I get by with a little help from my friends.

I know we look ghost'ish, but I can't help but adore this picture of Jon and I!

Chris and Kevin moved to Denver a few years ago from CA. They buy/manage apartment buildings and flip each unit until they look as fabulous as they are! The building they are in now, they've flipped the penthouse unit and put in a beautiful wrap around patio. Jon was in town over the weekend, so they had us all over for a patio party! And, per usual, they didn't disappoint.

Amazing food.


 (The ribs with homemade BBQ sauce were to die for and of course I had to get a picture of the once corn on the cob to text to Chad's uncle.)

Amazing friends.


Amazing memories.


(It wouldn't be a night with Jon if he didn't try on my heels. Dudes obsessed.)

And the best pup in all of Denver, Abby!

My favorite story/part of the whole night: 

Chris and Kevin just recently purchased another building just a few blocks from where they are now.  So in true gay man/fruit fly fashion, we poured the fanciest champagne we had into the fanciest glasses we could find and took a walk to see it and celebrate!.  I should preface this whole story with where they are living now is just a few short blocks from my old apt. in Wash Park.  Now you should also know, I'm exteremly sentimental in the weirdest, and sometimes worst ways.  For example: I still remember certain stoplights in Denver where Chad would sneak a kiss at a red light.  Pathetic?  Yes.  It is always a little weird/hard for me to go to Chris and Kevin's, because I take the exact same roads there that I would have taken home just 6 months ago.  I digress.  Picture 9 grown adults, walking with a dog drinking out of probably $30 champagne flutes at 10pm.  We are walking, walking, walking, laughing, flirting with fireman when before I know it, I'm realizing we are at the cross streets of Penn and Bayaud.  Directly, smack dab in front of The Spot (that I talk about here) My heart flutters, then drops when I realize we are less than a block from my old apartment.  Now don't get me wrong...I ADORE my new apartment and new neighborhood.  I wouldn't change where I live now for the world, but I grew and went through so much in the old apartment that I couldn't help feeling sad, mad and a little upset.  I suck it up like a big girl, gave Abby an extra big kiss and went on our merry way to the new building.  We get there, have some laughs in front of it and listen to Chris and Kevin's dreams of what they will do with it before heading back.  I'm walking with Kevin, his arm around my waist, my arm around his shoulders and we approach Bayaud and Logan.  I realize this means nothing to you people, but that was my cross street when I lived at 155 S Penn.  See, this cross street marked the beginning and end of my runs.  Morning runs, afternoon runs, night runs.  Sometimes I'd run 2 times a day, sometimes more.  The runs that helped mend my broken heart.  The runs that got me through missing my family.  Got me through missing my sister.  And before I know it, a flood of emotions sweep over me and I'm having the hardest time putting one foot in front of the other.  But I do, because that's what adults do.  I don't voice any of what I'm feeling, and keep on keepin' on. Kev and I are leading the pack, we approach the intersection, I reach over to push the button I'd pushed a hundred times before, trying to keep the smile on my face and all of a sudden, out of NOWHERE Kevin looks over and says to me: "God D@MN it, you are pretty!"  He probably doesn't even remember saying it, or who knows if he even meant it, but I can't help but think that someone, somewhere knew I needed a smile at that exact moment.  (Hi, Morgan!) I think the healing process of everything that I locked up in that apartment March 5th after moving out ended right then and there.

Thanks for listening.  : )

And for one last photo of the night...my most favorite one:

Jon and our friend Trish hugging goodbye.  We can be quite the rough group.  Quick to curse, quick to insult even if we don't mean it.  But this photo proves to me how much love we all have for each other.  Their tight embrace and the look on Jon's face says it all.  We wouldn't trade each other in for anything or anyone.

Love letter.

I know I don't get mushy on this blog very often...but these two girls are worth the mush. I'll try and keep it short and sweet as to not gross out and lose any of my precious 4 followers.

