itsAlyx

Leaving Isn't Easy

2019-03-03T23:12:00.001-06:00

About a year ago, I posted about why I left the Mormon church. In the past year since that blog post, I have experienced a vast array of emotions surrounding the church, ranging from all out rage and hatred to simple indifference. I often find myself reflecting on my life up to the point I realized everything was a lie, and wonder how things would have been different. Would I have gotten married so early? Would I have had a career before children? Would I have experienced more life? Don't get me wrong - I believe the universe had a hand in everything my life has been up to this point - I believe I'm where I'm meant to be, with the people I'm meant to be with.

But I do wonder. I wonder why it took me so long to leave - why it took me so long to question things. I wonder at the type of people who stay in the church. I wonder why. I wonder, If they knew what I knew... would they stay? I wonder how I didn't see the gaslighting, the clear "us versus them" separation mentality, the indoctrination, and the manipulation. I wonder how I ever thought true happiness could be found in fear. Because fear is what fuels so many members' faith. What kind of religion threatens eternal separation from your family if you leave? How did I ever think that was okay? What kind of religion encourages you to practice conditional love? I never realized how conditional so many people's love for others is until I left the church and saw it firsthand. "I love you, but only if you live the way I live. Only if you believe what I believe." As a member, I constantly heard the phrase, "Be in the world, but not of the world." Boom. Us versus them. We are superior - we have something no one else has. Stay with us, stay in the boat, don't stray or you'll be separated from your family for eternity, doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith, research isn't the answer, etc. etc. As humans, we all crave community - we all crave the feeling of belonging and of love. As members of the church, we know that if we leave, we lose our community, our friends, and many times the love of our family members, and that fear drives our faith.

Leaving the church is hard. It's lonely. It's ostracizing, especially if you are in a primarily Mormon community. I feel so much love and empathy for anyone who has ever undergone a faith crisis and subsequently left the church in one of those communities. Their whole lives are turned upside-down, and many times they are left alone, with no friends or community to speak of. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly people can turn their backs on a person simply because they chose to forge their own path. Parents who stop speaking to their children, friends who are suddenly nowhere to be found, and neighbors who avoid eye contact. No, leaving the church isn't easy, because if it was... I have the feeling a lot more people would leave and never look back.

We Should Talk about It - LDS Temple Ceremony Changes

2019-01-02T23:41:00.001-06:00

Whenever I post about issues within the Mormon Church, it is inevitable that someone asks, "Why do you care so much?" I'm sure that, after this post, I will get that question again, so let me preemptively answer it for you. I still care because this organization caused me pain - a LOT of unnecessary pain. Because of this organization, I spent years of my life thinking I was not good enough, thinking there was something wrong with me, and trapped in cycles of shame and depression.

I am STILL dealing with the repercussions of leaving the church - coming to terms with the fact that the church participates in gaslighting, manipulation, and hardcore indoctrination. The emotional and mental damage done to me by the church is there, and it's real. So if you are one who wonders why I care so much, that's why. Because I can't ignore something that has caused me so much pain.

Also... I'm going to dive deep into something that some consider "sacred," but I feel it necessary to address, since church leaders have specifically told their members NOT to talk about this. Many people wonder what happens in Mormon temples, and I will tell you that, from the first time I set foot in a Mormon temple, I was so, so uncomfortable. Before you can get married in the temple, you must go through the endowment ceremony. In that ceremony, as a woman, I had to veil my face. While my husband covenanted with God, I had to covenant to follow my husband. I could not pass through the symbolic veil without my husband bringing me through. It was clear to me that, in the Mormon church, I, as a female, was inferior. And that sucked. To this day, I regret my Mormon wedding, and that's a day I can never get back. I am not alone in these feelings - I know countless other women who were hurt by the wording of the endowment ceremony, and the blatant misogyny in the temple ceremonies.

Today, the endowment ceremony was changed. Today, I am angry. I am angry because, instead of recognizing and acknowledging the pain that was caused, the leaders of the Mormon church are telling their members not to talk about changes. Instead of apologizing for the sexism that has been so prevalent in the LDS church since its founding, they are sweeping it under the rug. And just like the blood oath that was removed from the temple ceremonies in 1990 (look it up), the fact that women used to veil their faces will be forgotten by members, and my hurt won't matter anymore.

The LDS church has a problem. They constantly marginalize and discriminate against groups of people, and then when they realize that it's affecting their membership numbers, a prophet suddenly has some big revelation that changes their discriminatory policies. Do they ever apologize for their hurtful doctrine that was so easily changed? No (see the LDS policy on race and the priesthood - still waiting on an apology for that one). So instead of remaining silent about these changes, I'm going to speak out. The fact that doctrine can so easily be changed and no one will talk about it is not okay. The fact that thousands of women now feel like their pain is not valid is not okay. Instead of being silent, we need to talk about these things.

Owning My Truth: Why I Left the Mormon Church

2018-02-20T18:40:00.001-06:00

Recently I decided I wanted to learn a little more about makeup, so I joined a course by Michelle Money - The Money Method. I didn't realize that the course was about more than just makeup, but it is. A huge part of the course is about learning more about who you are and becoming more confident in that person. I'll talk more about the course in another post, but a section of the course was called "Own Your Truth" and was ultimately what prompted me to finally sit down and write this post (which, truthfully, has been a long time coming).

First, I want to make it very clear that I am going to be completely honest with my feelings in this post, and not all of those feelings are going to be rainbows and butterflies. This post is going to be raw, real, completely authentic, and, yes, probably long. My journey out of the church was 100% my own, not prompted or encouraged by anyone else. It was, by far, the most difficult thing I have ever done. I think a lot of people believe that those who leave the church are doing it because they want to sin, have fun, or take the "easy" way out. They think that we are lost, troubled souls who need saving. In fact, none of that is true - at least not in my case. If you're looking for the short version of why I left, here it is.

TL;DR: I don't believe the Mormon church is the church of God. I don't believe that there are prophets on the earth today, and I believe that, while it does a lot of good for a lot of people, it was doing more harm than good in MY life. I set out to find true happiness and joy, and it turns out that, for me, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was not the answer.

If, however, you are feeling a little nosy and want to know all the things, go ahead and read on.

Let's start at the beginning, for it is a very good place to start. I was raised LDS (short for Latter-Day Saint, AKA Mormon). Growing up, my family went to church for three hours every week. I attended primary, I was baptized into the church at age eight, and I learned all about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. I was taught to serve my fellow man, to love my neighbors, and to be a good, moral person. The church provided me with an avenue to discover my talent in music, my leadership abilities, and my talent for teaching and public speaking. In addition to all of that, without the church, I never would have met my amazing husband and I wouldn't have my kids. The church did provide me with a lot of good - there is no doubt there.

In addition to the things listed above, though, I was taught that our church was the only true church, that any marriage not in the temple wasn't an "eternal" marriage and that people married outside the temple would be separated from their spouse and family at death, which is really incredibly sad. I was taught that coffee and tea were bad, that sex was not something to be discussed or even thought about until you were married, that people who had piercings and tattoos had committed a grave sin, and that modest clothing was super important, because, well, if a girl didn't dress modestly, then those darn boys would be tempted to sin. I was taught that a woman's greatest calling in life was motherhood, and that that's what every woman should aspire to - to an eternal marriage in which the woman stays home and raises the children. There are a lot of other things I was taught, which, looking back, never really quite sat right with me, but ultimately, it was the things I was not taught that made my shelf crumble (my "shelf" is where I stored all those somewhat annoying things that I didn't necessarily like or agree with, but weren't big enough issues for me to question my belief in the church's teachings), so let's start there. Before I delve into my main issues, I want to point out that, growing up in the church, it was made very clear that anything that portrayed the church in a less than perfect light was considered "anti-mormon" material - even if it was a scholarly article full of reliable sources. Because of that mindset, ALL of my primary research took place on LDS.org, and many of my issues stemmed from the historical essays that the church has recently provided to the public.

