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.