The next 70 days

I would like to announce that in the next 70 days I am going to lose 20 lbs.  Yep.  20 lbs.  And I'm going to do it.  I totally have a plan.  My caloric needs for my body to not gain any weight is like 1730 calories or something like that.  On a weight loss plan to lose a lb a week, you need to reduce your intake by 500 calories.  500 cal. x 7 days = 3500 calories/1 lb.  So I'm tracking all of my calories to make sure I eat b/t 1200-1300 a day and then I'm going to burn 500 calories a day working out.  So 500 calories less eaten plus 500 calories burned is 1000 cal's x 7 days = 7000 calories/2 lbs. a week.  2 lbs. a week for 70 days is 20 lbs.  I'm going to do this and I will look even more amazing than I do right now once this weight is all lost. ;)  I'll be at my highschool weight again!  My finish by date is the first week of October.  I want to do the whole take a picture every week type of thing to see how my body changes but I'm kind of freaked out to take one of those pictures because I HATE my stomach.  Anyone who really knows me knows why.  But it would still be kind of fun to see how I change.
I've committed myself to running the Santa Barbara 1/2 Marathon on November 12th of this year.  So I have 3.5 months to prepare myself. (15.5 weeks)  I think I should be able to have myself trained well enough by then.  Hopefully I don't kill myself in this whole process, haha.

to hell in a handbasket

I've never really been a fan of homeschooling.  I feel strongly that children learn much needed social skills in schools and plus the teachers know waaaaayyy more than I do.  It would be so hard to learn all that stuff to teach your children!  

Lately, the idea has become more and more appealing to me.

I'm pretty much convinced that California is going to hell in a handbasket.

The state keeps passing laws and signing bills that go against my beliefs and is making it law that my children have to learn about it in school.

I don't agree with the decision to be gay or lesbian or bisexual and I understand that a lot of people believe that it isn't a choice.  That's fine.  They can believe that.  But I will continue to believe that it is.

So California passes a law that makes gay marriage illegal.  Do the people who lost accept defeat gracefully?  No.  They are trying to convince judges to overturn the decision.  They need to do it the right way and try to pass a different law that would make it legal if that what they want.  What is the point in the justice system if things aren't done the way that they are supposed to be?!

And now a bill has just been signed by the great Jerry Brown that will make it mandatory to teach about gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders in the public schools.

While I don't have issue with anyone who chooses this lifestyle to live, I do NOT want my children learning about it and thinking that it is normal.  I'm very sorry if I offend anyone but it just is not natural.  God made man and woman so that they could live together and reproduce.  It is not natural for a man and a man or a woman and a woman to be together.  Nor is it natural to be born a woman and then decide that you should have been a man and have a sex change.

So... homeschooling it is.  It really sounds like the only option that I have left at this point.  Either that or move out of California. :(

Here's the link to the article about Jerry Browns latest and greatest bill if you'd like to read it.

in 4 days

In 4 days I will be in Florida!!!  With my family!  Minus Jared and Kristin, plus Grandma Pope.  I'm bummed that Jared can't go (he has too much work) but also excited that he can't go because I haven't been on a vacation with just my family in like, 6 or 7 years.  

It'll be like I'm a kid again. :)

We are going to Navarre Beach.

There it is!  A little island in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola.  My family stayed here once before and it was sooooooooo nice!  Since it's an island, there aren't a gagillion people all over the beach.  One of the nights that we were there it stormed and the next morning I went out and there were beautiful sea shells and sand dollars all over the place.  It was almost unreal.  I'm so excited to be going back here and especially excited to be spending time with my family!

My new obsession

I've recently stumbled upon this website, and it is THE best thing in my life right now, haha.  Seriously.  I downloaded the app onto my iPhone and whenever I'm bored I check it out.  Basically it's a collection of anything and everything you want.  See a craft you want to do someday? Pin It.  See a recipe for that chocolate cake you've been craving? Pin It.  See the kitchen that you MUST have when you someday build your own dream house? Pin It.  It's like an online collage for all things wonderful.  Right now I have 22 different boards with topics ranging from the letter B to Crafts to Future Dream Home ideas.  I'm always looking around online and I find the cutest ideas and now I have a place to put them so I never forget! :) 

You should check it out.  You won't regret it!

favorites from the 4th

family time in utah

all last week jared and i were in utah with all of his brothers and sisters.  

all of them.  

all 8.  

5 sisters and 3 brothers.  

plus all the nieces and nephews.

monday and friday we went to the sand dunes.
monday was just adults.  friday was everyone.
tuesday we all just hung out.
wednesday we went to the orem pool.
then we attempted a bbq - but it was pouring rain...
so we went to in-n-out.
thursday we hiked the 'y' & had our bbq
saturday my sister & her husband came down.
we went to lunch & saw transformers in 3d.
saturday night we went to stadium of fire.
david archuleta is overrated.
brad paisley is sexy.
the fireworks were cool.
sunday we had a family day
shot off a ton of fireworks.
on the 4th we saw my grandma
i met my 44th cousin, annie, named after grandma
we shot off hundreds of fireworks at bens house
i drank red bull
tuesday we came home.
the only bad thing that happened?
jared's ipod was stolen out of his truck.
i think we're officially out of our bad luck street.
fingers crossed...