Second try

I was ambitious this weekend...also, Micheal's was having a sale on polymer clays, so I decided to try a full body figurine.

This won't be the final because there are a few things wrong, first off --it doesn't look like Alan, as much as I wanted it to. Also, there are some flaws, like lumps I couldn't fix (due to wire framing being too thick), the eyes are wall-eyed and there is a crack on the back of one leg because I fiddled with it too soon after baking. Anyways, the more I work with and get used to the materials the easier it's getting.

Who knows....maybe once I can master the techniques I can make some money on the side doing commissions. =) The process was about 8 hours.




PS. The hands are positioned like that because one hand is going to be holding a cat and the other will be positioned to hold the hand of another figure.

New job and Alan's head in a vase

I don't know why the date shows May 29th...its really June 10..

Yup. It's the second week on the new job. I get paid on Friday and Alan will no longer have to be my "sugar-daddy"...well, unless he wants to.

Working at another software company, this time in Scottsdale. Thank goodness my friend, Sonia, works near by making it possible to carpool. The company is WAY laid back and I work with good people. Perks are great. Free lunch, gas money, flexible schedule. They're a small company. Only about 6 people in the office and 4 sales people that telecommute...boss just wants to keep people happy.

Oh yeah..I'm a software analyst.

************

So anyways, I'm working on a new project. Decided to pick up the clay and start sculpting figurines. Basically I ran into a website that does custom wedding toppers and I thought, "Wow, that's cool...I wonder if I could do that?" So I went out and bought some sculpey clay and attempted to capture Alan. Below is the very first attempt. Keep in mind, I haven't done this before.


Anyways, its not THAT bad...plus I found instructions on proper technique through the website I was inspired by. I also got proper tools...so we'll see how version 2 goes this weekend.

Baby instructions

I couldn't help but laugh! Hope you enjoy!

Okay...moving forward again.

Well, everything has changed.

Our plan is to get married in a small ceremony early Saturday morning (9/6/2008) and take off in a hot air balloon immediately after the "I do" for a sunrise flight. There will be no formal invitations for the ceremony (there will be for the reception) and we'll leave it up to family whether or not they want to run around the desert at 5am to attend the ceremony. Infact we don't even know WHERE in the desert we will be married that day because it depends on the wind. The pilot will let us know that morning. We consider that part of the adventure. =) We understand if siblings won't be able to attend because of the inconvenience of the situation, and that's totally okay. We won't even have time to wait for late arrivals. The main celebration is the reception and we hope everyone will attend.

I figure we can have the few family that does come take pictures and video, then have someone throw together a quick video montage to play at the reception (recapping the wedding ceremony) just before the grand entrance.

Anyways, below is the time line I have in my head, nothing SOLID yet...and believe me, I don't think I will be able to sleep the night before.


4am- Drive to Balloon launch site
5:15am- Start wedding ceremony
5:45am- Take off in balloon. Just before sunrise.
7:30am- Land with parents greeting us.
8:30am- Bride and groom have breakfast with parents.
10am-4pm- NAP TIME
4:30pm- Get ready for reception.
5:30pm- hor d'oeuvres and cocktail hour starts
6:15pm- Grand Entrance
6:30pm-8pm- Dinner buffet served
8pm-10pm- Dancing and fun!
10pm- Bride and groom exit

As far as the bridal party goes, I have explained to my friends that they are honorary bridesmaids and will be introduced and treated as such, however the role in the actual ceremony is optional. Same with the groomsmen and flower girl.

I asked Denise (a long time friend of mine) to preform my ceremony. She's going to get ordained online. Yes, we did our homework and it's totally legal.

Dresses: I planned on wearing 2 that day...maybe. It really depends on my body image issue. A practical wedding dress for the AM ceremony and a nicer, formal one for the fancy reception. I've already purchased the morning wedding dress. It looks like the picture below. I just love it.

Give-aways: So I was planning on marbles for our wedding give away. At first I was thinking, like those tins you can find at Micheal's. But after searching the net I found these bags you can buy for cheap and use an Iron on Transfer. Thanks to Photoshop we can see what the bags will look like. The front will say, "The Marbles--Play for keeps." and the back will have our name and wedding date.

My friend reminded me of the choking hazard, so we'll only pass these out, one to each family.



So there's the update.


In other news, I'm STILL job searching....sigh.

Wedding Plans

We've run into a few "snags" so wedding plans have been put on hold until further notice.

Sorry.

Maricopa dreaming?

Perhaps "Maricopa Dreamin" doesn't have quite the same lyrical endurance as the seminal Mama's and Papa's hit, nor does it evoke quite the same imagery of surf and sand and carefree lifestyle, but it does at least roll off the tongue fairly well, and in this day and age does hold some real promise.

