.

Fancy Friday {a lil late}

2012-02-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

HOLY WEEK! wow! it's been a busy week and weekend!

fancy friday was neglected and that's just not right! for a little redemption- i'll show you something so fancy, it won't matter that this post is on a monday!

my best friend whitney started a design & events company called whit mitt events! she is amazingly talented. if y'all need some help with any event- she is your gal! she is getting ready for a busy wedding season and i cannot wait to see some of her designs.

check out her blog and show her some serious love.

xoxo

housewife life: first night- soup!

2012-01-30T20:13:00.000-08:00

thanks everyone for giving me different blogs or recipes! my recipe book is overflowin'! and i have a thankful husband!

so tonight- i put my housewife skillz to work! i pinned the pioneer woman's broccoli-cheese soup. oh boy! was it gooooood!

husband's analysis: i liked the flavor and consistency. def need to put that on the soup list!

joeley's analysis: it was good! i really liked it puree'd. i wouldn't have it any other way! yum yum!

let me know if y'all try it!

fancy friday: the giving keys.

2012-01-26T16:49:00.001-08:00

i decided to start a weekly "fancy friday". this means: i'll be writing in on anything that tickles my fancy for the week! it could be a food, person, fashion, poem, picture, interview, design, company... you get the point!

to start off my "fancy friday" i have decided to let you in on a company that i'm fancy'ing: the giving keys.

(via)

this company is phenomenal. caitlin crosby is the owner, along with two homeless people she met in LA. she heard their story and wanted to give them a chance to get off the streets. so they developed a company that could do just that. every key you buy (that the homeless she employs make), is meant to be given away to someone who needs it. the concept: pay it forward.

they have a blog that has stories of the people who received/gave keys. i read the stories, sobbing, and loving what a simple concept, a key necklace with an encouraging word, does to people!

they make great presents (hint hint)! and the proceeds go fully to getting people off the streets. it's a beautiful thing.

fancy my friday and order yourself one. and another one for me!

xoxo

housewife life.

2012-01-19T16:49:00.001-08:00

so friends, i'm gonna need your help.

since moving to pasadena, i've been looking for a job. in the mean time, i'm a full-time housewife.

this is where my sweet, dear girlfriends (or guy friends who like to cook) come in!

i am in desperate need of new recipes! since trav is working hard, bringing home the bacon, i'm trying to do my best to keep my man happy.

next week, i want to try a new recipe every night. send me blogs of good recipes (already love the pioneer woman), personal favorites, etc. the more, the merrier!

ya'll are the best! don't forget to send them over!

xoxo.

nash.ville.

2011-11-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

what a perfect weekend with my best, candice. we had a wonderful time, enjoying the fall weather, laughing. a lot!, having some serious heart talk (so good for the soul), eating amazing food, hanging with her new man, and meeting all the wonderful people nashville is full of! here's a glimpse into the goodness:

(climbing in trees, ginger beer 3 hour heart to heart lunch, farmers market, cute franklin)

(cutest BFF bracelets)

cnadice danielle: love you. thank you for some more amazing memories.

(cross #6 off the bucket list!)

bucket list #7: check.

2011-10-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

already checking things off the bucket list.

me and trav hit the course and dominated! (he did- i got better around hole 12. lol) we have never played golf together but have always wanted to and boy did we have fun!

my favorite part: the two-some we played with were these older guys (probably in their late 50s, early 60s) and they kept calling trav- brandon. we giggled every time they said it. haha it was silly.

how are your fall bucket lists coming along?!?!

fall bucket list

2011-09-29T09:06:00.001-07:00

we all need a seasonal bucket list. here's mine for the fall:

1. knit 4 scarves, give away 2 to a shelter. and 2 for some friends.

2. throw a killer Halloween/harvest party.

3. learn 3 new soup recipes.

4. restore one piece of furniture (at least).

5. read 2 new books (any recommendations?!).

6. discover a new (favorite) restaurant.

7. do something new and fun with my husband that we haven't done together yet.

8. go to a new gym class (want to try a body pump one).

9. give away 5 things in my closet.

10. memorize five new scriptures.

last time i did a bucket list, i got engaged! lol nothing can really top that, but maybe this one will be somewhat memorable. post yourfall bucket lists! i want to see!

fallin' in love...

2011-09-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

it's that time of year again: where we bust out our scarves, boots, and beanies! when we sip on pumpkin spice lattes and have pumpkin bagels (adrianne :) ). where we see the seasons change and gladly welcome it. ladies and gentlemen- it's FALL!

some fall must gets on my fashion list are:

cords

(vintage matchstick cords)

jacket & necklace

(everything about this outfit works for me!)

olivia- when aren't you cute?!?!

i'm loving those boots and jacket!

love everything here.

(i want that purse and booties ASAP!)

i'm sure i'm missing 100 pictures of things i want for the fall. but the sad truth is, is that it's still 107 here today :( so east coasters, pacific northwesters, please don't take this weather for granted! and post me some pics of your cutie fall fashion lists soon!

have a great weekend! XO

you can stay!

2011-09-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

hello beautiful AZ day!

please weather, plan on sticking around- i don't like seeing 100 on my radar anymore!

fall: welcome :)

you enjoying the weather in other parts of the country?!

503

2011-09-06T09:11:00.001-07:00

i know that i haven't been posting projects on here and there's a good reason....

cause we started a new design blog!

check it out and give us some feedback!

http://503couture.blogspot.com/

our latest little project was fun! smash did a good job on her first attempt at sewing! look how great it turned out!

sweet september!

2011-09-01T20:31:00.001-07:00

this is going to be an excellent month.

tomorrow- vegas to celebrate lil miss london's 1st birthday!

headed to california in a couple weekends to enjoy two beautiful wedding. one being my sweet friend jenna & her fiance davey:

and the other one is the lovely lacee lulu & her fiance chassion:

on the same visit - we are headed up to hang with the mitt's! cannnnnot wait to hang with my best!

this month, is also going to be a month of cooler weather (right Jesus?!)! so we can go on hikes, enjoy the lake, be outside and not melt!

my wonderful and fabulous mother will be celebrating another year of life (the 29th- don't you forget it! lol)! as well as my awesome father in law!

so much to look forward to! oh and did i mention... it's football season?!

what are you looking forward to for this month?

thief!

2011-08-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

dear closet thief,

i know you exist! i have lost multiple pieces of my favorite clothing....

-my nike work out capris!

-my argentina high waisted skirt!

-trav's fave khaki shorts!

-there's more but i can't think of it right now!

and i know i have moved cities and 2 different houses, and traveled a lot the past year so maybe they are somewhere in hawaii?! or portland?! maybe vegas?!?!? who knows?!

but i can't take all the blame! my closet is organized.

(picture to prove it!)

so please, dear closet thief, return my articles of clothing and we might be cool with each other again. i'll even let you borrow any pair of shoes your heart desires!

xo,

joeley

crafting

2011-08-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

getting ready to celebrate my niece's first birthday! (how do they grow up so fast?!?!?) been crafting away...

(just a sneak preview for you!)

more pics to follow after labor day weekend!

do you guys have any recent crafting projects you'd like to share?!

friday night...

2011-08-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

it's been a while and there's a perfect excuse....I'm addicted to Friday night lights! in any spare time- me and trav find ourselves cuddled up and watching Netflix! if you have a passion for football, like watching something with a good message (for the most part) and like accents- this is your show! we haven't even finished season 1 but it's so good! have you ever been hooked on a tv series?! xo

lj obessions

2011-08-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

if you can't tell- this is the cutest girl in the whole wide world (i might be biased but it's true!)

and she is so fun to be with! we went swimming!

i had a great time in vegas hanging with this cutie. my favorite thing she does right now is throw her hands up in the air and starts talking in jibberish. it's so funny.

me and her mama also got to embark on some fun projects- here's a preview of it:

you can check out and follow us here for some more projects:

http://503couture.blogspot.com/

what's your obsessions right now?!

one year ago.

