Have you ever noticed the trunks of citrus trees – lemon, grapefruit, oranges are painted white?  Well, I decided to give our grapefruit trees a new fresh coat of tree trunk paint!

So, why do people paint the trunks white you ask?

No, it’s not for bugs.  Basically it’s to prevent your trees from getting a sunburn, especially when they are young.  They will get a sunburn, and it’s no doubt about that in this Arizona sun! The reason is because the leaves/branches aren’t long enough to shade the trunks.

The paint is basically non-toxic latex paint but you can buy special tree trunk paint anywhere. I bought two quarts of Arizona’s Best Tree Trunk Paint at Home Depot in the garden department.  One quart of paint is enough for one tree trunk and is $6.  It will take you maybe 45 minutes to slap on the paint if there’s already paint on there, adding another coat doesn’t take long.

Now, our trees are 50+ years old, actually a neighbor told me they were closer to 80 years old.  Woah. My neighborhood sits on a former citrus grove, so almost all of our neighbors have a citrus tree on their land.  So right now painting really isn’t necessary since they are mature trees, but it definitely looks great and so people still paint them for that reason.  And you all know I like to keep things pretty around here!

Before the front yard grapefruit tree:

Before, backyard grapefruit tree:

I’m not sure when the last time it was the trees got painted, but since I moved in almost a year ago I haven’t thought about the tree trunks until now.  So, off to paint I went!

After, the front yard tree:

And, the backyard tree (I also did some pruning afterwards):

Yes, I decided to paint our baby orange tree too since he definitely needs to make sure he doesn’t get sunburnt! After all, that was the real purpose of the paint, right?

Diana Elizabeth did wear her orange straw Anthropologie garden hat as she did this.

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I love this quote.  I’ve mentioned it plenty of times over the course of years, but this little card reminds me how big God is.  It reminds me of how amazing His plan is, how perfect it is, and how incredibly idiotic and ridiculous my prayers were for things to go my way.

If all those stupid prayers of mine were answered, well, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  I’d be stuck living with my young, uneducated and spontaneous decisions missing the bigger picture, and yet never knowing this.  I look back and I think, thank you Jesus for not listening to me – boy was/am I bad at thinking what is good for me.  So, when things don’t go the way you want, be reminded that  the highest counselor, the controller of fate, your creator, Lord God is allowing every event to pass through His kingdom and go through Him before it touches you.  His plan is better and with his counsel, plenty of prayer, you can put all your faith in Him and allow Him to control your life.

I promise it will all work out.  I am reminded of this every day when I see Mr. Wonderful.

Diana Elizabeth has realized that sometimes an event can serve more than one purpose and to more than the people involved.

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So maybe you can be wise(r).  I’ve learned that the sooner I learn from my mistakes, the less it repeats.  And, like an episode of Full House, I try my hardest to find the moral of the story.  It amazes me how many child like mistakes an adult can still make, or knowing that the cause of stress is still the same thing and why it still lingers when I’m not letting it go.

My husband is teaching me more and more about how to be patient, kind, loving, yet also keeping me accountable for what I say.  He makes me stronger, he helps refine me in such a loving manner.  I couldn’t have married a better man.

I’m still learning every day, but this is what I’ve learned so far:

• Don’t do things for people with the expectation they have to reciprocate.  Do things because you genuinely want to.  Expectations will only burn yourself and in the real world, that debt can almost never be repaid.
• If having to choose family or friends, always choose family. You’ll never regret it.
• Most of the time when you’re upset at someone, you might really just be upset over how you feel or how it has affected you.  Selfish feelings, really.
• Try not to preach one thing then do another.
• In order to let go of things, you need them/it to disappear from your life completely.  It can be hard, but it’s the only way to get on the road to recovery.
• Old friends are treasures and absolutely priceless.  Not many make it that far through life, but the good ones often do.  But continually make new friends since you are growing as an individual.  You don’t want to stay friends with someone just because of longevity when they’re still stuck at the same age you met them.
• You can never say thank you too much.
• A handwritten letter is becoming extinct, don’t let it.
• If you are newly married or become a mother, your life should change.  Don’t feel guilty about it, if your life doesn’t, you are either being an inattentive wife or mother.
• And for those looking on the outside in, it’s easier to say you won’t be certain things, but until you’re in that boat, it might be best to not say anything at all.
• Before getting mad at someone for how they didn’t serve you, why don’t you ask how their day went? Maybe they are going through things you don’t even know about.  Make it more about them and less about you.
• Be a person of class and don’t curse, no matter how mad or upset or stressed you are.
• It’s OK to say goodbye.  And it is possible to wholeheartedly not have any ill feelings once said.
• Constantly write your goals, and acknowledge when you achieve them.  Then add on more.
• If you’re single, especially as a woman, don’t be in debt.  Or if you are in it, get out before you are married.  Once you are married hundreds of thousands will pass through the wife, her hands is where the family money passes though on how daily money is spent.  Start showing your future husband you are responsible now.
• You can never ever spend too much time with family.  Ever.
• It is OK to say nothing at all, just to keep the peace.
• Leaving a party early graciously is very much acceptable.
• It is OK to constantly refine your inner circle as morals and life changes and, as time allows.
• Go on road trips or vacations with your girlfriends instead of boyfriends (until they become your husband).  You’ll never regret those photos with your girlfriends, but you will if that relationship doesn’t pan out.
• Learn how to say no politely to keep your sanity.  Say it often.
• Actually apologizing first means you’re the winner.

