An Adventure & Amanda

Dear friends, family, and loved ones: This year has been full of many changes for Kyle and I.  We are finally starting to feel like grown ups which is both scary and exciting!!! Kyle graduated in April with a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering.  Originally we had plans to move to Colorado after graduation as Kyle had a job offer with a company in Denver.  Things unfortunately did not work but we were blessed to be able to find another job! Kyle currently works in Cedar Hills, Utah at Cascade Energy.  He is an energy consultant and helps companies save money by being more energy efficient.  Kyle finished out his last year of rugby with a national championship win.  Over the summer Kyle picked up a new hobby- mountain biking.  I am thankful that he has yet to break any bones and I am glad that he has found something that makes him so happy. I also graduated from BYU in April with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education.  I wa...

I'm seriously about to cry over the fact that my summer is over.  It feels like just yesterday I ran through the school hallways throwing paper in the air with joy (just kidding, but I did go to lunch to celebrate)! As quick as summer has gone by, I've had some really good times and I finally  got around to those projects I've been putting off for forever. So without further ado Amanda's summer via 22 hashtags: #antlersmakethebestconvostarters #finallymasteredthesewingmachine #allIdoiswin #whathappensatlakepowellstaysatlakepowell  #sunshinegetonourbodies #stillinlovetwoyearslater #callforagoodtime #welostourswimsuitbottomsforthis #madskillz #itwashigherthanitlooks #stillcallingourselvesthewolfpack #NOTattheRiv #reinactingourspiritanimals? #doublefistingit #freebiequeens  #betterthanpotterbarndiy  #predroolingatthecarnival #vonmillersheadistheresomewhere #everbeenlickedbyagiraffe? #mygrandmaiscoole...

Sooooo likeeeeee remember how we are supposed to be living the life in Colorado right now? As it turns out, Heavenly Father had a different plan for Kyle and I: Due to the decline in oil prices, the company in Colorado that Kyle had a job with had to rescind all new job offers.  I'd be lying if I told you this was no big deal for us.  We heard the news mid-March which was just a month shy of graduation and the real world.  It was pretty easy to be angry initially.  I mean, this was our "dream" job in our "dream" state and with just one phone call it was all gone. I have to say that Kyle and I felt a lot of love and support during this difficult time.  Many family and friends graciously reached out to us.  My grandma offered me some really helpful advice: "the Lord has taken care of you so far.  Isn't it exciting to know that he will continue to take care of you no matter where you will go?"  Grandma, thanks for that advice.  Combined with...

Let's start off with a disclaimer: I am no where near a fitness expert.  I understand that many of my friends are amazingly fit and healthy and probably do a much better job at it than I do.  ...that said, this post comes from a person who is actually extremely lazy and used to enjoy sitting on the couch and would often count walking up the stairs as her daily workout routine.  I am here today to inspire those couch-lovers by telling you how I learned to love exercising and offer advice for how you can learn to love it too.  Do what you like. I hate  running (that might be an understatement).  I find no satisfaction in stretching my lungs to the point of near-suffocation.  I do not like running outside, I do not like running on the treadmill, I do not like running anywhere (I do not like green eggs and ham Sam I am)!  So guess what? I explored other fitness options.  I started biking. I love biking!  I started lifting weights....

Rewind to about one-year ago: I was extremely stressed and confused about making a decision of where to complete my internship.  I had several great options before me and I made an extensive pros and cons list for the different districts.  My mind kept coming back to one district: Wasatch.  "But, but, it's FAR...and I don't know the schools as well and I don't know many of the other interns and, and..."  Needless to say, Wasatch was not my first choice originally. I spent a good portion of my time praying and studying the issue out in my mind and with my husband.  Although he also thought that Heber was far, every time I would discuss the weighty matter with him he would say: "it sounds like you already know where you need to be." So, Wasatch it was. Now, fast-forward to present day: Looking back recently on some of my intern experiences, I have felt an overwhelming sense of love.  Though teaching is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, I k...

I've started writing this post several times over but I just cannot seem to get the words out right.  I keep getting the feeling that this is something I need  to share.  With that said and although I am lacking eloquence, here goes nothing: I am competitive.  I did not realize this until last year when one of my absolute favorite professors spoke to our class about pride in the workplace.  He presented my new favorite quote: After hearing this quote I began to examine my relationships more closely, I realized that I would subconsciously put others down in an attempt to make myself seem "better."  As a result, this has had quite the adverse effects on my confidence.   For example, I have been trying to jump the wake for years on the wakeboard.  This past summer my younger  brother successfully jumped the wake and surpassed me in wakeboarding skills.  At first I was upset that I was no longer the top wakeboarder in the ...