Wordless Wednesday-Mainstreet, Mesa, Arizona

Spring in the Desert

Happy Easter! 

This weekend TJ and I went on a little hike at the McDowell Mountians.  Its rained a lot this year so the mountains were full of wildflowers!  We hope to visit some more of the local mountains before all the green turns brown!

Happy Birthday...

Happy Birthday to my sister, Jennifer!

May you have a wonderful day and an awesome year!

Graduation!

On Friday, December 11, 2009, the 16-month journey comes to an end.

I will graduate with a

MBA in Global Management

from

Thunderbird School of Global Management.

(www.thunderbird.edu)

Whohoo!

It's been an interesting, amazing, exciting, and adventurous learning experience. I have a new outlook on different cultures, global politics and the global economy.

Our class of 50 represent 10 countries (Belgium, Canada, France, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland and the US). We've had the opportunity to travel to Switzerland; Russia or Dubai; and China or Chile/Peru to experience new cultures and learn best business practices. And we've all made 50 new friends!

Thank you for your support and patience during this program!

What will the next journey be? Only time will tell....


Graduation Info:


Friday, December 11, 2009 at 2pm (AZ time)
Renaissance Glendale Resort
Gendale, Arizona


If interested you can view a live stream of graduation (starting at 1:45PM AZ TIME) at:


http://www.thunderbird.edu/about_thunderbird/events/graduation.htm


scroll down to "Virtual Viewing", then click on view live.

Juice

On most Sunday nights while I watch Desparate Housewives or Brothers & Sisters I make a batch of "green" juice to drink throughout the week. I use four bunches of kale, 8+ cucumbers, 2 bunches of beets, 8 green apples, 2 lemons and ginger.

The juicer I used now, Green Star, uses gears to grind the juice out of the veggies/fruit. It can also be used to make nut butters or apple sauce, etc. This is my fourth juicer. I've killed two Juiceman Juicers and another type.

Juicing the Kale.

Juicing the beets.

Everything juiced, not so "green."

Depending on how many of the veggies I use I get 6-12 jars worth of juice. I use canning jars to store the juice in the fridge or freezer to keep it pretty fresh throughout the week.

Wordless Wednesday

Two

Happy Birthday to my nephew! He turned 2 years old today. My sister invited me and Terrill over yesterday for pizza and cake for him. She blew up a bunch of yellow balloons-who knew they would be hours of fun!

Network Marketing

Over the years I've been approached by people regarding joining network marketing (formerly known to me as the Pyramid Scheme.) Various networking products include: Video Phone, health supplements, cosmetics, health juice, travel programs, and self-improvement products. The other day I was approached by a classmate whose wife is involved in network marketing.

The product, women's sanitary supplies (ie, sanitary napkins.)

Who knew?

Phoenix Zoo

I went to the Phoenix Zoo with my nephew and his mom, my sister, this past Sunday. We had a good time wondering around during the animals' naptime.

He really enjoyed petting the goats and walking the trail.

My sister and I really enjoyed the kettle corn.

Off to Chile and Peru...

I'm off, headed to Santiago, Chile and Lima, Peru for the last of my Thunderbird MBA overseas modules. So far my travels have been interesting. We left Phoenix for a connecting flight in Houston, only to be diverted to San Antonio due to a hail storm and low fuel. Its funny to hear everyone's version of what happened, the stories get really juicy! When we finally got to Houston we missed our flight to Panama by almost 1 hour. We are now waiting on a flight to Buenos Aires and then arriving in Santiago about 8 hours later then orginally planned. No worries, hopefully we'll get some good views of Buenos Aires in the airport tomorrow morning.

Eating Fire

Have you ever eaten fire? And I'm not talking about hot green chile, texas chile, or hot sauce-I'm talking REAL fire? We'll I did. Thanks to a friend of mine, I attended a motivational seminar a couple of weekends ago where we ate fire and even hypnotised ourselves (some better than others.)

We had a great time, POWER!

Is it Hot yet?

Is it getting warm? I dont think I've every seen the car temperature reach above 130 degrees. Granted I have a black car in Arizona, whose idea was that?

Wordless Wednesday-Arizona Storm

Wordless Wednesday-Arizona Sunset

How many Americans can you fit in an elevator....