With a couple of weeks of the new job under my belt and a better picture of how finances are going to shape up (on hold, slightly, due to Dawn's circumstances but that's another tale) I have been doing a lot more long-term planning for what will come in the months and years immediately following the wedding. We would both, of course, love to own a home in the near future. A couple of years ago I'd have been more worried, what with the housing prices going through the roof, but since the downturn things have looked a little more promising (at least for us - it is too bad that our own fortune in that sense comes at the expense of those who have fallen victim to the dismal housing market).

Working in the East Valley means looking in the East Valley, which has opened up the somewhat unique prospect of looking out in Maricopa. I'd not have considered it before - it is a bit isolated - but Dawn pointed out that the driving distance is virtually equal to the commute I have now. So I decided to take a peek. Boy was I surprised at what I found.

New homes down there were going for $100,000 less than identical floorplans in places like Gilbert, Chandler, Peoria or even Goodyear. That's huge - based on the down I hope to have in a couple of years and likely financing terms, it's a difference in almost $700 a month. To me, $700 a month is well worth an extra 20 minutes of driving. I was also surprised to find that, in some communities, the prices out there for new homes have fallen some 50% since the peak in 2006. Good news for people looking to buy now, but devastating for folks who bought back then. How would you like to know that folks are buying for $125,000 what you paid $250,000 just two years earlier?

I don't like most of the floorplans I've seen, to be honest - but there are some. Dawn and I looked at a few and there was some that we liked. One that we both rather liked is this model at 1,950 square feet, starting at under $130,000. That's pretty impressive. I took a peek at some of the pictures of the model and found that I liked what I saw. I would almost be tempted to drive down there to check out the model and the neighborhood, except that I know it'd only make me more impatient and wish that I were ready to buy today. Unfortunately, it'll take a couple of years for us to save up a decent amount for a down payment, as well as get the credit situation a little better. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things don't go back up before then.

On one last curious note, I realized that I recognized this floorplan - that community is one of them that was selling and we were building back when I worked for YBC, and I processed some starts out there. I was a little surprised to see that the community hadn't sold out in the intervening timespan. It kind of makes sense, though, as the housing crunch has slammed the builders just as badly as the homeowners.

(crossposted to http://banalrealm.blogspot.com/)

The older I get...

The more I don't look forward to the birthday!
No more..."Woo Hoo! Im gonna go out and party!" I just don't feel up to it. I'm having a self -esteem issue. Everything I want...I just feel like I don't deserve. I have a bad habit of talking myself out of things I want. Like, I found these pants I wanted, but I was all like..."Well, I don't NEED pants and we're trying to save money and I want to lose weight--so I should just buy pants later..." The thing is that Im FINE with money and they were only like $15, and I really DO need pants and I haven't been gung ho about weight loss, so they would fit for quite some time. Im also to the point where I wont get things unless Alan (or who ever im with) gets something too... Like when I was SO in the mood for Starbucks...Alan's not big on coffee so I said, nevermind.
I think that my fear is that if I allow myself to get the things that I want, I might not have self control and go overboard. The SAD part is that I DO allow myself to be over indulgent when it comes to food and we go out to eat ALOT more often than we should. Maybe I SHOULD give in to my shopping inpulses and BUY clothes and home decor...and spend less on going out to eat. At least I will have something to show for the $15 like a throw pillow or sandals, instead of eating and poo-ing my investment.

Marble Family Genealogy Project

Alan has been doing a ton of Genealogy research lately, I have finally convinced him to start documenting his findings. However we are still trying to come up with a good solution to how to do it where we can share it with everyone and without everyone having to sign up for an online service somewhere. We'll keep you posted.

The final groomsman is.....

Abe Penberthy.

Auron, Fat Cat and Pork Chop

I'm talking cats because...well, they've been keeping me company the last few days of being at home.

Auron is my "fur baby," so to speak. I've had him since he was a kitten...and now he's 7! He's basically moved EVERY where with me. He's kinda become a crotchety, old man-cat, but that's okay...he's still there when I need him.



Fat Cat is HUGE. A whopping 22lbs! Despite putting him on a "diet"...he's still gained weight. I feel bad because the poor thing is having a hard time cleaning himself.

Alan's quite distraught. We're going to try one more "diet" that's high on proteins...Basically Low-Carb for cats. If that doesn't work, he's going to the vet.

Pork Chop is a happy cat! Not the brightest crayon in the box, but we still love him. Alan and I adopted him together on Jan. 9th....We called him Pork Chop because, well, I saw another cat named "Pork chop" online that I wanted, but when we got there he was gone. So instead, we got our "Pork Chop" and the name seemed to fit. It was a silly name for a silly cat.

Fat Cat loves his new brother!

Fired...

The good news is that Alan has his second interview today! I am REALLY crossing my fingers that he gets the job....

The bad news is ....Well, I got canned today.

Reason: I don't fit the "company dynamic". It's not that I was doing a bad job... but they kept giving me so many different titles, I didn't even know what I was doing anymore! NEways, anyone that's talked to me lately know's I've been frustrated...so they decided to "put me out of my misery." so to speak.No hard feelings though. They were kind enough to offer a severance package and be "good" references for my job hunt.Speaking of job hunt--anyone have any leads for me.

