Septiembre

September has already come and gone my friends, and with it lots of wonderful memories.

There was that time our company co-ed softball team lost every game. Err yeah. At least we had cool matching t-shirts. I guess I'm not as athletic as I had originally thought?

I love September though. Ya know I used to think I was a winter (magical christmas-time winter, that is) person, but I'm reconsidering. This year I'm just really digging the fall thus far.

It rained SO hard here in the valley on Saturday and I loved it. This might sound totally weird and hopefully you don't judge me for it but when my brother and I were like... 4/5 years old we used to run outside and lick the cement after it rained. Like it somehow tasted good to us? OK that was a weird confession. Sorry. Moving on.

With fall comes football games. BYU football games, that is. No shame. I love BYU football and my dad and grandma like to share their season tickets with us. Nathan and I took my best friend Shelbster to a game a few weeks ago and we laughed, cheered and gorged ourselves with various stadium food.

And one more Disneyland picture because I love Disneyland and that happened in September. I've been on this major Disney World kick lately though and have been desperately trying to convince my husband to take me there. I've gone so far as to have already calculated how much it would cost us and when we'd go and where we'd stay... I don't know if he's quite given into my persuasive ways yet. I'll just have to keep working on it.

Here's to another great month of awesomeness.

Fall Wishlist

1. Aztec Sweater / 2. Yankee Candle / 3.Stance socks / 4. Gap Gym Skinny Sweats / 5. Kate Spade iPhone Case / 6. Revlon Lipstain / 7. Michael Kors Purse / 8. Jeffrey Campbell Booties /

This is my wishful thinking collage. With fall coming in my wardrobe is in desperate need of some refreshment!

I must admit I do own a purple shade of that Revlon Lip Balm/Stain and it is THE BEST. I am the type of person who has never been able to wear lipstick because it mysteriously disappears off of my lips like 30 seconds after I put it on, so really it is just a waste of time. However I thought I'd give that particular lip stain a try and let me just say that it stays on all day and it honestly feels like you don't have anything on your lips at all! As opposed to you know, cakey lip stick. So much better. Do yourself a favor and go this stuff.

Also I do own a pair of Stance socks (see #3) and they are my favorites as well. I wear them as often as I can get them re-washed and dried.

I will forever be wanting that Michael Kors bag. Someone please gift it to me.

Second Chances

We decided to be adventurous this weekend, so naturally that would mean grabbing a bucket of KFC and heading up the canyon for a little fireside chillin'. I was surprised by how much all the leaves had changed since we were up there last weekend. All the quakies had turned into a glowing, buttery yellow, and the mountain air was so fresh and crisp - how I love Autumn. 

Nothing quite like kicking it back in the wilderwoods, listening to some good old country tunes with your man. It was a much needed - albeit brief, escape from the city lights.

On another, much different note - for the past year and a half I've felt like I've just been spinning my wheels. Not quite sure what direction to go or what path to take. I had several choices swimming around in my head, but I have been too hesitant to pick one because of one reason or another. Certain obstacles and ya know, other shtuff, mainly myself, kept me from making a move. I have really been wanting to get into a nursing program but felt so hopeless about it because the one I wanted to apply to required extensive pre-requisites that I just didn't have, and honestly felt overwhelmed about the thought of getting them. I was about to give up on all of that and go with a different path when I decided to just look one last time at the program. I was completely shocked to find that the requirements had changed and I was now qualified to apply for the coming semester. Seriously, how lucky is that?

So I suppose you could say I have kind of gotten a second chance at something I have been wanting so badly, and I can't wait to get the application process completed and find out what happens. I know without a doubt God had a hand in all of this, and even if I don't get accepted, I know I will be led to a better path. I just feel so grateful to finally have found a chance to make a move with my life.

I think we all have those 'spinning our wheels' moments, when you just feel stuck, ya know? We all feel forgotten and hopeless sometimes, but I know even in those moments God is mindful of us and our wants, hopes and desires. Even when we don't see the big picture, God does, and He knows what is in store for us. We just have to remember to ask Him for help, and exercise a little patience and faith if the answer doesn't come right away. That's something I gotta keep reminding myself.

My Man and I

Nathan and I haven't had any 'real' pictures taken of us since our wedding day, so needless to say, this little photo shoot was much overdue. My little sis, Maggie was our wonderful photographer (insta @focus_photography14). I was SO pleased for what she came up for us!

I was comparing these pictures to our engagement session and I could not help but notice how much older we look! Not in like a wrinkly, worn down sort of way, but in a more, oh how do I say it? Mature, more responsible looking sort of way, ha. I guess being married really does make you grow up quite a bit! I mean we look like real adults in these pictures, as opposed to careless college kids. Two years of marriage can do a lot to a person.

That's all fine and good though. I like what I see reflected back at me in these photographs. I see a deep love and caring for one another. I see laughter, tears and wonderful experiences shining through our eyes. I see fulfillment, confidence and joy. A sort of richness that was not there before. 

We are older now, but our love has grown to be so much more. I can see it in our faces.

How sweet love is! I would not trade my life for any other in the world, and I feel so immensely blessed to have such a wonderful husband as Nathan. He takes care of me, and he loves me, and I could not ask for anything more.

Fare Thee Well, Summer

Today as I sat upon my couch, clad in my sweats (as in pants, not perspiration) and watching the rain, I realized that Fall is indeed on its merry way. Summer has once again slipped away from our grasps, not to return for another year.

Each season has a certain romanticism about it, don't you think? And as the current one comes to a close, we look forward to the many wonderful things the next one has in store. Summer has been real, but to be perfectly honest I much prefer a rainy day to a sunny one, being bundled up as opposed to being dressed down, and eating warm soup instead of popcicles.

