Arizona Cont....

This is the front of house #2 (my favorite). The one on the left that is the craftsman style home. This doesnt co-inside (sp?) with the layout of the inside as the door will be on the right side. I am in love with this house. LMK what you think!


This is right when you walk in the front door. I would put a table right where that inlet is where the stairs are as a place to put your keys and stuff when you come home. To the left would be where the living room is and you can see the indentation where there is a place for the entertainment center. The living room has a lot of windows which I love, its a small room, but cozy :o)


This is if you keep walking, and this would be the dining room. To the left is a sliding glass door. I like how the kitchen is open to the dining room so its not like its own space. There is no island here :o( but I still love it

Here is the kitchen. I wouldnt choose these colors or floor, but it gives you an idea of the layout

This is taken from standing inside the kitchen looking out. I love the archways in the house. That white door to the left is the pantry

I love those two pillars to the right and left and how they have an inlet for something like a picture or some wall decor, I would light them up with a candle or something too, I just love the way they look.

This is walking up the stairs (duh), there is no loft :o( but there is this inlet in the wall if you keep walking straight right here where you could put a small desk if you wanted to.

This is in the master, again I love the arches.

another view of the master, no balcony :o(

This is a view from the top of the stairs, I like how there are windows in the stairwell and that little shelf where I can put something as well.

Pros: I love the outside of the house, I think its much nicer than the one Michael has picked out, I love the feel of the house when you first walk in, I love that its CHEAPER so we have more room for upgrades to work into our loan, I like that its small but still roomy which means less money on furnishing, I like the seperation of the living room and dining room, I like that the master bathroom has the closet attached

Cons: Its smaller, its only 3 bedroom with no loft, the master bedroom, bathroom, and closet is smaller than the other one, the yard is smaller.

What do ya'll think??

Arizona...

Michael and I got back late Monday night from a much needed trip away to Arizona. We spent the weekend looking at houses for the most part....and we came down to 2 that we really love...I will upload the pictures of each...let me know what you think!!

These are house #1 (Michaels favorite). This is the larger of the 2 homes that we are deciding between.

Photo #1- exterior- this is the best of the 3 exterior choices that you have on this model (I am not very fond of it to be honest)

Photo #2- view from walking in the front door (love the floor they chose in this model, its this really neat black hardwood flooring, I love it!). I dislike how your dining room table would have to go under that hanging lamp, I dont like the idea of walking in and seeing your dining room.

Photo #3- A little to the left of where the dining room table would go, I like the french like doors that look outside, but I am still not sold on the layout of the downstairs of this home

Photo #4- this was taken as if my back was to those french doors in the previous picture. I like the living room area, it feels cozy, but it just feels too "connected" to the dining room.

Photo #5- the kitchen. I LOVE this kitchen...love the island, love that there is a huge pantry, just love everything about it, but its kinda in its own place, and I feel like I would be like in a corner in here cooking. I do love the space of it and the island though.

Photo #6- This is up the stairs which brings you into the loft..its a pretty big room, and if we ever wanted we could convert it into a 4th bedroom. Michael said we could use it as a second living room type area/office/scrap space but I am not sure if I love the idea of that...I know me and I know my scrap area is usually a mess and I wouldnt want that for company to see.

Photo #7- The bedrooms that are down the hall if you go right coming up the stairs. There is also a laundry room there, a bathroom, and a linen closet.

Photo #8- The master bathroom, it has a double sink, a tub, a shower, and a little seperate room with the toilet.

Photo #9- The master bedroom. I love that there is a balcony, I think its so super cute, I dont like that the closet is seperate from the bathroom, it would be off to the left from where I stood taking this picture. Its a big walk-in closet, I just dont like where it is.

Pro's to house #1: it is the larger of the 2, it has a loft that is an optional 4th bedroom, the kitchen has an island and a much larger pantry, the master bedroom is huge and the bathroom is really big.

Cons: it is more expensive, I dislike the look of the outside of the home, it reminds me of being in like George Washington times or something, I dont like the feel when you first walk into the home of the dining area being right there, because its a bigger house and because of the loft we would have to spend more money on furnishing the home AND it will cost more to put in the upgrades like hard wood floors, paint, etc.

Dont you hate it...

When your making something in the toaster, and its so small that you cant get it out, no matter how hard you try? Ugh. I made an english muffin this morning and couldnt get the thing out. By the time I did, there were sparks in the toaster from shoving a knife in there, and the muffin was botched. lol.

