Sunday Drives

There's something about Sunday evening drives in the summer time. You all hear me, right? We simply could not resist. We saw a lot of bunny rabbits & if you ask our grandma, she'll probably tell you we went "boy scouting", but we didn't. We just took stupid pictures and talked about funny stuff. Then we played air hockey and facebook stalked our friends with odd looking babies. shhh, don't tell.

This Summer is Fly

Posting has been slow because i've been keeping busy. The good kind of busy. Every night has been full of swimming, kinect, irrigation water, riding out in the desert and checking things off our summer bucket list. So I figured pictures would be the ultimate way to describe the last little while. To all my design friends living all over the country, please come visit...i'll take ya frog giggin'!

Mady was totally oblivious we planned a surprise party for her 17th bday. She even passed me and taryn at a stop sign holding her bday cake in our hands...still oblivious. It worked out perfectly.

Some friends were willing to be the catchers for a game of fugitive for her surprise party so we gathered up in the ranger and headed out, it ended up being A LOT of fun.

We crossed off something on our summer bucket list! Thrift shopping in Otown. Seriously though, go to the senior thrift store...i need to do a whole post on the beautiful things we picked up. "Skurts" anyone?

A new baby was born into the family! Rodney Byron Leavitt was born June 11. Excuse my homeless lookin hair-do!

Baby Arnie-Poo graduated from 5th grade!

Taryn, Mady & I watched Jonas Brothers Concert Experience...it got a little out of hand... (to say the least)

This little beauty was just pulled out of a hidden folder on my mom's camera memory disk. I had been looking for it forever! So you get to enjoy it now. Our family held our 1st Nativity last Christmas. Now that all us kids are all grown up...we just rolled with it. Us 3 lucked out with the 3 wise(wo)men. 

Oh, one more thing...what's the one thing you have to do every summer? This bucket list I mentioned earlier is filled with all sorts of good stuff, but good suggestions are always appreciated! A few other things on the list:

-Walk the strip (my friends and I got to talking about it, pretty much none of us have just walked the strip...living so close by we always just go for shows or whatever)

-Ride the roller coaster at Stateline (I want to do this every time i'm traveling to CA!)

-Night fishing

-Actually gig a frog (we went a a few nights ago and saw a huge bullfrog but we weren't prepared haha)

So you get the picture...and i'm totally looking forward to hearing some more ideas!

Somebody is 17

Happy Birthday Manny!

Her real name is Mady but we call her Manny after her small love for Manny Ramirez. She's my younger (and shorter) sister. However, we do wear the same shoe size and that comes in handy (for her) daily. ;) You may remember my earlier attempt to get her a prom date, but now i'm thinking she could use a date for her 17th birthday too. (oh and for the record, my birthday is in a mere 11 days, just FYI.)

A little bit about Manny

-She will be a senior in HS

-She is on the dance team

-She is also a fan of the wonderful & amazing Jonas Brothers

-She has 102 different colors of nail polish (seriously, i just went and counted)

So if you happen to run into her, don't forget to wish her a very Happy Birthday!
Manny, having you as a sister is better than finding $20 in my pocket. (or focket, as you would call it)

My Papa

Happy Father's Day to the coolest, busiest, best man in my life!

Do your parents keep a book of hilarious stuff you did as a kid? Mine do, this is one of my favorites involving my dad, when I was 4 years old:

"One night we were all laying on the bed. Austrie's feet were by Matt (my dad's) face. Just for the heck of it, she kicked him in the face. Matt leaned away-taken back and a bit hurt, but he held his tongue. Then she repeated the kick! While both of her feet were in the air, he spanked her bottom one time. Now that's the only physical punishment she's ever received because we don't hit her to punish her. Aus started crying and lashed back at Matt "I CAN STILL WALK!". We couldn't help from laughing!" 

There you have it, I guess as a red head I may have a bit of a temper but it's only because I was beaten as a child! However, he does protect his girls from the paparazzi so I guess I can forgive him.

Happy Father's Day!

Bedroom Revamp (numero tres)

Folks, let it be known that i'm a definite procrastinator. That's not a good thing, i don't think. But i've had big plans to dedicate an entire wall to pictures. Pictures are a cool thing, don't you agree? I love to look at a picture & have a rush of awesome memories flood my brain. Brains are a cool thing too. My point is, i've procrastinated this picture collage i've planned on doing but i finally got it done! Well, mostly...i just have to pick out my memories & print them out. I'm very hesitant to post the before picture hahaha but check it out:

(the posters have been removed, rolled up & i think i'm doing alright, thanks for asking)

I only bought 4 of the frames on the wall, the other ones were my Grandma Nelda's or I found them in our storage room. (Even better!) The green mirror I found and re-painted also.

I also painted some old doorknobs that are from my Grandma Nelda's house. My mom grabbed them before it was knocked down in the early 90's and they've just been sitting in our garage covered in spider webs. No spider webs anymore! No siree. Decorated with a few of my fav necklaces, i love how they turned out!

I also got this sweeeeet gold birdcage at a local consignment store. Love at first sight.

The Breakdown

Frames: Total of about $17

Green spray paint for mirror & chair: $3.50

Birdcage: $20

Not too shabby, eh?

Evening Jaunts

(Did you say "jaunts" in a British accent? It sounds cooler that way.)

You know how every town has "their place" where the locals go to hang out, have fun or just take a walk to? Well, i'm lucky because that place is pretty much my backyard. I don't take advantage of it as much as i should but when i do it's always a lot of fun. Have you Moapa Valley-ites guessed what i'm talking about?

THE REZ!

A big irrigation reservoir is a short walk from my house. My mom, sister and i took a quick walk around tonight. Is it rumor that they found an alligator there? My dad saw a picture of it---but i don't believe it...

Anyone recognize the truck? :)

Bunkerville Mountain

Where's "your place"?

Bedroom Revamp (numero dos)

Good news! Another major project for my bedroom revamp has been finished! wooohooo! 

PROJECT: SQUARE FRAMES

I wanted to do something to cause more visual interest on the most visible wall in my room. I bought some grey contrasting paint, sketched out what I wanted to get measurements and went to work.

My Process:







Final Product:

So as you can see from above, I drew out my dimensions & how I wanted everything to look. Remember  my inspiration for this? Then drew squares with pencil and made my own stencil out of styrene for the rounded edges. Then I just went to work! Many things still need to be done...like magic erase all the pencil marks of the wall, do a little touch ups and certainly buy a new lamp. However, i'm liking how things are coming along! Are you? Also partially shown is my new duvet cover & decorative pillows. yay!

The Breakdown

Primer coat of paint: free-left over from building house

Paint: "Old World Romance" Eggshell finish. Bought at ACE for about $25

Square paint: "Seal Point" Paint Pod at ACE for about $5

Styrene: Left over from 3D modeling class

Outlined with 70% and 80% grey Prisma Color Markers (white trash? a little bit, did it work? absolutely.)

Duvet cover: Urban Outfitters

Decoratvie pillows: Ross

It's actually coming along! Holla!