Epiphany

Last week, I had an epiphany about myself..

Let me tell you that I HATE change. I mean I REALLY hate it. 

I was talking to D about how long it takes me to get used to drastic changes and realized it takes me about 2 years to get used to change.. Here are the biggest changes that came to mind...

#1. I grew up in the same 30,000 people town in Alaska my entire life. We only ever moved to different houses, not even to new towns... It was all I ever knew.

The last year of high school brings up the college stress. I had applied to the LDS Business College only because my kind of friend/acquaintance at that point, Megan (who was from the same town that I sort of knew for like 6ish years of my life and is now one of my BFF's.), was applying there and wanted to be roommates. Well, let's just say if it wasn't for her, I would've stayed in AK for school or even not have gone to school at all.. 

The day before I was leaving for Utah, I was packing and had a HUGE meltdown. I told my parents I didn't want to go and blah blah. But I still went for Megan really.. I would've felt horrible leaving her without a roommate. My other BFF Alie was in Utah too, but since I didn't have a car, it was hard to see each other a lot. But boy I'm glad they were both there... I mean, I still cried every night for two weeks when I got to Utah but it made it a little better with them there. 

Even thinking about this makes me cringe. I was really depressed and even contemplated getting a tattoo (which Megan freaked about).. I never got one but I was trying to find something that I could control. Long story short, I met Dallan and that obviously helped too.. 

The first year of college came and went. I went home for the summer and returned to the LDSBC for one last year. Megan and I roomed again in UT but moved to Provo to be around more people our age. 

I had decided that was going to be my last year of school and I still wasn't a huge fan of UT at this point. I got engaged, WHOA ANOTHER CHANGE, took 21 credits my last semester of college, graduated, and returned to Alaska to finish with all the wedding stuff. 

Change, change and more change... We got married and returned to UT for Dallan's last year at BYU. At this point, I wasn't SUPER sad about going back to Utah and found that I actually didn't mind it THAT bad. And actually was a little sad knowing we wouldn't be going back... How many years did it take me to get used to Utah and living away from my family? TWO WHOLE YEARS... 

(Looking back through pictures, I realized I did a lot of fun things! How was I so distraught??)

This is a picture from Year One!

Year Two!

#2. Being married in itself is a huge change. I've been married over a year and a half and I'm just barely getting used to it! Sometimes I still think, "Wow! I'm really married!" This wasn't as hard of an adjustment as moving away, but it was still a big change. All of a sudden I have to think of someone else instead of me! It was hard (and still is sometimes...) to not say things like, "Hey! That's mine not yours!" HA Sorry honey.. "What's mine is your's Baby!" (What Happens In Vegas anyone?)

Photo Credit: Briar Photography  

http://www.briarphotos.com/ 

(p.s. She is now located in California! If you need pictures done, contact Brittany!)

#3. There have been some personal things that have been going on for over a year already that aren't quite appropriate to speak about right now (no, it's nothing about pregnancies or anything like that) and I'm still not used to it... let's just say it's been pretty difficult to deal with. 

Anyways, are you catching my drift?? I TAKE FOREVER to get used to change and I don't like it!!! I wish I could change my thinking... but you can't just do that over night. Maybe now that I've actually come to notice it, I can start to readjust my thought process.

I get anxiety knowing that I'm moving to Virginia in just a short 5 months. I've only been there once for a week, 6 years ago. I only know one family that lives there, I have NO family there, I don't know the area, D is starting at a new school, and it's just going to be a little chaotic and depressing and exciting all at once! I'm going to go crazy... I don't know how you military people do it moving all the time, but kudos to you!

^^This is what is going to keep me going... I know if I hadn't moved to UT for college, I would have regretted it. I mean, I may not have ever met Dallan, gotten married, grown up A LOT, finished college, and blah blah blah. I don't regret doing any of that. It just takes a little bit of time to accept change and really appreciate where I am in life.. 

The Most Delicious Chicken You'll Ever Make!

I'm not sure how accurate that title is for everyone... But for me, this recipe is the best chicken recipe I've made thus far. Considering I've only made like 3 different chicken recipes, it may not seem like much to go by, but I'm still going to share it with you! 

I don't claim to have come up with this... I got it off Pinterest and it is freaking amazing. I don't feel greasy or gross after I eat it. And in my books, it's a healthy meal! Enjoy!

RANCH CHEDDAR CHICKEN!

INGREDIENTS:

*4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I usually just buy a pack of chicken that has around 8 pieces and just cook them all. Who doesn't love leftovers?!)

*1/2 cup Mayonnaise (or a little more if you're cooking more than 4 pieces)

*2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning

*1/4 grated cheddar cheese (I usually use more.. I love cheese..)

*1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (I never measure this... I just pour it on)

Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

*Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

*Place the chicken in a large baking dish. Make sure the chicken is thawed if you have frozen chicken. I'm sure you can cook it frozen, but if you aren't patient like me... then make sure the chicken is thawed.

