First Day on the Job

Hello and Happy Humpday Lovely's,

My Happy lil girl

Well today was my first day at the new job with the Art Institute of Tucson. I am one of 5 new team members to be trained as an Assistant Director of Admissions for the Art Institute. I was a very long, but fun day in a new field. Today we spent the day doing all of the HR paperwork and reviewing the company policies. It is generally all the same information that I have already known, however it is a bit different since now I will be working with potential students. It is incredible to help people realize that they can truly achieve their dream and get an education in their profession. It is all really exciting.

My first day outfit

Another thing that was new was my professional attire. I am so used to wearing either denim and t-shirts or luon everyday to work. Thank you to Aunt Eileen for all the awesome skirts and dresses. It got my new wardrobe off to a good start. I am definitely not used to wearing a skirt and heels, but I like the new look. I must say though, it was pretty rough leaving my lil Monkey today. I was away from her for 9 hours today and every chance I got I had to look at her precious little face from my collection of pictures on my phone. 

Gwynnie's first Serenade

It is going to be a change all around for me with this job. Not only do I have to say bye the monkey everyday, I have a new wardrobe and I am helping shape the future of Tucson... Ok the last part was a bit drastic, but it is still pretty exciting. I love the idea that I can help potential students reach there goals. It is sappy, but I am excited.

I hope that you all had an incredible day like I did. I promise to get back into blogging on a regular basis again. I am leaving you with some Gwynnie raspberries... They always bring a smile to my face. So until tomorrow remember to keep loving, laughing and living life!

Much much love,

Liz

Sorry I have been gone

Hello and Happy Monday Lovely's,

GG and Poppy

I am so sorry that I have been gone for the last week. Things have been a little busy and I needed some much needed family time. Tommy, Gwynnie and I headed back to So Cal to be with the family, not only for the holiday but to celebrate GG's life. We got in Tuesday evening and made some homemade pizza's with my mommy and Linda. It was really nice to just hang with her and let her be in the moment. I know how much I am going to miss GG I cannot begin to know how much my mommy is going to miss her. I know that my mommy will have a hard time keep a promise I had her made me (the promise that she cannot leave this world for a long long long time) but I know that she will do her best to be here as long as she can. I could not imagine my life without her in it. I love you mommy!

Me and GG

Malea and Haylee

Logan and Mason

The week has been an emotional one. I went to my GG house, with my mommy, so we could pick out GG final outfit. It was the first time that I have been in her home without her there and I was really not ready for the emotional rush I was going to get. I had to fight back the tears so I could help mommy find something nice for GG. We were definitely going to have her in her GG sweater. It is her sweater with all 8 of her grand kids and her 7 great grand kids on it. She was very proud of her family and loved to show us off. 

 We ended up picking out a red top, her nice jeans and her "GG" sweater. She looked perfect to meet back up with Poppy.  :0) GG's service was really nice. She was surrounded by all her family and friends, the people who loved her the most and those who could not make it definitely has her in their thoughts and hearts. It was really hard to say good bye, but I am comforted with the thought that I know it is not good bye, it is ta-ta for now. 

Truth and Scott

Pretty incredible women in my life!

We took the celebration back to Jim and Lisa's house where we all sat around with family and talked GG up as if she was sitting right next to us. I also made a slide show that was playing in the background at Jim and Lisa's house. I grabbed a ton of photo albums from GG house so that I could have all of GG's life available for people to see. She was an absolute Betty!!!

The day ended up being a celebration of life and truly what an incredible women she was. I have the fortunate opportunity of being apart of such an incredible family with so many unbelievable women in it. We can all be a pain in the ass, over whelming and stubborn, but everything we do is out of love. GG showed us how to be strong women and lead with our hearts and I hope that I can teach my daughter 1/2 of her strength and love.

Oh sisters!

The Monkey had a pretty busy week so far. She saw her cousin receive his Junior class ring, she went to her first Ducks game, and met new family members. She was such a good lil girl this week. Bitter Betty really did not make an appearance at all this week. She got a little cranky, but nothing to crazy. She loved seeing new faces and having new people talk to you her. She is getting more animated and trying to figure out how to control her arms and legs. I swear she is going to roll over from back to front any day now. I am convinced she is also going to pop a tooth out any day as well. She keep chewing on her fingers and is drooling a ton.

