One Year Older...We'll See About Wiser Too

Awhile back, this thought came to my mind, why do we make new years resolutions at the beginning of the new year, and not at the beginning of OUR new year? When the new year approaches it's just another month. Every January 1st, we begin a new year, a new month, and to some, a new approach to life. I'm in favor of new years resolutions and goal making for that matter, but why not make these new years resolutions when it's actually a new year for us, on our birthday? It just makes more sense to me.

I want to accomplish...during my 24th year, I'd like to go see...when I'm 25, I want to be here...when I'm 30, etc.

Having new years resolutions for our actual new year of life, well, it just makes sense to me. So, in honor of my 24th year that begins at at approximately 7:15 pm tomorrow night, here is my list of 24 new years resolutions.

1. Limit the number of times I trip up or down the stairs, especially when in the public eye
2. Truthfully tell someone, "I'm going to Paris for the weekend"
3. Start preparing for grad school...mentally anyway
4. Babysit for my nephew in Sweden (that's right Rob and Lorena, I'm offering, so take me up on it)
5. Monthly trips to Richmond to visit my future nephew...and my sister of course
6. Start having more early mornings, and not so many late nights
7. Go back to fat camp
8. Do a triathlon
9. Run another half marathon
10. Reattempt my month on, month off of sweets (or at least outdo my 5 month attempt from last year)
11. Go scuba diving in Hawaii
12. More early morning scripture studies, less late night scripture studies (see #6)
13. Read at least one new book every month
14. Do I dare say, create a budget for myself?
15. Find more service oriented projects to work on
16. Monthly temple attendance (endowment preparation for next year's birthday)
17. Work on perfecting my, "come what may and love it" attitude
18. Visit beautiful beaches in Zanzibar during the month of, hmm, let's say November
19. Find a job that makes me happy
20. Less procrastination, more motivation
21. Alter my occasional, "the grass is greener on the other side" attitude
22. Be less selfish
23. Weekly journal entries
24. Whatever I do, have no regrets

Bring on the new year, 24, I'm ready for you!

To my Pops

Happy Birthday to my old man!

He's sure one lucky guy during his birthday month.

24 years ago he got me:

24 years later he got him:

And really, you just can't ask for a better birthday present than a perfect daughter and an adorable grandson.

I just love this guy!!!

He's simply the greatest.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

I'm sad I can't be home to celebrate with him,

But luckily I'll be home next week,

Almost in time to celebrate mine with him instead.

Love,

Your little girl

The Sky is Falling

Remember Chicken Little? 

He and I have a lot in common right now. 

The sky is falling at my house too, and it does it with a bang.

Totally soothing when you're trying to fall asleep.

Soothing during Sunday afternoon relaxation.

And soothing in the middle of the day, when no one is around,

But the random sounds of...the sky falling. 

{The only version I could find included a scripture.

 You can thank me later for your spiritual thought for the day}

During today's roommate BBQ, 

We were entertained by the sounds of

acorns falling on the metal roof of our sun room.

While joking around that all we needed was

A few friends to show up who were

Unaware of what happens around our house,

We got just that,

A few innocent visitors.

I'll let the video do the taking.

{It's best beginning at second 46, but,

 The previous 45 seconds are a great build up}

If you didn't know any better, you'd think our quaint little neighborhood

Was deemed "the hood",

Total gangster style,

Where drive by shootings are a plenty.

When I say the sky is falling with a bang around here, 

I mean it in a literal sense.

And lucky me, my bedroom is conveniently placed

 RIGHT next to the metal roof of said sun room.

I'll be singing myself to sleep to the words of

Burt Bacharach's, 

[Acorns] Keep Falling On My Head.

Sweet dreams from,

 "the hood"

"I'm not superstitious, but I'm a little stitious"

It's 11:11, make a wish! 

I have been.

Whenever I see 11:11 it's instinctual, 

I have to make a wish.

Every day/night for the past few weeks+some

I happen to glance at the clock at exactly 11:11.

I'm not a superstitious kind of girl,

But I like to believe that with enough wishes, this one will come true.

{How my  wishing upon 11:11 began, I will never know, 

but my superstitious self thinks it's fun. 

Urban dictionary validates my wishing habits, so it must be ok}

Step Up

I've always had a passion for the health field, that's no surprise to anyone who knows me. I love everything about the world of health, especially when it comes to the fitness aspect of health. After all, I did go to fat camp, and if that doesn't scream "I love fitness", than fat camp sure fooled me.

While I don't consider myself to be a health connoisseur, a fitness expert, or a know-it-all in terms of ones well being, I do like to think of myself as a great motivator when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Is that too boastful to say?