*In a small bowl, combine the mayo, ranch, and cheese. Then spread on top of the chicken breasts. Don't be alarmed... It looks gross in the picture, but I assure you, it is delicious.

*Sprinkle the panko on top and spray lightly with cooking spray. I added some cheese on top of the bread to see if it would melt... It didn't. It was just crunchy cheese. 

*Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. I usually take it out around 20 minutes and cut each piece in half to make sure it's cooked. And I ALWAYS check it after the timer goes off. I'm scared of uncooked chicken.. 

I always serve this with some kind of veggie. The end result is always delicious! This recipe is easy for newbie cooks like me, and it's not hard at all! =) 

Liebster Award!

My blog has been nominated for the Liebster Award! I'm actually pretty shocked and excited about this. I never thought my blog would get followed by anyone or anyone would be interested in my life. It's pretty humbling. I was nominated by Allyce at Anchors The Soul (who happens to be on my side bar too! Check out her blog!).

The rules for the Liebster Award are as follows: 

1. Link back to the blogger that nominated you.

2. Answer the 11 questions requested by the nominator

3. Choose 11 nominess with small followings.

4. You cannot nominate the person who nominated you.

5. You must let the bloggers know they were nominated. 

I'm so excited to be doing this, because for some reason... I love doing surveys!! And you guys get to read a little more about me. =)

1. What is your favorite link-up at the moment?
I haven't done too many link-up's but I like "3 Things Thursday" that Allyce does. I love the randomness of it! =)

2. Where is your hometown?

My home town is Eagle River, Alaska. I always tell people I first meet I'm from Anchorage though, because most don't have a clue about ER! 

3. What is one of the best features or attractions of your hometown?

Besides the fact that it's a small town and the "downtown" is literally about 2 blocks, and the town in nestled in a valley of huge mountains...The BALD EAGLES you see in the winter are amazing!! Today I walked my dogs and there were 2 Bald Eagles sitting in a tree near my house just chillin. They are so HUGE and so pretty! I could go on and on about my home town... I'm kind of in love with it.

4. Mac or PC?
I've never owned a Mac before... So I guess a PC!

5. Share one piece of advice-- there are no restrictions here! Just one piece of advice :)
Don't be afraid of what you believe. I'm still working on this one, but I've always been timid about sharing what I believe. Being married to Dallan has helped me come out of my shell in that aspect.

6. How did you celebrate Valentine's Day this year?
Dallan and I had a night in. He is super sick with a cough/fever so I made dinner and we just hung out watching the Olympics! We got each other gifts a week or so ago though. I got him a Beatles record and he got me a video camera bag! 

7. You have one night with nothing on the schedule. What do you do?
It depends on the season, but since it's winter I WATCH TV! I love TV so much... so every time I get a chance... I'm glued to the screen. It's kind of bad..

8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I'm not sure where I see myself living in 5 years, that could change after the 3 years of law school Dallan has ahead of him in DC.. but I do see myself with 2 kids and being a stay at home mom. =) 

9. What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show?
I hate even saying it... But I really enjoy watching Teen Mom 2... I have no idea why. 

10. Beer or wine? What is your current fav?
I've actually never have had a drink of Alcohol in my life... for two reasons.. #1. My religion advises us not to drink and is ultimately against it (but I have lots of friends who do and I don't care if they drink or not). So I never have had a huge interest in it. and #2. Alcoholism runs in my family.. So I was always partly scared of becoming an alcoholic if I had a sip. BUT if I were to drink, I think I would be a wine drinker. 

11. What's your favorite form of social media?
I really like instagram! I like looking at pictures people post. =)

I have nominated, in no particular order:
Elizabeth @ Army Ever After
Lacey @ Koop and Lace
Jennie @ Jennie and Husband
Margo @ Gutenblog Y'all
Whitney @ Life Alaskan Style
Mar @ t.o. & fro
Sara @ Life As A Hughes
Ashley @ From A to Z
Birdie and Holls @ Clean Enough Laundry
Kaliagh Ann @ Kailagh Anne
Kylie @ Kylie In The Sky

CONGRATS!!! Here are your 11 Questions!

1. Who would you want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?
2. If you could do anything you wanted right now, what would it be?
3. If money was no object, what would you do all day?
4. Where do you most want to travel, but have never been? 
5. What is your favorite memory?
6. Who is your favorite author?
7. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
8. How would your friends describe you?
9. If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is one thing you would grab on the way out?
10. Who is the one person that helped make you who you are today?
11. What do you do when you're driving alone in the car?

Where I've Been Lately...

So.. just a heads up.. I may be an absentee blogger until the Olympics are over. I'll try my best, but that's where all my focus has been since the opening ceremonies. Like a lot of people I know, I'm an Olympic Junkie! I'm just in awe of their talents! And SUPER jealous. 

