Revamping My Blogging World

In the festive spirit of the forthcoming holidays, and also in the spirit of helping my future get rolling into gear, I have re-branded my blog, and started a new one as well!
This blog, seeing as it has been and will continue to be about me and my life, has been deemed EyreLand!
The blog inquisitethis.com, has been recreated with its very own domain, and will henceforth be the blog where I practice my journalistic/ writing skills.
I am excited about this new endeavor because I love new projects as well as the chance to revamp old things. Positive changes are heading my way in the blogging world and I simply can't wait!
Go follow my new blog, and look forward to more frequent, and hopefully, more interesting posts both here and there!

Autumnal Auburn Among Aching Anatomy

One of my childhood idols was Anne of Green Gables. I couldn't help the fact that I had four older sisters who just happened to have read every single one of the Anne books and knew the movies, every line, front to back. I grew up wanting to be like them; thus, I grew up wanting to be like Anne; wanting to be a dreamer, a writer, a hopeless romantic, and, of course, a red head.

Having beautiful red or auburn hair was something I wanted, but was told I could never have. As a natural toe head, a true platinum blonde, people were typically appalled by my claims that I wanted my hair to be something other than what it was. The rest of the world wants blonde hair-- or so I am told-- so what could I possibly be thinking by wanting hair of any other color when I had been blessed with the best of the best. According to my family and just about every one I know, such thoughts simply made me crazy. 

I wasn't crazy. I am not crazy.

It only took my 24 years to get up the guts to tell them they were wrong.

I firmly believe that Fall is the best time for change. So, like the leaves on the trees, I decided to change my color. I went auburn, and I have to say, it has been pretty awesome so far.

(1 hour after the hair dye magic took place)

I am no Anne of Green Gables, but I sure do like joining the ranks of wonderful red headed women in this world, even if only for a short period of time. I have even been recently nick-named "Red" at work, which although it isn't always fitting, makes me feel excited about my choice to make a fun change. Everyone else may want to be blonde, but I guess people always want what they don't have.

Among the fun and excitement of changing my hair, I also had the excitement of going to a Train concert with my best friend from college, and attending my closest cousin's wedding.

Becca and I bought tickets to see Train on a whim. It was only after we purchased the tickets that we realized the date of the concert conflicted with other things we had going on. It took a bit of finagling, and a lot of stress, but we finally worked it out so that we could both go to the concert, and it was definitely worth it. Train is great live; and I have high expectations, so that is saying something!

Concert time!

The night after the concert is when I got to go to my beautiful cousin Charity's wedding reception. As one of the youngest children of parents who are both the younger siblings in their own families, I don't have any cousins really close to my age. I have one cousin a couple older than me on my mom's side, and then two cousins who are quite a few years older than me on my dad's side. All my other cousins are significantly older. I have great relationships with all of them of course, but there is a special bond with those closest to me in age. Charity has always been such a good friend and example to me. I grew up getting all of her hand-me-down clothes, attending all of her dance recitals, hanging out with her at family parties, and even had my very first memorable car crash with her. She is a wonderfully, beautiful, talented, and smart woman and I feel so lucky to be related to her. Her wedding was amazing of course because she found a stellar man to spend her eternity with and together, they are sure to make an impact on the world.

Fun fact: I wore my current favorite dress from Anthropologie to the wedding, and ended up matching two of the bridesmaids. Charity and I both thought it was pretty funny. I guess we think alike!

Serenity and I were in charge of the Polaroid photos of guests.

Aside from all the fun I have been having this fall in the city and hanging out with family and friends, a great deal of fun has been found in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. It's no surprise that the mountains here feel like home in its most basic sense. I love the mountains, and in the fall, they call to me. I'll let the beauty they have to offer speak for itself.

When the air is crisp and chill and colors are everywhere, I tend to get really excited about going outside. The idea of running down the beautiful canyons, or through the mountainside neighborhoods is simply my idea of a good time. This fall however, I was more dedicated than normal to my running adventures. My mom and I signed up to run the Provo Canyon Halloween Haunted Half-Marathon, and as my fourth half-marathon, I intended to make it my best on yet. Although I still didn't train as most people would (I just don't like following training schedules), I made sure to run and get my mileage up pretty high before the race.

