The List..

The cutie in the middle is my guest blogger this week..

So I was chatting to my AZ gf Amy on Friday and she asked me if she could do a "guest post" for my list this week!! YES!! How fun is that!! Amy is a blogger wanna-be and has not taken the plunge quite yet..but as you will soon be able to see she as all the makings of a great blogger.

Thanks to my great AZ gf Amy and her awesome list!! Here goes nothing...
She even took an "artsy" photog..Swappy Goodness:)

So, Amber is so busy getting ready for the big move. I don't know about you but I love to read the list and I got sad when she said she wouldn't be on for a while. Therefore, here is a feeble attempt at a List. Understand that I'm not a blogger. I just like to look at yours!

10. I have decided to adopt Amber's rule about no politics when there is alcohol involved. I'm including religion too after Karen took some hits to her beliefs over the weekend. Why do people think it's okay to ask really personal questions and then give you a hard time for your answer?

9. Be thankful for the health you have. You could wake up one day with everything changed and be scrambling to find out what is wrong with you.

8. Don't forget those friends that you haven't seen in a while.

7. So Amber has been doing this Dave Ramsey stuff for a while. I know she complained a lot at first but she seems to have settled into this program. I must admit I'm really impressed if not a little jealous of the meal planning and money saving. I'll have to get her to share a little. She'll probably make me pay her.

6. I discovered the only thing I'm really good at around the house is laundry. Sure, my family is fed and the house looks like it is clean. But, the dinners are always the same and I had to hire someone to fill in for my cleaning inadequacy . But laundry I can do. I know how to get stains out, how to make things smell good and how NOT to shrink things. I even have these things called Arms of Laundry for drying and I hope they never break. I can iron too and actually like to do it. My friends think I'm crazy when I use starch on a t-shirt. I have decided to just embrace my one good thing and go with it.

5. I miss different seasons. This heat blows. Time to move to Colorado. (Don't tell the husband cause he'll start packing.)

4. Thanks for letting me in the swap Amber. I had fun "making" my jars. I'm sure there were way more crafty ideas, but I pulled it off and even mailed it almost on time.

3. I can't wait for the holidays. I think this is the year it will get fun with my little guy-3 in January.

2. I can't stand all the political ads. I can't wait for this election to be over so we can just get on with life.

1. Thanks for letting me guest list Amber. I don't know how you do all this blogging, facebook, myspace, twitter stuff. I barely got the time to type this without my family looking over my shoulder and asking what I was doing. Come back to the blog soon!!

I know I know..

I know I should be packing right now but I had to stop and post..really this will be fast.

In the midst of my packing chaos, I noticed the sweetest pattern.. my girlfriends. I know I have said this before on the blog but seriously ladies you are the best a girl could ask for. Everyone of these sweet cards has been tucked away and last night I came across this treasure trove of gf goodness. "Dear Friend, Miss You, Wonder Women" are just some of the phrases that popped out to me. With tears streaming down my cheek I knew I had to give a blog land shout out to my girls.

Thanks for being nothing other than yourselves, I'm blessed everyday to know you all.

Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything. Muhammad Ali

The List..

It's not fall around the Strehle house till I've made these..falling off the no sugar wagon never tasted so good:)
Ok ignore the cheesy grin..but this is one of the FAB shirts I found at the Goodwill a couple of weeks back, I received soo many compliments this shirt..only 4.99 (oh and I scored the necklace at the Seattle Goodwill and bracelet..Forever 21)
Adorable pic of sissy;)

10. Ok I have a little confession to make..I'm starting to like Dave Ramsey, even though Karen and Amy made fun of me cuz I paid for the pizza with quarters, that I stole from the kids allowance fund (don't judge me!!) in the end it will be worth it..you will see;)

9. So I have to brag on myself a little, I have been doing so AWESOME with the whole meal planning gig, and for whatever reason it's really working out for me. One of the things that I'm super stoked about our new house is it's really smack dab in the middle of the city (hard for a country girl like me) but I can seriously ride my bike to Starbucks, Hobby Lobby AND the library. SERIOUSLY!! If I'm feeling a little more adventurous (and the temp is below 110) I can even ride to Barnes & Noble and...get this..really..I promise.. Anthroplogie!!

8. So Amy are you hosting an election night party (if I ask via the blog she can't say no)

7. Swappy Ladies is over..(sniff,sniff) The whole thing turned into a little bit of a whirlwind for me, getting picked up by the Swap Dex and all..CRAZY and of course at the time I had no clue we were going to be moving right in the middle of it. I sure hope you all had a great time and will join us again in the spring. In honor of my Paris trip I might try a European theme..hmm.

6. Are you not going to be so happy when the election is over?? Regardless of the outcome I'm just going to be glad to be over with it.

5. So Hammy (the kids grandmother) is going to be getting a little bit older very soon!! It always makes me a little sad to be away from her on the "special days" Those of you (Miss Elaine) who are close are going to have to give her a really big hug from us

4. I know that this is going to sound a little sick, but I'm soooo ready to put up my Christmas decorations!! I'm turning into one of "those people" I'm going to try and host a big Thanksgiving shindig at the new house, do you think it would be tacky to have the house ready for Christmas?? The sad thing about it is..I have sooo much!! Arizona is like the tacky Christmas decoration capital of the world.. Although I think that
Miss Elaine might have won the prize this year for the tackiest Christmas decoration EVER..she gifted me with it this summer and it rode in my passenger seat through 4 states. It's made out of styrofoam cups and its really..well..weird..I will have to post pictures. And NO please don't send me your ugly decorations..I like Kitsch..much different peeps:)

3. I have decided that I really am not ready to move again, but oh wait it's much too late for that now..bummer.

2. The new people that we met in Mexico are looking to buy a house right across the street from our new house..HOW FUNNY IS THAT!! Seriously..