Dear Miss and Heather,

Thank you for being my friends.

Missy. Oh my sweet girl. We only got to work together for a few short months, but in those months - you allowed me to grow not just as a designer, but as a person. I miss looking over at you and singing "Isn't she Lovely?" while you laugh, and throw Sunbunny my way to shut me up. I miss our creative brains working together to defy all past Vanity design guidelines to provide them with Seasons like they have never seen them before. Where you have taken Vanity since I left 4 short years ago, I am still in awe. You are the best thing that has ever happened to that place, and I will stand by that until the day I die. You will never know what a creative genius you are as a designer, photographer and friend. I so desperately regret the initial way you found out I was moving. And I am still sorry about that. Not a day has gone by where I don't look at my Beth Angel still sitting on my desk, smile and know through the miles, we will be forever friends. I love you always.

Heather, we NEVER even worked together - can you even believe it?! The first time I met you was for probably only 3 minutes during the first time I came back to Fargo after moving and surprised Missy by sitting in my old desk aka your desk. You were so sweet to go along with the plan. (Of course I ruined it by parking my sister's car in the only spot at Vanity NO ONE ever parks in, so she knew straight away.) Then I met you a second time when I came back into the office after Morgan's funeral and I knew you were a good soul because we didn't even know each other, but you were crying just listening to me talk about Morgs. Of course we got to spend more time together that weekend which now looking back on it, curved your and Tom's future more than we could have ever guessed. JT Cigaro's, BWW, fireworks, your handsome husband, Tracy...laughter for days. You and your inquiring mind about my life in CO did get my wheels turning about why you'd want to know, but I never wanted to get my hopes up. Now here we sit with our lives and carreers in Colorado, making plans a week out, and 3 months out. I smile I wouldn't change you for the world.

Thank you two for our emails that I look forward to everyday.

Thank you two for sharing your success stories, and life ups and downs.

Thank you for allowing me to do the same, and providing support when I need it most, but least expect it.

You two are my angels. Thank you for being you.

B.

1-10?

How weird is it that most often than not, a Sam's Club size Red Hot sits on my coaster at work instead of a coffee mug?


Probably as equally weird that I have a picture of my old coworker peering over his computer screen staring at me peering over my computer screen, eh?


Solid 10?

Thought so.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I fergot.

There is something about the night that I forgot about.
There are a few things in life I take 101% joy in:
Flying a kite.
Running through the sprinkler.
Holding a baby.
*Sailboating.

While walking back to the car tonight, we happened upon 3 sprinklers in a front yard, and you know I ran threw those sum'bitches.

I don't have a pix of the running, rather the aftermath.





My maxi dress hanging to dry. It was tots worth it, BTW.

*I've never been sailboating, but I know I'd looooove it. If you'd like to take me anytime soon, call me! Or text me. Or Facebook me. Or IM me. Or snail mail me.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

JITP week 4,829,204

I've completely lost count, so now I'm just having fun with it.

I don't have a ton to say about this week's Jazz but it, per usual, was full of laughs, love, new friends and drinks/food. (duh)


Even though I love my photo collages, losing my photos a few weeks ago made me realize it's rare I post full pix of the night. Here are 4 of my favorite:












Laughter, drinks, snuggle face pupps and balloons floating to remind me of my Morgan.

Happy Sunday, y'all! Enjoy the week!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Yes, Yes, No, Yes.

Yes: Mary literally just posted this post :30 ago.

Yes: Every single person who reads my blog reads her's, too

No: I don't care that I'm making you guys read it twice.

Yes: It's the funniest thing I've saw/read in months.

High larry us.

I may be crazy, but this is one of the most entertaining news articles I’ve read in quite some time.

