The Travel Back To Arizona

Well, we made it back to Arizona last night about 8pm and much happier with this travel than on the way there. We stayed south so we didn’t get into bad weather. When we left Wisconsin there was terrible fog until we got passed Des Moines. The fog was so bad you couldn’t see 20 feet in front of your car. That slowed us down just a little bit. Then we hit really bad thunderstorms in Kansas and that was scary as Andy was hydroplaning across the interstate because the rain was so heavy. We managed to stay away from Nebraska because we hate that state now. We did however go through the brake happy state of Iowa again and I swear those people love their brakes. Mechanics must make a ton of money replacing brakes on cars left and right. Missouri wasn’t a bad state to drive through, but they had some weird road signs that bothered me. I find it rather annoying that they had a mile marker every .2 miles telling you and I found that rather annoying while I was driving and very unnecessary. They also had a sign that said Pre Passing Lane ahead. What is that? Pre Passing Lane? I have only heard of a Passing Lane ahead, but I guess there is a lane for you to go in before you are ready to pass someone…mmmm…didn’t get it and I still don’t. I guess I will have to ask my friend Jessica (who is from there) what a Pre Passing Lane is. Once we hit Kansas I saw a lot of Jesus billboards saying that if I don’t believe I am going to hell. I am glad WI or AZ doesn’t have billboards like that as I found that annoying too. The rest of the trip was fine. The dogs were fine in the car and Madison stalled every stop because she would take her time going to the bathroom at every stop…I am talking 20 minutes to find a spot to pee. I did my fair share of driving again and I figured I drove 13.5 hours of the 28 hour drive. Actually we clocked the travel time on the Jeep and it’s a 26 hour drive, but with two dogs and stopping it turned to 28 hour drive. At least this time it was better than the drive there. I don’t think we will do it again. I am a big fan of planes now and Andy and I tried the drive, but don’t think we will do it again. The dogs will be happy to stay at the PetSmart Hotel the next time we decide to visit Wisconsin.

Ready To Go Back To Phoenix Weather

So far my Wisco holiday vacation has revolved around snow, cold and bad roads. We started at a cool negative nine degrees and now we are at a balmy 23 degrees. Let’s just say the negative nine degrees was a rough day for Izzy and I. The cold temperatures were just bringing bad road conditions which then ended up canceling plans that I had to see people. I have felt somewhat like a prisoner in my parent’s house because I haven’t done much due to the roads. At least in Phoenix when its 115 degrees outside you can still leave your house safely without worries of ending up in a ditch or getting in a car accident. I have never seen it snow so much here since I was a little kid. In fact it’s snowing right now and will continue to snow through the day. It’s crazy! I am also coming down with a cold too, but how can you not when you go from -9 degrees to 23 degrees in a matter of one day. Last night I did manage to get out for a little bit as Andy and I went to the Badger Basketball game. Other than that I have hung out with my family and did some shopping close to my parent’s house just to get out. I am bummed because I am probably not going to see one of my closest friends while I am here. Why, you ask? Because of the crappy weather which leads to crappy roads! I am ready to leave this crappy weather and go back to Phoenix where I do not have limitations on what I can or cannot due because of Mother Nature.

Journey Across Country

We made it in one piece to Wisconsin via the Jeep Cherokee and in less time than I made it last year by plane, but only beat last year by one hour. A trip that was supposed to take us about 26 hours took us 30 hours. So, those 4 extra hours consisted of extra stops, long stops and states that don’t plow their interstates after a massive snow storm. When we left Phoenix we ran into some snow covered roads in the mountains, so that was the first thing that slowed us down. Then we were good until we got East of Denver. The interstate from Denver to Nebraska was covered in snow. I found it very interesting that a state like that did not take care of their interstate at all. That took me driving pretty cautious and under speed limit which was very frustrating. We were hoping that once we were to enter Nebraska that state would have enough common sense to plow their interstate’s, but that state was the worst state we drove through. Andy and I have declared that we hate the state of Nebraska. We ran into three rolling road blocks…what’s that you ask? Well, it’s where the State Trooper’s drive in the middle of the interstate with their lights on going 30 miles per hour to slow down traffic. Why? Don’t know, other than they are a bunch of corn loving assholes! Excuse my language, but you can imagine how frustrated we were because it’s not like it was just for one mile, but more like 10 – 15 miles of that. So, we were thrilled to leave Nebraska and enter the state that is Brake Happy…the damn Iowans. Yup, those assholes don’t know how to drive. It was constant brake city and for no reason what so ever. I have never seen so many people step on the brakes for nothing. It was ridiculous. We finally ended up in the great state of Wisconsin about 11pm and were at Andy’s mom’s house at 1am. I do have to share with everyone that I did my fair share of driving. I calculated that I drove approximately 13 hours of the 30 hour drive, so that isn’t exactly half for you auditors, but it’s pretty close and I am happy with that. Andy and I will not be doing this next year so we will have to figure out another game plan for the dogs because driving across county is just not for us. At least we didn’t kill each other in the car and we are still together, so that’s a plus!

