Arizona

Finally met the trips this past week - they are so adorable - next chance we get, we're headed back out there to hang out! Cate's so laid back, Isaac's such a cutie & Chloe is the best little clinger. Loved it!

Joshie & Chole loving life

Isaac & my silly face

Chlomonksupial - I loved her clinging on!

(not angry, she was just over the flash of the camera, so she closed her eyes)

We headed out there & I worked while Josh hung out with McCall. He put her hair in rag curlers & I got all super model with it (I think she looked oto sexy b/c Deb took it out & put it in lame poof pony tails before we went over to Dave & Koren's, but here's a pic).

McCall's hair was righteous - wish I could pull that off. Only her & African super models!

We had the greatest dining experience ever, no joke. If anyone is ever in or near Scottsdale, check it out: Digestif

We sat at the bar (which was 1/3 of the total 25-30 seats in the whole place, so it's cozy) and chatted with the chef while he served a taster, which basically is a several-course meal that he splits between you & your date/friend/whatev and tells you what everything is. So great, our 8-courses (b/c I can't say no to food). Drum roll, please...

Dungeness Crab & Watermelon

Burrata

Shrimp Ceviche

Grilled Flank Steak w/Sweet Corn Relish

Mac N Cheese for Adults

Butter-basted Wild-caught Halibut

Warm Cookies & Milk

Banana Bread w/a White Choc Banana Sauce

Their menu changes every week depending on what's available from the market & it's all great. I loved every moment (of our 2.5 hr experience). In fact, we loved it so much we've already made plans with a couple of friends who will coincidentally be there for Labor Day weekend as well. Can't wait! We'll have to document it next time - I am ashamed that we forgot to the first time, but it took us by surprise with how great it was!

Dr. David (Josh's bro) hooked it up with hour long massages at his office, which was the greatest massage I've ever had. Most likey another tradition for Phoenix trips :)

We crammed in more fun on our last day there. Drove up to Payson to do some hiking, rock-climbing & cliff jumping. Believe it or not, I jumped off a rock that was probably 55-60 feet high into water. I was so proud of myself! I was shaking at the top, so I just did it. Dave's friend who acme with us totally wussed out & I was the first one to do it. So rad. I only felt like I broke my nose off, and I was still shaking for next hour, but I think I could get myself to do it again sometime. Another tradition in the making - who knew AZ could be so much fun?! Still no desire to move out there, but I think we might make more frequent road trips!!

And after the cliff diving, we jammed back to Scottsdale to go out karoaking with Deb & friend. Much fun as we laughed at everyone & the girls stayed & sang with everyone at the table & the boys rocked their stuff with the microphone.

Josh finally got to do karaoke - he's been trying to make that happen for months!

Wish I had more pics of our fun times, but we forget the camera too many times - that's also Josh's responsibility ;)

Thanks to Deb, Dave & Koren for a fun time! Ready for the next adventure!

Also signed up for the PF Chang's Rock N Roll Marathon in Phoenix in January - everyone's invited!

Summer is here!

It's really starting to feel like summer, aside from the warmth.

Last weekend was the 4th of July. We surprised my mom AGAIN with a dinner party at my grandparents' house in Poway. That was a blast - I got to show off my new husband's cooking skills. He made us all pulled pork sandwiches & they were delicious. Then we jammed out to Grape Day Park to listen to the Marine Corp band & watch fireworks. The neices were having their own little adorable dance party - I'll have to find some pics from that to post :)

We'd gone to Moonlight Beach the day before & luckily escaped getting sunburned, but it sure was packed like it was summer. Allison hated the beach, Bri got trapped in seaweed while Josh & Jared were taking her out & McCall got into a fight with the water when it erased her name in the sand. Fun times.

Lots of treats since Deb was in town & a day of recovery from it all. Can't wait for all the excitement that will be this summer - jet skis, beach camping, bonfires...we plan to make the most of it!

Coronado, etc.

After a totally over-cast weekend, Brooke & I finally enjoyed some sun at Coronado. It's so pretty out there. I really love it. Too bad it's such a far drive (considering all the beaches that are much closer). I took several pictures for other people (like randoms who asked me to), and I think we may have 1 or 2 of us. It's so clean there, we could have stayed longer, but my red nose is evidence of not putting on sunscreen, so we left pretty early. I'm not one who would really choose to live on the beach, but I could live there. It's so pretty. They even have perfectly landscaped medians - yeah, one had it's own little garden complete with mini gazebo!

