Sloppy Sets

Team Sloppy Sets 2011!

Yep! It's officially beach volleyball season again and this year we cut our team down to 6 instead of 8. There were just too many people last year. Even though it was fun, we figured we'd take advatage of the opporunity to make our team more concentrated, therefore initiating teamwork on the court better :) We kept the same fabulous monikor (Sloppy Sets!) and hope to show up in more neon and wayfarers than any other team. We didn't start out the greatest . . . in fact, we played these stupid "older" people who kept saying that this was their first year in the league. They tried to be all cool and young about it, but really they were just annoying. Especially since they pulled the biggest douche move toward the end of our second game (of which they were already ahead), after one of their players accidentally KICKED the ball over the net to land on our court and claimed it was fair and legal. We all pretty much mentally checked out of the third game and ended up losing . . . so we went to go drink our sorrows away among fish tacos and seaside seating. We've been doing MUCH better since then, however, and have won at least 2 games out of every match- hurray! I think it's because of the neon :) Check it out:

Goooooo Sloppies!

Also, if you're interested . . . this is the view we get pretty much everytime we play. We are lucky kiddos, no?!:

Alki Beach



Spanglish App

You guys. I have the BEST. IDEA. EVER. I want to create a Spanglish app! I was so excited when I came up with the idea that I texted my mom and Bum about it. Then Bum texted back, "haha nice Bum . . . but what would it do?" and so I told her: people would type whatever English sentence they wanted into the app, then press a convert button/something really clever like a jumping bean . . . and then VOILA! It would be converted to Spanglish and when you read it aloud it would make you laugh. My BFF, L, cracked me up with a few of these a week ago and I almost peed my pants. SERIOUSLY. Please read the following:

Shoulder: My fren wanted to become a citizen but she didn't know how to read so I shoulder.

Herpes: Me and my fren ordered pizza . . . I got my piece and she got herpes.

Texas: My fren always texas me when I'm not home wondering where I'm at!


July: Ju told me ju were going to the store and July to me! Julyer!! (baaahahaha! that one's my favorite)

Juarez: One day my gramma slapped me and I said, "juarez your problem?"
Chicken: I was going to go to the store with my wife but chicken go herself.
Wheelchair: We only have one enchilada left, but don't worry wheelchair.

This is how my family speaks in their Spanglish moments. You see the hilarity in it I hope. If you know anyone who is a techie (preferably of Hispanic origin because, as Bum mentioned, we would want the person to understand what we are trying to accomplish with the app) let me know . . . I really wanna get this thing off the ground JU KNOW?!

Mommy and Me

"A mother could help you choose and furnish your first apartment;
she could listen to however much you chose to tell her about your love life;
she could offer a loan or a sympathetic ear or even just a night when you could go back to the place you'd grown up in, sit in the kitchen while she made your favorite meal, and be a child again."

- Jennifer Weiner

This is my beautiful mother. She just turned the big 5-0 and doesn't look a day over 35! I remember being younger and people always asking me how old my parents were and for years I think I always said 35, just because they were still so young looking and cool and fun. I could never tell the difference and its still hard to sometimes. I flew home to celebrate the birth of this incredible woman this past weekend and came back to Seattle feeling more blessed than ever. We had a strict "family ONLY" weekend where just the 5 of us would be together. When you are in high school and college, you sometimes pretend to hate those nights . . . where your parents force you to stay home and hang out with them and your siblings. However, you realize as you get older that if you are blessed enough to have a family that can still not only tolerate one another, but actually have a good time together, then you are one lucky cookie! It's easy to take for granted . . . your family, I mean. They are in your life to support, love, and cherish you, however it is always a choice to do so. And you forget sometimes how many people in this world don't have that . . . the type of family community that shares stories, drinks, and games. The type of family that is content to just sit on their deck among the pine trees, soaking in the sun and silence, while watching their crazy cat try to kill a grasshopper.

And so, it is only appropriate to pay a tribute to the woman who made all the above come true . . . a tribute to my mother . . .

My mother is the one who taught me to love myself. She spoiled me rotten and scolded me hard. She forced me to talk about my problems when I didn't want to and after every conversation I walked away knowing she was right and I felt better. She's the one that gave me phone rules when I was a crazy 13-year-old with ridiculous boyfriends with whom I spent too much time on the phone. She stays up with me till as late as it takes for me to feel better about life's problems and heart's confusions. She is the strongest woman I have ever known. Her heart is as big as the moon at its fullest and her eyes are just as bright. I will consider it a tremendous gift if I grow up to be half the mother, friend, wife, and daughter that she is. Thank you mama for all that you do and all that you are . . . you are our family's best guardian angel.   

Gyming

WE DID IT! N and I finally ditched that good for nothing piece of crap building they tried to call a gym. Take THAT VQ! Ahhhhhh, it was such a great feeling. Especially since we joined an AMAZING new facility that is replete with saunas, free butt-kicking classes, and flat screen tvs everywhere (with more than 6 channels- wheeee!). It is heaven. It also doesn't smell like dirty, moldy armpit and there are absolutely NO tires or ropes in sight. Rejoice! I was all geared up to bitch at VQ if they gave me even a bit of flak for leaving them, but they were pretty good about it. I just lied and told them I was moving. I kind of wish they had fought me on it, just so I could list all the terrible things they are and why I hate them . . . but it was a particularly sunny and warm day and I hadn't eaten lunch yet so I was just eager to get out of there as quickly as possible with my cancellation form in hand so I could soak up some sun and eat my sandwich (which totally had wilty lettuce- which i HATE. Isn't it just the worst?!).

