strength

I haven't been to the gym and actually worked hard for a while.
But tonight I was reminded why I like going to the gym.
Not to be healthy or to lose weight.
I go to feel strong.
I used to rock climb almost everyday and what I miss most is the strength that it gave me.
To climb up a wall by just holding onto the smallest of ledges, and to do it gracefully;
it was empowering.
I would go back everyday to get that feeling again-that feeling of strength.
And then I started to do yoga to feel that strength.
And now I weight lift.
All are sources of empowerment.
All are sources of strength.
So during this new year, find something that makes you feel strong.
Something that empowers you.
Something that makes you excited to be STRONG.
And it doesn't have to be in the gym.

traditions

As being a young couple without kids; who are tired and working and schooling, starting Christmas traditions is not high on our priorities list.
Watching New Girl is.
But I want to have Christmas traditions even though we don't have Christmas decorations.
So instead of being overwhelmed with starting 20 new traditions that you have to keep for 50 years,
we will start with just a couple.
And they can all be done in this last week before Christmas!

>Buy a new game or play one that you've never played before while eating goodies and listening to Christmas music.

>Go check out the best Christmas lights in the neighborhood by visiting this website. We are going on Monday night!

>Have game nights and get-togethers with friends and family every chance you get. It's the best time of year to enjoy time with the ones you love.

>Watch a Christmas movie together that you haven't seen and drink hot cocoa. Netflix has a bunch that are probably hit or miss. So it might be fun to try one on there!

>Wrap presents together.....?

resolution

I decided on my resolution a month ago.
I didn't want to wait until the last minute because I wanted to be able to make a workable goal and start planning now, instead of in February.
My resolution for 2017 is to try something new with Derek each month.
Whether it be a new restaurant, activity, adventure, or location.
It has to be new.
To both of us.
I want to experience 12 new things with my husband in the coming year.
12 new things that get us out of the same old, same old.
12 new things that will give us fun memories to look back on for years to come.
We already have January booked and figured out and we are SO excited.
Half the fun is the planning and anticipation.
And planning 12 fun new things is almost too much excitement to handle right?
So, come on 2017.
I'm ready for ya.

offense

It's important to stand up for injustices in life.
But maybe even more important is remembering that not everything is an injustice.
Lately, everything is found offensive by someone.
But just because some people find offense to something doesn’t make it wrong.
And you shouldn’t base your whole life and every action on what people are going to be offended by.
You’re not in charge of them, you’re in charge of you.
Live your life the best way you know how;
Being considerate of others, but not protecting others.
Be kind to others, respectful of others;
And remember to not take offense either.
People live differently.
Don’t take offense to it.
People believe differently.
Don’t take offense to it.
Let it roll off ‘dem shoulders and move on.

And the best quote that sums up all of my sentiments on the topic:
“Nobody has the right to not be offended. That right doesn't exist in any declaration I have ever read. 

If you are offended it is your problem, and frankly lots of things offend lots of people.

I can walk into a bookshop and point out a number of books that I find very unattractive in what they say. But it doesn't occur to me to burn the bookshop down. If you don't like a book, read another book. If you start reading a book and you decide you don't like it, nobody is telling you to finish it. 

To read a 600-page novel and then say that it has deeply offended you: well, you have done a lot of work to be offended.” 
― Salman Rushdie

#optoutside

For Black Friday this I year we wanted to #optoutside and take Bruce on a wee little hike.
Of course, we still went Black Friday shopping the night before...
But on actual Black Friday we took some time and drove up to Salt Lake to hike to Ensign Peak.
Neither of us has hiked to the top before, which made it even more fun.
It's just about a mile out and back, but it is for sure a steep one mile.
I was basically dying because it had been leg day two days before and I was still sore.
The top of the hike was a bit muddy and I'm pretty sure that we got muddier than Bruce.
But that view though!
It's worth a little mud on the shoes.
It would be stellar at night too.
Maybe next Summer we'll try round two at nighttime.

Length: 1 Mile, out and back
Pet Friendly: Yes, on a leash
Location: North of the capitol Building. Directions here.

