Hey family, I miss you all a lot. Just thought I would let you know.

Let's do this.

Sorry this blog isn't really insightful, or full of pictures of food, or anything really of great importance. It's a good outlet for me though so deal with it.

Here are some things I want to accomplish in this 23rd year of life.
-Graduate Pima with flying colors
-Run a 25 minute 5k
-Do some pull ups (this has been a goal for like, the past three years. It will happen!)
-Go somewhere tropical/warm with my mom after graduation
-Stop binging once and for all, or at least drastically reduce their incidence
-Transition more fully into the primal lifestyle--real foods, play, healthy habits
-Be more upfront and open about my feelings, rather than bottling them up
-Be more charitable, loving, and thoughtful to all those I encounter
-Read the BOM, attend the temple at least six times, magnify my calling and love it

Here we goooooo!

Things I did when I was 22...

It's my birthday on Sunday, guys. It's been a good year. I've had to grow a lot, which is not always the most fun, but I feel like it's definitely been for the better. Devon and I have settled into married life and are pretty much pros at it now. Just kidding. We're still working and growing and learning every day. It's a challenge, sure, but it's the best challenge I've ever taken on. I love my Devy Dev more than ever.

 All right, all right. Without further ado, here are the other things I've been up to this past year:
-Went skiing at Mt. Bachelor. Twice. It was magical.
-Started a PTA program at Pima, worked with my first CVA patient, got A's, made friends that like to talk about squatting just as much as I do
-Lost 12 pounds. Another 10 to go! You'll hear more about that soon, I think.
-Walked/ran around Greenlake probably a hundred times.
-Learned how to make my moms famous English toffee. Also roasted pumpkin seeds for the first time ever.
-Celebrated one year of marriage with Snoqualmie adventures, ice cream, movies, and Tutta Bella.
-Became a zoo member.
-Beat Devon and Jordan in a game of Jenga.
-Finally figured out how to tame my eyebrows. This is a really big deal.
-Continued to fail at convincing Devon we need a dog.

And that's about all that I can think of. I also watched a lot of Netflix and went on a lot of morning walks. Livin' the dream over here! So here's to another year! Hope it's full of laughter, fun, learning, accomplishments, growth, and love.

Things I've been into lately

Changing seasons always makes me stupid giddy. Especially fall. I love the fall. I always try and celebrate on the first day of fall (make pumpkin cookies, get hot chocolate, go for a long bike ride on the Burke, etc.) but it usually ends up not as planned. One year it was 90* out. I was so determined to wear my favorite sweater though, I basically died of heat exhaustion. Then another year my bike completely fell apart on me. New tires, new chain rings, lots of money. But I still love it. I still plan on celebrating and welcoming the season. Because I love it.

So here are some other things I'm loving right now:
-Friday Night Lights (the TV show)
-Long morning walks
-Lab time at school
-Scripture study with Dev
-New pajama pants
-and of course, paleo eats

That's basically my life right now. I'm digging it.

Comparison and Goals

I follow a decent number of fitness and food blogs/IGs. They have always been an interest to me and I openly admit to my obsession. I can't tell if it's a good or bad thing.

See, in the fitness world, it is super easy to compare yourself to everyone else. I can't go to the gym without silently critiquing or envying someone. I hate this aspect. I hate that my first response to something is criticism. What is that about?! I mean, let's be real. I am no where near model-status. I have never even caught a glimpse of my abs and considering that I had a quesadilla for dinner, I likely never will. And I'm okay with that! (Mostly) So why do I spend my time judging other people? I don't want them to judge me. I already do enough of that.

So this is my goal: stop critiquing. Be nicer to others and myself. I'm so sick of always beating myself up and hating my body. It's exhausting. Of course that doesn't mean I won't continue to work on changing it. I just need to be better at remembering to love it now for where it is. My body allows me to do some pretty incredible things and I should be thanking God more for that. And remember that everyone's bodies are gifts too. We're all human, just doin' the best we can. We could all use a little more love.

And on that note, here are some more of my fitness/health goals:
-Lose ~20lbs by birthday at the end of October
-Run a half-marathon in 2 hours
-Commit more fully to paleo (and get the hubs on board)
-Stop mindless eating
-Enjoy things more

I complain so much.

