Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

So about 15 minutes northeast of Flagstaff is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.  It is the cinder cone of a volcanic explosion from about 900 years ago.  We explored the base of the cone and I climbed out onto the remains of the lava flow.

The lava flow came off the volcano and cooled and solidified near the base of the cone... 900 years later a few pine trees have managed to take root in the rocks...

And finally, here is me in full social studies teacher attire climbing out onto the lava flow rocks...  Who says you can't hike in dress shoes?

Back to Flagstaff

On Friday, Jenna and her mother invited me to join them in Flagstaff for the day.  We left Phoenix around 9AM and it was supposed to get up to 90+ degrees.  But in Flagstaff the forcasted high was 62.  It is a lot warmer at 1500 feet than at 7000+ feet above sea level....  When we got to Flagstaff there was still snow on top of the higher peaks including Humphrey's Peak (elev. 12,000+ ft.)

After some sightseeing, shopping, and lunch in Flagstaff, our next stop was Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

More about that in the next post!

A coastal vibe

So another one of my mini-projects this week was to try to add some finishing details to the guest suite.  Since I had no family photos to put in the family frame that was above the bed, I took it down and replaced it with a new black and white beach photo that fits perfectly between the two windows above the bed...

And I finally hung up the final square beach print I have had sitting in the closet since January and actually got them hung level to each other!

A little corner to relax...

So I went to IKEA Tempe this week and picked up a tullsta chair and some canvas art prints to finish off the master bedroom with some art and a sitting corner to sit down and read or put my shoes on in the morning or enjoy my view out the window.  (Click on the purple links to see these products at IKEA.com... but don't forget to come back here!)

Laying around

Do I really need to say anything about these photos?

(Click on the photos to enlarge)

Let there be wind...

So this week I have been on spring break and tried to get a little work done around the house.  The most challenging project I tackled this week was installing a ceiling fan in the living room (by myself!)  Putting up a ceiling fan is really an awful task that is very difficult and aggravating to do on your own as you are trying to hold the fan motor up to the ceiling in your right hand while stuffing wires into the downrod with your left hand while standing seven feet in the air on a ladder and then the wires come springing back out and... UGH!   Yet somehow I actually did it... I also painted and installed a ceiling medallion to match the ceiling paint color and add some decorative flair to what would otherwise be a very basic ceiling fan...

The fan above the living room 

(Click photo to enlarge):

The fan and medallion up close:

The (New) Office

So I finally got my new Convertible Compact Desk from Crate & Barrel.  The desk looks like a file cabinet when it is closed but the top rolls to the side to provide a seating area to use as a desk.  I have turned the loft area at the top of the stairs into the office with my chair, desk, and bookcase all fitting nicely inside this previously useless space...

Here is the bookcase on the wall behind the desk (with my diploma proudly displayed above)  Go B.G.!

Here is the desk in the closed position with my work chair beside it.

 

Here is the view looking over the stairwell and window alcove from the office space...

Here is the desk with the top open into the "desk" position revealing the storage tray below for knick-knacks and other frequently-used items.  Below that is a drawer for other miscellaneous items and below that a file drawer that can hold letter and legal-size hanging files (I got legal size hanging files)

Here is the desk with my laptop open... I'm ready to work!  (or as I am doing right now, sitting at the desk writing this blog post...)

Sleeping on Cloud 9

So my new bedding from Crate and Barrel finally arrived thanks to UPS.  I ordered the Mirage Bedding collection  (click the bold text to see it at crateandbarrel.com)and it feels fantastic to sleep on crisp new bedding.  I got four new down pillows, a new duvet cover and comforter, a coverlet, and new crisp white sheets. I also got new curtains (enough curtain panels for BOTH windows!)   Sleeping in my bed an bedroom is like sleeping in one of those ultra-comfy hotel beds... 

The bedding has a nice natural sage and green tone that goes well with the bath linens in the master bathroom...  It is all very relaxing, which after spending 8 hours with 150+ 13 and 14-year-olds, I could use a little calming....

I have four fluffy down pillows and one latex pillow to provide three layers of marshmallow-y soft support for my weary head....