This sticker is from Shannon over at Salty Spaces.
Be sure to check her out because she inspires me to travel every time I  read her blog.
And she has an adorable dog that she adventures with so it's a win-win.

grateful

I have SO much to be grateful for.
Mine and Derek's jobs, the place we have to live, our families, our friends, our puppy, our church....
And obviously more.
We have been talking about the next step in our lives and started looking at houses to get an idea of our price range for a year or so from now.
And we got So excited by some of the houses.
And I know that I, for one, started "living" in the future and just planning and thinking about what our future has in store for us.
But I need to remember to be grateful for what we have now.
My car isn't paid off yet, but I'm grateful that I have a car.
Derek isn't finished with school yet and I may go back, but I'm grateful that we can pay for our schooling.
We don't have our own place yet, but we have a great place to live in.
We have our dreams that we are so excited to get to, but I am SO grateful for where we are right now.

derek and i

How did Derek and I first meet?
Well, we were in the same FHE group and he had seen me before I had seen him and it was magical.
But that wasn't how we first met.
My roommate was really good friends with him and all of his roommates.
And one night they came over to play some card games.
I wasn't very social with them and I was going on a date so I didn't pay them any mind.
I told them that I was going on a date, I'm pretty sure the young man came to the door and gave me flowers and then I left with him.
The date was going just fine until we went out to get ice cream and...
He threw is cup on the ground when he was done.....
What? Are you kidding me?
Mind you, this was also smack in the middle of my hippy phase so I was getting actually very irate and threatening to jump out of the car if he didn't go back and pick up the cup.
(Sadly, Derek is all too familiar with this side of me.)
Well, the guy ended up throwing his spoon out the window as well which just put me over the edge.
So when we pulled into my parking lot I jumped out of his car without even so much as a "peace out" and stomped up the stairs to my apartment.
I opened the door and stormed in shouting, "He freaking littered."
And all of the guys were still there playing their card games so I proceeded to tell them about the WORST date of my life.
(I'm sure if Derek was a litterer then he never was again after that....)
I then jumped into their card game and laughed at his jokes and admired his cool shirt.
And that's how we first truly met.
Romantic, eh?

letters for my babies

I want for you to be kind.
I want for you to be respectful of everyone and kind even to those that aren't kind to you.
I want for you to love those that are different from you.
And there will be a lot that are different from you.
Don't let the world break you.
Don't let the world make you believe that success is born out of greed, selfishness, and hate.
Don't believe that the only way for your voice to be heard is by yelling and screaming and dragging your words through the mud.
That is not where respect comes from.
So, be kind.
It's the most important thing you can be.

eats for the week

Planning meals and cooking delicious foods is one of the things I love most in this world.
This week I tried some new recipes and this is what we ate!
(Recipes linked in names)

Day One
Chicken Tenders (My recipe came from a book, but this one is similar), Broccoli (Steamed then mixed in with butter and salt), Pomegranate Seeds

Day Two
Breakfast Tacquitos, Sausage Patties and Pomegranate Seeds

Day Three
Chicken Enchiladas, Grapes and Corn

Day Four
Ribs and Broccoli

Day Five
McDonalds...........

Previous Eats For the Week:
1
2

presidential facts

Since the country is at odds about the latest (as in last night) election I thought I would lighten the mood with some fun Presidential Facts:

>In 1954, Ronald Reagan's acting career was going so badly that he took a gig as a Las Vegas stand-up comic for a few weeks.

>John Quincey Adams was known for his early morning dips in D.C.'s main waterway, always in the nude.

> Grover Cleveland was almost literally a cradle robber. He married the daughter of his law partner, at whose birth he was present. When his partner died, Cleveland became the girl's legal guardian. Several years later, they got married at the White House, and had a child, Ruth (the namesake of the candy bar Baby Ruth).

> Calvin Coolidge was strange guy. Not only did he sleep quite a lot - over 10 hours a day - but had a morning ritual where he enjoyed having Vaseline rubbed on his head while he ate breakfast in bed. He also had a mechanical horse installed in the White House so he could practice his horseback riding skills.

>The 18th President Of The United States was given a $20 speeding ticket for riding his horse too fast down a Washington street. 