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2011/07/21/kim-kardashian-sues-old-navy/

Don’t think for a second that I’m talking about the actual news article.  What I’m talking about are the re-donkulous comments people are making on them.  I copy and paste some of my favorite to Mary, but when she was less than impressed, I decided to express myself in a different way.  By blogging it so I don’t have to hear if you guys agree or disagree with me on this entertainment level being a solid 10.  I also had to leave all the spelling errors because it’s really my favorite part.

ashley Wed 02/23/11 7:14 PM

u dumb..dey aint say it was kim k..dey said t was her look alike ..duuuhhh

@ Ashley – Did you really just type that ignorant garbage? You obviously didn’t comprehend the comment. Moreover, you probably cannot comprehend mine either; given that it is comprised of words with more than 5 letters. But you have the audacity to call someone else dumb? Please for the love of god and all that is holy get an education!

Jess Thu 02/24/11 2:39 PM

no thats not Kim. that is her look a like

Reply

Thu 02/24/11 6:11 PM

i’m glad to see captain obvious has landed.

lexi Wed 02/23/11 7:24 PM

Kim K is intelligent.

YOUR PICTURES IS REALLY NICE ? I LAKE YOUR IN PICTURES IN MAIMI SHOW WITH YOUR SISTER THINK YOU EMMA,good day to you

And my favorite, for some reason:

The Kardashians make me miss Paris Hilton.

Thank you for laughing until you got tears in your eyes right along with me!

Like auntie, like niece.

My aunt, Jen had a work call out of SLC yesterday, and went to eat the best fish tacos in all the land. (She was engaged a few years back and her ex lived in Salt Lake for a while. Her and I went out to visit him and he brought us there. The one good thing that came from that relationship was our introduction to Taco Jalisco.) Enjoy the ridiculousness.






















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I don't mean to brag...

JITP week ???

I wish I could count what week this Jazz was...but between the 4th of July and Tim having a BBQ for his mom last weekend plus a few weekend in between, we missed a few. But I tell you what, we came back with a bang. I counted and I think we had exactly 15 people with us!


I had about 7 people with me, then between Tim, Ed, Cari and Brian + their friends, the rest of the 15 were filled in.

Believe it or not, my most favorite part of the night didn't take place until Ed, Tim and I were walking back to the car. We got about halfway there until realizing I was the only one of the 3 not carrying anything. Oops! I took on carrying a chair, and Ed justified it by rationalizing it was a big bracelet/fashion statement. Between that and naming Tim's wagon Willy, we laughed for appx 10 minutes straight.

All in all - huge success. Tim said time and time again throughout the night: "Life is short. Summer is shorter." and honestly? he couldn't be more right. I love my picnics with my crew. I cherish every laugh, conversation and photo we take.

May it be summer forever!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

1 Fish, 2 Fish.

Think my Cat in a Hat makes green eggs and ham, too?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Food Network and duct tape.

Thats what good weekends are made of.

If I have anything to do with it, every weekend morning in the Summerfield Casa looks like this.






PJ's, coffee and Food Network. 90% of the time, my mom and I are watching the same Food Network show and are texting about what we like/don't like.

Now of course, there are some mornings that don't end up like this. Take yesterday morning for example, where I woke up on my friend Sara's sofa. See, Friday night we took it upon ourselves to celebrate 40's of beer and duct tape.


All I have to say about that, is Edward and his 40 hands can go to h e double hockey sticks. Me and my hangover that lasted until 11pm might be holding a grudge.


But I've got to tell you, it was one of the most fun, hard earned hangovers I've ever had.


-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Easy as 1-5.

I had this overwhelming urge for Low Ryder pizza from one of my all time favorite pizza restaurants, Proto's Pizza. Eric and I have turned it into quite the tradition when he comes to town to sit out on the patio, eating the Low Ryder pizza and drinking Bloody Mary's. Since I didn't have my Eric, or desire for a Bloody Mary, I decided to make one myself at home!

Easy as 1,


2,


3!


Well technically Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

4&5:



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Good place to be.

Phone, cuddly kitty and lightening/thunder/rain storm to my left. Fan & decaf iced tea to my right. True Blood in my lap.