Let's talk about polygamy, because goodness knows that it was kind of a taboo subject when I was growing up. I was taught that polygamy occurred because there were widowed women who could not provide for themselves financially, and these selfless male members of the church were marrying these women purely to care for their financial and emotional well-being. Well, imagine my shock and surprise when I learned that good old Joseph Smith was not only marrying multiple women without Emma knowing, but he was marrying women WHO WERE STILL MARRIED TO OTHER MEN and girls as young as 14. I could go on and on about my disgust and issues with polygamy, but I'll spare you the details and encourage you to read the LDS.org essays on polygamy, then head over to mormonthink.com if you'd like to learn more. Basically what I learned from this essay was that I no longer believed Joseph Smith to be a godly man, let alone a prophet.

My research on polygamy led me down a sort of rabbit hole, and I discovered much more of the church's unsavory history. I cried, I prayed, I read everything I could, and I ultimately reached the conclusion that Joseph Smith was not a good man. I felt sick to think that I was part of a church who has hymns like "Praise to the Man." That was not a man to whom I could ever shout praises.

I pleaded with the Lord to help me find any reason to stay. I thought to myself, "Maybe I'll stay for the kids - surely the church could do good things for them?" I went to church the next week, and as I was preparing for my calling as primary chorister, I was flipping through the primary songbook and came across the song "I Love to See the Temple." I sat there for a second and realized that I had my answer -I needed to leave the church. I hate the temple. I hate it. I remember the first time I went into the temple, I was so excited. I thought to myself, "This is it - THIS is where I have waited my whole life to be." But as I went through the endowment ceremony, I felt anything but peace. I listened to the covenants and felt uneasy. I went to the temple a few more times, thinking that things would surely get better the more I went. In fact, the opposite was true. Every time I went to the temple, it was more uncomfortable than the last. I later realized after reading through the scripts that, as a woman, I wasn't covenanting with my Father at all, as the song said. In the LDS church, women can't get to the celestial kingdom unless they have a man to get them there. There are many other things about the temple ceremonies that made me uncomfortable, but because they are sacred to members of the LDS faith, I will not discuss them here.

After that day, when it dawned on me that I needed to leave the church, I didn't just let it go. I wanted so badly to find something that could justify a decision to stay. Why? If I didn't believe any of it anymore, why in the world would I want to stay? Because staying in the church is easier than leaving. When you leave the LDS church, you become a project and an object of discussion. Your name is brought up in church leadership meetings, and suddenly people who have never cared to talk to you pop up out of the woodwork because they are concerned about your eternal salvation. I've seen parents and families disown and shun their children. I've seen neighbors and friends talk behind "apostates'" backs. I've seen firsthand the judgment and speculation that happen when people leave the church. I've seen the disappointment, the subtle attempts to bring people back, and the outright disrespect that people have for those who have decided to leave. So, yeah... if I could have found any reason to stay, even one, I think I would have. Because sometimes it's easier to just not rock the boat.

When I realized there was nothing that could keep me in the church, I decided to stop wearing my garments, and secretly hoped that I'd have some sort of crazy prompting to put them back on and go back to church. That didn't happen, though - what did happen is that a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. As I got rid of them, I realized that I was living authentically for the first time in many, many years. I was unapologetically me. I felt an immense amount of peace with my decision to leave the church in that moment.

Over the next several months, I underwent the stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance for those of you who need the refresher), spending a large amount of time going back and forth between anger and acceptance. Now, about nine months later, I feel that I'm in the "acceptance" stage about 95% of the time. There are certain things that trigger me (mostly topics regarding sexuality/motherhood/LGBTQ), but for the most part, I can think about the church without being consumed by anger and grief.

I want it to be known that I have never felt so truly happy, at peace with myself, and loved as I do at this time in my life. I am able to live authentically and be completely true to who I am as a person. This has led me to some of the most beautiful, honest, and genuine relationships I have ever had. I don't beat myself up over little things, I don't have a constant sense of shame or guilt hanging over me, and I am a better person for it. I find that, since leaving the church, I am much more open-minded, I am more empathetic, I am less judgmental, and I am ultimately more understanding of other people. I know now that truth is not universal, and neither are beliefs. Truth is not a one size fits all type of thing, and neither is joy. What brings one person joy will not bring everyone joy, and that is also true of religion.

You may be wondering what I do believe if I no longer believe the teachings of the LDS church. The truth is... I don't know. I believe in kindness, positive thinking and positive energy, respect, and love. I believe in authenticity, friendship, and honesty. I believe that religion and beliefs don't define a person, but actions do. <3

How to Keep Store-Bought Flowers Alive

2017-07-11T00:03:00.000-05:00

Hey guys!

The other day I posted a photo of my Costco flower bouquet that I bought almost two weeks ago on my Instagram and I had a few people ask me how I keep my store-bought flowers alive and healthy for 12-16 days. I'm no pro, but I can share what I do know! Hopefully it helps you, too, because there is just something so refreshing about having fresh flowers in the home! I will tell you that I owe almost all of my knowledge to my friend Laura - she is the one that gave me almost all of these pointers!

So, without further ado, here is how to keep your store-bought flowers fresh.

1. Choose a vase/mason jar/container for your flowers. Fill it up with approx. 1- 1.5 inches of room-temperature water.

2. Add about 1/4 of the packet of flower food that came with your flowers to the water and swirl it around until it dissolves. DO NOT dump the entire packet of flower food into the water! That's a total waste. The ratio for the plant food is actually one packet to one liter of water, so a little bit goes a long way!

3. Take a sharp pair of scissors and trim about 1/4 inch from the bottom of your flowers. Make sure you trim at a diagonal.

4. Arrange your flowers and enjoy!

Things to note:
You will notice that the flowers drink up the water fairly quickly. You should be doing the above 4 steps every 3-4 days, or as you notice the water is almost gone.

If you notice the water is getting low and forget to change it, it's okay! Your flowers will start to droop, but they can usually be saved! Just do the above steps as soon as possible.

Every flower has a different "life-span." I've noticed that peonies and roses are exceptionally difficult to keep alive past 8-10 days. This method doesn't guarantee that every flower will stay alive for 2-3 weeks, but it does make your flowers last longer than they would otherwise.

Bay Area Hikes | Mori Point

2017-07-05T15:53:00.000-05:00

Hey all!

I think it is pretty common knowledge at this point that I LOVE hiking, and my kids have grown to love it, as well. Elsie asks to go on a hike at least three times per week, and I have loved finding easy hikes in the bay area.

One of my favorite places to take the kids hiking is Mori Point in Pacifica. It's a family friendly hike, which is great for the kids and dog.

The hike starts near Highway 1 and takes you to a cliff peak that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. If you hike Mori Point in July, you might be lucky enough to see blue whales as they are migrating. The total trail length if you start at the trailhead by the highway and do the complete loop is a little over 4 miles. Easy enough, but if you have kids, you may want to start at the path located at Mori Point Rd. and Bradford way. If you walk the path to the beach, then take the stairs on the left, you can still get a great view of the ocean, but only clock a distance of about 2.5 miles round trip.

Anyway, here are some photos of the area. It really is a gorgeous kid-friendly hike in the bay area.

Real Product Reviews | Rodan and Fields Lash Boost

2017-07-02T18:46:00.000-05:00

Hey there, people! Long time, no talk.

As most of you know, I love to support other women who are doing the MLM thing, because I know that it's not a get rich quick thing. It takes a lot of time and work, and I will support that. Plus, let's be real - I like to know if that crap actually works.

