Papago Park & Hole In The Rock

After a hard night of work last night, my wonderful fiancé not only let me sleep in, but informed me when I woke up, that I could go on a baby free adventure, with my puppy.

The weather was perfect, puppy was excited, so we took off to Papago park, right on the border of Scottsdale and Phoenix.

It’s been one of my favorite spots for a quick little mini-hike and I haven’t been there since the weather warmed up… It was nice to trip around and take a few photos, take my time and not wrangle a toddler away from cactus that actually comes to YOU. Yes, I know, the stuff of nightmares.

Anyway, enjoy some of the sights I caught while out there!

These are called “Fairy Dusters”. I’m obsessed with them. They’re everywhere and not the most elusive of the desert flora, but I love them none the less.

I didn’t even try for this, I just took the same picture twice and the focus was opposite each time. I don’t have the most amazing camera, so this one made me happy.

The trails are beautiful, well maintained and super easy to navigate. Total beginners hike, but not much shade at all. Welcome to Arizona.

After finishing the loop, I walked down the trail to the base of Hole In The Rock.

The hike takes you around the back to get up to the top.

From the top you can see the South Mountain, Phoenix and everything in between. I’m really sorry about the horrible photo quality, this one was from my phone. Oops.

It’s a truly beautiful hike, takes only about 20 minutes and is really easy, it’s all ages appropriate for sure.

The park also features the Phoenix Zoo, the Phoenix Botanical Garden, the Oakland A’s spring training facility, the Hall of Flame which is a firefighting museum, and Papago Golf Course. See their website for more information.

Happy trails!

Cinco De Mayo ‘Ritas

Coming from a long history of college partying on Cinco De Mayo, my Frat Daddy fiancé and I couldn’t really give up one of the best “party” holidays just because we were parents, however, we don’t exactly “party” these days… We wanted something kid friendly, by the pool with a few of our close friends and their little ones. Well we got it! Thanks to the not too hot Scottsdale weather, we threw a nice little fiesta at our beautiful pool!

I wanted to make some margaritas, but I didn’t feel like there was enough effort going into this cocktail sesh, so I figured I’d try to make my own simple syrup. It went SO well, I wish I’d taken more pictures of the process, but I was in SUCH a hurry I had no time to photograph a process that was going much slower than I needed it to anyway. BUT, it’s worth blogging about, because this can be made with most any fruit, I feel like, and could be used in a bunch of different ways!

Plus, it’s too easy!

As you can see, I wasn’t working with the fanciest tequila, that’s why the mixers must be tasty enough to conceal that, um, taste.

For the simple syrup all you do is combine sugar and water in equal parts, on the pot over high heat, boil until the sugar is dissolved. (I whisked away for a little while longer, hoping for a syrupy consistency, which worked, a little) Then, in my food processor, I combined about a cup and half of strawberries and obliterated them, seeds and all, because those little bastards don’t really bother me. If they aren’t your cup of seedy tea, then run your final mixture through a fine strainer to remove the seeds. But you’ll still end up with some in your ‘rita, cuz you’re putting fresh strawberries in there, so you’re really fighting a loosing battle…

Anyway, let the sugar water mixture cool completely before combining it with the strawberries either in the food processor or the blender. You should use just the blender, but I like to make a mess, so I used a food processor and a blender. Mix that shit up, real good, pour in a jar and set aside.

NOW, we’re ready to assemble some dranks.

I didn’t have any Grand Marnier this time, but I really prefer it in my margarita so my recipe calls for it.

This is for one margarita, just double, triple, whatever you need!

2oz Grand Marnier
2oz Tequila
2oz Lime juice (I use the premade stuff, juicing that many limes isn’t for the faint of heart.)
2.5oz Simple syrup
(Depending on your tolerance for the hard stuff, you can add a little Sprite to the mixture which makes your batch of ‘ritas go further and not pack such a punch. Messing with the recipe messes with the taste, keep that in mind. If this isn’t hard enough, or you just had a rough day, don’t be shy about adding some moscato. Don’t drink too many, because you will have a noticeably worse hangover than you can remember having for a long time. Obvi, wine, fire water and the Marnier aren’t friends, but they taste splendidly together.)