2011-08-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

one year today, my best friend and love of my life purposed to me.

we hopped in the car and headed up to the grand canyon. having a fabulous time rapping, singing and laughing during the three hour drive. little did i know that it was the last road trip as a single lady!

i still remember how nervous trav was. it was the cutest thing.

i think one of my favorite parts (besides the obvious engagement) was praying together in the car after and reading some scripture. it was such a holy moment that i will never forget!

my next favorite part was having our family and very best friends there to celebrate the engagement (it was a TOTAL surprise that trav planned!)! it was so humbling to have friends and fam come from all over the states and support us!

this is a day i will never forget! or as i said the whole day, "babe! best day of my life!"

it truly was one of the best days!

LOVE YOU TRAVIS! you are the best thing that's ever happened to me!

st. diego!

2011-08-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

(finally) posting san diego trip pictures! we had a fun long weekend! i'm so thankful these two cuties get the beach house every year for the family to be reunited at!

(papa&nana)

(all the cousins- in birth order!)

we have a blast hanging on the porch, watching everyone on the boardwalk, listening to music, eating some good food, playing games, sand volleyball, long bike rides, sara's tacos and catching up with some sweet friends.

(congrats to ash&matt on engagement!)

(my future nephew- tristan! he's gonna marry london!thanks anya and angelo for hangin with us. we so enjoyed being with you! xo)

(my best friend-whit and her hubby! they spent all day saturday with us and we could not have had more fun! thanks for coming down mittman's! we LOVE you!

(eating chips&salsa all day- everyday there.)

any of you beach it up this summer?! tell me about it!

projects.

2011-07-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

we estate saled it HARD yesterday. have any of you ever been?! that was my first and i'm obsessed! we started out with a hearty breakfast....

and continued to get a load of goodies for $13! yes, fabrics, dollies, and some other little gems.

all that to say- projects are headed your way! one in particular i have been looking forward to doing for about a month now! you will see results soon!

the wedding.

2011-07-28T10:09:00.001-07:00

the book is finished. and WOW was it good! have any of you read it before?! if you haven't, and you're up for a sappy love story for a good summer read- i recommend this. i cried, multiple times at the way nicholas sparks describes love. one of my favorite lines were:

but love, i've come to understand, is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day.

how will you love someone today?!

san diego.

2011-07-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

i haven't been able to put this book down:

while drinking this:

i'll get back to you about our magnificent trip in san diego!

doop scoop.

2011-07-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

today is national ice cream day! who would have thought that could be a holiday? well i'm sure glad it is. i tell ya, i LOVE fro yo, but it all started with a love for ice cream.

i remember being in elementary school and riding our bikes to thrifty's ice cream in desert shores. there was nothing like that bubble gum ice cream (now it sounds disgusting- then it was the best!). so in honor of the holiday- me and trav searched our iPhone's for just that! we ended up in the ghetto with a hole in the wall store called thrifty's but definitely wasn't thrifty's ice cream.

so we celebrated with some custard instead! it was yum! especially on a day like today! 112 degrees! who lives in this kind of weather?!?!?!

hope you get your ice cream on today!

espys.

2011-07-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

pre-travis days = superbowl parties, basketball finals, big sporting events.

travis days = sports fanatic!

so we watched the espys (for all you non-sport fans- it's an awards show for athletes) on tuesday night. i was so inspired from this story. anthony was born with only one leg, but overcame his disability and received the national title (which is HUGE!) and the perseverance award.

here's the video:

Robles Acceptance Speech at ESPY Awards (Jimmy V Award) from Keith Jennings on Vimeo.

long weekend :)

2011-07-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

I feel like we travel a lot on the weekends but when we are here- they are jammed pack!

this past weekend was exactly that! we did dinner with our friends Friday night- baby shower Saturday afternoon, antiqued shopped and had a coffee at our favorite local joint- lux.

(lux- our favorite lil hot spot)

then had a fabulous girlfriend over for dinner. we are planing a party that I will hopefully soon tell you about....then Sunday we did church- afternoon movie and gelato- and game night with some of our youth kids! if you haven't played the game of things then you are missing out! classic!

Monday we spontaneously drove downtown to watch the Homerun derby at a bar- close to the stadium. we tried scalping tickets and I told trav we wouldn't spend more than $60. I felt funny cause we were negotiating between two different sellers. anyways- we scored $370 seats for $60. my husbands entire week - if not month- was made! we had a great time!

(my cutie husband so excited!)

(kemp- probably my favorite ball player)

hollywood. vegas. phx. prescott.

2011-07-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

the last two weeks have been nuts. started in hollywood with 180 high students at our church's summer trip! we had a blast. drove straight to vegas for a wedding and some QT with my family. then to prescott for the 4th. it's been busy!

(wedding)

(london)

(me and my handsome man! on the 4th)

my daddy.

2011-06-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

(source)

my daddy is the best.

it's true! he is!

from being a little girl, until today, he has always been my biggest fan. i remember growing up, my dad would be at all my soccer games, swim meets, student council assemblies and the list goes on!

i look up to him in so many ways. he is administrative, highly creative, strong, and the biggest teddy bear in the world. over the recent years, he has become more sensitive and i LOVE it.

one of my favorite memories is walking down the aisle with him. he cried the whole way down! but before we walked out, he told me how much he has enjoyed me as a daughter and how proud he was of me. he then went on to say, you were princess garcia, but now you're queen harper. lol as cheesy as you might think that is, i will never forget it!

thanks daddy for making me feel like a princess my whole life. and thank you for entrusting my king with me.

i love you. dearly.

happy father's day.

simple times.

2011-06-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

i've been itching to do a simple project. and this one is simple! in fact, it didn't cost a dime! which we love projects like that!

supplies:

-frame

-twine

-nails

-screws

-3 fabric flowers

-hot glue gun

here is that we started out with.

(a blank frame- which has been sitting in my closet since high school1 hoarder?!?! lol)

then we nailed in the twine and knotted in the back of the frame. we did two layers cause i have a lot of earrings!

then we added screws to the bottom. and i hot glued on my flowers (that i used at our wedding on the mason jars with candles in it). we did this for the cute factor :).

and waah la- here is it! a fun way to display jewelry!

enjoy your wednesday!

cabin trip.

2011-06-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

this past weekend we went to christopher creek. trav's family has a cabin there. it was an awesome weekend of relaxing, laughing, singing karaoke, eating, swinging in trees, fishing, reading, hanging with the in-laws, and hiking.

(cabin)

(me and my sexy husband)

(my husband being a boy in the creek!)

(me swinging in the trees)

get this! then we get home to 24 hours of cha.os! we came home to travis' brand new bike get stolen and our sweet fish, kate spade, dead! ya it was pretty sad. both of it. and then, tonight, not even 24 hours later- our bed completely broke, fell apart! we have to get a whole new set! i told trav- we look back and laugh at this.... maybe not the dead fish part, or the stolen bike- but the broken bed?!?! hope you all had a great weekend!

tennis.obsession.

2011-06-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

who else loves the game of tennis?! me and trav are addicted. i get a lil outta control and some of my shots are WILD but it's so fun. come over and play if you wanna get your butt kicked!

