While I worked for Gladys I started reading/skimming a book called Living a Beautiful Life. Dianne, her daughter, had highlighted so much of the book that I thought it was worth a read. After reading about 1/3 of it, it started giving me a headache but when I broke it down it had some really nice advise for life.

It talks about the importance of reading and how we should try and read at least 20 minutes a day. It also says, "One of the greatest gifts of all is for a friend to recommend a book to you". I am recommending this book to have on your coffee table because it is too overwhelming to read all at once. I found my notepad where I jotted down things I liked in the book and here they are:

"Every spirit builds itself a house, and beyond its house a world, and beyond its world a heaven. Know then that world exists for you." -Emerson

-Work smarter, not harder.
-Write handwritten notes.
-Create beauty and order and you will be controlling the private hours of your life.
-Our 5 senses need nourishment and then they can nourish us.
-Choose to be rich by making your wants few.
-Life is too short for you to be the caretaker of the wrong details.
-Einstein claimed he got all his best ideas while shaving.
-Pay attention to the little things; when they are right they shore us up; when they are wrong, they are a burden.
-George Bernard Shaw said that to be in hell is to drift: to be in heaven is to steer.
-Keep a dictionary handy. The correct word is like any small detail that's just right- it enhances life.
-Buy or cut fresh flowers for your home once a week.

Anyways, that is a random list but I have been working on adding a few of them to my life and I think my life is better because of it. Just thought I should share.


I finished this book yesterday and I am so grateful that I read it. I would feel like a jerk if I didn't recommend it to everyone. It could definitely improve your life.

"Okay I will, but my body is just so tired."

This is Abby. She and I were bestos when we were little. She dropped by on her long drive/move to Pennsylvania. I can't get over how close I felt to her even though I haven't hung around her in ages. I drug her and her boyfriend 4 miles into the air to get a view of Zion. And it was quite a lovely view. Observation Point is a must see.

Besides going to Zion, this past week in Saint George has been crammed full of action. So far I've ran, slacklined, swam 50 laps along side my grandparents (they're Crazy!), hit some balls at the driving range (thanks Pat), long boarded, hiked, and might top it off with some tennis in the morning. My body feels weird right now... but a good weird.

This kid in the park killed me. Make this picture big and take a peek at that caboose.

This is what happens when you let strangers take your picture with your confusing camera.

There was a crazy guy talking and singing to himself at the park this day. Without talking to us or anything he started singing Walk the Line from Johnny Cash while I walked my line. It was so perfect.

Yep, it's been a good week. Work starts on Monday. That will be weird, I'm finally getting used to this life.

She's the best... You should check out her new cooking blog. She doesn't want it to be called a food blog because she thinks it will make her sound fat. Ha ha. It will sweeten you right up!

Sweetened up

It worked!

CRUISE 2010

We didn't think it would actually happen, but it did. We almost missed the boat because we were looking for our cruise in a navy yard in a different town. It was a miracle we even boarded. Once they let us on it was smooth sailing, well... not literally smooth. It was so rocky the second day that we couldn't get off to the shore excursion. We adapted to the rocking and got ourselves some sea legs. In fact, we are having trouble getting rid of them. Juje has been tippin all over the place today. We all look like a bunch of drunks on land.

Gnomes like cruise life. Our days on board consisted of eating 4 and 5 course meals, 3 meals a day. Laying out any spare minute we had. Reading books by the pool. Getting rocked to sleep all the time.

We made some fake friends. They really are fake. We don't even know them, or like them really.

Meandering in Catalina.

Me being the only adult on the water slide. The adults followed my trend the next day realizing it was socially acceptable.

The view of Catalina from our ridiculously steep bike ride.

Our wicked bike gang.

We have fun together.... pretty much all the time.

Our waiter Roy on the right took such good care of us. He was such a good dad. And Ariel on the right always made sure we were hitting up all the skanky shows at night. They were great.

We had two hours to shop this street and it was crazy. I made the mistake of telling one of the vendors my name and he yelled it out the door as I walked out and then every other vendor on the street heard it and started yelling my name . It was overwhelming and yet so much fun. I had the best fish tacos of my life here and got to see two baby lion cubs. Too bad you have to pay 25 bucks to hold them, I'm way too cheap for that.

La Bufadora a.k.a.- The blow hole.

Things we learned from CRUISE:

-Always be prepared to sink at any time. My favorite line from Hayley, "I'm convinced we are still gonna sink. I want to tell every person I pass, 'see ya at the sinkage'".

-We are not adults. After ten p.m. everything turns into "adults only". We are all over 21 but listening to "adults" sing karaoke drunk is not entertaining or pleasant. Neither is adult comedy shows or ventriloquists.

-People in Tahiti speak french.

-How great it is to be able to order 3 appetizers, 2 entrees and 2 desserts and not have a bill at the end.

-People who drink a lot are suckers. Yeah, we saw what their bills looked like. We actually made money on the cruise. We made ten bucks riding bikes in Catalina- yes, we're that good!

See ya next year cruise!

Iron

So a few years ago I served dinner to the athletes of an Iron Man that was held in Utah County. Everyone was crazy fit and I got to watch them stuff their face, which was awesome, but I never got to see them in action. They just so happen to be in Saint George over the weekend so we had to go check it out. These people swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run.... A MARATHON!!! They are crazy! We watched a man cross the finish line who had competed in 90 Iron Mans! How do you even do that?

Here is the first woman to pass the finish line. Her husband had come in a couple minutes before her. What a couple! She is 6'2" and awesome.

We also met some biggest loser competitors.

Jessie and I wanted to do this thing so bad but Janelle wouldn't let us. She said the line was too long, (the line consisted a handful of kids that were 2 feet tall). We're still ticked about it.

After watching the athletes we decided to re-create our own Iron Man. We were going to swim laps in Janelle's pool, borrow the unattended bikes on Janelle's patio for a quick ride and then run 3 miles topped off with Foremaster (a monster hill by her apartment). In the end, we laid out by the pool because it was way too windy to swim, ditched the bikes because we wanted a nap after laying out and then a miracle happened- we actually did the crazy run! We surprised ourselves so bad, we felt like iron after it. It was great. I'm so ready for Bear Lake Race next month.

This month is going to be awesome. No work, no stress. A week from today the gnomes will be cruising on the high seas. The gnomes are the best traveling friends I've ever had, I can't wait. See everyone at summer!!

Happy Birthday Juje!!!