Summer, don't leave me just yet.

So.  I was planning on wrapping up my summer pictures with some words, but then decided that if I wait to find time to tell you all about it, i'll never find time.  So, here's a brief wrap up of the summer.  I am NOT happy that it's almost over.  I think it's been one of the best yet, and i've finally decided that Winter isn't my thing.  Not now, not EVER.

Started out the summer with our annual ΣΝ Lake Powell trip. 

  I love these girls!

Junior and Carmen came to visit!

         We BBq'd, went to the extremely fun

Martinez fam reunion, and got pedis! 

(Leeser, Carmen, Junior and I. 

He thinks they are the greatest things ever ha)

We went to a whole bunch of Bee's games and loved em all...

We went on a really really hard,

yet BEAUTIFUL hike to Lake Blanche

Beginning of the trail before we knew what we had gotten ourselves into!

(notice the gross bug on my neck that wouldn't leave me alone!)

Half way there...

Finally, we made it to the top!

It was WELL worth it...

Yep, that's snow, on the hottest day of the year. 

 It was so rewarding and felt so nice at the top after the 6 mile hike in the heat!

We were EXHAUSTED.

 These pictures are from our Cali trip in June

to see B's cousin Chandler graduate from highschool.

The beach outside of our hotel

Chandler's grad dinner. 

As always, we had a great time!

We went to Colorado to visit Jer's cute little fam

and my favorite boys on the planet.

Showin each other some love on this sweet street

 Silly Ethan

The car ride from the Air port. 

The boys were pretty excited, expecially Matthew!

Long story short, had a bathroom experience in the car and he'll never turn it down when he turns 16...Nor will B ever forget haha. Good thing I got the picture pre-accident.  Otherwise, it would be lacking a few smiles!

Eli and Ethan not letting me take a nap!

Cute Benson and Eli

They couldn't get enough of uncle Brando.

We had so much fun at all the concerts this summer! 

In fact, they're still not over!

-Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Sublime & 311, Sugarland

and soon to go to Rascal Flatts and Jason Aldean!

Sweet sweet Tim, that sexy man...

Oh- and my sexy man ;) {of course!}

My cute Mother and I at

Sugarland for her birthday! 

We had so much fun,

 she is the most amazing woman alive.

We also enjoyed the free

Twilight series concerts at

Pioneer park...

and took advantage of

the fun stands of course.

 

Gen, Chelle and I gettin ink done!

Brando and I golfin at ForeLakes.

So this is all i've got for now.  These pictures don't do our summer justice for how much fun we had and in all the things that we did.  We are currently looking for a new place to live that will better our needs in space, have a yard, dishwasher, disposal and a tad bit newer.  I could do away with all the bugs we have and maybe add a fury friend to our little fam but time will only tell. 

Hope your summer was as good as mine! 

love...cmar <3 

Summer time lovin 2011

Hey all you go getters
It's been a few minutes since my latest post.  I've been on the Go gO go GO! all summer long...
Starting June, Brandon and I spent every weekend out of town w/ friends and family, loving every minute of it. 
We spent some time in Cali for B's cousins big graduation day.  We beached, we ate, and we drrooooveeee....

                   Chandler's graduation dinner

                                                                                    The long drive home....

Junior and Carmen spent a week w the fam in UT and we had a good time....

         We had a BBQ at our place and Jr smashed Carmens masterpiece cake...

 

We went to the Art's fest and saw this fancy man

and we also pampered ourselves w/ pedis! 

(Brando wasn't cool enough to get one) haha...

We also went to the Martinez family reunion and my Grandma and Grandpa came, my parents, Jr, Carmen, Kiesh, Tikki and Brandon and Terence...Kiesh, Ter, Brandon, Leeser and I were the only ones to put up a tent and do it the real way, everyone else stayed in cabins.  Weak....

 We had a lot of fun!

We did lots of other fun things this summer and still have a lot left on the list.  Lots more to come with pictures!

love...cMar

Si vu ple, done mua, de fromage?