Fixin's for a good Wed night, if you ask me.

Whoa.

I had a crazy realistic, wiggity wiggity wack dream last night. I just told my coworkers Kate and Justin about it all, and Kate suggested I dig into it more. I looked up the keywords. Enjoy:

Dream Interpretation Amusement park
Seeing an amusement park in a dream and having a lot of fun there signals that you need to start having a little bit more fun in waking life If you have some kind of an accident in an amusement park, it may indicate that you have an inner fear of overcoming something in your life.

Dream Interpretation Falling
As with most common dream themes, falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life. This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship or in your work environment.

Dream Interpretation Trampoline
I think the trampoline represents your attempt to do everything you can to stay positive, confident, or upbeat with everything negative that is happening around you.

Dream Interpretation Working at Hotel/New Job
To dream of working in a hotel, you could find a more remunerative employment than what you have.
Dreaming of a new job indicates a desire for advancement and fulfillment. Starting over brings on new challenges where you get to apply all your experiences to the new position to further the growth of the group.

Dream Interpretation Statue of Liberty
To see the Statue of Liberty in your dreams signifies personal and/or cultural freedom. You have found your own independence and are learning to stand on your own.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Get in my belly.

This weekend, I have done way too much laughing, eating, relaxing, dreaming, texting and smiling but not early enough cleaning or churching.

Whoopsa'daisy.  Please don't tell my mother.

My body has been forcing me to take some serious time off from life in general lately.  Activities that have been put on hold include but are not limited to: A painless and sound nights sleep, working out/running of any kind, enjoying my favorite glass of red wine at night after dinner, being in public and being able to laugh without holding my right side/wincing in pain etc.  I've had some pretty weird stuff going on { answers hopefully to come on Wednesday }, and though it caused me to cancel my plans Friday night { *Yogurtland and True Blood in bed still constitute a kickin' Friday night, I might add. } the aches, pains, sniffles and yuckies weren't enough to cancel on my plans last night.  Jaime's sister, Gina and I have gotten pretty close by virtue of the upcoming nuptials in September.  With her birthday being this Wednesday, we went out to celebrate last night!  It started with Gina, Jaime and I getting our makeup done at the MAC store in Cherry Creek (it was the first time I had worn eye-makeup of any sort in probably up to 7 years, so though it was TOTALLY out of my comfort zone, Gina and Jaime had a good time, and I can chalk it up to a new experience and some amaze-o pictures), then we popped a bottle of Prosecco at Jaime and Ryan's, got all fancy and met a up at Vita's rooftop for { yet another } glass of Prosecco before dinner at Linger! Now I've expressed my love for Root Down in an earlier blog post, and Linger is Root Down's sister restaurant...so though I didn't know what to expect { Linger is in the old Olinger building....which used to be a mortuary. True story. } the food, scenery and company did not disappoint. I cannot go into detail about about how amazing the food was, because I will end up abandoning this blog post, and making a reservation for 1 to re-eat everything we had last night - but we ordered: cheese curds with fire roasted jalapenos, mussels { the best ones I've ever had in my entire life, BTW }, pork sticky buns { my number 1 favorite of the night }, Pad Thai, shrimp ceviche, some crazy funky sweet potato crepe, a beef stir fry number with what they called "shrimp crackers" and I just know I'm missing one more, but it is escaping me right now. After Linger, we walked over to Cellar Wine Bar { DO NOT tell my aunt, she's been begging to be the first person who takes me here for months now...whoosa'daisy) for a night cap, then headed back to J&R's for some good ol' Bud Light and card games. Perfection.


This morning { after staying at Jaime and Ryan's }, I got up and met my uncle for brunch in Boulder at Zolo's Grill where I had dynamite goat cheese, arugula, asparagus breakfast enchilada's and Craig sent me home with a baggie full of fresh garden peas.  


