new blog?

Working on a new blog to capture our life and what its up to... I'll keep you posted.

so much to do, so little time

i just don't understand why i still put in the effort to be friends with people who don't give that same effort back. im so sick of the drama & immature acquaintances i have. i really need a vacation.

i have so much to do... i need to pack up everything that CAN be packed ( aside from the occasional silverware & dishware ), get rid of the things i don't want to pack -- so that i can stop LOOKING at it... and then i still have to get a photo taken for my passport for December... and the sooner the better 'cus we might go to Vancouver this November for our 1 yr anniversary. I also have what feels like a zillion dollars in bills that I need/want to pay off before the year end.

The realtor told us we can rent our condo for $795/mo ( we pay $994 right now! ) and we just have to put another $500 earnest money down -- which we get back when we buy the condo! I'm hoping Ryan's cred score jumped with the car loan being paid off -- his is the one that is really hurting the most 'cus he has limited credit and not good history with that. I hope Ryan's paycheck is at least $2000 this week so we can just pay ALL bills... even if I have to pay off a CC to put them all back on it... I have good cred w/AmEx so I don't mind paying it off and refilling it... we usually use it only for cell phone, tv, grocery & gas anyways. We managed to buy a week YES A WEEK (an no, not just pasta & frozen foods) worth of groceries @ albertsons for $24.. woot go me! We save $15 in store coupons!!!

I guess that above statement is also true 'cus Ryan is only home for dinner... we never buy cereal or breakfast items 'cus they go to spoil & rot. Every once in awhile we'll buy it, but we'll only eat like half a box or so.

when you run out of canned food...

make your own! sort of. well, that's what i did tonight for my doggy cooper who is hotter than heck in this hot hot heat! i don't personally care for those $1.00 cans of pedigree food --- which looks just like a bunch of fat & raw veggies in my opinion. so today since we were out of it, i made a puree which we loved (and im sure refreshed his hot body)...

6 baby carrots (sliced into little circles)
1/2 small red apple (no seeds!)
1 tsp peanut butter
about 3-4 ounces fresh cold water

blend for about 20-30 seconds, it will be a bit runny (you can strain it if you want just the puree for your pooch). then serve it to your dog. when i made this it was about 3 servings, so i stuck the other 2 servings in the fridge for later on. i don't know about you, but when it's hot out my dog does not like to eat... which worries me!

help us furnish our condo!!

Or just go here and enter either of our names!

do you ever?

do you ever have that feeling that some things were meant to be... for you, not for everyone else? ya see, i do.

at gramma lucille's memorial today i totally felt that way. this is what i feel...

*85* was her milestone... a legacy to all! She celebrated that with such joy in September 2008!

*I* was her last "grandchild" wedding... i always had a bonding with my uncle dave, it was hard when we had to say goodbye to him in 2001 (yes, im aware that im not really lucille's grandchild, but she has always been my 'other' grandma)

*Ruby* was born early so that grandma can report that to "grandpa dave" as to how beautiful she really is... (ruby's grandfather in heaven)

...just things I look at that most others don't pay attention to. She will be missed so much ...her warm smile, her soft voice and her loving hugs. It's so surreal to think she isn't with us in body anymore, but here in spirit... She really is the sweetest lady I've ever met... and when she was younger?? oh boy was she a knock out!!! So glamorous and proper... she aged so well, I hope I can too!!!

Unfortunately she sailed away having let cancer win the battle... do your part & quit smoking, donate to cancer research & love those who have conquered it!! There is no greater gift than love & faith.

We love you Lucille!

my calling...

coming soon...

** the urban chick **

funky & spunky designs for
women - men - children - pets - home
handmade apparel & designs
all one of a kind!

You will always be loved!

Lucille R. Fallen

1923 - 2009

What to think...

...so I watched He's just not that into you.

Totally not what I expected... thank goodness it was just $1.00 (thanks redbox!) I got so confused with the 8 or 10 or whatnot characters and how they all inter-twined with eachother... then the stupid commentary 'jokes' that they tried to make seem realistic... which was lame. I understand it's based off a book... but some books should just be left as is!!

Tonight though, we're going to watch The curious case of benjamin button... I heard it's sad but very, very good...

Furniture Ideas - Living / Dining Spaces

Kitchen Colors: Blue & Yellow

Living Room Colors: Unknown yet (probably neutrals)



Ikea Gustav Laptop Desk $149.00




Folding Blue Dining Chairs (2) $54.99




Ikea Norbo Wall-Mounted Drop-Leaf Table $29.00



...or...
Ikea Bjursta Dining Table $149.00

dress me up

Trying to decide on birthday dresses... what do you think?

Donate & Win Electrolux Appliances!!

Join Kelly Ripa and me at my Electrolux Lemonade Stand to benefit OCRF ...Win Electrolux appliances! Just click the link below to get started! Have a Beautiful Day!!!