Anyway, last week I ended up taking this Total Body Conditioning class by an instructor named Jon (picture an Asian version of Richard Simmons but maybe less annoying, and just as encouraging) and it kicked my @$$! Yikes. WAS. SORE. FOR. DAYYYYYS. And N just kept poking me and trying to wrestle with me all weekend because I would shriek in pain everytime he touched me. Whattapooface! Still love him tho.

Behold the key to my newfound freedom! (cue angels singing now):



What's On My Phone?!

What's On My Phone?!

A few weeks ago, I came into my office and found this sitting on my desk:

I later found out who it was from, however there was no note or anything.

AWKWARD.

It's embarrassing that I have to blow up a picture of a tampon to this size . . . but seriously, just look at what it says!:

 I'm really glad my tampon is telling me to 'Live out [my] dreams.' Seriously? This isn't like

one of those Dove chocolate candies or a fortune cookie. I hardly need to be

told by a tampon manufacturer that they believe in me via messages such as,

'Game On' and 'Give It Your Best Shot.' (got that one the other day)

When driving over to Cd'A for 4th of July weekend, I spotted the BEST license plate EVER!:

BIGGS! It's the Bigley nickname! Bum, J, and I should all get these.
Oh wait- I don't have a car anymore ::sigh::

Lake Cocollala:

THIS is the view from the patio of N's family cabin on

Lake Cocollala in Idaho- GORG right?! I was a total loser and snuck

out in the mornings to sit on the deck with my book and coffee, while

relishing in the serene atmosphere . . . and N calling me a nerd.

Safety First!

HAHA! This photo is hilar. Even better is the fact that

Bum, J, and I all wore this EXACT lifejacket when we were

but wee tots out at the Colorado River ::sigh:: oh the good ol' days!

Lake Union, Seattle:

N and I got back in time on the Fourth to head down to Lake Union

and watch the fireworks from the park . . . the sunset was perfect!

Here's to Monday going by quickly!

Derby Day

This past weekend a group of our dearest friends all got together to go to Emerald Downs, which is the local race track about 20 minutes south of Seattle. We had all bought the Groupon to get a smashing deal at the track, $7.50 got you 1 admission ticket, a race booklet, and $10 to spend on food and drink! So DUH, we had to have our very own Derby Day!

We started off with a mimosa and mint julep brunch at N's apartment. B and M were in charge of the egg dish, however the night before left them a bit frail in the morning (see: day drinking the day before) so they showed up with 16 McMuffins from McDonalds . . . everyone pretty much rejoiced.

When at the track, we got stares and double-takes as we were all completely decked out in our Derbiest of wear, complete with white pants, wide-brimmed hats, floral dresses, seersucker pants, fedoras, and white snakeskin shoes (worn by boyfriend of yours truly). A dear old man actually approached me and asked if we were from out of town because we were all dressed up. He gave a friendly little smile when I told him that we felt like "getting fancy for the races," and we were all, in fact, from Seattle. Here is N and I lookin fancy:

The chain-link fence really adds some fanciness, huh?
If you must know: Hat: J. Crew, Pearls: Gifted,
Dress: Francesca's, Shoes: Michael Kors

I probably was also known as the girl who bought a bunch of hot dogs and ate them all on her own because everytime I approached the counter, I was by myself. See, the people at Groupon are smarty-pants because you could not use the food/drink voucher on alcohol. So we all had to buy food instead . . . which was fine, except that the food was relatively inexpensive and so rather than waste the $10 coupons we all received (aka: $20 per couple), we just kept going up to the counter and buying as much food as possible. As a result, I ended up getting 4 hot dogs (N ate 3), 1 order of nachos, and 2 ice cream items. I balanced all this on one tray in sky-high 5 inch Michael Kors heels . . yikes. I almost took a dive but prevailed in delivering all food items in tact.

See the Derby Day kids in their finest!



Happy Hump Day!

What's On My Phone?!

JULY ONE begins the every-so-often blog post titled, "What's On My Phone?!" My fellow blogger friend L recently began this feat and I find it quite fun. It's a great way to share the random ish you come across in daily life. So here goes:

What's On My Phone?!

See N pick his teeth to prepare for photo in Oceanside, CA:

He kinda looks like he found something gnarly in there!

See Daddy Bigley circa 1986(ish):

This photo was hanging in our Oceanside condo.

Now it is set on my phone as my Dad's photo ID so it 

displays everytime he calls! It's a happy time :)

My beautious city:

View of downtown Seattle, taken from the patio of our friends'

Jenni and Andrew's house on Queen Anne- gorg, no?!

Quite possibly the most fantastic shirt I have ever seen:

One time, when M and I were in Vegas I randomly cried out,

'Make it rain!' and she looked at me like I was crazy. Because, DUH,

who says that?! Anyway, N's friend Rob was wearing this shirt and I

just had to take a photo and send it to M . . . she then told me to

purchase it for next year's Vegas trip.

My cuddle buddy when I'm home in Cali:

Isn't she the cutest?! Everytime I go home I'm tempted to stuff her in my

suitcase and bring her back to Seattle with me!

And so concludes my first, 'What's On My Phone?!' blog post. Hope you enjoyed! Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!