Basically, I've gained 20 pounds over the weekend, but hot damn is my tummy happy. Know what else though? I've also gained some awesome memories and it took my mind off having to lay for 2 hours on a hospital bed in a few days. That is what I call a win-win, folks.


Oh, did I mention I have a backyard BBQ in about 3 hours at my friend Tim's house?


I'm off to dream of skinny jeans and flat tummies. Who am I kidding?!?!!...I'm going to be dreaming of those d@mn pork sticky buns ...



*One thing I would not recommend is eating Yogurtland, and only Yogurtland for dinner.  I totally woke up with a sugar hangover Saturday morning.

Also, pictures of Gina's birthday night out to come - James got some great shots on her camera!

Promise is a promise.

Mary and I got into a wee bit of a tiff this afternoon, and though I promised her I wouldn't speak of it again (I won), I didn't promise her I wouldn't blog of it again.

{ How the argument began. }

Beth: it's 7.7.11 today!

i wonder if 7 11's business has increased today

 

maryidaolson: no

GOLLY GEE

 

Beth: no?!

 

maryidaolson: what an interesting inquirty!

 

Beth: how can you say no?

 

Beth: do you get their reciepts directly to your inpox?

 

maryidaolson: you're probably the first person who thought of today's date as significant

 

Beth: are you stoned?

 

maryidaolson: me?!

you are.

literally

 

Beth: you think i am the only person who has thought of the 7-11 parallel?

 

maryidaolson: i think people think of it MAYBE every july 11th

but

7-11-11 isn't impressive

 

Beth: it's july 7th of 2011

omg i'm going to kill you

 

maryidaolson: or

 

Beth: 7-7-11

 

maryidaolson: whatever the date is

IT'S 7-7-2011

let's go to 7-11!

and party

LOL

omg

 

Beth: i hate you.

 

maryidaolson: i just pictured you

taking photos

and blogging

I'm sure you all know what day it is!

it's july 7th, 2011

i'm teasing

sorry

i'm done

 

Beth: too late b!tch

check your email

 

{ The email went out to 5 random people in my office. }

 

From: Summerfield, Beth
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:01 PM
To: Ure, Eric; Weston, Sarah; Lavender, Andy; Bliley, David; Gorman, Coriander
Cc: Mary Olson
Subject: Random poll.

What does today’s date remind you of?

7-7-11

 

{ Responses. }

 

From: Ure, Eric
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:17 PM
To: Summerfield, Beth
Subject: RE: Random poll.

The convenience store? Craps?

What are the other responses?

From: Gorman, Coriander
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:18 PM
To: Summerfield, Beth
Subject: RE: Random poll.

7-11!  haha

From: Lavender, Andy
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:25 PM
To: Summerfield, Beth
Subject: RE: Random poll.

Absolutely nothing. Primary numbers, maybe.

I rest my case.

Well, I'm off to Vegas!

Chad is a PE teacher for K-6th graders on a teeny tiny little indian reservation in New Mexico.  In the summers he also helped start a ZYEP Summer Camp (whose website takes appx. 7 minutes to navigate through.) and a sports camp.  The point of me telling you this is that he is around kids alllllllllllllllllllllll the time.  Let's look at how darn cute the kids are, and how darn cute Chad Rail is.  Yes, he's the one with his tounge out and hands in the air like he's about to dance. 

Can we also talk for a second on how cute he is around kids?!  You can tell the little shits in that community LOVE him.  We'll be on the phone while he's getting gas, running to the store, or walking back to work and you can just hear in the background "MR.WAIL!!  HI MR.WAIL!  MR. WAIL!!  HI!!!!!!!!!"  They can't say their r's, which makes it even cuter.  I always make him say to me "Mr. Wail!  I want the wed one!"  When they ask him for a red something or another.

Can you tell how proud of him I am?

ANYWAY.  I diagress. I am constantly making him tell me stories before we go to bed of cute things that happened to him at work that day.  When I beg and plead extra hard, I get photos in the afternoon which makes my day like no other.  I'm not sure what it was about this particular one that makes me laugh time and time and timeandtimeandtimeandtime again, but it just cracks me UP.