On Our Way To Wisco For Xmas

Well, today we are heading back to Wisco in the Jeep Cherokee. I would like it noted that I am not a fan of this long drive nor am I thrilled to be sitting in a car for the next 24 hours, but we are able to bring the dogs with us this way. Plus, it can’t be any worse than my travels last year. For those that don’t remember, let’s recap.

I woke up on Friday at 5:30am and went to work. From work I went to the airport to catch my 5pm flight which had a stop in Minneapolis. Once we got there they said my flight was delayed until midnight, well midnight rolled around and my flight was delayed until 8am. Keep in mind that I am traveling alone and Andy was already in Madison. I found a bench in the airport and parked it. I spent my time on the phone talking to people and playing Tetris on my phone, but I mostly spent my time pissed off as I lay on the bench looking like a homeless person who was freezing her butt off. Finally, 6am rolled around and I was able to get some breakfast. After wandering around for a while I head back to my gate to find that I was delayed another hour. We finally boarded at 9am, but didn’t take off until 10:30am. We get to Madison only to find out the fog was so thick that we couldn’t land so we hovered for about 30 minutes before they took us back to Minneapolis. Once I got back there they told us they were going to send us to Madison by bus and the bus will be there at 3pm so be ready. Well, 3pm turned into 6pm which is about the time that I lost my mind in the airport because I was a frustrated woman with not sleep who has been awake for 37 hours now. The buses finally came at 7pm and I barely made it to Madison at 1:30am on Sunday morning because the roads were so bad. I got to my parents house at 2am and got a few hours of sleep before it was time to get up and smile pretty for family photos.

Now, how can driving across country for 24 hours be worse than that? If it is I will seriously have to think about my Christmas travels next year.

Andy Finally Did It...

After the past month of Andy carrying the flat screen from our bedroom outside to watch football on Sunday's he finally brought one home. On Saturday, he told me he was running to Sears to get a gift card for a Xmas present; however, that is not the only thing he brought home. He carried in the Vizio box with a 32” flat screen TV in it. I was like “Do we really need that?” Of course we do, so Andy can enjoy the AZ weather while watching football outside, then basketball and top it off with baseball. I think we need this like we need another animal in the house, but whatever. Actually, I think this will come in handy during the summer while I am floating in the pool and there is a GOOD Lifetime movie on. Yup, that sounds about perfect! Now, he just needs to mount it and get an outdoor cover for it so dust doesn’t get inside and ruin it. How spoiled one can be once you move to AZ. This is something you definitely cannot do in WI.

Fun Night of Fu Fu Fondue and Good Friends

Last night our friends had a fondue party that we went to. It was a really good time and I must say that they did a great job of setting up a fondue party. There was a station for a cheese fondue with one pot of orange cheese and another pot filled with white cheese. The choice of dippings were a bunch of different blanched veggies and bread. My friend, Amber, was very proud of herself for blanching the veggies. Then there was a meat station where you had your choice of chicken, beef or shrimp to cook in a pot of oil or chicken broth. Then to top the fondue party off they had a chocolate fountain with bananas (which were AWESOME), strawberries, animal crackers, pineapple and a couple other options. I was pretty impressed with the setup of the fondue party. Kudos to the Campbell’s as this might have been better than the Melting Pot, but I wouldn’t know since Andy has yet to take me there. There was also a game of cards, progressive rummy, the same card game as when we were camping…these are the campers that we hung out with. Needless to say Andy and I were nowhere near winning the card game. I guess we are just not card people. The evening topped off with my friends making fun of me and not believing in me…yup that’s right. They think I will not last in the car ride back to WI for the long journey home for Xmas. They think I won’t contribute to the driving…they are wrong. (Oh, by the way, we are driving back to Wisco for Xmas…yup, driving.) They think I am high maintenance, but I am not sure where they got that idea. I drove myself out here when we moved here, the whole 24 hours I drove by myself so I am sure I can contribute my half of the driving this week. We are going to keep a record of how much I drove so I can prove to my friends that I am not high maintenance, but instead medium high maintenance.

You Know You Are An Arizonian When...

I found this online and find it absolutely hilarious. It’s a list of things for you to realize you now live in AZ and can now say you are from AZ instead of the actual state you are from because you read this list and laugh or agree to it. I would like to share them because I think it’s pretty funny now that I have been here for more than 3 years and I can laugh (and agree) to most of these.