For the garnish and rim, keep some sliced limes and strawberries on the side as well as a little receptacle for a sugar/salt mixture for the rim.

You can either rim the glass with a lime wedge and dip into the salt/sugar, but I find that’s not sticky enough and I often fill the other half of my “’rita salter thingy” with lime juice.

Either combine everything in a blender with ice, or in a shaker with ice and serve!

Enjoy and happy margarita making!

New Facebook Page!

We blog browsers know, that Blogging isn’t a very interactive thing, unless you’re “linky partying” or whatever the ladies with FAR more time to do this, do. I do not understand this “linky” and don’t really LIKE the idea of such a flat feeling blog. I wish I could combine the aspects of Facebook into Blogging, but then you get something like Google+ and I’m not much of a fan of that either.

So, I took to Facebook to set up the Good Life a little page it can call it’s own. I wanted to promote my blog, but didn’t want to shamelessly promote it to my friends, via FB, because I have quite a few friends that don’t have children, don’t cook and simply don’t read. Juuuust kidding, no illiterate homies in my contacts.

Um, anyway, getting to the point, we’re now on Facebook. Yay!! That means things like comments, messages and updates! No more lost emails trying to clarify recipes, no more feedback going unpublished in the form of emails I can’t just copy and paste for my own selfish satisfaction… Self promotion is a shameless game, but I have boundaries, people.

I would like to invite all of my regular readers, pinners, followers and friends to head over to www.facebook.com/GiveInToTheGoodLife and “like” the page! I’ll be sharing links to posts and a much, much more!

Enjoy and as always, thank you for your support of The Good Life and me, ChiChi.

Isabella’s Kitchen at Grayhawk Golf Club

Today we had a family birthday celebration and had the opportunity to go to lunch at a new spot called Isabella's Kitchen. I am completely impressed!

It’s spacious, interestingly decorated, swanky, delicious and wait for it… Kid friendly! Hey, oh!

This is the view from where we sat, nestled next to the sprawling arms of a 150 year old Saguaro cactus. You’re looking out on the Grawhawk Golf Course, here in Scottsdale, off Thompson Peak, from a beautiful, 8 person wooden table in a secluded corner of Isabella’s Kitchen. A new Italian addition to North Scottsdale, Isabella’s opened in October of 2012 and offers upscale service, food and surroundings for South Scottsdale prices.

Those colorful bits in the grass are pieces of hula-hoops brought by thoughtful parents who know Isabella’s is the place to let the kids play while you relax, soak up some sunshine (or not, as there is plenty of indoor and shaded seating available) and take in the view.

The menu was simple and easy to understand, beer is served in frosty mason jars and for being at an upscale golf club, the vibe is noticeably laid back. Wide open floor plan and picnic table seating in some parts, couches in others, and even rocking chairs give you a relaxed “down home” feeling, while the details really are the icing on the cake. Check out the photo above, the sweet little bottles they bring extra water to your table in. It’s adorable!

I indulged in a generic brew because my little angel was fast asleep and after being at Build-a-Bear for a birthday earlier in the day, in which he was a bit of a stinker, Mommy needed a little Rn’R. I’m usually a wine girl, but daytime is too early for a glass of wine, for me and the glasses start at $7, which for a lunchtime buzz, is a little much. Beers start at $3 for a Pabst on tap and don’t go past $6 for a craft on tap. They don’t have a happy hour menu as of yet, but one could only hope that would be in the works soon!

Oh, did I mention the food? Yep, you guessed it, delicious, distinctive and budget friendly!

We got the 12” pepperoni pizza and I added ricotta, it was only $12 and split between two people, was just enough. I could have used an appetizer, but I was absolutely starving and we were in a bit of a rush, which is why I don’t have more pictures. The crust was crunchy, thin and had a great taste... Everything was fresh, flavorful and unique, which is often a difficult task to accomplish when making pizza.

If you’re in the area, go check this place out for lunch, dinner, anything. Or, if you’re playing a few holes at Grayhawk, I saw a little cart zoom off, so I know they feed the golfers near and far!