It's the only thing I know how to say in French... and I have a 1 in 5,520 chance of winning this contest.  What i'm trying to say is that...

I HAVE A CHANCE!   

You could too, by going here- http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris ...But just to let you know, i'm going to win so don't bother thinking you are!  haha JK.  I mean, someone has got to win right?  Everyone always says "I never win anything."  But 1 out of all these people (numbers getting higher) has got to be a winner, so I'm testing my odds  ;) 
-hApPy FrIdAy-

The "Perfect" Home

    So as I was vaccuuming my dirty apartment today (now spotless), I thought to myself...Ya know, as busy as I am, with one day off a week (usually), I can BARELY keep a tidy home. 

You know when you walk into some peoples houses and their house is always spotless?  I know you all know this.  Like, do you think that their house is always that way? Or maybe they refuse to have people over when it's even the tiniest bit messy?  Like, c'mon people, how do you always have a super duper, clean house?  Like, always?...There has got to be a "behind closed doors" look, because it sure as hell is impossible to have one of those homes for us!  We're lucky if we have 3 days of spotless.  If we only had people over when our house was spotless, then we'd have no friends haha.  However, that would be nice to "trick" people into thinking that we only live like that.  Let's be honest, it's a show.  You know it is.  And if it isn't...well more to ya!  What I don't get is when people have a kid, multiple kids, and still manage to have a clean house!  Brandon and I are are just as bad as having a few kids.  Good thing we're not at that level yet, not even close. 

Brandon and I work all day and go to school, by the time we get home, we are hungry, throw our stuff on the couch, put on some comfy clothes, make dinner (and a mess), and have a trail of clutter JUST from the time we step in the door.  After all is said and done, all we want to do is sit on the couch, watch some tv and enjoy us.  Mean while, this mess gets put off until tomorrow when we have more time.  Yet, "tomorrow" never comes and our house slowly gets messier.  We are pretty good at cleaning up a little, but I feel like with two of us, the mess multiplies, 3 times faster.  Today I started laundry and have 3 loads left.  Do you feel like you ALWAYS have laundry?  I hate it.  We have stackable washer and dryer and they are tiny, so it takes 2 cycles to wash all of our whites or darks when usually, you can get them all done in one.  On a good day (like today), when i'm able to wash everything, I then have a problem with not having enough room to put all of the clothes away.  haha...lucky for us we found a steal on ksl...

$20 bucks for this ugly little thing:

 that we are going to sand down, paint, and call it our new beautiful dresser.  I'm going to try and post pics and document as I go and then show the final product.  Yay me!

Is't it great?  6 BIG drawers...this is the answer i've been waiting for. 

Ha, maybe this will help piece together a more of a perfect home.

But most likely....it wont! 

love....cmar

The Mc'Ds Drive-Thru experience

Creepy worker man: "Lemme ask you a question..."

Me:  "Yeah?"

CMW: "Eh, Are those real?"

Me:  Looking super confused and shocked..."umm.  WHAT? You mean my eyelashes?"

CMW: "Yes, they are real nice, and long."

Me:  "No, they're extensions...Not many men notice that I have fake eyelashes, but thanks."

CMW:  "It's because I like you" (Creepy smile)

Me: fake laugh... heh yeah, see ya later(never!).

A- Don't ask a girl if "they" are REAL, with out specifying what you mean first.  GROSS! 

B- and what if I did have fake tata's... and then he asked that, I would have not thought he meant my eyelashes and he would have gotten a real nasty look, and a coke back in his face.  ha! 

If he would have just said, "Hey, are your eyelashes real?" This convo would not have felt creepy(until he threw out the "it's b/c I like you", nor would I have thought he was a creeper, just a nice guy. 

Whoops!