Sammie, Auntie and I

The trip home has been been filled with smiles, tears and the beginning of new memories. I am so thankful that GG got the opportunity to meet Gwynnie. She will know what kind of woman she was and how she always opened her home and her heart to all those around her. She has some pretty remarkable women around her as role models as well. To all the woman in my life thank you for being such a strong spirit for me and being a stand for greatness in yourselves and those around you. I cannot wait to see what the future brings.

Do not forget to hug those that mean the most to you and letting them know how much you love them. You never know what tomorrow will bring. So until tomorrow keep loving, laughing and living life!!!

Much Much Love,

Liz

This one is for Rose

Hello and Happy Monday lovely's

Me and the GG

Well my day did not start out the best today. I got a wake up call that no one should ever get. It is the call letting you know that someone you love is no longer with you. My GG, Rose Salucci, was an incredible woman who was a woman of character, strength and love. I would spend countless summers at her house playing dress up, pretend and becoming a sun goddess by her pool.

 She was one of 12 sister who grew up in Ida May West Virginia. She was a softball player. basketball player and worked on the family farm. She was an all round bad ass! She and my Poppy, Pietro Salucci, moved out to Southern California where they started a family and created a fabulous life for themselves. They lived, the majority of their lives, in Huntington Beach, Ca.

 

I would spend summers at there house just playing dress-up in the garage. My GG had a box old clothes and shoes that Sammie and I would just play with for hours. We would pretend that we owned a resturant and would make meals for my GG, Poppy and Auntie to eat. Even if they were not very good they would eat them any way to make us feel good. They would also watch our shows that we would put on in the garage as well. Summers were always a blast at the GG and Poppy's house. 

Me, Mommy and GG

 We would watch old movies like Tammy and the Bachelor, Singing in the Rain and County Fair until the wee hours of the morning with GG and Auntie. We would then wake up really early and crawl into bed with GG and Poppy to watch morning cartoons. We would then all get up have tea and donuts at the table. I loved staying the night at GG's house. At GG's house you could eat whatever you wanted and they would watch all your favorite movies, no matter how childish they were. :0)

GG and her Gwynnie

Sunday's were my absolute favorite day of the week growing up. That is because you knew you would be heading down to GG and Poppy's house for homemade pasta sauce for dinner. GG would have to buy at least 3 loaves of french bread because we would all come walking into the house, rip off chunks of bread and pour her amazing sauce all over the top of it. She made the best pasta sauce, Sundays were a little better because of her. 

Me and the GG

I would remember times when GG would come to our house to stay for a week to help out mommy and just hang with the family. I would ask her "GG, make me look like a princess!" It was nothing special at all... All she would is make small braids on the sides of my head and then wrap them over the top to make it look like a crown. It was something so small, but would bring the biggest smile to my face. I would walk around school like I was the Cats meow and it was all because of the GG.

One of my favorite pictures

She was an absolutely incredible woman who really showed me what it is like to be a strong woman. She has left an imprint on my life that I will pass on to my daughter. I am so thankful that GG was able to meet Gwyneth Marie. She was her 7th great grand baby, she has 8 grand kids (this include the ones who married into the family) and 2 daughters. All our hearts are a little broken today as we had to say our good byes, but I know that she is in a better place. My Poppy has his number one girl back with him. When I think of them together again I cannot help but smile. I love you GG and will miss you more then words can say. Thank you for all the great memories I have with you and Poppy. 

4 Generations!

To all you who are reading this... Do not take those around you for granted. Let them know what they mean to you. Create smiles and memories together so you can look back with fondness on those who have touched your life. Until tomorrow keep loving, laughing and most importantly live life!!!

Much Much Love, especially to my family,

Liz

Bummer Saturday for Wildcats

Hello and Happy Saturday Lovely's,

I going to get in trouble... he he he

Our day started out pretty darn early this morning. The Monkey decided that she wanted to be up and at em at 6:30am.  She did not know how to get comfy, she was not sure if she wanted to eat, if she had to fart or what. The Monkey was just up and she was making sure we were up with her. I got the monkey changed, got her fed and we headed to the couch so daddy could get some sleep. That did not last to long, daddy came out to join us and get the day started. 