Enjoy!

Isabella’s Kitchen is located at 8623 East Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. 480-502-3100
Check out their Facebook for more information, as well.

Green Chile Carnitas Tacos

So, if you live in Arizona, you  may have been to a Food City. If you have, you know what incredible deals they boast on produce, meat and pretty much anything else. I go for the produce and meat, but it helps that they have the essentials, if I don’t want to stop at more than one store. At first approach, you feel like you should just go somewhere else to shop, but I assure you, press on. They’re part of the Basha’s and AJ’s Fine Foods family, so you’re getting the best food for your dollar. Also, Food City is more than willing to tell you where and who their meat and produce comes from, so you’re never left wondering exactly how many different chickens went into one flat of breasts.

Anyway, I didn’t take a picture, BUT, I got 8lbs of picnic roast for only $7.65. I used a little over a pound to make these tacos, making about 8 tacos out of it. You can see how this kind of purchase goes a LONG way. Since the beans and rice were home made, they cost literally pennies. Ah, the satisfaction I get from feeding my family something delicious and health conscious that costs less than a dollar a plate! #winning

I’ve said it before, but it begs repeating, I cook my beans and rice in advance and freeze them in portions. I cook up POUNDS of pinto beans, because my darling son loves to eat “Bees wice” (refried beans and spanish rice, mixed) almost every day. I either remove half the beans from the crock pot, before they’re cooked to super soft refry ready status, and freeze them after they’ve cooled, or I cook them in separate batches. Those I use for chili while the others I refry for the boy and freeze.

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the tacos:

Picnic roast, or another large, well marbled cut of pork
3 Anaheim green chiles, sliced into strips
Bell peppers, about 2, I like red and green, you can use whatever color you like, sliced into strips
1 white onion, sliced
Oregano, cumin, chili powder, thyme
Corn tortillas

Rice and beans:

I’ve posted before how I make these… You can find the instructions for the beans here and the instructions for the rice here.

INSTRUCTIONS:

I roasted the pork in the oven, at 350, covered, for about an hour, before I hacked off a chunk to shred, leaving the rest of the roast to finish while I finished cooking. Obviously it’ll take a different amount of time, depending on the size of your roast.

I shred and/or dice the rest of the roast, using the shredded meat for tacos and chili and the diced meat for chile verde/colorado. This one roast makes about 4 dinners, each with it’s respective leftovers for the following day and sometimes the day after that. We’re a BIG leftover family, Daddy takes them with him to work, because the man needs to eat ALL day long. I rarely find time to eat during the day, but it provides a great little buffet of food for a picky toddler!

Meanwhile if you are making your beans and/or rice from scratch, get those cooking!

 

Next, sauté those veggies while you’re shredding the pork.

Add the shredded meat to the veggies and cook a little longer until the veggies are soft to taste.

To heat your tortillas, use a flat iron or a large skillet on the stove. You can even throw them into the oven, if it’s still warm, for a few minutes to get a little crisp. Avoid the microwave when heating tortillas, please, you’re not helping the taste or texture and flour tortillas become rubbery when microwaved. No bueno.

 

 

 

Now, just assemble and enjoy!

Keep an eye out for a adobada taco post where I use the rest of this roast and slow cook it in some homemade red chile I made! I’ll post the chile as well, because it’s AMAZING. I made almost 20 cups, and ran out in less than 2 weeks, neighbors won’t leave me alone, Cinco de Mayo is upon is and I MUST make more (as I sit here using chips as a salty segway to shovel the last bit I hid for myself, into my fat face, smh).

PEACE!

Take me out to Spring Training!

It’s Spring in Scottsdale and if you’re vacationing or a native, you know what that means! We get to go outside! Joking, we have the best winters in ‘Merica, haha.

Spring time means spring training! Here in Arizona 15 MLB teams have their spring training facilities which makes us the home to the most teams in the country, come spring time. We have the Diamondbacks, Cubs, White Sox, Reds, Indians, Rockies, Royals, Angels, Dodgers, Brewers, Athletics, Padres, Giants, Mariners and Rangers. Phew, that’s a BUNCH a baseball!

