WOW, Have I Been Missing For Awhile!

And for good reason!

Between work, and this new relationship, I have been a very, very busy girl.

In between those two time consumers (one is great, the other pays great!), I am also spending time with my personal trainer, spending time at the gym and volunteering 4 hours a week for the library. Oh yeah, and I've been busting my hump with some professional side projects (chat host, article writer, book reviewer) and was just offered another position as an article writer for a national news website....haven't decided if there is room in my life for that yet! Unfortunately the solo hiking has been cut WAY back :(

When he and I hang out, it has ranged from throwing darts at the local bar to hiking with friends, to checking out some new restaurants, to the recently very domesticated night at Home Depot and Target :) Not only did we make dinner TOGETHER last night (and it was mighty delish!), he made breakfast this morning AND packed my lunch for me today....NEVER in my wildest dreams......:D He also recently dumped my computer and set me up with all new software....very awesome!

Meanwhile, we are preparing for a friends wedding in a month in a half in Vegas, a hiking trip to Utah in June (in addition to or in place of Yosemite) and another wedding in November. I'd also still like to fly home at some point (and perhaps introduce him to the fam?!) as well as fly to Portland to see my sisters new hometown. My parents are also coming to visit in May/June and I will hopefully be getting new digs of my own in a month or so. Plus there are conferences I'd still like to get to for work, and small weekend trips and things we'd like to do and see....I'm not sure when we'll get it all done, but we will sure try!

Whew....just writing all the things I need to do (or attempt to do) has exhausted me...perhaps there is room in here for sleep somewhere!?

MapMyHike.com | View Lost Dog Wash Loop in Scottsdale, Arizona

MapMyHike.com | View Lost Dog Wash Loop in Scottsdale, Arizona

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This was the first time I have ever hiked in the McDowell Mountains, and there are TONS of trails, so I'm excited to go again. This loop was fairly easy and flat, not very challenging, but was over 4 miles, so nice moderate in length.

When I first got out of the car to prep for my trip, my waistpack broke :(. This is what carried 2 bottles of water, my cell phone and money, my Ipod, keys, gloves, bandaids, rubberbands, a handkerchief, and 2 granola bars....there was room for much more! The buckle in the front busted, leaving it unusable! Undetered, I hiked anyway, carrying my cell phone (works as my mp3 player too) and a water bottle...I hated this, because I'm used to walking hands-free. So I ordered a new one on ebay for hella cheap...can't wait to use my new one!

These are the pictures from the hike:







Hope you enjoy the views as much as I did! :D

Also, I emailed a handful of organizations the other day about volunteering. I've always wanted to help adults learn to read because I love it so much. I looked into helping a wildlife center pick up injured raptors. I looked into tutoring high school aged kids. But the two that look like they are going to work out the best (and of which I am SO excited!) is to list books on Ebay for a school organization and/or to help the Friends of the Library by scanning in and sorting books for their used book store. I meet with this girl tomorrow morning and am so excited to spend 3 hours a week just handling books...maybe that will ease my addiction a bit! I'll let you know what happens!