Marvelous March

March was packed full of fun for us this year. Living in Arizona, the weather in March is absolutely beautiful. We spent as much time outside and together as possible. In March I had a week off of school for Spring Break. Tracey was able to take a few additional days off so we had 5 days off together! We feel like we used our time together very wisely. Here are some of the fun things we did together in March....

Bridal Shower for Ciara 

We threw a bridal shower for my cousin Ciara along with my mom, cousins, and sister. The theme was vintage love. We were able to stock up on some cute red and pink supplies for the party in February. We had so much fun planning the shower and celebrating with Ciara. This time last year, they were planning our bridal shower. We wish Ciara and her husband Jake as much love and happiness in marriage as we have had this year.

Pool Time

One of the many benefits to apartment living is access to the pool. Both Tracey and I love spending afternoons poolside. As we live in Arizona, we enjoy the pool almost all year. In March we enjoyed laying out by the pool and on a few warm days actually went swimming. We live right by one of our favorite locations... the Soda Shop. So we brought specialty sodas to the pool. My favorite is the Coke-O-Lime which is a  diet coke with coconut and lime. Perfect treat to enjoy by the pool! I am sure we will continue drinking soda by the pool this summer when the heat is far less enjoyable.

Driving on the RIGHT side of the road 

Tracey obtained her learners permit in March in order for her to practice driving in the US. She has a license to drive in England so driving is not brand new to her, but learning to drive on the other side of the road has been an adventure. Over Spring Break, Tracey practiced driving in parking lots and on side roads. This month Tracey has her formal driving lessons complete with the exam to get her Arizona drivers license. She has done a fabulous job learning the rules of the road in the US. Her continued dedication to acclimating to the life in the US melts me.

Phoenix Zoo

Tracey and I love going to visit the Phoenix  Zoo Lights every year. We decided it would  be fun to visit the Zoo for our "Date-Night In" for March. We realize this is a major stretch as it occurred during they day while outside at the zoo, but it was too beautiful to waste anytime inside in March this year. Read more about our adventure at the zoo here.

Beauty and the Beast 

Belle is the best Disney princess of all time. There are no words to adequately describe the wonder that is Emma Watson. Emma Watson as Belle was basically the best idea of all time. From the moment I heard about the new Beauty and the Beast film, I have been excited. It combines my two greatest loves into one film. The movie was beautiful made and my obsession with both Belle and Emma Watson, only grew stronger. We were able to see the movie opening night with my mom and sister. If you have not seen the movie, you need to revisit your priorities.

Food Findings 

In February a new doughnut shop opened up in town. Hurts Donuts opened in Tempe and we had the opportunity to visit in March. The best donut by far is the cookie monster. Anything with oreo is a win in my book. We were introduced to our new favorite brunch location, The Broken Yoke, by our dear friend Denise. It is the best breakfast either of us have ever had and we are breakfast people. Trust us. It is amazing! A, Pieology Pizza opened up within walking distance to our home. We had to try it out. We were definitely fans. Tracey loves any place that includes sweet corn on a BBQ pizza, and I love any place that serves pizza. The bakery that made our wedding cake, A Piece of Cake, sells the most delicious cupcakes. We stopped by for a treat and quickly remembered how delicious our wedding cake was. Zinburger is a family favorite due to the delicious milkshakes and fries. We went to Zinburger for dinner with my mom. Finally, we have been enjoying breakfast at home on the weekends before Tracey goes into work. A friend recommended we try The Great Gadsby Bakery for its European baked goods. We ended up going on a Friday and were able to try out the cake shakes. Tracey had mint and I went with cookie  dough. On Friday nights "Date Night" they are by one get one free! Finally, we have been enjoying breakfast at home on the weekends before Tracey goes into work. Eggy bread is her go to request for breakfast on the weekend.

March was a jam packed month for us. We have been busy planning our trip to England and are both looking at making some professional changes later in this year. On the evenings we have been going for walks to prepare ourselves for all of the waking in England and to burn off all of the new food we tried this month. We have some exciting changes and adventures in the near future and are so excited for this life we are building together. We can not wait to share more about our plans soon!

Let us know what fun things you did in March. We would love to hear from you!

Shannae

Date Night In: February

Our date night in project continued in February. This year Tracey and I are creating themed date-night-in baskets. We are always looking for ways to maximize our time together. Now that we both are working, and working opposite schedules, it is important to both of us to find fun ways to spend the time we have together.

