On a Saturday Night

 

We had some fun last night going to the Amsoil Arenacross in Salt Lake. I've never been to any type of motocross event in my life so it was definitely a new experience for me. Nathan loves anything dirt bike and so he was eating it up of course. I have to admit watching all those guys catching some serious air on those jumps kind of made me want to go give it a try.

Can I just share a super attractive picture of my husband with his dirt bike with you?

Ah yes, such a handsome beast.

I have been on kind of a Harry Potter craze lately. I haven't 're-read' the books since the seventh came out and I figured I was overdue to relive the magic that is the Harry Potter world. Also has anyone heard that J.K. Rowling is coming out with three more Harry Potter 'spin-off' books? That should be interesting. I wonder if they will be any good. Suppose we shall see.

The Valley of Fire

Last weekend Nathan and I headed south to Nevada for a couple days to meet up with the Hartshorn family and celebrate Nathan's grandpa's 80th birthday. We had such a good time too. We rode four wheelers (well Nathan and myself got to drive the side-by-side) down into the Valley of Fire, which is a pretty neat sand-duney place. A dirt biker/four wheeler heaven. We had a picnic, climbed some rocks and messed around in the sand. It was nice to get away for a couple of days.

I have something very exciting to announce! I am going to be running the Disneyland half marathon this August and I'm like, super pumped. I used to despise running. I seriously just did not get why anyone would want to run for the fun of it, but it has slowly grown on me, and as I have noticed all the beneficial things it has done for my health/confidence/mood I have learned to love it. So anyway, I gotta get started on my training regime! Which I shall share with y'all once I figure out what it is going to be. I am a little nervous about running 13 miles... but I think I can do it. Especially if I am running through Disneyland, which honestly is the only reason I signed up for this shindig. I am a bonafide Disneyland lover.

I am trying to decide if I like my new blog header?? Hrmmmm. I'll stew over it for another week or so. I am still planning on making a few other changes too. I desperately want to have a photo shoot for the hubby and myself. I feel as though we are in need of some updated - professional photos of our lovely, two person family. I can't decide who to ask though, I feel like I know so many people who are good photographers. Just not myself. Never ask me to take pictures for you. I will only bake you cookies or make you flower arrangements.

Under Construction

If y'all haven't noticed I have been changing up my blog a bit. I decided it was time for a new look and a new name, because while the old name was cool when I was in like the tenth grade, it was no longer really relevant.

Why 'Petunia's' you ask? Well ever since I was young that has been the nickname my mom and dad have called me! Also if I were to ever chase my dreams and become a flower shop owner, it is the name by which I would undoubtedly call it.

 So here's to a fresh start! Stay tuned because there will be more to come!

Mint Flavor and Running Races

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone! I celebrated by wearing a green sweater to work and by making mint chocolate chip cookies. Holidays are great, aren't they?

This weekend was absolutely lovely. We took a little road trip down to the southern regions of Utah and ran a 10K. I was as slow as molasses, coming in at 1:05:49 but I kept my goal of running the entire thing without stopping so I was pleased with that accomplishment. Next year I'll up my speed by Crisco-ing my running shoes or something of that sort.

My husband was a champ and dusted us all, just look at that beast. How fitting that he should have a red beard at a St. Patrick's Day race.

The weather was fabulous and we spent many an hour by the pool. I burned my legs to a crisp. You would think being a red-headed fair-skinned individual I would have learned by now that tanning isn't a possibility for me, but each year I begin the summer in blissful denial, go outside and expose my white body to the sun and burn myself. Each year is the same. I never learn. Thank goodness for aloe vera.

Spa Treatment and Worries

So I didn't post yesterday. Shoot me.

Today I went to the nail salon after work and got a manicure and a pedicure and it was awesome. The sight of my toes were beginning to scare me so this treatment was definitely over-due. An hour and ten freshly painted pink toes later, I am one happy woman.

After Nathan and I went and got Papa Murphey's because sometimes I'm too lazy to really cook, and we like to eat like kings when pay day rolls around. It's nice.

Also I've been feeling worried and overwhelmed about various things in my life. I know I'm supposed to be focusing on happy things because of this challenge (and also because, well, you really should focus on the positive in life all the time) but the past few days I've felt like a rain cloud has been hanging over me. I have all these goals and things that I want to achieve and do, but when I sit down and consider the costs and time required to do such things, I begin to feel swallowed up by impossibility and doubt. I try to reassure myself that if I put God first that all things work out, and I do truly believe that, but it's kind of hard to put that faith into action 24 hours of the day. Ya know? Especially when I see others achieving the things I so desperately long for and then I look at myself and feel as if I am making no progress.

I'm sure you've all felt the same way at some point.

Anywho Day 13 of 100 Happy Days really has been a success, despite my moping. I am just so grateful for my Heavenly Father who I know watches over me and takes care of me, and knows a lot better than me.

The Rosarian

My dad had Nathan and I tag along with him up to a house to dig up some roses today. Apparently the house used to be owned by the president of the Utah Rose Society (which I didn't even know existed until today, by the way), an old music professor who was a renowned rosarian (in other words, the man was obsessed with roses). I mean this dude's backyard was completely over run by tons and tons of these rose bushes, which I imagine must look extremely nice in the spring and summer months. The story goes that eventually this guy died and his house and massive rose garden was sold to a young couple who wanted absolutely nothing to do with the garden part. 

It so happens that my dad loves gardening and naturally jumped at the opportunity to take the (free!) roses off their hands; and so began our long day digging up bazillions of those thorny little buggers.

I haven't been outside in the sun for that long in a while so now my face is a little burnt but it was nice to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the lovely weather Utah was having today. Also it was fun to play around in the mud and dirt. My boots needed to be dirtied up a little, they've been squeaky clean for far too long and it was beginning to shame my good country girl name.

made it to day 11 for the 100 happy days challenge!

La Familia

Today's happy moment happened at a Cracker Barrell with my parents and Nathan. Eating fried okra and mashed potatoes. How good it truly is to be surrounded by people I love.