Rafting trip via disposable camera...

Oh how I wish we had waterproof housing for my camera (which costs more than my camera, lenses, accessories all together!)...the graininess of the following photos kind of makes me shudder but what can you do?  What did we do before being able to preview the photos and discarding the ones we didn't like?? Only about 14 of the 27 photos came out useable.

{You can still right click the photos to make them larger, but I wouldn't recommend it...just enhances the graininess, lol}

 Woulda been good photo if did have the paddle in front of my face!

 Rico & John after playing Trust...

An award & our summer itinerary

Our summer agenda is busier than ever and I love it! We have 7 of the next 8 weekends filled with outdoor activities and parties with friends, which makes me smile even more.  Now that the weather's turned for the better ::crossing our fingers it stays that way:: and we're feeling better and working out more, we're finding we want to be outside and doing active things instead of sitting indoors.

July 3 - Saturday we are driving up to Wenatchee and going White Water Rafting (a first for both of us) then on the way back, we're going to visit the Bavarian village, Leavenworth.

July 11 - Our new gym Anytime Fitness sponsors a local hike every other Sunday at Mount Peak in Enumclaw.  This time we're going to try it.  We may not survive but if we do, I'll show you pictures!

July 14 - Miss Erika's (my mom-in-law) birthday...don't know what we're doing as of yet but still an important mention!

July 18 - Billy & Nikki's son Aiden is turning 2 and they're throwing a perfect party on a hopefully hot & sunny July day, which includes water guns and water balloon fights for the adults!

July 24 - My Worldwide Photowalk in Tacoma with Erika in the morning, then the Issaquah version at 4pm.

August 5-7 - An adults only camping trip to the eastern side of the mountains with some of Rico's friends from work.

August 14 - We've been invited to the 3rd Annual Garza-palooza - Amanda's boss - which includes grilling out and a live band and camping in the backyard if the drinks flow too abundantly!

All, of course, accompanied by photos ;-)

Now on to some important business:

This little lady made my day by nominating me for the SuperStar Blogger Award.  She makes me makes me snort inappropriately when I read the antics her son puts on and has me in awe of how she makes raising 2 kids look easy.

The rule behind accepting this award is I must now divulge 7 things the blogging world doesn't know about me, so here it goes:

1. It creeps me out the sound that eggs make when you put them in water to boil.  It sounds like little baby chicks chirping to be let out.

2. I have a bachelors degree in English degree but I love my job in accounting, yet I still haven't figured out what I want to do with my life career wise.  I love my photography and ideally would love to just travel around the world with my husband and take photos for a living, but it seems too unrealistic to be a viable option!

3. My green thumb is so broken, it's black!  Seriously! I'm horrible at keeping plants alive and yet I still want to have a vegetable and herb garden.  I haven't tried it yet but I'm thinking about it.  Though that would require more sun than where we live now.

4. I hate raw onions, but love them cooked (at least the point where I can't taste them but they still give the food flavor)

5. I used to hate steak, now I can't get enough.  My parents love to tell the story about them eating steak while I preferred hotdogs!

6.  I tried being a vegetarian when I was younger because my star crush - Jonathan Taylor Thomas - once said in Tiger Beat that he was a vegetarian.  I lasted 1 day...

7. I have a scar on my right ring finger from sticking my hand in an air conditioning fan while it was running when I was young.

These bloggers make my day go by so much faster and keep me so entertained!  And my nominees are:
1. Kris at Pretty All True
2. Ree at The Pioneer Woman
3. Amanda at The Family Blog

101 in 1001 Days

January 1, 2010 - September 27, 2012

As a tribute to the New Year, I've been challenged to create a list of 101 things I would like to get accomplished in the next 1001 days (about 2.75 years).

The Mission:
Make a list of 101 specific things, using clear wording to avoid ambiguity and encourage fulfillment, which you would like to accomplish in 1001 days. These can be things that you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t; things you’ve started but never managed to finish; things you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t; things to reward yourself for hard work; things about clearing personal hurdles that have long stood in your way of being happy, successful, confident and comfortable. We all have our own personal demons and the only way to conquer them, in my mind, is to recognize that they exist and commit to battling them. That’s all we can do, really.