Enter Rodan and Fields. I have about a billion people on my Facebook friends list who sell Rodan and Fields, and I see the before and after pictures ALL the FREAKIN' TIME. I've always wondered about it, and finally decided to try it. I'm going to give some backstory, so if you're not interested in that part and just want the completely unbiased review of Rodan and Fields Lash Boost (I paid for my lash boost serum with my own money, I am not receiving any compensation for doing this review, and I am 100% honest in this review), feel free to scroll down to the divider line.

Backstory: In August of 2016, I decided to invest in lash extensions. I say invest because that sh** is not cheap. I think after all was said and done, I spent $120ish on a full set that was supposed to last 2-3 weeks. I loved having extensions.... until they started falling out. In the sense of full disclosure, I am part of the problem. When the extensions started falling off my lashes and into my eyeballs, I rubbed, picked, and just couldn't leave my eyes alone. This caused my real lashes to fall off right along with the extensions. I WAS BALD - I HAD NO EYELASHES LEFT!!!

I started wearing falsies while my lashes grew back, and the habit stuck. I wore false eyelashes every. damn. day. for eight months. I started seeing stuff about R+F Lash Boost going around Facebook, but knew how much the skincare regimens were, so I didn't even think about trying it. Eventually it got to the point where I was considering extensions again ($$$$$), but knew that they'd ruin my stubby little eyelashes, so I decided to reach out to a consultant. And... here we are.
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THE REVIEW

Pros:
- Rodan and Fields Lash Boost is simple to apply. It's pretty fool-proof, really. Just swipe it on your lash line like eyeliner.
- A small amount of the product goes a long way.
- The product works on eyebrows as well as eyelashes.
- The results. I'll post a picture of my 8 week results (sorry for the crap-tastic quality). I think they speak for themselves - worth every penny.
- The shipping is fast - in an Amazon Prime world, I think fast shipping from an MLM company is an incredibly desirable thing.
- The return policy. If I had not gotten the results that I wanted, Rodan and Fields has a great return policy. The return policy is actually the reason I decided to invest in this product. Speaking of investments... let's talk about the cons, okay?

Cons:
- Price. Holy friggin' price tag. We are talking $150 (PLUS tax and shipping) for 5 mL of product. That's $30 per mL. Now, I've already said that this is worth every penny, and I do believe that, but OUCH! The price makes my cheapskate heart hurt.
- You have to continue using the product to maintain your results. Which means spending $150 on your lashes every 3-4 months.
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THE VERDICT
If you have short, stubby, thin lashes that need help, I highly recommend Rodan + Fields Lash Boost Serum. It really does work, and it works well. I started seeing results after just four weeks! And now, at 8 weeks, I feel like my lashes have doubled in length and increased in volume, also. So... go ahead and go get some!

Learning to Hand Letter

2017-01-11T15:26:00.001-06:00

So... I've been pretty MIA, and honestly, I'm okay with that. It will happen occasionally - I'll have dry spells, and then I'll have weeks where I post almost daily. Anyway, if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you have probably noticed that I am learning hand lettering. I am seriously addicted - it is so much fun!

So. I'm obviously a beginner (just started learning last week, hello!), but here are the resources that I have used and that I like.

1. Hand Lettering 101 This book is a great resource for the super beginner (like myself). It is very basic. Like super basic. It touches on faux calligraphy and teaches you a basic, lower case alphabet. It also has some projects and shows you options for a fun sans serif printed alphabet. Yes, I know it is sold out - order it anyway and it will ship as soon as it's available.

2. Tombow Brush Pens Writing with brush pens has a bit of a learning curve, but these were recommended by some pros, and the more I use them, the more I love them.

3. Creative Lettering and Beyond This book is so much more intensive than Hand Lettering 101, and I recommend it as a second book. This book talks about chalk lettering, calligraphy, faux calligraphy, and watercolor, and it shows multiple alphabets, flourishes, embellishments, and gives fun DIY project ideas. I am loving it!

4. Watercolors and brushes If you just want to hand letter, you don't really need watercolors and brushes, but I love the painted look, so I went ahead and got these. If you do watercolor, keep in mind that you'll probably want some good watercolor paper. I've been using cardstock on some of my practice sheets, and the watercolors smudge.

5. A good eraser I block and draft my pieces in pencil, and then trace over with pen or paint for the final project. Once the project is dry, I erase the pencil marks.

I'm sure as I learn more, I will have more recommendations, but this is what I've used so far as a beginner!

Our Ten Favorite Children's Books

2017-01-03T16:41:00.000-06:00

If you know me or have been around here for a while, then you know that I love to read. Being able to escape into a book is an amazing thing (a gift, even), and reading is one of those things that I truly believe everyone should learn to enjoy.

I have tried really, really hard over the past few years to make sure that my kids love books as much as I do. I got lucky, because my kids love books. Callum's favorite thing is to run into their room, grab a book off the bookshelf, bring it to me, and cuddle up with me while I read to him. Every night before bed, he and Elsie have to have at least two bedtime stories before they are satisfied.

Basically, we do a lot of reading in this house, so I thought I'd share some of our favorite children's books with you.

1. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. This is Callum's all-time favorite book. I think, on an average day, we read it 5-6 times.

2. Harold's Purple Crayon Treasury by Crockett Johnson When Elsie was younger, we would read this book every day. She absolutely LOVES Harold and the purple crayon. This book is great because it is a compilation of five adventures.

3. I love you, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt and Cyd Moore I actually found this book at a garage sale when Elsie was a few months old. It quickly became one of our favorite stories, since I call my kids silly names like "Stinky Face" on a regular basis.

4. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss This is on the list because it's my favorite story to read to the kids. I get really into it - voices, actions, the whole shebang. It's like Cat in the Hat dinner theatre at our house when this book gets read.

5. A Treasury of Classic Stories I love that this book is full of classics like Oliver Twist, Treasure Island, and Black Beauty. These were stories that I loved when I was younger, and ones that every child should know.

6. Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein This is a silly, fun book that I picked up at Target a while back. Callum loves to read it with me.

7. Mr. Brown can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss Callum and Elsie both love this book! It's so fun to go through and make all of the sounds with Mr. Brown.

8. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein This is a classic story, and one that I think every child should have in their collection.

9. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault Elsie loves to read this book with me. Plus, it's great for helping kids learn their letters.

10. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney This was my absolute favorite book when I was little. I try to read it to my kids a couple times a week.

What are your favorite children's books?

Living with Depression & Anxiety.

2017-01-01T13:45:00.000-06:00

Some days are better than others. I suffered from PPD/PPA with both kids. I got over it with Callum pretty quickly, but then we moved a few months after he turned one, and depression and anxiety reared their ugly heads and made an appearance in my life again.

With exercise, I was able to sort of moderate and things got a little bit better, but then my knee started acting up. I went and got an MRI, thinking something was torn, but it was just extreme chondromalacia, and the doctor's solution was to cut out any and all physical activity that caused pain. Well, since even taking my dog for a walk or going up and down stairs causes pretty intense pain, I've had to cut out all exercise. I swam for a while, but it's to the point where even swimming is painful, so that's out, as well.

Not being able to exercise has basically thrown me into a downward spiral, and, I'm not going to lie - things have sucked. Here's the thing - I know I am so blessed. But when you are suffering from depression and anxiety, it's really, really hard to see that. You feel so alone and isolated, even when you have a ton of people who love you and care for you.

On the good days...

It isn't a struggle to get out of bed.
The thought of going out and being around other people doesn't completely paralyze me.
I am able to get dressed and get ready for the day by putting on makeup.
I actually play with my kids.
I am patient.
I enjoy talking to old friends.
Being a mom is enough.
I can be genuinely happy for others and their success.

But on the bad days...