Diana Elizabeth just thought of her lovely long time friend Rachel while writing this.  Love her and miss her dearly, it’s time for another vacation together she thinks.

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 So I found this Apricot Clafoutis recipe on Kitchen Konfidence‘s blog which is adapted from Williams-Sonoma’s website here.  Both have rum in them which is optional and since I’m not familiar with alcohol period (I once thought dry wine meant powdered wine like dry milk), I always skip it if it’s optional.  This is a recipe where you can basically use any fruit that’s around, so I used atriums instead.  So feel free to modify with anything!

First, know that my photos don’t look anything like hers because I don’t know how to properly pit a fruit.  I also think some were too ripe so they turned to mush in my impatient hands as I was pitting.

However, I do know how to take a photo to trick you that it looks more beautiful so I used a low aperture.  Ha-ha!

Second, I do nothing in moderation.  And, I do mean nothing.  So, I probably overused the amounts of atriums.  Life is meant to be indulgent, right?

Apricot (really ANY fruit will work) Clafoutis

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of apricot (or atrium in my case, peaches, cherries, plums, or pears), halved and pitted
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp of heavy cream OR milk
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine grain sea salt OR salt
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Confectioners sugar for dusting

The steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly butter an 8×8 baking dish (this means taking a butterstick and rubbing it on the sides, not just spraying).  You can also put them in ramekins for individual cups if you are entertaining :)
3. Spread halved apricots evenly in baking dish.
4. Combine the eggs, cream/milk, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, salt and flour in a bowl and blend.
5. Pour batter over the fruit in the baking dish.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the clafoutis is a golden color and firm.  Should be cooked all the way through.
7. Let cool then dust confectioners sugar on top.

Serves 4-6 or however many custard cups/ramekins you use.

Diana Elizabeth was thinking about all of her friends who bought the kitchen stuff for her wedding while she cooked!  Spatulas – Kat and Gary, measuring cups & baking dish – Gannon and Jayme, Martha Stewart mixing bowls – Melissa and Greg, and zester – Michelle and Mike.

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We live in a 1952 brick home that sits on a former citrus grove.  While the house isn’t really historic, apparently the area, Central Phoenix is.  Remember, I’m from California so Arizona isn’t my home state, but as the years are adding up (8 in Phoenix + 4 in Tucson while at college), I’m sensing and happily thinking this state is really where I’ll be calling home.

So remember when I bought the house almost a year ago and I thought I had a grapefruit/lime hybrid tree in my backyard only to find out that they were just baby grapefruits?  Yeah, I’m still learning.  And also I was told that one tree was a pear tree that didn’t give fruit, and the other was a crab apple only to now discover that one is actually Asian Pear and the other non-fruit bearing tree in fact does bare fruit.  In fact, look at these!

They were falling every day.  I wondered if they were due to the pesky birds – I practically live in a tree house it seems sometimes, but then I thought, no way.  They must be so ripe they are falling off!

So I immediately sent pics to Caroline of Boho Farm and Home, my old mentor and a good friend.  She is everything domestic. She even has chickens and they have a chandelier in their coop and I want one too!  She told me they were probably apriums, and then the googling began.

And then, I found a recipe online, you can use this recipe with any fruits!  I had to ask a lady in the baking aisle where to find heavy cream – Is condensed milk in a can the same? I asked.  And I can’t pit a fruit to save my life, either.  Hey, I’m learning and maybe you want to learn with me.