Harper's DIY

2011-06-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

so me and trav were inspired from a bookshelf we found online. we wanted to make a harper version of it and this is the result!

before (plain boring white door):

after (beautiful shabby chic'ed gray doors with stained wood and metal "L" bows):

it was a fun project! more to come! stay tuned :)

lessler wedding!

2011-05-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

since we got married (almost three months ago), we have been in a wedding each and to one last night! i LOVE it!

this one is fallon and alex's wedding which was in portland. me trav and fallon went to college together. me and fal got a lot closer after we graduated. travis and i started dating and fallon would talk to us about her future husband and little did we know- it would be so soon that they found each other!

the wedding was a BLAST! we had a great time escaping the heat and celebrating love. (sorry this post should be from the beginning of may- i'm so behind!)

(at bachlorette party in downtown portland- portland city grill! and an girl's only after party!)

(the reveal moment)

(my sexy date)

(at fal's wedding!)

(the lessler's and harper's together- the first of many times :) )

watermelon belly

2011-05-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

i went grocery shopping Monday and the last thing i had to bring in from the car was the watermelon. i put it in front of my belly (pretending i was pregnant), walked from the car, up the stairs, in the heat into our apartment.

when it occurred to me- this is the journey of pregnancy mom's embark on! they carry a beautiful baby (which has to be hard work) for 9 months! i just walked from the car to my apartment and the watermelon wasn't even a baby and i was exhausted (it could have also attributed to my many trips to and from the car)...so i want to give a shout out.

to all you mothers or soon to be mamas out there, even though mother's day is over, i commend you. you are brave, beautiful and wonderful for carrying a prize in your belly. it is so worth it! thank you.

A B C's of me!

2011-05-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Age: 25 (ugh)

Bed size: queen.

Chore you hate: putting laundry in drawers.

Dogs: n/a.

Essential start of your day: kisses from trav. 

Favorite color: yellow and gray.

Gold or silver: silver.

Height: 5'1"

Instruments I play (or have played): violin, and want to learn piano. 

Job title: retail manager.

Kids: later please.

Live: Phoenix.

Mom's name: Robyn.

Nickname: Jojo. Juge. Joge. Joe. Joels.

Overnight hospital stays: never.

Pet peeve: bad drivers.

Quote from a movie: "You probably get this a lot. This isn't the real Caesar's Palace is it?"

Right or left handed: Right.

Siblings: Smash and G. 

Time you wake up: 8:15ish.

Underwear: only with skirts/dresses.

Vegetables you dislike: there are a few!

What makes you run late: my closet- never knowing what to wear?

X-rays you've had done: ankle.

Yummy food you make: tacos.

Zoo animal: monkeys.

(copy, paste it and let me read your A B C's!)

xo

25 + beyond.

2011-05-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

i cannot believe it has taken me so long to blog my 25th birthday!

i wasn't looking forward to the age but a girlfriend texted me the night before- and said, you're gonna be a quarter, and no one throws away quarters- they throw away dimes, pennies and nickels. i LOVED it and that simple sentence changed my perspective on 25! lol

started off @ 1am with a surprise of my mom- sister- niece- best friend- and mom's best friend. i was SHOCKED. they jumped on my bed!

then woke up to my handsome hubby who bought me some stunna shades.

(gold ray bans for my golden birthday.)

then off to breakfast at LGO where i met this guy...

(steve nash all you non-suns fans!)

then shopped around. had an amazing lunch at arcadia farms with trav's moms side of the family! it was a blast.

then came home and CHOPPED off my hair!

(before)

(after)

love it. so sassy.

then me and trav went to olive & ivy and had the sweetest spot on the nicest patio in town.

it was the perfect day. thank you all for loving me so good. and a special shout out to my mom for having me :)

robyn.gerber.garcia.

2011-05-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

mother.

how do you put into words the impact one amazing person has had on your life?!

there is so much to be thankful for when it comes to my mom.

I could talk about all the love and encouragement she has shown me for the last 25 years. all the compassion, wisdom and fun she has imparted to me. the loyalty, goodness, and nurturing that never fails.

mom, you are a great woman, a wonderful wife, a strong leader, and one hell of a mother.

I love every part of you and am thankful and blessed to be raised by you!

garden.ers.

2011-04-23T18:45:00.000-07:00

we are officially harper's!

for those of you who don't know- trav's family owns harper's nursery here in town! they have two of the cutest locations. lots of antique decor tied into planting! it's ADORABLE! and i'm not just sayin that cause now i'm a harper! lol

we decided to give our mini patio a new look!

before:

we arrived to harper's nursery in mesa.

during:

we took our new plants home and started potted. (trav is so cute when it comes to plants. he taught me proper planting! what a green man he is!)

and finally after:

here is our patio scape! ya- that's a tomato tree in the corner! we used those pots from our wedding. we also hung up some lanterns we had from the wedding too! now it's a beautiful peaceful place where i will enjoy my time with the Lord and cup of joe!

how did you enjoy your easter weekend?!

too good.

2011-04-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

i am so stoked. me and trav went on date night tonight. we rode our bikes around town after we cooked a bomb taco meal!

we bopped around marshalls, LAST CHANCE, and elsewhere. for those of you who don't know about last chance, it's un.be.liv.able.

first time i ever went- hated it. second time- hated even more. third and beyond times i've been there- my favorite store. and for this very reason....

i saw these very belt's (lulu) at nordstrom today for $10. then i found them at last chance and got all four for... are you ready.... $1.09!

that's right. could not believe it either.

just thought you might be excited about my purchase.

have a good weekend!

36 hours

2011-04-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

what a joy it has been to be me the last 36 hours. LOL

no really- i have had some fun... started off with egg decorating at work....

followed by some rehearsal dinner for the edwin's wedding. there is where i met this cutie.

we were kindly given her as our first pet (she was our centerpiece for the night). the boys got one and named their's marc jacobs. so they decided mine and trav's was kate spade. i drove home like i was driving home from the hospital with a newborn in my car. since she's our first pet, i must take the best care of her! we even had breakfast this morning. ha

and finally, the edwin's BEAUTIFUL outdoor wedding! sally made an exquisitely breathtaking (ya i just put those two words together) bride. and her husband kelsen didn't look so bad himself!:)

(more pics to follow)

trav was the best man and had the BEST speech. i'm so proud of my handsome hubby!

we are so excited for the edwin's as we will have many double dates together as newlyweds!

crushes...

2011-04-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

main crush:

(ya that's my husband. he will always be my main squeeze.)

t.v. show crush:

(i have been addicted to the first season on dvd's. it's too good. if you don't watch- jump on the train)

food crushes:

postino's.

i went there last night for the first time ever and am obsessed. they had the best bruschetta i have ever had. i will forever take all my guest there.

couch crush:

anthropologie always does it right.

love how happy this couch is.

give me some of your crushes.

2 years +

2011-04-07T09:37:00.001-07:00

it has been about two years that i have been wanting to chop my hair off! i remember doing a collage in my art journal of 'long bobs' for inspiration to get the scissors to this head. but... i also remember wanting my hair long for my wedding. now that that's over....

i saw this last night in the instyle hair magazine. i'm so tempted. ESPECIALLY before summer time in this nasty heat. any suggestions, advice, encouragement?

good 'ol Vegas!

2011-04-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

every time i go home- i really miss it. i love being with my family, seeing my friends, and just being home. this trip home was short but totally sweet.

started it off with a baby shower for my girl katelyn! she looks FABULOUS! it was fun to see some high school girlfriends too!

then after- we had a vegas reception! it was super mellow- a fun dessert party! it was smaller than our wedding which was nice cause we got to connect with everyone!

( a little centerpiece action)

(the table full of food- our caterer even made root beer float cupcakes! yum!)

