Two tunnels and Two lights...The Novel

So I am in the beginning weeks of my 2nd to last semester ever and the senioritis has hit. 

For those who don't know, I am finishing my degree online through BYU Idaho.

I spent two and a half years there on campus where I received my Associates degree, then I met Jason, moved to Provo, went to esthetics school, got my license in esthetics, Jason graduated from BYU, we got married, and then we moved to LA where he got a job. I had to sacrifice my schooling for love, but I wouldn't change a thing;) The first year or so of being married was hard for me because I had no idea what I was doing with my life and then I finally decided it was time to finish my undergraduate degree. Luckily, BYU Idaho has the most amazing online program offered that I can finish my schooling and not have to start from scratch! (I applied to Cal State Northridge and UCLA but I would have been a freshmen again because my credits wouldn't transfer and I was NOT about to do that.) I can't even tell you how much of a blessing this online program has been. It has be so tough, but perfect for me. I am majoring in Business Management with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship and I can't believe how much I have learned. Being in this degree, accounting and finance are obviously part of it...those words alone give me a headache. Sometimes I don't know what I was thinking choosing this major, but Jason pulled through for me and has been my private tutor every day and night. He is a real gem, that husband of mine. He deserves a million bucks once I'm done with school. 

JULY is the light at the end of the tunnel and I can't believe the end is so close!! I can't believe it.

Although being so close also makes it SO HARD for me to stay focused and motivated, but I can do it. Promise!

Sidenote: My mom told me awhile ago that for a graduation present, she would pay for our plane tickets to fly up to the campus so that I can walk in my graduation. Honestly you guys, I get a little emotional just thinking about it! Picturing myself in a cap and gown finally holding that diploma. Whew! I just never thought the day would come!! I can't wait.

Another light at the end of the tunnel is coming up for us too. I've said this in previous posts, but come the end of June, Jason will be done with his job and I will have a real life husband again! What!? No more eating dinner by myself every night? No more going to bed by myself? No more, "sorry we can't make it, Jason has to work" or "sorry, we have to leave early, he has a deadline he needs to make." I don't even know what it will be like! Bless his heart. Also for those who don't know, he is an analyst at an Investment Bank. It's pretty brutal and he's racking in 80-100 hours a week. How does he do it!? I am so impressed with him every single day how he wakes up every morning and is on his way with no complaints. Geez..I get moody about waking up for my bi-weekly 8 hour shifts and Anthropologie. HA! Although it's been a tough ride, we have seen the benefits of this opportunity and the blessings are starting to come because of all his hard work. We both can't believe this job is finally coming to an end. We thought we'd never make it! Honestly. 

It's been such a learning experience as a couple to go through these past 2 years where we have both been tested to our limits and giving all we got to help our family in the future. We have also been on the same time frame and the end of this chapter in our life is so close we can both taste the sweetness of it! Come June/July we are going to be really really really really happy people. 

We are both finally seeing our hard work paying off & I wouldn't want to go through this journey with anyone else.

Well there's a whole novel of my thoughts and feelings right now, but that's all I got to say! :)

We just can't help it...

Honestly, the weather around here has been perfection these last few days.

All I want to do is be outside all. day. long. 

It's January and we've been having days with temperatures in the mid-70's, low 80's. 

Kind of awesome.

Everyone else in the country is hating on us right about now and I admit, we are all going instagram crazy with this amazing weather and January beach days, but we just can't help it. 

It's happiness.

Growing up in southern California, this was just normal to me. I didn't know anything different. I didn't appreciate it until I left home and went to the land of Idaho..aka the arctic tundra of America. Ok, that's dramatic, but that's honestly how it feels when you're in the dead of winter with your nose hairs freezing and you slip and slide everywhere because all surfaces are frozen with ice. 

Over the weekend we spent as much time as possible outdoors. We enjoyed a bonfire at the beach, went on a hike, walked on the boardwalk (we meant to ride bikes but both our tires were flat and our pump wasn't working..boo), watched the sunset, and ate dinner outside. ps. if you are in the area you HAVE eat at Gjelina on Abbott Kinney in Venice. UNREAL. But call ahead and make reservations, that place was a zoo and a scene, but you better believe we will be back there. and soon!

