it's the golden birthday!

Happy, Happy 23rd Birthday to this 

Gorgeous

Caring

Talented

Amazing

Sweet

Loving

Spunky

Athletic

Funny

Outgoing

Sister of mine! 

She really is such a fantastic person for SO many reasons, just look it up here.

I'm so lucky to have a sister to call my best friend and grow up with!

 

 Happy birthday to my partner in crime! I hope it's a great day for you Cal! I would so rather be spending the day planning up a party and baking a cake just for your special day instead of working. 

Love you Sister!!!!! 

Baby Cenica Debut!

One reason I was SO excited I was moving to Arizona by my family was that my Aunt was due with a baby girl a month after I got here! I moved out just a week before the baby arrived, but I stayed over the night before the cute baby girl came so I could help get Cal off to school and watch Crewe before his nurse came over. 

Austin came up as well and the night before we all went to dinner and got to spend time with this family their last time as a family of 4! We were all so excited for this little girl to arrive!

While Cal was at school, Austin and I enjoyed a relaxing day watching movies, lounging by the pool (included making Austin get a dead mouse out of it), and winning a free lunch of In N Out due to the Falcons defeat over the Broncos :)  

We were all so excited and anxious to get to the hospital the moment Cal came home! We packed the kids in the car and headed to the hospital! 

Crewe was absolutely smitten with her! He willingly got on the bed, wanted to touch her, talk to her, and asked lots of cute questions like "Why are her fingers so tiny?", and "Why is she crying?" It was too cute. And she is too cute. I haven't held a baby this new since Lexie! 

 Welcome to the world Baby Cenica! You are so precious! 

I'm so excited to live close by so I can be around to watch this little girl grow and give her some trademark white bows like I used to wear when I was a little girl! She is so darling and I'm so excited to have another girl cousin! 

home sweet home!

it's been a little over a month since i moved into this cute little home in East Mesa! I remember how overwhelmed I felt as I was making the final drive from my Aunt and Uncle's place to here. The day was rainy so that set the mood a little bit, I had no idea how to get anywhere, East Mesa is pretty much the outskirts of everything so I have to drive a lot, , and I didn't know many people (I didn't even know the girl who owned the house). So yes, I was a little scared.

But now, I love coming home. I know the surrounding streets, my 2 roommates are fantastic, I'm still working on getting into the social scene, which I know takes time,

....and I think my house is pretty dang cute. 

The Kitchen

It is still in a construction zone cause my roommate is in the process of painting the cabinets on and off, but it'll look cuter soon! Slash I'm obsessed with that mint color these days. But our kitchen is nice and spacious, with all working appliances- like a disposal and dishwasher, yes those are 2 things I haven't had in my past 2 houses so it's a pretty big deal. 

 The Living Room

I'm slightly obsessed with it. I'm working on my piano skills again, hoping to get better if I practice more.

 And this is just the comfiest sight I've ever seen. 2 Love Sacs and 2 comfy couches. It's heaven. 

 The Bedroom

Yep, that's it folks. I can fit my bed (which is still an air mattress, nbd) and my dresser. Once I have a little more money in the bank, I should be able to make it a little more homey. But for now, here's the box I live in. And I honestly can't complain! I like it!

 And my friend, Mandy, and I share this bathroom. Perfect size for 2 people slash I love the long mirror! 

So that's pretty much it! Small and simple, yet perfect! 

Not pictured:

Laundry Room- just a washer and dryer, nothing exciting.

 Our 'Arizona room" aka Like a Sun Room aka a Sauna! It's next to the living room and we store our desks in there. It's not too exciting. 

And our little backyard. Nat is trying to grow grass back there so it's not exactly at it's best moment. 

Southern Comfort.

After my first few weeks in Arizona and getting no job interviews, finding a cheap deal to fly back home, we booked my ticket and was gone in less than a week to visit my home for almost 10 days! I was so grateful I could go home and see my family, watch the kids in their activities, AND get to see that BFF new Georgia Peach, Nicole and hubby Shaun! It was a fun, but quick week!

My first night, Nicole and Daddy-o picked me up and we went straight to the feeder football game to watch Lexie cheer! It was so fun to be with those two kiddies again as well as being reunited with Becker and Nicole! Never thought I'd see the day where Nicole would be in my home and now she LIVES in that beautiful Southern State. So jealous. 

I was home for Labor Day weekend too, which made it better cause the kids were out of school! So after doing a few things in the morning, we met up with Nicole and Shaun at Zaxby's (of course) 

played some card games during the day, and then ended our day with Moe's. (yes, I hit up my two favorite spots my first full day there and loved it.)

A few nights later I FINALLY got to go to a Braves game and witness Nicole's first game with her! Tay also flew in that day so it was fun to have him home that night too! We got great seats for such a cheap price, I couldn't believe it! 

 

Any trip to Turner Field is always a good time and I think Nicole and Shaun loved their first game, even if it wasn't too exciting. 

Oh ya, and I chopped my hair. It needed to be done, but I am missing those long hair days. Please grow back quickly. 

We went back to my old stomping grounds to watch our studly brother play football! 

It was exciting that Callie flew in that day! It was great to be back together again when it was so last minute and totally unexpected! (Brandon was flying in later that night too!) None of us have seen Cody play in high school football so it was fun that we could be there to watch him and cheer him on! 