I've longed to work in the health field. To be part of something great, life changing, and inspirational. After graduating and landing a job on the east coast last year, I thought I was going to get just that. As always, things never turn out quite the way I think they will. I have a great job, at least I try to convince myself of that on a daily basis, but it's not doing exactly what I want. Exactly what I want is still floating in the "undecided" category, but whatever that "undecided" turns into, I'm fairly certain it's not what I'm doing at the present moment.

Sometimes I long to be back at fat camp. Sometimes I long to watch someone run a mile for their first time, and see tears of excitement fill their eyes. Sometimes I long to push people to reach greater heights, to see themselves crossing a finish line they never thought they would reach. Sometime I long to be the motivator someone's been missing in their life. Doesn't fat camp sound fun?

With that being said, and with not loving a job I'm forced to show up to everyday, I've taken it upon myself to create my own outlet if you will.

Take these stairs,

Some colleagues, a pair of good running shoes, this view to keep us going,

And let the fun begin.

I used to run stadiums a lot, right before going to college. Five years later, and I've yet to find a set of stairs that I deem "good enough" for me to consider it a "good enough" workout. Well, upon discovery a few weeks back, a lovely habit has just been formed, and the workout actually exceeds the "good enough" standard.

I love running stadiums.
I love running in the city.
I love running after a long day of work and relieving all of my built up anxiousness.
And I love running with friends.

I don't think they love it as much as I do, but I love that they let me drag them along anyway, and actually listen to my occasional outbursts of "KEEP GOING, YOU'RE ALMOST DONE!" to make me feel like I'm doing something good.

6 lbs 6 oz

and nothing but adorable!

Did I Forget to Mention...

...my labor day weekend was amazing?

Jam packed with a long to do list,

And none of it required much laboring on my part.
Unless you consider
Flying to Dallas at 8:30 am laboring?
Unless you consider
Exploring the sights of Dallas laboring?
Unless you consider
A high school football game laboring?
Unless you consider
Six flags laboring?
Unless you consider
Attending the BYU/OU game laboring?
Unless you consider
Flying home Sunday afternoon
And quickly jumping in a car to go to Lake Anna laboring?
Unless you consider
Having a bonfire laboring?
Unless you consider
Going for a midnight cruise on the lake laboring?
Unless you consider
Waking up early to go on a morning jog laboring?
Unless you consider
Spending the rest of the day out on the lake wakeboarding laboring?
(where we may have run out of gas and had to be "rescued")
Unless you consider
Being in the company of good friends laboring?
Then my weekend was virtually labor free.
If only every weekend could be this pleasant.

Aunt Amy

I'm officially an aunt and couldn't be more excited about it.
Meet, Michael Robert Candrian.

Since Rob and Lorena are busy in the hospital with their new little guy,
I thought I'd be the good aunt that I know I'm about to be
And post the one and only picture I've seen of him.
This is two minutes after he was born, and although he's crying,
I can already tell he's going to be a stud.
Too bad Rob and Lorena live in Sweden, so I can't go see him right now,
but my ticket is purchased, and come October, I'll be fussing over him for 10 days straight!
Congrats you two...you're going to be FABULOUS parents.
He's one lucky little boy!
(he has me for an aunt)

Rain Drops on Roses

Thought we missed the bus this morning,

While standing in the pouring rain.

Quick solution:

DRIVE into work,

courtesy of old red.

Commute time, 15 minutes

Which included:

a stop at the Capitol

and a dance party in the front seat

while blasting the radio

You can't do that in the metro!

{T.G.I.F.}

One Year Down

 I've officially been employed for an entire year.

The longest year of my life.

And apparently, the fun has just begun! 

Or the years at least.

I even got a letter to wish me happy anniversary. 

So thoughtful.

I also received a phone call at work.

It ended with the man telling me,

If I ever want a husband, to give him a call.

If only it was that easy. 

Happy Anniversary to me! 

O Rise and Shout

Fall, the best time of year

Hot, humid, nasty weather quickly disappears
Leaves begin to change colors
The celebration of mine and pops b-day's
(and soon to be my new nephew Micheal's)
School's back in session
And, although work is unfortunately ALWAYS in session
It means college football BEGINS!

Everyone needs a little spontaneity in their lives.
It makes things more exciting.

This weeks spontaneity consists of me fly here in the morning


To watch these studly men


Take on these gruesome Sooners


Max, I expect you to stick it to Mr. Bradford


But really, my expectations will remain low,
I'm just excited to see my men in blue take it to the field

I'll be cheering loudly from my back row seat


And singing with pride the Cougar fight song

Go Cougars!