This season, I had the absolute financial pleasure of bartending for one of the MANY new facilities here in the Valley of the Sun.

Opened in time for the 2011 spring training season, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale is brand spankin new and absolutely beautiful. And I can’t stand baseball!

I’ve worked at almost all the sports complexes in the valley and I have to say this one is by FAR my favorite. It’s easy to get to, clean, has lawn seating galore and of course, is completely over priced. Come on, you can’t have everything!

Spring training games there are awesome. I can’t imagine any other stadium would be better. We have the most lawn seating out of any, the demographic is so eclectic that weather you want to people watch or make friends, you’ll have an easy time and since it’s Scottsdale, they keep it sparkling clean! If you’ve never been to a spring game, ladies, I’m talking to you, I would suggest it. Your man can enjoy some time with the boys, you get to tag along and you’re not stuck in those shitty stadium seats. You can bring a few girlfriends, kick off your shoes and relax in the grass on a blanket! Most people go to the Goodwill next door, buy a few big blankets and camp out for the afternoon. It get’s hot, but they’re considerate enough to provide complimentary sunscreen, awwww. Don’t be a fool and try to get your bronze on, straight out the gate, in late February. Opening day found me burnt to a crisp under the jumbo tron for well over 6 hours. It snowed a few days later. Smh. Don’t try to sneak in a flask or get fancy, it’s the AZ heat we’re talking about, you’ll die red faced in a puddle of your own spilled vodka, because your body will be too dehydrated to throw up. For realsies. If you’re gonna smuggle anything in, avoid the $6 price tag on a bottle of Aquafina and find a way to sneak in some hydration. Word to the wise.

Anyway, I wanted to post a few pictures I took of the place, because it is pretty incredible!

Enjoy!

 

 

Fly over on opening day. I was setting up my bar and didn’t know they were going to do this, so I snapped a pic as quick as I could!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The view from the VIP area – The Pepsi Patio

Looking out from the Pepsi Patio to the main entrance of the facility

Salt River Fields also hosts a ton of events for the city as well as personal events, like a wedding rehearsal dinner I bartended last weekend! I thought it was strange at first, but the views are incredible, it’s completely private, nobody could complain about noise and they’ve got everything you need!

Check out their website here for more information.

Local Love…

I’m happy to announce that while I’m busy writing and planning blogs, I’ve started a new page up there at the top, called, “Local Loves” which will serve as a handy little list of all the posts that feature things to do around the Scottsdale area! Everything from restaurants, splash pads, attractions, museums, bars, road trips within the state, everything that has to do with the Valley of the Sun and experiencing all it has to offer!  
I’m excited about it, because I love this town, it’s a “Yuppie” paradise for sure, but when you look closer, there’s endless things to do, see and experience. That’s what “Local Loves” is all about.
Weather you live in town or are planning a trip, I hope you find it useful, or at the very least, entertaining.

Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

Wow! Pulling this post up has just made me aware that “The Good Life” is almost a whole year old! What to do to celebrate, lol?

Anyway, this post gets an unbelievable amount of attention. More than anything else on my blog, and over 50 people viewed it, just yesterday, and JUST coming from Pinterest. It’s getting “re-pinned” like crazy and I couldn’t be happier that people are liking and coming to check out my blog! Even the owner of the company I get my chicken sausage from, commented on another post of mine, asking to use it, and ended up using this one in their companies Pinterest! That pin scores me the majority of my traffic! So, a big thanks to Frank Isernio of Isernio's Sausage for finding and promoting this recipe! The original post can be found here, or to your right is a list of the most popular posts here on The Good Life, it should be lingering there for a while…

Anyhoo, I figured, since it’s getting so much attention, it could use a revamp…

This post started as a first attempt at “freezer meal-ing”. It was a GREAT SUCCESS and if it weren’t for my extensive freezer meal addiction, my family would starve…. I’m kidding, but seriously, I had no idea we could eat this fresh, this cheap, for so long, just using some creative thinking, time management and a side of research, trial and error. This is NOW, a tried and true freezer meal.