Well, after trying to take a short cut through a neighboring hotel in Duba-Festival City we found out. I guess they did not want us in their bar area, so a hotel representative lead us to an elevator whose maximum weight capacity was 1000kg. Our group of 11, not knowing this limit, piled into the elevator to go to the the lobby area that connects to our hotel. Well, we didnt make it. The doors shut, we went up slightly, then down a bit....then nothing. Yep, we were stuck in an elevator. I have never had the privilidge of this experience, but I will not forget it!!! A guy in our group decided to play the "lets jump up and down game" to see if we could get it moving. Nope. We used the phone to call the mysterious voice you call in an elevator....who said they were sending someone. We laughed, tried to open the hatch in the ceiling, the air condtioner shuts off when the elevator isnt moving....no air flow....it started getting muggy, and with muggy comes sweat, with sweat comes smell....nice. We finally decided to pry open the doors and found a group of men doing the same. We were still on the same floor, go figure. Although it felt like it took a lifetime, the whole episode only took maybe 10 minutes. Just another day in Dubai :)

Wordless Wednesday-Crown Plaza in Dubai-Festival City

Off to Dubai, UAE

On Wednesday, April 15 I'm off on another adventure, to Dubai, for 1.5 week overseas module for school. We had our choice between Moscow/St. Petersburg, Russia and Dubai/Abu Dhabi, UAE for this trip. Although I would love to see Russia, I chose Dubai because of all the crazy engineering things they are (well were) doing there. I know, I am such the engineering nerd. We are taking one class during the module, Cross Cultural Negotiations. This trip is packed with company visits to places like: Zayad University, Harman International, Johnson & Johnson, Department of Economic Development, Shaikh Holdings, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, US Embassy, IeMQ, BP, CH2MHILL...We are also doing some tourist things like a city tour that includes: Dubai Museum, Gold Souk, Silk Souk, Abra boat ride, sand dune excursian, etc. We are staying at the Crown Plaza in Festival City on the banks of Dubai Creek. http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/dubfc, looks pretty nice!

Dubai History

Some 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe, led by the Maktoum Family, settled at the mouth of the creek in 1833. The creek was a natural harbour and Dubai soon became a center for the fishing, pearling and sea trade.By the turn of the 20th century Dubai was a successful port. The souk (Arabic for market) on the Deira side of the creek was the largest on the coast with 350 shops and a steady throng of visitors and businessmen.

By the 1930s Dubai's population was nearly 20,000, a quarter of whom were expatriates.In the 1950s the creek began to silt, a result perhaps of the increasing number of ships that used it. The late Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, decided to have the waterway dredged. It was an ambitious, costly, and visionary project. The move resulted in increased volumes of cargo handling in Dubai. Ultimately it strengthened Dubai's position as a major trading and re-export hub.

When oil was discovered in 1966, Sheikh Rashid utilized the oil revenues to spur infrastructure development in Dubai. Schools, hospitals, roads, a modern telecommunications network … the pace of development was frenetic. A new port and terminal building were built at Dubai International Airport. A runway extension that could accommodate any type of aircraft was implemented. The largest man-made harbor in the world was constructed at Jebel Ali, and a free zone was created around the port.Dubai's formula for development was becoming evident to everyone – visionary leadership, high-quality infrastructure, an expatriate-friendly environment, zero tax on personal and corporate income and low import duties. The result was that Dubai quickly became a business and tourism hub for a region that stretches from Egypt to the Indian sub-continent and from South Africa to what are now called the CIS countries.

Since the 1960s, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum had dreamed of creating a federation of the Emirates in the region. Their dreams were realized in 1971 when Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and (in 1972) Ras Al Khaimah, joined to create the United Arab Emirates.Under the late Sheikh Zayed, the first President of UAE, the UAE has developed into one of the richest countries in the world with a per capita GDP in excess of US$17,000 per annum.In the 1980s and early 1990s, Dubai took a strategic decision to emerge as a major international-quality tourism destination. Investments in tourism infrastructure have paid off handsomely over the years.

Dubai is now a city that boasts unmatchable hotels, remarkable architecture and world-class entertainment and sporting events. The beautiful Burj Al Arab hotel presiding over the coastline of Jumeira beach is the world's only hotel with a seven star rating. The Emirates Towers are one of the many structures that remind us of the commercial confidence in a city that expands at a remarkable rate. Standing 350 meters high, the office tower is the tallest building in the Middle East and Europe.Dubai also hosts major international sporting events. The Dubai Desert Classic is a major stop on the Professional Golf Association tour. The Dubai Open, an ATP tennis tournament, and the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race, draw thousands every year.

Wordless Wednesday

Ok, I know, I know...its been months! But I'm going to try to attempt to at least post once a week on "Wordless Wednesdays!"

"Crunches like an apple. Tastes like a grape."

What is it? Its a Grāpple®.

After reading their website, its an interesting concept. Although, I can't help but wonder how healthy infusing an apple with grape "flavor" really is. ("Ingredients: apples, natural and artificial flavor") We have not tried one yet, but if I see them in the grocery store I'll buy some out of curiousity.

From the Grāpple® website www.grapplefruits.com:

How Is A Grāpple® Brand Apple Made?