(Toby McGuire was standing so close to me we were basically holding hands..)

Team Green

I had so much fun running my third half marathon this past weekend with my favorite girls!

I ran with my mom and sisters and it was a blast! (yes my mom ran it..so proud of her!!)

The race started out freezing (37 degrees to be exact) but it ended up being the perfect running weather. 

 

Training Tips

I am obviously not a professional marathon runner or anything close to that, but running is something I do love to do. It makes me happy and clears my mind. I go through phases sometimes where I crave a good run. It's therapeutic for me. I also love running towards a goal. It is harder for me to get out and motivated to run just because, than it is for me to get out and run because I am training for a race. Tomorrow I am running my third half and I think I am ready for it. {I hope I am ready for it!}

I've been thinking of what it is that helps me train for these races and this is my best list:

• PLAYLIST. First and foremost, get a good playlist going on your ipod/iphone. I use Pandora or Spotify on my iphone and it is the best. I love that it switches up the songs and you never know what you're going to get:)
• STRETCH. I am guilty in admitting that I am not the best stretcher, but it needs to be done! 
• PLAN. Plan your routes ahead of time. I like to have a general route in my mind before I go for my run and if I decide to make it longer by adding in a few streets or if I want to cut it short, then that's the fun part and then I'll decide as I go. But have a general idea of where you want to run.
• SEND A QUICK TEXT. This is the worrier in me coming out, but if you run by yourself, then tell someone that you are going for a run. I always text J before I start my run just to make sure he knows where I am and what I am doing. Just in case.
• REST. Rest days are so important for you body to rest and recuperate. 
• BE COMFY.  Figure out what you like to run in and what works best for you. I have a pair of running shorts that drive me absolutely insane when I am running and I cannot think of anything else while running. So be as comfortable as you can be. It will make your runs so much more enjoyable.
• WEAR SUNSCREEN. I'm an esthetician, I have to say it...wear sunscreen! It takes 5 seconds to put on. Really. Or wear a hat. Just do it..don't be dumb.
• KEEP TRACK. Find a good app that can track your mileage and routes. I use RunKeeper and love it. It keeps track of my distance, calories, average pace, etc. 

happy running!

Holiday Snippets

Here's a few more snippets of our holiday vacation.

Jason was able to work from home the week of Christmas and then he had New Years week off.

We debated spending that week somewhere, but flights were outrageous so we stayed home and had the best time. We did take a little trip out to the desert with my sisters and their families to visit my sweet Grammy. So glad we did that. Just had to document these fun times we had for my record's sake :)

xo

And then we almost missed the ball drop...

Happy New Year!! How is it already 2013?

I've learned that the older I get, the faster time goes.

Oops, I completely neglected this little bloggity blog of mine over the past few weeks, but now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over and I am back to my normal routine, I will be better at posting little tid bits here and there about our life happenings.

So I sort of have the post-holiday blues. 

I think that this Christmas was one of my favorites to date and I am sad to see it go. 

Although the blues have set in, I am also super giddy about this coming year!

We have so many things that we have planned for and so many changes that will happen this year.

I know what you're thinking..SHE'S PREGNANT! Nope, I am not...not yet at least ;)

A few exciting things that will happen this year: I will FINALLY graduate in JULY! (hallelujah!), Jason will FINALLY end this job of his that rules our lives (can I get another hallelujah!?), therefore starting a new job which we HOPE lands us back closer to our homes and families, but if we have to stay here in LA a little longer that's ok too. 

2012 was good to us, but I feel like 2013 is where we are going to turn the page and start a new chapter in our journey together.

I'm ready for some change!

Bring it.

We spent New Year's Eve with some fun friends of ours. We went to dinner and then came back to the house to play games, go in the jacuzzi, and watch the ball drop. We were so into our games that the next thing we knew it was 11:58 and we were scrambling to fill up our glasses and grab our poppers before the ball dropped. We literally almost missed it. haha.
Shout out to Alex Steele for these fun polaroids:)

I think it's safe to say we are both very excited to see what this year holds and we are ready for anything!