I dread the moment my kids come to my room and drag me out of bed.
It is a struggle to get dressed.
Leaving the house is terrifying and just doesn't happen.
I have a short fuse and am very impatient with my kids.
I sit on the couch and just don't move until one of my kids forces me to.
The smallest thing out of place makes my heart race and causes me to have a breakdown.
I avoid contact with anyone and everyone. I push people away.
I feel lost.
I feel like a failure.
I look around and I feel stuck.
I see other people's success and I allow it to make me feel like a lesser person.
I feel like I've failed as a human being.
I feel like my intelligence is wasted on motherhood.
I feel like I'm not enough.

Now, I know that depression and anxiety can change a person so much, and I know that they are changing me, so please believe that I'm doing my best to not let them beat me. And really, this has all just been weighing on me for a while, and I needed to get it off my chest. I don't really want comments, so I've turned them off. <3

Family Activities in San Francisco - San Francisco Zoo

2016-12-30T10:00:00.000-06:00

So. If you haven't figured it out yet, we moved this summer, and, as luck would have it, were dropped in the second most expensive city in the United States. The cost of living here near San Francisco is astronomical. Because of the cost of living, most families are either a) in a home where both parents work or b) on an extremely tight budget.

Now, I have also noticed that there are not a lot of families in the area (at least not compared to Utah and Nebraska), so family friendly activities in San Francisco are extremely hard to come by and generally pretty expensive (because everything in this city has to cost an arm and a leg). I have taken it upon myself to save some other poor unfortunate soul the time and effort involved in finding family (& budget!) friendly activities in and around the San Francisco Bay Area.

First on the list: The San Francisco Zoo. Let me start off by saying that I am a zoo snob. Seriously. I grew up with the Sedgwick County Zoo (ranked the 8th best zoo in the US by ranker.com) and then when I went to college, I lived near the Henry Doorley Zoo (ranked the 2nd best zoo in the US by ranker.com).

Photo by Elsie

Quite frankly, when compared with those two zoos, the SF Zoo sucks. Hardcore. But... my kids don't have very high standards when it comes to zoos, and, honestly, when you've got two toddlers, your main goal is to kill a good portion of your day, get kids out into fresh air, and enjoy the ~~sound~~ silence of two passed out kids on the drive home.

The animals are fine, although the zoo is missing a couple of my favorites (what kind of zoo doesn't have elephants?!). Hands down, the best part of this zoo is the children's play area. I would pay the membership fees just to get year-round access to this playground.

To get the best bang for your buck: Park on Sloat Blvd. - NOT in the zoo parking. It is a short walk and it saves you $10-$12 (depending on when you go). If you live close enough to the zoo that you will go more than 3 times, get a membership. A basic family membership is $130, and single admission for adults is $19. Kids 3 and under are free, but if you've got a 4-year-old, you're going to spend $13 on admission for them. The basic family membership gives 2 adults and 3 children complete access for a year. If your kids are young enough to be free, this membership pays for itself by the fourth visit. If you have three kids over the age of four, the membership pays for itself by the second visit.

Helpful hints:

-You can make your membership for you and a "guest." This way you can save your sanity and bring a mom friend and her kid(s) for free.

-Your membership gives you discounts at all the stores and cafes in the zoo

-Your membership gives you discounted admission to over 100 zoos and aquariums nationwide.

The verdict: The San Francisco Zoo is a fabulous family activity and worth your time if you live in the Bay Area. If you're just visiting, I'd skip it.

Anyway, now that I've talked about all the logistics, I'll share some pictures from my mommy-daughter date with Elsie. She asked to go to the zoo, and it was great to spend some one-on-one time with her.

Time Flies

2016-12-29T20:18:00.001-06:00

And just like that - Christmas is over.

It seems like it was just a couple weeks ago that I was sitting in my living room, looking at the mess around me, wondering how another Christmas had gone by, and it was almost 2016. This year has totally flown by, and I am feeling totally blind sided by the fact that it's going to be 2017 in less than a week.

I could talk about all the ways 2016 kicked my butt, but instead let's focus on happy things like Christmas! My in-laws came out to California to celebrate with us, and it was so wonderful to spend a few days with them. I've also decided that the best thing about Christmas these days is having kids and watching them get SO EXCITED about every present!! And shout out to Esther, who made our matching family jammies!! We were in such a rush to get to church that we didn't get a picture of everyone together, but I'll work on that.

Wedgies = Weapons of Mass Destruction

2016-12-15T15:11:00.000-06:00

UGH. Today. Let me start with where it all went wrong. Side note: Nikki, if you're reading this, HI! I can't reply to your comments and I feel bad about that! :)

The moment my alarm went off at 7:45 am (yes, my kids sleep in past 8:00... sleep training works, people).

I got up, got myself ready, and then went in to wake up my sleeping ~~monster devil child~~ daughter. At first, it was great - she got out of bed, happy to be starting her day. She was pumped and excited for school. But then I did a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad thing.

I made her put on pants.
It started with a whine, "But mom, there's wedgies in my pants!!"

Fine. I did what any loving mother would do - I picked my kid's underwear out of her butt.

"THERE'S STILL WEDGIES!!! I HATE THESE PANTS!!! STUPID PANTS!!!" as she rips them off and throws them against the wall.

Okay, okay - so I got her another pair of pants, and it was like the freakin' twilight zone as she started screaming AGAIN.

"THERE'S STILL WEDGIES!!! I HATE THESE PANTS!!! STUPID PANTS!!!"

I sighed, trying to keep my patience, and through gritted teeth in a not very nice voice, "It's not the pants, let's try a different pair of underwear, okay, sweetie?" In my mind I was thinking, Ohmyfreakinggosh I am going to kill someone. I wish I drank wine. Why are three-year-olds so damn crazy?!

We got her some new underwear and put her pants back on. Nope. Not happening. This time the screaming reached levels of epic proportions. Poor Callum was just sitting there watching everything go down, no doubt thinking, Women are psycho. Girls are psycho. I'm moving out as soon as I can wipe my own butt.

By this point, Elsie was lying on the floor of the bathroom, butt-naked, screaming something along the lines of "I JUST HATE WEDGIES, THEY ARE LITTLE MONSTERS IN MY UNDERWEAR MAKING MY BUTT ALL ITCHY. WEDGIES ARE SO DUMB, MY PANTS HAVE SO MANY WEDGIES! I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL!!!"

I did what any mom would do at that point and stormed downstairs, got one of her Christmas presents, and threw it away (AKA the trunk of the car, not to be seen again until her birthday), all the while noting my every move in a very loud, "I just escaped from the psych ward" voice.

Let's just say that that certainly didn't help matters and, to put it nicely, s*** hit the fan and my kid went crazy. She proceeded to teepee the bathroom, throw all her clothes, and shriek like a banshee the whole time. That takes talent and dedication, you know.

Eventually everything got straightened out, my kid settled on a swimsuit for her day's wardrobe, and I decided two kids is more than enough.

Moral of the story: Wedgies ruin EVERYTHING.

A Christmas Gift to Myself

2016-12-14T16:57:00.002-06:00

If you came to my house, you would automatically know that I am one of those people who LOVES having photos of my family up on my walls. Ya know, I'm a photographer and hound my clients to print their memories, so I think it would be a little hypocritical of me if I didn't print my own.

As you looked at all of the pictures on our walls, though, you might wonder why there is only ONE of Mike and I. Well... it's been 6.5 years, and honestly, we've only got one photo of us that I feel is wall worthy. A couple of months ago, I found out that one of my favorite photographers was going to be in California for a few days and was scheduling sessions. I knew that I wanted her to do a session for Mike and I so that we would finally have good photos of us together, so I went ahead and gave myself a Christmas gift and scheduled a session with Five and Five Photography.