Grāpple® brand apples begin either as Washington Extra Fancy Gala or Fuji Apples, depending upon the season. These "premium apples" are the ones that take on the grape flavor best. This Patent Pending process is complex and the ingredient mix primarily includes concentrated grape flavor and pure water. All ingredients are USDA and FDA approved and the process has been licensed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

There is nothing but flavor being infused into the apple. A relaxing bathing process prepares our apples for you or your kids. The apple takes on no additional sugars or calories. They are not genetically altered in any way. The apple is as healthy as ever but now has the new exciting grape flavor. The process is better explained by the Food Network's "Unwrapped" show entitled "Grapeful". Check your local listings or click here to find out the next time it is on in your area. Apples are a fantastic snack. Grapes are a wonderful snack. Try a Grāpple® brand apple today, and enjoy the best of both of them in one!

Arizona Cardinals NFC Champions!!

I am not a huge fan of watching football on TV whether its college or NFL. However, I do enjoy going to the games in person. This NFL season, I jumped on the bandwagon and cheered on the Arizona Cardinals. However, for clarification I always support the Arizona teams, some more than others: Cardinals, Suns, Diamondbacks, and Coyotes.

Today, the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 32-25 and will move on to play in the Super Bowl. This is their first NFC Championship and their first appearance in the Super Bowl in franchise history.

A little history on the Cardinals (from Wikipedia):

The Arizona Cardinals, founded in 1898 and a charter member of the National Football League, hold the distinction of being the oldest continuously run professional football franchise in the United States.[1] They are based in Glendale, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix. The Cardinals are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).

The team's lone NFL championship game victory came in 1947 while they were based in Chicago, and came two decades before the first Super Bowl game was ever played. The club's other NFL championship occurred in 1925, eight years before the league began holding a championship game, and is a controversial title to this day. The much contested title was believed to belong to the Pottsville Maroons but was given to the Cardinals instead in what is called the 1925 NFL Championship controversy.

In the six-plus decades since winning the championship in 1947, the team has qualified for the playoffs only six times and has won only four playoff games, with three of the wins coming in their ongoing run in the 2008-09 playoffs. They are currently the National Football Conference Champions, after winning the NFC Championship Game on January 18, 2009.

Before the 1988 NFL season, the team moved from St. Louis, Missouri to Tempe, Arizona, an eastern suburb of Phoenix, and played their home games for the next 17 years at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium. In 2006 the club began playing all home games at the newly constructed University of Phoenix Stadium in the northwestern suburb of Glendale.

Hola, Buenos Dias!

Hola, como esta? Me llamo Elisabeth. Me gustan el color amarillo.



I made it through the first of a two week spanish immersion program I needed to take as a part of the MBA program at Thunderbird. It reminded me of the spanish classes I took in high school and college, I feel pretty confident now that I probably could've have tested out of the language requirement. But, oh well these grades will help boost my gpa :) This first week we learned numbers (1-1,000,000), colors, numerous verbs, definate and indefinate articles-took fieldtrips and ate at several tastey restaruants. Our profossor's mother even made our class tamales, some of the best i ever had! As we were in class I was reminded of this video, Spanish 101 Love Song.
Enjoy, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFgdI3zk4Nw

We celebrated Rosca de Reyes on January 6 in celebration of the Three Kings Day, see the following link for more information,
http://www.inside-mexico.com/ReyesMagos.htm

Find Joy in the New Year!

For many, this year has been full of ups and downs, personal and professional challenges. For us, this year has been a strange, yet interesting ride. And with everything thats happened in 2008, we can find at least an ounce of good in all of it.

So our wish for all of you is to Find Joy in the New Year!

If you need some help, watch this http://www.findingjoymovie.com/

Merry Christmas from Arizona

Merry Christmas to Everyone from Sunny Arizona. Although so far this has been a very wet and cold winter so far! Terrill and I were going to go to Albuquerque, NM for Christmas this year but the winter storms would not give us a break with the snow and ice along I-40. We were able to spend Christmas with my nephew and his parents :) The last picture is of my Aunt and Uncle's place in Ferndale, WA-what a beautiful White Christmas for all my family in Washington!

Elisabeth & Terrill

Auntie Liz & Christian

Jennifer & Elisabeth

Aunt Patti & Uncle Ralph's

Place in Ferndale, WA

Santa's Helpers....

My Company had their annual Christmas party last night. Due to the economic slowdown, the party was put on with a limited budget. And since entertainment was not included in the budget our company's Toastmasters club put on a couple of skits and did Madlibs with the audience. There were three elves: Ho, HoHo, and HoNo. I was HoHo! Based on comments from the CEO, I dont think our club will be invited back as the entertainment for the next Christmas party :) Whew....

"HoHo" (Elisabeth)

"Ho" (Kathleen), Les (President), "HoHo"(Elisabeth)
Elisabeth & Terrill

Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue...

This picture was taken just for YOU! In front of our house we have 15 rose bushes. During this time of the year they are absolutely beautiful.

Every Cafe Needs A Mascot...

As many of you may know, there are many mascots at the Cafe. Here they are....

Smokie


Kitty

Abbi

Kodi