pattern mixing (day 3)

shirt/skirt: H&M, belt: target, watch: macy's
and please excuse the bathroom shot at work

Floral + Stripes 

Because that's as far as I think I can go on pattern-mixing.

It's definitely not one of my strong points - I like basics, neutrals, and classic things.

So this was definitely a stretch for me!

Backpacking

I don't know how I ever thought 17 miles was going to be worth it. But as painful memories of the screaming pain in my shoulders and hips are slowly starting to fade (thanks to plenty of ibuprofen), I thought I'd post a few pictures before I forget what actually happened up in Middle Basin.

 We left right around 9. We didn't get up there until about 4:30 pm. It was kind of a hard hike. (understatement of the year)

 Christmas Meadows

 The first moose we saw!

 We saw two more way close to the path. They just stared. Luckily they walked away from us after Danny got closer.

 This is almost the end of civilization.

Parts of the path were soooo muddy. This is the on the way up. The way back was even worse. 

 We were so dirty. The WHOLE time.

 Middle Basin!

 Ryder Lake

 Don't ever buy this. "Chicken A La King" - which turned out to be a vegetarian meal. What? No chicken. awesome. NOT.

 So, story time: [David broke his shoes on the way up. When we got up to the campsite, there was a pair of shoes right where he set up our tent. He just threw them to the side thinking "who leaves a pair of shoes??" Later that night he was thinking about how he was ever going to make it down the mountain in his broken shoes. Then he remembered there was another pair of shoes up here. He tried them on, and get this --- THEY FIT. What are the chances?? So we burned his old ones and he wore the new ones down on the hike.  

 Full moon! Which is also a UFO?

 I caught my first fish! Overall, between all of us, we caught THIRTY fish. Right when the fish started jumping, we started catching them like crazy. It is addicting - that feel right when you know you've hooked them! 

 Lunchtime.

 This one was pretty good. 

 We hiked up to McPheters Lake. It was huge and gorgeous. And we got skunked there. No fish at all. But definitely a fun hike.

 There were probably 4 or 5 waterfalls here too.

 Pad Thai! The best dinner of them all. (Hey, Laura - we talked about how you guys went to Thailand to get Thai food, we just had to hike a mountain!)

And there is the end of the pictures. 

Here is what isn't in them: the pain, the mud, the gallons of water we drank/pumped, the pain in my hips that told me 8.5 miles was a bad idea, 30 fish, campfire conversations, the ridiculous amount of mosquitoes that we killed, using up 2 cans of bug spray before we were even on our way down, earplugs, banana boats around the fire, burning all our trash - and David's shoes, food poisoning, rain, and the LONG hike down.

The longest 17 miles of my life.

We were so ready to be done. I don't think we've ever been so happy to see a car, sit on a cushion, take a shower, comb my hair.

And now I'm so ready to sleep in my bed.

I might do it again - when I've blocked out the bad memories in a year or so.

 But right now, my body is reminding me why I'm not doing this again for a long time.

So good thing we took pictures!

21 day challenge.

via

Lately I've been trying something new.

I have actually been getting dressed for work

--- as in, wearing skirts, dresses, fancy schmancy stuff.

WHY? (You mean, instead of wearing scrubs, sweats, and t-shirts like I used to do regularly?)

Because it's a mental thing.

I'm taking the time for me. 

If I GET DRESSED (not even including hair and makeup) in real legitimate business clothes, my attitude, awareness, and self-esteem go WAY up.

I'm happier, friendlier, and overall my days are so much better.

(plus I appreciate my sweats/jeans even more!)

This has also meant I'm having to get more creative with my outfits.

It has been semi-challenging (but more fun than challenging) - so when Kayla posted about doing the 21 day challenge I got really excited.

(Basically, each night she posts a prompt, you dress according to the prompt the next day, and then post your picture and get points!) 

You should do it too!
It'll be fun - I PROMISE. (plus there are prizes! yay!)

Seriously, go check it out. 

I'm so excited for it to start on Monday!

Living.

Carol has been living with us (Mondays through Saturdays) before she moves into her dorm at BYU at the end of August. At first we tried to prove to her that married life still means you do something - we took her golfing, bowling, shopping, to the movies, and hiking. These are pictures from our hike to Bridal Veil Falls.

I think Carol liked it. Even if we did forget to tell her to put on tennis shoes and she had to hike in sandals.

And this is how good we are at taking pictures: 

I have 5 pictures total. Maybe I need to get my camera out more.

But then we let that whole "we have a life" facade disappear and now she knows we are a boring married couple that just likes to watch Shark Week way too much.