Just a warning, I'm feeling rambly and a little mentally incontinent. Two midterms, a test, and a competency exam this (shortened) week. I know some people out there are champion students. They can study for hours on end, making amazing color-coded study guides, flash cards, and rhymes. I am not one of those students. I throw hissy fits, take breaks approximately every five minutes and complain about it the entire time. Don't get me wrong---I love my program and I love learning. I just really suck at studying. It doesn't help that it's like, 85 degrees in the house right now and I haven't had a decent night sleep in days. I'm a little less than stellar.

I'm not excited about Devon leaving for Chicago again on Thursday. Half of July, he's with his mistress. It's dumb. But also I'm really proud of him for the hard work he does and at least I don't have to share the fans with him while he's gone.

I don't know how to handle life without an air conditioner.

Spring Recap (Photo Dump)

They like each other.

 I know, I know. I'm really terrible at this blogging business. I have a lot to learn from Lara. So let's recap.

Early spring took Devon to Chicago for a weekend. It just so happened to be a weekend that my parents were staying at their place in Bend, so I loaded up the car and made the trek down to stay with them for a couple of days! It actually worked out perfectly and I'm so glad I went. And I didn't have to drive by myself! One of my classmates moved to Seattle from Bend, leaving his wife behind, so he was beyond stoked about a trip down to surprise her.

I am totally in love with Bend. We spent the weekend eating, shopping, skiing, and walking. Couldn't ask for more. The school there is in the process of becoming a 4-year university so I'm secretly crossing my fingers that Devon will one day work there.

 Some point after Bend, I took on the position of assistant coaching a Special Olympics soccer team. It was so.much.fun. Holy mackerel. Those kids are amazing! I worked with a recreational team, meaning we had some lower-functioning athletes and their partners. The partners were so fantastic and so excited to help. They were great at setting up opportunities for the athletes to score and were so generous. It was just awesome. Restores your faith in humanity. Can't wait to celebrate all of their victories this week at the end of season barbecue!

 Sometime in between here (I'm really awful at remembering dates, can't you tell?) we took off for Oregon again, but this time to spend the weekend with Steve and Diane! They had rented a house right on the coast in Lincoln City. The weather was pretty typical and required lots of sweatshirts and hot chocolate. But a good time was had by all. I think my favorite activity was visiting the Tillamook Air Museum. The building is an old blimp hangar from World War II. It was so enormous! And the planes were amazing. So many different models. I should have gotten more pictures. I think my camera (read: phone) was low on battery.

 We also spent a lot of time gathering agates on the beach and getting lost on walking trails. Diane spent her childhood gathering agates with her mother so it was fun to share in that activity. I love seeing family traditions be passed down. I hope one day we'll get to do the same thing with our kids.

I'm still adjusting to having a whole other family. I love it! Everyone has been so kind and welcoming and eager to have me as a part of the family. It would be great if we could see more of each other but alas.








I am so grateful for all of the fun things we've gotten to do this spring. Not shown are all of the girl's nights with besties, the Halo playing (an xbox game we both like!), cuddle sessions, baking, and more. We really are blessed. Marriage is the most challenging thing I've ever taken on, but I'm learning and growing more each day. I am so glad I've always got my adventure buddy. He's pretty great.

Yup.

I know I owe you a more in depth update. I know I have lots of pictures to share. But I am sick and I can't control my body temperature and I take a nap every other hour. Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I'm about to finish my first semester at PMI, presuming I can survive the drive to school to take my finals. It went by so quickly.

Being a Supportive, Understanding Partner

It can be a very challenging thing to do. When my husband is upset, I'm usually clueless about what to say to comfort him. He opens up so rarely, it's almost uncharted territory. And just as quickly as he opens up, he closes again. And there I am, feeling like a very inadequate wife.

I find myself closing up more in response. That's another huge challenge. I deeply miss the beautiful young women I used to live with. We could open our hearts to one another and receive perfect empathy. Now all I get in response is jokes and teasing. Not super encouraging. I have to remind myself that Devon's good humor is one of the things I love so much about him. Some days that reminder doesn't always work though. Then I just feel lonely and misunderstood. I'm working on it. Right now I just want to bury my emotions in chocolate and Taco Bell. Ugh.

Missionary return

Last night I mentioned to Devon that if we hadn't gotten married, I may have gone on a mission. In response he says, "I probably would have married Alison Brie and I'd be best friends with Donald Glover. I would know so many famous people."

Sucker.