>When Lewis and Clark were exploring the West, two young bear cubs were sent East to President Jefferson. He kept the bears in a cage on the White House lawn and occasionally went on walks with them. Other strange presidential pets include: Alligator (John Quincy Adams), Elephant (James Buchanan), and Zebra (Teddy Roosevelt).

I wonder what animal Trump will plant in front of the White House?

november

It's November!
Well, it has been for about a week, but I still have my Halloween decorations up so it's kinda still October in our house!
But we are going to enjoy every moment of this month before December arrives.
We plan on going to the dog park.
And hiking on Black Friday.
And eating Turkey.
And listening to Thanksgiving music (example here).
And eating turkey.
Finally decorating for November.
Getting around to carving our pumpkins.
Prepping our cars for Winter.
Maybe cooking an apple pie? (OK, that will be Derek)
Also.......that's all I've got.
What else do people do in November?

life

It doesn't matter where we are in our lives, but somehow each month we end up having one large expense.
Each month I think, "OK, everything is paid for and nothing should go wrong this month."
And then something happens and we have to fork out a wallet of cash.
But that's life.
And now that we have a puppy there's no such thing as sleeping in.
Luckily, our puppy is the most well behaved puppy in the world and won't whine until we wake up.
The nagging feeling of needing to take care of him wakes me up WAYYYY before the sun though.
But that's life.
And I forgot to record the newest episode of Jane The Virgin so I have to wait an extra week to watch it.
But that's life.

To make this life better though, here's a hike:
This hike is part of the Corner Canyon Trails behind Draper Temple.
Trail: Ann's Trail
Directions: If you're driving south on Bangerter you just keep driving straight, even after it stops being Bangerter. You never turn off the road, but you do make turns with the road. And eventually (maybe 5 or 10 minutes after crossing over the freeway) you see a turn off on the left called "Potato Hill Trailhead. You park in that parking lot and Ann's Trail is to the left.
Pets: Sort of. Part of the trails systems is pet friendly and only half of Ann's Trail is.
Best Time: Anytime. Bu the absolute best is the view at night. Just follow Ann's Trail past the sign that says that pets aren't allowed beyond this point. And then you'll reach a nice lookout of the temple and the valley.
Difficulty: Easy

the fanny pack diaries: silver lake

During our honeymoon Derek and I went to Silver Lake.
And a year later we went back to film a video.
And everytime I see it I am just awed by how beautiful it is!

Hike: It's hardly a hike. It's a .9 mile jaunt around a lake.
Time: Personally I believe Fall to be the best time to see it, but it's available all the time.
Directions: Directions from Salt Lake City: Access #1: Follow Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (7000 South Wasatch Blvd.) about 14.2 miles up the canyon to the Silver Lake Visitor's Center parking area across from the Brighton Store on the west side of the road. Trail begins behind the Visitor's Center (boarded walkway).
Activities: Picnic, "hike", fish, canoe, etc.

free date ideas

A couple of weeks ago Derek and I went bowling.
This was always Derek's date of choice in his single days, but we never went together because I'm not a big bowling fan.
But we finally got to go together and it was so much fun!
No worrying about adult things, just giggling and joking and having fun!
In borrowed shoes.
So today I'm bringing you a list of free date ideas to keep that dating magic alive.

1. Go Geocaching. We went approximately once and were terrible. But it was a good time.
2. Rent movies from the library and make a snack together.
3. Give massages. Look up a how-to on YouTube so it's not completely awful.
4. Go to the temple together. Even if it's just to walk around or sit on the grass.
5. Go to your local rec center. You can swim or play racquetball or basketball. (I guess this is only free if you are actually a member of a rec center or gym...)
6. Play Minute To Win It Games. Bring out those competitive sides.
7. Go on a hike together.
8. YouTube Challenges. There are fun challenges all over the web. Try some out together and maybe record it for later viewing.
9. Home Depot class. We tried this and failed. But it would have been fun. Look up when your local Home Depot does free classes.
10. Have a game night. With just each other or with friends.
11. Go to the Puppy Barn. Obviously.
12. Snapchat Hide and Seek. Choose a place with good reception though. Go to a mall and hide, sending snaps until they find you.
13. Bookstore scavenger hunt. Mostly fun if you like books. Sample list here.
14. Have dinner with friends.
15. Play your favorite old video games and computer games. We played Roller Coaster Tycoon for hours and loved it. My family thought we were big nerds.
16. Have a night of watching funny YouTube videos. Ones you've seen and ones you haven't.