I’ve made some changes, which I’ll highlight in bold type. I don’t use canned broth or veggies anymore. I boil my chicken bones and parts, after buying thighs and such, with leftover parts of veggies like celery, carrots and onions, with some cheaper seasonings and voila! Chicken broth. Portion into cling-wrap-lined Tupperware, freeze, pop out, bag and label. I also freeze some in ice cube trays to thin out sauces and such. And I don’t use canned tomatoes for this, I just buy a big bag of tomatoes, rough chop them, cook them down a little with a tiny bit of salt and they’re good to use wherever “canned” would be needed. Plus the BPA and Botulism scares are enough to keep me away from canned food, whenever humanly possible… Also, the veggies like onions, bell peppers and celery, I have already chopped and frozen…

Here we go…

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Chicken sausage. I use Isernio's. Any kind will work…
1 lb of chicken, cooked and shredded
1/2 Onion diced
4 Stalks of celery chopped
1/2 Green bell pepper, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 Cloves of garlic, minced I buy either the minced, dried garlic, or the garlic in the jars. I despise cutting garlic…
1 HEAPING cup of white rice
1/4 Tsp ground red pepper
2 Tsp thyme
1 Tsp cumin
1 Tsp chili powder
2 Cups chicken broth
Water, salt, black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, brown the sausage. Add the onion, celery, peppers and garlic and cook until soft. Then add the chicken, rice, broth, carrots and seasonings. In a side skillet, cook the tomatoes with a little salt and olive oil, until cooked through. Add them to pot before liquid is absorbed. Mix well, and enjoy!

If you want to freeze this, just portion it into freezer bags, roll into a log and freeze. To reheat, thaw in the fridge the day before and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. It’s not aesthetically pleasing, but it’s de-licious! Very easy to adjust the ingredients to almost any taste, seasonings can be messed with infinitely to create whatever taste you’re looking for!

Enjoy!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….

It’s officially Christmas time! (No, I’m not the mall, Christmas in this house starts AFTER Thanksgiving, thanks.)

I’ve been deathly ill since December started. I couldn’t even take my brothers birthday treats to him today, because I’m dying. My nephew has been sick all day too. Even Mo is getting it… But Moses is a champ. While we’re all withering away, he’s still truckin’!

Today, I got tired of my minimally decorated apartment, downed some Dayquil, and started decorating!

Project numero uno:

It only cost $8 too! I have quite a deep relationship with what I call the “crap” section at Goodwill.

Now, between the Cranberry candles, a pork roast in the crock pot and homemade biscuits in the oven, it’s beginning to smell AND look a lot like Christmas!

More to come….

Baked Ziti

I figured this would be a fitting post to follow my homemade marinara, since it’s what makes this dish SUPER easy and delicious.

All I do is set a portion of sauce out to thaw over night, and it’s ready to go the next day!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of sauce, following the recipe in the link above
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 box of pasta, I use rigatoni or penne
1 lb of your favorite sausage, I use Isernio's brand because they make chicken sausage, which we LOVE
1 small tub of ricotta, mixed with an egg
Mozzarella and parmesan for topping

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the pasta, drain it and distribute it evenly into a baking dish.

Cook the sausage, add the pepper and cook until soft, then add the thawed sauce, or whatever sauce you choose to use…

Combine everything in the baking dish, mixing in scoops of ricotta as you go.

Top with mozzarella and parmesan and bake at 350 until bubbly and melted!

Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Marinara

This is an update of a blog I posted when I first started La Vida Ariza!

INGREDIENTS:

4lbs tomatoes, again, I use Roma and/or hothouse, diced
3-4 white onions, diced
4-5 stalks of celery, chopped
4 red bell peppers, diced
Basil, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Chop, season, simmer. Done!

I freeze this by lining my tupperware with cling wrap, then portioning about two cups into each and freezing. When they’re frozen solid, I wrap them, label them and throw them in the freezer.

To re-heat, I take out one and throw it in a sauce pan on medium low, covered, stirring frequently until hot!

