its coming.

im so excited im dying.

I Love Running

I love that time to just GO. I love listening to my music and just running where ever I feel like exploring. Nothing is better than a long run when you are just feeling great. Now don't get me wrong there are some days I get a side cramp, or that my knees feel like they are literally breaking. Running is hard, especially when you are running really hard. But that feeling when you finish a great run and you pushed it your muscles kinda feel like jello is awesome. I think I like running for the same reason that I always liked swim. It's like you can work out hard and just cruise at the same time. It's all individual mastery. It's like new challenges and goals you can accomplish everyday!

These were my Christmas Present.

love them

This is the greatest thing I've ever bought.

(It tracks everything- distance, time, average pace, calories-everything and uses it with yer iPod)

And my life was changed when I learned about this.

Can.Not.Wait.

Hooray for new Goals and for Running!

Attitude Check

So here's a little food for thought-

There is great power in the attitude you outwardly reflect. Not only is it the key to making the people around you feel loved, and supported and awesome- But when you have a happy outward demeanor you will truly find more happiness in the little things and see more good in the world and in people. Its like the awesome ongoing circle. You put on your happiest smile and your perception of the world will be a little sunnier.

Pretty Darn Lucky...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

So this holiday always seems to get me thinking...

A little about that one St.Patricks day in Ireland when my passport got stolen and I was stranded, and sweet Erin stayed behind with me as we tried to find the US Embassy. That was an adventure, my poor mother almost had an aneurism.

But mostly St. Patricks Day gets me thinking about how lucky I am. The words lucky and blessed kinda overlap in my mind at least. And I have so many blessings to be thankful for.

So maybe this St.Patricks Day think of why you are lucky. I promise there are at least a few reasons.

And focus a little more on telling the people you love how lucky you feel to have them, and finding ways to serve them, and a little less on shamrocks and leprechauns. (although nothing is better than a McDonald's shamrock shake)

And lets put an end to this pinching people who aren't wearing green thing. You KNOW i am all about celebrating through outfits, but pinching people just because they didn't dress up is just not very nice and probably hurts them.

Oh and I went a little shamrock crazy on photoshop and came up with these instead of doing my homework...

Something Amazing

By far the most exciting thing in my life right now is that Mr. Maxx Dexter is going to custom shape a longboard just for me. i know, its probably the raddest thing i will ever buy. help me choose colors. I used photoshop to put together some of the color options im thinking of.

But i would love some opinions. which do you like best?

#2,3,4 are the front runners right now

Little Love Notes....

I Love Post-It's!

Recently my friend Mandy told me about the most awesome thing ever.

I dont know wether to call it an organization, a movement?

But It's all about Post-It's!

It's called Operation Beautiful.

(go ahead google it)

"The mission of Operation Beautiful is to post anonymous notes in public places for other people to find. The point is that WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. You are enough... just the way you are!"

How amazing is that? just spreading positivity and happiness literally where ever you go?

[I am a firm believer that it's so important to simply love being YOU!]

and how wonderful is it to spread that message and scatter a little sunshine all with just a post-it.

Then I heard this story at Devotional.

"David writes a Post-It note to his daughter every night before he goes to bed. He puts it in a place where she will be sure to find it in the morning--on her mirror, in her lunch box, on her bedroom door, or in some other conspicuous place. On each note he writes something he appreciates about her. 'I appreciated your help with the dishes tonight' or 'I was really inspired by how hard you worked on your math and got an A on your final.' One day he went into her room looking for a lost hammer. On his way out he saw 250 post-it notes stuck on the back of her bedroom door. His daughter has kept every one if his notes. So now, every time she leaves her bedroom she sees 250 notes of appreciation that remind her that somebody loves her. What a powerful message. What wonderful therapy. All from a simple post-it note."

This whole post-it note business is seriously so inspiring.

It's just a tiny piece of paper but how great can you make someone feel with a simple little post it note?

Leave them for strangers to stumble upon.

Leave them for the ones you love.

Leave them for people who may need a little extra boost that day.