1. You buy salsa by the gallon.
2. Sunscreen is sold year round and kept right at the checkout counter.
3. You can attend any function wearing shorts and a tank top.
4. Your Christmas decorations are hung while it’s still 90 degrees outside.
5. You think a red light is merely a suggestion.
6. You think someone driving wearing oven mitts is clever.
7. Most of the restaurants in town have the first name "El" or "Los".
8. You think 60 tons of crushed rock makes a beautiful yard.
9. You notice your car overheating before you drive it.
10. Your house is made of stucco and has a red clay tile roof.
11. You no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.
12. You see more irrigation water on the street than there is in the Salt River.
13. You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink.
14. You can say 115 degrees without fainting.
15. Every other vehicle is a 4x4.
16. You can be in the snow, then drive for an hour and it will be over 100 degrees.
17. Vehicles with open windows have the right-of-way in the summer.
18. People break out coats when temperature drops below 70 degrees.
19. You discover, in July, it only takes two fingers to drive your car.
20. The pool can be warmer than you are.
21. You run your air conditioner in the middle of winter so you can use your fireplace.
22. Most homes have more firearms than people.
23. Kids will ask, "What's a mosquito?"
24. People who have black cars or black upholstery in their car are automatically assumed to be from out-of-state or nuts.
25. You notice the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
26. The AC is on your list of best friends.
27. Monday Night Football starts at 7:00 instead of 6:00.
28. You realize that Valley Fever isn't a disco dance.
29. You can finish a Big Gulp in 10 minutes and go back for seconds.
30. The water from the cold water tap is the same temperature as the hot one.
31. You can (correctly) pronounce the words: "Saguaro", "Ocotillo", "Tempe", "Gila Bend", "San Xavier", "Canyon de Chelly", "Mogollon Rim", "Cholla", and "Ajo".
32. It's noon in July, kids are on summer vacation, and not one person is walking on the streets.
33. You experience third degree burns if you touch any metal part of your car.
34. You know better than to get into a car with leather seats if you're wearing shorts.
35. Announcements for Fourth of July events never end with "in case of rain......"
36. When someone asks how far you live from a location, it's always in terms of minutes, not miles.
37. Everyone's smiling and talking about the great weather on rainy days.
38. You have to explain to out-of-staters why there is no daylight savings time.

Exhausted From Firm Holiday Party

Last night we attended my firm holiday party which I am glad it is over with because that is an annual event in which marketing is in charge of and heavily involved in. I spent most of last week revolving everything I did at work around the holiday party. It was crazy and stressful. It turned out great though and everyone seemed to have a great time, so that is the best part for me to see everyone enjoy themselves at a party that I put a lot of hard work and thought into. I had the party at the Venue of Scottsdale which is decked out like Bourbon Street in New Orleans so we had a Mardi Gras themed party with a casino event. I had the employees gambling for chips in which they could trade in for raffle tickets at the end of the night where they put their raffle ticket in a bucket for a prize of their choice. I had 30 prizes with some examples being a Wii bundle, a Kindle, a $500 airline gift card, a Sony Blue-Ray DVD player, etc. There were some pretty nice prizes and it was fun to select the items and shop for them, but the best part was to see the winners get excited that they won. Andy and I were trying to win the airline gift card, but we did not win anything. Oh well! It was the best turn out the firm ever had so I am pretty excited about that too. We didn’t get home and in bed until 3am. We are not used to being out that late anymore because we are old now, so we have both been exhausted today and just lounging around the house. I am exhausted, but happy the event is over with for another year, but now it’s time to start finding a location for next year that will top this year’s location.

Christmas Came Early for Captain

Christmas presents have begun to arrive at the house today. Andy and I received matching luggage from my parents while Captain received two large boxes as well. I don’t think my parents realized when sending the luggage that they were giving more than just luggage…they gave a crazy cat an amazing present made of cardboard. As many know Captain is very playful and definitely not your ordinary cat. He has always been different in a way that he liked to play in the shower when he was younger, he plays fetch with the ball and he loves attention and pets from all people. He has always reminded us of a dog. Anyway, we would have thought Captain would have become mild mannered by now since he is 4.5 years old, but tonight (and every other night) he proved to us that he is still a very playful kitten. He has spent much time playing in this large box batting his ball in and out and crazily jumping in and out of the box like a jumping bean. I wish I had video of this behavior to post so you can see his true personality, but I did take a couple cute pictures of him in the box while he was resting in between his crazy moments of jumping in-and-out and then up-and-down. I hope he doesn’t become mild mannered, like other cats, for a very long time as he is very entertaining. So, Merry Christmas to Captain has he enjoys his box from his grandma and grandpa.

Lazy Four Day Weekend

Well, the four day weekend was very nice and it makes me think that I need this kind of rest and relaxation every weekend before going back to work. If not four days, then at least three. We didn’t do much this weekend, but we did manage to see the movie Four Christmases and take the dogs for a couple walks to get some more exercise. It was Izzy’s first walk and she didn’t know exactly what to do. It was super cute. She just followed Madison and did whatever Madison did. She wouldn’t walk ahead of Madison, but only stayed behind and followed her. If she did get ahead of Madison then she stopped and waited. That Izzy does whatever Madison does and follows that dog everywhere. It is so cute to watch. I also managed to get a little Xmas shopping done too, but online of course. Yesterday, I realized that instead of lounging all weekend, we should have painted the retaining wall in our backyard or repainted our living room like we have wanted to do, but nope, instead we were lazy. It was great! I also managed to start the third book in the Twilight series. That series of books is so addicting. I wouldn’t advise starting the books unless you are prepared to become addicted to them. So, it was an enjoyable weekend and the retaining wall and living room, and all the other house projects will have to wait for another weekend.