Benjamin calls my domestic side “nesting” and “bringing sticks back to the nest” like when I buy new furniture, containers, organizing and cooking at all.  Hey, if I’m a bird, he’s a bird.

Diana Elizabeth won’t eat the fruit until it’s cooked.  It’s this weird unknown thing she just can’t do it with unfamiliar food.  She knows it’s weird.

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The top row are already mine.  I sorta had it on my wish list that moved to “immediate want list” and then is now “must have now” list.  Go figure.  The second row are camera straps.  Yes, the top 3 that I can’t decide which I want by the ladies of Simply Bloom Photography.  So adorable, right?  I need to think hard about it.  Then, there are these skirts that a high school friend’s younger sister makes.  So adorable! I’m leaning towards navy.  I’m seriously dying at all of this cuteness I can barely contain myself.  Oh Diana, one thing at a time!  First, I’ll dress my home, then my neck, then my bottom half.  Yes, see there’s a strategy.

Oh, and if I could, I want Olive (that sounded creepy, maybe I should say I want a little one that looks like her).  Olivia belongs to Angel Swanson of Events of Love and Splendor. We recently had a Skype date and I told her though I’m not wanting kids anytime soon, just looking at Olive makes me want one, badly.  So I’m wondering what this all means.

First Row: Linen-lined Wire Baskets in Medium, $19, Distressed European Wall Clock, $59, and Grand Cupboard, $1500 (then went 50% off), all at Wisteria / Second Row: Bloom Theory Straps $120 / Third Row: Awning Skirt by Cori Lynn, $115

Diana Elizabeth is nearly done with the house furniture.  But now that it’ll be summer soon and she’ll want to stay indoors, she has to find something to do inside.  What does this mean?  Kitchen? …

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With all the trips I’ve been on in the past six months I knew I had to print the photos.  What I didn’t expect was to go as far back as almost three years when I realized that I had left off way back then in regards to printing my memories and putting them in albums! THREE YEARS!  What on Earth?

So, after 400+ images were submitted online to my local Walgreens, I then headed to Aaron Brothers to pick up some albums.  50% off put them at $6.50 each which is basically amazing and far surpasses the cuteness found at Target or the like.  All of this, for under $80.  I found a discount code for Walgreens saving myself $20 at checkout thanks to RetailMeNot.com. NOTE: These images are not fancy images I need to submit to a lab, we’re talkin’ images captured on my hot magenta Casio Exilim here!

If you didn’t already know by now, I don’t read instructions.  And, I seem to be proud of this, I’m not sure why.  This habit also goes into not reading labels, descriptions, and rarely dimensions of things.  (Hm, this might be why I’m not very good at cooking…) Therefore, I purchased double of what I needed in regards to albums.  But they were on sale and it’ll take a good while until I’ll need more.  That was my excuse after I realized my mistake, and yes, I told that to Mr. Wonderful.

And here is my blog post to really push all of you out there to print your images.  Not just for frames, but for albums.  Here’s why:

• Facebook might not be around forever – what happened to your MySpace photos?
•  When we’re 95 with terrible memory loss, maybe we won’t be as tech savvy to find our images or remember our passwords or how to use a computer.
• Your friend might download a virus to your computer and then you lose all your images.
• Going through albums is way more fun than pulling up Facebook on your little iPhone and scrolling through.
• It’s always good to have double back up – the external hard drive and the prints.

And yes, I print my personal photos from my Casio Exilim at Walgreens.  That is the only time I use a place like that.  Why?  Because there is no way my clearance hot magenta point and shoot is taking any spectacular images that I need to be printed via professional lab.  However, if you are using a fancy camera and good lenses, then yes, please use a lab.  All of our framed photos are professional and lab prints.

Your simple homework:

1. Go to Walgreens.com or Costco.com to upload your images.  Tip: Upload in the order you want them to print, so start from the earliest time.
2. Next day, go to Aaron Brothers to buy albums on the cheap.
3. Pick up prints (usually prints take 1 day at most).
4. Fill albums.  Captions optional (I still need to do mine).

On a personal note about my images, I can’t tell you how many times I caught myself smiling as I tucked each frame into it’s album slot.  The past three years of my life have been amazing – even surpassing the love I had of my college years.  And really, the best year has been this year.  I have found that the same people have been in my pictures for the past 6+ years, some even going as far back as 10 or more.  That’s the best thing about getting older – you have more memories to share.  Which means, the more pictures to take.

