Ivy Studio Photography ROCKS! {AZ Photographer}

February 8, 2012 By 1 Comment
004_Aubut_FAM (Large)

Shelly and Brandon Ivy are amazing local photographers in Arizona at Ivy Studios who do amazing work! Now- I will admit- I HATE having my picture taken. We have only done 2 photo shoots for our family in 5 years. I dont like posing, fake smiles, and am just 100% uncomfortable in front of a camera. But- at my husbands insistance that we needed family pictures, I booked the session. We went super casual and decided to meet up at DC Marketplace in Scottsdale. Just to make me more nervous and on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Family Tagged With: ,

Circus Vargas is Coming to Tempe! {AZ Local Entertainment}

January 27, 2012 By 1 Comment
circus vargas

About Circus Vargas:  Circus Vargas, America's Favorite Big Top Circus, is bringing its blue and gold tent back to Arizona for the first time in many years with a limited two city engagement.  Come see the all-new animal free show features death-defying feats, aerial artistry, hilarious clown antics and much more!  Opening January 26 - February 6 in Tempe at the Arizona Mills and then in Phoenix at the Metrocenter Mall starting on February 9- 13.  Arrive 20 minutes early for the interactive … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, AZ Events, Coupons, Family, Kids Tagged With: , ,

The Renaissance Festival is Coming To Arizona! (Kids Get In FREE with Link Below!)

January 25, 2012 By 1 Comment
renaissance festival

 The Renaissance Festival will be coming to Arizona from February 11-April 1, 2012! Click HERE to find out how to get kids tickets FREE!        The Arizona Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park, a 12-stage theater, a 30-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast -- all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure! This will be the first year we are taking the kids and I am so excited to see how much they love it! I remember going when … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Family

Zoppe Italian Family Circus- My Favorite !

January 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment
zoppe circus

Zoppe Italian Family Circus hit our town again this year- and just like last year, I loved it. It is now my favorite for so many reasons. We have taken the kids to a few large scale well-known circus, and we had fun, were entertained and would go back, but Zoppe holds a special palce  for all of us now. It is not the flashiest, biggest, most technical, or hyped- but what makes it special is the small intimate atmospehere that the whole crowd can be involved in. To start- the whole "family" … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Family, Review

My Hubby Plans the BEST Date Days!

December 29, 2011 By 3 Comments
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Today was date day. Andre dropped off the kids at my Moms house for the day and we were off!  Did I mention my husband plans the best date days ever? Our first stop was  Biltmore Fashion Park in Scottsdale for me to get my makeup done @ the M.A.C. Store and use the gift card he got me for Christmas. I got there early so I could browse around and figure out what I wanted to buy. I was like a kid in a candy store. No Joke- Seriously giddy!  Can I just tell you how fun it was to get my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Beauty, Fashion, Personal Tagged With:

Boys Will Be Boys

December 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was so much fun this year! My little brother moved to San Diego this year and we have missed him like crazy. (I am just a little jealous - as the kid is living 1 block from the ocean and goes surfing all the time!) Anyway- I knew my parents were dying to get him home for Thanksgiving and I promised him a ticket home if he wold keep it a secret. So - I sent the ticket, he flew home and surprised my parents and other brother - it was a great day! All the boys together (my hubby … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Ayla, Brody, Holidays

Arizona Monsoon Madness

July 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I apologize up front for all the pool pictures we posted back in April and May when our friends and family in places like Minnesota were still buried in snow. Apparently - this is our payback. Monsoons! We were all sitting inside watching a movie tonight about 7pm. In AZ -that is still the middle of the day and super bright out!  I happened to look outside and say "Why is the sky so weird?" The sun was out- and casting a weird colored shadow over the massive dust … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Random

Fathers Day @ the Ballgame

June 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Started off the morning bringing Daddy breakfast in bed. And yes- the kids insisted his donuts needed cherries in the holes! :) Then off to meet the rest of the family at the Diamond Backs Game! There was a table set up to let kids decorate posters  Then we headed up to the Kids Club level so Brody could get in some batting practice Met these characters. I never could get both kids to pose with him. They were terrified!  Lots and Lots of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Ayla, Brody, Family, Random

Sea Life – NEW Guided Tours

June 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

My family is obsessed with Sea Life Aquarium!  Probably me more than anyone since I am just fascinated with anything marine life- but the kids get a kick out of it too!  So I was so excited when I heard that they are now doing guided tours!  We joined the guided tour as they took us through each tank and explained what was in each- and some fun silly facts about each creature. For instance- they explained how the sharks can be in the same tank as so many other fish that you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Ayla, Brody, Family, Kids, Review

Wanna See Something Scary?

May 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Have I ever mentioned the first fix and flip hubby and I did a few years back? No? That is probably because it was the biggest headache of our lives and we barely got out of it alive. Lets just say the market seemed to tank overnight the second we bought the condo. So lets just get to the fun part. The condo we bought was built in the  70's and was in a great location, had a great layout, just needed a major updating face lift. Kitchens are typically the part of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arizona, Home Decor, Personal, Real Estate