Well, I'm off to Vegas!!!  Hahahahaha...see I'm laughing with my by myself. 

Other good ones include peeing on feet, new finger nail polish, him tying little girl's bows (how cute is cute?!), the word February, crackers snuck into the little boy's bathroom...the list really never ends.  

Who?!

Seriously, who makes soup when the temps were in the 100's just days before?

Me. That's who. My sister makes the *best* minestrone soup, and after a particularly trying day yesterday, the only thing in all the land I wanted was a bowl of her soup. I don't have the means to ask what her secret ingredient is, so I went ahead and made my own version. It wasn't nearly as good, but temporary filled the void. Sadly, the recipe I used was much too resemblant to this cabbage soup I had to eat multiple times a day for a week on this ridiculous cleanse I did a few years back.

After I had a little cup tonight, I literally stuck my head in the freezer to try and cool off. Yeah, all in all it was a fail. Oh well - it's the thought that counts, right?




Right.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

These are a few of my favorite things:

{ I may be channeling Maria a tish in the subject of this post. }

HBO GO - to help keep me stationary, cozy and occupied while not feeling well.
fish sticks - an odd craving I get about every 4 months, and today was the day.  Thanks to the best friend a girl could ask for, Mary stopped and got me some on her drive home from work.  Then proceeded to mock and tease the way I look/sound/act while dealing with this pesky side pain, which only make me laugh harder, and look funnier.
decaf iced tea - latest summer obsession.
thunder - latest 25.8 year obsession.
davidsbridal.com - so I can help my beautiful cousin pick out her wedding dress!....ekkk!!!
True Blood - see HBO GO.

Damn the man.  Now I want to watch Sound of Music.

Hello, perfecto.

Three things I love:
The Irish Snug, running and spaghetti.

What'dya know?!  Someone else loves those three things, too.

http://irishsnugrunners.com/

Hello, perfecto.

I am so spoiled.

I mean seriously - this weekend has proven to me time, and time again that I really do have THE best of friends a girl could ever ask for.  Between the BBQ's, rando nights out, last minute dinners, jazz music + an open road + fireworks, I feel just so spoiled in love.

I just got home from one of the most generous dinner parties I've ever attended.  It was a king's crab, oyster, clam and crawfish boil and sweet jesus on high, I've never EVER seen that much food in one place. (Which says a lot because I've attended many a Fakesgayviging/ Día de los Muertos party which revolves strictly around food.)  Plus the couple of kegs, table of bourbon (It was the 10th annual Bourbon Bourbon, so a table full of it makes sense) and misc appetizers.  Sad to say, I don't love any sort of shellfish (though I tried every single thing there and still made the gross shellfish amateur "I'm eating WHAT?!" face), but I was like a kid in a candy store watching everyone crack open and enjoy the shellfish.

Anyway.  I'm sitting here at home, enjoying popcorn freshly popped on my stove top, texting my mommy who is sending me pix of my dad/uncles playing cards and I am 101% loving life.

That's really all I have to say.  Pictures to follow.

xo

Who's ready to party like it's 1776??

This girl, that's who.