If it’s too thick, use a little pasta water to thin it out, if it’s too thin due to the unfreezing process, simmer until thick… Duh, lol.

I use this in everything from basic pasta dishes, to jambalaya, baked ziti and lasagna! It’s easy to make, and since I can’t stand the pasta sauces out of the jar, not to mention reading the ingredients often sends to straight to Google until it’s too late to cook dinner… Sigh, will my quest for knowledge ever end? lol

Enjoy!

My Salsa… Part Dos.

Just before Thanksgiving took over, I posted about a green salsa I made and LOVED.

Well, it was not made alone.

Here is my second salsa, a red salsa. Salsa Roja, if you will… Whatever you call it, it’s delicious.

I don’t like my red salsa to be chunky or crunchy or as “fresco” as the green one. I like my red salsa to have a bit of a heartier flavor, a lot more heat and a smoky-ness to it that really only comes from roasting the shit out of those tomatoes!

So, let’s get to it!

 

INGREDIENTS:

Again, this amount of ingredients is going to yield about a gallon of salsa. Plan accordingly… (It freezes well!)

4lbs tomatoes, halved, I used Roma and regular old hothouse
3 red bell peppers, halved
4 jalapenos, halved, the amount depends on the heat you want. I keep jalapeno juice in my fridge to spice it up a lot more, since we like one bite of salsa to send us into fits of sweats…
3 white onions, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled
1 bunch of cilantro, more if you like the taste, I was surprised how much I needed…
Cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, thyme

DIRECTIONS:

Follow the directions in the link to the green salsa above, roasting the veggies a bit longer, allowing them to get REALLY charred under the broiler.

Blend well, season to taste… I have more spices than I can name on my fingers and toes, it’s what you do to your food that makes it YOURS. Remember that things like cumin and chili powder may seem frivolous, but if your salsa tastes off, they can bring it back to a normal taste in a jif. As a “White Girl” venturing into a world of cooking beyond Easy Mac and Uncle Ben’s, I didn’t know WHAT flavors I was tasting when I ate certain foods, and although I feel I’ve mastered a lot of dishes, even this threw me off a bit. It just tasted like veggies until I started seasoning away. Cumin made a world of difference and so did the chili powder, which I wouldn’t have thought of the latter, off the top of my head…

Anyway, that’s all there is to it. It’s best to let the flavors hang out over night and get friendly with one another. The longer it sits, the better it tastes… Well, until it goes bad, then it obviously takes like crap, amiright?

Enjoy!

30 Days of Thanks!

This list went quicker than I thought, after I stopped taking it so seriously. I spent a few hours typing it a while back, had a few pages, and was only to #5! Not to mention I was in tears already…

Needless to say, I’m a pretty thankful little lady. We put up a “Tree of Thanks” in the corner of the dining room, and attached leaves to it with things we’re thankful for written on each one. It was a great project to do and I still stand there and read the ones Mo wrote. They’re adorable.

So, here’s my summarized list of what I am thankful for, this month.

Enjoy!

1. My son. Every day he teaches me to handle life with more kindness, patience, understanding, curiosity, love, positivity, and laughter. He provides the most challenging yet rewarding job I’ve ever had and fills my heart with more pride, joy and love than I’ve ever known.

2. His father. He works hard for our family, loves me unconditionally, keeps it spicy and is the best father I’ve seen. He’s my best friend and growing old with him is pretty much my idea of a life well spent…

3. My brother. He’s saved my life, taught my priceless life lessons and loved me like the mother and father I never had. I’m thankful for our ability to resolve our past issues so that we can move forward and enjoy a life together, now that we live close to each other again!

4. His wife. My sister in law is the kindest, most giving, selfless person I’ve met. She’s beyond generous and takes care of my brother and his children incredibly. She’s a saint. Truly.

5. Their kids. I love my three nephews like they’re my own. I’m amazed, constantly, at how much they love me, my son and “Uncle Mo”. Mo and I are both estranged from some of our family so I’m thankful that Moses can still experience cousins and that closeness, while we work out other issues.