Diana Elizabeth says now if only there was a print size for all the Instagram images taken.  She still sends them to the printer online anyway and they are cropped but still, you get the idea.  

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Ask any of my best friends and I’d be the horrible person who’d actually put the word “hate” and “Disneyland” in the same sentence.  I know. This is why I don’t have babies yet.

But, it’s true.  I don’t like amusement parks or rides that make me feel like my brain is rattling in my skull.  Did I just insult myself?

My younger brother Blake, who I named after Blake from Aaron Spelling’s Dynasty when I was nearly three years old, attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  He’s a fancy smarty pants engineer for the Navy.  He’s totally into the way cities run, operate, and layouts of things.  And, he got this special Disneyland tour back in his college day and since he lives close to LA, he has been to Disneyland nearly 20 times.  Seriously.

So for our wedding gift, my little brother decided to take the family to Disneyland!  And despite my reluctant behavior, I decided to open up my eyes since it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve been and let Blake give us the grand tour based upon wait times, show times, fast passes, and all.  I loved not thinking the whole weekend and it was Benjamin’s first time at Disneyland (he had only been to Disney World).

Yes, that baboon has his finger in his nose!  Bad monkey!

A machine told me I’m most like Cinderella and Mr. Wonderful is most like Jiminy Cricket.  We rode pretty much every single ride, our first day was 16 hours starting at 7 am with the Character Breakfast – Breakfast with Minnie Mouse which was a riot.  At first I ignored the characters when I arrived after all, it had been years since I’ve been around a stuffed human so I wasn’t sure how to react.  Then, after my dad got into it and started talking to them I thought, heck.  Let’s just go with it.  Minnie Mouse’s mannerisms are just adorable, those actors are so good.

It was freezing on Saturday and I didn’t want to get wet on Splash Mountain.  And I also didn’t want to look like a dork and wear a poncho like Blake is clearly demonstrating.  So, I snuck under Benjamin’s poncho during the ride.  Hahahahhaaaa.  He got wet the most.  He didn’t know why until he saw this photo.  Marriage is about sharing and taking it for the team!

Day two we headed to Disney California Adventure which I hadn’t been to for maybe 12 years or so.  It’s a nice slow pace – it’s smaller, there are more shows and relaxed rides and far less people.  It was perfect to start the day later and just show watch.

I do have to say that I’ve changed my mind about Disney.

Things I’ve observed from this past weekend:

• Their branding is absolutely amazing.  From waffles to ice cream bars, everything is amazingly executed.  Good job Disney graphic designers.  I’d so work for Disney.
• The workers at Disneyland love their job and their voice impressions are very impressive.
• There was a fun drawing class where I learned how to draw Tigger.  Maybe my doodles will be more advanced now.
• Disneyland costs – the food and gift shop prices don’t make you feel like you are getting ripped off like at the airport.  It’s really nice.
• Speaking of food, the chocolate dipped bananas and kettle corn were amazing.  I regret saying I left the park without eating a churro.  Boo.
• The Little Mermaid is most definitely the movie that I know all the songs the most.
• The characters are precious.
• The characters now do this bop/smack sound with their mouth to mimic a kiss.
• You’re never too old for glow in the dark bracelets.
• All I wanted to do was eat.  And, I did.  I think my family thought something was wrong with me.
• The Muppets are just so stinkin’ hilarious.
• The Bug’s Life show is so creative.
• Captain EO is back at Disneyland and it made me thankful I didn’t give my prime years to the 80′s cause that was some horribleness.
• The technical abilities that Disneyland has really left me stunned, entertained and at times, speechless.  Very well done and appreciated, Disney.
• I missed the princesses but I guess I’ll just have to see them at our next annual convention.
• Everything is more fun when you are with people you love.

On the tram on the way back after our last day, the driver quietly sang the closing song to the Mickey Mouse Club.  Now’s time to say goodbye to all our company.  M-I-C, (See you real soon), K-E-Y (Why?  Because we like you!) M-O-U-S-E.  It was darling, every one sang along and it was once sweet ending to a fantastic weekend.

Diana Elizabeth walked a ton, ate a lot, and had a super fun time.  Ok, Disney, you’ve got a pretty good thing going.

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It was one year ago last Easter, when I sat with one of my best friends Rachelle and her boyfriend Charlie at church.  It was that day that the Lord put Benjamin into my mind and in my heart during service – over year had passed since our first meeting.

