Valentine's Day

I really do love Valentine's Day and I am convinced that I don't tell myself that to make myself feel better on this day.  Yes, I have dated some pretty lame guys, and by lame I mean jerks (and that is putting it mildly).  Still, I am not going to let their choices dictate how I feel about celebrating love and relationships!

I won't lie, I haven't always loved Valentine's Day and it is rare that I have a legit boyfriend on Valentine's Day (and even if I did, I'd hope he wouldn't need an excuse, such as a holiday, to do something nice/sweet for me).  Still, I have the most amazing family and friends who never fail to let me know that I am loved.  They never fail to get me delicious treats, stuffed animals, and/or chocolates.

This year I was bummed out because I missed my class's Valentine's party due to being sick.  Still, when I returned back to work I had the some sweet Valentines sitting on my desk from my students.  Then, yesterday when I came home I had flowers waiting for me in my favorite vase.

Today,  Valentine's Day, one of my favorite students brought me a orange rose.  Orange is one of my favorite colors.  After work I got to go and WOD, which may be one of my favorite things ever.  Then, I got to end my evening with chocolate covered strawberries.

Really, does life get any better?  Why, yes it does.  My four year old nephew asked me to be his Valentine and is taking me on a date this weekend.  I am super excited to get to spend some time with him.  He is a little stud.

So, you don't need to have a "significant other" to love Valentine's Day.  I'm glad I am single on this holiday so I can more fully appreciate how much others love me instead on focusing on the commercial appeal of just trying to do something to prove my love to someone else.  

I hope you enjoyed your Valentine's Day and focused on all the small things in life that let you know you are loved.  Also, I hope you took the opportunity to show those you love you love them by small acts of service.  When you look for the positive and take the time to do something nice for someone else, you can't help but to love life!

I am pretty sure...

• I am pretty sure that I am probably one of the worse drivers in the world. If I had to pass the driving test again, I'd probably fail. 

• I am pretty sure that I have the cutest Valentine in the world. Will (my four-year-old nephew) asked me to be his Valentine today!

• I am pretty sure that I have been having crazy dreams lately with uninvited visitors.  I may or may not end up hurting someone if this visitor keeps showing up in my dreams.

• I am pretty sure that the Jackson Ward has the best Young Women ever. I love them so much and I am so excited to work with them. 

• I am pretty sure that I have a love/hate relationship with my job. I hate going to work everyday but I also don't like not going to work.

• I am pretty sure that I may give the worse advice ever. So, if I ever give you advice you should probably do the opposite of what I tell you to do. 

• I am pretty sure that I look like I've "let myself go" every day I don't put on make-up. 

• I am pretty sure that I am completely happy with my life right now. 

That's all

I'm A...

One of my more recent pet peeves is when people define themselves by their careers.  I really could care less what you do for a living.  It is crazy that in America when asked, "What do you do?" people automatically answer with their job description.  The crazy thing is we do so much more.  I am also annoyed that people define themselves by their jobs because it prevents me from getting to know that person as a person.  So, I am going to try my best to describe all the roles I play that contribute to who I am as a person without divulging too terribly much.

I'm a teacher.

I'm a daughter.

I'm a sister.

I'm an aunt.

I'm a friend.

I'm a lifelong learner.

I'm a reader.

I'm a baker.

I'm a dreamer.

I'm a stargazer.

I'm a hopeless romantic.

I'm a Mormon.

I'm a listener.

I'm an animal lover.

I'm a know-it-all.

I'm a napper.

I'm a cuddler.

I'm an online shop-a-holic.

I'm a writer.

I'm a thinker.

I'm a critic.

I'm a southerner.

I'm a lover of life.

All these roles I play in life really do contribute to who I am as a person, how I feel about various things, and why I form certain opinions.  However, if you just looked at me as a teacher, you would miss all the other things that help define who I am as a person.  Thus, be careful when you meet a new friend or your in a casual conversation.  Don't be afraid to share who you really are!

 

Why I love Crossfit!

I have been doing Crossfit for almost three months and I am slightly addicted even though I stay sore (but it is a good and accomplished type of sore)!  I hate it when something in life comes up that makes me miss a WOD (workout of the day).  Here are some reasons why I love the "cult" called Crossfit:

1) Skinny doesn't matter because "Strong is the new skinny."
2) As soon as you begin you are accepted into the Crossfit family.  You always have a support system to push you along when you are ready to quit in the middle of a workout.
3) It pushes you to your own personal limits and you see results as you beat your own personal records.
4) You feel strong every time you lift weights!
5) It increases your confidence...not only at the box (aka gym) but in every other aspect of life as well.
6) Bacon is not considered a fat in the Crossfit diet!
7) The workouts are always varying.  I never get board with them. 
8)  I legitly hate the workouts when I am doing them.  However, after the workout I think "That sucked but it was so much fun!" I know that is an oxymoron.
9) The ratio of trainers to clients is small.  Thus, when I go to workout I know the trainers will be able to give the attention I need without being overbearing to make sure I am doing the movements right.
10) Every movement works more than one muscle.  Think about it, when you go to most other gyms you isolate each muscle when working out.  It saves time working out multiple muscles with one movement/exercise.  The movements/exercises are also natural movements.  