'Note to self'

Funny story: 

So yesterday at staff meeting we were going over how to use an epipen if ever we have to use one.  The Dr was showing us and she asked if anyone wanted to practice on an orange or bagel (we get bagels at staff meeting) and an assistant decides to try.  So she does it like the movies, removes the lid and puts her hand way in the air and jabs it down hard into the bagel...which was sitting on a paper plate...which didn't stop the needle and stabbed right through the bagel AND the plate and right into her leg.  Pretty sure I almost messed myself b/c of how FUNNY it was!!!!   aahhhh... that was the highlight of my life.  Note to self:  Do not administer an epipen into a bagel swinging full force onto a paper plate, which probably won't end right.  LEt's just say she was able to tell us what happens next...

oh- and... I REALLY hate my blog and think it is so uncreative and can't figure out how to make it look cute and unique w/out having the old theme show through.  I don't want to put much work into this b/c it takes too much time, but I just really need some help trying to make my blog jazzy.  So, PLEASE... Help me won't you?

p.p.s:  Gentri did my eyelashes and they are my new FAVORITE thing.  tree, I know you read this and I have to tell you that I get a great deal of ppl who tell me how they envy my eyelashes and that it adds a sort "glow" to my face.  I think I'm great advertisement and just made your clientel go even higher!  So, if check her out!   http://www.gotlashes.net/ 

love...cmar

Hey all you gO gEtTeRs

Do you Groupon?  If not, you should... It's pretty awesome.  Groupon sends you daily email deals and they have anything from workout classes, food deals, photography stuff...Some way good, others may not interest you but it's free and it saves you TONS of money!  (Kinda bad b/c I spend WAY too much w/ them ;))  Anywho... click my link (http://www.groupon.com/r/uu5082739) and it will show you the deal of the day (I think) and show you how to sign up.  If you use my link, I get even more free deals so do it!  Over the weekend I bought a Groupon for Dash fitness... 20 bucks gets me 6 free classes and tonight I did my first one.  Pretty sweet.  Last night I bought an online prescription eye glasses, contact lens and  sun glasses for $50 I get to spend $100... Basically gave me 50 free bucks and not to mention I need new glasses DESPERATELY so I am gettin a killer deal.  When I first started I got an oil change and tire rotation for 25 bucks!  Ahhh... I could go on.  If you know what's up, just do it... ITS FREE :)If you already have Groupon then you obviously know my obsession.
 http://www.groupon.com/r/uu5082739

love cmar

Fraa La la La laa, la La la LAAAAA

Here are to some of the wintery christmas festivities we've been up to:

Ooh Christmas Tree...

Our first live in Christmas together <3

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

Love these girls

Sisters.  Dumb pic wouldn't rotate... turn yah heads

Baby Jesus sitting on the shelf

Lights at Temple Square

Look in the ball!

So Brandon and I have had a fun time celebrating the holidays together and I effing love our hand-me-down tree!  We don't have any room for storage so i'm not sure where we're gonna hide everything (sorry mom and dad..)! Hopefully we'll be able to get some good pics on the slopes this season!  I love winter!

Merry Christmas all of you lovelies.

love...cmar

Oh the weather outside is...weather.

Don't you think it's soo funny how that weather man made the whole salt lake valley in fear for their lives as if this were the blizzards of all blizzards, and if we didn't get off the roads by 3 o'clock pm, then we'd probably be frozen into a cube and not thawed until next March?  AAANNNDDD it didn't even hit until 6... so much for sending elementary students home at noon!  I was so excited to go outside to a winter (almost) wonderland and  instead, I leave work in a hurry at 5 pm, and on my drive home I see this mean dark grey storm cloud coming in.  Suddenly, from my surprise there was a slight 'flutter' of barely visable wispy snow.  I'm not even joking you, I yelled "THERE IT IS!"  That tretcherous snow storm we've been preparing ourselves for all day.  I'm grateful that I made it home before it got bad though... and Brando and I decided to hurry and make a run to Smiths so we could stock up on candles and a flash light just in case and plan for the worse.  Did you know that Smiths doesn't carry flash lights?  We searched and searched and finally asked someone and they said no...  Pffffft.  Target would have had it...We did however get a 3 wick smelly good Apple Cinnamon candle that B picked out and it lights up our living room quite nicely in the pitch black dark (don't worry, we actually tested it out).  We decided that we had enough in the windy ouchy snow blowing in our faces and made yummy super not good for your nachos at home!  They were SO good.  My Gma gave me a bushell of chilis to make chili verde and I must say... The spaniard in me sure knows how to shine!  Talk about spicey and DE-LISH-US!  haha we ate it all in 3 days and I don't think my stomach understood the word 'Spice' until this weekend.  But it sure was satisfying.  So with our left overs we made nachos, with beans, and cheese, and taco seasoning, oooh and chicken!  A whole pan of nachos-GONE-  Sick, I know but it was oh so good.  hehe...

