My life in the last week...

So, it's been busy. What's new! My parents came to visit, which is why I was "out to lunch". It was great having them here and also going down to Maricopa to visit my brother and his family. Not like it's THAT far- but it just seems like that long vacation in the car and you're on the home stretch and it just seems to drag on...that is like the drive to Maricopa. I'm sure it will be better once they get the freeway all patched up nice.

This is why I (especially) love Maricopa- my neice Indianna! Mom & Dad stayed at our house for the first part of their stay and then stayed with my bro the second half. It was only the second time my parents had gotten to spend seeing their grandbaby so they were just exstatic!

I took off a few days of work- which was much needed- and got to work on designing a garden for my side yard. The space is really tricky since our entire yard is only 35' X 9'. So we did lots of measuring, LOTS of looking in my Arizona garden guide, and lots of color cooridinating and figuring out the full sun/part sun plant issue. I never realized how much planning would be involved with the garden...I am still extremely sore. My dad and I nailed these huge steel rods into the ground and through these huge beams- and wow- my back aches. I am such a weakling. It was surpising how much dirt we needed = 25 bags!!

So after all of the back breaking hammering we got to fill in the dirt...by the time it was dark. Doesn't my dad look so cute in his sweatband! :)

I had such a great time getting the flowers and seeds. Here is the finished product!!

I planted carrots, lettuce, turnips, broccoli, spinach and will add peas in the next few weeks. I am so excited to grow SOMETHING!!

Time flies...

So, it's been over 10 days and I haven't posted...I can't even fit in 5 minutes to say anything I want to say...I'll do that later...but I just wanted to post about 3 things that annoy me that I actually thought were really funny...probably more funny to me than to you...

1. Trying to break off toilet paper or paper towels at a specified spot, but ripping off too little, trying again and having it happen at least two more times. Annoying. Yet funny.

2. Dropping something (while holding a full armload of anything) and bending over to pick it up then dropping it again, and again. Do you see a theme here??

3. Driving on a freeway and all 6 lanes are filled with cars driving the exact same speed so you can't pass anyone. Wow, morons. And there aren't even cops around. Double lame.

I'm sure you all could add to this list.

M"i" fave new toy...

So the stars aligned and somehow on a miraculous night last week I was fortunate to get one of these....





The clincher??? The fact that the iPhone is exclusive to AT&T and I'm on T-Mobile. Now what!!! Blake found this geek to unlock it for us...and that is a tech!!! It is seriously so fantastic I can't even tell you how phased I am...Let's just list the reasons why the iPhone is the hardest...

• iPod


• touch screen (to zoom in and out on photos, webpages, email, etc.)


• widgets


• games (including TTR-Tap Tap Revolution)- like DDR but with your fingers and you can sync it to a song you have on the iPod- LLLLLATER)


• world clock


• weather


• internet


• YouTube direct link


• IM


• Text


• Videos


• Photos


• Maps


• Notepad


• Calculator


• Calendar


• Address Book & Phone contact "Favorites"


• email


• AND it's a phone!!!

Need I say more??? If this hasn't prompted you to go buy one, maybe this will do the trick... I rest my case!!

Kings of Leon...

So I have been extremely busy this week and haven't had a chance to blog about the concert we went to on Monday night (the last Monday I'll have off for a long while since school is starting up) so Blake, Spencer and I met up with Blake's sister Chelsea and a new "friend" of hers- Chuck to see Kings of Leon. We got there just before they played and it was totally worth being out until 12:30 am on a weeknight even when I have to be to work by 6am and am doing testing all week. Yeah, it was that good.

I've been spinning their new album "Because of the Times" and am just so phased. The singer has such a unique "smoker since 12" and "prepubescent screech" that I just find so adorable. It does kind of make me giggle when I read about how the 4 guys (3 brothers and a cousin) are all way into fashion and will only wear skinny jeans but can't find any "skinny" enough so they have their mom tailor them for them. How funny is that? What I thought was more weird was seeing them in concert post-beard/hippie look to find that the lead singer kinda looked like Kelly Reed to me. It was dark ok. And I was pretty far away from the stage. I just got my eyes checked too- that is pretty scary. I know check the pick below. Maybe he just looked like he had red hair under those lights.