There are many layers of comfort with the crisp-white sheets, the coverlet, and the comforter and duvet cover...

...and curtains! Now it doesn't feel like an oversized apartment!

Now it's time to enjoy my bed and get some much needed rest so I can wake up at 3AM to finish grading papers!

Hello Kitty

The guest suite bathroom

So to compliment the beach theme in the guest bedroom the adjoining guest bath has a blue color scheme with a great black and white beach photograph print and a candle holder with sand and seashells.  

Worth the wait...

So this afternoon the mattress for the guest bedroom arrived.  After two and 1/2 months the guest suite is actually ready for guests...  I am aiming for a cozy beach ambiance in the guest suite (despite being at least 450 miles away from any real beach).   It still needs some curtains but Drew's Bed & Breakfast is now open for business... Now all I need are some family photos for the frames above the bed and some guests to try out my guest bed...

The great outdoors

Since I finally got my tax refund I had the money to go out and get some furniture for my patio.  I went to Bad, Bath, and Beyond (what is the 'beyond'?) and found this seating set.   I think it works quite well in my cozy little outdoor space.

The view from above:

And the view from up close:

Home Improvement

So a couple of weeks ago I went to the IKEA in Tempe to get some storage shelving to organize the growing piles of stuff that was starting to accumulate in my garage.  When I came out of the store I had a cart full of the GORM storage system shelving.  This storage system is great because it is completely modular and expandable.  Check it out at IKEA.com.  This shelving unit I put together consists of two long shelf sections, one short shelf section, and a corner shelving unit.  It took me about 2 hours to put together with my handy little allen wrench.  It was well worth the effort and keep all of my gardening, painting, and other supplies organized as well as all of my Christmas decorations and other odds and ends.

Beam me up...

So on Saturday Jenna and I took the light rail to downtown Phoenix to go to the Arizona Science Center to check out Star Trek: The Exhibition.  I was in total trek-nerd heaven walking around the sets, sitting in the captain's chair, and seeing the props and costumes up-close.  

CatNap interrupted...

So I caught Snowy hanging out on my bed on Saturday afternoon looking suspiciously guilty... 

Guilty of what I do not know...

More houses going up...

So the developer of my subdivision has begun construction on the final 15 houses in this development.... 2 weeks ago there was just dirt across the street, now there are six houses well under way....

When finished the new homes will be similar to the model homes that are already across the street from my house...

 

My Mountain...

So I decided to share my mountain view with y'all... as seen from the window in the master bathroom water closet (a.k.a. "the poop room")...  It is the only window in the house from which I can see the Estrella Mountains which rise to over 4200 feet and are only about 4 miles south of my house...

Hallelujah!

The 8-year hangover is finally over!   If you are like me you won't be missing the last 8 years of national stupidity any time soon...   I just loved to watch the inaugural coverage on TV and see the MASSIVE crowds of Americans who made the pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. to see Obama become president....  

 

So what does the largest-ever assembled crowd of people in ALL OF AMERICAN HISTORY look like????   Well it looks pretty awesome!

Colors that don't run

I decided to add some color to the outside of the house...  I settled on Red, White, and Blue...  After all, what self-respecting American History teacher does not fly a flag at home?

Snowy gets comfy...

So the other night Snowy decided to make herself comfortable... It was so adorable that I just had to get a picture:

First Peek...

So I went around the house tonight and took some photos... I have posted them into a flickr photo slideshow which you can view by clicking on THIS LINK.  To pause the slideshow click on the pause symbol in the lower left corner of the screen.  You can also slow down the slideshow by clicking on "options" in the upper right and selecting the slow speed button.  The home isn't done yet but I think I have done alright for five days work....

New Year, New Home

Happy new year everyone!  I know that it has been almost a week since I last posted, but things have been a little busy here with Snowy and I moving into our new house...  I am almost done unpacking and putting everything away and once I am I will be sure to take some photos of the house (now that I am living in it!).   Oh, and for all of you who are in the snow belt of Ohio and elsewhere, it was sunny and 72 on Tuesday, sunny and 75 on Wednesday, and sunny and 75 on New year's day... :-)  Winter here in Arizona is really tough...