Originally we had considered a romantic heart themed date night in, but after a very complete Valentines Day we decided on something different. February was a dreary month for both of us. As an Arizona native, the cold cloudy weather has me craving sunny bright days. We planned a weekend by the pool as is started to warm up, just to be rained in which is not common in this desert home of ours. This inspired our February date.... a tropical date in.

On our Honeymoon, we stayed in airbnbs along the California Coast. Our favorite home was by the beach in Encanitas where we spent our days in the sun, our evenings in the bath, and ate at 101 Diner. There I had tropical pancakes for the first time. I have been craving that trip, the airbnb, and those pancakes since our honeymoon so we decided to try to make our own. If you every make to Encanitas make sure you stop at 101 Diner and order the tropical pancakes complete with coconut syrup.

Honeymoon in Encanitas California- June 2016

For our February date night in we made tropical pancakes. We followed two different recipes. One for the tropical pancakes and one for the coconut syrup. Although no pancakes will every compare to the ones we had on the coast, these pancakes were a sweet addition to a drizzly chilly weekend. It also gave us an excuse to use our new griddle which was a wedding present from our California family. Our pancakes were topped with strawberries, pineapples, homemade toasted coconut and bananas.

Tropical Pancakes Recipe 

Coconut Syrup Recipe

After our pancakes we enjoyed our tropical face masks, lotion, bubble bath, and new nail polish. Our tropical date would not be complete without Jack Johnson. I had the opportunity to see Jack Johnson live a few years ago and it was a remarkable experience. If you ever get the chance to see him, do not let it pass.

January's Date-Night-In Basket:

• Pineapple 
• Strawberries
• Bananas 
• Shredded Coconut 
• Tropical Juice/Flavored Water
• Coconut Scented Candle
• Coconut Scented Body Wash/Bubble Bath 
• Coconut Foot Cream
• Coconut Face Masks
• Nail Polish
• Ingredients for Tropical Pancakes 

I can not wait to see what our March Date-Night-In has in store for us.
- Shannae Johnson 

Leo the Cat Update

Leo is our little man. He is our fur baby, and the sweetest cat around. Leo is 2 years old. He will turn 3 in July. We adopted Mr. Leo in September from a local woman who rescues cats. She cared for Leo since he was found abandoned as a kitten as was so happy to see Leo move into a good home. Since Leo moved into our home he has been the light of our home. I consider us to be a very happy family, but Leo made it that much brighter and happier. He is cleaver, funny, and clumsy. He kept Tracey company while she waited for her work authorization and green card. We are incredibly thankful for the happiness he brings to our life. We are so lucky to be his moms.

When we adopted Leo he was checked out by the vet as we adopted him at the animal clinic. The vet noticed that he was in need of a dental and recommended we schedule one. A week later the vet called asking for us to come in for blood work. He was concerned Leo had feline leukemia. He was tested and fortunately the test came back negative. The vet commented again on his inflamed gums.

Leo was settling into life as an only child and started developing mouth sores. His lips and gums would get these angry sores that would take days to clear up. Despite what looked like very uncomfortable sores, Leo remained happy, loving and obsessed with his mum. 

The vet explained that Leo has a disease where his body rejects his teeth. His gums and mouth are extremely  painful and sore due to his body's negative reaction to his teeth. Leo was prescribed medication which he believes will help with his pain. We were absolutely devastated to hear that the vet believed Leo was in a lot of pain. As Leo was new to us we were unable to notice any changes in behavior that would let us know he was in pain.  He never stopped eating. The only sign was that he became increasingly vocal on the evening. Leo began his medicine and seemed calmer and happier. We also scheduled his dental.

Leo went in for his dental appointment and had his teeth cleaned by our fantastic vet. As the vet predicted, Leo's gums are extremely raw and inflamed. Unfortunately Leo's teeth are not the problem so cleaning them, provided little relief. The vet has recommended we continue medication for pain management and monitor him for pain. He also connected us with a vet who specializes in oral surgery. The only other option at this point would be extraction of all of Leo's teeth. The medication Leo takes is a  very strong allergy medication that suppresses his body's extreme reaction to his teeth. We are happy to say that Leo has had no mouth sores since he started taking the medication. 

We are giving the medication time to work, and plan to make an appointment with the vet specialist. Leo continues to spend his days sleeping, playing with his many toys, watching the neighbors out the window, convincing us to give him cat treats, and obsessing over his mum. Leo is highly attached to Tracey. She is his person. His best friend. His soulmate. Watching them together brings me so much happiness. 

Leo has the best vet in the world. His aunt works at the animal clinic and ensures he receives the best care possible. I only hope that we can provide him all of the care he needs to be as happy as possible considering his complex medical needs.

- Shannae Johnson