   So, for some more good news, I am off of work until Monday!  WAHOO, be jealous!  For all I care, it can snow non stop until Sunday night.  I would love to go sledding this weekend and possibly hit up the slopes!  Unfortunately, I'm too broke for slopes, so i'll just have to live with sledding.  How much fun does that sound?    Also, did I ever tell you about my final day, Day 5 of Bikram Yoga?  Yeah, well it was awesome.  What a rewarding class that was for me.  It was suuuper intense, but by the 3rd day I couldn't wait to go again.  I would have gone 6 times, but I was invited to the Jazz game and turned down yoga.  Oh well.  And my goal was to get at least 7 but i'd say considering the fact that one of the teachers said they try and incourage the trial members to come 5 times, which I did, I had it pretty good!  Plus, my friend who I signed up with ( I will not name names ;] ) only did it ONCE! So... ha, beat that!  Seriously though, I would highly recommend trying the 10 day trial and make a goal to go about 5 times.  Now I need a new hobby or something fun.  Speaking of hobby, I've started something fun and warm for winter but I've rambled on a little too long for my (and yours) liking haha.  I hate reading those blogs that are FOREVER long with no pictures so I will update you this week :)  loves.  Happy Thanksgiving if you don't hear from me until after then.  I will enjoy my looong holiday weekend off of work thats for sure.  Oh yeah, and you better believe i'll be out shopping and fighting the black friday FREAKS. 

Stay warm.....cmar

Day 4

Tuesday was day 4 and boy oh boy how it kicked my butt!  I thought it may or may not be easier since I had gone three days last week!  I think giving myself a break for the weekend was what did it for me because yesterday was pretty tough!  Luckily, by the end of class, I felt really good and remembered why I was there.  I was hoping i'd get one class in tonight and one last one in tomorrow, but I got invited to go to the Jazz game and sit in a suite tonight instead!  I just couldn't pass down a Jazz game haha...So, I wasn't able to reach my goal but i'd say doing 5 out of 10 days is a good accomplishment.  The Yoga instructor last night said they try to encourage the new students to try and make it to at least 5 classes... which I will have done by tomorrow!  Wish me luck ;)

love...cmar

Day 2 & day 3

So...

The plan was to come home and blog about my 2nd day at Bikram Yoga, but then I decided to update "tomorrow".  Well, tomorrow came and so did day 3, and yet again, I got side-tracked and decided I would catch up later.  Well today is later and I may or may not start day 4.  haha...

So I was able to do yoga for the first three days in a row and decided to take the weekend off because, well... because it's the weekend duh!  The first day I thought I was going to die because of the heat and how intense the session was.  Day two came and I realized that it wasn't as bad as the first day.  By day three I was shocked at how much more relaxed I was and how much progress I had made.  Some of the positions were literally impossible for my body to do, and by only day 3 I noticed that I was doing the impossible!  It was still super duper hot, but the 90 min came really fast and as soon as I knew it, class was over.  I'm feeling a little on the lazy side today, but hopefully i'll be able to make it to the class and make my 4th day mark.  :)  I'll keep you updated ;)