After some long runs with my mom, including a lovely run down Emigration Canyon followed by breakfast at Ruth's Diner, I was feeling pretty optimistic about the race. But, as luck would have it, I hurt my foot a week before the race. I am still unsure how exactly I hurt it, but there is a pretty good chance that a pair of bad high heels was involved. Whatever the cause, a week before the race, I was struck with the fear that I might be out of commission for a while.

Defeat is not something that I cope well with.

I gave myself a week of rest before the race, and then on race day, I woke up at 5:00am, drove to the parking lot where the buses load, and with my mom, headed to the starting line with fierce determination to finish this race no matter what.

As if by some miracle, my foot handled the run quite well. I hardly felt the need to walk during the race, and though my foot hurt and I was exhausted by the end, I finished with my best time ever and had an absolute blast along the way. Maybe my Batman costume gave me a bit of extra strength, or maybe my determination really is that powerful; but whatever it was, I am glad I had the strength to conquer my aching anatomy and finish better than strong.

True to my superhero form, I conquered one battle, and now I look forward to my next. With my auburn hair, and aching foot, and all the optimism I require, I have begun the preparation for my next challenge: the GRE.

I have started studying and I even bit the financial bullet and signed up by paying for the test. Hopefully, if I work hard enough, I will take it once and do my very best, thus ensuring my acceptance into all the graduate programs I desire.

Here's to looking at a winter full of studying!

Happy Halloween! 

Tacos and Celebrities

One of my favorite parts about having a "big-girl" job is going to lunch with my co-workers and friends. Lunch is, of course, something I always look forward to because it involves food; but it becomes so much more exciting when it includes time chatting with friends and getting out of the office to which I am constantly restricted.
My fabulous co-workers have been introducing me to many fabulous places in the Salt Lake Valley that I was previously unaware of. Having lived in Seattle for 4+ years, I consider myself a "foodie." I have high expectations when it comes to the food I am paying for. I love trying out new things an exploring new flavor combinations. I used to feel that Salt Lake had a very limited selection of edgy, new, and truly delectable restaurants; but my co-workers are proving otherwise.
One of my new favorite places, which has been added to our frequent visits list, is the Chow Truck. With a Portland-like vibe, the Chow Truck offers an explosion of flavor in every bit of tacos, sliders, and salads that they churn out to keep their traveling customer base happy.
On one of our recent visits to the Chow Truck, my co-workers and I were standing around in the sun, happily waiting for our food, when who should walk up to buy a couple of tacos? None other than Rimando. Yes, Nick Rimando from Real Salt Lake.
We were all slightly start struck. It took a minute for any of us to act, but my co-worker Cami wasn't about to let this opportunity go. After a brief pause, she walked up to him and said, "Hey Rimando. Can I buy your lunch for you?"
He was super nice about all of us talking to him while he waited for his food. He denied letting Cami buy his food for him-- in the most down to earth and laid back way possible-- but he let us take a quick picture with him before grabbing his food and heading out in his large white vehicle.
If I didn't have reasons to like the Chow Truck before, I certainly do now. Turns out, tacos fuel the football stars of the world as well as all of us average folks.

(I didn't get a picture with him, but I took this one of him with my co-worker) 

Kindred Spirits Together Again

There are people in this world who are just meant to be together. Best friends, sisters, soul-mates, or whatever the relationship happens to be, there are people who just make perfect sense together. In my life, the people who make perfect sense seem to be far and few between. I have my sisters of course, and my best friend from growing up, but nevertheless, true kindred spirits are a rare find for me. 

Perhaps I have a more strict definition of what it means to be a true kindred spirit; but then again, I have high expectations with most things. To me, a kindred spirit is a person who gives as much as they take in all things, especially love; who is true to themselves and never falters in kindness; who seeks adventure with the ones they love, but can also stand alone; who leaves a wake of brightness behind them and makes the world a better place. My former college roommate, and one of my few bosom friends is just such a kindred spirit.

Due to fate, and perhaps a plethora of other factors, my bosom friend Becca, who I haven't gotten much chance to see since we graduated college, just moved to Utah. She is only 30 minutes away from me now on a daily basis and I couldn't be happier about it. 

