#24 start a diet to help aaron

aaron has crohn's (for those of you who i have not informed). we started a strict regiment on january 1st in attempt to diminish the symptoms of his disease. no grains (including rice and corn), no milk, no starches and of course no refined sugars. yes, just as you are wondering now, we also asked ourselves what would be left to eat; lots of healthy foods that come in their natural, God-made form. hooray for us all, he is responding remarkably well:) and i am finally cooking more than once a month. rather, i am cooking multiple times a day and always trying new things so i don't hear complaining that it is chicken soup for dinner AGAIN. this week is sprouted grain sourdough bread. sprouting my own grain on the counter next to sourdough starter from my blessed neighbor.


a few other goals i've accomplished - -

#25 have a game night with gideon and katie (charades...need i say more?)
#26 go to bed before midnight for a week (amazingly difficult, but so rewarding)
#27 drink 8 glasses of water in one day (tap water tastes so gross)
#28 use clothe diapers for a week (three weeks now and going strong)
#29 make a book for my blog 2008-2010 (actually went all the way through 2011 and was a christmas gift to aaron's grandparents)

#21 buy a meal for a homeless person

i did it. it felt good. but i have to be honest that it just felt weird. there are so many opportunities to rise above begging for help on the street corner. there are programs, opportunities, groups, and agencies that are available so that we don't have to go hungry in this country. i'll be honest, my main excuse for not helping people is because i assume they want money for some type of substance abuse. people don't have to go to a street corner to beg for food.

but despite the undeniable doubt i hold in respect to these persons need for real help, i gave help because it was asked and i wanted to do it and experience it. i may hope that reaching out will change people's lives that may be in need, but if not them, i will have changed myself in the least.

so, for what it's worth, let's change the world one heart at a time. even if it only ends up our own.

#20 bike 100 miles

july 24th, 2011

looking back across utah valley from the 400s springville exit. 

looking south on the road going around west mountain. 

looking back north from the same road. timp on the right, the granite cover of lone peak on the left.

 the dang-blasted culprit (there was more than one) of four patches and three flat tires. set us back two hours having to stop five times.

half way point just west of goshen. this is the southern end of redwood road. finally turning back north.

jared with y-mount in the background. you can see the y just to the right of his mouth. 

the end. 

96.9 miles

4 patches

3 flat tires

11 hours

priceless bonding experience

#18 no tv for a week

i did it. i made an exceptional only for the byu vs utah game saturday night. i even waited on the season finale of america's got talent!

i loved it. i finished one book and started another, got lots of things done, and most of all enjoyed the quiet. i also cheated and let jade watch sesame street a few days when we were struggling and i needed something to distract her.

all in all, i didn't miss it one bit and it will be easier to turn off the tv from now on and do something more fulfilling!

next is to go a week without pinterest....that will be harder.

#15 wax my armpits

yes. i did it. not that exciting sounding but it was one of my goals and i did it! bonding time was priceless with katie. thanks for helping me out katie!

#14 email dave ramsey

not much to say other than i emailed dave ramsey with an awesome financial question. we'll see if i get to be aired on the show!

#13 paint my nails

yes, lime green. and only after a few days it's chipping like crazy. it was a burst of stylish energy which has quickly faded...obviously i'm not big on painting my nails and dolling up since one of my 101 goals is to simply 'paint my nails'. i knew i'd never do it otherwise. fun, nonetheless. maybe next i'll venture to my toe nails...

#12 have isaac over for games with aaron

i didn't shoot picture the whole four days i had bethany and isaac. so sad.

isaac and aaron went shooting, four-wheeling, and topped the evening off the transformers 3 in 3d. grateful for my little bro and my loving husband. great duo.

#11 have a sister sister date with ari

bikram yoga.

free for first-timers in sandy. click here for the website.

amazing. changed my life. men, if you want to know a taste of the stamina it takes to push through labor, here's your chance. it's a life size crucible that reveals the real person within you.

ari, thanks for being so freakin awesome!!!!!! she made it through the whole class; me on the other hand...i realized the person within me is kind of a wimp.

#10 go to the zoo

we saw lots of cool looking animals and managed to stay cool in the heat and not get run over by the crowds. we might have got more pictures if jade wasn't doing this for most of the adventure...

but we still had a great time on our family trip and had to snap a picture of this guy's shirt. i hope no one's offended but we thought it was witty:)

#9 grow an herb garden

thyme, rosemary, mint, dill, oregano, parsley, cilantro, sage and, my personal favorite, basil (pictured above). i haven't mastered the full sunlight photography as of yet. it requires a few more tricks than i have up my sleeve.

here are a few pieces of eye candy i enjoy on my front porch.

101 goals in 1001 days

#8 buy something from ikea

lynn, katie, finn, jade and i all ventured to ikea this weekend. i had never been. along with the quaint vase, i bought some white baskets and finger puppets for jade. 

though the place was amazing, the time spent with the sister-in-laws was the highlight. lynn and katie are beautiful and strong women. they are shining examples to me in so many ways and i feel honored that we are all such good friends. the world really is a beautiful place full of wonderful people. 

#8 on my 101 List

#6 go to north carolina

jade's first flight. three legs both ways. the first leg on the way to north carolina i was cringing my way through any bumps, holding on to aaron with a death grip. by the last leg on the way home i was sleeping through the turbulence. face your fears and you will dominate them!

ralph. she made herself right at home as jade's personal entertainer. jade loved her and she loved jade. we would have brought her home with us but her owner loved her too much. 

it was hot (for us utans anyway), so jade decided to show some flesh. she's just so darn cute.

oh, that thumb. it is here to stay. like mother, like daughter.

rachel performing her farm duties. that goat was jade's REAL best friend. sorry ralph, mr. marbles made jade laugh every time she went outside.

that's rachel. that's why she's so awesome. she's done everything and she always does it well. she looked so good in the tunnel and showed jade the ropes like a good aunt.

golden knight's new mascot.

love you.

perks of having friends in the military. yes, i pulled the trigger...eventually.

the ralph-anater. i'm sure she's suffering withdrawls. 

rachel and jared, thank you for having us out for the week. it was priceless time spent in a cozy cabin in the woods, never short on enlightening conversation, farm animals, yummy food and good times. rachel, i miss you. but i'm so happy and lucky that we had this time together. i'll cherish it until we can do it again. hope to see you both out in the west to visit soon! ralph and mr. marbles are more than welcome to accompany you:)

#6 on my 101 List