Regardless Blake and Spencer both thought he looked like Ashton Kutcher- which I think I'm much closer thinking he looks like Kelly Reed (in skinny jeans). Whatever... here were my favorite songs played at the show... Ragoo, Charmer, Knocked Up, and Arizona (until the slutty drunk girl in front of me started making out with her boyfriend). Funny what image can ruin a perfectly sexy song. Over all I was so glad to finally get to see them!! I just loved how crunchy the bass sounds live. It was amazing. Enough said- see them or get the album- you will be phased.

PS- tomorrow night is the A&A CD release show. Be there or be square. 7pm Womens Club of Mesa. $10. LLLLLLAter

A&A CD Released today!!

Here was the flyer that went out for Awake & Alert's (my husband Blake's band) CD release today. I am so proud of what a great musician he is! The new album "Devil In A Lambskin Suit" is delightful, if I do say so myself. They played a show at Zia Records in Tempe tonight in celebration of the album. It was very well attended! Thanks to all!

Awkward moments over the weekend...

There were so many awkward moments over the weekend... here are just a few.

Can I just say that Kayleen and I watched the first 5 minutes of the VMA's on MTV yesterday and both of us were covering our eyes for 2 embarrassing reasons...

1st- WHY does Brittany think she needs to make a comeback when she looks like crap with the WORST extensions (post buzz) and then lip syncing the whole song- PLUS on top of that not even seeming the least bit interested in "looking" like she's singing at all. WOW. How boring was she.

2nd-How about Sarah Silverman...she is awkward to the MAX!! The crustiest chick and yet, kinda funny. But you could just tell the audience was feeling SO awkward!

Then on Saturday we had a bbq and played Catan with the girls and while we played we had to keep the kids busy by watching Yo Gabba Gabba and sitting nicely next to each other...then of course Owen puts on the moves...

and of course Kayleen hints to kiss open mouthed... that is "time to talk to the Bishop" worthy. Especially at his ripe old age of 2 yrs old. Hmmm.

On top of that...Owen was trying to wear my Crocs...first off- Owen these aren't the "unisex" ones, they are the mary janes- clearly a feminine shoe. Second- until you start recycling your own stuff you cannot consider yourself "green". They are clearly "recycled" shoes. Nevermind. I am awkward. ;)

Awake and Alert...

My husband Blake plays guitar for a local band in AZ (I'm sure most-if not all- of you knew that), called Awake & Alert, and they are getting ready to release their full-length album, "Devil in a Lambskin Suit" next Tuesday the 11th. In case you're interested you can purchase the album on Itunes or online from Stinkweeds Records. You can also hear Awake and Alert anytime for free on http://www.awakeandalert.net/. Unfortunately the label is giving the band very few cds to distribute to family/friends. If you'd like one, you could always email either Blake or I and we could send you one!

I know Blake doesn't like to toot his own horn, so I'll help him out! I am so proud of what a talented musician he is and the amazing music he creates! The band does plan on touring for a few weekends in the next few months through Vegas and I'm sure Utah too.

Their album is already for purchase on Itunes but will be distributed in Best Buys in Arizona on the 11th. If you can make it- they are having a CD release show on Friday September 14th at the Women's Club of Mesa. map There will be a bunch of great local bands- The Walrus, The Stiletto Formal, Dear and the Headlights, and from Utah-Return To Sender. Please come and support! It starts at 7pm and is $10. Thanks - we appreciate you.

One year ago...

Blake and I moved into our house in Mesa. It has been a fantastic journey thus far and we have been so blessed to be where we are. We love our ward (church by location) and how close we are to our favorite places...

the reasons I love Mesa- even if we are considered to be on the EAST side...(I've always been a WEST side girl)

Waldos BBQ- best pulled pork on the planet.

Red Robin...best Banzai burger (teriyaki) and steak fries in the biz!!