bruce

As seen in pictures, Derek and I have upgraded our life; with a puppy.
His name is Bruce and we (along with the vet) suspect him to be a boxer/heeler mix at the ripe ol' age of..... 3 months.
Our lovely sister-in-law brought him into our lives last minute when her friend found him in the wilderness of Southern Utah, hiding under a rock.
And ever since (Approximately 5 days) our lives have been crazy.
I honestly didn't realize how much work a puppy was.
Because having one when you're a little kid is a completely different story than having one when you're an adult.
But he's worth all of it.
Especially when his tail wags and it shakes his whole body.
And he's so scared of everything including being left alone for even a second.
And he attacks inanimate objects that he thinks are his enemies.
The picture above is of his first bath when he pooped everywhere and wasn't so cute.
But still pretty cute.

zucchini muffins

My mom makes the best zucchini bread.
My roommates and friends would rave about it every time I was sent back to college with some.
And now I'm a married woman.
And I still get zucchini bread, but now I have to try and run my own household in a storm of flour and squashes.
And since I am not about to try to make bread as good as my mom, I tried my hand at the muffin variety.

Recipe:

• 1 cup flour.
• ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ¾ tsp Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• 2 Eggs
• ½ cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1½ cup raw grated Zucchini

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Spray or muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with paper liner.
3. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and chocolate chips.
4. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until combined.
5. Stir the grated zucchini in the to egg mixture.
6. Gradually add the dry mixture in to the wet mixture until combined. Do not overmix!
7. Fill muffin tins about ⅔ – ¾ full.
8. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool for a several minutes in pan before removing to a cooling rack.

saturday

Saturday.
A much needed break from the week and a much welcomed day with my husband.
Every Saturday starts the same.
We wake up and Derek goes to soccer and I workout.
And then I start cleaning.
When Derek gets home he helps me finish the cleaning (he does the vacuuming).
Then we fill our day with whatever suits our fancy.
On this Saturday we relaxed for a bit, he studied for a while.
We played some outdoor games.
He won one, I won one.
Then we made dinner for the landlords.
Derek went to Argentina for his mission and came back with a love for Asado.
A few months back, he made this grill (parrilla) with his own two hands.
And last night we used it for the second time to make the literal BEST meat I have ever had.
My husband (and Argentines) are geniuses.
And now I get to be excited for the next Saturday I have with my husband.
Because I'm sure we will find something that will bring us closer in this second year of marriage besides Netflix.

september favorites

Aw, Another month come and gone.
And this month was special because it was the month of our 1 year anniversary!
Life is crazy.
Time is crazy.
But here are my favorites (Besides my husband):

>Favorite Movie: Suicide Squad. SO good. We went for part of our anniversary and enjoyed going to the movies together since we don't very often. There were definitely some cons we had listed for the movie, but all in all we really enjoyed it. And Harley Quinn is my favorite person in the world right now.
>Favorite Workout: I'm gonna be honest. I can only make it through about 1/5 of this workout. Because it's THAT good. And you feel it for dayssss. In a good way. Linked right here is the best workout in the world for legs and booty.
>Favorite TV Show: Last Man Standing. They have up to season 4 (I believe) on Netflix. So there's no excuse to not start watching it! It's politically hilarious and pretty family friendly. I do admit, sometimes the political jokes get to be too much for me. But for the most part, it keeps me laughing.
>Favorite Book: The Work and The Glory. The whole series. I just finished with the 3rd book and it's just so much goodness. Tears will be shed, suspense will be experienced, and some laughs will be had. And even though it's a historical account, it's still surprising and has some twists in regards to the fictional characters.