(me and my handsome husband socializing)

(jk- la... where is the m and b?! missed you brookie and megz.)

(our niece- london! isn't she perfect?!)

anyways- thanks for coming out everyone. it was fun to put that dress on again and sass it!

3.12

2011-03-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

best day of my LIFE!

here are a few of my favorite pictures thus far...

(in our photobooth)

(eating tacos real fast at our table)

and then our honeymoooooon!

wowwi MAUI :)

(us by the pool and beach- got to see turtles and whales, all while having the best food!)

(at the infinity pool- LOVED IT.)

(just finishing a day of skip bo tournaments and sun bathing)

(a romantic dinner at cafe o'lei!)

(our adventure on public transit! why didn't we learn about this til the last 2 days?!?!)

highlights of honeymoon: obviously.... lol

i loved planning a day for me and trav. we went snorkeling in front of our hotel in the morning, and then got afternoon massages, and finished it up with a bomb dinner.

his day he planned was even better! we went for a 6am snorkel to a local island. then continued onto 'turtle town' where i lost my fin and saw 3 turtles. he tried diving for it cause he didn't want to pay a lot of money for it and didn't see any turtles :( he finally retrieved with the help of our tour guide, meanwhile, i'm back at the boat, having some water and snacks, laughing with captain jack about how he was going to give me a fin to return so we didn't have to pay the 5 bucks! LOL

and now home to the end of spring training and cleaning...

late but worth the wait!

2011-03-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

this post is extremely late, but i did write the last three days of my single life.

3 days:

the bridal party is 87% here!!!!!! i looked at trav tonight and said- these people are here for us. he could not even grasp it! neither could I. this is too good!

I can't wait for Saturday, but I don't want this to end!

("Jesus Crist" paid for our bill! lol)

2 days:

wow. the feelings i have right now are too much. i'm taking it all in- soaking it up. my heart is so full! with each person that arrives- i get more and more excited!

i can't believe it's what we've been planning for 8 months!

recap of day- brunch at 204. spring training with bridal party. mani and pedi. true foods with girls. yogurtology with crissa, coley, and rest of gang. so excited!

(us at spring training)

1 day:

i can't believe i don't have a "s" at the end of days!

it is here! officially here! from set up to rehearsal dinner- it's been a dream come true! i cannot believe i get to marry my best friend tomorrow!

rehearsal dinner was wonderful. it's so good to have everyone here. from rehearsal to the dinner- me and trav got to drive alone there and had some good quality time for ten min! it was great catching up with him and just being one on one. i got to tell him about my heart and morning walk which was nice. and hear about bachelor party (not all details fellas :) ).

i love him so much! here we go!

today:

is the day! my heart is so full!

(our hotel room number was 312!)

4 days!

2011-03-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

4 days.

today.... has been a long day! I woke up, almost freaked out cause there were clouds in the sky but was quickly reminded that it's a beautiful day!

my dad was born 49 years ago today in this very state. he has been the best man in my life (up until Trav). he is kindly giving me away to a man he trusts his my life and heart. I have had the blessing of being his middle child and his last daughter to get married.

I love you daddy! today was created for you. even amongst wedding chaos- I hope it was the best!

5 days!

2011-03-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

today has been a beautiful day. we have had so much fun. trav had to work but me and jordan handled business. everything from packing and moving more stuff to our new apartment and organizing, to appointments all afternoon, actually in Brazil! and we made it back, we are that good....

and what sums up today is:

beauty is pain.

can't wait for my MOB to arrive tonight! looking forward to having her and Doris here!

6 days!

2011-03-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

the harpers, soon to be mrs (me) harper, and Jordan headed up to the ranch to bring up all the wedding stuff (decor, utensils, etc.) up. or as Jordan says- basically transported the wedding room to the ranch!

me and Jordan having a (difficult) yet hilarious time putting the arch together. thanks trina and jaymi for saving us!

we had fun! and it looks fabulous!!!!! I looked around and was in awe. the durkin's and harper's have spent many hours making it look amazing! thank you guys so much!
a special shout out to max- who made some of our final decisions!

7 days!

2011-03-06T10:05:00.001-08:00

the MOH has me on a good, tight schedule. helping me get things done! today, we ran tons of errands and did some home decorating!

it was fun! then we went out with some of the groomsmen and groom. the parlor, st. francis and hanny's were all on the list last night of hot spots we hit! so fun! this time next week, we will be married! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

8 days!

2011-03-04T21:49:00.000-08:00

8 days! today, my MOH Jordan flew in! it's SO fun having her here!

then me, her and trav headed to my grandparents! we had dinner with them and it was so fun! we asked them what is their favorite part about marriage, and my grandpapa said he loves having someone there that he can trust and that he can be himself with!

it was funny cause then later, we asked how long they had been married. my grandmama goes, oh like 24 years... and we all looked at each other confused (since my parents have been married 26!). and then grandpapa goes 47 years! we laughed and i thought to myself, they really can be themselves (my grandmama losing it a little bit) and love each other through it all!

i can't wait to grow old with trav!

9 days!

2011-03-03T22:25:00.000-08:00

Wow single digits! I can't believe it!

So Trav made my day all day! He surprised me and packed me a lunch for work and had lunch with me there!

When we first got engaged, my girlfriend Amanda recommended going out on a date the week of the wedding and just having fun!

So tonight was our date night before my MOH arrives tomorrow!
We had a list of to do's. We were going to try out a new restaurant but had so much planned - we ditched that idea and headed for In-N-Out!

Then went to Verizon and got my man to the 21st century with an iPhone! He loves it!

Then headed for a quick shopping spree at the lovely Nordstrom Rack! Got some cute stuff for the honeymoon :)

(Obviously got some goodies ;)

A date night isn't complete without dessert! So we headed to Yogurtology! Yum yum.

It was so fun to be with Trav, no distraction (besides his new toy :) ) and just laugh. Thanks Amanda for the recommendation!

Love to all!

10 days!

2011-03-02T20:56:00.001-08:00

We are on the last day of double digits people! Wow!

I was just reading in Ephesians where it talks about support, submission, love and becoming one flesh once you marry. It is so cool the way God creates this sacred and blessed relationship where you become one with your spouse. Once united, your decisions, words, emotions, etc. directly affect you now. Love is one of the most selfless acts. Marriage is about giving. I pray that I can be this for and to Trav.

This isn't a deep revelation or anything- just something I can remind myself of daily.

11 days!

2011-03-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

i was thinking today, in the tanning bed, that i am like esther! just preparing myself for my prize! the beauty treatments have begun! first- the tanning bed (only once). a nice appointment with my esthetian on monday. and manicures and pedicures right before the wedding! and working out and whitening my teeth (when i remember) sometimes in between all this!

it's been fun preparing, but i know trav would love me if my eyebrows were whack, if my nail beds haven't been groomed in a while, and if i had white splotchy skin!

my only question is: how do guys prepare?!

12 days!

2011-02-28T22:47:00.000-08:00

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! i have monday's off, therefore- i craft, scout, daydream, brainstorm, prepare, write, put together, etc. everything for the wedding! today- i was thinking, i only have one more monday left after today! WOW!

today- i am excited.

i bought trav's ring in vegas through my jeweler :)

she called me and said, it's getting closer to being official! my heart almost exploded!

i would post a pic of the ring, but there's got to be some surprises!

love you all. have a good week!

13 days!

2011-02-28T18:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast the days are passing! Some days it would seem FOR.EV.ER. and now it's like there aren't 24 hours in a day!