Costco...I'm all about bulk...a stones throw away...

Walmart....rolling back the prices... also a stones throw away...

BJ's- finest pizza this side of Chicago.

Movies- choice of Harkins theatres(for their lovely reclining stadium seats) or AMC theatres (for their fantabulous leg room) which my long legs adore!!

Craft and fabric stores...

thrift stores...always a good find if you can stay long enough to smell like polyester when you get home.

Last, but definitely not least... my ALWAYS cravings....

Panda Express- Those Asians sure can make a MEAN Orange Chicken!!! mmmm and Taco Bell- I'll pretty much eat anything as long as nacho cheese isn't involved.

Sad that this revolves around food...yet SO good. It's all about location baby!

The Elements...Metal...Day Five

The final day of Elements week...this is actually really hard for me to finish. I've had so much fun with these pics...I think I need to do themes every now and again...it gets me to dig into my photo archive and I don't do that nearly enough. So...today I represent to you....metal. ENJOY.

One of the greatest inventions...oil...hence, oil rigging ships... Long Beach, CA

Cruise ships...truly a wonder...how can a floating city really float?? It makes one feel so small.

I know...you thought my metal theme was going to be all about ships...well, I got to thinking what is really important in life...and getting made fun of in public is one of those things...which is why DDR was invented...For those 'not with it'...it is Dance Dance Revolution. Bring a sweat cloth. It's THAT fun. Even if you're a crappy dancer.

And this thing is metal...whatever it is. It looks awesome...and the guy in front looks like a lightning bolt is going into his head...I hope he's ok. ;)

Jail bars are pretty sweet too!

Hope you've enjoyed the metal...I know I have. Anyone have an idea for another theme?

The Elements...Fire...Day Four

I can't help but to giggle when I hear "fire...fire"....isn't that some Beavis & Butthead line or something?? Why do I giggle? I am such a little kid. So, I just love fire, what can I say. Blake says that I say "fire" weird...like Mid-Western or something...well duh, I'm from the midwest!

This pic is a mix of fire/ice trying to warm ourselves under a heater during a snowstorm while at Sundance Film Festival- Park City, Utah.

Fireworks = oooh...awwww = love

This pic I didn't take (obviously) but fire rocks...so it couldn't be better represented.

The Elements...Air...Day Three

The Elements...Day 3. Sarah- I never gave you props for finding this game...so THANK YOU!! Look at my post from yesterday to explain the "elements". Here are some lovely airy-esque pics...These are hard to capture.

Windmills near Palm Springs, California

A windy deck on our Mexican Riviera cruise!

A beautiful Arizona sunset/moonrise- see the plane way up in the cloud?

More to come...Thursday=fire and Friday=metal.

The Elements...Earth...Day Two

So...I'm making up for lost time since I didn't start this until today...Please see previous post to explain what this is all about. Here are my elements of Earth- so many to choose from.

Wasatch Front-Utah

Bouganvilla flower- Arizona beauty

A squirrel enjoying a thorny nest on the ground- Tucson Arizona

Capitol Reef National Park- Utah

The Elements...Water...Day One

I love snooping on other people's blogs...in a totally NOT creepy way. I love pics and I had to do this cool thing inspired by The Glass Doorknob to add pics each day this week showing all five elements- Monday-Water, Tuesday- Earth, Wednesday- Air, Thursday- Fire, and Friday-Metal. I thought it would be fun to go through some pics I've taken.

Lake Michigan

Saguaro National Park- Tucson Arizona- the monsoons coming

Provo Canyon- Utah

To organize...that is the question.

So Saturday Blake and I decided to take the plunge and hike around Ikea. Isn't it nice to go shopping and be so tired by the time you get home that you can't even enjoy the progress you've made?? Well...we have this one room...you know, the room everyone has. The catch-all dumping grounds. I wish I would've done a before/after pic because it really would've been amazing to see. The sad part is that I thought that by buying a huge bookshelf that I was going to be able to eliminate the crap in the closet that was stacked up to the ceiling...but no- I just basically shuffled everything around but put it in a more legit grabbing space. Oh well...at least it looks sweet. And yes...my sign does say "Mandy's Art Studio". It doesn't necessarily mean I'm an artist.



