I have to admit, life over the past few years has treated me well. Of course, there were disappointments and bad days, but overall, I experienced more moments of happiness than not. Regardless, there are still those days in which I want to just run away. I think {I hope} that everyone experiences that need to just get away every once in awhile. While we are all out there trying to make others conceptualize our lives as being perfect, we forget that we're all writing a less than perfect story. There is nothing wrong with admitting that life can just be too much at times.

Over the past few weeks, work has been hectic, trying to maintain a decent home and yard has felt like a never ending job and finding time to workout or even go for a walk has been nearly impossible. I have felt overwhelmed; like there weren't enough hours in a day. For living under the same roof as Wyet, I was starting to wonder why I hardly ever spent time with him. Then I decided, enough is enough. We need an escape.

I have never successfully surprised Wyet {probably because I can't keep a secret, and I think he is a private detective}, but this time was different. I knew that Wyet would be completely exhausted after the Spartan Race so this was my prime opportunity to really blow him away with a fun, yet very low key weekend getaway. I packed our bags, stuffed them in my trunk and he was none the wiser.

Once the Spartan was over, we jumped in the car, and Wyet thought we were headed for home. He was so distracted looking at the photos I had taken on my camera that it wasn't until we had almost arrived at our destination that he asked what was going on. Moments later, I rounded the corner and pulled up to The Homestead Resort. He sent me a confused glance before I burst out, "We are staying here!" He was completely shocked.

We spent the remainder of the evening soaking in the infamous Crater mineral water, eating a delicious meal at Simon's and listening to a little bit of folk music from the Midway Summer Concert Series {we got lucky by booking our room on a night that a free concert was on the grounds}. When we went back to our room, we spent a few hours sitting on the balcony talking about life and just being together. It was calm, and it was wonderful. The next morning we stopped by a local cafe and had pastries and coffee. This was the life.

I can't help but smile at the reason this short retreat was so satisfying. Sure the beautiful landscaping, live music and serene atmosphere helped, but the best part about the experience was being together. It seemed we hadn't spent that type of quality, up all night talking, kind of time together in months. It was just what I needed to get me through the hectic ins and outs of our sometimes less-than-perfect everyday life.

I love gazebos! This was right outside of our room.

The beautiful grounds at the resort. There were fountains and flowers everywhere!

This picture doesn't even do the Crater justice. This mineral water was the perfect temperature, and it was inside a cave with an open top to see outside!

After our relaxing little soak!

We climbed to the top of the Crater to check out the view. Wyet was so sore from the race he could barely make it!

Feeling refreshed and ready for life!

Changes

Over the course of life, people change. Sometimes the changes are minute and sometimes the changes are drastic. However, nobody can argue that sometimes people change and they don't even realize it until after the fact.

Wyet and I are still so young. You wouldn't think we could have gone through that many changes yet. {If you know me well enough, that last sentence is quite comical.} The changes we have experienced in our family lives, our relationship and our personal interests seems to be never ending. Even though sometimes these alterations happen just as quickly as the day passes, others are intentional and take time. Wyet's most recent change was dynamic. It involved sacrifice, determination, and without a doubt, blood, sweat and tears.

Wyet was so active in his younger years. Not only in the way that most young kids are active but beyond that. In high school, he was a very skilled and very competitive member of the wrestling team. He gave that team his all. He went to practice twice a day and even worked out on his own in between class, practice and personal time. He had such dedication. It definitely paid off when he became the regional champion {two years in a row} and took 2nd overall in the state competition. He was on fire. He was fit, active and he felt great.

Then life happened. He graduated, he went through some hard times, he moved away from home- and the working out thing just faded away. {Hasn't this happened to us all?} He went on living life and didn't spend a whole lot of time worrying about the physical aspect of his life. Until one day earlier this year, he decided he wanted to make some changes.

It was in early February that Wyet started talking about working out. It came out of nowhere and for no reason other than he just wanted to start feeling better. I agreed with him that it would probably be a good thing for us both to do, and I assumed that's where the conversation would end. I was so wrong. Within the next  four weeks, Wyet had quit smoking {with more ease than I knew possible}, had given up soda and had drastically changed his eating habits. We began eating protein and produce by the plate-fulls. Then, he began to run. Before I knew it, he was lifting weights and getting together with his aunt and uncle a few times a week for a cardio class. It was bizarre. Who was this guy?

As the months have passed and this change has stayed constant I can tell you exactly who this guy is. He is happy. He is motivated, and he feels good. The changes in his appearance became very noticeable that first month. His face slimmed down, his waist slimmed down and his legs and shoulders beefed up. Better than that, his attitude change became noticeable after a few days. He had a goal, and he was making progress. He was thrilled to be doing something so positive and meaningful.

In order to keep up with his goal, he wanted something to work towards. That is when he signed up for the Spartan Beast. The Spartan Beast race is anything but an ordinary half marathon. It's a half marathon for bad asses. It includes 26 obstacles scattered throughout a 13 mile run. And it is brutal. For four months, Wyet trained. He trained hard. He had no idea what to expect from this strenous race, but his only goal was to finish.

