new favorite color

What is today?

This is Steve. 

This is how old Steve is.

I baked this cake for Steve.

Happy birthday Steve!

Inspiration

I am making a change in my life.

I know I have told myself this many times, but I need to really get with the picture and realize where I am headed. I just turned 23 and I feel like I am 35.  I ache, I can't run for very long at all, my clothes are all super tight and I am -lazy-.  I have an addiction to food. Yep, I do. I admit it.  I love it.  I eat when I am happy and sad (and every emotion in-between). Don't get me wrong, food is awesome, but I don't want it to run my life anymore.  As time passes, I gain more weight and my clothes don't fit and my lifestyle doesn't match what I want to do with my life. 

I have tried dieting before. I don't stick to it. I am a person that needs instant gratification (when it comes to me personally) So, I have chosen a diet that has worked for a lot of people I know.  I will be doing the HCG. (Now, for those of you that may read this and not agree with this diet, please know that I have done a TON of research and have made up my mind.) I start today.  It will be extremely tough and hopefully just as rewarding.  

Getting to the health and shape that I want to be at is only a small part of my change.  I am getting completely unpacked today. I am making a chore/schedule chart. I will be going to bed by 9:30 (enough time to read my scriptures, pray and spend time with my husband) and be ready to sleep at 10:00.  I will be getting up at 5:45 in the morning to have personal prayer/study time, exercise, make breakfast for my family and ride my bike to school.  Dinner will from now on be started at 5:00 in order to be on the table by 6:00.   

Why so much detail?

Because detail is what I need. I need it SO badly.  I am craving this organization, this change.

My inspiration for this turnaround was D&C 88: 118-126 

118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

 119  Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

 120 That your incomings  may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.

 121 Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings.

 122 Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.

 123 See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.

 124 Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.

 125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of  charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

 126 Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen.

 I'll keep the blog updated on my improvements and growth. 
 I am REALLY very excited for this. Just thinking about it makes my heart happy. 

Wish me luck! 

it's the final countdown

 This is it. 

The end is near. 

I am so excited.

The countdown starts now...

100 days until I am at the IMAX getting ready for the experience I have been waiting for since I was

11

Want to come with me?

yummm

I am a baker.

  I like to cook.

But I Lu-hu-huve to bake.

I bake when I am happy. 

I bake when I am sad.

I even bake when I am angry. 

It is so relaxing and it fills my home with happiness.

  In fact, I try to make a goal of having freshly baked goods on a plate in my kitchen everyday. 

It really does make for a happier home. 

I bake everything from bread and muffins to candy and snacks.  But the thing I bake most are your ordinary chocolate chip cookies.  Well, they aren't so ordinary.  I am proud to say that they are MY chocolate chip cookies, and to say the least they rock socks off. 

Yes, I am bragging here.  

They really are awesome.

  Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside.

MMmm so good.  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla*

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Mix your flour, salt and baking soda with a whisk while your butter is melting on the stove top.  After butter melts, stir in both sugars until combined.  Add in your vanilla and eggs. **Then, mix in your dry ingredients.  After that is combined (it is going to be a lot stickier than most cookie doughs) add in your chocolate chips.  Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop out cookies and put on sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.  

I like my cookies to be golden brown, and not very dark on the bottom, but others may want them to be in longer which is just fine too.  

* I use Molina Mexican Vanilla.  For those of you that don't know what that is, here is a picture

I think that EVERYONE should give this a try.  I personally prefer it to regular pure vanilla in taste and cost.  It has a little bit of spice to it that makes it smell and taste wonderful.  And and at about 2 bucks for over 8 oz, you really can't beat the price!

** I stopped using an electric mixer about 2 years ago.  Don't get me wrong, they are wonderful and I use them when I need to whip things or I need to get a really smooth batter, but for the most part I find that a wooden spoon really makes great baked goods (plus it is good exercise, ha! )

late night thoughts

I -think- WAYY too much late at night... 

 Right now, I am thinking that I need to be healthier.  

I need to exercise more, maybe jog in the mornings. 

[but I HATE exercising by myself]

I need to eat healthier.

[ but I LOVE ice cream] 

and I need to start loving the skin I'm in more.

[ easier said than done]

I may be thinking a lot more at this time of night, but I think these thoughts are for the best.  