 We spent most of our weekend watching the baby sister play volleyball. I'm so proud of her and her effort to do her best! It was fun getting to watch her play in a game. The downfall of not living near home is that I miss the kids growing up and watching them in their different sports and activities. I was super grateful I could come home and watch them! 

 Another highlight is that Georgia now has Rita's! I went to Rita's a few years ago when I visited Kaycie in Hilton Head, and now they have one near my home! I was dying to go all week so I'm glad the family agreed to go there one night. They were not disappointed either! 

 The fun filled, yet busy and crazy week was over. The weekend with all the family was coming to a close and it was a sad time. Lives are changing, jobs are happening where there aren't holiday breaks, and it's unknown when we will all be together again. I'm SO grateful I got to spend some time with my family for a few days. We enjoyed watching old home videos and laughing so hard at seeing our young selves, enjoyed watching the kids in their activities, and ate some delicious food! 

 And thanks to the baby girl, we had a sib photo shoot, which turned out to be really cute and fun! 

We first took a picture all together right after church on that infamous porch of ours. 

 And one of those sassy Sant ladies had to happen as well. 

 And then baby girl put her brain to work and the photo shoot began! Isn't she such a babe?! I don't know how she has grown up so fast! 

 And we loved the pictures we took together! (I'll spare you and not post all of them.) I look back on these pictures and realize how blessed and lucky I am to have such incredible siblings. It's nice to know that no matter what I will have 5 other people who will be there for me through anything. They are my backbone and my support through everything. They are so fun to be around. I lucked out BIG time. My sibs are so rad.

 And this has been our home since I was in 3rd grade! That is 16 years people. It's amazing. I sometimes go home and feel like I'm still in a fairly new home. But it's always been a comfort to drive down Morning Mountain Way and see that home. I miss it.

 And you should know me by now and my love for that Becker Boy. I always beg my parents to let me take him back home with me, but to my dismay, they never allow it. He's such a cute pup. 

 And my parents rock. I don't even know where I'd be without them as a part of my life! They have helped me through so many life challenges that I don't know how I'd get through unless I had them to rely on for advice and support. It was fun spending a week with them as well! 

I was sad saying bye to that beautiful home and the beautiful green. I hope I will reunite with that sweet southern home soon!

2 months.

i can't believe i have lived in Arizona for 2 months already!

it's crazy to think where i started and where i am now! (remember, after my first week when I posted this?) I've learned a lot more now.

The first month was filled with a lot of visits to Mesa seeing people and trying to figure out life. 

I was able to reunite with some incredible EFY friends for my first few days after I got here, which made things easier. Sadly, Rendy and Greg left a few days after I got there to get back to their lives at school. But we had some fun before they left!

We bought myself a bear! I was having withdrawals from our bear from efy during the summer so I vowed that I'd get one when I moved, cause let's face it.. I needed a friend! This is Kaden.

We stopped by the temple one hot afternoon as well. I really love this temple and am so glad I still live close by one! 

I was introduced to Saguaro Lake one day where we went cliff jumping and enjoyed the hours spent at the lake! Later that day, I was also introduced to Bahama Bucks, a delicious shaved ice place! I can't believe I haven't been back since my first week! Looks like I'm due for a visit. 

Greg and Tanner stopped by my Aunt and Uncle's on their way out to Idaho where I fed them some lunch and sent them on their way! 

Since I didn't have an official ward to go to yet, I decided to reunite with Ross Cat and go with him to his ward my first Sunday there! It's fun to see him and have him living in Arizona even if Med School takes over about 98% of his life. But the times we get together is great. It's nice to know that I have a friend from Provo here! 

I met up with Mandy and went to her friends concert with her in Phoenix one night too! It was honestly weird going to something like this, not knowing the band, or knowing anyone else there besides Mandy. Huge eye opener realizing I don't have many friends haha. 

It's fun to be able to see friends who now live in Arizona too! I spent one day over at my old YW leader, Victoria's, house with her fun kids and they even have their own shaved ice machine! 

I also was able to visit Taylor and Steven Allphin and their new 6 day old baby, Charlotte one afternoon! She is just darling and am so excited to live by them! 

 And one of my favorite things is that I got to live with my Aunt and Uncle and be around those fun little boys a lot! I had plenty of 'dates' with these cute boys. We made pizza's and I never laughed so hard taking pictures with Cal.

 And I loved seeing the happiness on their faces when we went on a lunch date to In N Out. Those 2 just melt my heart and I'm so happy they aren't too far from me now! 

 And my other cousin, Austin, is also living in Arizona, which makes things fun too! We enjoyed quite a few pool days with family the first month.  It's still warm enough to be outside, I think I need a pool fix soon now that I'm thinking about it. 

And I love that people like to come visit here! The darling grandparents were able to visit for a few days so it was fun spending time with them chatting, swimming, eating, and just being together! 

And no one can forget those breathtaking sunsets Arizona has to offer. 

So I look back and realize my first month here was a good one. 

I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle for almost a month and loved being with my cute little cousins all the time! I'm so grateful they let me into their home with open arms and love. I'm so blessed to have an incredible family and that I can live nearby them now! 

Updates on the move to Mesa and other exciting life events coming up!