the orchardist

i was so grateful for conference this past weekend.  i had so many questions, and my conclusion from this weekend is trust God more.  i feel like i'm always needing to be reminded to trust God.  which is silly because i know these words from president uchtdorf are true:

"you are loved.  you are dear to your heavenly parents.  the infinite and eternal creator of light and life knows you!  he is mindful of you...more than you could ever imagine, he wants you to achieve your destiny -to return to your heavenly home in honor...trust in the saving power of Jesus Christ.  I promise that as you do so you will discover your best self-your real self."

 for whatever reason, i cannot maintain that mindset of letting someone else lead my life for very long.  but i'm learning, and those subtle reminders he gives me are helpful (though painful, at times).  

also this weekend i got way spoiled with brennan time.  like from 3 p.m. on friday to 6:50 a.m. on monday we were together.  and i loved it.  the more time i spend with that man the more i love him and realize what a wise decision i made in marrying him.

brennan has been wanting to get in touch with his inner transcendentalist, so on friday he took me on a date to lynd fruit farms.  we picked 28 apples and raced through the trees and kissed behind the trunks.  

he also told me that if i ever wanted an orchard he wouldn't be opposed.  he knows all the right words, i tell ya.

when we drove in to the orchard, the guy handing out the bags told us "eat as many apples as you want while you're in there".  i think we ate more than we wanted.

i love the look on brennan's face.  he is so pleased with himself.

                         

after eating ourselves sick on apples, we visited the market across the street where we found those huge watermelons (i want to eat them all), some amish frye pies, and every size and color of pumpkin that exists.  i brought home a pie pumpkin (alicia, i'll need you to remind me how to make it into a pie).  we made some delicious homemade apple cider and still have about a dozen apples left.

it rained all that day, but it's like the clouds parted for us just long enough for us to have our outdoor adventure..then as we were driving away we got to watch some pretty ominous clouds roll in - it was beautiful.

- this link is the recipe i used for the cider.  it was so easy and so good, but i would definitely add white sugar...none of this optional brown sugar stuff.  i did at least one cup of white sugar after it was finished and i'd separated the apples and the cider.  

- also, have you ever heard of the book the orchardist?  my sister-in-law gave it to me for christmas last year.  it's an exciting story and sounds like a beautiful place (and further fueled my desire to have an orchard)

the food stamp experiment

first things first...

happy october

fall > all other seasons

october > all other months

so go outside and enjoy the crisp air and changing leaves!

october in mexico. (photo cred: pat may)

anyway...i'm doing an experiment.  i'm finishing up my last political science class tomorrow, and one of the last things i studied was social policy.  in that chapter i learned that for those on welfare, the average amount people receive for food stamps is $90 a month per person.  i don't know what all your grocery budgets are, but mine was significantly higher than that.  so, i decided to do an experiment.  for one month, i would only allot myself the amount of money we'd receive through food stamps if we were receiving them.  the experiment is pretty simple (based on SNAP rules):

• September 22 - October 19
• 2 people in my household = $180
• this budget only counts for food.  you cannot buy toiletries, paper products, or cleaning products with food stamps.  

here is the catch to make it a little more challenging.  our meals have to meet the myplate requirements (the food pyramid).  that means 2 cups of fruit per person per day, 2 1/2 cups veggies for me and 3 for brennan each day,  6 oz. grains for me, 8 for brennan, etc...tedious, i know.  that's why we're 2 weeks in and i haven't been tracking our servings at all.  so help!  

do you have awesome, cheap, healthy recipes? 

 we've probably done pretty well for the most part cause i do cook a lot of veggies, but fruits sometimes get ignored. any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.  

peace+love

...it's november?!?!

needless to say, october was fabulous but flew by like a streaker on a football field.  it's okay though, cause so far november has been pretty beautiful too.

i am doing a project for school...  as part of my project i've been asking my close friends and family to tell me one truth about themselves, one reality that is a part of who they are.  i've had a variety of responses, but more on that later.  as i've asked for these i've thought about what my response would be.  this what i came up with:  i oftentimes feel inadequate for everything/everyone--with relationships, school, work, cycling, etc... i know i was feeling like that for the first month and a half of school--i felt, "why am i an english major? i am not good at this.  i'll never make it in the real world as an English major."  that was part of the reason i quit being a music major, too.

