Grams and Gramps
After every summer trip as we were packing up and getting ready for the long drive home grandma would say, “If you could have ANYTHING in the whole house to take home with you what would you want?” I honestly remember saying “You grandma…” (pretty stinkin’ sweet, eh)!? She would then reply, "if you could have anything else what would it be?" Then we would run around the house and look for our gift. I don’t remember what Chad and Marnie got but I always got a cabbage patch doll. And I LOVED them. Their name would be written on the back of their neck and I think it would say how old it was as well. I once got a little preemie boy, and his name was Aurty Aurther and he was bald.

Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Pikchu, "Old Peak"; pronounced ['mɑ.tʃu 'pik.tʃu]) is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (8,000 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco and through which the Urubamba River flows. The river is a partially navigable headwater of the Amazon River. Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", Machu Picchu is one of the most familiar symbols of the Inca Empire.

Machu Picchu was constructed around 1460, at the height of the Inca Empire. It was abandoned less than 100 years later. It is likely that most of its inhabitants were wiped out by smallpox before the Spanish conquistadores arrived in the area, and there is no record of their having known of the remote city.

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About 2 years ago when I was turning 28 and honestly struggling with the thought of turning 30 in two years, I had this BRILLIANT idea. I decided that from here on out every DECADE Birthday I would go all out and party like a rock star, my style. Which means TRAVEL. SO, May {22} I will be 30 and hiking my way to the top of Machu Picchu!
SAF!!!! (This means Start a Fire, which if you know me when I get really excited I rub my hands together and one day thought it seemed like I was trying to start a fire, old school style and tada — S.A.F.)

40 = Me in GREECE



P.S. You can copy my idea if you want, I think everyone should... It makes growing older SUPER EXCITING! I've been looking forward to turning 30 all year!

LOVES
full moon extravaganza's • the weekend • laying out at the pool • reading a good book and loving it so much that you stand in line at the grocery store with your book in hand totally content if the lady in front of you brought in a $84. worth of coupons (true story) • the song Remember When • pesto pizza and basically everything on the menu at Pita Jungle • rhino's • the smell of fresh laundry after it rains • my silos with the white lights • orchids • sleep • dark chocolate Godiva cheesecake • shower curtains • the fourth of July • going on bike rides on my beach cruiser • talking to my gramps on the telly • the movie Bandits • avocados with balsamic vinegar • my FAMILY, FRIENDS and LOVED ones • the drive inn • french fries from Red Robins • white Christmas lights • the zipper • ice hockey • the ocean • world famous fish tacos from Rubios • the fact that I am turning 30 this year • snowflakes (and my new found talent of making them) • meatloaf • eating 2 bowls of ice cream nightly (ice ice baby) • dawn and dusk • going on morning walks and watching the sun slowly kiss the night away • the word plethora and gregarious • going to the driving range on my lunch break • lightning storms • green smoothies • celebrating holidays • decorating eggs with my gramps and Wes at Easter and then hiding them, while gramps is cheating with his binoculars watching Wes hide them out in his back yard • the song Beautiful Mess • picnics in the summer • finding new restaurants to try • going to the Diamond Backs games at Chase stadium with the retractable roof • hot chocolate • hiking in February in Arizona • making a wish on 11:11 • camping • cooking dinner • jcrew swimsuits • having adventure days • hanging out at the library • sail boats (I think they are the most beautiful man made thing ever created) • freestyle motocross • ac/dc's thunderstruck • watching for shooting stars • chocolate covered strawberries • the color of golden wheat in a field • my polka dot galoshes • traveling • making new friends • motorcycle rides • asparagus • the gospel • the book Peace like a River (which I am currently reading and love it so much that I am savouring it and trying to only read 1 chapter a night to make it last longer) • seeing saguaro's covering the mountains – it's like gigantic green people standing with their arms up in the air excited about something • red balloons • the lights at temple square • memories that make me smile • tomatoes (sike) • popsicles • my calling in the church • malaki • drinking fancy pants root beer • green olives • making lists • going hot tubbing • the sun • love day

No thank you facebook. You would think I might have thought about creating a blog earlier, with being a designer and all, and since I am on the computer like 12 hours a day, but honestly sometimes I feel super computer un-savvy (minus my Creative Suite skills and my numchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills...) anyways I finally decided to succumb and hop on the bandwagon! We'll see how this goes...