Together, we always share the best of times, and it has been no exception since her arrival here in Utah. Although we have shared a few adventures close to home in the Salt Lake Valley, the best of our recent adventures came this last weekend when she finally accompanied me to my cabin for a weekend of fun at Bear Lake. 

For all four years together at school, I talked non-stop about how she (and really all my friends) need to come to my cabin. It is a place which I happen to be slightly obsessed with. It is my favorite place on earth and I almost constantly have the desire to share it with others. With all of the build up from the past four years, I think she may have been as excited as I was to go up there together.

Although the weather wasn't the best due to the oncoming of fall, we managed to have a fabulous time in what little sunshine came our way as well as make the best of the cloud cover. So how did we spend the weekend? Well....

Cruisin' with the top down, chillin with no make-up on,

listening to the percussion of the winds and the meadows,

seeking beauty all around,

and never letting a moment pass unfulfilled.

I am so grateful for the wonderful kindred spirits in my life, and the things I learn from each one of them through all of our adventures; Becca in particular. I am so glad to be living in the same city as two of my bosom friends. Now I just have to find a way to convince the other two to move here as well; but all things happen in their time.

For now, I am content to enjoy being young, finding joy and beauty, and being grateful for the kindred spirits I have found.

No Pain, No Gain

Groggy-eyed and weary, I climbed out of bed after my mom gently woke me up from a mere 5 hours of sleep on Saturday morning at 4:00am. My body certainly didn't feel rested and the thought of returning to my bed after quietly brushing my teeth and changing into my running clothes was all too appealing. Nevertheless, I made my bed, grabbed my shoes, filled up my water bottle, and headed out the door with my mom. She drove while I flipped through upbeat oldie songs on my ipod and tried to jam out and keep us awake as we wound our way through the dark turns of Logan Canyon. 

The hour and a half drive from our cabin to the starting line seemed to take forever as my anticipation mounted. Once we arrived by the finish line, we parked our car as close as we could to where the buses pick up the thousands of crazy runners just like us. Tired and hungry, we each stuffed a Cliff Bar into our mouths as we made our way past the lines to the buses to pick up our race packets. We evaluated the goods of our packets, attached our bib numbers, made a quick bathroom stop, and then joined the line to board the buses. The short ride up the canyon to the starting line was over too quickly and then the waiting game began as we stood outside in the frigid  morning air debating which clothing items we would ditch in the clothing bus and which items we would be willing to wrap around our waists as we ran. We hit the bathroom lines two more times, just to be safe, and then headed up to the start line right before 7:00am.

The space around us became densely packed with people talking loudly with excitement, adjusting their ipods and head phones, and jumping up and down to keep their legs warm. My mom turned to me and said, "Good luck, see you at the bottom," and before I knew it, the gun had gone off and everybody was moving. We were off, ready to conquer the next 13.1 miles of road before us like the crazy people we are.

Despite my hip problems, I kept a great pace-- faster than my mom even-- for the first 6 miles; but by the time I passed the second water station, my mom had passed me up and my mind was completely focused on working through the pain of my grinding hip to keep my feet moving forward. Although the sporadic rain and cloud cover kept the temperatures pleasant, my pain made me want to give up at times. By mile 9, I had to stop for a bathroom break, stretch, and give my hip a minute to rest. The pain seemed to be worse than ever before, but I knew that my pace had been good and I was making my best time ever; I knew I had to push through to make my goal. Starting back into a running step was hard after my pit stop was difficult, but one of the good things about a race is that the people around you are there to encourage you. If I walk for a second, there is always someone there to come along and give you the motivation to pick up the pace once again.

By mile 11, all I could think was, "2 more miles, then my hip can break if it wants. Just keep going until then." Once mile 13 came along, I could see the finish line in the distance and my adrenaline kicked in like clockwork. A half a mile out from the finish, I saw my mom running towards me. She had finished already, but had come back to encourage me along. Once we got to the side barriers where the road is packed with race watchers, my mom ducked off the path to let me cross the finish line. A woman running next to me said that we should dig deep and sprint across, so we accelerated our footfalls, matched our rhythm, and ran towards the line like our lives depended on it. We crossed the line with smiles on our faces and then proceeded to hug like we were old friends; congratulating one another on reaching our goal and fighting through the pain. Once our medals had been placed around our necks, we said goodbye and parted ways. 

