inspiring

Okay, I've never even listened to a Hillary Weeks song before, but this video is pretty inspiring.  

Totally made me cry at work.  

Watch it.

The day Mike ran a Marathon

One of the reasons I love Mike is the fact that he's all about trying new things. 

He is ALWAYS progressing, and becoming a more well-rounded, interesting person.

He continually sets spiritual, physical & academic goals for himself, and works hard to achieve them.

It's pretty inspiring for me to watch.

Also, there is nothing he won't try.

Whether it's making a stained glass window, deciding to paint a HUGE chevron board for our house on a whim, teaching himself how to cook and surpassing me in many areas in the kitchen, or taking up a new sport.  He continues to surprise and impress me.

A few months ago, Mike informed me that he'd decided he was going to run a marathon.

Of course I believed him, because if I've learned anything being married to this man, it's that nothing is impossible, and he is always true to his word.

A couple weekends ago, the marathon day came.

It was 40 degrees outside, and freezing.

Mike, being just as chill and laid back as ever, ran 26 miles like it was no big deal.

I'm such a proud wife.

4:00 a.m.- Pre-run picture

Some of us waiting at the finish line...

Coming around the last bend (sadly, this was no slc marathon... there were only about 200 people that showed up to run that morning so it wasn't too crowded)

sitting down for the first time...

After running 26 miles, he still looked amazingly refreshed.

Good job babe, I'm so proud of you!!

xoxo,

me

Our Latest Adventures with Food

Life is busy.

Mike basically eats, sleeps, studies & spends his days at St. Mark's hospital.  He is totally rocking nursing school- I am so proud of him!

I've been swamped working full time, doing my interior design program part time, & just got called to serve in the Relief Society Presidency in our church.  

It's been chaotic to say the least.

Despite the crazy schedules, we still manage to find time to spend together.  Mike studies his medical books while I work on design projects- and of course we somehow always find time to try new food! Here are some of our recent food adventures:

 

just had to throw this one in here- Mike's first day of clinicals last month

my mom, stacie and I canned 68 bottles of salsa last month- Mike and I have already gone through 4 bottles in 2 weeks.  It's that incredible!

Cinnamon rolls on a Sunday afternoon

A few weeks ago, we went to the annual celebration that is put on by all of the church's in our neighborhood "A Celebration of Faith"- there are choirs from the LDS, Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist,  and Episcopal Churches.  We really appreciate living in such a diverse neighborhood, and love all of the undertones of faith represented in our area.  This is one of our favorite yearly activities.  My siblings and their spouses came along, and afterwards we hit up Gourmandise, a local bakery, for baklava. 

One Saturday afternoon, Mike and I decided to drop everything and found ourselves at The Grand America enjoying an out of this world lunch. 

 

 I highly recommend their tomato melt.  Best in the city by far. 

Such a gorgeous atmosphere too.

 

Mike is a huge fan of their tri-tip grilled cheese.

(I wish I would have taken photos of the food- we gobbled it all up too fast though!)

 The next weekend we found ourselves at the Taco cart on State Street & 8th South.

Holy Cow, this is the best food cart I've ever eaten at!!

Two tacos for $1.50.  Can't beat that price, man!  Everything is so delicious!! (don't let the atmosphere scare you away!)

Lastly, Mike made a HUGE all in one breakfast over General Conference Weekend... I'm still feeling the effects, but it was SO yummy!  Stacie & Bennett brought home-made braided bread french toast with Magleby's syrup and my mom made a frozen peach slush.  I'm still salivating over everything!