Something odd I came across last night. A while ago Michael had drank some Tequilla when we made Margaritas one night, and about 20 seconds after he had taken one drink, he broke out in like hives all over his face and neck! It was horrible. So I thought maybe it was just the mix or something. So last night, he makes this really nice romantic cute dinner and buys a bottle of white wine to go with it. He drinks about half a glass, and I look over and the same thing happened!! I think he is allergic to alcohol! How sad is that?!

I think I broke my back. Well not really, obviously I wouldnt be up and typing this if i did, but its really messed up. Yesterday I woke up and couldnt even stand up straight, it was like a million pounds of pressure on my lower back! So of course, I worked all day yesterday carrying around a huge 17 month old baby, and have to do it again today. It feels better today, but I think its from tripling up on motrin. I cant think of what it could be from, possibly from when I fell down the stairs a few months ago, maybe just flaring up again...I dont know but its terrible :o(

Hope everyone has awesome plans for the weekend, I am studying for my final, woo hoo!!

Poor neglected blog

So I noticed the other day that I dont update this as much as I should, I swear I have good reason!! things have just been kinda crazy with school and working! Lets see whats new in the life of Alex (and no I am not full of myself, if your reading my blog then I am assuming you want to know)

-Finished up this part of clinicals this semester, I made it through with no UPA's (write ups), thanks god!! We lost 5 students from the program in like 3 weeks time, it was crazy! Now we are moving on to Psychiatric nursing and home health, I hear its pretty interesting to say the least. I'm excited about it, it will be nice to have a break from the regular ole bed baths and bed making!

-Wedding planning...nothing really new here. I have decided to have my dress custom made, nothing that I have found is exactly what I am looking for, so a good friend from school knows someone that makes custom wedding dresses, so I am excited about that! We havent put the downpayment on the place yet, my mother is a procrastinator so it doesnt suprise me!

-We are going to Arizona the weekend of St. Pattys Day to look at houses, we fly in on Thursday morning early and leave late Monday night. We are planning on getting together with a couple realtors to just look at houses the entire time, and I have to sneak in some time with Erin and Shanna too of course :o)

-Living with my parents is starting to wear on Michael and I. We are SO grateful to be able to have this opportunity to save money, we really are, but it just wears on certain parts of a relationship if you know what I mean...we know its for the best, and its only a short time, but its just hard, especially on top of nursing school.

-Sent in my taxes this week, I am praying for a return!!! I didnt make all that much, but I am still praying for one! even just 50 bucks, SOMETHING!!

-Studying today for an exam I have tomorrow...I think I have gotten to the point in school where I am just burned out! I just have no real motivation to study or to do much of anything really...I am just OVER it and so looking forward to the summer!

-Missing my sister like crazy lately...our lives are just so different than they used to be...we used to spend every day together, shopping, going out to eat, having fun, etc etc...since she has moved away we never have time with just US anymore, and I so miss that. I am so proud of her though, she will be finishing up her degree before me, and shes only 19! AND she moved away from home, I am still here! I think our relationship has matured a lot in the sense that we have become much closer since she hasnt been here, which is nice. I am hoping that she wants to move with me to Arizona at the end of the year!!

-Wow, I cant believe its going to be the end of THIS year that I will be in Arizona...that is just so crazy to me. After 24 years of the life I have here in Cali, all of it will be changing. I know it will be for the best, there is just SO much about Cali that I will miss...the weather, my family, my friends, my dogs, being FAMILIAR with the area, etc etc...its a weird transition, but a good one. Michael and I are planning on starting a family soon after our wedding, I am going to be working come this time next year doing what I have dreamed about for so long (being an RN), we will OWN a home!, and we will be able to have the life that we want but just cant have in California. We wont be alone in Arizona either, thats the awesome thing. Michaels parents are there, he has an aunt and uncle and cousin there, and another uncle and aunt and 2 cousins, and then there is Erin and Kyle, and Shanna (until she moves), and Michaels sister and her boyfriend...so its not like we are just up and moving where we dont know anyone, I dont think I could handle that, but this I think I can handle...it will just be an adjustment!

-I applied for a new job that I am excited about in the ER, hopefully I will hear this week, I cant wait. I need some extra money to save for the wedding and to pay off my credit card that just keeps going up and up and up...I am applying for several scholarships too that I am hoping I get for that very reason!

well, enough rambling from me, that was a long update!!