AUGUST!!

I can't believe its already August! This year has flown by! This month has a few important dates to remember but what has been on my mind lately is that this marks 1 year since I graduated from Utah State University. That has been my biggest accomplishment thus far hands down. Here are a few pics from that day.

It was so nice to have the support of my family on that day, it meant so much! They have always encouraged me to finish my education and it was pretty rough at times but I know that their encouragement played a big role in getting my degree. Im especially glad that my Grandma Joyce was there. She has always been a big supporter of education and I'm so glad that she chose to come. She has just passed on from this life a few weeks ago and having her at my graduation will be one of the memories that I can cherish.

Now that its been a year, I have been feeling pressured to do something with my life. Whats next?? I graduated in Equine Therapy but lack the experience to get a job in that field. I fear I will need to do a bunch of volunteering to get my resume up to par. If thats what it takes then I will do it. I forget how much I love horses until I see them in a movie, or go to a rodeo(like I did this past week). I crave to be around them!! I guess that means I graduated in the right thing, something I am passionate about. Now I just need to grab life by the horns and go for it!

I hope that by expressing myself in this blog, I will be helping myself commit to my goals. Once its written (or typed) its no longer in my head and that means I need to take action. My apartment lease is up in October, that gives me about a month to find something. Yikes! Wish me luck!

Sunflowers. . .

I've been thinking. I love sunflowers!!! I wish that they blossomed all year round. Why is there so much hype about roses? I personally don't really care for them. The roses that I do tolerate are usually the wild ones. Perhaps that is because the wild roses are more like me. I consider myself a bit wild and free-spirited at times. The typical indoor roses are just formal and boring. So refined and elegant. Those should be benefits for the flower, but I suppose those aren't qualities I look for in a flower.

I know sunflowers are not in season right now, but I look forward to their arrival in a couple months.....

I just realized that I have sunflowers springing up out of my head. . . weird! :) 

I have always wanted to go to France, for the culture, art, museums, food, environment, etc. I took a french class in High school and even love the language! Here is another reason for me to love France, this picture was taken in Provence.

I can't even imagine having a field of sunflowers!!! so beautiful! Perhaps I should put that on my bucket list. So i'm curious...... what is your favorite flower?

Cookies and flowers

This summer has been full of crazy adventures and a lot of work. I work at a Garden Center and I LOVE it!! I love being outside all day, and I think flowers can be therapeutic. Its amazing how many varieties of plants are out there, and its helped me continue to learn new things at work. Some may think I'm a bit of a nerd, but when I walk by plants in a yard or in a park I tend to say the name of the plant in my head. ha! Earlier in the summer I visited a couple places with some pretty flower beds. Here's a few pics....

I took these at Temple Square with my childhood BFF, Michelle :)
Here are a couple from my brothers house, with some bonus pics of the nieces and nephew!

Aren't they so cute?! I love Maya's funny faces, she is definitely not camera shy. Elijah has a way of looking mischievous all the time, like he's hiding something? hmmm..... However, there is rarely a dull moment at their house!! So I know this blog is long already but I wanted to add some pictures from when I made Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies.

They turned out pretty amazing, I would definitely make this recipe again! Who says gluten-free has to be all bad?? . . . . muah haha

Capitol Reef- A hidden beauty

When talking about National Parks in Utah, most people talk about Zions, Bryce Canyon, Arches, or Canyonlands. Rarely do I hear people mention Capitol Reef. I find this unfortunate because I recently discovered this national park with my great friend Ashli,  about 3 weeks ago. It is AMAZING!! and one of the best parts is that people are unaware of this park so less crowds! Yay! I'm not big into standing around "cheek to cheek" (as my Dad would say) with a bunch of strangers. I tend to get claustrophobic in those situations.

Ashli and I decided we needed to go camping before she left for her summer job up in Alaska. This was a great plan minus the fact that it was still snowing where we lived and we would be camping. Oh well, as we left and headed south, we went from this......

 

Cold, stormy, blah weather, that makes you want to stay home and curl up in a blanket; To this, in about an hour and a half.

It was so nice to see the blue skies and let me point out, there are no other cars around! hooray! Here are a few other pics from the trip. . . . I don't want to put too many, because I think you should go and enjoy it for yourself!

ZUMBA!!

I LOVE Zumba!!! I went this morning and I  can't think of a better way to start the day. For those who don't know, Zumba is a dance fitness program combining latin and international music with dance in an effort to make exercise fun. Depending on the instructor it incorporates salsa, kick boxing, samba, merengue, and hip hop moves. Music is the key ingredient to this class! The specific beats and tempo changes transition the workout from toning, to strengthening and also cardio. Thus, targeting every major muscle group in the body. Here's a clip that will give you an idea of what it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e55eYvSlras&NR=1

Wahoo!! doesn't it look fun?? Yes there is a lot of booty shaking. But if I can do it, ANYBODY can do it!! This workout not only makes you sweat a lot, but it gives you confidence in yourself and your body. Don't hide in the corner, celebrate!! Celebrate who you are, and be happy about it! It is the best workout that I've discovered! with racquetball coming in a close 2nd place. You can look for videos of Zumba in stores, or find them online or try it on youtube. OR try and find a local class, I strongly recommend the last one, it is a lot more fun in a class setting and don't worry about people watching you, they are all too worried about themselves to watch you. Try it!!! you won't be disappointed!

Going new places!

Saturday I went on a date. It was nice to spend an evening with a new acquaintance, who possessed refreshing ideas and a unique perspective on life. We met at the trailhead of Salt Lake City's popular hiking destination, Ensign Peak. Just up past the Capital, we hiked half a mile up a maintained dirt trail to see an incredibly inspiring view of the Salt Lake Valley. I was in awe! We timed it right around sunset and the sight was breathtaking. My date brought his dog, Bear, along. She, that's right its a female, was so excited and social. I love animals! I love watching them interact with people. Dogs especially can be so happy over such little things. I confess I also am easily entertained by small things, but I lack the stamina or energy.

After the hike, we went to dinner at a "Ma & Pop" restaurant which used to be found only in Bountiful, but there is now a location in Holladay as well. The restaurant is called Robintino's and it is DELICIOUS!! If you're ever in the area give it a try. Lastly we went to the movie "Secretariat". It is based on a true story of a race horse. I posted the trailer below. It was a little slow moving and cheesy but there was also a quality about it that made it interesting and humorous at times. Watching this movie made me love horses even more. They are such beautiful and amazing creatures!!! I don't understand how anybody could NOT like a horse??

SECRETARIAT movie trailer official - Only at the movies February 3