So Trav had his "man shower" tonight- you know the kind of decorations that consists of pictures of American heroes (John Wayne, Bruce Lee, Arnold- pre-Governor days)taped up on the walls! He texted me after while guys were still there and said "oh my gosh joeley. tonight was divine." it literally made my heart sing! I love that the guys threw him a shower! It's been so unbelievable to be surrounded by SO much love during this process!

Thank you everyone for your encouragement, love, support, laughter, etc. through this process. I couldn't ask for better people to have our backs!

14 days! aka 2 weeks!

2011-02-26T22:44:00.000-08:00

2 weeks til i marry the most handsome gringo i ever did see!

today we did all wedding related things! it was so fun! we had our friend and one of the groomsmen, phil in town from california! it was a blast for him to see the venue, help hang up lights and just be with us! thanks for the visit!

here's another sneak peek of something that will be at the wedding...

we even got the opportunity to have dinner with our caterer tonight! and be prepared for the best food you EVER had! so excited!

it's all coming together! i can't wait!

enjoy the rain/snow tonight!

15 days!

2011-02-26T09:51:00.001-08:00

with almost two weeks left, lots of people have been giving me their pointers and tips on marriage and the wedding...

a couple received have been:

-enjoy the day of the wedding. it's so short, and goes by so fast!

-marriage is really fun, but really hard- you have to constantly work at it.

-if stuff goes wrong- no one knows besides you!

-enjoy love.

-make sure the toasts are earlier in the night! lol

what pieces of advice, encouragement or warning do you have for us?!

16 days!

2011-02-24T18:32:00.003-08:00

wow time is flyin!

so my blog friends... IT'S OFFICIAL! WE GOT OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE TODAY!

(trav celebrating!)

(us with certificate)

and then we went to a bomb breakfast at this cute lil joint called matt's big breakfast to celebrate some more! it was on the show "dive and diners" or something like that?! lol

i recommend stopping by it when in downtown phx!

it's a long wait, but worth it! and look how cute it is!

then i came over to our apartment, where trav is currently living, and he told me- go work out, i'm gonna cook dinner! i said- that's alright with me :)

i came out of the gym to find this handsome chef grillin! made us steak and veggies. he really is the best!

(single ladies- you pray in a man like trav! God gave me the best!)

17 days!

2011-02-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

(sorry for the lateness- my iphone won't let me blog?!?! written- february 23)

so today at work, a co-worker asked how wedding plans were coming. i told her, "they are coming! just can't wait to be married!" then she says, " ya it's weird, after you get married, you have all this free time on your hands, and you actually get your social life back!"

we laughed, but i thought about this all day! and then wondered and wanted to ask, what were some of the first things you did as newlyweds?

18 days!

2011-02-22T22:20:00.000-08:00

there is NOTHING sexier than a man with a hammer in his hand!

tonight- we attempted to put our bed together! better luck tomorrow?!?!

also- take a look at our awesome (make me cry) engagement pics!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=279153&id=54087743563

19 days!

2011-02-21T21:58:00.000-08:00

The rest of the Vegas bachlorette weekend was fabulous! I haven't laughed that hard in a while! Thank you ladies!

Today was my final dress fitting! Smash, my MOH, sister and hairdresser did a trial for my hair too so trying on the dress with my hair all ready was beautiful! It all really feels soon! Which it is!

I got a text from trav this am that said- 19 days! I feel like I'm gonna puke! I didn't know if that was a good or bad thing! haha he just said it's so soon and real! He is stoked! I am stoked! And ready for march 12 already!

20 days!

2011-02-21T09:37:00.001-08:00

(DISCLAIMER: since i didn't post last night- i was so tired from this weekend's events- i am posting twice today! but i did write this one for yesterday, last night)

3 highs of yesterday (which was saturday!):

- best shower ever! haven't laughed that hard in a while! or been that blush red!

- great afternoon of wedding filled activities with my girls!

- having the first night of my bachlorette party and dancin the night away!

3 lows: (i hate to do this, but...)

- didn't take that many pics!

- didn't eat enough blueberry muffins!

- saw Tony Parker last night and missed my chance to tell him what an idiot he was for cheating on eva longoria!

it was the best weekend ever! a huge shoutout to all my girls who made it happen! i cry every time i talk or think about it! thank you all from the bottom of my heart! you guys lathered me with so much love! i am the luckiest bachlorette in the world!

21 days!

2011-02-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

three weeks from today! wow! today has been too much fun!

but first a recap on last night: we drove into vegas last night and made a pit stop at "our spot"

mr. d'z!

we would meet here half way when we dated and get root beer floats! brought gram harper, trina, jaymi and taylor there to experience it all! it was fun! then hit vegas!

today i got overly showered and blessed by the beautiful ladies from vegas! it was a "cup of joe" themed shower! and it was the cutest thing ever! the bridesmaids put on an amazing, perfectly crafted for me shower! we laughed a lot which is always fun! i got some outrageous goodies!

and in about an hour- we will head out for the night 1 of bachlorette party goodness! i'll post pics of that tomorrow! the single life for 21 more days! can't wait to be a mrs! xo

22 days!

2011-02-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

the ultimate single ladies weekend is about to take place! brace yourselves: this weekend- vegas: bridal shower and bachlorette party! i am SO excited i couldn't even sleep!

happy friday! bridal shower pics to follow. and maybe one bachlorette party pic!

23 days!

2011-02-17T20:39:00.001-08:00

you know your day is going to be a challenge when, to start off the day, you burn yourself on your stomach with your curling iron!

so after that, it was a LONGGGGG day! work is busy but overwhelming, the wedding is getting closer (which is the best thing! duh!), but overwhelming! so i was feeling a lil emotional tonight when i met up with trav. we ran up to the durkin ranch, which is the venue our wedding's at,

(sneak peek)

and then to the harper's (trav's uncles house) where the rehearsal dinner is. and i thought to myself: get over your bad day. you have amazing people surrounding you, helping with the wedding! and you are going to burn yourself with your curling iron many more times, and have a lot going on at work, but at the end of those crappy days, you have someone to go home to and process, laugh, cuddle, and be with! what a blessing God brings us! someone to do life with! i get goosebumps thinking that i get all of that with trav in 23 days!

24 days!

2011-02-16T20:47:00.000-08:00

sometimes, you just gotta have fun and be silly! i love that trav loves me for who i am. he doesn't judge me for my stinky breath, or dirty hair. lol he loves me for me. silly, in a bad mood, lookin a mess. this is the kind of love you gotta find. it's so good- so real!

25 days!

2011-02-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

A couple months ago my friend was bragging about her husband. But then she felt bad because after you're married you become one unit, so she felt like she was bragging about herself. So technically since I am not married yet, I am going to brag about my fiancée and not feel guilty!!

John Travis Harper killed his very first buck when he was 14 in 1999 and this is it. When I saw this in the garage of his parents house, I was a proud woman and needed to display his pride and joy!

Therefore I decided to decorate our guest bathroom with this sweetheart. This is not the only piece I am proud of that is hanging up in our home.

26 days! Happy Love Day!

2011-02-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

i can't believe a year ago- me and trav shared our first kiss today! lol (tmi?)

oh ps- i saved $12.52 yesterday on groceries! with coupons involved! i even beat trina (the pro coupon queen)!

here is my victory pic:

okay so 26 days left! today, i decided to surprise trav decorate the house a lil and make dinner for him:

(this is our kitchen! lol)

it ended up being a little different than planned (we had to go to our last premartial counseling session) and ended up leaving everything in the oven to stay warm! but after our lovely meeting of planning the ceremony, we came home and it tasted soooooo good!

how did you enjoy your love day?!?!