On June 29, we made our way up to Soldier Summit, Utah for the big event. The place was swarming with people. There were people pinning their numbers to their shorts getting ready to begin and others already covered in mud and crossing the finish line. Wyet was nervous, but he was ready. He took off at 10:45 a.m. and finished on the button at 2:00 p.m. He beat his anticipated finish time by an entire hour. He beat himself, and I've never seen him so proud.

Arriving at the big event!

Wyet and his Aunt Keti were able to train and compete together

Getting ready to take off!

Wyet and his Uncle Kyler

And they're off!

Just a small percentage of the competitors. This race brought in nearly 5000 participants.

One of the obstacels was swimming through 4 massive mud ponds

Wyet making it past his last obstacle

Crawling down a rocky hill with a barbed wire cover before being able to cross the finish line

The cheerleaders {and Whit}

Re-hydrating just after crossing the finish line{Wyet finished in the top 13%}

Wyet telling the tale!

Wyet with his super proud and supportive mama

I am so proud of this guy. I was lucky enough to witness the behind the scenes months leading up to this successful day!

Happy Birthday to Him

It was a carefree night in May 2004 that changed my life forever. That was the night that I first exchanged flirtatious smiles and phone numbers with the love of my life.  As small town kids generally do, we were hanging around the city park late one night doing absolutely nothing. We had a mutual group of friends so it wasn't uncommon for us both to end up in the same place. As the night went on and the flirting continued, we realized it was finally time to head home. We exchanged phone numbers, and I asked him to "text me later, if you want." He then admitted that he didn't have a clue how to text. Oh, but he learned.

We were such awkward little kids {barely 5 feet tall and me with my braces}, but we were so into each other. The texts started that night and haven't stopped since. I would never go as far to say that our relationship has been anything resembling perfection, but it has all turned out better than I could have hoped.

Today, that sweet guy turned 25. Here are some fun facts about him:

1. H. R. Giger is the inspiration for {nearly} all of his tattoos

2. His favorite type of food is Chinese

3. But seafood is a very close second

4. He has been stuck with this crazy for nearly a decade

5. He is one of the most stubborn men I have ever met

6. And also one of the most forgiving

7. He became a business owner at age 23

8. He has learned many techniques from his family, but much of his artistic ability has been self-taught

9. He loves to watch any show that teaches him how to survive in the wilderness

10. He would love to enroll in culinary school

11. He has been tobacco free for over 17 weeks

12. He has a pet snake named Marilyn

13. Once upon a time- he had his mom dye his hair purple

14. In high school, he had a poster of Gwen Stefani hanging in his bedroom

15. He only weighed 103 pounds at age 16

16. He loves to research everything- he will never make a spontaneous purchase without first researching all pros/cons/competitors

17. His sister Matye will always be his role model

18. He has had the same pet pug for 17 years

19. His dedication is unmatched- once he puts his mind to something he always follows through

20. He loves spending time outdoors {fishing, hiking and camping are a must}

21. His decorating style is completely modern {but he lets me keep our house just the opposite}

22. He loves to garden and spend time in the yard

23. He is baby hungry! {seriously- he talks about it more than I do}

24. He has the world’s best laugh- I can’t get enough of it

25. He has loved, he has lost and he always lives life to the fullest

Happy Birthday Mr. Ingram :]

A Simple Magnet

Unique, personal touches are what makes a house a home. Every house has windows, walls and all the usuals, but the additions that we make to these elements within our house are what turns it into the place we call home. I believe that you can learn a great deal about the inhabitants of a home by simply observing the way they decorate. Notice the small touches that someone has added to their home to make it their own. With every painting that is hung and photo that is displayed, someone's story is being told. We are openly giving a little bit of our story away to whomever is observant enough to notice.

I would like to call myself artistic {but that would be a little too generous}. I can, however, call myself crafty. I like to decorate {homemade style} because it gives me the chance to express myself and unwind all at once. I love when an idea pops into my head, and I have the ambition and the means to follow the project through. Whether it be small or large, the liberation I feel from creating something with my own two hands cannot be matched.

This project below is simple. It's nothing more than some leftover die-cuts, some embellished clothespins and a strip of magnet to liven up my refrigerator and magnet boards just a touch. Simply take a sheet of magnet, which I bought at Walmart in the Arts & Crafts section, adhere it to a cute clothespin {mine are from American Crafts} and clip on an adorable embellishment. There it is. Three easy steps to a unique magnet that will tell your story to any guest who will take the time to notice.

An eclectic mix of old die-cuts

Glitter and printed clothespins from American Crafts

{smile like everything is going your way even if it isn't}

A Brief {Romantic} History

This brings a genuine smile to my face {thanks Alex}

Certain things in life just get better as time goes on: art, whiskey, leather, wine- and us. I fell for Wyet at the ripe old age of 14. He was my first love, and I am happy to say my last. Our relationship has been dynamic to say the absolute least. We have laughed, cried, screamed and laughed again together more times than I could ever count. There were bumps {oh, were there bumps} along the way. We spent weeks without seeing each other, days without talking to each other but not a moment without the other in our thoughts.