Juliet rocking her bench press!

We hung out on the couch for a bit and I decided that I wanted some tasty deliciousness from Gus Balon's before we headed to the womens lifting challenge at CrossFit Works. Juliet, Kare, Becky, Kathy and a few other from CrossFit NWT were going to compete in the event. They pretty much killed it. The challenge was a max rep on bench press, dead-lift, clean and jerk and another fun test that they did not know until moments before they were going to compete.They got 3 attempts on each event. Tommy, the monkey and I left after the first round of lifts to go watch the Wildcats take on the Buffalo's. From what I saw Northwest Tucson pretty much dominated the event.

Working hard at Crossfit

Tommy the Monkey and I then headed to No Anchovies to meet with Auntie Sammie, Uncle Kevin and the Fish so we could watch the Cats take on the CU Buffalo's and what a bad bad game this was.Also, just because you are at a bar/restaurant and have a couple of pitchers of beer does not make it okay to act like a douche bag. There was a guy sitting at a table next to us that was throwing around 4 letter adjectives and even dropped the "C" word while watching the game. Even though it was very disappointing and made me want to vomit while watching the Cats play, you do not need to use language like that. As for the Cats we pretty much have no hope for the last 2 games. The Wildcats pretty much suck and I am pretty sure it is going to be a rough couple of years ahead of us. However I will bleed red and blue forever. 

I can stand all on my own

After watching the Cats give Colorado their first PAC-12 victory we headed home to start dinner. The Sears were going to be joining us for some Pumpkin soup and roasted veggies. This soup has probably become my favorite soup. It is perfect for the winter days. It us hearty, tasty and has a little pep in it. I served it with whole grain french bread, toasted, and roasted veggies with Parmesan cheese. I could literally eat this meal every night! The soup mix is from World Market and all you have to add is the heavy cream and pumpkin.  http://www.worldmarket.com You should check them out, they have some great buys and tasty deliciousness that are really easy to make.

Hanging with Daddy

The night ended with the boys watching football and the girls watching tangled in the man-cave. That is actually a pretty cute movie. The Fishy really likes to watch it and it is so cute because she will start to dance when they sing. She does not like to dance alone so Sammie and I were dancing with her. With the exception of the Cats loss, it was a pretty nice little Saturday. I hope you are having a great weekend as well. Until tomorrow keep loving, laughing and living life!

Much Love,

Liz

Happy Veterans Day!

Hello and TGIF lovely's,

Thank you!

So today's blog is all about those who allow us to be free because they are brave.  I would not necessarily call my family a military family, but we do have those who fight for our rights. I get to wake up every morning, smile at my baby girl and remind myself that it is because of people like my Daddy, Poppy, Uncle Frank, Uncle Walter, Cousin Joseph, Cousin Diana and her husband Jessy and not to mention the families that wait for them patiently to return home safe. 

Captain Joseph and Noelle Salucci

I cannot help bu think of my cousin Joseph, who is deploying this Sunday, for his 3rd tour of duty. He will be gone for another 7 months protecting our freedoms. His wife is Noelle, who I had the pleasure of playing soccer with at the U of A. They are two people who I hold very close to my heart. I will be thinking incredibly positive thoughts to them until he comes home safe. 

Jessy and Diana Lankin

My cousin Diana and her husband also serve for our armed forces. They just welcomed their first daughter, Jessalyn Mary Lankin into the world just 2 weeks ago. They have fought to for our freedom as well in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Will always have a cold one waiting for when you come home!

Words can honestly not express the emotion that I have felt today. Individuals and their families making the ultimate sacrifice, everyday, so we can enjoy our basic freedoms. The thing that struck me all day is that it should not take Veterans Day, Memorial Day or 4th of July to thank those who serve our country. Take a moment everyday to look around, take in the smells and faces that make up your life. Do not wait to tell those around you how much they mean to you because you never know what tomorrow will bring. Live each day as if tomorrow never comes and have no regrets. 

