All the Small Things

What I've learned in my almost 22 years of age, and in my single serving young adult lifestyle, is that happiness can really be found in the little things. For instance, my brother,Reid, and I used to fight all the time. We never got along when we were younger, probably cause we're only 18 months apart in age, so we were just too close for comfort. However when I was a senior in high school and Reid was a freshman in college he moved out, and by some miracle, we actually missed each other. We have since become very close and get along splendidly! The key to a happy sibling-hood, is to stay away from each other for extended periods of time.
When first I came to Tucson is had been a good while since Reid had been back home, and I was very anxious from moving, and stressed, and sad, but Reid was always there for me. Sure it kind of took a kick in the pants from our dad for Reid to see how much I needed some help, and a familiar face. Hence forth Sibling Day was born. Every Sunday Reid and I hang out. The deal is, I drive us around and he buys us lunch. We don't really do much, Target runs, movie seeing, but we have such a good time together that we can just do whatever and it's always so much fun. As my work schedule is ever changing, we switch up when we hang out, but since Reid is only a full time student, it's easy for us to move the day around.
Today was a particularly awesome Sibling Day.
I'm taking summer courses at the community college in town, so Monday through Thursday I have class from 9-12, and that just so happens to be lunch time,so this is a perfect opportunity for sibling hangs. Anyways, I've noticed on my drives back from the West Side of Tucson that there is some pretty rad street art, and graffiti in the downtown area. It just so happened that today I was really liking my outfit, so Reid and I had a little photo shoot.

A skip, a hop, and a trip to Target later, we were both SUPER hungry, so we went to Beyond Bread. I don't know if they have these other places in the continental U.S. but it's seriously SO good. As I would hope you would deduce, they have sandwiches and salads, things like that. We both got veggie sandwiches, and they were huge, so YAY for leftovers!
After our bellies full of delicious carbs, we didn't really know what to do with ourselves. It's been in the upper 90's to lower 100's down here so anything outside was kind of out of question. I have been on a record buying kick lately, so Reid looked up a record exchange we could go to. Let me tell you, this record store, Zia Records, was soo cool. Not only did they have new and use vinyl, but all these funny little nick-nacks such as doughnut shaped pool floaties, and rap trading cards. That's right, RAP TRADING CARDS.

 So obviously at 50 cents a pack, we bought some. They also had these really cool thing called "grab bags," which was a little bundle with 10 discs in it. Each one had a mixture of CD's, Games, and Movies, and they were only $1.99, so yes, again, obviously we bought one.

This is what was in mine:
1. a CD called LICK...haven't listened yet, but you know, I could be into that.
2. Paul Woodcock Band- Fat White Weirdo in a Cadillac (if anything I like it just for the name)
3.The Mysteries of Life
4. John Mellencamp- Dance Naked
5. Public Enemy
6. The Andes Fire (think inspirational flute)
7. God's Property (most likely will never listen to this one)
8. The Secret Window, nothing like Johnny Depp with adult braces to keep you up at night...
9. Winter's Bone, I've never see this movie but it's got J. Law in it, so I'm sure it's great
10. Falling Down (not pictured), the suspenseful movie about how being stuck in traffic will lead you to              obtain a rocket launcher...
I let Reid keep that last one since he had seen it before and really liked in, and in return I got his DVD of Fantastic Mr. Fox, from the blu-ray combo pack he had previously bought. So we watched Falling Down, and then we were depressed so we went and got cake. After that I went back home, but it was a seriously great day with my big brother. I'm glad I have him down here, and now we shall own all the rap trading cards in the land!

Home

     Over this past week I was able to spend a couple days back in my adolescent hometown of Prescott. This was the first time I had really been back since December and the holiday season. It seemed like a good time just to say hello to the 'rents, and catch up with old friends, since evidently I actually do have "old friends," now.
     What I have most to say about this trip is, that fresh air is seriously underrated. I'm not kidding. When my brother and I got into the city limits, and rolled our windows down, we didn't really know what to do. Our noses were on hyper-drive. Where was the smell of sewage in the air? How come the town didn't have that musky homeless smell that we've become so accustomed to? Oh yeah, cause our little town is not in fact Tucson. So all you spoiled clean air breathers, stop talking that gift for granted!
      Another lesson learned, is that I am now a baby when it comes to the thermostat. Seriously. It was probably around 68 degrees the entire time we were there, and I was freezing. FREEZING. I had to wear a sweater or jacket no matter what, queue relentless parental mocking. So really what I have to thank Tucson for is thinning my blood, and destroying my nasal cavities, but you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my life down in the dirty T, and I wouldn't go back if I could. This little hometown girl has turned into a full blown desert rat, and loving every minute of it!

Anyways, I took some silly pictures, mainly of my dogs, but check them out anyways cause seriously, my dogs a freaking adorable.

According to my dad this is the "welcome bunny"

The house I grew up in 

Charlie and Tooty 

My little Char-boo

Teasing the dogs, like the fart he is.

My artsy way of telling my parents to dust

Springtime in the Desert

     Ah Spring! The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and the sun is scorching. Seriously Tucson is hot, and this is only the beginning, not really sure what I got myself into with this. In any case the subtle breeze passes over the desert blossoms ever so nicely, see above photo. Thus far I really enjoy it here. With the Spring semester coming to a close, I will hopefully have more time to blog, yeah right, I'm taking summer classes...But in any case, I should be able to draw upon more inspiration.
   

     In Tucson, I've found a new sense of who I am, and where I want to go with my life, and right now I want pink hair, so I did it. Sure the old farts sitting inside Starbucks give me weird looks, but everyone else seems to appreciate it, myself included. While I think once it washes out this time I'll leave it blond it was a good two weeks of having cotton candy hair. I welcomed Spring with my locks this year.

Sterling cuff and ring both from Buffalo Exchange

Mock- Birks from Target and All American Lucky Brand Jeans 

I've become obsessed with muscle tee's. I own 6 as of right now!

   

  Along with the courage to dye my hair, has come the courage to dress in the ways that I always wanted to. Not to say that back home I was style-repressed, it's just that down here in the desert I'm not pressured to dress in the way people think I should, and I don't have to worry about people thinking I dress weird. In Tucson, weird is rad. I also enjoy that you can find turquoise, and other semi-precious stones down here, I love me some sterling. In more terms of discovery, I have discovered that I have no idea how to use a tri-pod, it's pictured in the background of my mirror selfie, but hey it's a good way to show my outfit and my Nikon! (Seriously, I LOVE this camera, everyone buy one with your next tax return). 

   All in all I'm happy, deep down and truthfully happy with my life at the moment, and the beautiful weather just adds to my mood!