I even took out the closet doors and added some lovely curtains. They don't call me Handy Mandy for nothin...whoever 'they' are.

Dew be. Dew be. Dew.

So in high school my cousin Michelle used to sing the tune of "Strangers in the Night"...but would say "doo be, doo be doo"...and that always got stuck in my head...I still do that myself, to this day. But I thought it was funny- the other day I was drinking my favorite beverage...Mt. Dew...and this is what I saw on the can...

look at the bottom!! Funny huh? One more reason to love this drink! I know, I am easily entertained.

Drive drive drivin along...

So, I hate to be a whiner, but today I just have to vent.

What is worse than a 90 year old driver? I'll tell you what....a 90 year old on a cell phone. Honestly. I was driving home from work today and got cut off multiple times and almost ran into by this geriatric. I love the grammies and gramps' but I almost honked...and I heard once you should never honk at old people because you don't want them to get scared and have a heart attack- but seriously...I'm the one who's having a heart attack here!! I seriously think people over 65 yrs old should have to retake the driving test every year....for the sake of those that could be affected. It should be in the best interest of anyone with a brain.
Then there are the drivers that drive so close to your bumper they could be sitting in your front seat...how annoying. and lame.

THEN there are the F-dudes...you know them...The rednecks in Ford trucks. The ones who love to hear their diesel and exhaust pipe who have to weave in and out of cars to then sit in the left lane on the freeway going 63 miles per hour- I HATE being stuck behind people in the left lane...especially huge freakin trucks you can't see around...especially when they go under the speed limit. LAME!

And then there are the people that all go the same speed that span across all 6 lanes on the freeway...let's get real... how annoying can you be!

I don't know how all these things could happen on my drive today...I guess it was my lucky day! I think the only thing that kept me from screaming was listening to Deee Lite's "Groove Is In The Heart"...that song makes me happy!

I GOT TAGGED!

Getting tagged

Here are the rules:
1. we have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. people who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules.
4. at the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and that they should read your blog.

1. I am the slowest person to get out of the vehicle if riding with others. It has nothing to do with being curtious or holding doors or anything- it would be nice if it was about that. I just can't prepare to gather my things in the car before arriving at my destination.

2. I am jealous of my friends that have cute hobbies and are crafty because I want to join in...I just don't have the time between working and going to school full time. wah wah wah.

3. I LOVE playing board games...Blake would say "BORED" games. He is not at all competetive so he isn't phased...but I LOVE them. Anytime I can play I have a great time. My faves are: Settlers of Catan, Catch Phrase, Phase 10, Uno, the dice game, Pass the Pigs, Careers, Pirate & Traveler, Sequence, and Cranium.

4. I plan too much in too little time. I want to do it all- what can I say? I am trying to be more realistic...Blake is such a good fit for me. He always brings me out of the clouds and into reality.

5. I am really (unconsciously) obsessed with spelling. I get frustrated when I see typos and things on published work- flyers, books, magazines, etc. I don't necessarily like that I do it- it just happens...you know like when Harry Potter didn't know he was a wizard and was able to do magical things when he didn't mean to do them?? Kinda like that.

6. I struggle with my own sense of style and fashion...I sit on the fence about so many clothing options...I really don't even know where to go with this one. If you know me and see what I wear, I'm sure this one makes sense.

7. I love watching movies...I wish I had more time to watch them. I get HACKED when people are too critical. Honestly- is the point of a movie to entertain or be THE most amazing thing you've ever seen? I like to find good things about even the crappiest movies.

8. I will be the HAPPIEST person alive when Blake and I get to start a family. It has been really hard (and of course wonderful too) seeing my friends and family start families. I know that we all have our struggles and that there is a time and place for everything. I know that I am being tested with patience- which I know I am in need of. I just can't wait for that day to come!