To my family and friends... I love you more then words can say. I think about you often and know that you are never far from my thoughts. I put the Dixie Chick "Travelin Soldier"on the blog because I could not help myself. I hope you enjoy it. Remember to take a moment to thank those who serve our wonderful country. Remember to keep loving, laughing and living life!

Much Much Love,

Liz

Humpday Fun

Hello and Happy Humpday Lovely's,

A new and happy day!

Today was a fun day just me and the Monks. It started out a little rough. The monkey has not been sleeping through the night. She has been waking up any where from 1am to 2am wanting to eat. I think she is going through a growth spurt. Our growing little girl is getting so big. She woke this morning with a bit of a stuffy nose. I hope that it because of the changing weather and not the cold that I had. So far so good, but you never know what tomorrow brings. Well since the Monks and I were inside the majority of, well ok all of, Sunday and Monday we made use of Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Just keep running, Just keep running!

Tuesday I started the day off with an interview with the Art Institute of Tucson. It would be for the Assistant Director of Admissions for the school. I could rock that position, helping people achieve their goals would be pretty rockstar. After the interview the Monkey and I went for a 4 mile run with Daddy. We carpooled with him to work so when we finished we could get our sweat on together. The Monkey was pretty excited to get out and run her favorite path, Reid Park. They just re-did the 4 mile path around the park and it is super smooth run. It was the first run that I have done in over a year that I completed all 4 miles at a 10min/mile pace. Smiley Face!!!

so happy

Daddy and I decided to take the Monkey to G-Grill for some happy hour before we hit the lanes. I love G-Grill happy hour. For all you Tucsonians, who have not been, you need to check it out.  http://www.ggrill.com/ After a couple of beers and some mini-chimi's we headed to the lanes to win 3 out of games. I have not been bowling super hot so I was pretty bummed at my play, but we still won so I was not all that mad. 

Love my hat

So today is humpday and the Monkey and I hung out all day together. We went for 2 walks with some fun fun people. We started the day with a walk with Cassie and her puppies. We changed things up and walked around campus. The weather has been perfect out, it was nice long sleeve t-shirt and pant day. The Monks was dressed so cute today. I love her hat that she got from Grandma. It sparkles and make me smile. :0) She was dressed warm and ready to go. 

all smiles

Our next walk was with Auntie Sammie and Haylee, aka The Fish, around Reid Park. It was a little cooler then the first walk so we enjoyed a tasty beverage from Starbucks that kept us warm while we were walking. The fish had her hot chocolate and cookie, so she was ready to go. The Monks was bundled up nice and tight ready to go as well. We walked roughly 3 miles and by the end we were cold and ready to head home for some lovely indian food. 

One tired Monkey!

We ended the day with some indian food, sauce was courtesy of World Market, and all we needed was the chicken and some rice. It was the perfect meal on a cold day. Nice and hearty with a tiny little kick, but nothing that would blow my socks off. We watched The Cats b-ball team play tonight as well. So with a full belly, nice glass of wine and The Cats victory I would say that it was the perfect ending to a fun day. 

I hope you all had as fun of a day as I had today. Let me know what you are up to. Lets set up some sweat dates... Let me know your favorite ways to sweat!!! I look forward to hearing from you. So until tomorrow remember to keep loving, laughing and living life! 

Much Love,

Liz

Rainy Monday

Hello and Happy Monday Lovely's,

Happy Monday!

Well our Monday was pretty uneventful. Sunday was was a lazy day for us as well. To be honest I do think we have left the house in 2 days, that is no bueno. Considering we are always out and about doing something during the day. However, it was nice just to hangout and relax. My cold feels as though it is going away. I just have a little stuffy nose and a little headache, it should be gone by tomorrow. 

The Monkey woke up in very cuddly fashion today. She really wanted to be held today and just snuggle. I did not mind that one bit. :0) The Monkey and I spent the majority of the day on the computer. I sent out more resume today. Hopefully I will hear something soon, if not it just means I get more time with my Monkey. The Monkey really liked hanging out in her new blanket and hat from Great Grandma Lloyd. They are the perfect match to cuddle up in on a rainy day. 