(I do not own this picture, it is a screen shot of an official race photo)

I wen to find my mom and together we joined the other tired runners as the kind volunteers served us Great Harvest Bread, chocolate milk, and fruit. Food always tastes better after running 13.1 miles. 

After checking our times to confirm that we had both done our best, my mom and I picked up our clothing bags and headed out. I was proud to have finished my third half-marathon, and my mom was proud to have beat her slower paces of recent years past. It was an excellent morning.

Due to the unfortunate state of the weather, we were unable to water ski upon our return to the cabin like we normally do. I am fully convinced that the best way to recover from a long run is to jump in the cold lake water and make use of a whole different set of muscles by water skiing and surfing all afternoon. This year was the first time I have ever been sore after a race and I know it must be because I was stuck inside all day long after the race.

Luckily, thanks to the generosity of my mom, my soreness was awarded with my favorite frosted cake as part of a late birthday celebration. I love Marzipan frosting! Eating a large slice of cake while watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with so many of the people I love was a great way to end my birthday week.

I endured the pain, and I have to say, I gained enough to make it worth it. Pride in a new self record, time with my mom, time with my family, and freaking Marzipan cake! Well worth it.

Internet Truths from the Late Night Hours

Sometimes, late at night, when I feel like the idea of sleep is a far off and foreign concept that my body is refusing to accept, or even attempt, I often take to exploring cheesy quizzes on the internet. Usually the quizzes involve testing my literary or film knowledge; particularly things relating to the Harry Potter series or the Disney Masterpiece Classics. Sometimes, however, I like to google for the most popular quizzes of the week and see how I fair on the things that the rest of the "Late night Googler" world does.
My most recent late night Google quiz involved asking the question, "Why am I still single?"
I am not overly concerned with my single status; in fact I am usually quite happy about it because of the freedom it allows me to do what I want when I want. However, like all young single adults, I often wonder at why I am still single when it often feels like something I haven't completely committed to choosing.
This was the internet's answer for why I am still single:

Why am I still single?

Hello to Ms. Independent! You are confident, happy, and you radiate. Tons of guys like you; you don't even know it. You probably just think they're your guy friends. You probably don't have any idea when a guy likes you; you spend so much time shining on in your own unique way, that when a guy likes you, he could beg and you still might not get it. You are brilliant and there is no one else in this world like you; you are probably the dream girl of many guys. But slow down to focus on them, and give them special attention, before you automatically decide that it's not worth your time. You'll find someone soon.

Take this quiz: Why am I still single?


The internet might not always be right, but I kind of like this answer-- even if it's not completely accurate-- so I think I will accept it for now; even if only to make myself feel better about wasting time on the internet instead of being productive during one of my insomniac moments.

A Window's View

Back a while (I think I mentioned it), I took the opportunity to do a cross-country road trip with my sister Chelsi. It wasn't a long trip, full of countless stops at historical sights and back roads to get to the "hidden gems" of each unique state; I knew it wouldn't be when I agreed to go. It was more of a, drive as fast as you can across eight whole states because there are 4 kids in the car who aren't going to last more than two days in travel mode kind of trip. Although it wasn't exactly what I pictured my first cross-country road trip as being, it actually turned out to be a cool experience.
There is something to be said for the unique beauty of the vast spaces of land in this country and all of the areas that are not considered the "hip" or "happening" places. Witnessing the change; from dense forest trees, rolling hills, narrow roads, and old fashioned farms; to endless rows of corn, clear blue skies that seem to extend beyond the horizon, industrial farm equipment, and the occasional clump of houses; to desert-like rolling meadows of wild grasses and sage brush where the populous cows and horses claim the land; to the majestic mountains that rise abruptly out of the smooth open fields to stand tall as the conquering rock giants of the west; confirms my belief that this must be the most geographically diverse nation on earth. It is certainly one of the most beautiful.
Although the massive amounts of overproduced corn for the use of environmentally harmful products-- not to mention all of the unhealthy corn products we consume-- tends to put a slight damper on the open beauty that makes up nearly the entire middle potion of the country (about 5 states), I am very glad that I got to witness such a unique view of the country. Letting more than 2,000 miles pass by with a view limited to that of a car window flying down the highway at 80 miles per hour might not sound like an ideal vacation, but it certainly isn't one that should be overlooked. It was beautiful. Simply beautiful.
The next time I decide to take a road trip, I think I will leave out the four kids and try to visit some of those "hidden gems." For now however, I am satisfied to know that I had a great experience with my wonderful sister, her four kids, many mile of road, and a window with a view of the whole country!