27 days

2011-02-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

for the past 24 hours, i have been learning about the "good life" according to trav. the good life of saving money when first getting married!

me and trav made dinner last night from frozen foods before we headed to the movies where we had free movie passes and popcorn vouchers! total cost- $7.81.

we watched: "just go with it" which i highly recommend!

then today, after church, we ran a ton of wedding errands and got costco lunch for a total of $6.36 with a hot dog combo, chicken bake and dessert too! the frozen yogurt!

and later today, we will be getting schooled by trina on how to use coupons for grocery shopping (she is a pro!)! *az residents- did you know that when you shopped at fry's- you can present them with coupons from any competitor and get the same discount!

saving money is fun, but dedicated work! i'll let you know later how much we saved on groceries later!

28 days!

2011-02-12T13:19:00.001-08:00

28 days: isn't there a movie called that?

well 4 weeks my friends til i marry the man i love! i was thinking last night as we were trying food for the rehearsal dinner with his family, and ran to lowe's to get some wood and stuff for wedding projects- i can't wait to be a wife.

in proverbs 31- it talks about about being a virtuous wife. i pray that i am all of what it speaks of but i know i have a lot to learn! majority of it i need to work on... but i'm gonna need some help with this one from other wives!

"She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast

for her family and organizing her day."

i'm gonna need you all to send me your favorite recipes! lol

i also loved this!

"Her clothes are well-made and elegant,

and she always faces tomorrow with a smile."

what a way to live life! fancy and smiling!

and boy oh boy do i love this one!

"Her children respect and bless her;

her husband joins in with words of praise:
"Many women have done wonderful things,
but you've outclassed them all!" "

it's been a way fun 24 years of being single! but i cannot wait for 4 weeks and 30 minutes from today, walking down the aisle with my handsome daddy at my side, looking at my treasure at the end!

have a good weekend! xo

twenty nine days!

2011-02-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

i was thinking, some of you might not even know mine and trav's deal!

so here is our wedsite to get you up to date!

http://www.travisandjoeley.wedsite.com/

30 day countdown!

2011-02-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

thirty more days left of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY

til i get this:

(red velvet.... but mostly this handsome stud!)

gettin' crafty!

2011-02-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

so trav moved into our new place. and we need all new furniture! so we went shopping this weekend, bought a kitchen table, chairs, and buffet as our tv stand. well- we painted it! here are the before and after's!

33 days! of being a single lady!

2011-02-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

so my girlfriend fallon gave me an idea, to blog the last 30 days of my single life! so in 3 days, ladies and gentleman, be prepared, to hear my thoughts, excitement, and more goodies of my single life! love you all! xo

Christmas!

2010-12-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

Trav surprised me with this cute lil number one day! We decorated it together and started our wrapping! Enjoy the season! XOXO (sorry the image won't rotate lol)

George W. Bush!

2010-12-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! tis true! i met the most wonderfully kind President G.W. Bush! WOW! what a memory!

trav told me he would be in phx on thursday, today, dec. 9. so yesterday, i had to stand in line, at barnes & noble for 2 hours to buy a book from them and get a wristband. the blue wristband guaranteed you a signed book! i got the golden (or blue) ticket :) i was in!

so we woke up, at 5:30am. this morning. to get to barnes & noble early to go through security and see my friend, gwb. trav didn't even have a wristband (he had to work! who doesn't take off to meet the President?!?! even just for a couple hours!), but he kindly waited in line with me for 2 hours. then he left for work.

the line started moving around 8:30am. by 9:30am, i was in barnes & noble. only to see that i had more waiting to do! the line seemed forever. i finally see the black curtain that he was behind! there is hope (and not the Obama kind :) jk libies aka liberals)!

i spot him! i can't get over his cuteness! i tell the woman in front of me, who i kindly befriend after waiting in line with her for 3.5 hours, oh he's so cute! i kept saying it!

then it's my turn, everyone is rushing your through the line (all the workers and secret service men). and i tell the barnes & noble woman who directs me up to him next: you're so lucky- you get to see him allll morning! he's so cute! she laughed and said- ya i am!

i'm eye to eye with george w. bush, he is sitting behind the table, which was on a platform. i look at him and say: OH MY GOSH you're so cute! he starts laughing and with his fat TX accent replys- well i don't think anyone's ever called me cute before! we start laughing and i go- can i have a hug?!?! he leans over the big a** (sorry for the language but i must paint an accurate picture and the table was HUGE) table, and gives me a BIG hug and says- thanks for coming out! i walked away saying- oh my gosh he's just soooo cute!

lol. what a memory! and a story to tell! he really was the cutest. of everything i practiced saying ("you looked great on oprah!" "loved you in the white house!" "thanks for the tax cut for the next 2 years" a simple "i love you!") and all i can tell him is how cute he is?!?! LOL

all this to say: GO BUY THE BOOK! i cannot put it down! i'm loving every second of it! you will too.

God bless America!

free falllllin...

2010-10-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

so for travis' 25th birthday, i thought it would be fun to surprise him and go sky diving! he is adventurous and has done it before, so i put him in the car and told him on the way there!

we had a BLAST! i highly recommend it! i mean, come on, you can't beat that facial expression!

all in a week....

2010-10-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

i am TERRIFIED of scorpions. well, i live in a desert so what should i expect?

i found one in my tub at 1am. i called trav, told him to wake up, come over and kill it. after 15 minutes of encouragement (over the phone), i finally killed my first scorpion. although this is not an elk, or deer, i still consider it an accomplishment.

we bought our first car! a honda pilot! holllllar! okay- so it's not my Mercedes but I LOVE IT. it's practical, cute, and can fit a family of 8!

we went to a diamondbacks game with my mom and her best friend doris. trav knows the vp of marketing there and he got us the best tickets. on top of having killer seats, great hot dogs and beer, trav surprised me and got us first on the kiss cam! i was shocked when i saw us up there! i leaned over, and LAID one on him! everyone around us was cheering so loud! the lady behind us told us we won the best kiss of the night! haha it was so fun!

Baby London!

2010-09-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

My sister had her! London Jayde! Born September 3, 2010. Weighing 6 lbs 7 oz and 18 inches. She is perfect. Take a look at my beautiful niece.

i said YES!

2010-08-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

so john travis harper and i planned on having a theme for the month of august. we name it "adventurous august" and decided everyday to do something adventurous. the first week went by great with new adventures everyday! so last thursday, august 5th, we are having our weekly date night (t-squared: travley (travis and joeley together) thursday) at ra sushi. just minding our own business, i have these two surprise guests show up- my sister smash and jordan sacca! i started freaking out! i was in shock and then started crying! what a surprise it was to have them in downtown scottsdale! travis and those lovely ladies planned it all! so friday we had a grand day and one of my best friends from college crissa met up with us too! it was seriously one of my favorite days with my girlfriends! i was sooo happy! we got manicures and got spoiled with great meals all day, shopping and some other adventures! little did i know that was not the only surprise trav had up his sleeve.

earlier in the week- we had planned on crossing something off our "summer bucket list"- the grand canyon! so we planned on going there saturday and having a picnic! trav came by that morning to pack our picnic and we said our goodbyes to the girls and headed for another adventure! trav told me to wear a cute sundress, cause he loves me in them and that we were going to have dinner at the grand canyon later that night. so as we hit the open road- having a blast singing and rapping the whole way up- it poured rain. no joke- for about 3 hours. i was pretty bummed thinking we wouldn't be able to see the grand canyon (and that i was wearing a dress!)