live list

In so many songs and adorable Pinterest quotes we read,
"Live as if there's no tomorrow."
But just stop right there.
Put down that 10th slice of cake or that credit card or that other indulgent vice of yours.
Because this is probably the worst advice I have ever heard.
If I could fix this saying worldwide it would be,
"Live as if there's no tomorrow, but recognize that there is."
There is a tomorrow people!!!
And the decisions that we make today have consequences.
So yes, we could eat what we want because we only live once.
But also....we only live once.
Make the most of it by keeping your body running smoothly.
Yes, you could quit your job at the drop of a hat and travel the world with as little money as possible  because you only live once.
But also....when you're halfway across the world stranded in a dirty pub, you're still alive.
And people that are alive still have responsibilities.
There are bills to pay and limits to your money and scary pubs to escape.
When I went to Europe, we didn't just drop everything.
We planned and prepared and had to say no to a lot of things!
So instead of making a Bucket List, make a Live List.
(Derek doesn't know this, but we have one.
Ever time we talk about something fun we should do I write it down on our own little "Live List".)
Don't plan things that you want to do before you die.
Plan things that you want to incorporate into your life.
And plan and prepare for them.
This means that they don't need to be extravagant.
It doesn't have to be seeing all the Wonders of the World.
(But it could.)
It could just be glow-in-the-dark mini golfing!
Don't think about it too much.
And don't put your life on hold to do it.

christmas diy

The girls in the family got together and made these joyous Christmas decorations.
And I loved them so much that I wanted to let all you guys know how to have your own.

Step 1: Tear down your existing wooden fence.
Step 2: Find a man, preferably a husband or a dad. Not just the guy that sells Tic-Tacs behind the grocery store.
Step 3: Have that man cut and attach the wood into pretty little slabs.
Step 4: Get all the girls together.
Step 5: Grab some foliage, either real or fake.
Step 6: Shape it into a circle in the middle of the board and use either a stapler or a staple gun to attach it to the wood.
Step 7: Gossip a little.
Step 8: Find a "J" and a "y" or two "M"s if you want it to say something else....
Step 9: Grab your Elmer's glue stick and go crazy.
Step 10: Set the finished product someplace nice and cozy.

homemade oreos

Here's a recipe for Homemade Oreos while I think about what to write about next.

Cookie:
2 Pkg. Devils Food Cake Mix
4 Eggs
1 1/2 C. Butter
2 Tbs. Milk
Mix together and roll into balls. Bake at 350* for 8-9 minutes.

Frosting:
1 8 oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese
3/4 C. butter
2 2/3 C. Powdered Sugar
Mix and place between cookies. Store in airtight container on counter or in fridge.
Next step: Eat 10.

loss

A screenshot from our announcement video.

Whenever we have a question, we Google.
When we are afraid, we Google.
When we are anxious, we Google.
We want answers.
We want to know what people have to say.
We want to know that we are not alone.
So while I feel a little weird writing this, I wanted to have this out there for anybody that doesn't want to feel alone.
Because reading my Aunt's sweet words about her experience helped me understand mine more.
And if I'm going to experience this then it better damn well be for a purpose.
And I'm not going to experience it in a puddle of mush in the basement with nobody knowing.
So I've written my experience from my own personal perspective.
And not what it means for everybody.
So here goes:
Very recently I had a miscarriage.
We had decided we were ready to have a baby.
We were financially prepared, it was something we had both always wanted, we felt ready.
So we tried without trying too hard and the very next month we were pregnant.
Man, that was easy!
And I wasn't even sick?
How did I even get to be this lucky?
Then my doctor called to tell me that she would like me to come in for an ultrasound because my hormone levels were pretty high.
Derek and I started to get nervous.
But mostly excited (and mostly nervous) because we thought it could be twins!!!
I go into the office then next day and wait SO anxiously in the waiting room.
When I finally get taken back and the ultrasound starts, the tech starts questioning if I had been told correctly as to why I was in there.
And that's when she told me that where was no longer any baby in my belly.
And my world came crashing down.
I just could not even believe what they were telling me.
I was just coming in to see if my due date was sooner.
And I hadn't been feeling pain or excessively bleeding.
The only thing I really felt was confusion.
And part of me thought that they must be lying to me.
Derek came home from work and we sat in a confused depression.
I called the doctor and came to find out that she hadn't told me the real reason I was going in because she didn't want to stress me out.
What???
I could have prepared myself!
I could have asked Derek to come in with me instead of having to sit in that exam room....alone!
But there's not just the emotional pain.
There's the terrible physical pain that comes with miscarrying.
Your body has to get rid of all of the tissue that is now foreign and doesn't belong.
My body, however, chose to give me all the pain with none of the results.
And it's so frustrating.
And even though I know better than to blame God, it is just so easy.
Why did he let me get pregnant in the first place?
Why couldn't I have just not gotten pregnant?
And not even did I just miscarry, but now my body can't do what it's supposed to?
How is that even fair?
And afterwards all you have is lost excitement, ruined plans, and soon to be dusty baby toys that were purchased prematurely.
But eventually the pain lessens and you can live normally again.
The only difference now is that there's a Fear that has cozied itself into the recesses of your rmind-ready to jump out to the forefronts before Excitement even has time to get out of bed.
However,  the thing that helped me the most were the words of my Aunt explaining that there are some babies that are just too perfect for this ugly world, but still need bodies.
And I have the ability to help with that.
So I will.