6. My Nana. She’s one tough old broad. She’s taught me how to grab life by the balls and lead it where I want it to go. That being a lady, doesn’t mean taking peoples shit and that a woman can run a house, just as well as a man, single or not!

7. My Father In Law’s upcoming move to the Valley. My father in law, through all the ups and downs, has always been there for me. Always texts me to see how I am, says goodnight and good morning, and calls often, just to say hi. He’s moving out here soon to be closer to us and I’m SO thankful that Moses will have him here to grow up with.

8. My Mother In Law is one of the most giving people I know. She’d give you the shirt off her back, if you needed it, and often does. Cute ones too. She’s shared her home, closet and son with me and I’m eternally grateful.

9. Life’s imperfections. I’ve had one Hell of a life. It’s made me one strong beezy. I’m uber grateful for the rollercoaster responsible for maintaining my thick skin.

10. As I go to type this. Moses says, “Doggy!” I’m thankful for my dog. That she fights negative Pitbull stereotypes every single day. She was in my pocket when I got hit by a car and will forever be my road dog. She farts, snores, snorts and smells bad, on the reg, but she’s mine, and I love her.

11. Our AZ friends. We thought you forgot about us, when we moved back to CA. Then, you showed Mo that you missed him and he brought us back. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you! Thank you all for being amazing friends, putting up with our sporadic social tendencies and just bein’ cool! lol

12. You Pierson sisters, Christin and Char. You beezy’s are my closest friends. Every football Sunday is a blast, I love our kitchen time together, I love that our boys get along, I love that our kids love to play together and look forward to growing old with you broads and staying fuckin’ fabulous while we do it! xo

13. My job. I don’t do much. It’s nice. But I enjoy the social aspects of being a bartender/model/promotional lady, and getting to dress up, like I’m going out, but getting paid to chat and mix drinks. It’s great! I make my part of the bills and get to be home when my kid is awake. Best job, ever.

14. My love works with special need students. He loves his job, loves making a difference and cares about the kids. He works at a huge school out in Mesa and with in a year will be in charge of his own class room. I’m so proud of him…

15. My car. My last car, I ruined. I like to trash nice things. Well, the shitty 15 year old “bro-ho” still living in me, likes to trash nice things. I got a Range Rover and promptly took it out into the snow, rain and mud, then out here in the 120 degree heat, just in time for monsoon season. A few puddles deep enough to cover my hood in water coupled with some dried up seals and my apocalypse survival vehicle, died. I now have a grocery getter, that is MUCH newer, and will cost less than half as much to repair while getting twice as good gas mileage. Win.

16. My man got a Harley from his Dad as a gift for graduating college. I love it. I love riding on it, I love how much there is to do within the biker culture out here, without being a complete rat, and I love the potential for photo-shoots, long rides, and sexy times. HEY oh! lol

17. My closet. My stuff n tings. I love stuffs. Mo buys me clothes like I’m Paris Hilton. He asked, “What do you want for Christmas?” I said, “A sewing machine.” He said, “I’ll get you more clothes. Because I like you to look good, you like to look good, and you look good. Clothes it is.” Uuuummm, okay. But who’s complaining? Girls got steeze. Thanks, babe.

18. My makeup. My hot girl disguise tools. Another thing Boo loves to buy me. I’ve never had such a selection in my life and I’m SO grateful. I can remember when I didn’t know how to use it, wear it, or buy it and had like, my makeup bag full and that was it. I’ve got drawers on bags on cases. I’m lucky. Once again, thanks babe.

19. Scottsdale. I live in “The most livable city.” The weather is beautiful. Too hot, for some, that you know, enjoy breathing air that doesn’t singe the lungs 3 months out of the year. But, no, not me. I enjoy the blow torch summers, loosing the skin on my butt to my leather seats, burning my hands just to maintain control of my motor vehicle, and the best part? Flip flops too weak to take the heat of the asphalt turning to little rubber griddles, frying your piggies with each step. But then there’s times like this, where we can go to the Zoo, late November and wear shorts, tshirts and sandals. I can sit on my front porch, every morning of the year, and enjoy my coffee in nice weather. Win.