Memories: Two Sisters and a Whole Slew of Fun

As Have I ever mentioned that I seriously love my family?!
I do. It's simply the truth. They are the most amazing people and my biggest influences!
In particular, I would like to mention how much I love my amazing eldest sister Brittani. Although there are almost 13 years between us, and she has lived in a different state than me for most of my life, she never ceases to be one of my best friends. From the time I was born, she and I had a special bond that has influenced me greatly in all that I am and all that I do.
I mention her today, because of the beautiful post she sent me on Facebook for my birthday; which reads as follows:

Happy birthday to the sunshine of my life! You were born when I was twelve, and have been the sunniest thing in our family ever since. Twenty-four favorite fun-facts/memories of you:
1. I tried to convince mom to name you Anika Aubrey. I'm glad she didn't listen to me.
2. You used to bring your stuffed animals in to snuggle with me.
3. You used to sneak into my bedroom to sleep ALL THE TIME. I loved it.
4. Mom and dad would let me go practically anywhere at any hour if I took you with me.
5. I used to choose your clothes and curl your hair for church on Sundays. Man, you had the cutest clothes.
6. I used to volunteer to "take you out" during sacrament meeting so I could go chat with friends in the foyer.
7. You could recite EVERY LINE of EVERY MOVIE by the time you were about 3. I guess mom's super-strict TV rules never trickled down to you.
8. You used to spend hours playing in the little puddles at Bear Lake, and yet you never seemed to get sunburned.
9. All my friends loved you.
10. We loved taking you to movies and to get frozen yogurt with you.
11. You had the cutest, most gravelly little voice.
12. You understand that Reading Books is serious business.
13. You understand that boys are not such serious business.
14. Your middle name is Ambition. I think. Or some other descriptor that fits you far less suitably.
15. You're the smartest sister. Don't tell the others I said so.
16. You're the most fun to talk about books with. And the only one who has a quick answer when I ask everyone about their best book of the year.
17. You're not afraid to show/share emotion. This world would be a lot more navigable if others followed your lead.
18. You always find the bright side of every situation, and you show it to others.
19. You have the best laugh.
20. You know how to make everyone else laugh.
21. You march to the tune of your own drummer (didn't you just watch Dead Poets Society? So did I--thought of you).
22. You don't waste (much) time on things that don't matter.
23. You work hard and you play hard.
24. You have great things ahead of you! I love watching them unfold.

end of facebook post

As the single subject of my college entrance essays five years ago, I think it is safe to say that my biggest sister has had an amazing influence on my life, and I am so thankful for her everyday!
Love you Brit!