You can view my resume online at www.geocities.com/DawnAnderson85021.

More wedding stuff....

Here's an update on our wedding plans so far.

When: September 6, 2008

Ceremony: Sahuaro Ranch Park, Glendale, AZ
5:00 or 5:30pm depending on the weather.

Reception: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Phoenix, AZ
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres starts at 6:00pm. Dinner at 7pm.


Wedding Party

Bridesmaids
Reylyn Cabrera -Friend
Denise Calhoun - Friend
Sonia Molina - Friend

Groomsmen
Waylon Marble - Brother
Jeremy Hoffman - Brother in law
3rd is unconfirmed. -(hint - Brother in law)

Master of Ceremonies
Dennis Wheeler - Brother in Law (unconfirmed)

Ring Bearer
Jaymar Radoc - Bride's cousin

Flower Girl
Jane Wheeler - Groom's niece

Other events:
Rehearsal Dinner
Farewell Brunch

Dream Honeymoon:
2 week cruise in the Mediterenean with stops in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Eygpt, Malta and Spain.


Anyways--Here's the wedding website

"Great" Bridal Expo

The "Great" Bridal expo was this past Saturday. Even though the event was kinda disappointing, I still had a blast hanging out with Sonia, Kristy and future-mom-in-law.

The expo was mainly booths advertising timeshares, photographers, and places to have bridal registries, like Bed, Bath and Beyond. There were few gown places, though I did find one I would like to check out. I was also looking for cakes and wedding officiants, but without any luck.

The "fashion show" was a bit of a joke since many of the dresses didn't fit the models very well, some were also damaged or dirty. I think the best thing about the show was Kristy's commentary! LOL.

NEways, There will be a few other shows later this year, one April 27, and one June 8 that I will want to check out.

Random list of stuff...yeah...

Getting to know us...(totally stole this from Donna P.)

Basics
1. Who is your man? Alan Marble
2. How long have you been together? September 6, 2006
3. Dating/Engaged/Married? Engaged since Oct. 14th and getting married on our 2 year anniversary.
4. How old is your man? The big 3-0

You or your man?
1. Who eats more? I donno--probably eat about the same, but I have stronger cravings.
2. Who said "I love you" first? Me...I was so nervous that I scared him away! Took him over a week to say it back.
3. Who weighs more? Unfortunately I do at the moment...=( But I like to think I carry it well.
4. Who sings better? I donno.
5. Who's Older? Alan.
6. Who's smarter? I like to think I give him a run for his money. Sure I have my degree, but he thinks on a different level than I do. He's definitely more analytical.
7. Who's temper is worse? I'm more likely to fly off the handle than he is.
8. Who does the laundry? Both of us.
9. Who does the dishes? Both...sometimes, I'll wash and he'll dry.
10. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does because it's closest to the door.
11. Who's feet are bigger? His.
12. Who's hair is longer? Mine...though apparently he's had hair longer than mine at one point.
13. Who's better with the computer? Depends on the application....but I would definitely call him to fix my computer.
14. Who mows the lawn? The Landlord
15. Who pays the bills? We pay our own.
16. Who cooks dinner? We both do...or go out to eat.
17. Who drives when you are together? Depends if he's wearing his contacts or not. =P
18. Who pays when you go out to dinner? We take turns.
19. Who's the most stubborn? We're both pretty stubborn, but at the same time, we know each other's weaknesses.
20. Who is the first one to admit when they're wrong? Who ever was wrong.
21. Who's parents do you see more? Gee...I wonder... My parents live 1800 miles away.
22. Who named your dog? We have 3 cats. Mine, his and ours. Mine is Auron, his is Meech (aka Fat Cat) and ours is named PORK CHOP.
23. Who kissed who first? LOL...I totally called him out on it...I said, "we're you trying to kiss me?" after a wierd and awkward hug good bye after the first date. He said, sheepishly, "yeah" so I kissed him.
24. Who asked who out? We met at the book store (he approached me) and after an hour of talking I asked him to dinner.
25. What did you do? Had a burger at Chili's then went to Best Buy.
26. Who's more sensitive? We're both pretty whiney!
27. Who's taller? Alan.
28. Who has more friends? What kind of friends? He has a rather large online circle...and I just have a few close ones scattered around the country.
29. Who has more siblings? He does.
30. Who wears the pants in the relationship? We both wear pants....what can I say... sometimes Im too lazy to shave my legs....and he's not Scottish.

I guess, "technically".....

Im not a Marble YET...so a more appropriate phrase would be "mixed up with Marbles". NEways, I'm jumping on the blog band wagon. This would be my 3rd...I don't know how many Alan has, but he has at least one other. Im going to force him to contribute.

Heh...well, I guess I will fill in the rest later!