31 December 2015

Twenty-15

In twenty-15:

i read 64 books. i ran my first full marathon (then  ran two more after that). i hiked 98 miles. i buried my little parakeet. i rode a camel through Petra, Jordan. i fell in love with family history. i watched a meteor shower, several thunderstorms and an eclipse. i became the Aunt of a wonderful new nephew. i took a three day backpacking trip through back country Yellowstone. i spoke at a coworker’s funeral. i visited Cedar Breaks National Monument. i lost both of my big toenails. i learned how to make red velvet cake. i started a new journal. i visited my ancestor’s graves (back four generations).

i made Thanksgiving dinner for my dad. i floated in the Dead Sea. i watched or listened to almost every single BYU Football game. i made and canned choke cherry syrup, pear jam and applesauce. i saw 40 different waterfalls. i became a Brene Brown fanatic.  i helped plant a garden. i attended devotional at BYU-Idaho almost every Tuesday. i ran 6 half marathons. i wandered over and under the streets of Jerusalem. i attended an outdoor symphony production of “Fantasia.” i didn’t buy a single pair of stilettos. i memorized the serenity prayer. i hired and trained 15 employees.

i took family names all the way through the temple. i went kayaking for the first time. i facilitated a 12-Step Women's Trauma Recovery group. i soaked in a natural hot spring in the middle of the night in the middle of back country Yellowstone with the full blue moon above me. i painted my nails almost every single week. i spent a day hiking through Bryce Canyon. i attended General Conference for the first time. i kissed a man with a mustache. i chaired two “youth culture” events for the International Dance and Music Festival. i prayed on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  i picked boxes and boxes of apples.  i ran 250 racing miles this season. i started teaching a Sunday School class. i cut down my own Christmas tree.

i turned 30 years old.  i talked to my niece on FaceTime at least 3 times a week. i rarely missed a week of attending the temple. i went scuba diving in the Red Sea.  i developed a relationship with an amazing man (outcome TBD). i got a goldfish for my office. i trail ran around Jenny Lake in Teton National Park.  i spent two weeks in the middle east. i finished reading the Bible from cover to cover. i did yoga on the top of the double O Arch in Moab, Utah. i reorganized my entire bookcase by color. i paid off my Mini Cooper. i fell during a night run and turned both of my legs black and blue with bruises. i went cross country skiing in -14 degree weather.


i wrote 49 blog posts.  i drank tea in front of a fire at a Bedouin camp in the middle of the Wadi Rum, Jordan. i danced in the rain. i grew infinitely more patient. i ran three ultra relays (upwards of 35 miles each time). i got addicted to the Strawberry Starburst Freeze at Taco Bell. i watched my parents go through a divorce. i took way too many selfies. i hit my seven year anniversary of working for the Salt Lake Express. i raced in 4 different states.  i propagated almost all of my houseplants. i fought off IT band tendinitis as well as shin splints. i became known for my intricate braids.

Ok, twenty-16, let's see what you've got. Bring it on. Let's do this.


See you on the flip side.

28 December 2015

Thanksgiving


Now that Christmas is over...i guess i should post about Thanksgiving!

It was just me and my dad, but i did NOT skimp on the amount of food. We had a full feast.

Prepping the turkey

Berry Apple Pie


The Spread
 While my dad was there, we put up Christmas lights on my apartment, went and cut down my Christmas tree and made wreaths for my porch and for Mr. B's door.

We found it!
Pretty tree
My boss let me drive his *ridiculous* truck to haul my tree

Wreath for my back porch with tree leftovers
Decorated Tree
Homemade book page ornaments
Mr B's festive door
See my "book tree?"

16 December 2015

10 little wishes

In a perfect world...

*Taco Bell would deliver.

*Roads would be water resistant.

*Feet would never itch once they were in a pair of calf high boots.

*Chocolate wouldn't have any more calories than celery (or celery would taste like chocolate).

*Everybody would use their turn signals.

*Computers would never freeze.

*Snow wouldn't be quite so wet.

*Five hours of sleep would leave persons feeling refreshed and ready for the day.

*Nylons would not run.

*The Beatles would be on Spotify.

14 December 2015

Sameness

"It's so cliche to talk about all the things that changed over the course of a year. Why doesn't anybody talk about the things that never changed?

Here's to everyone who tried to change and failed miserably."

(Ifyoufindthisemail)

07 December 2015

It's about time

Lately, for some reason, i have received a lot of spam phone calls for all sorts of bologna. But what is so bothersome to me isn't really the call itself. After all, it only takes a moment to hang up the phone. i am annoyed because many of them are asking for "Mrs. Olson" or "Jennifer Olson."

BARF!

i have much gratitude that i am no longer an Olson. And yet, my blog is still under that name. So it's time for a change.

i'm not exactly sure how all of this works, but if you are following my blog, i'm changing the URL next week. It will now be found under:

www.starglazeduniverse.blogspot.com

Come find me there!