Belly Dancing +Art Nouveau

Two years ago I took a belly dancing class. I loved it. Belly dancing is a work out and I learned to love my big beautiful body. My "belly dancing mother" Yasamina organizes every year the Utah Belly Dancing Festival. It is always packed with lots of people who show up to dance and watch all the dancers.

This year the festival was in West Valley City at the Multicultural Center. Ryan, my mom and I went on Saturday night. What a great time I had.

I want to start dancing again. This time around I want to learn Tribal Belly Dancing.

Here is a video of a girl who dances with a Belly Dancing group in San Francisco called "The Indigo".
I love her outfit, the jewelry and how she has flowers in her hair. It reminds me of a Alfons Mucha painting.

when your pet passes away...

Last night Ryan and I went out with my new co worker Lindsay and her partner James. We went to dinner at Mazza and then we went over to the gallery stroll in downtown SLC. I really like Lindsay and James. We had some great conversation and they are both smart and open minded people.

Ryan and I were home around 11pm...and I got online. While on Myspace I read a bulletin message my future neighbor posted. And the message was about his best friend's dog passing away. The doggie was a 3 year old Rottweiler named Grizzly. He was the sweetest dog. Had the best goofy expression. When ever the boys next door were working on their house...Grizzly would pee on my flowers in the front of my house. He was a super cute dog.

Apparently a few days ago, Grizzly's owner noticed his stomach was swollen and it wasn't getting any smaller. He took Grizzly to the Vet. The vet thought it was just something he had eaten that had expanded in his stomach but unfortunately it was something worse. It was a tumor.

As I'm typing this, the neighbor boys are next door. I sent Ryan out to talk to the owner. I had to send Ryan because I would have cried. Ryan told me the guy is a mess. His dog has passed and he is about to bury it in the backyard.

I'm heart broken. I just finished cuddled with my big dog Dolly. Dolly changed my life. She is the first pet I have ever had. Because of my dogs I love all animals and some people (dog loving people). I think it makes me a better person. I'm so happy that I get the privilege and the blessing to be part of my two dogs and a cat's short life on this earth.

Grizzly RIP in doggie heaven...chasing balls, eating yummy treats, peeing on flowers, and being petted forever.

Bomb threat at my work

Today around 3pm I was scared the shit out at my office.

The over head speaker came on but it was just static. At first I ignored it and it was turned off. But when it came on again ...this time you could barely hear something...it was a very low voice saying "Please evacuate the building immediately through stairwell A...there is a situation in the building."

I was training two new employees and I immediately grabbed my purse and said "I guess we are done...I'm out of here." And I ran to the stairs and I rushed down with my coworkers 12 flights of stairs. I have told my boss that if a real evacuation ever happens I would not wait for anyone and I would get my ass out of the building ASAP!!!

I'm okay. Everyone is okay. It was just a crazy guy who said he had a bomb and harassed a few Wells Fargo peeps at the branch on the main floor of my building.

I got home around 4pm. I was outside for an hour waiting to get back in the building so my boss told me I could go home.

Then there were 5.

On June 30th Ryan and I adopted a kitty. Her name is Penny- short for Penelope. She is almost nine weeks old and CRAZY. I wasn't all that into getting a kitten at first but I love her tons. Dolly and Buddy do too. Buddy was a sensitive dog around Penny the first few days. He wasn't sure what to think. But he likes her a lot now.

Here are some pictures of our beautiful Maine Coon kitty.

This is Playful Penny.

This is Serious Penny.

This is Sweet Penny.

This is Sleepy Penny. (Of course she naps on our bed.)

This is Tiny Penny. (Next to my big ugly feet.)

This is Attentive Penny. (She is a good listener.)

IKEA in Ut-ard

So Ikea finally opened today in SLC. crazy shit. lots of people waiting to get in. I thought for a second about going but I decided I'm not that CRAZY.

2007 Strut Your Mutt - Walk

Cool ass neighbors

I'm always talking about my cool ass neighbors...like Fred, metal artist/pottery shop owner "sugarpost"...Matt and Roddy, the salon owners who have the best parties ever and are the best hair stylists EVER...but now I have one more to add to the list.

The house to the north of us was for sale for about a month and it finally sold. Yesterday we got to met the new neigbhors, Bob and Mike. Crazy thing is that Bob and Mike's dad is a very successfull realestate agent in SLC and Ryan and I went through his real estate brokerage when we sold our first house. Anyway, Bob is an aspiring photographer who currently works for SLUG mag. And Mike is a kick ass PRO Skateboarder...check out this webpage first "think skateboards" and watch the video under lizard king...then watch the video below...this kid makes some "SICK" moves...

Knitting and Jewelry making

I haven't blogged in forever...and I have so much to blog about now. I have been knitting my heart out these days.

I think I knitted ten scarves during the holiday season....I did my first cable scarf ... this beautiful cable scarf was a gift for my neighbor Roddy...

I made Buddy wear my baby hat I made in January...
I'm currently knitting this exact shirt ...if you want to call it a shirt. It is just a square piece that is tied in the back with matching ribbon. Of course I will wear a shirt under it since it is see through. It is taking me forever to finish it.

I have been into making bracelets for everyone these days. I made the light pink one for Annie and give it to her during the pink party and the green one I made for Rose for her bday.

guitar hero

I'm not an Xbox person. I don't have strong feelings for it or against it. But I'm kind of annoyed that Guitar Hero is coming out for XBOX. LAME!
Anyway...enjoy this pic of ryan playing his guitar...guitar hero that is.

Donations please!

May 19th Ryan and I will be walking the pups at STRUT YOUR MUTT 2007 - a Utah's No More Homeless Pets fundraiser event.

GO - TEAM DOLLY AND BUDDY!

I have set up a website to collect donations for this great cause!

Please donate whatever you can to help save dogs and cats from being euthanized. Just click on the webpage http://www.active.com/donate/sym07/teamdollyandbuddy. This is a secure site to use your credit card. My goal is to try to raise $350 by May 18th!

Or if you want to walk in Strut Your Mutt, please go to the site above and click on "register for this event".

Please tell your friends and family. Thank you.