1. Ok dear and faithful readers, this is going to be my last post for a while..I might pop in a give a little update, but at this point I'm thinking not. This move is not agreeing with me and the last distraction I need is the constant pull of the blog. Don't give up on me!! Keep checking back, once we are settled I will return!

Swappy Ladies..Are you ready??

I have not heard from The Dish all day.. I'm sure this is because being the last minute gal she is, she's buried deep in her work corner..creating for the swap. Are you all ready? The deadline is tomorrow.

(and sshh don't tell but I just finished mine this afternoon)

**Don't forget to send me pic's to post**

The List

The Husband snapped the pic's of the kiddos..not bad for a newbie;)

10. Have you ever had one of those times when life's picture is actually little more clear?

9. So instead of the 30 days of nothing challenge I'm trying to put together for January, my AZ gf Amy has decided to do a 30 days of excess challenge..hmm;)

8. I don't think I have ever posted on my blog about how much I HATE Halloween..and seriously Arizona is like the Halloween capitol of the world. People started putting up H-Day decorations in September! You would think that with all of this economic uncertainty people would not spend money on the very most consumer driven holiday EVER!! Oh we are so lucky to live in America..

7. I have decided that I really, really, really don't like saying good-bye. More like.."hey see you around" or "until next time" or just sneaking out of the room quietly, which I have done.

6. Mexico was sooo fun, we really had a great time. Trish did very good other than hyperventilating while going through the boarder crossing. We actually met some really nice people from Mesa (close to were we are moving) Look at us making friends BEFORE we move!!

5. On Friday Trish and I went shopping , we hit Agritopia for some coffee with Karen and Amy...then we went to the most magical place on earth..Anthropologie, and because Dave Ramsey is the most evil man on earth I did not buy anything AND then (of course this story has a happy ending) we were all jazzed up with Anthropologie inspiration..so we hit two local Goodwill's..guess what? I came away with some very Anthropologie inspired outfits..for 35 bucks, who is Zach loving now?? That's right me..

4. So do you guys know that Christmas is like around 70 days away. Are you ready??

3. I'm not sure how pc this is going to sound... elderly people really are wise, and we should listen to them much more often than we do. That kind of wisdom only comes with age and experience.

2. The Sister's BFF Mya has started blogging..please go check it out!! She such a sweet gal and I promise you will be blessed:)

2 1/2. I have so much to say this week that it is taking more than 10:) Miss Elaine posted a few days ago on Fretting, go read it! Which leads me to number one..

1. VOTE..VOTE..VOTE (yes even you Karen)

Swappy Ladies Update

Did you think I fell off the face of the earth?? We have had company for the past 10 days..so if you emailed me I will be responding ASAP!!

I'm back and anxious to talk about the swap!!

You Swappy Ladies never cease to impress me!! Already swappy goodness has started crossing the nation:)

A quick side note..if you have a chance to snap a picture of your stuff (that is the goodies you give AND the goodies you receive) please post on your blog, or even send me a pic or two and I can post.

Here The Sister (the hottie blond) is sporting her swappy item (the FAB green apron) from YarniGras at her Fall Sale..She loved it!!

Remember the shipping deadline is the 22nd.

My work bench is happily overwhelmed with my swap item, and the thrift store did not let me down!! This is such a fun swap:)

Much Swappy Love!

The List..

Just pictures this week, I'm too tired from my hard week of laying in the sand, come on I know you feel my pain:) Ahh..
Yup, this is really hard to wake up to every morning..
Trish and Maddy..
Maddy, the boys with some serious bed head
At times I'm very impressed with myself

Trisha, myself and the new bangs...
Besties
Late nights and laughs
This is how I picture heaven to be..

The List..

New math? Government new math...

**DISCLAIMER**

This will be a very politically charged post.

10. So this week I have wanted to chuck my shoe through the radio, computer, tv (if i'm close to one). Seriously..I hate the fact that every single news outlet spins the news, pushes their agenda and withholds facts. **If you want to know the truth about ANY candidate go research him/her on your own**

9.The political scene has gotten so polarized that neither side will consent, concede or be even remotely objectionable. If you are a Republican you say that Sarah won the debate, if you are Democrat you say Joe won the debate, simple as that. We have moved so far past respect and honesty that it sickens me

8. I do/did not support the bail out plan, period.

7. I really did enjoy the debate on Thursday, and I think it's sad how much better it was than the McCain/Obama debate.

END OF POLITICAL RANTINGS..WE NOW RESUME REGULAR PROGRAMING

Here in AZ we have olive groves..I stole this one from the park, I'm sorry but being a rainy Washington girl I could not help myself, and of course I had to share with you..(oh and I really like this pic)

6. So are some of you REALLY interested in the 30 days of nothing pledge?? January?? Let me know, what are you willing to give up for 30 days?

5. The Sister so far has had a great show!! She is the talk of her little town with her cute "rust and crust". I'm so proud!!

4. The Husband is off of work for 11 days, being married to a workaholic is fine by me, so when he comes home for 11 days, well to be truthful it cramps my style..wish me luck.

3. We found a house!! YEAH!! It's about 3 miles from the kids school which is so awesome, this will cut like 20 minutes off of my daily commute, which is even more awesome. I'm thinking it's a good move for the Strehle's. The move will happen Nov 1..let the packing begin..yuck.

2. I'm officially the biggest meal planning advocate on the face of the earth

1. VIVA LA MEXICO!! Monday a.m. we are off to the land of wind, sand and salt air...ahh can you feel me relaxing right now? I only ask for a little prayer..crossing the boarder with The Dish, at times she just seems to attract trouble, if we end up in Mexican prison I'm not sure I will be able to blog...