Regardless of all of its beauty and wonder, life still has a way of being completely overwhelming. Between worrying about work, money and the future, at times I tend to forget about the truly important aspects of life; the people that I share it with. It is easy to neglect the necessity of keeping in touch with friends when life gets hectic; but surely enough, a night spent in the company of great friends is generally a cure for the chaos.

Below are a few photos of our Fourth of July celebration. It was an evening filled with delicious food, spirited drinks and the best company we could hope for.

BBQ'in with some of the best friends I know.

Followed by a round or two of badminton!

It's ridiculously cheesy how much I love him.

My best girl friends.

The best guys I know {puppies included}. Poor Jerrod had a rough one at work the day before and burnt the whole left side of his face.

A few days after the fourth, the celebrations reigned on as we celebrated Wyet's 26th birthday. Since Wyet's birthday fell on a Tuesday this year, we just spent a quiet night at home opening gifts and devouring Fat Boys.

Wyet with his bounty of gifts!

I especially love Wyet for his unique sense of self. This meat grinder was his most anticipated gift this year. What other twenty six year old guy asks for this?

The following weekend we continued the birthday celebration. At Wyet's request, we went camping up Payson Canyon and spent the quiet hours of the morning fishing Payson Lakes. On the way home, we passed the Grotto Trailhead and made a detour to hike up to the waterfall. Overall, the weekend was very well spent in the great outdoors celebrating another year of life for one of the greatest men I know. 

Setting up camp {including our new ladder ball set from Pat!}

We were kept company by a few horses behind us {and now I have the notion that I need one}

I snapped this picture from inside our tent. We slid it right up next to the fire and spent the night snuggling and talking about our future.

The next morning I brewed us some coffee and Wyet made a tasty breakfast

Having never been to Payson Lakes, I was in complete awe at the raw beauty of it all

Shortly after snapping this photo, a moose strolled right through the water in front of us!

This is a very short and easy trail, and at the top this is what you are greeted with!

Happy Birthday, Wyet. Here is to your 26th year and hoping it is the best one yet.

Details

The most important aspects of life, and often, the most overlooked are the details. While big events always take center stage in our memories, it is generally in the fine print where the best moments lie. The minuscule features of daily life constantly fade, and I want to remember as much as I can about the details of this amazing life. Here is a brief recap of the details of my life right now:

Loving: Sunday mornings and rainy summer days
Eating: A chocolate muffin brought to me by my very best friend Ash
Appreciating: Everything Wyet does to keep our yard maintained
Enjoying: Cold showers
Realizing: That money governs practically everything in life
Struggling: With going to the gym and {attempting} to cut back on my soda intake
Feeling: Overjoyed that our garden is producing and proving to be a success
Waiting: For the autumn leaves to make their debut
Dreaming: Of buying a house, starting a family and maybe even adopting another pet {like a chicken}
Despising: Bugs {our home has been invaded}
Watching: Grumpy Old Men {always}
Reading: Paper Towns by John Green and the newest edition of Real Simple magazine
Hoping: To visit baby Hendryx in the next few days

As busy as life gets, I hope to summarize the everyday facts of my {extra}ordinary life as often as possible. Looking back, I am sure those moments will prove to be the most remarkable.

The sunsets the past few weeks have been absolutely breathtaking. I am trying to take more time to appreciate the beauty in everyday.

Journaling prompts originally found on Ann Marie Loves.

Round Two

Regardless of all of the love I have for Wyet, the greatest love in a relationship comes from how much each partner loves themselves. I have heard it quoted that you can't truly love someone until you first love yourself, and while I can't claim truth to that in entirety , I can stand witness to its principle. Over the past two years, I have seen a dramatic change in Wyet's life. The care he puts in to his habits and lifestyle have taken a complete turn for the better. He is healthy and beyond that, remarkably happy. While I have always known that Wyet loves me beyond measure, it has become increasingly evident as he started putting himself first.

When Wyet decided he wanted to make a change, he did so wholeheartedly. He began working out, eating better and challenging himself in ways he hadn't in years. Along with that came a burst of self confidence and self worth. As soon as Wyet started putting himself first, our relationship completely flourished. The Spartan Race is a reminder to me of the change Wyet wanted to see in himself, and with that, the incredible changes it made on the life we share together. Here is to another great race behind Wyet and many more years for us to come.

Wyet waiting at the starting line. His approach to the Spartan this year was to take it with full force from the starting point.

And he's off!

Wyet completely killed it at the rope climb obstacle!

The outpouring of support that Wyet receives from these three is unmatched. Lifestyle changes are a lot to deal with, but having those around you cheer you on incessantly definitely makes the transition easier.

I am so proud of Wyet. Seeing him push himself to the limits is so incredible; he was made for this.

All cleaned up and with his medal. Congratulations on another Beast victory! Until next year, Spartan.

Outdoor Adventures

As I have mentioned before, I was always meant for Utah living. I crave the changes that accompany each unique season, and naturally, the summer solstice is no exception. The longer days and warmer nights give way to a completely new approach to life. The ratio of time spent indoors to out takes a drastic turn, and it is easily recognized as one of the happiest times of the year.

Wyet and I always try and make the most of these smoldering few months by escaping to a sweet oasis in the mountains. On a weekend in early June, that is exactly what we decided to do. This particular escape was made even better by bringing along the true loves of our life {the fury babies} and a dutch oven for an authentic outdoor meal.

While this camping trip may seem ordinary, it stands out to me as one of the best outdoor adventures we have experienced. In years past, camping was an excuse to drink too much and party too late with as many buddies as we could find. However, during this night of camping, I clearly saw the changes. Now, we camp for relaxation; we camp for the peaceful solitude that can only be found in the great outdoors. When I look back at photos of raging nights spent {tipsily} around the campfire, I smile and remember the fun times. Nonetheless, as I look at these photos with my incredible little family, I realize that nights like this are the ones worth remembering. Perhaps we are getting older and more reserved, and in my eyes, I see that as a good thing.

Don't get me wrong, we still like to indulge a little.

I've loved this photo from the moment I snapped it. You can decipher a lot about a person without even seeing their face.

But this face is really the best.

These two had an eye on Wyet wherever he went.

Quiet time, in the beautiful mountains with the one I love; that's what truly makes my heart sing.