but as we pulled up to pay to get into the canyon, it literally stopped raining. God was watching out for us :) so we unpacked the car and headed up to have our picnic. as we were walking, travis spotted the photographer in our friend kelsen's car. he freaked out thinking it would ruin everything and pulled me in tight for a "grand canyon hug"! then he wanted to show me a "deer" in the opposite direction since we were "scouting" on the way up! i was so confused at his funny behavior cause i had to pee soooo bad! so kelsen's car literally drove two feet by us on the sideway and i never saw!

we then found a spot overlooking the canyon, but due to the rain, couldn't see into the canyon because of the clouds! we pulled out our picnic and i started pigging out on fruit and my sandwich. trav took a bite of his and i was felt like a fattie! haha but he was sooo nervous so he couldn't eat anything. the clouds literally cleared up and it was beautiful. we could see to the other side of the grand canyon! so then i see him mess with something in his backpack and i was like- what are you getting out of there?! he said- i brought a book. i thought it was kinda weird but what better setting right?! then he pulled out a piece of lamenated paper that was titled "our adventure together" and he started reading it to me.

it went from the very first time it all began (when he texted me on my birthday last year) with significant dates leading up to when he said, and on august 7, 2010 travis got on one knee and.... and as he did this, he got on his knee, and said, joeley will you marry me?! i said yes. Yes! YESSSSS! started crying! hugged him, and then said- PUT THAT THING ON MY FINGER! hahaha!

and he had hired a photographer who captured everything on camera! in fact, in the middle of it, i said there is a girl taking pictures of us! haha kari is the best and out of this, came this amazing photo!

so then, we got back into the car, prayed together and read scriptures. then he said- my grandparents knew that i was going to do this and wanted to buy us dinner on the way home in prescott. so we drove to have dinner at the "nicest restaurant" in prescott. we talked about everything on the way there. i called my family and some girlfriends and told them the news! they all were freaking out with me! little did i know, more surprises were in store for me!

so we pulled up to his grandparents house and as we rounded the corner, to walk up the side of thier patio, there was a huge banner that said "CONGRATULATIONS JOELEY AND TRAVIS" and saw literally everyone! my whole family came in from vegas! his whole family was there! and a ton of our friends flew or drove in from everywhere! i was sooooo shocked! another surprise! so all along, everyone in the world (almost) knew about this but me! and no one had slipped or anything! it had all been in the plan for months!

so to top off the best day of our lives, we had an engagement party that night and then a brunch the next morning! it has literally been the best weekend of our lives! thanks to all have supported and loved us through it! we love you all!

cutest.

2010-07-22T13:11:00.001-07:00

i feel like my blog has turned from a single lil lady loving life blog to an obsession with my boyfriend blog. lol it's all because he is so wonderful.

so one night we were texting about dinner plans. he was going to take me out so he asked what kind of food i wanted. my reply: something similar to red velvet cafe (cause arizona doesn't have a rvc). so i come home from work, and see this lil note on my front door with this amazing man cooking me the best meal with a fresh bouquet of flowers, sparkling lemonade, fresh chicken salad and a dashing young man! it was so cute. i love him.

lion king.

2010-05-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

so good! go see it if you haven't. me and trav LOVED simba and pumba. the cutest.

pet peeve.

2010-05-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

this has always bugged me, but the other day, it set me off the edge. (if you are reading this, and are one of these, i'm sorry in advance)

i don't hate a lot of things. actually, i can probably only name a thing or two. but this really gets me going. and i might even say, i hate this...

when people speed through school zones!

okay, it's out there. in the open...

here's the thing. they don't have lights blinking and caution signs around for nothing! these are little children's lives that could possibly be in jeopardy here! i was driving to the meadows the other day to pick up the little girl i nanny and it's on a busy street- rampart for all you locals. and i'm cruising at a solid 25 (the school zone) and people are flying past me! all i wanna do is honk my horn and (excuse my hand gestures) flip them off!

now i don't have any kids, but i do nanny a ton. and i have a niece on the way. and i'll have some when i get there in life. but really people, please, for the sake of society, drive the limit or below in school zones. plus you don't want to get a ticket from a cop! i hear it's $100 for every mile you go over...

so beware. for the police. and me.

obsession.

2010-04-30T00:57:00.000-07:00

the latest and greatest obsession in my life right now are these two things....

coconut m&m's. i will drive to az to find these. and seeing my handsome man is a bonus. no but seriously. i did not think m&m's could have come up with something more brilliant. these are amazing. if you find these in vegas, tell me where. the only place i have seen them in m&m world and i don't need to go down to the strip every time i crave these.

tea rooms. i told travis that i want to collect teas from all over the world like people do with wine. (when i was in singapore, this lady had tea from 100 years ago and it was literally the most delightful liquid i have ever put into my mouth. so since then, i have been inspired) so he got me the cutest teavana set (and spoiled me with A LOT of other stuff i'll tell you about later! lol) for my birthday of precious white peach (which smells DIVINE) and jasmine dragon pearls! and this cutie mug to let the tea leaves soak in for 5 mins. so fun. so all this to say, when i have my own house one day, i'm definitely have a tea room. (so if you are a tea drinker- you are welcome over)

ol skool

2010-04-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

i can't stop laughing. spring cleaning brought me to a cd of pictures i took for senior year announcement and graduation stuff. check out how cool i thought i was....

i got some things to say.... or type!

2010-03-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

first order of business.

a. alice in wonderland. saw it saturday. marvelous. but she really got me thinking... and i want to do is paint white roses red. and some of her wardrobe was stunning.

b. is it really march?! like- it's almost spring. i can start dusting off the flip flops and sun-dresses. oh this is a happy day!

c. the littlest things in life, bring me joy. there is the cutest lil asian couple at the end of my block. today, i drove past them and they were carrying the trash can to the curb together. i can't wait to do that (not take out the trash- but grow old with my man).

d. okay bachelor talk- vienna?! really?! even though i knew it, i was still pissed. okay- i'm over it. just had to get it off my chest one last time. kinda looking forward to jason and molly's wedding tonight! hollar!

e. my best friend whitney is engaged! ENGAGED people! now if this isn't love- i don't know what is?! i'm so stoked for them. it's going to be the fanciest wedding. and i'm going to have the most handsome date!

f. shout out to jillie and dane! they had their small intimate wedding in the mountains of santa barbara! i'm so stoked for these two. they are beautiful in every way.

g. another random.... i'm real tired of going places where people don't flush the toilet. like seriously, we aren't potty training here people! grow up and flush! i'm grossed out even writing about it. ew. (i better stop bloggin' before i offend some people)

h. and the reason i blog- to brag about my wonderful family.

my sister and jebron are having a babbbbbbbbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! I'M GONNA BE AN AUNTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT! i'm biased, but it will be the most beautiful or handsome baby. in the world.

bachelor talk...

2010-02-10T10:31:00.000-08:00

okay bachelor-fan ladies. i have a confession for you. my friend from portland is friends with tenly... so after the show was done being taped, tenly came home (as they all do for 3 months while the show is being aired) and met up with my friend and told her how everything plays out. i begged my friend to tell me. she did. so i know who wins. but let's get a count!

how many are for:

gia?

ali?

vienna?

tenly?

okay- i know ali left last week but the previews show she might be coming back!? what do you think? i need your thoughts, opinions and heart-felt remarks.

tears.

2010-02-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

so there's a commercial on TV right now that shows, a kid in the USA winning a laptop. and then him going to africa, and giving a kid in a village the same laptop. win one, give one type of thing. so i'm @ work, watching it with the little girl i nanny. i start to cry. she looks @ me and says:

"you just love all that kind stuff."

i couldn't stop laughing and crying after that. thought i should share!

it's official!