love...cmar  

The Yoga Challenge: Day one

So, I started a program with my friend that allows you to take unlimited yoga classes for a consecutive ten days for 20 bucks.  I'm doing this at a place called Bikram Yoga and they offer this program to new members.  I have been once before so I knew what to expect and have been putting off doing this whole ten day ish for quite some time.  SO- last night we decided to start!  It is in a heated room with 20-30 soaking, dripping with sweat people...haha sick right? Not to mention that it is pretty smelly.  Regardless, it is super intense and very rewarding in the end.  I really enjoy it and am going to see how many of the ten days I can actually stick with.  My goal is to go to at least 7 classes, my plan, is to hit 9...we'll see.  The class is 90 min long and towards the end I feel like i'm going to burn into a flame and die, it's THAT tough.  I really love yoga and what it does for your body and inner self.  SO anyone who'd like to join I have 9 days left! ;)

namaste.

love...cmar

a tasty yum yum

What do you get when you mix these:

into this:

(don't judge my lack of mixing bowles!)

to get this?

...

a hungry bunch of these!



bahaha...

I absolutely love Punkin' Choco chip cookies, my personal fav.  Cliche I know but it's the most simplest, tastiest holiday treat EVER.  So... if you're ever wondering how you could get on my good side, or would like to surprise B and I with a treat... some mixing bowles would be nice! 

-tee hee jk jk. 

But seriously...

Hey, for me to post two nights IN.A.ROW, you should consider yourself lucky.  This doesn't happen often. Especially with pictures!  Goodnight world.

love//cmar

'Fall'ing into Autumn

Brando promised me a ride in Millcreek Canyon to see the changing leaves before they fall off the branches.  We picked a perfect day to go.  Unfortunately, it was raining cats and dogs, but I think it made things more fun :)  My favorite is right when the trees turn into pinks and reds and the rest are still gold.  It's unbelievable...What a beautiful world we live in.  These pics sure don't do justice for the actual view, but I have to say the iphone takes some pretty nice pics, definitely nothing that my little mytouch could capture!  My camera took a dive to the deep end and I prob won't be able to get a new one till after the holidays...

Here are some of the pretties that we captured. 

    This, and the one at the tippy top are my favs

I would love to do this again and next time hike one of the trails when it's not raining.  I forgot how much I love fall and love dressing up with scarves and jackets.  I'm not super excited for it to snow but i'm ready to get the warm clothes out! 

Hopefully we'll carve pumpkins this week at our new place and will get pics up along with the Halloween festivities such as the annual Witches Night Out with the girls and of course Halloween weekend! 

love...cmar

Soo HAPPY

I just can't wait to let you all know that I just set up our quest internet all.by.myself!!!!!!!!!  FINALLY, I don't have to wait for my slow internet on my phone to load so I can read only the first 3 blog updates as my phone can onlyl scroll up and down on the page as a whole, and not the little scrolly part to view everyones blog updates.  Ahhh... what a great feeling it is to have the internet up and running.  At first we had a small struggle trying to figure out the key phrase for the modem because it was given (kindly) to us by a friend for F.R.E.E- but I just put my brains back together and realized it was (luckily) pasted on the side of the modem (which never happends), it was a success.  Congratulations Crystal, you are a GENIOUS. 

So, on another note, we are all moved in and I can't begin to explain to the internet world of how HAPPY I am to be here!  We both love living here and always want to go home to relax!  Call me lame why dont you, but that's just how cool it is :)  So far we've had a few visitors:  The olds, Mom and Dad Barnes, Robyn, Leeser, and of course, ALL of my friends:)  (Too many to name at this time). The downfall: we've already recieved all of our bills except the gas bill haha which is weird b/c when I lived at the town house I swear those dreaded things took 2 months at LEAST!  But that's ok because i've never seen such a cheap electric bill...not trying to brag but $11.05 is pocket change and is only 5 bucks a piece!  Whoop whoop!  I could go on and on for a min because it's been a while since I've actually caught up with my good friend blogger, but i'll save that for a later day! 