Some peeps I tagged: Cori, Katy, Tachi, Heidi, Scott, Jill, Tracy, Stephanie, Alicia

Our little jaunt to Denver...

So last Friday Blake, Chelsea (Blake's sister) and I flew out to Denver for a whirlwind weekend. I grew up in Fort Collins, CO (just an hour North of Denver) so I am ALWAYS phased to beat the heat and head back to my homeland. We headed to Fort Collins from the airport and my parents took us over to Colorado State University to the "experimental" plant garden...it was so romantic that Blake and I did the gazebo "I am 16 going on 17" dance. Later that night, Chelsea wanted to see Ryan Adams & The Cardinals playing at my FAVORITE venue ever...Red Rocks Amphitheater so she took Blake and I to the show. The weather was really crappy so we decided to look hard in our ponchos....if that's even possible... I know- you're telling yourself..."wow, where could I get a snazzy getup like that?" Well- thank goodness for mama Carpenter and her preparedness or we would've been miserable the whole night! Don't I look like an amoeba?? HA! The rain finally cleared out so we got to enjoy the cool weather! Then, Saturday rolls around and we decided we didn't get enough of the water from the rain the previous night so we went to Water World- only the awesomest water park in the world...I actually got Blake in a swimming suit-MIRACLE! We had a great day and we didn't even get majorly burned! Then Saturday night we went to my cousins rehearsal wedding dinner- which really wasn't a rehearsal- just a get together to eat and meet each other's families. It was a lot of fun to see my cousin- who I haven't seen in about 8 years! So crazy!

Then Sunday we got phased off of church and Jim's Wings...only the best wings on the planet!

After lunch we headed up to Lyons, CO for my cousin Ryan's wedding. It was just gorgeous...

Ryan and Linh Carpenter All the girls dancing!! Nate and Chelsea

This was overall a pretty exhausting weekend that will take a few weeks to recouperate from...but those are the best. We had a great time with all of the family!

My overall feelings about the trip....

Harry Potter and series...

What a FANTASTIC book!! I won't spoil this in case you haven't read the book or plan to read the book. If you don't plan to- well you need to get your head examined because these books are phenominal! They are NOT "kids books" nor are they a "childish read". All of the series (books 1-7) have all been very entertaining and even sort of like a murder mystery (sometimes without murder, but mostly with). You will be on the edge of your seat and will even gasp outloud! Yeah, I know...it sounds totally nerdy...but really you will be phased! Do yourself, and me a favor. Take the time to read the books- in case you want to be cheap- go to the library first and borrow it . I'd even be willing to loan mine out!! Then, once you actually see clearly- you will most likely be able to buy all 7 books in bulk from Costco or Sam's Club. You just can't put these books down. This pic is me when I started reading....Blake thought I looked "all concerned"...you'll understand why if you read it! JK Rowling is a FREAKING genius!



In case Harry Potter isn't your cup of tea... if you like teenage love stories (and I'm not talking Sweet Valley High for those of you who grew up in the 80s)- there is a great series of books from an LDS author- Stephenie Meyer- who is from Arizona. The books aren't pervy or have naughty language- which is quite refreshing since books aren't "Rated". There is nothing worse than picking up a book that was "recommended" by Amazon or book club or someone else and reading "F-this" and "F-that" every other word. I mean, come on. Seriously... what a waste of time and money. Anyways...back to this recommendation...The first book is called "Twilight", the second "New Moon" and the third of the series will be coming out August 7, '07 and is called "Eclipse". So, the disclaimer is that the basis of the story is about vampires...yes, I know. Sounds lame doesn't it??? Well, it's not- it's rad. Don't pre-judge...just read it! These books are extremely FAST reads! You could finish them in a day or two! I only have 1 friend (you know who you are!! :) that didn't like the book- couldn't get over the fact of him being a vampire... well, isn't that the point? It's not supposed to be believable...we all know vampires can't go to the celestial kingdom!! Duh! ;) Ok- that comment just ruined this whole blog. Nevermind... I am lame.