2010-01-27T00:55:00.000-08:00

i am dating this handsome studly man TRAVIS HARPER!
bloggers- meet trav. we met in college (there is too much to say about the in-between) and the rest is history :)
i haven't had a boyfriend in a long time, i'm talking 5 years! so to say that i have a boyfriend is a big deal! lol so trav is a big deal.

anyway, thought you would enjoy! cause i am :)

dear fashionista.

2010-01-26T00:04:00.000-08:00

i really admire rachel bilson's style. very unique, classy and brave. i want her to be my personal shopper. rachel- if you are reading- you are my hero, now let's go shop! oh and your fiance is a dime. you remind me of a cute couple i know (me and travy lol)!

13 things to blog on the 13th.

2010-01-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

13. i'm all over the map (therefore haven't been on here too much).

between weekend trips to laguna for work, phoenix trips to see my boo, or seattle trips to see my girlfriends. but i love to travel so i ain't complaining!

12. i did resolutions this year, and 13 days into the new year, still sticking to them! one in particular, to be generous. (now don't go calling me asking for me to take you on a shopping spree :) )

11. is it weird when your ex's start getting married? cause i think all but one of mine and either married or engaged. just a thought. i'm excited for them though. truly.

10. i love winter. bundling up; beanies, scarves, boots, cute pea-coats, etc. but vegas hasn't really given me the chance to enjoy it. yesterday it was about 65 degrees! is this global warming or is this typical? i can't remember!

9. i am really into vanilla lattes @ coffee bean. get one everyday. but to have the best foam, go to the one on charleston and park run. dylan, the barista there, will take good care of you.

8. i have been such a book worm lately. just finished dear john. oh my. such a good book. i cry every time i see the preview for the movie. and now onto finishing eclipse and breaking dawn.

7. i got lola by marc jacobs and i can't get enough of that smell. wow. it's lovely.

6. is it bad that i'm ready for summer? (i know i said i love winter but i need the sun already) i need a vacation, that's probably why. and i really want to travel back to this glorious place.....

costa rica! or maybe i just want to be with these girls...

5. my best friend whit is in love. she tells me all these cute stories and it makes my heart melt. i think my heart melts cause i'm a couple steps behind her in the process....

4. i'm really excited about ihope network this year. we have a lot of good things in store for the local homeless. we will also we traveling abroad to do some partnerships with human trafficking organizations.

visit: http://ihopenetwork.com/

3. the other day, someone told me "you are a cute little lady bug who fly's around loving on people." i thought that was one of the cutest things.

2. went to see beatles love. wow. what a production. favorite cirque show.

1. i think i'm falling... ya that's right. with this stud of a man.

happy december!

2009-12-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

between thanksgiving, hannukah, and now christmas- this chic is busy!

i haven't been on this mess forever. but i'm alive. i promise. i'm writing.

here is a picture to even prove it!

xoxo

(oh and this is me @ work. what a fun job i have right?!)

thank you mr!

2009-11-01T11:34:00.001-08:00

i ran across this blog entry and had to share.

hope you had a good halloween!

http://jaggard.blogspot.com/2009/10/ask-her-out.html#comment-form

jet setter...

2009-10-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

hello friends! i'm off again! going to india, indonesia and singapore! don't miss me too much. cause once i get back, i'll be in the states for a while.

chau chau!

argentina

2009-08-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

went a lil something like this...

cooking dinner for the homeless.
my little brisa from the orphanage.
me and sara getting it on the bus. music comes on and we are all over the place. (so american i guess?)
our daily caffeine fix.
made a picnic for the kids @ orphanage. it was freeeeeezing cold. and of course, they don't make it look colder than 75 degrees! lol
me cutting hair! lol funny story! i told them my sister was a hair dresser and they assumed since we were related that i knew how to cut hair too. so they asked me for the latest and greatest. i gave them exactly that! lol
@ the orphanage.
isabella's 1st birthday. my friend daniela and chad's daughter.

the trip was a blast. they were a lot more pics taken that i haven't gotten a chance to get on my computer but that's all i got! til next time... un beso chau chau argentina!

nothing like the us of a.

2009-07-19T09:00:00.001-07:00

i love to travel. it makes me come alive. it's my passion. but i'll tell you something, there is nothing like flying over oceans, knowing that the land of the free and the home of the brave is so close. and upon arriving at an airport of the soil of america, seeing all the different cultures, many options in restaurants, food and beverage services, and the obesity of our society, you can't help but be thankful to be back home! lol

i'm home from a brilliant time in the wintery argentina. ready to soak up the sun, wear sandals and sundresses, hit up a few weddings, visit some new states, have some babies (not my own obviously...), and be home!

europe was class.

2009-07-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

switzerland:

the hills are alive!

paris:

london:

scotland:

high tea.
queens of the castle.
ireland:

best time ever! quick synopsis: airline lost luggage in ireland for 5 days. scotland was unreal! great food, people, architecture, everything! london was cool (not my fave) but still fun! paris was romantic (with ash haha). it was freezing too! did the touristy thing. and switzerland was... perfect?! ya i would say so. the trip was really the best. here are some pics to prove it!

back from europe- onto yogurtland.

2009-06-20T19:05:00.001-07:00

go visit the best place on this side of town! yogurtland on 2-15 and flamingo! it's the best frozen yogurt with great, fresh toppings. my fave right now is pomegranate raspberry tart and blueberry tart! yum! go in and tell them i sent you :) haha just joking. say hi to kp though!

europe pictures soon to come!

europe bound!

2009-05-23T23:36:00.001-07:00

on my way tuesday to ireland, scotland, london, france and switzerland!

the most interesting thing...

2009-05-20T00:23:00.001-07:00

i see this guy @ the elementary school i pick the girls i nanny up at. everyday, he rides this old school bike and has a weird cowboy hat with a feather sticking out of it, with a pony tail coming down his back and a long dark beard. straight up chaps, and a cowboy long sleeve shirt (it's 100 degrees out!). there is no doubt that he is one of the most interesting people i've ever seen. so i was thinking back in september, when i first spotted him, wow, what kind of woman would like him?! THEN the other day, i saw a lady riding her bike with him that fit his style so well!

i was trippin! there really is someone for everyone! i love it!

ENGAGED!

2009-04-18T17:24:00.001-07:00

shout outs to my newly engaged friends!

my dearest ASHTON HAWKER! get him girl! haven't met your fiance but can't wait to learn about him! i'm excited for ya'll and giggle when i think that i'm the LAST one left! it was the two of us but you got a man now :) love it! love you!

JILLIE RYAN and dane! i love this free spirit child. she met dane in her hometown of santa barbara, fell in love, and they traveled to portugal together (where he's from), lived in tree houses, and are now getting married! i love you beanie! soooo stoked!

allergies really?!

2009-03-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

spring is my favorite time of the year- no doubt! i love the newness of it! flowers blooming, kids outside playing in the streets, bbq's, dresses and sandals! but why on earth did God create allergies? i am dying right now! is anyone strugglin?!

thumbs down jay.

2009-03-03T09:25:00.001-08:00

dear jason,

first off, hi. i've been a big fan since deanna! but now i'm reconsidering.

i am in complete shock. shocked about why you would break melissa's heart and get back with molly all within 10 minutes!? and shocked that i even care enough to blog about this. i guess i'm glad you're happy, you deserve it. but why didn't you pick molly from the get go and save melissa heart ache and embarrassment on national tv? i think you could have been a little bit more classy about that. but wait, why would you be classy about anything after being a man whore and sleeping in the tent with molly.

hopefully she's half the woman melissa is, only for ty's sake.

sincerely,

joeley