Pitter Patter: Thoughts on Running as I prepare for my 3rd Half-Marathon

Running is just something that I do.
I am not crazy fast (unless sprinting a mile or less-- preferably less), and I do not by any means have the best endurance. I have never run more than 14 miles at one time and although I do hope to run at least one full marathon in my lifetime, I haven't worked up the will-power to do so... yet. Running is something that I do because I genuinely enjoy it. It is good exercise, of course, but in my world, there are a lot of things I could do and often choose to do besides running that are good exercise as well. Running to me isn't so much about the exercise part though. Although it is most certainly (especially when doing long distance runs) a strenuous physical activity, it is more about the mental side of things for me.
Anyone who has run more than about five miles will probably agree. A lot of what gets a person to run, and to keep running, is their mental ability to overcome thoughts of defeat, exhaustion, physical pains and aches, and the desire to just slow down and walk. Maybe it doesn't sound so hard, but as a person who, once upon a time, believed it was impossible to run more than two miles, I can definitely say that mental strength is at least half of the battle with running; maybe more.
I usually choose to run in the morning. I think my brain works better in the morning. When the air is crisp from a long desert night, and hardly anyone else is awake, it somehow becomes easier for my brain to overcome the negative thoughts that come along when trying to push my body to new limits. With just the sound of my feet lightly hitting the pavement one after the other, I find a pleasant rhythm that seems to put every part of my body into sync and before I know it, my brain is busy thinking through daily emotions and life problems while my body continues forward; almost as if propelled by the turning wheels in my head. In this way, I think running keeps me sane. Running gives my body the time it needs to reset itself and make sure all the different muscles, nerves, joints, etc. are still working together to keep me alive and functioning; it gives me the time I need to think, about everything that I spend my normal hours trying to ignore; it gives me a sense of accomplishment and strength; it makes me feel bold and outgoing; but most of all, it makes me feel like I am in control of my body and my life, which makes me happy.
This coming Saturday, I get to reassert my control with a 13.1 mile run surrounded by hundreds of other people who likely feel the same way I do about running. Although I don't typically like to run with tons of people all around me, there is something beautiful about so many individuals coming together and performing the same activity, mostly for the same purpose; especially when it is an activity not so easily accomplished. It may not be a Full-Marathon, but a Half-Marathon is no small feat; it takes just as much dedication, mental and physical strength, and will-power. Doing a Half-Marathon at the end of summer is something that I have begun to look forward to every year. It feels like the best way possible to bring a summer full of activity to a close and positively welcome the challenge of continuing to exercise and be active throughout the cold winter months.
I know that running isn't necessarily for everyone; but there was a time in my life when I thought that it wasn't for me, and now, looking back, I can't believe I didn't realize how beautiful something so simple and natural could be. I wish I had realized it sooner because that might mean that I would have already run a Full-Marathon and overcome a whole new level of mental and physical limits. I encourage anyone who is has a desire, or even a small interest in running to give it a try; it might turn out to be really worth it. Just remember, it will always be difficult for both the mind and the body, but the rewards will come; just keep putting one foot down in front of the other and let your body and mind find a rhythm to drive you forward.

Juicing the Day Away

No matter what, August always seems to be my month of "un-healthy" living. In general, I like to think I am a healthy person because I live by an "all things in moderation" motto. I am never afraid to indulge in a late night snack of ice-cream, fries, or other less than natural items; however, I refrain from doing so on an EVERYday basis and try to make sure to always counter such food-scapades with a good workout the following morning. I am a good girl, who tries to get my recommended daily dose of fruits and vegetables; however, when August roles around, I become a snack food beast! Perhaps it is due to the fact that August is my birthday month, or the fact that the thought of Autumn gets my brain focused on all of the tasty flavors the late season has to offer; I'm not really sure; either way, my crap-food cravings increase almost ten fold.
This year, in an effort to break the cycle, as well a better help prepare myself for my third half-marathon which I will be running at the end of this month, I decided to try a one day juice cleanse.
I know what you are thinking. A juice cleanse, seriously? Haven't studies shown that those are bad for you?...Etc, Etc.
Well, before anybody gets to being judge-y, let me explain my thinking.
I know that right now, juice cleanses are the trendy thing to do to lose weight and such, but that isn't why I am doing it. I'm not trying to lose weight. I am trying to convince my body that it would rather have healthy, everyday foods rather than the processed junk available in air-tight sealed bags with extra cholesterol and trans fats that it seems to be craving. I am also trying to give my digestive system a chance to clean out any unwanted junk and in a sense "revitalize" the whole digestion process. I am only doing it for one day (which is the normal time of a monthly fast), and I am making sure to drink a well balanced variety of juices to make sure my body gets regular nutrients still.
Rather than taking on the hassle of buying a bunch of fruits and vegetables and trying to mix up a blend of drinkable juices throughout the day, I opted to buy some pre-made juices from a reputable company with more knowledge about balanced nutrition than I have stored in my noggin. After a little Google powered research, I decided to order from a local company called Just Organic Juice. You can look at their website and all they have to offer Here. They have a variety of options and juices to choose from; plus they deliver for free within a ten-mile radius (lucky me for living so close). I ordered their 1-Day cleanse plan which includes 6 different bottles of juices which they conveniently number label so you know the order in which to drink them. Each one is tasty and unique. The variety and sweet, yet healthy flavor combinations keep me interested, rather than bored, and-- now this is me being absolutely honest-- feeling full all day long.
Of course I am looking forward to the return of chewable food for breakfast tomorrow, but one day of just juice has actually proven to be rather wonderful. I feel healthy, I feel that my digestive system has received a much deserved break, and the best part; I haven't had a craving for fries, Hot Cheetos, or  any of my sweets vices. Overall, I'd say my little experiment went quite well it feels fairly beneficial.
I probably wouldn't recommend anything longer than a single day Juice Cleanse, but that might just be my munch-happy mouth talking. I'll admit it, I like being able to chew my food. So while I probably won't make juicing a weekly practice, I think that a day of just juice every couple of months or so might be just the thing to help anyone in  need of a jump-start into a healthier routine.