Before I herald in the new season however, I must give Summer a proper send off. So fare thee well Summer, thank you for providing me with all sorts of wonderful adventures this year. Disneyland, hikes, camping and sno cones, you did not disappoint. I will miss running barefoot in the grass, and 5:00 AM sunrises, but we will see each other again before too long, I am sure of it.

A Rose and Other Things

+ I love flowers, just like the other 95% of the feminine world. So today I wandered throughout my parent's lovely garden, plucking blooms for my table.

+ Free flowers = awesomeness.

+ I was a Horticulture Major once. For two years to be precise. Then I ran away from my university with only an associates degree. What can you do?

+ Someday I envision myself owning six acres of land, with a giant garden full of all sorts of wonderful plants. I imagine a cobble stone pathway, leading to a picnic table just beyond an arbor spilling with roses. It will be most wonderful.

+ I also envision myself owning a small home with white siding and a bright blue door, and lots of children running around barefoot on the front lawn, and yes, there will be a picket fence. Stamp 'CLICHE' on my forehead if you must. The simple things are what my dreams are made of, and I don't mind that.

Girl's Trip!

Time to share with y'all my many wonderful adventures in Californ-aye-eh. Picture bombardment ahead - you've been forewarned.

We took an eeearrrly flight out of SLC on Thursday morning and just about missed it. They seriously were about to give our seats away just as we showed up to the gate. I was sweating bullets through the whole security line, ready to run as fast as I possibly could as soon as I got through the metal detector, but luckily fate was on our side. We arrived in Long Beach pretty tired from waking up at the butt crack of dawn, however our excitement to go to the happiest place on earth cancelled out any negative feelings we might have been harboring from fatigue and the fiasco at the airport.

What's a day at the D-land without Mickey Mouse? Love that guy.

Magster and I about to get on Small World. My grandmother's personal favorite (we have to ride it at least once a trip just for her). Plus nothing sounds more appealing than a fifteen minute, air conditioned boat ride when it's 90 degrees outside. Pirates of the Caribbean is also another great sanctuary from the heat. We ride those both in excess during our summer trips. It's fine.

I don't know how any Disneyland Fanatics I have out there amongst my (maybe four) readers, but is the new Cars Land not the awesomest? It is seriously my new favorite place. They have the Cozy Cone Motel and everything. You feel like you stepped right into the movie. Also the Radiator Springs Racers are so much fun, definitely a fav. Definitely. Too bad the line is astronomically large because it is still so new. Thank goodness for fast passes is all I'm sayin'. They are life savers.

After two magical filled days at the park we headed out to the Santa Monica Pier for some beachin' time. I had never been here before because my family is obsessed with Laguna and that's the only place we ever go, so it was kind of fun to try something new out. We ate at this pretty good Mexican restaurant at the end of the Pier, the name escapes me... but you got to eat with the world's best ocean view, so no complaints there.

The next morning was our race! I had to share this picture because I had to impress in your minds how many people show up for this thing! 30,000!!! Can you believe that? And honestly this photo does not even show half of the racers. They load you all up into separate corrals (and corral is such an appropriate name because you literally feel like a cow being herded or something). They release each corral one at a time. We were in 'I', so even though the race technically started at 5:30 in the AM, we were not released until 6:30 AM. So like pretty much some of the faster peeps were almost done with their race just as we were starting. The first 3 miles or so you don't really have an opportunity to get very far ahead because you're so squished, but after that it evens out and you're fine. 

I absolutely loved the Disneyland Half Marathon, because the first half of the race you are running through the parks, they have characters and workers and bands all lined up cheering you on. After you exit the park they have more dancers and cheerleaders lining the streets, then after that you run through 3 miles of classic cars parked with more people cheering you on. Then you go through Angel's Stadium and the seats are just packed with people (again cheering you on) and then you end back in Downtown Disney! There is entertainment every mile, and people all the way just clapping and holding signs. It gave me such a rush of energy to see all the people out there supporting the runners! It was so awesome.

Yay we finished!

And because a trip to California is never complete without visiting Laguna, we spent the time after our race there relaxing and enjoying the sun. Also I got to wear my new swimsuit, which I was super pumped about. Woo!

Our last day at Disneyland, Maggie (my sister) and I woke up extra early and went and ate Mickey Mouse pancakes. They somehow taste better when they are shaped like that. For reals.

I was so so sad that I had to come home and come back to reality! Seriously the last few days at work have been rough... vacation hangover I guess? Knowing my family though I am sure we'll be back before too long. It was so nice to just get away with the girls for a little R&R, but I did miss my hubby so coming back and kissing his cheeks is one positive thing about being home, I suppose.

Gonna Get There Someday

I have felt such a struggle in my heart lately about what I should do about my life's dreams and ambitions. I am constantly being tugged in all sorts of directions. Trying to balance all aspects of life like spinning plates on sticks above my head, and at the same time attempting to make every dream I have come true. It's quite an impossible situation - trying to do everything at once, but I feel this immense pressure to do so. What's a girl to do?

I read this quote today...

"You don't have to have it all figured out to move forward."

And then I thought about it for a while, and it dawned on me that hey, maybe I don't have to accomplish everything at the same time to be considered successful in life; because trying to figure out school and starting a family and working full time and pursuing my other hobbies and goals doesn't all have to happen at once. In fact it shouldn't, because you only have so many waking hours in a day.

So now I am taking a deep breath and am allowing myself to work on one goal at a time, not running faster than I have strength for, and remembering to rely on my Heavenly Father to direct my paths to what is most important right now. The rest will come later.

I haven't figured that all out yet, but with a little faith and hard work, I'm gonna get there someday.