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?