You guys. I am so in love with these photos. I look at them and I am so happy that I can finally put together an heirloom album and get some prints for our walls. If you are in Idaho, I highly recommend hiring Krista - she is amazing!

A Day in the Life

2016-12-13T13:07:00.003-06:00

I know, I know - it's been a long time since I've written anything, and then here I am with two posts in as many days.

We moved to California from Utah in July, and our stuff took over two weeks to get to us. While we were waiting on basically all our earthly belongings, I decided to do a photo series of a day in the life. If you enjoy taking photos at all, I highly recommend doing "a day in the life" once every few months. I look back on these pictures from July and feel like my kids have already grown and changed so much, and I feel the need to do this again soon.

There's nothing exquisite or extraordinary about our lives - most of the time we stay at home, play with toys and the dog, watch TV, nap, eat dinner, do baths, and go to bed. But those mundane, ordinary, everyday activities are what make up our lives right now, and I think they are important things to document. Because while all the fun vacations, day trips, and play dates are wonderful things to have memories of, it's also important to document the time and events scattered among them.

And if you don't feel comfortable documenting your own day, you can hire me to do so. I love lifestyle photography!

Treat Yo' Self

2016-12-12T17:52:00.001-06:00

So. If you know me, you know that I am a total advocate of moms taking time for themselves regularly, because if mama's gone crazy, well... then, heaven help us all. Or maybe that's just how it is in my house? Either way, I know that I personally need time to myself, and one of my favorite ways to escape the harsh realities of life is to head downstairs, lock myself in the bathroom, turn on the TV, and enjoy a nice warm bath while binge-watching my latest show on Netflix. An essential part of my bath-time routine is throwing a bath bomb into the tub.

Now, I love Lush as much as the next girl, but I have to admit that, since becoming a mom, I have a special place in my heart for other moms who bust their butts to help support their families. A lot of those moms sell handmade products to do so, and wouldn't ya know it - bath bombs are one of those things! So when I was asked by a friend to do a review of Bath Sorbet's bath products, I was so excited!

I received my box with two bath bombs (Frozen and Heavenly) and one bath truffle. I was so excited - these things were so pretty! Over the next week and a half, I used each product, and I have to tell you - I loved them!!

Now, I know some people might be like, "WTF is so great about a bath bomb? What is a bath bomb? What does a bath bomb do??" Well, let me change your life. HA! First of all, bath bombs are way fun to watch as they fizz and turn your bath water pretty colors, but that's not all they do.
Bath bombs are packed with lots of ingredients that are amazing for your skin. Every time I hop out of a bath where I've used a bath bomb, my skin is left feeling soft and silky smooth. If you love a little shimmer, some of Bath Sorbet's bath bombs even have a little glitter in them, so you'll walk away feeling like a superstar. In addition to leaving your skin ultra moisturized and soft, these puppies make your bathroom smell AH-MAZING.

So moral of the story is this - if you need some you time and you have a bathtub, head over to Bath Sorbet and get yourself some bath bombs! If you buy five or more, they are only $4 each, which is an amazing deal.

There is No Place like Nebraska

2016-11-02T11:00:00.000-05:00

With the Ohio State game this coming Saturday, I have Nebraska football on the brain. Here's an oldie but goody.

“It’s football Saturday in Memorial Stadium and there is no place like Nebraska!” The crowd exploded, cheers of “GOOOO BIIIIIIG REEEEED” filled the air, and the marching band made their way onto the football field to play the Nebraska fight song. As I stood up and clapped along, shivers ran up and down my spine – this was the loudest the crowd had ever been (at least since I got here two years ago). It was the night that every Husker fan had been waiting for – the night that we would prove to Oklahoma that we were a force to be reckoned with. The crowd was fired up, and so was the team. The sweet smell of victory was in the air, and we wanted it more than anything.

Memorial Stadium was packed full – it was the 303rd consecutive sellout game, which meant that over 86,300 fans were present. Nebraska fans have come to be known as the best in college football, and they are the reason that game day in Memorial Stadium is such a big deal. Fans from all over the country travel hundreds of miles to spend four hours inside Memorial Stadium cheering for their team. What is it about this place that makes it so special? Why is it that, upon walking through the gates into the stadium, a person changes from a student, doctor, lawyer, or teacher into a die-hard football fan?

On football game days, Memorial Stadium undergoes a significant transformation – it changes from a football field to a place of excitement and wonder. It goes from being completely empty to being more packed than a can of sardines in a matter of minutes. There seems to be something in the air in Memorial Stadium on game day that, once inhaled, changes the way a person feels about Husker football. It’s something that can only be understood by those who have attended a Nebraska home game – it’s something that can never be fully explained or put into words, but I will attempt.

Unlike many of the students at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, I was not raised to be a Husker football fan. In fact, I remember the first time I saw Memorial Stadium. I was coming into Lincoln for my first college visit. My mom and I had just gotten into town, and Memorial Stadium was the first thing that really stood out to me. I was jamming to some Justin Timberlake on my iPod as we were driving down US Highway 34, and then I saw it – I was completely dumbfounded. I looked at the façade of the stadium in pure astonishment, and took note of the five national championship titles the Huskers had acquired. I wondered who Tom Osborne was, and why the playing surface had been named after him. At that precise moment, I began my journey toward becoming a part of Husker Nation. Someday I, too, would be infected by this Big Red fever.

I spent the majority of my freshman year watching the Husker games on television (I hadn’t signed up early enough to get season tickets) and learning as much as I possibly could about the program. I learned that the current coach, Bill Callahan, was the worst coach Nebraska had seen in forty-six years (He won a whopping twenty-seven out of forty-nine games), and that, as of November 2007, he would no longer be the head coach of the Cornhuskers. I figured out who the new athletic director, Tom Osborne (affectionately known by his fans as T.O.), was and why he was so important. I realized that, under his reign, the Cornhuskers never won less than nine games in a season, and earned three national championship titles. As I learned the history of my team, I began to understand why everyone in Nebraska seemed to live for football. In fact, I became one of those people – I couldn’t bear the thought of missing a game.

After my year of Nebraska football enlightenment was over and I had made the complete transformation from ignorant and oblivious out-of-state student to informed and enlightened football fan, I bought season tickets. During the 2008 season, I didn’t miss a single game. I was overwhelmingly happy every time my team pulled off a win, and completely devastated when they lost. I was ecstatic that the new head coach, Bo Pelini, was bringing the program back to its former glory. After the season was over, it was almost painful for me to wait eight more months to see another Husker game.

It was the next year that I really noticed the atmosphere of Memorial Stadium on game day. As I walked into the sea of red in Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 7th, 2009, I was overcome with a feeling of pride and love for my team. It was one of the biggest games of the season – Oklahoma vs. Nebraska is one of the oldest rivalries in college football, and it had been eight years since the Huskers were able to pull off a win against the infamous Sooners. Just a year before, we lost the rivalry game by an embarrassing forty points. That was NOT going to happen again. We wanted our revenge, and we were going to get it. It was the second year of the Bo Pelini era, and every Husker fan in the stadium was praying for a win.

I joined my friends in the East Stadium student section just in time for the tunnel walk – a Nebraska tradition since 1994. As the HuskerVision screen lit up with the words, “Not the goal but the game; Not the victory but the action; In the deed the glory” and the image of the Huskers making their way out of the locker room, The Alan Parsons Project’s “Sirius” began to blare over the loudspeaker. Everyone in the stands began to clap to the beat of the music, and as the coach and players stepped onto the field, the roar of the crowd could be heard from at least a mile away.

As I sit in the stands of Memorial Stadium now, on a brisk February morning, it is difficult to believe that it is the same place. There is no one else around, and the air is thick with ominous silence rather than acclamation. Football stadiums aren’t supposed to be this quiet – I shouldn’t feel so alone here. There should be tens of thousands of other red-clad people surrounding me, shouting with excitement, serving as a distraction from the worries and concerns of everyday life. But today, from where I’m standing, it is hard to imagine the stadium as that sea of red that I have come to love so much.