So Comfy

The Monkey waited patiently for daddy to come home so she could play with him. She get really excited when daddy come homes. She really gets riled up when you make faces at her. She just starts to talk and laugh at you. To be honest that was the majority of our day, just spending it with the Monkey. I hope that you all enjoy your evening with your family. 

I am off to watch the rest of the Eagles and the Bears game. Until tomorrow keep loving laughing and living life!

Much Love,

Liz

Homecoming weekend!

Hello and Happy Sunday Funday Lovely's,

Weekend fun begins!

This has been a pretty fun weekend here in Tucson. It was Homecoming weekend and what a weekend it was. Friday was the U of A Women's Soccer match against our nemesis the ASU Sundevils and then our boys took on the Utah Utes. The day started out with our walk with Ms. Cassie. We decided to change things up and walk around the U of A instead of Reid Park. The Monks and I carpooled with Daddy to work so we just had Cassie meet us at the courts. It was perfect weather for a walk in Tucson. The air had a little crisp to it and the sun was shining perfectly (if the sun can shine perfectly. :0)  Cassie is down to 7 weeks to go before the little dude is born, so we took the walk nice and slow and as usual stopped for a cup of joe and some more chit chat following our walk.

Mommy's lil helper

 Following our walk Tommy dropped the Monkey and I off at home while he went to the store to pick up what I needed to make coconut cup cakes. He was really sweet and went to pick up everything so the Monkey and I could relax and I could apply to some more jobs. Nothing is biting yet, but I know the right job is going to come soon. Once Tommy got home I had to get cracking on the cupcakes because we had to meet up with Cassie and Tom in a couple of hours. 

The end result

 It was pretty awesome because I made the cupcakes from scratch! First time ever and I do not think I can go back to a box mix ever again. The cupcakes were so light and delicious. I pretty much took my Auntie's recipe for coconut cake and made them into cupcakes. The Monkey was a big help, she started out hanging on the couch and wanted to get involved so I moved her into the kitchen so she could help. :)  I added blue food coloring to the cool whip and red food coloring to the coconut so we would have official homecoming  cupcakes.

Once I completed the cupcakes I had 30 min to shower and change before meeting the Wrights for dinner and the  game. Any of you who know me, that is not nearly enough time for this aweomeness to get ready :0)  I just pulled the hair back, threw on a beanie and put on my red and blue and we were ready to go. We met the Wrights at Sam Hughes Championship for some appy's, drinks and fun. They have a really good happy hour, if you have not tried it you should check them out. http://www.restaurantrow.com/restframe.cfm?pgurl=www.championshipdining.com&code=256296

Our server was pretty funny, she had the worst case of the hiccups I have ever heard and she pretty much had them for over an hour. We hung out for a bit and then headed to the game for the second half.

Lets Go Cats!

When we git to the game the Cats were down by 1 goal going into half-time. We were hoping for a rally back victory. The Cats came out with a bit of a fire under them. This was the last game of the season and you definitely do not want to lose to your in-state rival. The Cats came out and scored to tie the game up. All they needed to do was play smart, play aggressive and make their opportunities count. 

The Wrights

The weather started to get colder and the time kept ticking down. The Cats had a few opportunities on goal, but no go ahead goal was scored. All the Cats needed to do was at least get through regulation time and take the Sundevils on in Golden Goal sudden death. With 3 minutes left ASU dribbled passed 3 defenders to beat our goalie to take the lead once again. You could literally see the wind leave our sail.

The Lloyd's

 

 

After that goal you could see that the Cats just did not have the poise or the urgency to tie the game back up and send it into overtime. Cassie and I have both been in that situation and it is such a bummer to lose to ASU. The Monks was not excited about the wind or the cold weather so when the game ended we took our little burrito Monk home so she could rest up for her big homecoming debut

 We had an early start to our homecoming Saturday. The Letter-women's  breakfast started at 8:30am and we were picking up Cassie and Tom on the way. The Monks woke up with a huge smile on her face. I was getting ready and could hear her talking in her bassinet. She was kicking her legs back and forth, chewing on her hands and just letting the world know she was up and happy. Today was going to be a fun day.