That night we went to sushi - my bad, I should have made reservations with the 8 of us, but I didn't. So we ended up going to a different sushi place that didn't have specials that night & we were too late for happy hour. So much for planning (luckily, everything else went well). Of course, with the exception of the grunion run. We went to Moonlight Beach to enjoy a bonfire full a whole of 30 minutes before the beach closed (what?!) and then waited in the cold for the grunion that didn't even show. Oh well, I'm still holding out for the red tide - that's more fun anyway. Someone let me know when that's here again :)

Genuine Fun Times

So, this weekend is/has been such a blast! Dad Kerby surprised Mom Kerby by flying Joy & the girls out here since Brooke was already coming out. We picked the girls up from the airport & came back to Mission Bay to surprise Mom. Original idea was to drive up & be like... "SURPRISE!" but mom always takes appts on her day off (lesson learned?) so we improved & Joy & the girls snuck up on Mom when she came & was distracted by other grandbabies. Hilarious & never to be forgotten... hands over the cheeks... "ahh, ahh, ahhhh... oh my gosh!"... tears. Awesome. Luckily no Kerbys spilled the beans. Probably one of our greatest feats ever.

So we had fun out on the jet skis with everyone. I may or may not have thrown Josh off the jet skis once or twice & he may or may not have skipped across the water the first time he flew. Oops! Luckily I'm able to grab on to him when he drives =) We survived & my wonderful husband has a great sense of humor, so we laughed it off. A sunburned nose, but that's about it.

Saturday dad let us take out the jet skis with the Hansen fam - Yvonne & I hung out in the morning with the girls in the rain (without blankets or sweaters for the girls) while Jared & Josh spent 2.5 hrs at the Swap Meet - sheesh! Jon & Mel showed up with their kids right before Josh & Jared, and they luckily brought a sweater for Bri & some blankets. It was cloudy the whole time we were there, but that didn't stop us from having a blast. I got to take each of the girls out for slow rides near the shore & then I hopped on with Josh & the girls went with their dads (Taylor went with Mel, too).

We came home & Josh made some delicious grub for the Kerby clan & then we played games with the Hansens after watching the Ultimate Fighter Finale. Blackjack for nasty jelly beans after already regretting the ice cream we'd eaten - a bad idea. But what's worse is opting for a hot pepper instead of taking the chance to get a rotten egg jelly bean. I don't think I've ever had a pepper that hot! I even dumped out all the seeds & I still cried as my ears steamed from the heat. I felt the burn in my mouth for the next hour. Yikes!

Tomorrow Brooke & I are going to Coronado... let the good times roll!

The end is near

Josh & I have officially started putting together our food storage. 31 packs of assorted gum...check.

It's official

Josh has given me my first gray hair...

Ugh...

No sense in waiting for Josh to do anything with this thing anymore & I feel some sort of obligation, even though it's totally not my thing.

Anyhoo...

A lot has happened since we got back from our Honeymoon! Fun times in Coachella - as always! The Killers put on a fantastic show. It was sad to see J & YV take off back to Sac Town, but we were happy to know we'd see them again soon. And we did - we flew up to Sacramento where I hung out for the weekend of Jared's CHP graduation. All sorts of wicked cool auto maneuvers & all around good times. We headed out to San Fran where we took pictures of ALcatraz in the background, I had my 1st ever fish & chips (not bad), and tried a bite of Josh & Deb's fresh crab. Saw some intersting street performers & the Golden Gate Bridge. Glad we went, but unless something exciting is going on there, I'm not all about getting back there anytime soon.

Then I left my hubby in Sac Town for a whole week (miserable!) so that he could have some good old fashion brotherly bonding & help them move down to LA (yay!). Needless to say, I survived, but am glad that he could help. After the week was over, I couldn't wait to go pick him up, so I made the drive & we hung out there for the weekend. Saw an awesome UFC fight (but only 1 - I was exhausted after helping move a little). It was Evans vs. Machida, though & worth waking up for :)

Had a good Memorial Day BBQ at my parent's house. Have started running with Kim again on Saturday mornings - last Saturday was the 1st and only time that Kim's going to get out of our committement :o) It's great to get out & run in the fresh air & also to be able to catch up with Kim since neither of us are really phone people.

Now I'm holding my breath for the excitement that keeps coming. Brooke's coming down for Father's Day & I'm thinking I'll take a day off & maybe go down to Coronado, or something. And we have a Sushi Date! Weather's getting to be perfect for jet skiis - and my dad's got some! Jared & Yvonne are also coming down Father's Day weekend. No plans for the 4th of July yet, but we're going to do a beach campout with Josh's family the following week. Taylor Bug & I started planning it a few weeks ago - she'll be excited once we have the date set in stone. Ooh! And we're watching Tay & Dukie Friday.

I think that's it. We're so greatful for the fortunate situation that we're in. That we aren't fighting, even though we spend all our time together. We have the greatest family. And we're looking for a house. (Crossing my fingers that people start getting kicked out of their houses again, so that we can take advantage of the vacancies, for real!)