 During a WOD.  See the look of pain on my face.

What I look like after a WOD. 

Songs of the year...or maybe just the ramblings of a delusional me!

So, one of my old coworkers is posting his favorite songs of the year as his facebook statuses.  This made me think of my favorite songs.  I have put little thought into this blog...but if I had to choose my favorite songs for this year this would be my list in no particular order.  I've included the lyrics that make me love them or a short reason why I love them in parenthesis beside the song.  Try your best not to make fun of me as you read my list!

1. Train- "Marry Me" ("Forever could never be long enough for me to feel like I've had long enough with you...")
2. Ingrid Michaelson- "You and I" ("Maybe I think you're cute and funny or maybe I wanna do what bunnies do with you." I am assuming she is talking about bunny kisses....)
3. Chantal Kreviazuk- "Feels Like Home" (One day, Some day....maybe)
4. Gavin Degraw- "Follow Through" (What isn't to love about any of Gavin's songs?)
5. Disney- "He's a Tramp" (Story of my life!)
6. Garrett Hedlund (Country Strong Soundtrack)- "Give Into Me" (This is probably one of the hottest songs ever...I always have an inner dialogue when this song comes on.  Just so you can fully appreciate how this works I am going to show you...

Song: I’m gonna wear you down 

Me: Are you?
Song: I’m gonna make you see

Me: How ya gonna do that?
Song: I’m gonna get to you

Me: You are?
You’re gonna give into me

Me: Hmmm....
Song: I’m gonna start a fire

Me: How?
You’re gonna feel the heat

Me: Am I now?
Song: I’m gonna burn for you

Me: You are?
Song: You’re gonna melt for me

Me: I am?

7. Whitney Duncan- "Skinny Dippin" (This song still reminds me of my Bear Lake camping trip when it was below freezing outside (long and funny story)...but the lake was so beautiful!)
8. Taylor Swift-"Ours" (Life does make look hard...)
9. Joshua Radin- "I'd Rather Be With You" ("I need to be bold, need to jump in the cold water, need to grow older with a girl like you....")
10. Lady Antebellum- "Just a Kiss" (Reminds me of my road trip to Seattle...I must thank my driving partner for singing this with me the whole drive!)
11. Reliant K- "Getting Into You" ("I'm getting into you because you got to me in a way words can't describe....")


Hmm...so, like I said it is late and I am somewhat delusional.  If my list changes tomorrow please forgive me for being fickle.

Thanksgiving

During this month of thanks I have pondered what I am most thankful for.  Many ideas popped into my head: family, religion, and freedom (the norms).  However, today I really do think I finally thought of the things I am most thankful for.  Ready....here they are: hope and potential.  They really do go together.

• I am thankful for the potential I see for the uprising generation and the hope I have that they can reach their potential.  They can really become anyone they want to become and be anything they want to be.  This is important because so many children have so many things going against them but if we can help them realize they power they have to be great things will happen!
• I am thankful for the potential I see in myself and for the times I allow myself to hope.  This is tricky.  It is hard to hope for oneself because the future is so unpredictable.  However, I have seen myself progress in life as I have grown.  This growth allows me to hope.   I hope to improve my times at the gym, continue my education, become a better teacher, become a better family member, or one day have a family of my own.  Hoping can be scary...but I don't know if anything bad can come from just hoping.
• I am thankful for the potential I see in each of my family members and friends.  They are all so amazing and bring so much joy and laughter into my live.  It would be impossible not to hope for the best things for them in life.

In closing, see the potential all around you and continue to hope for the best.  Things don't always go our way but I can't help but to feel that things happen the way they do for a reason.  We aren't always smart enough to figure out what the reason is...but I'd rather think that things don't go my way for a reason instead of thinking they don't go my way because I suck at life.  May you have a wonderful holiday season and see for world and people for what they may become.

21 Suggestions for Success

I love this!  It is so true!

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
2. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.
3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6. Be generous.
7. Have a grateful heart.
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
20. Take good care of those you love.
21. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.

H. Jackson Brown Jr.