anniversary

We've made it a whole year?
What?
Where has the time gone?
365 Days.
2 Apartments.
4 Seasons.
100ish Arguments.
8 Road Trips.
6 Major Holidays.
15 Socks Lost.
800ish Laughs.

I can't believe that one year ago we were little nervous nellies, about to go to the temple.
About to be sealed for time and all eternity.
And here we are......we haven't killed each other yet.
Marriage is honestly the best, yet hardest thing ever.
But I think mostly marriage is ironic.
Because when you have arguments and want to vent to your best friend....
You realize that they're your best friend!
So the only way to get your best friend back is to pull up your big kid knickers and apologize.
And the only disappointing thing about today is that we ate our wedding cake topper ages ago!
I guess we will just have to buy a whole new one.
Because it was THAT good.
I LOVE YOU SHNOOKUMS!!!!

life goes on

Writing has always been an outlet for me.
Journals, Word, Blogger.
Lately there has been so much I want to write, yet nothing I want to share.
I keep trying to open up a new post to figure out what I want to share with the world.
And I get nothing.
There's so many thoughts I have inside my head.
But none of them will come out in an acceptable way.
And definitely not in a way that I want to share with the world.
So my only piece of wisdom I have for now is that
Life goes on whether we are ready for it to or not.
And we can either fight it or let it take us right along with it.
One leaves us in a pile of mush and one lets us at least pretend we're OK until we actually are.
One is a waste, and One.....not so much.

camping

This weekend Derek and I tried to go camping.
Less in the middle of nowhere camping and more civilized camping.
We packed up the cooler, tents, sleeping bags, and chairs in the car and headed up the canyon.
But everything ended up being filled to the brim with no room at the inn.
(At least we got some gorgeous views on the way up)
Lucky enough, we ended up stumbling upon Silver Lake, which is something we visited on our honeymoon.
After reminiscing and wishing we had a canoe we answered the call of our rumbling bellies and headed back down the canyon for dinner.
Instead of camping we decided to just do the fire portion-dinner and dessert at a day use picnic area.
Now, let me just give a shout out to my husband for making delicious tin foil dinners.
And to Wolf Em Sticks for giving me the dessert that I have been looking for my whole life.
(Now why can't I have a fire every night just so that I can fill my belly with what it demands???)
Once we had eaten our food Mother Nature decided that we had had enough fun.
It started pouring and put the last of our fire out of business for the night.
So we packed up once again that day and drove home in the somewhat setting sun.

august favorites

Image

>Cleaning Product: A dusting glove. Yeah, I know I'm a nerdy grown up that gets excited about weird things, but this is COOL and you can't deny it. I got them from my local grocery store but you can also get it here. It has seriously changed my life in the best way possible. My house never sees a speck of dust anymore.

>Clothing: Lularoe leggings. I have never felt something so soft on my legs. Also, they fit perfectly-no bunchy crotch here. Annnnnd they don't pill in the dryer. Winwinwinwinwin. The only problem is...I don't know how to buy them. Seriously, their buying process is confusing. You have to know people who have the goods. And then meet them in a dark alley.....