For some, the prospect of such a list could prove daunting, stressful. Others might simply be disinterested. But I’m a list person (as Rico can tell you!) and clearly marking a few goals for the future allows me to focus on an upcoming task (or tasks as they are).

So I’m giving it my best shot, not expecting to complete 100% of my list as some goals may not be financially possible, with my commitment to do the best that I can.

MY LIST (in no particular order):

1. Learn Photoshop Completed 4/5/10
2. Hang all framed photos in the house
3. Trade in Malibu for SUV
4. Ask for a raise
5. Pay off all credit cards
6. Meet Rico's grandmother
7. Grow an herb garden
8. Renew my passport with my married name
9. Learn how to use the manual settings on my camera
10. Try skiing
11. Eat with chopsticks through an entire meal
12. Bake a cake 4/21/10
13. Climb to the top of a tree and take a picture of the view
14. Take a hot air balloon ride
15. Go snow tubing
16. Drink more water
17. Go to the gym 4 days a week for 3 weeks (3/3) Completed 4/24/10
18. Publish/sell one photo
19. Read 101 books (15/101)
20. Go to a concert
21. Contribute 3% to 401K Completed 1/3/10
22. Start a Keep The Change Fund
23. Learn to fly a kite Completed 4/10/10
24. Save $1001 (75/1001)
25. Sell wedding decor on craigslist
26. Buy a new bed (preferably Tempur-Pedic)
27. Go Skydiving
28. Clean out the closet and donate to Goodwill Completed 2/28/10
29. Stomp grapes (to make wine)
30. Go on a picnic
31. Go bowling
32. Spend either Thanksgiving or Christmas with my parents
33. Eat no desserts for 1 week.
34. Submit a photo to a photography contest
35. Watch 100 of the Top 250 of IMDBs movies (0/100)
36. Horseback ride Completed 4/10/10
37. Go on a road trip
38. Blow glass Competed 1/30/10
39. Build our Emergency Fund
40. Meet one of my e-friends
41. Go see the Troll under the bridge
42. Take a pottery class
43. Go whitewater rafting
44. Attend a public New Years Eve Party
45. Organize my music on my iPhone
46. Host or attend a Couples Game Night
47. Vote in the local politics
48. Shoot pool
49. Cook dinner for parents
50. Get pregnant
51. Host a girls night in
52. Move to Colorado Springs
53. Have a candlelit dinner with Rico at home
54. Try one new recipe per month (3/33)
55. Go target practicing
56. Clean off bookshelves - donating or selling used books we don't need
57. Go to the Zoo
58. Walk behind a waterfall
59. Visit the San Juan Islands
60. Explore Portland, Oregon
61. Upgrade my laptop
62. Go to Canada Completed 3/14/10

63. Visit a state I've never been to
64. Join PostCrossing
65. Go Putt Putt Golfing
66. Complete our wedding/honeymoon scrapbook
67. Watch fireworks
68. Replace burnt out bulbs with energy efficient lights
69. Buy a new TV stand to organize our living room
70. Host a party
71. Get a dog
72. Go to a movie with Rico that I don't want to see
73. Complete a food log for 1 month
74. Get a facial
75. Tip 50% for outstanding service (0/1)
76. Go to a comedy club
77. Start a snowball fight
78. Visit Las Vegas
79. Take a dance class
80. Go to Library and get books instead of buying
81. Eat at 10 new restaurants (1/10)
82. Write a Will
83. Weigh less on Day 1001 than I did on Day 1
84. Go on a zipline
85. Get new bedding
86. Get a manicure
87. Float down a river
88. Visit an Apple Orchard in Washington
89. Build a snowman
90. Lose 10 lbs
91. Lose 20 lbs
92. Lose 30 lbs
93. Lose 40 lbs
94. Lie in a hammock
95. Go skinny dipping
96. Get a pedicure
97. Stargaze in an isolated area (like Texas or Colorado flat lands)
98. Send a care package
99. Donate $1 for every task not complete at the end of 1001 days
100. As I complete my list, write about my experiences.
101. Make a new list of 101 things to do in 1001 days!