It's Officially Pending!!

Movin' on up...

To Tacoma! Yes, to 27th Street Station in the old Hilltop area of Tacoma. Since the 90's when gangs were roaming the area, the city of Tacoma has cleaned up hilltop making it an urban developed 'hood. A lot of the new construction is bold and colorful with funky designs and lots of windows! 27th Street Stationw will be our home for the next 2-3 years ...we will have affordable payments ($700-ish + $120 HOA dues, which covers water/sewer/landscaping/insurance/garbage) and we will begin a sense of pride in our ownership, learning to be more responsible with our money, knowing we can't just miss rent this month and expect all to be okay. Besides, having that affordable of a house payment, we may keep our condo for longer and just rent it out when we decide to get a bigger place. Hell, they currently rent them for $1040 (including HOA fees) on all the units, and if we'll only be paying about $820, thats easily another $220 profit! Especially thinking about the economy in another 2 years... oh and the best part.. our unit is 'one of a kind'.

We have a ground floor unit so we only have a neighbor above us (the 'neighbor' behind us is our storage shed!) and we have no neighbors to either side because its a narrow long building. When you first walk in you see our double door laundry closet with stackable w/d & water heater). To the right is a door to the master bedroom. To the left is the hallway to the great room, with a window on one side of the wall facing the grassy hillside, the huge 3 panel sliding door to an enormous private patio with views of Mt Rainier, I-5 and the Nalley Valley. The kitchen is just off the slider with a big L shape kitchen, with stainless steel fridigdaire appliances, birch cabinets, black quartz counters and hardwood birch floors throughout the condo. The kitchen sink is in the corner of the L shape with a huge, huuuge window facing the patio and the same views from the patio. The bathroom is enormous with a combo shower/tub, a toilet and a small sink area which is easily expandable. There is also room for shelving across the toilet for towels and decor.

The unit has central air that circulates fresh air every 8 hrs, as well as baseboard heaters in each room. These unit formerly were apartments so during the conversion they did all new electrical wiring, panel & meters so its very, very energy efficient. The community is gated with remote & key pad access, assigned parking spaces and the landscaping is just beautiful... they also run on 'smart timers' that adjusts for daylight savings so every year the land is beautiful. The homes are also pre-wired for Click! cable & Comcast... we have comcast now but will probably see how affordable Click! is... but as for internet I'd love to go with Clearwire because my laptop is wireless & if we keep our desktop computer we'll hardly use it... I don't think Comcast offers wireless internet....

Well overall I am stoked. It was originally listed 2 months ago at $129,990 and we got it for $99,000 with only $500 earnest money down. We also get an $8k buyer bonus for using their lender & $8k obama bonus (which we can amend our 2008 taxes & receive this bonus in 6-8 weeks... or wait until next feb) but we'll probably take it out this year so that we can invest it for emergency money and we also will need to buy a new car once we can sell Ryan's Mazda6 so that I can find a p/t job for extra income. Unfortunately I'll have to wait awhile or find temp jobs because I'm going on vacation in Aug & vacation in Dec... I think I'll host a wine tasting (or make Ryan "host" it) when we have an open house at our condo & try to get people to order some wine, which would be extra income for myself. Then, I can also work on other side jobs, so we'll see. I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

An Analogy

I'm realizing I'm sick of trying to water & fertilize plants that died a long time ago.

No, not real plants. It's my analogy on friendships. I feel like I give a lot of effort into trying to be someone's true friend, their confidante and supporter. Unfortunately, people only see me for what they want to see and I've realized that is their own damn problem. I've heard things about these people through my other, real friends and have decided I don't need these cement blocks (or dead plants) weighing me down in life. So to my dead plants... err friendships, I have only this to say:

- Get over your ex, he has moved on & so should you.
- You're in school, still, at 25... get a damn career already!
- It took you 24 years to find a guy who likes you back & then you smother him... pushing him away. You're surprised by this?
- Nobody cares if you are spoiled by daddy and get whatever you want. I feel sorry for the guy who now has to try and one-up your father.
- It's your fault for ignoring me all these years. You really think I want to be friends with someone as ignorant as you? Get over yourself.
- Wow, sleeping with three different guys in a week, in the presence of your two children? That's not called horny, that's called a ho.
- No, I don't believe what everyone else says about you. It's the fact that you bash everyone else for talking trash about you that makes me not want to be your friend.
- Yes, I think it is pretty pathetic that you always bring a girl along to events I invite you too. It's awkward for my husband to have dinner with three women.
- You really think my life is easy? You wouldn't last one day in it. You'd chicken out and run home to mommy & daddy, your security blanket.
- Wow, that's incredible you got to travel to all those places... but, you're still single. And in your mid-20's. With no career. And live with your parents. Again, in your mid-20's.

