywhere, pretty sunsets and sunrises. But, I love Arizona. There is just something about that dry desert heat that makes me long to go back.

     Anyway, back in Florida, working hard and saving up. Not only have I been busy working, applying for an additional job and applying for school in Arizona, but I also somehow forgot, in three weeks, what it was like to have people depend on you to do things for them and with them. The humidity's starting back up. Since moving here about four years ago, I've never had to spend a summer in Florida. I've always been in California at camp. Sadly, this year that won't be a thing. I hear it rains everyday. So far, since coming back from Arizona, it's rained once. I'm not really looking forward to the rain. I'm not a huge fan of hot, wet days. Maybe I'll get used to it though. 

So here are a few pictures of the last couple days in Arizona. 

Got to go to Portillo's.

Remember Chicago dogs? Yup. Still a fan. Hot dogs in general.

Chrissie and her steak sandwich. I think I captured the moment perfectly.

Mo likes food, too. 

Roger! I got to go to a video premiere while here and my friend Roger was in it! His part was great!

I got to skate in a parking garage one day. This was the sunday before I came back to Florida. It was so hot. Over a hundred degrees and it was only 10 am.

Also went to Tempe III, this little pre-fab park. It's kinda fun. Not my favorite. The ground is super slippery but I've been told that once I move out there I'll get used to it and end up loving it. Let's hope!

On the same Sunday as the parking garage and Tempe III, there was an Askate event held at AZ grind in Mesa. Askate is a skate event held to help kids with autism learn how to skate. I went to one of their events in Orlando last year and it was a blast. A couple months before the Orlando event I had knee surgery so I couldn't help kids skate. This time I got to help Chase's little sister. It was so much fun and so many volunteers came to help. If you ever get a chance, go volunteer. So worth it. 

This is was the morning before I left Arizona. We hiked up A mountain, grabbed breakfast, visited Old Town Scottsdale, and grabbed italian ices at Joe's before my flight that day. It pays to get up early.

Chase was a little tough to get up that morning. 

The Concorda Cottage. Miss you! I woke up pretty early to get one last good view of a lot of the stuff I knew I'd miss.

Miss you, Bruce!

Miss you, Bug!

Us at the top of A.

Someone lost their trash...

Such a pretty view. That big body of water is Tempe Town lake. 

After hiking up A, my calves were on fire. I really think that once I move to Arizona, I'll have calves of steel as long as I go hiking every once in a while. We had breakfast at Scrambled in Scottsdale and then headed over to this cool Mexican Imports store in old town Scottsdale. I got this cool pastel colored blanket, postcards and a couple of kokopelli mug rugs. 

Awesome store.

Have you ever seen the movie "Big?" This guy reminded me of that movie. He's right outside the mexican imports store.

Musical Mondays

So I'm starting this new bloggy segment called Musical Mondays. It's pretty much just going to be a song I've listened to or just came across in the last week. Or just a song that's been on my mind. Whatevs. It'll be a song.

This week's selection is Fuckin' Problems by A$AP ROCKY. Why this song? Because it's become the song of choice whenever we go anywhere in Chrissie's stang. It's also very catchy! We've all learned the hook and sing (rap?) it at the top of our lungs. Imagine a car full of cute little girls cussing like sailors and you've imagined us. Enough words. Listen!

Sedona hike and more

So...this post is mostly pictures..Last Thursday we took a Sedona trip. And by 'we,' I mean Chase, Chrissie, Laila and me. It was fun. We left around five in the morning, got to see the sun rise while we drove north, got to hike when it wasn't so hot, took a bunch of pictures, stopped in Flagstaff to eat linner (lunch and dinner), and just had a gold ol time. We hiked West Fork trail in Sedona..Oak Creek Canyon. It was a pretty easy 6.6 mile hike. Just make sure you have enough water and maybe a few snacks, especially if it's hot out. Enough words..now for the picture portion of this post. 

 Such a pretty drive in the bug.

 Classic cacti.

 Rest stop model

 Pretty bridge. I'll say it now: Pictures don't do this view or any of the other views justice. It's so much prettier in person. 

 Look how we excited they are to start the hike!

 At the beginning of this hike there's a cool little mine and...

 a cute little house.

 Almost the entire trail is lined with beautiful flowers.

 I never realized how big trees could get.

 Chrissie hurt her already injured ankle jumping off a rock. Oddly enough, after the initial sharp pain subsided, her ankle felt better than it did before the jump.

 I think I might be dating Alec Baldwin..

 Seriously breathtaking scenery

 On the trail there is a large ledge cliff

I had to lean over the cliff to snap this one. 

We climbed up this bug infested log to get a few pictures. We are so dedicated. (Chase almost got stuck up there.) 

     So the trail has to end sometime and when it does, it turns into a shallow stream that you can follow to get to the camp ground. We weren't planning on camping but I really wanted to see what was next. I kicked off my shoes and followed the icy water. Chase started the journey with me but gave up when she realized how cold the water was. I continued on alone for a bit, until I could no longer hear any voices and was just surrounded by the echoing chirps of birds in the distance. It was a really amazing feeling. After maybe half an hour I decided to turn around just in case my buddies were worried. Lo and Behold, Laila had come to find me. As we walked back to the others on the semi-slippery rocks, I slipped, scraped my knee and was almost completely submerged into the icy water. Luckily, I had just decided to put my phone in my bra instead of my pocket! My phone was saved and that's how you're able to see these pictures. So you're welcome!

Being in the middle of these two huge masses of rock was such a cool feeling. 

     After the hike we made our way to Flagstaff, Chrissie's old stomping grounds, to have dinner and check out the cool shops.

Who needs a giant flask? Chrissie does!

Yeah, don't!

We got stopped by the trains twice!

     On our way back to Tempe we stopped at sunset point and watched the sunset.

Pretty sundial!

     Remember in an earlier post how I said that Chase and I took a walk through Maple Ash (the cute neighborhood) to try and find Chase's cat? Well, the night of the hike we ended up going through the neighborhood and found Chase's kitty!! We didn't have any intention of even going that way but ended up taking a wrong turn and there we were and there was Bodhi! The next morning we headed to Petsmart to get a collar for Bodhi and got to watch the dogs in doggy day care play. 

Look at that pose!

I'm convinced this is Popeye's long lost cousin. 

     That afternoon Chase let me borrow the bug. I blasted music and headed to the skatepark, where I found out how hot Arizona really is.  I went to the wedge and pretty much baked in the sun. My liter of water was gone in less than an hour, my lips were chapped to the point where they were cracked and bleeding, and my head was starting to feel funny. It was fun though. Taught me that I need to have enough water on me when I leave the house.

At one point I had to hide from the sun. 

     That night... we attended the Cowtown photo show and my first hardcore house show! It was great! there were people moshing and being drunk and at one point there was almost a fight because someone thought someone else stole his guitar or something like that.. Anyway, it was a blast!

Chrissie kept dancing. Just kidding, she kept moving around.

My view for pretty much every show I go to...

Things I'll miss:

Outdoor breakfasts..Now, I know what you're thinking! 'You can have an outdoor breakfast anywhere.' Right? Well, yeah you can. But it's not the same. Here I have a cute outdoor table or the roof to eat breakfast on and the weather is nice and dry and I know that my friends are right inside and we're about to start another awesome, fun having day. That's not the case in the real world. In the real world breakfast isn't enjoyed. I eat it because I have to, to get through my day. It's rushed. I'm going to work on enjoying breakfast once in Florida.

Venezia's. Not just Venezia's but Venezia's with friends. I'll miss it.