I get super duper uber buber fuber zuber nostalgic around the 4th of July for many reasons.  There are few 4th's during my 25.8 years of life that I haven't spend back home in Dickinson with my fam-dam.  Roughrider Days, anyone?!  Also, 4 years ago this Tuesday my mom and I jumped in my full full (fullfullfullfullfull) car and moved me from ND to CO (moving post to come soon!).  I wasn't able to be with the family this year, cuddled up in blankets in my old High School's parking lot watching the fireworks, so when my friend Eric invited me over for dinner and fireworks, I couldn't say no.  Eric lives maybe 3 blocks from Coors Field, where they light off fireworks after the Rockies games during the 4th of July weekend.  Read Mary's cute post about her night here!  When he first invited me, he presented it by saying "We'll have some grub, then walk over to the bridge where they light off the fireworks.  They go off literally over your head!"  And in hindsight, he explained it exactly right, however what he didn't mention was how the bridge we'd be sitting on would be closed off due to it being THAT close to where the fireworks are lit off behind the Rockies sign (there was a daring man in a motorized wheelchair who was running away from the cops trying to tell him he needed to move or else, and I quote "Sir, if you stay there, your head will get blown off!"), or how the debris falls and smacks your arms and legs, how you'll have teeny tiny bits of debris in your hair and eyes (owie) for the rest of the night, or how the fireworks fall, still lit, at your feet.  It might sound dramatic, but this fireworks show was hands down one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

Enjoy a few pictures, which of course do maybe 2% justice to the awesomeness of the entire show.

I took this while walking to where we sat.  You can kind of see the bridge, with the Rockies sign in the background where they fireworks were lit from! 

And of course, a video or two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z5tFoxjj88 

This one is pretty anticlimactic, but it gives a little shout out to Eric, and shows us sitting, straining our necks to watch the show going on above us! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxxIsZGx8X4 

And here is the one I've watched probably 7 times on my phone.  I do apologize for my screaming commentary, and need to come up with an expression other than "OH. MY. GOD." for when I'm in awe over something.  The abundance of screaming during the last few seconds and when I accidently drop the f bomb is from when a big chunk of debris fell and smacked my phone as I was recording.  During the finale, I remember looking up and thinking how literally every square inch of sky I could see had fireworks in it.  I felt like we were sitting under a sky made up strictly of falling stars.  Amazing.

Everyone please have a very fun-filled and safe 4th of July weekend!  I have the perfect mix of pool parties, BBQ's, a getaway trip up north to Fort Collins and of course, a day date planned with my very favorite person, Mary Ida.

Cheers!

Tisk, tisk, tisk.

I know I'm due for a blog post, but my security blanket of hiding behind fun pictures has striped me naked. Why you ask?  Because my phone took a giant duke on me this morning and I had to start back from square one.  Which means no giant library gallery of rando photos, no mass amount of photo filter apps, no nothing.  Is Beth sad?  Beth is very, very sad.  In fact Beth just got sadder paging through her blog looking at all the fun memories realizing pictures are gone forever.

All day, in between pouting, I would randomly yell "What am I supposed to learn from this?!??!?!!?!!!"  And I came up with the following things:
1. Quit spending so much ding dang darn time on your phone, Beth Ann.  My contacts, pictures, applications being gone really, really shouldn't be as big of a deal to me as it is.  It's just a phone, Beth.  Just a phone.  I somehow have become that person who can't checkout at Michael's without having to use her phone to pull up a coupon, or who drives away from work watching the hundreds of people pour out of Coors Field and need to look on her phone to see if the Rockies won or not vs. look on the tv before you leave/simply ask somebody who was JUST at the game.  { Both of these examples happened within the last 24 hours, mind you. }  I need to detach something fierce.
2. Backup your files, backup your files, backup your files.  This one needs no explanation.
3. Use your digital camera more, Beth! { I talk a lot in 3rd person when I'm worked up over something, apparently. } And not just take photos....upload them to iPhoto, your blog, Facebook and even...gasp print them out!  I've gotten into the worst habit of just snapping pictures on the fly and leaving it at that.
4. When you take pictures with a purpose, follow through.  I can't even begin to count how many photos I had on my phone that I took with the intention of writing up a fun/silly blog post about.  Even my road trip to North Dakota never got documented in it's entirety.  Thankfully I DID use my digital camera on this trip, so I can still have some photos saved.
 
I keep saying "If this is the worst thing that happens to me all weekend, I'll totally take it."  And I really do mean that, because remember....it's just a phone, Beth.  It's just a phone.  { I guess I repeat myself a lot when I'm worked up over something, too. }