Just spread a little love, and all it takes is a piece of paper.

Who Doesn't Love

PLAYDOH?

Its definitely one of my favorite things.

So today at A+ We made some squishy squeezy playdoh.

We all have a little kid in us who loves to play and this stuff is perfect.

This is my all-time favorite recipe

Courtesy of Vanessa Wright

Its made with Kool-Aid (another one of my favorite foods) so it smells fantastic.

It may make you even wanna eat a piece (I always tried to when I was little) but it tastes gnar just a warning.

Awesome Kool-Aid PlayDoh

2 1/2 C Flour

1/2 C salt

1 tsp cream of tartar

2-3 Packets of Kool-Aid Flavoring

( Tropical Punch and Grape make the best smelling play-doh)

Mix Dry Stuffs

Add:

2 Cups Boiling Water

3 Tbs Oil

Mix with spoons until its cold enough to knead with hands

Add flour as necessary until its a good- non sticky/gooey consistency

HAVE FUN!

Get Your Creative On

so...

I currently have a black eye. It looks disgusting. My left eye/cheekbone is swollen and has sort of a purple-ish tint. A boy at castles was surfing with out a leash when he evidently needed one and he fell ( hey it happens- let me tell you) but his leash-less board came speeding towards my face a got me right below the eye.

ouch

By far the most challenging part of all of this is that now i cant wink at boys and its really throwing my game off. My friend told me to blow kisses instead. Ill have to give that a try and report my results.

It's all good though. Im no stranger to injuries and this particular one just makes me look really tough/awesome. well maybe not awesome, but tough for sure. i think. either super tough or abused. hmm at least nothings broken this time. see always a sliver lining.

Check my Style....

I love popcorn. Its one of my favorite foods (next to apples). So a few years ago when I discovered this caramel corn recipe my life changed. Its fun to make and honestly one of the most wonderful treats you will have ever tasted in your life. no lie.

So thanks to my cousin melody because you have made my life sweeter in more ways than one...

Melody's Carmel Popcorn

3 bags of microwave popcorn

1/4C white corn syrup

1C brown sugar

1/2 C (one cube) butter [margarine will not work]

1tsp vanilla

1tsp white vinegar

1/4tsp baking soda

Microwave 3 bags of popcorn. Strain extra kernels if you feel like it. Put all of the popcorn in a large paper grocery bag. In a separate bowl melt corn syrup and butter together. Add the brown sugar to the mixture until it is smooth. Next add vanilla and vinegar. Microwave for 3 minutes. Mixture will boil. last add baking soda and stir until foaming.

Pour mixture into the paper bag over the popcorn and shake to mix it all up. Microwave paper bag for one minute and shake. Repeat two more times. Pour onto foil so it will harden ENJOY!

mmmm just typing this made me hungry.

aloha

It's up to you

It's about perception. It's your life and it's your choice whether its a happy one or not.

Just something to think about...

I just need to say...

I really do love my hello kitty skate my whole heart full. This is a picture of my deck. I have pink and purple trucks and purple grip tape too. My brother told me this would just be a phase. 8 months later this board still makes me honesty too happy.

Sometimes...

Life Stings a Little.

We don't get the answers we want. Things don't work out or go our way. Sometimes life happens and hurts our heart a little (or a lot). But the beauty is that it's ok. Heavenly Father is listening and there is honey to be had. The sting will fade and we will come out on the other side a little stronger for having gone through that. In the past few days I've spent a good amount of time with just me and my thoughts. And while thinking (and over thinking) doesn't ease the hurt as much, some realizations do come. No one said growing pains are super fun. But I've decided that it is these times that help us become exactly who the Lord needs us to be. I've just been trying to remember...

"Keep your face toward the sunshine and the shadows will fall" -Walt Whitman

My sunshine has been sweet friends (and cousins) and surfing and reading and sleeping and taking pictures and running (a lot of running). It's all gonna be ok and if it wasn't for times like these I wouldn't truly appreciate the sweet and wonderful times. I guess all I'm trying to say is even when everything stinks, life is still pretty great.