And the countdown begins! On February 21, Jake and I will be embarking on our first cruise together to........


If you guessed Mexico you are right! and i hope we actually see someone who looks like this and is VERY excited to see me - that would be my dream come true! I have wanted to go to Mexico ever since I was little. I even had an obsession with latin music when I was in high school and would listen to my Shakira cd when i mowed the lawn. I even tried to minor in spanish when i was at college, but after my first semester I realized I sounded like an idiot american trying to sound like i actually knew how to speak the language. I also realized i could not, and never would be able to roll my r's, so i trashed that minor asap.


So Jake and I are off on our first foreign adventure with our friends Tanner and Allie. It was funny because Jake and I had talked about going on a cruise and thought it would be more fun with friends, so we were going to try to convince Tanner and Allie to go with us on a cruise. When we brought up the idea, they started screaming that they wanted us to go on one with them to Mexico! Of course it took us two seconds to approve, and then we got our plans started! We are headed out of LA, and then off to the ports of Puerto Vallerta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. It will be lots of fun! And one other bonus, is that people always say to drink bottled water in Mexico, but we won't have to worry about it too much since we will be drinking the water off of our ship. Unless they decide to trick us and give us the REAL experience and contaminate their water. I should just pack my entire suitcase with bottled water.

In other random news, Jake and I happened to catch this show on tv tonight:


have you ever watched this show? It makes me extremely sad but also makes me feel motivated to get in shape (at least for an hour after the show ends). Tonight there was an old man who got voted off and I started crying! I couldn't believe it. I am the biggest baby ever. Anways, this man was so incredibly gracious about the entire thing, and then after the show ended, they showed a clip of him after he had been home for a while. He looked so good! It was amazing! I am astounded at how determined these people are to lose weight! I need to use them as motivation..but I am thinking I have a long ways to go after my breakfast this morning of gummy bears and diet coke. I have a problem.

One of my most favorite things:


I know it sounds ridiculous because it is a kitchen appliance, but I absolutely LOVE my Kitchenaid. If you don't have one - stop reading and get one right now. This lovely appliance not only helps me when I cook and bake, but it sits on my counter beautifully. I am so protective of it, that I will not let the silver bowl dry in the dishwasher - I will hand wash it and dry it with a towel, of course making sure that there are no water spots. I make up any excuse I can to use it. It is one of the reasons I like to cook! Of course cooking and baking is more fun when you have fun little gadgets and appliances.

Another one of my favorite things:


I love things to be organized and be in cute boxes with labels on them. Nothing makes me feel better than to look in the closet and see all of my boxes stacked on top of eachother with labels. I love taking a messy room and organizing it. (you wouldn't be able to tell that by our spare bedroom - but where else do you cram everything you can't fit anywhere else?) I love filling empty shelves with neatly folded towels, linens, or anything that looks pretty. I just love for everything to have a specific place. I have gotten into the habit of walking around the house and throwing things away that I don't find important - It has gotten to the point when if Jake can't find something he will immediately ask if I have thrown it away. What can I say - I don't like clutter :)