well, that is no way to live.  you cannot spend your whole life thinking you'll never be good enough at anything.  all you can do is perform to the best of your abilities and do all you can to bless others' lives.  President Uchtdorf confirmed this thought in the october 2011 general conference.  speaking of his experience training at an air base in Texas, his first time in the United States, he says,

At the time, Big Spring, despite its name, was a small, insignificant, and unknown place. And I often felt exactly the same way about myself—insignificant, unknown, and quite alone. Even so, I never once wondered if the Lord had forgotten me or if He would ever be able to find me there. I knew that it didn’t matter to Heavenly Father where I was, where I ranked with others in my pilot training class, or what my calling in the Church was. What mattered to Him was that I was doing the best I could, that my heart was inclined toward Him, and that I was willing to help those around me. I knew if I did the best I could, all would be well.

later on he continues...

Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.  God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.

i know that that is true.

peace+love

it's october...

...on the way to school today i couldn't help but smile as i saw the leaves falling around me and smelled the fresh, mountain, october air.  it truly is the most wonderful time of the year (sigh, what happy memories that post recalls). and things are going great.  really, i know my heavenly father loves me for several reasons..
1. i did way better on my midterms than i had anticipated
2. i got in a little fender bender a couple weeks ago and have to pay nothing
3. i have the best family in the world
4. i have the best job in the world
5. in spite of how busy i am/overwhelmed with how few hours in the day there are, everything seems to just be working out....
that's what happens when you do what jesus wants you to.
i'm not saying my life is perfect.  far from it.  are there things i wish i could change?  yes. do i get perfect grades?  ha.ha ha.  do i have bad days?  of course.  am i totally content?  not yet.  but i'm getting there.  and i'm happy.
plus, i have this wonderful weekend to look forward to that will be full of inspiration and guidance from a beloved prophet inspired of God.

peace+love

love is in the air...

today on my ride up to big springs i spotted something that made me smile.  speckles of red, orange, and yellow that highlighted the mountainside...

fall.  it's getting so close i can almost smell it.

peace+love

speaking of banjos...

i've been looking forward to yesterday since october 31, 2009. it is sad that my october will not be the same next year (it will be spring in chile). so i'm going to make the most of this month (the 20 days that i'm here, anyway). my kick-off consisted of:

-sleeps with skye- my twin not by birth (she has a twin in real life, but lauren's married now, so i'm the next best thing).

-not actually getting any shots--thank heavens for modern medicine; i was able to opt for the typhoid vaccine via pills! and the flu shot via nasal spray!! yes, i was a very happy girl.

-the temple. oh sweet refuge and house of sanity aka the only place i don't ever feel consumed by thoughts of doubt in my ability to serve a mission.

-the lower lights in concert--the closest thing to a baptist choir the mormon church will ever get, complete with clapping, stomping, amens and hallelujahs! i like to think this is the kind of concert that will welcome in the second coming.

-sammy's with some of my most favorite people in this whole world!

and now it's conference time.

peace+love

the most wonderful time of the year.

in my last post i failed to mention the sunflowers filling the median along i-15.

oh blessed fall, thank you for coming back.

peace+love

8.2 weeks, 57 (almost) days, 1368 hours, 82080 minutes, or 4924800 seconds

fabulous news...

nights are getting chillier and sunflowers are blooming.

that means fall must be near.

which also means the most wonderful time of the year is closer and that is when i leave...58 days till i enter the mtc to prepare to serve in the chile santiago west mission for 18 months.

(yes, i know you're supposed to fly kites in the spring, but in cedar city it's always windy so {we} bought that kite in the fall. yes, it's on the ground because i am actually not very good at flying it.)

in other fabulous news...

so far, with the help of my friends, i've raised $105 for charity:water! and with only 5 donations. the goal is to raise $210 by my birthday, september 3rd. that's in 11 days. so even if you don't have money to give, i bet you have a friend or family member who does...and in my mind, spreading the word is a valuable way to help the cause. here's the link to my campaign.

peace+love

come on skinny love, just last the year

happy valentine's day!

things i love (in no particular order and not all things):

the moon
skinny jeans
ocean
TOMS shoes
skiing
fall
receiving letters in the mail
sending letters in the mail
kings of convenience
having my toes popped
npr
mountains
juno
warm rain
ukulele
climbing
zip-up hoodies
sunflowers
my iPod
dolphins
politics
summer
hiking
overcast weather
laughing
folk
family
winter
whales
pretty much all sea life
quarter sleeve shirts
walking in the snow all bundled up
quesadillas (i'd starve without them)
trees
spring
friends
life