When I walked into the stadium this morning I was not overcome with pride, and there was no sudden transformation from student to avid football fan. I was just… me. I was not greeted by vendors yelling, “HOT AND FRESH VALENTINO’S PIZZA, COME GET YOUR VAL’S PIZZA,” or, “MOUNTAIN DEW, PEPSI, WATER! COLD AND REFRESHING, ONLY $2!” I was not trampled by fans rushing to get the best seat, or members of Husker nation fighting to get to the restrooms before kickoff. I didn’t hear the overly zealous (or perhaps just slightly tipsy) UNL students cheering and screaming as I approached the student section.

Instead, I am surrounded by steely gray rather than Husker Red; the sky, the bleachers, the walls – everything is just a bland and somewhat gloomy shade of gray. I find that my mood begins to match every shade of gray around me. I begin to feel emotionless and indifferent. My mood suddenly brightens, however, when I look down at the bright green field. Not only is it the most colorful and stimulating part of the otherwise lifeless stadium, but it also conjures up images in my mind. I imagine our football team running drills at an early morning practice. I wonder what it’s like when all 150 of the guys are on the field at once. I smile at the thought – it amuses me to envision a hundred and some odd guys lined up doing tackling drills, jumping jacks and push-ups.

I suddenly snap back to reality when I hear the campus bells start to chime the song, “No Place Like Nebraska.” I stand up and start to clap along, then realize that I am completely alone and probably look absolutely ridiculous. I sit back down and take another look around, hoping to notice something that I had missed before. I don’t notice anything, and instead let my imagination wander back to the Nebraska-OU game that took place three months ago.

I can almost hear the screams and cheers of the crowd as I close my eyes and remember the game. I can remember it like it was yesterday; the crowd was so overwhelmingly loud that I could not even hear my own cheers. The first play that comes to mind is the pick-off by Prince Amukamara in the second quarter – his interception got the Huskers to the one-yard line and gave them the opportunity to score. As Alex Henery’s kick for the extra point sailed through the uprights and the band began to play “No Place Like Nebraska,” everyone began to scream even louder. Everywhere I looked, people were hugging and high-fiving complete strangers, but it didn’t matter – we were all members of the die-hard Husker football fan family.

The rest of the game was just as amazing as the second quarter had been, even though we only scored three more points. The Huskers played astonishingly well, and even though the Sooners had nearly twice as many total yards as us, we were able to beat them by seven points. As the game clock ran out, and the final score flashed on the big screen, I was overcome with emotion. Even now, when the game is just a memory, I feel an enormous smile begin to form.

As I think about the outcome of the game, I recall the quote etched into both the southwest corner of Memorial stadium and the western façade – coincidentally the same one that was featured in the tunnel walk. I feel a kind of reverence for the words as I contemplate their meaning. I have heard them a hundred times before, but, until now, have never thought about their origins, or what makes them so memorable. I, like most Husker fans, can only ever remember the last five words of Hartley Burr Alexander’s infamous quote – “in the deed the glory.” However, as I sit in the stadium today, it dawns on me that, in order to fully comprehend the meaning of those five words, one must first hear the preceding twelve. “Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory.” I finally understand why those words are there – to remind the Huskers to play with heart, to leave everything they have on the field. It does not matter if a game is won or lost; all that matters is how it was played.

I look at my watch and realize that I only have five minutes to get to my 10:30 class; I spent more time here than was intended. I gather my belongings and make the walk out of Memorial Stadium. As I walk, I think. I think about the atmosphere of this place, and how it can be so magical one day, and so plain the next. I remember how it felt to enter the stadium this morning, and have a sort of epiphany.

For some reason, taking the step through that big red gate today just wasn’t the same escape from reality that comes with game day. Perhaps it was the absence of all the people that inhabit Memorial stadium on game day, but the vivacious and energetic atmosphere that I had become so familiar with upon entering the stadium was nowhere to be found. I could not distract myself from my responsibilities of everyday life – I was still worried about classes, work, and relationships.

While I sat in the stands of a completely empty Memorial Stadium, I found the answers to all of my questions. I didn’t know it then, but now, walking through the bitter cold, it dawns on me why, exactly, game days in Nebraska are so special. I know exactly how Memorial Stadium comes alive on football game days. The extraordinary atmosphere surrounding the stadium on game days can be completely attributed to the tens of thousands of Husker fans. As I said earlier, Husker fans are the best in the nation, and they are the reason Memorial Stadium is so exceptional.

Without the fans, Memorial Stadium would just be another college football stadium. Without the fans, Memorial Stadium would lack character. Without the fans, Memorial Stadium’s big red gate would lack the power to change a person from a student, teacher, doctor, or lawyer to die-hard football fan. Without the fans, the air in Memorial Stadium would be filled with the stench of stale popcorn, pizza, and the body odor of fifty football players instead of being filled with team spirit and Big Red “Fever.” Without the fans, there would be no reason for the football team to play.

In Real Life | Real Product Reviews | Norwex

2016-08-25T02:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Tuesday!

Sorry I missed yesterday's post - I totally spaced it over the weekend, so it didn't get put together in time. Anyway, this week's real product review is Norwex!

If you haven't heard of Norwex, I pulled this little blurb from the "about" section of their website:

"Our purpose is simple but powerful: The idea that working together, with trust, integrity and honesty as our core values and radically reducing chemicals in our homes as our mission, we can improve the world around us."

Basically, Norwex produces cleaning products with no chemicals. I was totally skeptical at first, but after attending a Norwex party and watching numerous demonstration videos (like this one), I was hooked. I had to try this stuff. I went ahead and ordered the basic household package. I ended up winning a makeup removal cloth, and my mom gifted me a bathroom scrub mitt. I have also used so many more products, but I thought I would review the few that I actually own (and just let you know that I haven't used anything from Norwex that I didn't want for myself).

First up: The basic household package (more specifically, the envirocloth)

I LOVE my envirocloth. I will never use another washcloth in my kitchen (or anywhere, really) again. It makes me sad when my envirocloth is in the washing machine. I use this thing for everything. I wipe my table and counters off with it, I clean my stove with it, I wipe the floor with it, I wash my windows and mirrors with it (combined with the glass cloth). It is seriously a must-have and I honestly don't know how I lived without it. See the picture above? Cleaning my microwave literally took me less than a minute. I know the envirocloth might seem a little pricey, but it is worth every single penny. I'm actually going to order another one so that I don't feel sad when mine is in the wash.

Next up: the makeup removal cloth

I don't actually have photos of before and afters for this one because I haven't worn makeup since before I decided to review Norwex this week, and there was no way I was going to lather my face in makeup just to take it off ten seconds later. Anyway, the cloth works great at taking off your makeup from the day. It actually works better than most makeup removers I've tried, and doesn't leave that greasy residue. I love it.

Finally: the bathroom scrub mitt

This is actually one of the only Norwex products I've tried that I will tell you you can probably live without. Don't get me wrong - it works so well! BUT... it's not perfect (as you can see from my disgusting before and after photos of my nasty shower... GROSS). It holds a ton of water, and that really bothers me when I'm trying to scrub at something - I don't like feeling the squishiness of excess water. Other than that, it does a good job of scrubbing. It really is no match for some good old bleach and icky chemical cleaner, though (although the whole point of Norwex is getting those icky chemicals out of your house).

Other products I have used and would recommend: the kitchen cloth, body cloth, and mop.

The final Verdict: YES. If you are worried about having harmful chemicals in your home that may not even be truly getting rid of all those icky germs, then you need Norwex. I cannot recommend these products enough. I haven't had to buy cleaners in forever - I just don't use them anymore. I don't worry about Elsie getting into my "cleaning" cabinet, because all it is is a couple of washcloths. It has made such a difference having a safe way to clean my home. An added bonus? Elsie can help.