I really need to make sure I can keep up with my health now so I can keep up with my grandkids later on.

 

dreaming

I am dreaming of the great outdoors today.

More specifically, late spring to late fall.  

This winter has been hard on the heart.

I can just barely taste roasted marshmallows and here the bugs chirping as you sit by the fire at night not being able to see past the people on the other side.  

I want to go floating and I want to hike.

I want to take road trips and I want to lay in the sun and take a nap.

I made a goal that I would have many adventures this go around, if only Missouri wasn't so indecisive on what season it wanted to be.

In other news, (literally the last post I did), I am getting 36 2" pots of succulent plants... next week. 

I also have plans to build a mini green house for inside my home 

and I want to get a few other flowers/veggies for my back deck.

Since I know so many ladies are just dieing for spring and I am really wanting to spend time with friends, I think I will have an "apartment-worthy-planting-party"  

If it is nice out, we can do it in the park next to where I live, if not I have a tarp to put down in my living room. 

If you want to come let me know on here or in the book of faces.

...I may even make cute little invites :)

I did it...

I just went ahead and got them. 

I signed onto ebay and I couldn't stop myself...

 

They should be here by April 8th...

Anyone want to plant some succulent pots with me?

spring fever

I have a new, shall we call it, obsession?

Yes, I think that is the right word. 

I am consumed by the loveliness of succulent plants.

I expect my new little place will be home to many of these in the near future.

Today

Packing

Cleaning

Moving

Sooo Stressful...

Yet Sooo Rewarding

New Glasses

                                      ... Bad picture

DIY

People always appreciate and cherish homemade things.  They also love to save money.  Isn't it awesome how these two things seem to go beautifully together?  I have been preparing and collecting crafts/diy patterns to start sewing my kids clothes and making things for my home.  I now have a collection of money saving, memory making ideas.  I recently starting delving into furniture... Majority of furniture is made of wood right? Built by people everyday throughout the world, so why would I pay them hundreds of dollars to make things I can make right here at home?  I wasn't the first one to think of this, this fine lady was kind enough to become an expert at it AND tell everyone all about it.

Check it out

This table is first on my list, followed by many more I'm sure.

Wedding

This month marks 4 years married.
It is crazy how fast this time has gone by.  

My mother called me the other day and reminded me of a goal I had set 

that was close at hand.

Charlie and I met at a YSA dance and short story made very short, we fell in love fast and got engaged in 6 days.  Different factors at the time caused us to want to spend as little money as possible and also not have the time to plan a wedding at all.  I didn't mind at the time, but as time went on I was sad that I didn't get a dress or a ring or have a fun reception with cake and dancing.  So, my husband and I  agreed that on our 5 year anniversary, we would have a Renew our vows/ Reception for family and friends and well, for us.  

I had completely forgotten about this goal due to time and our lives becoming very busy,  until my mother reminded. 

So... Starting now, I am planning a wedding.  

Not just a wedding, but a St. Patrick's day party full of good food, good music and lots of fun.

This is really exciting!

Favortie Things pt. 2

Yesterday I shared the strange things that I intrigue me.  I have a passion for the mysterious things in life. Today, I want to share things that make me truly happy.

The Gospel 

My family

My Pugs

Camping as far away from people as possible

Comfort food

Oregon

The Ocean

My job at the Zoo

Stars

Autumn time

Floating down the river

favorite things

abandoned houses

storms

all things chocolate

Cemeteries

learning the mysteries of the ocean

the fog

paranormal shows

bananas are my go-to comfort food

MARCH

Here is what I am excited for this month...

 1. Moving :)

 2. St. Patrick's Day marking 4 years with my best friend

 3. My 23 birthday!

I have been searching and pondering for the perfect hair cut. Success!

Now, I just need to find someone to cut it for me!

just a hint...

Finally!!

I have found them. 

After about 3 months of searching...

here...

I have found my boots.

my kitchen

We are getting prepared for a -HUGE- change in our lives.... ( I won't talk about it now, but I hope to tell all about it soon...) So we are doing a complete overhaul on our "stuff".  This includes my kitchen.  I have had a mix of all kinds of plates and glasses and flatware since I got married [4 Years ago!! gah!] So now, I think it is time to lower the amount of dishes and get some stuff that I really like.

 

 anthropologie

walmart

 

West Elm

West Elm