What I hate about watching the Olympics though, is all the politics that come with it! It drives me crazy, who cares if Russia is Anti-Gay (that seems to be the only thing I really hear besides the crappy hotels), just let the athletes compete and leave the politics out of it!  AND I don't care what people say about Russia and how "scary" it is over there.... I still want to go visit there some day! It looks beautiful. =) I mean, what foreign country isn't scary??

 ...And one last thing... USA USA USA!!! :) 

3 Things Thursday!

Today I am linking up with Allyce at Anchors the Soul with "3 Things Thursday!"

There are NO RULES...except for the one that says you need to share 3 things but that's only minor. Other than that...no rules. 

So here we go, I'm going to share 3 things that many may not know about me.

#1. When I get mad/frustrated/sad/irritable, I drop whatever I'm doing and go do one a huge cleaning spree for an hour or more. In silence. No sound except for the water from mopping or doing dishes... I make Cinderella look like a SCRUB!

#2. I could eat a cheeseburger and french fries every single day. A kid's meal that is.. and I almost do eat that every day... at least I can eat for like 3 bucks and some change right?

#3. I can be in the woods with bear and moose and not get scared. But when a creepy crawling bug comes around, you can bet I'll be cringing and saying "eww" over and over again until D comes to deal with it. Unless I'm alone, then I man up and kill that sucker with bleach or something along those lines...

Gotta love Pinterest finds =)

Valentine's Day Confession

I'm married and I HATE Valentine's Day

I laughed a little to hard when I saw this..

Yup, you read that right. Cue all the shocking, "How can you hate Valentine's Day?!" questions. 

First let me explain, I don't care if other's celebrate it, do what you want, but I have ALWAYS hated this holiday. 

Valentine's Day was only cool as kids because you can pick out funny cards and come home from school with a butt load of candy! Two Halloween's in one year? I'll take it. But as I got older the more awkward it got. Everyone was so worried about having a "Valentine" when I'm just sitting here like, "I like movies." eCards anyone?

I understand that Valentine's Day is a celebration of love, but why can't that be celebrated every day? I'm not talking about gifts and candy every day, but just acts of kindness and trying to be the best spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend you can be. Why do we need an ultra celebration for this? Isn't that what wedding anniversaries are for? D and I go on frequent date nights (more so when we aren't living with my parents), so Valentine's Day was just another day for us and I LOVE THAT! Sure, we still get each other gifts for Valentine's day and I may just be speaking for myself, but I feel like we just do that because we feel like we "have" to because it's Valentine's Day. 

I love chocolate but this made me laugh too.

I may just be that one weird girl out there, but I don't need some Hollywood, elaborate, over-the-top flash mob in the middle of a park to make me feel loved. A simple bear hug and words of appreciation will do just fine for me! 

So for all you Valentine's Day haters out there: You are not alone!

January 2014 According To My Iphone

After a SUPER boring super bowl game yesterday, today I'm finishing organizing my pictures from my iPhone. It's funny what pictures you forgot that you took! It's been fun going back to see them again.

Dallan and baby G after his baby blessing at church!

January brought BEAUTIFUL sunsets here in Alaska

I hate buffets, I never eat enough for what you pay. But my dad and I got my weights worth of cotton candy! That stuff is delicious!

Hershey enjoying her back scratch

Got to FINALLY wear my new leggings! They came in the mail the day after I left for Vegas, sad day! But now I can wear them all I want. =)

I love Alaska so much!

Just an Eagle chillin' on our tree in our backyard! 

My home town movie theater got town down this month. =( So many memories there!

Bri giving my her "sad eyes"

Hershey bird watching. She will literally chase them out of trees. We should have trained her to hunt with us!

My lovely sister took my phone and took a butt load of selfies. I got my revenge... but she actually wasn't that embarrassed... FAIL!

January in Alaska is usually the coldest time of the year. But not this time! It was in the 40's almost all month and started melting all the snow. The tree in our yard started to bloom but it is back to normal in the teens and 20's! I hope it'll snow soon so I can go sledding!

Ugh, Bri was naughty and got out of the yard with Hershey in tow. They were gone for probably 3 or more hours. They didn't have a collars on but luckily they're chipped. Talk about a heart attack... Dallan and I drove around the neighborhood for awhile but it was way to dark to even see. So we headed back home and decided to just walk to see if we would see them. Sure enough, we see them walking towards the house like they were done on their "joyrun". Damn dogs. Bri knew she was in deep shiz... this is her "I'm sorry please love me face"

Our dogs are outside dogs and sleep in the stairwell that we put straw down in there for them to keep warm. Hershey loves to bury her face in it and every morning comes out with stray on her face! Too funny. 

We worked on an interior down by the ocean and had some amazing sunsets!