>Food: Salad Kits. SALAD KITS. I am not a huge salad fan, but I'm starting to think that it's just because I'm not making them right. These little babies have perfectly proportioned toppings and salad to dressing ratios. Bomb. And they come in a variety of delicious flavors sold at your local grocer in the produce section. Next to the plain, boring salads that don't come with their very own dressings and toppings.

>Tv Show: Grey's Anatomy. I'm watching it from the beginning. Again. I haven't seen the newest season yet and I figured that I better start at the beginning JUST IN CASE I forgot anything that will affect my viewing of the final season. Really, it's because I just like feeling that I'm a surgeon and know everything about how a hospital runs.

>Exercise: I have a tight neck and a constant sore back/shoulders/neck. So this video is a Godsend. I try to do this at least once or a couple times a week. And it really does help so much. I highly encourage it if you spend most of your days imitating the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

bungee jump

Everybody wants to be looked upon with heroic admiration and bravery.
Apparently, I don’t.
I had already gone skydiving so I decided that bungee jumping wouldn’t be that different.
So I buy my ticket, take my two best friends, and head down to Arizona.
The night before the jump I kept having terrible thoughts that tomorrow was going to change the rest of my life.
(And of course, it did, but for very unrelated reasons.)
All night I was worried that it was because I was going to be paralyzed.
The next morning we woke up bright and early before the sun and headed out to the bridge.
We arrived and it didn’t look so bad.
Of course, anything an arms length away was pure blackness because it still wasn’t quite dawn.
Me and the other jumpers hang out and wait for the instructor to arrive with his gear.
As we do this the sun slowly comes up and we slowly see deeper and deeper into the abyss that we are about to jump into.
Pretending to be the bravest of the souls, I volunteered to go first.
They strapped on my harness, gave me important instructions, and set me loose.
I was to climb to the very top railing and just jump.
JUST JUMP was the instruction.
I climb up one railing.
And another.
And start crying.
Embarrassing,  lame crying.
To say the least I was quite the disappointing first jump of the day.
But my friends just helped me pack up the car and start driving home without saying anything.
So that was nice.

goodbye summer

Image

It’s almost September and I’m just wondering where the heck Summer went??

I remember being a kid or even just in high school when you wouldn’t just get summer.
You would get SUMMER.
And you had no obligations for a whole 3 months!
And all you had to do was watch TV and swim and play and color and lay out.
But now grown up life laughs at those memories.
Because now it’s lucky if you swim even a couple of times in the Summer.
And you actually have to request days off of work in order to go on a vacation for even two days.
And you can’t go on adventures every weekend because your car has to go into the shop.
Or you have to do all the cleaning and laundry because you had no time all week.
And actually enjoying the outside sun and warmth just doesn’t happen very much.
And along with it comes some guilt.
Because Pokemon Go can’t solve all of our problems
BUT Summer isn’t the only time to enjoy life!
How about now that we are adults we vow to not just squish all the fun into 3 short months,
but to spread it out across 12?
I know, I know, Winter is gross.
But, I mean, Snowmen are cool.

habits

Habits are SO hard to keep when routines change.

I have been feeling so guilty that I haven't been keeping my same spiritual habits with my new routines lately.

But I think I've been failing because I've been trying something again and again that just doesn't work for me anymore.

So instead of beating a dead horse, I need to get creative.

I need to change the times, the places, the reasons.

I know that I haven't remembered to read scriptures at night for about a month.

So instead of continuing to try reading at night maybe I should read in the morning.

Stop trying something that isn't working anymore.

Try something new.

Because it's not always your desire or your spirituality that is keeping you from doing certain things,

sometimes it's just your routine that is getting in the way.

eats for the week

DUN DA DA DUN!!!
I now present to you the second edition of "food I ate and think you should too."
Let me know what you think.
(Recipes linked in names)

Monday:
(Biscuits and Gravy, Corn, Grapes)

Tuesday
(Ranch Bacon Pasta, Croissants, Fruit-not pictured)

 Wednesday
(Ham and Cheese Sliders, Coleslaw, Fruit-not pictured)

 Thursday
(Chicken Teriyaki Casserole, Monkey Bread, Grapes)

Friday
(Chili Cheese Beef N Mac, Beets- Yeah, we're those people with Ranch)