So, to wrap it up, I love my home, I love the things in my home(expecially Brando), and I LOVE LOVE LOVE life.  This is the change that I've been waiting for to drop into my life and make everything ok :)

p.s-I have pictures of my whole house but you'll just have to wait!  Goodnight 

lOve...cmar 

My lasts

So.

as I lay here in bed I started to think... tomorrow is a big day.  The next chapter of my life.  The day I decide to move out with my best friend.  I know many people who read this may have mixed feelings about this because we are doing things a little backwards.  Moving in together...and we're not married yet.  But it's ok, I promise.  I'm ok with this 100% and it's what's right for US and I couldn't be happier.  However, I wouldn't have moved out with Brandon if I wasn't CERTAIN that I was going to marry him.  Trust me, I wouldn't choose to spend my life with any other man(weird)than him.  Anyways... that's all besides the point!  I started to really think about all of my "lasts" over the past few weeks that are never going to happen again and how much i'll miss them.  Today...yesterday...last year. 

Tonight willl be the last time I sleep in my own bed.

Tonight is the last time that I will sleep alone in my bed.

Tonight was the last night that I texted Brandon "Good night love, call you in the morning, I love you."

Tonight was the last night that Brandon walked me out to my car and kissed me good night.

Tonight was the last time i'd sleep under my parents roof.

This was the last week that I would have dinner with my parents every night.

Yesterday was the last day I kissed my mom goodbye and told her to have a good day as I left for work.

Tonight was the last night that I make the 17 minute drive home from B's home.

Tonight was the last time I'd call Brandon while I walked into my house so he knew that I had made it ok.

This morning was the last time i'd wake up at his house and tell him "I'm ready to go." so he could walk me out.

This week was the last week i'd wake up with Leeser and enjoy her company as we both got ready for work and school.  I'm going to miss that SO much.

These are just some of my lasts that I can think of as I lay here and i'm sure there are plenty more.  Of course, I do realize that there are exceptions to all of these, but in general, my life will change almost drastically as of tomorrow at 10 am, when the owner of the house hands over the keys to us and we walk in together and smile.  Brandon and I are both so excited to move to the next level in our relationship and to be starting this new part of our lives together.  We are going to learn so much more about each other and I can't wait.  This will be the first time we won't have to say good night to each other because we have to go home and wish we were right back at each others side.  It's going to be so great that he will be the last thing I see before I go to bed and the first thing I see when I wake up.  I am also sooo stinkin excited that I won't have to fight those random anxiety episodes that sneak up every so often and keep me up past 2 when I have to be up at 6...for some reason it never happends when i'm sleeping next to someone.  So, that is all that I needed to say for tonight and i'm just so excited!  That's all world... Good night ;)

love...cmar 

Summer love

Here are a bunch of pics of all the fun things i've been up to this summer!  Watch out, there are lots...  Before the fun started, Brandon and I made dinner for my mom for her 57th birthday. She was so happy! She is convinced that she is 58... what an odd ball. 

She would kill me if she new I posted this to the public... ShhHHHhhh.

My lovely mother opening up her gifts

This is the cute beach  house we stayed in, in New Port Beach!

Kitchen

Living Room..isn't his aunt a great home decorator?

This was the sweet golf cart (street legal) we drove around town!  We were crusin with the music blastin and everyone honked when they saw us, it was so fun!

My boyfriend is better than yours

Beach  time.

This was the house where

Brandon's aunt Sandy and new uncle Sterling were wed! 

 Baller Status...

This is the view with the previous pic behind me.  The marble tile alone was $1 million!

Sterling played the piano

 and sang the sweetest song that he

wrote for Sandy.

My first time in DL!

I  felt that sword budge I swear...

California adventure with my lover bum

We were so sad we had to leave...

B's face cracks me up!