Have you used Norwex products? What did you think?

Sometimes It's Okay.

2016-08-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

As moms/women/humans in general, there is a lot of pressure to be perfect all the time. In this world of social media, our lives are constantly on display for the world to see (yeah, yeah, we bring it on ourselves). With that, we see everyone else's lives. We all know that people post the best parts of them and their family on social media, but sometimes it's hard not to compare our bad to other people's good.

We find ourselves feeling guilty and getting worked up over the stupidest things (I say, "we," but by that... I mean "me/I"). I've been thinking about this a lot, and I've come up with a list of things that we beat ourselves up over, but really... they aren't the end of the world.

Sometimes it's okay....

to be selfish. I know so many women who don't take any time for themselves. They are constantly putting everyone and their dog first, and you know what?! That sucks. Stop it. Take a friggin' day off. Pawn your kids off on somebody, take a day off of work, whatever it is that sucks up your time... leave it for the day. No one will die without you - life will go on. Sure, the house might look like a tornado when you get home, you might have an inbox full of emails when you get to work, but those things don't matter. Your sanity and well-being matter. Quit feeling guilty for wanting a day off and just take it. Seriously. Get over yourself - you're not that important, work and family will survive 8 hours without you there.

to quit. I am not a quitter. I was raised knowing that if I started something, I sure as hell better finish it, because quitting is not acceptable. Except when it is. Sometimes we spread ourselves too thin and realize it too late. It is okay to quit. In fact, sometimes it's good to quit. I'd rather be able to give a couple people 100% than half-a** my way through 20 different things.

to say no. I wrote a whole blog post on saying no a while back. I still maintain that it is a necessary evil, and it is oh, so wonderful to be able to say that word and not feel bad about it.

to be a hypocrite. I tell Elsie all the time that she can't have oreos until she's eaten dinner. But guess who's a big, fat hypocrite? That's right, ME!!! I eat all the oreos I want before eating dinner and I don't even feel bad about it. HA!

to scream. I've screamed at my kid - I'm not proud to say it, but it happens. We are all human. I'm not talking about screaming at my kid, though - I'm talking about screaming at the world. The other day, :I was just pissed. I hated the world, I was mad at myself for being upset about things because, really, I have it pretty good. I seriously left my house at 11:00 at night, got into my car, and proceeded to drive and just scream. It's a good thing it was nighttime and no one could see into my car, because I'm pretty confident that I looked like I'd escaped the madhouse. But you know what?! It was really therapeutic. I just screamed and cried and screamed some more. It was awesome and I felt sooo much better after that. Try it, you'll see.

to look like a hot mess when you leave your house. Living in Utah is like this whole other world. All these women at the grocery store, perfectly made up... me in my sweatpants covered in boogers, poop, and spit up. I've come to terms with the fact that I enjoy sleep more than I enjoy looking like I put effort into my appearance, and it's okay. You can see in the photo below with my non-made up face and greasy hair that appearance really isn't my top priority most of the time.

What about you? What could you add to this list?

Bridal Veil Falls | An Easy "Hike" for the Kids

2015-08-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

I was going to jump right in and say, "Happy Hump Day," but then I realized that it is, in fact, Thursday, and not Wednesday, and I didn't know if I should feel happy that the week is closer to being over, or sad that I didn't get to use my planned greeting.

Anyway. Let's just move on. Like I mentioned last week, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to get out and enjoy the great outdoors here in Utah. I've made it a goal to find as many easy hikes as possible so that I can wear the kids out early in the day so that they are ready for naps by about 2:00. I blogged about the Grotto Falls Trail last week, and thought I'd blog about another super easy hike this week. In fact, it's so easy I don't think you could even call it a hike - more like a stroll.

Bridal Veil Falls is located in Provo Canyon. The trail that I'll be discussing is the lower falls trail, and it is super easy for anyone and everyone - it is great for strollers, wheelchairs, crutches, runners, walkers, longboarders, skateboarders, roller bladers... you get the idea. It is a paved path that is about a half mile to the falls and back. We went up there Friday morning with a group of friends, and all the kids had so much fun throwing rocks, chasing each other, and looking at the ducks and fish.

If you're looking for a a beautiful view or just an easy way to kill an hour or so with your kids, I highly recommend this walk!

Home Tour Part Three | Elsie's Bedroom

2015-08-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy FRIDAY!!!

Oh, man. Words can't even describe how glad I am that this week is over. Anyway, time for the weekly home tour! I'll show you our office someday, but right now it is a room full of crap. That's not even an exaggeration. It's bad. So skipping the office, we will go to Elsie's room! I've made it a goal to keep her room pretty simple. A bedroom (in my opinion) is not for toys or playing - it is for sleeping and relaxation. Besides, I enjoy the fact that she can pretty much clean her own room because there's just not a bunch of crap everywhere.

At some point I would like to have an accent wall in here, but haven't found any vinyl decals that I'm in love with (sooo much easier and less permanent than paint). For now, it is a simple and clean space, and I am happy with it.

Hiking with the Littles | Grotto Falls Trail

2015-08-20T14:23:00.000-05:00

Hi there!

One of the things I was most excited about when I found out we were moving to Utah was the hiking! I was so pumped to be able to spend more time in the great outdoors without being eaten alive by mosquitoes or dripping sweat the second I walk out the door. Well, we moved here, then it was cold, then I was huge, then I had a baby, then it was hot, and... you get the idea. The last thing I wanted to do was go walk a couple miles in the mountains while carrying the baby and keeping Elsie in line.

This week, though, it finally cooled off a bit and I felt up to the challenge (plus my friend Jessica is staying with us, so I had help). I went to a Facebook group to figure out what hikes in the area would be easy with little kids and someone mentioned the Grotto Falls Trail in the Nebo Loop near Payson. It sounded easy enough, so I made everyone pile in the car and we headed to the canyon.

The Verdict: At a total distance of 0.6 mile, the Grotto Falls trail is great for little ones, old ones, and everyone in between! It's an easy hike without any challenging terrain. If you have a bad sense of balance, you might want to wear shoes that can get wet and walk through the creek instead of over the "bridges," but other than that, anyone and everyone can enjoy this hike!

Chocolate Chip Cookies to DIE FOR!

2015-08-18T11:12:00.000-05:00

You guys. I don't know if you know this (actually I don't know why you would know this), but Mike makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the whole world. That's saying a LOT, since I'm not even a big cookie person (except Oreos, obviously).

The other night, we all spent some time together as a family making these delicious cookies. And by that, I mean Mike made the cookies while Elsie terrorized him, helping occasionally, and I documented the whole thing.

I convinced him that he needed to share his recipe with the world, so here it is.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World
1 stick butter (softened but not melted)
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup of flour (anywhere from 1-1.5 cups is ideal)
1 teaspoon + pinch of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate chips, m&ms, and/or walnuts to taste

These cookies are baked at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

We like chewy cookies, so we usually pull them out a little bit under-cooked and let them finish cooking on the baking sheet on the counter. If you like crunchy cookies, don't do that. HA!

Anyway, be sure to mix the dry ingredients separately or at least distribute the salt and baking soda evenly throughout the dough. If you don't do that, you will end up with a bunch of puffy cookies and a bunch of flat, miserable cookies.

Don't soften the butter too much, or you will end up with dough that is too liquidy, and you'll want to use flour to compensate... BUT DO NOT DO THAT! If you accidentally soften your butter too much, refrigerate (or even freeze) the dough for a couple of hours to harden it a bit.

This recipe yields about 2 dozen delicious, chewy, amazing cookies. Try not to eat them all at once.

