our catalina adventure begins tonight

california here we come!

food matters. food matters. food matters

Guess what!!! 

You don't have to be sick. No one has to be sick. 

This morning I watched Food Matters.

If you have any interest in your health and happiness or that of your loved ones, watch this. You can go to netflix.com, sign up for a free trial, and watch it right now on your computer for free. 

Knowledge is power and sometimes you have to take your life into your own hands.  

Newport Beach Temple

A week from today I get to go here! I can't wait!

early bird gets the worm...not

Today I had to be at work at 8:30 a.m. for a meeting. 

And like this little guy, I am NOT a morning person (much to my father's dismay when he asks me to join him for his 5:30 a.m. workouts every time I'm home)

Today I realized that I would be a much better student and employee and person in general if I wasn't expected to be places before 10 a.m.....actually let's make it 11 a.m.

It doesn't matter what I'm waking up early for or how good the idea sounds the night before...as soon as my alarm goes off I am fighting back all sorts of horrible thoughts about how badly I want to hurt the person that is responsible for it.  

Missionaries are required to wake up at 6:30 a.m. EVERY DAY.

The only reason this hasn't deterred me from rejecting my call is because missionaries also are required to go to bed by 10:30 p.m. EVERY NIGHT. 

Eight hours of sleep every night for 18 months....this is going to be glorious. 

well-trained tear ducts

The other day I was driving, this song came on the radio, and I started crying. 

Hahaha. 

I've cried more in the past six months than I have in the rest of my life put together. 

Thanks to some good best friends and some humbling experiences, my new ability to cry at the drop of a hat is something that I'd like to say I'm proud of. 

I don't know what it means exactly, but I like being able to feel every emotion, even if it's uncomfortable.

I think this song got to me because it reminds me that hard work, honesty, and love is what matters. And above all else...FAMILY is the most important thing in our lives. 

This is almost my entire family (minus my sisters, Christina & Mia, plus Steele)

This was taken right after Nate graduated from USC. 

Now that is something to be proud of. 

bike gang

Goal: ride bikes as much as possible

our favorite sunday afternoon activity

Lauren is the master of bike tricks...actually all tricks. 

Thanks to Carley Wells for letting me borrow her bike this spring!

back to my roots

On Saturday I spent the perfect morning with this handsome fella. 

Meet Harley.

My main man for the past 6 1/2 years. 

The horse version of myself. 

My childhood dream come true.  

I had to go to the barn early to meet the vet. He was coming to look at Harley because he turned up lame last week. Luckily, he found nothing serious. He's just an old man and has some stiff joints from 15 year career of jumping. 

It was a calm morning at the barn. After the vet left I gave Harles a much needed bath and then let him graze in the sunshine we hadn't seen for a week. 

There's something about being at the barn that calms me down and makes me feel like myself. 

I love the smell (seriously. I know it's gross but the smell of manure is one my favs), I love the sounds, the feel of dirt on my hands.

 Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that the people I've met here in the past couple years don't know the horse girl side of me, because for so many years the majority of my thoughts and day dreams revolved around these big animals.  

I never thought I'd be one of those girls who grew up and suddenly didn't have time for her horse anymore. reality sucks some times. 

The thought of not seeing this guy for a year and a half let alone having to sell him someday.....just kidding let's not think about that. I'm just going to enjoy the time I have with him now. 

Cheers to Harley boy. 

love this

I am a child of God. You are a child of God. this was a great reminder for me today.

9 weeks = 63 days

Hey kids guess what?

I'm going on a mission!

Yep it's true. I have been called to serve in the Hawaii Honolulu mission. I report to the MTC on July 13th. (exactly nine weeks from today!) 

Yikes. Time to check off all the items on my giant "to do before mission" list is running low.

Like my other half, Claire Elizabeth Pingree, I thought blogging about my spring/summer adventures as I'm preparing for my mission would be a good way for me to document this time in my life as well as remind me to make the most of it. 

The count down begins....

63 days!

Thank you Sister Pingree

"The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it."