What do you love? (name that movie)

also, happy birthday to this kid...
peace+love

1 mas semana

classes are OVER! (for a month anyway)
juries are OVER! i sang my sight singing perfectly in a minor key then realized, oops, it's in f major...

at the end of the day, these are the memories (good or bad) i'll take from my first semester as a t-bird:
-watching a snake pee on kira at the choir party
-climbing to the roofs of the buildings on main street--and carving our names
-my first sit-start (bouldering term)
-the 10 minute drive on a dirt road out to the highway after spraining my ankle
-walking to campus on crutches for 2 weeks
-my "unique" visiting teaching companion
-jen carrying me on her back to the 4th floor of our apartment complex...twice
-being reminded how hard adjusting is
-army crawling through guano in mammoth cave
-bawling in a voice lesson...i love my teacher, i really do
-nuns...dancing to "all the single ladies" (sorry, you can only see the video if we're friends on facebook)
-nearly wetting myself in the library when i saw the woman in black
-sleeps with weesha and kelsey
-our sad attempt at fishing in a waterhole...cow pies everywhere...really, bryce, there are fish in here?
-our billion attempts to fly a kite
-sneaking our glass bottles into the movie...we felt very criminal-like we were sneaking in alcohol.
-finally learning to do a headstand
-visits from mis padres
-falling in love at the orthopedic surgeon's office
-then having my heart broken...ya, he's married
-the compliments
-the insults
the hikes:
-the narrows
-angel's landing
-kanarraville falls
-timp at 2 a.m. we'll see how soon i feel up to that one again
-climbing twice a week until oct. 21

narrows pics i never posted

as you can clearly see,
cedar is a great place to be
just one thing could make it better...
a lot more snow and crappy weather!
peace+love

double-odd day

10/31-Halloween:
"is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it."
NOT my favorite holiday
nope...not even close

11/01-daylight savings:
the one night a year when we all get to sleep an extra hour.
closer to my favorite holiday

what would you do if you had one extra hour completely to yourself everyday?

i'd make playlists....lots and lots of playlists
peace+love

free falling

i bought these beauties on saturday...i was thrilled to try them out, so i insisted we go out to the wash today and climb...

i ignored the feeling in my gut--no lie, it said to my brain, "if you go climbing today, you'll go to school on crutches tomorrow"...new shoes, near-perfect weather- there was no way i was letting my unused shoes sit in the box one more day...

on my second attempt at my second problem i had made it as far as the third or fourth move...my right foot was in a great hole, and my left was pressured against the wall with my trusty "stealth" rubber. i was searching for a solid hold for my hands so i could shimmy to the right then complete the climb. i thought i had a good hold, but when i went to move my feet, i fell...i didn't think the fall would be that far. in reality it was only about 4 or 5 feet...but, the crash pad was a few inches away from the rock. the front of my left foot landed on the pad while the back half rolled onto the ground... [these are definitely not my legs, but the ankle bruising/swelling part is pretty darn similar]

one ruthless dirt road, the longest 25 minute drive of my life, and 3 x-rays later, alas, i will be going to school tomorrow on crutches

i've learned my lesson
is there a time you didn't listen to your gut and paid a price?
or did listen and avoided disaster?

it's the most wonderful time of the year...

i don't care what the song says, the truth is october-don't tell anyone, but last night we climbed to the roof of the buildings on main street via a tree...i ripped my pants as we wandered from roof to roof very slyly and very at risk-the police station is directly across the street from the block of buildings we were on...then we carved our names in a wood wall where dirty words and gang signs were spray painted...

-we bought a new kite that will actually work once we learn how to fly it (it sure is harder than it looks)--our previous kite was missing a stick, so we whittled one from a twig...it looked great but didn't really function...

-last but not least, it is finally truly fall and i couldn't be happier! my allergies mostly blew away with the wind last night, the leaves are changing, i get to snuggle in a ball while i sleep with my window cracked open, my apartment smells of pumpkin spice, and i wore a long-sleeve today...at long last, time for the cute wardrobe and my constantly happy mood

...and soon it will be winter
peace+love