You're welcome.

In Real Life | Real Product Reviews | LulaRoe Clothing

2015-08-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday!!!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I'm back with my real product reviews, and this week I'm talking about clothing company LulaRoe.

***UPDATE**** It's December 2016, and I feel like I have quite a bit to add to this post. Since this post, I have added 7 pairs of leggings, 4 madisons, 2 Carly dresses, a Julia dress, and a Cassie skirt to my LuLaRoe "stash." I have, for the time being, taken a "time-out" from purchasing leggings because I feel that they are having some issues with quality control. I have had three pairs of leggings get holes in them, and while the consultants were fabulous and replaced the product at no cost, I feel that $25 is far too much to spend for clothing that rips in a matter of hours. I will say, though, that I continue to love my skirts and dresses, as I have not seen any issues with them as far as quality, and they have all been worn multiple times. If you choose to invest in LuLaRoe, I cannot, at this time, in good conscience, recommend that you purchase their leggings. ********

I have three pairs of their leggings, one of their "Cassie" skirts, four "Irma" shirts, and one "Randy" tee, so I think I'm in a pretty good position to give an honest review!! I even got some input from my friend Ali, who owns everything I own plus some different skirts/dresses.

Anyway, here's a photo of some of the items I own.

Let me say one thing - I am a cheapskate. Especially when it comes to leggings. I mean, who wants to spend $25 on a pair of leggings? Not me. At least... not the pre-LulaRoe me. These things are AMAZING. They are the freaking softest, most comfortable leggings that I have ever worn in my entire life, and I'm not kidding. If I could live in these pants and never take them off, I would be so happy! They are amazing and I LOVE them.

As far as shirts to go with my leggings... I adore the Irma. It is a long, tunic length tee that has total butt coverage, so I have no problem being a clothing sinner and wearing my leggings as pants. I can even bend over to touch my toes without my butt showing when wearing one of these, so... I chalk that up as a win.

The Randy. It's a comfortable tee, but I feel that it is overpriced for what it is. I will not be buying another. I can get the same thing for about $10 less at a local boutique in town, so I'll stick to that.

I felt the same way about the Cassie skirt as I do about the Randy tee. It's nice, but overpriced (in my opinion). I can get virtually the same thing for about half the price, so unless it's super discounted, I'm not going to buy another. I will say, though, that I love the girl's Cassie. I think it is sooo cute, and it's really hard to find a cute little pencil skirt anywhere else that will fit Elsie. So... there's that. I do think that it is a ridiculous amount of money to spend on clothing for a 2-year-old, though, so... yeah.

Anyway, here is what Ali has to say about LulaRoe if you don't want to take my word for it.

"I LOVE LulaRoe! I was introduced to them in November last year and was super skeptical but after getting my first shirt from them (a Randy tee) I fell in love with the softness and comfort of the shirts. My friend ended up selling LulaRoe for a few months and I bought so much from her after a couple successful online parties and I adore it all! I have 5 pairs of leggings (I totally prefer the new yoga band FYI), 3 skirts (a Madison and Lola and Cassie) 3 Randy tees, 4 Irmas, 1 Amelia dress and 1 Nicole dress. Plus I LOVED the cute little girls clothes so I HAD to get my little Aurora a little girls Cassie skirt and she looks so cute! I love that they are American made and some of the softest clothes I’ve ever owned in my life. So versatile and lots of fun patterns to choose from! While they are a touch expensive I’ve always believed spoiling yourself a little to have a few quality clothes is worth it to spend a little more."

Have you tried LulaRoe's clothing? What did you think?

Home Tour Part Two | The Kitchen

2015-08-14T15:04:00.001-05:00

Hey there! I know this post is a couple of days overdue, but we were traveling on Wednesday and yesterday was one of those days where I just lounged around and did absolutely nothing all day long (you know, besides chasing my kids around and keeping them alive... I've forgotten what it's like to do nothing).

Anyway, here is part two of my home tour! I like our kitchen a lot - I do wish there was just a bit more cupboard space, but at least this way we can't hoard stuff! HA!

I am looking for a way to decorate the wall above the table and just haven't found anything that I love. I would love to hear any and all suggestions that you may have for that space. Right now it is just empty and sad. I was thinking of some floating shelves with cute dishes on them, but am not sure. What do you think?

In Real Life | Real Product Reviews | doTERRA Essential Oils

2015-08-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Well, hello! This week marks the start of my In Real Life | Real Product Reviews series on this here blog. I'm going to kick this series off with a real review of doTERRA Essential Oils. There's really no reason this product is coming first besides the fact that it was the easiest accessible one when I wanted to take pictures.

I'm going to be reviewing the oils I use most often, and then give you a review of the product and brand as a whole (all from a consumer point of view - I have no intentions of pouring hours and hours of research into each product to give you some scientific review that you could go look up yourself).

These are the oils I'll be reviewing:

Peppermint: I LOVE this oil when my kids have a fever. I was so skeptical that putting a stupid drop of oil on my baby's foot could really bring down a fever, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I first put some coconut oil on my hand so that it melts, then a tiny drop of peppermint, then I rub the mixture onto baby's feet. Granted, I generally combine this measure with some medicine, but this has worked when we haven't had any medicine and I didn't feel like driving to Walgreen's at 1:00 in the morning.

Lavender: This is my go-to oil. Teething baby? Use lavender. Baby has a rash? Use lavender. Baby won't sleep? Use lavender. Have a burn? Use lavender. Have a mosquito bite? Use lavender. SERIOUSLY, people! This stuff works! Look up all the ways you can use lavender and you are sure to be surprised. I could probably write a blog post on this oil alone! It is what I'd call a miracle oil.

Melaleuca (aka tea tree oil): Canker sores. They suck. You also get them a lot if your baby enjoys head-butting you in the mouth. Melaleuca gets rid of those puppies, and it gets rid of them within a couple days. It tastes like crap, but it works, and that's the important thing.

Serenity: This is actually an oil blend. I personally LOVE it. It is really great for calming Callum down and helping him sleep. I've only used it on him, but from what I've seen, it works for him. Will it work for everyone? I have no clue. I've used it on myself, too, but, as a sleep-deprived person who falls asleep within 10 seconds of laying down, I really don't know if I could give a fair assessment of it when used on me. HA!

Breathe: This is another oil blend, and it is a necessity in our house, especially during the cold winter months. I diffuse this oil when one of us is stuffy, and I also apply it topically to the chest before bedtime. It is AMAZING. I cannot say enough about how effective this oil is! Its purpose is pretty self-explanatory (uh... just look at the name of the blend). Whenever one of us is congested, it is a miracle-worker.

I've told you about the oils I use regularly, but let me tell you really quickly about a few in my stash that do not work for us and that I would not recommend.

TerraShield: This stuff is supposed to be a bug repellent. Ummm. It's not. It's more like a, "COME FEAST ON ME!" oil. I swear it made me a bug magnet the few times I've used it.

Slim and Sassy: I didn't really notice this oil doing anything for my waistline. Granted, it tastes like poopy diapers, so I only used it a few times. Maybe if you can stomach it, it will work, but it just didn't for me.

PastTense: As someone who suffers frequent migraines & tension headaches, I was so excited to try this oil blend that is supposed to give relief. Suffice it to say, I was totally disappointed. This oil does nothing for me - if anything, it makes things worse because the smell is strong and I'm pissed that it's not working, so I'm even more tense and stressed than I was before I used it.

ANYWAY. That's my review of doTERRA essential oils! I think it's all about finding the products here that work for you. Not every oil is going to work for every person, so I think it's a good idea to find a rep in your area and get samples before you buy anything.

Have you used doTERRA Essential Oils? What oils do you and your family use? What oils have you tried? Did they work for you? Share your thoughts - I'd love to feature them!!