Never let someone bring you lower than your standards. Besides, it's more fun to look down at them in the grave they dug themselves, waving at them and helping bury their lies. For good.

A Bundle of Summer Books

So whenever I sun bathe I either have to sleep or read a book. There really is no in between (ie: listen to music, watch tv, talk with people, eat). So this summer (even though it's technically spring, per the calendar) I've started off and already finished two great books.

The first is THE WEDDING by Nicholas Sparks. This is the sequel to the Notebook, which is obviously about... a wedding. It starts out where Noah (who is the lead character in the Notebook) is in the Creekside retirement home and his daughter is having marital issues. His son-in-law decides for his 30th anniversary he needs to do something extravagaant for his wife to saving his crumbling marriage. At the same time though, his daughter decides she is going to get married... in two weeks! This book will help anyone in a troubled relationship - with friends, family or spouses. It gives you a new outlook on life to fix troubles and has a few sad moments. I found it best to start this book after watching the move, The Notebook, because it takes place a few years after the movie ends. The book is only about 280 pages, so it's an easy day or two day book. I read a few pages over a week.

The second book, which I finished in just a few hours is by Carol Snow called Here Today, Gone to Maui. This comical book will keep you glued to the pages dying to know what will happen next! A girl & her boyfriend head to Maui for a week of relaxation, sun tanning & snorkeling. When they land in Maui they discover their reservations at the Grand Hyatt fell through and end up staying in a dumpy condo that is more like an off-the-path Motel room. Then, her boyfriend is smothered in meetings leaving her to sightsee alone. When they finally decide to go snorkeling & scuba diving, her boyfriend ends up missing and police scrambling to figure out if it was a suicide or murder. This book will have you thinking you've discovered it all, but it's full of twists and turns even down to the very last page!

The book I'm now reading is called The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards... I'll keep you posted on it! Its about 350-400 pages so this one may take a few days.

Good thing the weather today is going to be in the low to mid 90's before dropping to the 70's next week! My parents will be getting home from the Oregon coast this evening and I'll be headed back to my apartment tomorrow evening, after my husband works a 12-hour dreadful shift. Today I'm about to make some homemade fat-free chocolate ice cream with my Deni electric ice cream maker! Afterwards, I may make a Fruit Sorbet as well!

Woot, Woot... Here comes the Winner Train!

So today I entered two seperate Instant Win websites... one for Mike & Ike's (click the 3rd game), the other for Hot Tamales and I won on both! Granted, I only won free candy (probably a coupon for a free item up to $1.00) but I won! And that makes me a happy camper.

Another good website (enter daily!) is: Allure enter daily at 9am PST (noon EST) all through June! And if you have a dog, you may want to go here: Pedigree

*Also* If you live near an Au Bon Pain, which I don't... hmmmph... you can go in tomorrow anytime after 2:00PM for a Free Iced Coffee (in: French Roast, French Vanilla or French Roast Decaf)

Swaggers Like Us

Wanna score some *free* swag (that means goodies, people!) check out this link. I saw her on Tyra Banks Show on Friday May 29th and decided to check out her website! Be sure to check out the red robin deal under her picks... goes until September!

Sweeties Sweepstakes

When the weather gets warm, drink up!

Regardless of the day, regardless of the hour. When it's over 75 degrees and I'm basking in the heat, I enjoy a nice refreshing drink! Of course, when I'm soaking up the rays I am usually in a bikini and don't want to widen my waist! So I found this refreshing Strawberry Margarita *SWAP* that is not only healthier than a traditional margarita (which packs in over 350 calories per serving, on average) but is also less sugary - no more having sticky lips! Check out the recipe and find more great ones at: Hungry-Girl ...and while you're there, be sure to check out my favorite strawberry dessert, a great evening accompaniment on a hot day: here

Humans, start your blenders...

Ingredients:3/4 cup Sprite Zero (or any diet lemon-lime soda)

One shot (1.5 oz.) tequila

One serving (half a packet or 1/8th of a tub) sugar-free strawberry powdered drink mix (any variety, like Crystal Light Strawberry-Kiwi or Energy Wild Strawberry)

4 frozen unsweetened strawberries

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 cup crushed ice or 5 - 8 ice cubes

Optional Garnish: lime wedge

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until uniform and slushy.Pour into a nice glass and, if you like, garnish with a wedge of lime.

Drink up!

MAKES 1 SERVING
** Serving Size: 1 margarita (entire recipe)

Calories: 125

Fat: 0g

Sodium: 24mg

Carbs: 7g

Fiber: 1g

Sugars: 2g

Protein: 0g

POINTS® value 2*

HG Alternative! If you're under 21 (or just dance funny when you're tipsy), try this virgin version -- simply swap the tequila for an extra 1/4 cup of the soda. That liquor-less slushfest clocks in with only around 28 calories and a POINTS® value of 0*.