A year later, I’m sitting next to him in church as his wife.  Life can happen so fast, and God works in mysterious and sometimes quick ways.  It makes me so grateful and happy.

Three months into dating, I bought our 1952 brick home in Central Phoenix, and a month later, Benjamin took a med device rep sales job in Albuquerque.  We talked about it, and for his career and financially, it was a fantastic opportunity.  Once we were married, I moved out there and for the past four months we’ve been living there which has been great to be close to my best friends Mike and Michelle and their growing family (I love their kids), but hard for me traveling back and forth for weddings.  We prayed really hard for a new opportunity to open up back in Phoenix, you know, where home was.  And we are thrilled to say that after five intense interviews, he was offered the position and this weekend, I made some closet and office space, that we are officially moved into our house together.

I am so lucky that:

• He thinks Safeway Grocery delivery is a splendid idea, especially come summer time and I will no longer have to sweat while doing what I dislike.
• He brings me closer to my family and younger brother.
• He lets me be me, whether I’m happy, giddy, cranky, or lazy.  There is no pressure to be anything else other than what I feel like being at that moment.
• He knows exactly what to put on my plate at a potluck.
• We go through life at the same pace – we both work so hard and relax hard on the weekends.
• He tells me to never change.
• He makes me laugh every single day.
• He is such a hard worker.
• I love his family.
• My husband really is my other half.

Last month as Mr. Wonderful and I were driving from Albuquerque, during one of our last trips before our final move back to Phoenix, we were talking about our parents.  Having come thisclose to almost losing my dad to Lymphoma brian cancer 10 years ago, I have a high sensitivity to losing my folks.  It’s just that familiar horrible feeling that I don’t want to relive again but know I’ll have to one day.  I told him that I think I’d probably have to be scraped off the ground when my parents pass.

“It’ll be really hard for me since my parents are the only ones who have loved me unconditionally,” I said.
“Well, I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that,” said Mr. Wonderful, “But they have known you the longest.”

It’s true.  God gave me a man that loves me unconditionally, and I mean, really loves me unconditionally.  During moments and days I don’t deserve it.  I never doubt his love for me. And through my husband, I understand how much God loves me unconditionally.

Diana Elizabeth is thankful to Rachelle, and Mike and Michelle for being “family” in Phoenix.  It is during holidays when she always remembers that though she’s away from her family in California, because of them, they always made sure every holiday, big or small was always spent with them.  She hopes she and Benjamin can be the same for others.

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And make cookies.  But don’t give me too much credit – it’s a Betty Crocker mix. (I also didn’t know what a stick of butter equalled when I had two quarter butter sticks and thought maybe I had to put them all together to equal one, nearly giving me and Mr. Wonderful thisclose to having a heartattack.)

I can’t believe I’m actually posting a blog post with that title.  That is so not a pretty title for my pretty blog.

My friends have known me for years as being this: The independent single girl who is very crafty and creative, but so not domestic yet knows how to decorate a house and plan a party while looking very put together.

I’ve had a cleaning lady for the past few years of my life, and I still have one.  I once bought a vacuum and told my cleaning lady I had a surprise for her and just gave her the box so she could assemble it.  Then when it was time for me to turn it on myself, I didn’t know how.  I have always been defiant when it comes to be domestic.  Why should I?  After all, I’m a business woman, I told myself.  I am very clean, by the way.  I’m just surface clean.

And, when Mr. Wonderful and I were engaged, my good friend Ricki went into my registry and help me decide what I needed to register for.  You know, the practical stuff I suppose it’s called.   I was just registering for the pretty things.

Then something happened.  I became a wife, and I realized that if I didn’t start to cook, my husband would be eating cold chili out of a can every night thinking it was no big deal.

If I want him to live a long time (and of course I do), then proper measures need to be made.  Also having my 1952 brick dream home with a nice backyard has allowed me to wander outdoors more and find gardening, pruning and landscaping the place more fun.  It’s all about perspective.

Last week when Mr. Wonderful was at a meeting I decided to clean the house, vacuum, clean toilets, wipe off counters, whatever “cleaning” is.  I left toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet and when he came back he said, “Oh, hey, did Cruz come and clean?”  Because you know, I have never done that stuff.

I think our vacuum is broken.  But then again, I’d never know how you can tell it really is.  I’ll ask Cruz.

Diana Elizabeth has loved using all the wedding gifts while cooking.  She remembers who gifted every single gift, and even what the gift cards given have been used to purchase what items.  So fun!

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