There's Nothing Wrong With Being Highly Selective...and Awesome

I have come to realize lately, that all of my friends from high school are married and having children. It's not a bad thing, it's great actually; the only problem is that it often leaves me with no one but married people to spend my time with. I have some single friends as well of course, but as one of the only single people left in a rather large group of friends that I grew up with, sometimes, what I like to call "single guilt" gets to me. In a nut shell, "single guilt," is the many emotions that come about when a single person spends too much time with married people, and not enough time with other happy single people. As an ode to myself, and other single people in my same situation, I have decided to write a (hopefully) comic description about what it is like to be one of the few single people in a group of married friends. To anyone out there in the same position as me, I hope this gives you a good laugh and lets you know you aren't alone...

When someone asks me why I am not currently dating someone, I'm just like:

But behind closed doors, it's like:

Good friends will try to tell me:

But I'm like: So.....

With the guys I do want to date, it's like:

Then of course when I get a chance to talk to one of them, I'm like:

I keep telling myself:

But when it doesn't work out and people try to ask me if I'm okay being alone, I'm just like:

And they can never really question that because:

Horsin' Around up in Oakley Town

One of the best things about my sister Chelsi and her family coming to town is that it usually means we get to go hang out at her husband's family's cabin; which is conveniently located on the most beautiful ranch near the Oakley, UT area.
I'll admit it, I am a sucker for anything reminiscent of the old west. I love horses, boots, fires, acres of land, mountains, and just about everything else involved with ranch style living. The Dixie Chick's song "Cowboy Take Me Away," sometimes feels like my fantasy theme song. In other words, hanging out on the ranch is my idea of a good time.
This year, we only got to be up there for one evening- thanks to my newly acquired role as a full on adult with a full time job and student loans to pay off- so we made sure to make the most of it. My brother Howard and I headed up on Monday evening as soon as I got off work. The drive was of course amazingly beautiful; going up through Park City and Brown's Canyon never fails to delight the eye, and the sweet sounds of Etta and Louis blasting through my brother's speakers delighted my ears the whole way there. Once we got to the ranch, we helped saddle up the horses and took the nieces and nephews for some little walking rides around the main pasture.
As near horse experts at the ages of 6, 4, and 3, not a single moment of dullness is to be had with my sister's red headed crazy children around. I sure do love those children and all of the cuteness their tiny little faces possess.

Once we got the horses all saddled and ready to go, my brother-in-law, Sam, led us off into the beautiful mountainsides that surround the ranch. We trotted along through little creek beds, lush hills of quaking aspens (my very favorite type of tree), little fishing lakes, and rolling fields of late summer wild flowers. With the sky covered in ominous clouds, all the plants had a deep shadow cast over them that seems to make everything more alive, as if reaching towards the clouds above and beckoning for the inevitable rain to being its decent. Luckily for us, the rain held off until we had made our way back to the cabin for dinner. 

Back at the cabin, my sister had a wonderful meal of ribs, fruit, avocado salsa, and chips waiting for us. It was a perfectly savory, western style dinner to end a perfectly gorgeous and western night with the horses. After saying goodnight to the horses, eating our fill of good food, and playing a bit more with the children, Howard and I said our goodbyes and headed back towards the city. The rain caught up to us on the drive down the canyons and by the time we reached the valley, it smelled almost as fresh and clean as the hills we had left behind. 

