Petunia's

It has always been a secret ambition of mine to be a florist. That secret has slowly leaked out and the dream is realized from time to time when I get the occasional opportunity to do arrangements and things for people I know. This valentines day my grandpa called and asked if I would make an arrangement for my grandmama. I gladly obliged.

Irises and red tulips are the name of the game per my grandfathers request. I was pretty happy with the turn out. 

Ya know studies show that when people who are in the hospital or sick have flowers around them, they actually heal faster! I think it's because your mood is lifted when you're around pretty, smell-goody stuff. Makes sense to me. Back in my flower shop employment days I don't remember a single bad day at work. It was such a joyful job to play with flowers all day. Dang I miss that place. 

Happy valentines day to one and all!! Do your loved ones a solid and order them some flowers! 

On the Open Road

Feet on the dashboard, highway beneath the tires, and pretty snow covered landscapes passing across my window. As I watch these scenes go by I can't help but think of all the places I someday wish to go. 

I've always said it would be a dream of mine to ride across the United States on the back of a Harley. Route 66 adventure type deal. How cool would that be? I would have to get a leather fringe jacket and probably some studded boots, obviously. Gotta fit the image ya know. 

Flying in an airplane seems like the shiz dizzle when a normally ten hour trek to Cali turns into a one hour joy ride but I feel like you miss out on a lot of things that way. There's something special about watching the world roll by from the seat of a car. You don't get to see the land change from green to red to brown to blue in the same way when you're thirty thousand feet above it. 

(On the other hand road trips can really suck when your uncle farts and then proceeds to lock the windows and doors so there's no escape for you or anyone else present. Then your cousin pukes from the smell. And you're in the middle of no where.)

Sewing Fun

After 10 hours of laboring at the sewing machine I have finally finished my diaper bag sewing project which I am super excited about! 

And no, I am not currently preggers and so the bag isn't for me... but hopefully the person it is going to finds it as cute as I do! 

I am not the world's most talented seamstress and so the fact that this turned out to be a fully functional item is awesome. 

Being a Girl is Awesome

I am proud to be a girl. Seriously I am. In today's society people would have us believe that we need to be like men to be valued, appreciated and successful. False. Whoever came up with the idea that equality means sameness? We are indeed equal to men but we are not and should not ever be the same. The differences between the sexes are not limited to just our anatomical makeup, and all of those differences should be celebrated, not forgotten. 

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." 

- Margaret D. Nadauld

Be proud of your feminity and all that comes along with it. We do not need to be men to be equal to them. Equality comes along with simply being human. Being a woman is a beautiful, wonderful thing and I thank my lucky stars every day that I am.

Ice Castle

I've been hearing about this 'ice castle' out in Midway for a few weeks now and the hubbs and I finally decided to go check it out last night! When we got there, there was this humongous line of mostly mustached, hipster BYU students but we decided to wait it out anyway. Whilst in line we were entertained by fire dancers and various songs from the Frozen soundtrack, which was cool. After an hour or so we reached the entrance and I must say I was fairly impressed! 

 

 

Nate can't seem to keep his eyes open anytime a flash is present. 

There was tons of cool little ice mazes to explore with tight spaces to squeeze through and LED lights to gawk at. Lots of fun. Although I'm not sure it was worth the 10 dollar entrance fee it was still a good experience. Amazing what a couple guys with water hoses and sub freezing temperatures can do. 

The Ultimate Morning Smoothie

(or post-workout snack)

Lately I've been on a bit of a health kick. Nathan and I have been going to the gym three times a week and I always come home raging with hunger and so I had to find something that was both filling and healthy to eat afterwards. Hence this delish smoothie. I have been so obsessed with it that I have been eating them for my breakfast in the morning as well. They're easy, quick, delicious and nutritious! What else could you ask of a smoothie? 

Hannah's Oatmeal Smoothie Supreme

1 cup chocolate almond milk 

1/3 cup oats

Handful ice cubes

1 banana

Handful blackberries or strawberries

1 'green' thing ( think handful spinach, 1/4 cup avocado, etc..)

Blend and enjoy!!

350 calories each. There is usually enough that I like to split it with my husband for a snack, but it's a great meal replacer if you drink the whole thing because it keeps you full for hours. 

Life's Great Choices

Life. 

It is such a tricky thing sometimes. I have been feeling a bit frazzled lately, because well I have absolutely no idea what I want to be when I grow up and that is troubling when you are a 21 year old married person struggling to get by. I mean I really need to figure this thing out already, people. 

I have come to conclude that my grandest desire in life is to build a family, love and raise wonderful children and live in happiness forever by the side of my husband. But I feel like in order to prepare myself better for that I need to finish my education so the option of a good paying job is available to me, even if I am lucky enough to be a stay at home mom. 

Three cheers for me returning to school! Hip hip hooRAY. 

Now if I can just figure out what in the crap to study. Honestly I've been seriously considering nursing. But I still have that secret ambition to be a florist. Maybe it is possible to do both? 

Maybe it is possible for me to move to Disneyland and not face reality. That sounds nice as well.