Every obstacle we have faced together, has helped develop our relationship an extra step further. There have been so many instances when we couldn't understand what the other was possibly thinking {let's not even go there}, and we couldn't fathom why our missing puzzle piece wasn't with us.

The best part about our story, is that it gets a little bit better with each passing day. Over the past decade that I have known Wyet, the past 6 months with him have been the happiest. We finally get to see each other on a daily basis! It definitely isn't perfect, but I wouldn't change a thing. We still live through our fair share of bad days and ridiculous arguments, but overall, I am the happiest when in the company of Wyet and I'd like to think he feels the same.

Our first vacation- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico- 2006

Atlas Shrugged

It's no secret that I am more of a hermit than a social butterfly. Don't get me wrong, if you get me together with those select friends of mine that actually get me {I mean the ones that really get all my weird quirks through-and-through} I could talk for hours. However, on the not so rare occasion, I simply just love to stay home. There are numerous explanations for my love to stay home, let me name just a few:

• I have three fury creatures and the love of my life within reach

• There are countless fluffy pillows and blankets just sitting around waiting to be snuggled up to

• I can wear sweats all day without any judgements

• I have a freezer full of otter pops {and other indulgences} at my convenience

• I can be lazy and sloth-like with hardly any witnesses

But let's get real about the main reason I like to stay home; {almost} every past time that I have is best experienced through the comfort of my own home. Prime example: reading. I love to read. The opportunities are endless when you have the ideas, thoughts, truths and fictions of an author's mind resting between your palms. Depending on whatever mood you happen to be in, there is always something to read to quench your mental appetite.

I thought about writing a post about my top favorite books, but then, I thought that each book is so important to me that I might split it up and give them to you one-by-one over extended posts. So here it is. The first book recommendation you will receive from this yellow house dwelling hermit crab: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Don't let this massive, nearly 1100 page masterpiece intimidate you. It is one of those awesome pieces of literature that you can set down for weeks at a time, and when you come back to it, it completely submerges you right back to where you left off. I took my time with this one. I read it over the course of about three months, just here and there whenever I had time. I find myself still referencing the characters and themes whenever certain topics are being discussed.

This book has a little bit of everything to offer: scandal, romance, betrayal, power, mystery, endurance, renunciation, and triumph. This book will make you think about what type of person you want to be: a giver or a taker. It will make you think of the possibilities and the power that people are capable of. Starting at page one and not ending with the final chapter, you will forever be amazed by John Galt.

My Aunt Pam bought me this copy of Atlas Shrugged at the local library for fifty cents. Held together by tape, this beat up copy has captivated my mind.

Getting Granola

I have always loved the outdoors. It has always amazed me how naturally serene and beautiful it all is without any man-made help. From the first blossoms of spring, through the last snowfall of winter, Mother Nature has a way of bringing me to awe any time of the year. While I have always enjoyed doing things outdoors, this year Wyet and I decided to take things up a notch.

Being lucky enough to live in an incredible state that offers an array of options for outdoor adventures, we decided that we had better start taking advantage of it. With that in mind, we did a little splurge shopping at REI to get us prepared for one the most memorable summers of our life.

We were lucky enough to catch REI on their huge Memorial Day sale and decided to just go for it. We went in on a new tent and sleeping bags together, and Wyet was sweet enough to get us two incredible hiking backpacks for my birthday. Once all of our gear arrived, I finally felt like we were ready to go on a much anticipated adventure. We did just that.

We spent my birthday weekend camping, hiking and fishing at a beautiful spot in Soldier Summit. There wasn't another soul in sight, and I felt like Mother Nature had arranged this incredible retreat just for us. We spent the night under a star-filled sky talking about life, love and our future. In the morning, Wyet woke me up just in time to catch the sunrise {the first one I have seen since my Starbucks days}. We spent the morning on a 2 hour hike that felt like it flew by in 20 minutes. Spending time doing nothing other than observing was a much needed break. Everything around us was so beautiful. The kind of beauty that ends up in a travel magazine. It was breathtaking, and it was all in my own backyard {if only I would take more time to look}. We topped off the day by fishing in a nearby creek, and I got to break in my new {pink} fishing pole.

Our outdoor adventure was just the beginning. I am excited to see what other amazing views I will be able to spy from the top of a hiking trail and what other experiences I will get to be a part of. Taking a moment to realize what the world was offering us set us up for a summer of adventure. We are ready to face each one head on.

Soldier Summit

I set up our tent all by myself!

Beautiful 6:00 a.m. sunrise

Breakfast of champions

Our campsite in the morning! A roaring fire to get us ready for the day.

The beginning of our adventure

Wyet and the beautiful landscape

A perfect start to an adventurous summer