Our old stomping ground

The breakfast was really good and it was a lot of fun to chat with former female athletes, especially the ones who paved the way so that we could be collegiate athlete's. There were some young ladies at the breakfast who attended the U of A from 1937 to 1941. Pretty darn impressive if you ask me. They competed in such sports as archery, bowling and table tennis. I would have loved to have been on the bowling team.

Me and My Twinny

Just a couple of alumi's

 It is probably a good thing that I stuck with soccer though. My bowling skills leave something to be desired and I think I bowl better with a beer or two. I am pretty sure that they did not serve beer while they bowled in the college leagues. :0) It still would have been pretty darn fun though. 

 The breakfast was a lot of fun and I am definitely going try to get more of my fellow teammates to come next year. The girls and I headed to meet the boys at the tailgate so the shinnanagans could begin. We had a prime spot right on campbell and 3rd. I was also super excited for today because Shawn and Julie were going to be joining us for the fun. They drove down from Phoenix to partake in their first U of A football tailgate and game. The tailgate was a blast and I wish I could have said the same about the game.

Shawn and Julie

As fans, we entered the game with a glimmer of hope that we would have a victory over Utah, but we fell short yet again. It is pretty rough being a U of A fan this year. Our only 2 victories this year are against NAU and UCLA, nothing to wave our hats over, but needless to say, we have 2 more games left in the year, ASU and Louisiana-Lafayette, in which we can hopefully get a victory. We will keep the hope until the whistle blows. 

The Gabrys, a Jackson and the Lloyd's

The night ended with some dinner with the Jenkin's. We stopped at Miss Saigon's for some Pha soup to warm us up. Shawn is a bit of picky eater and was going to order the chicken tenders, but Tommy did not allow it. You cannot go to Pha and order chicken tenders. So he settled for the chicken soup, which I am pretty sure he enjoyed. For myself, I had a #25 with rare beef added to it. I absolutely love this soup. If you are looking for something tasty and delicious to warm the soul go for some Pha at Miss Saigon's. http://www.misssaigon-tucson.com/ They also have the best spring rolls ever too. They are the rice paper ones that are fresh, not fried and the peanut sauce with it I could literally eat with a spoon (but I wouldn't). The Monkey really enjoyed getting out of the cold to get some Pha. She definitely is her mommy's little girl. We do not like cold weather unless we are on a board going down a snowy hill. :0)

Me and my Monkey

Even though we did not win, I still enjoyed getting to hang with some of my favorite people. I also checked out a new blog as well... The Food Renegade. It is a great blog about nutrition, recipes and more. She also has great giveaways. I recommend giving her blog a whirl, http://www.foodrenegade.com/giveaway-ultimate-kombucha-making-kit/#comment-869479  You never know what you may find to improve your day. 

One tired Monkey

Well the day has come to a close and I am ready to enjoy some breakfast for dinner with my Honey and my Monkey.  Until tomorrow keep loving, laughing and living life!

Much Love,

Liz

Sick Day :0(

Hello Lovely's,

Oh Hello There!

Today was a very uneventful day. I am battling a little cold and not to excited about it. The day was spent mainly on the couch with Monks. I have been trying to stay away from her today since I have not been feeling to well, but is pretty darn hard with this cutie. I tried to nap when she did, but then I got the urge to clean the house. So while the Monks was taking a nap I started to clean. I am one of those, who normally when cleaning the house, enjoys a glass of wine or two, but today settled for emergen-c. Definitely not the same, but did the trick. I also enjoy playing a movie in the background while I am cleaning as well. Today's choice was King Arthur. Clive Owen is smoking hot in this movie and the other Knights are some good eye candy as well. 

So embarrassed

The night ended with the honey and I making a pizza with zucchini, red peppers, spaghetti squash, roasted chicken, mozzarella and homemade marinara. It was tasty good, according to the hubby since I cannot taste anything. Hopefully I will be less congested tomorrow and be able to taste my other slice of pizza :0). After dinner we gave the Monkey a bath, since she was a little stinky. She is now starting to splash a little more which is making bath time more entertaining. :0) Well that literally concludes my day. I hope to have more o write tomorrow. I wish you all a great night and remember until tomorrow keep loving, laughing and living life!

Much Love,

Liz