If You Ever Plan to Motor West

Today was our long driving day....and it started early. We were on the road by 8. I was fortunate enough to sleep for an hour while Kasey drove, and then it was my turn to drive. I felt the need to get coffee, so we stopped at a Gas Station Burger King in hopes that they had a mocha. They did. It was more like melted chocolate ice-cream. It was a lot better with water added. At least I got my caffeine! (Pay no attention to my nasty hair...I wasn't about to take a shower at seven to sit in the car all day.)

 We hit New Mexico a few hours into the drive. And then we hit Arizona. Believe me...they may be different states, but they sure looked the same from I-40.  The mountains have their own sense of rustic beauty - they just all look the same when you are cruising at 75 miles an hour.

Once again, we picnicked for lunch, and then drove more. About an hour outside of Flagstaff, AZ (our destination) we saw signs for the Meteor Crater. Unfortunately, we it was out of our budget to actually see the Crater, but we saw the awesome sign...and some super cute cows along the six mile drive there. :)

Keeley goes to college in Prescott and was very excited that we would be staying in Flagstaff (which is only an hour and a half away.) She drove up to see Kasey and I. We went to dinner at Beaver Street Brewery. It has been a staple in Flagstaff since 1938! They had a wonderful selection of  pizzas and sandwiches. And as you will see...I finally showered. Praise. 

Keeley then came back to our hotel with us and we played a rousing game of Catan (the travelling version) in which Keeley won. It was a tight game though - Kasey held her own!

Yes. And that was day two! Tomorrow, we hit California.

Love,
Miranda

On the Road Again

Suprise again! This time I'm in Texas, driving with Kasey back to Washington. 

Yesterday, I flew in to Dallas. Kasey and our good friend Dani met me at the airport, and then took me to Sprinkles (as seen on Cupcake Wars!). We then drove back to Waxahachie (home of SAGU, where Kasey goes) and then we went to a cute little local restaurant called The Doves Nest. Both were so tasty! I then helped her load up her car...in the heat. Woof.

We then spent the rest of the night relaxing at the hotel. Swimming, shopping for food, and movie watching summed up our evening.

Today was a short driving day. This morning, we stopped at the Fort Worth Water Gardens, antiqued in Decatur, picnicked at a rest stop, and then celebrated my birthday (yes, today I am 23!) at Cracker Barrel. Lovely. 

Tommorow is a long driving day...ten hours. Wish us good driving!

Love,

Mirannda

 

Fake Mother's Day

Today, after church, we celebrated Mother's Day since we were all together here. We went to the Zoo and ate inside of an aquarium. It was SO HOT...but very fun and nice to celebrate. :)

All of us who were there: Peter and Dawn (my Mother and Father in Law), Alexander (Ian's Brother), Kali and Britney (our ADORABLE neice and her Mother), Keeley and Bryn (her boy toy), and us.

I hope you had a wonderful day too, and Happy Fake Mother's Day!

Love,
Miranda

Travel Time

Surprise!!!! I'm in Arizona!

Ian's family lives here, so we came down to visit for a while. It is gorgeous, and hot, and we are having a wonderful time. We've been spending a lot of much needed time with family, and especially our niece Kali. What a doll face! Today, Keeley and I went on a trip into town to get a pedicure and have some girl time. There are some more adventures planned for the next few days too.

Love,
Miranda

Baking Soda, Lemon Juice, and Vinegar - Oh My!

Two weeks later than I said, a skeptical tech week, six amazing performances, a week of re-cooperation and allergies - and I am back! Did you miss me? Ha.

This last week consisted of me in and out of an allergy induced daze, attempting to clean the apartment but never succeeding. This week: Spring Cleaning.

Ian and I have recently done some extensive research of cleaning supplies in an effort to find affordable, natural, non-chemical formulas. My first thought was to go with already made supplies, such as Method, Green Works, etc. Ian was not willing to trust these products. So we researched cleaning products containing Meluca and Tea Tree oil. This option seemed more likely because it was completely plant based and safe enough to consume. But then, the kicker: both of these (which come from the essential oils of the plants) are toxic to cats. There goes that plan.

So...back to the basics. And by the basics, I mean Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Baking Soda, and Water. That's it - completely all natural, no chemicals, and I could eat it (not that I would ever want to drink that concoction). Today, I cleaned out our cleaning supplies and tossed pretty much everything. I outfitted myself with three spray bottles to fill with 1) Water and two tablespoons of Greenworks dish soap, 2) half water and half vinegar, and 3) vinegar and two tablespoons of lemon juice. These are now my 1) de-greaser, 2) all purpose cleaner, and 3) window wash.

There is only one thing that I'm not a fan of: the smell of the vinegar while I'm cleaning. I'm not going to lie - I love good smelling soaps and cleaners. Anything that doesn't smell like cleaner is my best friend. This is not the case with vinegar. In an attempt to alleviate and naturally overpower the scent, I am conducting an experiment. I'm trying to make my own scented oils to add to the cleaner. I picked cat-friendly tea leaves  and am leaving them to steep in oil for almost two weeks. My hope is that by the end of the two weeks, the oil will be a sort of essential oil substitute that I can dilute and add to the cleaner.

And so that begins our adventure into cleaning with human and cat friendly products. If you are interested in more information, here a a few sites that I found helpful:

Cleaning with Vinegar: http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
Cat's and Essencial Oils: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/essential-knowledge-for-cat-ow-58072
A Good List of Toxic Oils for Cats: http://essentialoilworld.com/essentialoilreviews/pet-health/essential-oil-safety-with-cats

Love,
Miranda