I don't look forward to having to wait another year to get up there in the hills with the horses, but I guess it is better than not getting to go at all...

Thanks for the fun times Sam and Chels!

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A Few of my Favorite Things

A midst the rare but daily moments of boredom at work, I tend to let my mind drift into the untamed universe of my imagination to keep myself occupied and make sure that time is indeed moving. My imagination has many different caverns of thought, many of which have become comfortable and familiar daydreams involving future plans for my career, home-life, travels, and a plethora of other ideas of my might-be life. Recently-whether due to the constant talk of food and restaurants that is the essential "water-cooler" talk in my office, or due to my own subconscious cravings- I have been daydreaming mostly about all of my favorite treats. I have been told that my taste in treats, much like my taste in music, is rather jumbled. I like a little bit of everything from every flavor and texture category possible. My tastes are essentially a little bit eclectic. Many of my favorites are a little old fashioned, but overall, I find that they all blend well to describe my overall range of candy interests. Here is the list:

-Aussie Style Black Licorice

-Caramel Apple Pops

-Sour Patch Watermelons

-Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

-Werther's Original

-Astronaut Ice Cream

-Baby Ruth (fun size)

-Chocolate Rocks

-Pretzel M&Ms

I have been working on fulfilling my cravings slowly-one candy a day style- so as not to overindulge and over do it with my sugar intake; but the daydreams about having all of them temptingly in front of me just don't want to go away. However, with my birthday coming up, I am hoping one or more people will take interest in my daydreams and provide me with a candy care package of sorts to help curb my cravings. A girl can dream right?

Feeling Whimsical

I have been inspired as of late by the great beauty of the amazing west in which I live and I feel it is appropriate to include a little photo tribute to my recent nostalgic mood and positive outlook on my current state and situation in life.

There are times in life when the weight of the world seems to be crushing down with the force of ten thousand soldiers. Life can seem too difficult to bear at times, but it is in these moments when it is important to recognize the beauty all around us. There is the raw beauty of nature, light against the dark, each individual person who is completely different than every other one, moments in time that can move quickly by and yet seem to stand still. If we take the time to recognize all the goodness that exists and flourishes in spite of all the bad, we can begin to nourish a seed of hope. Through hope, optimism is not a far fetched concept and life can suddenly feel beautiful and simple all over again; then before we realize the change, our burden has been lifted by the strength our hope created. 

Never underestimate the power of nature.

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."

-Henry David Thoreau

Back to Reality, Eyre Style

Coming home from a mission early is something no one in my family had done before. It was a new experience for all of us, but one that I think we all handled quite well. Our solution for any discomfort, and to prevent me from having a difficult transition back to everyday life, was to throw me back into everything I love. I think it worked perfectly.

My first week back home was a little strange, mostly because my family had moved right before I returned. I came home to a house I had never lived in, but it only took about two days to feel at home. My mom and Don moved into a house back in the neighborhood where I grew up, so after a couple of morning runs around the old hood coupled with some personal touches to my new dwelling space, I felt like my best self. 

Then came the weekend, which meant we headed up to our cabin at my favorite place on earth! If there is anything that can snap me back to reality quickly, it is water skiing at Bear Lake! We were accompanied by some old friends and got right on the water. Despite the rather rainy state of the weekend, we made the most of it by skiing hard on the morning glass and hiking up to Bloomington Lake in a thunder and rainstorm. 

Family time up at the cabin the weeks following my first weekend back were constant and always enjoyable. I spent the weekdays scouring the internet and filling out endless job applications and then de-stressed on the weekends by skiing and hanging out with my nieces and nephews. Swiftly after I landed a job, we had our Hooper family reunion. It was so great to have all of my sisters and their kids in town in addition to so many wonderful cousins that I rarely get to see. It was a wonderful weekend of family fun on the lake.

Summer months with family feel like the best thing ever, especially after not seeing my family for five months. 

With a secure job, a happy new home, and a great new ward, life has settled into a happy state for me here in Utah. I can feel that the travel bug is creeping up on my again slowly, but I am excited to make the most of this beautiful state while I am here and make some good and much needed money in the meantime.