20. Um, Dutch Brothers Coffee. You’re better than Starbucks. You’re cheaper, more caffeinated and your staff is friendlier. Thank you.

21. My blog. I love my little creation. I’m thankful for the outlet that allows me to share my creativity and cooking and life with the world.

22. “Two Buck Chuck”. Yep, I said it. I’m thankful for cheap wine. Any Mama can tell you, she’s got something for the tough days. A bath, a run, a cigarette, kick boxing, meditation, curling, wine, whatever it may be. Mine, mine’s the cheap wine from Trader Joes. It use to be $1.99 a bottle, thus earning it’s name, but it’s gone up a dollar and I’m okay with that. Delicious, potent, cheap. Thank you, Trader Joes.

23. Ebay. I get a lot of makeup off Ebay. I get a lot of clothes, shoes, accessories off Ebay. I just had to take a moment to thank Ebay’s ability to find anything I want or need, for cheaper than I found it somewhere else. I mean, hey, where else can I score 30 pairs of false eye lashes for a dollar?

24. Our pool at our apartment complex. It’s beautiful. It’s child friendly, well laid out, and perfect for getting my tan on, well into the winter. Thank you, pool and sunshine!

25. This shouldn’t be so low on the list, but life, itself. Like I mentioned before, my dog and I got hit by a car back in 2009 and the scariest moment for me, was waking up on the street, alive. I realized right then that life could have been snatched, just that fast. I was in a bad mood, I was cold and I was walking to the store to buy cigarettes. I would have died unhappy. Although I now forget time to time, it taught me to be more in the moment and grateful for everything, everywhere. I could use a big reminder of this sometimes, unfortunately. Maybe this is what I need to kick start the positive thinking, full force.

26. My artistic abilities. I’m so thankful that I can see something I like, and recreate it. I have made gifts for people that have made them cry, good tears, lol. That’s such a fulfilling feeling. I can’t wait to teach my son that making something for somebody always trumps a last minute gift.

27. Food. I’m thankful, not just for food in general, but for healthy, nutritious food. When I met this boy of mine, he ate like a typical college student. A well cooked meal was a chicken breast you managed not to burn and a box of Rice-a-Roni. He had no concept of healthy eating and thought that a good workout would kill the bad stuff. I’m thankful for his willingness to embark on a journey of finding a better way of eating and has such an interest in being a healthy eater. It’s so much easier to make life changes when the other half in your life is completely on the same page!

28. Some of my most treasured possessions are the gifts I’ve received from my Boo. For mothers day, he had all my favorite pictures of the family printed out and put into an album I had previously bought but didn’t know what to do with. He always leaves me notes when I get home from work and he’s been here but left. He buys me movies, when he’s out running errands, because he knows I don’t have a particular one. He always brings home something special from the store or spends a little extra on a bottle of wine with a cool name or bottle. He picks me flowers when he’s out and about. Anything he’s given me, I’m thankful for.

29. My basic needs being fulfilled, every day. I know it seems a little vague, but ever since we started watching the Walking Dead, we’re starting to talk more about doomsday prepping (NOT for zombies, but an economic crisis) and how one day, novelties like hot water and microwaves, will be no more. I’m thankful for my creature comforts, while I’ve still got em.

30. The internet. Sounds stupid, but hear me out. We live in a time where any information we want, is at our finger tips. Want to learn how to feed 100 people for $50? Build a bomb? Find out where Lake Titicaca really is? Just hop on the Google-nets. I love it. I’m an ever changing, information absorbing little sponge. I love to learn. Take a week, pick a subject you don’t know much about. Learn about it. Never stop learning. I love it.

 

So that’s my list. It started out with the intent of being in some sort of order, but let’s be real here, I’m thankful for all of these things, and much more, all at once, some equally and some more than others. If you read this far, congratulations, you win!

Happy Holidays, and I hope this makes you take a little time out of your day to count your blessings!

Zoo Lights

Every year in Phoenix, the zoo puts on Zoo Lights.

We took the little this year and it was pretty darn cool!