Photography Challenge: Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4 :)

So because I started a little late on this challenge, I had a few pictures to make up for :)
Day 2: From Afar
Day 3: Handcrafted
Day 4: The Moon

Day 2: From Afar - Las Vegas

Day 3: Handcrafted - My favorite mug made by a local artisan

Day 4: The Moon

Photography Challenge: Day 1- Up Close

This adorable little troll is holding a Norwegian flag. My heritage motherland if you will. He's so ugly he's practically cute! 

31 Day Photography Challenge

So, I've been wanting to be better at taking my camera out and actually using it (not just stuffing it in my backpack, never taking it out and then relying on my cell phone....) I found the perfect reason to do so! A friend of mind posted to Facebook: the 31 Day Photography Challenge. One picture a day. That's it. I should be able to handle this! So here goes, I'm already a few days behind, so I took a few extra to try and make up for it :)

Hope you enjoy it!

"Bodybuilding Juggernaut"

So, I've been really trying to tackle the fitness thing head on this year and so far so good!

You'll have to bear with me because I'm about to sound like a fitness advertisement:

I've started using the bodybuilding.com app BodySpace, and it has been a great asset. Not only does it come with pre-designed workouts for when you're first starting out and not sure what to lift, it also allows you to create your own! There are days when I really don't feel like doing squats, so I can modify and search for a different lift that will work my quads. I don't have to know what it's called or even necessarily how to perform it. There are videos built in for each workout.

Another nice feature is the "rep-recap" email that I get every week. It summarizes how many times you went to the gym, what muscle groups you worked, how much cardio was performed, and provides suggestions for improving.

This week, the email title was: "This Girlfriend is a Bodybuilding Juggernaut" and boy did it make me smile. (FTR: I'm certainly no bodybuilder!) It is awesome though to actually see the numbers. For example, a gain of 20 lbs to 25 lbs for shoulder press. It really helps keep the motivation level up!

So my friends, there you have it. Go get it, lift heavy, run hard, and make it happen!!

Slight Hiatus

So, it has been awhile...but I'm going to try and be better.

The last month seems to have flown by, but it has been great overall!

My parents have come to visit, the DH and I have gone snowboarding quite a few times and I even managed to get down a double black diamond! There have been some pretty significant temperature swings as well. Over a foot of snow on the ground one day, and 70+ a few days later (I even manged my first sunburn of the season)! I have more family coming out over the next few weeks and months, so I'm really looking forward to spending some time with them.

Update on the pointless goals for 2015:
1) I've managed to hold a handstand for 0.2 seconds! :) I'm getting there, but more work is definitely needed
2) I've finally been able to perform a legit pull-up! Only 1-2 in succession, but it's such a nice feeling to get this far!
3) Practicing guitar is coming along, as well as making time for photography. Life goes by so fast, it's sometimes hard to slow down and make time for enjoying my hobbies; not just rushing through them to check a box on a list.

Random: the barefoot running shoes really does take time to adjust....still a WIP!

Balloon Ride

Just some pics...

Baby Roses

Home made chocolate truffles

Find Your Person

My name is Sam, and I am a Grey's Anatomy fan. I enjoyed the earlier seasons much better than the more recent ones; mostly because many of my favorite characters have left. While the show had some annoyances (mostly medical irritations - seriously doctors DO NOT run lab tests!), it also had some sweet ideas. For instance, find your person. It doesn't have to be a significant other per-se, but someone that you can vent to, someone to agree with you, and also, someone to smack you upside the head when you need it. I am one lucky gal, because my husband is my person. He can be sweet and understanding when I need him to be, but also brutally honest, even when it's not what I want to hear. Although that can be frustrating in the heat of the moment, I am so fortunate to have him by my side.

And in light of Valentines Day yesterday, I found this awesome picture and just couldn't help but share it :)

Just Call Me Betty

My kitchen looks like an F5 just tore through it, but I also managed to make a weeks worth of chicken and wild rice soup (my favorite) and 2 dozen pizza pockets (recipe to follow!) An Alaskan Brewing Hop-O-Thermia was my beverage of choice for this endeavor and I must say, it was a good choice indeed! :)

F5 Kitchen Disaster!

I made the jump!

I've heard a lot about barefoot running shoes, minimalist, etc but never really tried it for myself. The thought of running without any cushion made me cringe. I was recently chatting with some of my fitness buddies (who are also both trainers!), C and D, about fitness goals, routines, nutrition, and general advice, and both of them wear only barefoot style shoes for working out. In fact, they swear by it. I started thinking again about it and reading up a little more and thought I'd maybe give it a shot. I always used to run around barefoot as a kid, so why not now?  I managed to find a pair of Merrell Pace Gloves on the clearance rack (BONUS!), and made the jump.

From what I've read, it takes time to build up your legs, calf muscles, and the achilles areas to get used to the different walking/running gait. Needless to say, I don't plan on running a marathon any time soon in these, but I think walking around work for a day or two per week might help start things off right. Fingers crossed!

My New Merrell Pace 2 Glove

Pointless Goals for 2015

Now that we're one month into the new year, I was thinking about what I've started, accomplished, and where I'd like to be. So here are four pointless goals to work on for the next 11 months:

1) Master the free standing handstand: super applicable in the real world but a personal challenge none the less.

2) Maintain a consistent (key word here) workout/health routine. Instead of a "resolution" that will most likely be given up in a short time, I really want to commit to a lifestyle change. My family has had its share of health issues, and in reality, prevention now is the key. Why wait until drastic measures need to be taken, when small integrated changes now can make all the difference.

3) Write in this blog thing...even if no one is reading it- it's a creative outlet and everyone needs one.

4) Speaking of creativity: stay off pinterest and actually DO something! Take pictures, work on my guitar and piano skills, keep trying new recipes, etc. Pinterest is great for inspiration, don't get me wrong. I find that I "pin" lots of cool stuff, but in all actuality, very little of it is completed.

There you have it! Four goals for the year: let's see what happens!

I might be biased...

I'm pretty sure this is the coolest dog ever.

Where am I?

Do you ever feel lost?

Not in the literal "Did I miss my turn and I'm pretty sure we were supposed to go south on Halsted?" kind of lost, but as in "you don't know where you're supposed to be in life" lost.
Also, how long does this "feeling lost" thing last? Because I'm pretty darn tired of it.

I've heard it's called the "quarter-life crisis." I don't feel like it's a crisis, but really just a constant sense of waffling and walking in circles, coupled with the inability to make big decisions.

Should I go back to school? But then what should I be?

Should I change jobs? But what if it's the same?

Should I move? But what if I can't afford it?

Should I? Would I? Could I? But, but but....ugh....

So what to do? Just suck it up because, well, this is life? Pick a different profession and sink further into student loan debt? Just make a job change?

Someone out there is probably thinking, "wah-wah, so sad- get over it; everyone experiences it!" And, they're probably right.

So this is my question: When in life have you experienced being "lost" and what did you do about it?

I'm not expecting too many answers, but if you feel so inclined, please leave your thoughts in the comments :)

What is the Jill of All Trades?

What is a Jill of All Trades? Well according to Urban Dictionary: 
1. a woman who is versatile, and who can perform many different activities
2. the gender opposite of a Jack-of-all-trades

I call myself the "Jill of all trades" because I will try everything at least once. I'm not particularly stellar at one thing; I consider myself "diversified in the realm of hobbies." This blog is basically about just that, my everyday adventures. From hiking and biking to photography and cooking, I like to dabble in it all. Enjoy!