Refreshing in Fall

Did you hear it? In the walls that creak, in the potatoes that boil, in the chill of sheets.

It turned fall.

Last week, 90 degrees and all, was lovely. Windows rolled down and the breeze through my hair, I casually asked Ty for his bet that it would be 90 on December 1. He bet me a million dollars to the negative. I’m quite certain he was surer than I. I’m also certain I’d like to know where he’s hiding the million.

All bets aside, I do love fall. The colors of red, orange, yellow, even deep purple. I was born in the fall. I hope I die on the last day of fall – to experience it one last time, but not the winter that it brings. Winter is not my thing.

I feel calm, even with the chilling rain. Thank goodness for fall.

I have been working on an inner peace lately. On a knowledge that I don’t need to know and definitely don’t need to understand everything. Or anything really. It’s been a little up and down, as I’ve always been the one with the questions of “why?” “how?” “when?” “who?” Since childhood, I have asked my fair share.

I’m learning only now that some questions have no answers. But you don’t have to know everything to be happy. In fact, if you did know everything there was to know, I have no doubt it would damage some of that sought-after bliss.

For me, I am determined to enjoy fall. Every unkown bit of it.

You Can and You Will

Know this, that you are brave. You are stronger than you think you are.

That hard things will happen, but hard things will not ruin you. You don’t have to be afraid.

These things – the things that are hard – You might feel for a brief, dramatic moment that your life is ruined. You might wonder for longer than a moment if you will ever be truly happy again. But things. Things will be ok.

I knew. I knew as I typed this that something was coming. Life was so perfect. I knew the happiness I was feeling was a great blessing to help with the rough road ahead. I didn’t understand fear or suspect it, right on the surface I just knew. It would happen.

The road is rough now. I asked, received, lost. Yet, my soul has never been more submissive. My faith is gaining traction, and I didn’t even realize it had been stagnant. My marriage has never been stronger, or my love for my husband more startlingly profound. My desire to be better has never been so acute.

Right now, I am fully aware that certain things matter and certain things just don’t. Life matters. Love matters. Soap scum and mile times do not.

And suddenly, I am dealing. So will you, when you must.

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day that says ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”

Increasing Stride

There’s a running analogy for pretty much everything in life, you know?


I was thinking about that the other day as my brother-in-law asked me how to increase his stride. He’s new to running, otherwise he would know that my stride’s not necessarily one to emulate. But I know HOW to increase stride and improve times, even if I don’t DO it.


For a better stride or time, you increase your speed or you increase your incline, or better yet, you do both.


There’s an exercise that sounds ridiculous but is actually valid called “fartleks.” I know, I know. You won’t forget the name so easily. Put simply, you begin your run at a normal pace, then pick a spot approximately 100 yards in front of you and sprint to it. Repeat throughout the run and do this one or more times a week and you’re bound to pick up the pace a bit.


Doing hills and doing them as fast as possible will have a nasty effect on your run enjoyment level (unless you’re awesome and it gives you a high – hats off to you), but will have a solid effect on your time and that pretty little stride you’re searching for. Really, it will. And my dad says it will grow hair on your chest. So far not true, thank goodness.


Back to life, isn’t it interesting how you grow in life often through the same techniques? Difficult times, trials of stress and trials of the uphill climb variety teach us who we are. They help us shake off the love handles, you could say, leaving us with a purer faith and a stronger character. They suck. Yes. But most often we’d keep them for the fact that afterwards we realize what we’ve overcome. 

Collapsed Perfection

I left the house for work last week in a hurry – looked around as I went out the door and thought, “I should clean this place before I go, but NOBODY is going to possibly be here while I’m gone and I am sooo late and today’s important....”

I left the dishes in the sink from the previous night’s homemade jam endeavor. I left the pillows on the floor, where they landed the night before after we collapsed on the couch after said jam making. The crockpot was on for dinner, hardly noticeable with all the other dishes left to drain along the counter.  

I just left. Of course, my mother-in-law stopped by for something located on the cluttered counter that afternoon while we were out. As kind as she is, as great as she is … oh, man, of all the people to see it in that state. I could do nothing but laugh, so I laughed. What fabulous irony. 

My own mom instilled in me this dire sense of cleanliness and homemaking. She drilled this concept into my sisters and me – from the 7 a.m. Saturday wake-up calls with the vacuum to the Thanksgiving pies. She is very talented at balancing a job, a family and a home. My sisters also got that vibe down to a science. I’m not there yet and may never be.

I’m realizing more and more in this wife world I’m in, I can’t do everything I wish I could do. I make crappy breadsticks. I don’t sew. I haven’t washed the blinds since … a while.  I don’t invite the neighbors to dinner. Heck, some nights I don’t even make dinner, Tyler does (thanks, babe).  

I do not measure up to my own expectations. Fortunately, the more I think about it, the more I’d say they’re screwed up. I’m demanding perfection, but my perfection is not attainable. My expectations and failings haunt me on many occasions, mostly when I lose myself by inflicting comparison. I bring myself back to peace with the thought that my husband is happy and I am happy. And I go for a run. Perfection is not what life’s about anyway.

Trying On the Course

I have taken up golfing. And when I say I’ve taken up golfing, I don’t mean that I’ve taken to being good at golfing. I can drive when I hit it, my put is quite floppy, my sand aversion is, well, rough. But I have started to enjoy golfing. Tyler’s been golfing for pretty much his whole life, so he’s really good. For me, I love riding in a golf cart with Ty, I think golf courses are beautiful and I actually quite like the game. The whole process is relaxing.

Tyler found the sweetest deal on a starter left-handed set, surprising me one Saturday. I think I’ve just about used them enough it was worth it now. 

I’ve even experienced my first golf wound – this bump on my wrist is nicknamed a “bible cyst” because back in the day they used to tell people to hit it with a bible and it would go away. Tried that, didn’t work. Going to have to visit the doctor soon. I think, scratch that, I know (ask Tyler), I’m swinging too hard. I was a softball player first, for heaven’s sake. 

Before I met Tyler, I used to take classes just for the excitement of learning something new. I took basic Web design, CPR, swimming, tennis and I was about to start cake decorating and photography. This is just another chance to learn, even if I may never score out of the 60s (I’ll let you guess if that’s on 9 or 18 holes…). It feels good.

We Went to Moab with a Broken Camera

I had visions of all the amazing images we would share. Tyler and me, floating down a river with the magic of the orange rock looming above us. Tyler, then me jumping off the cliff. Tyler and me in a two-man canoe navigating the rapids like pros. Us, playing a game of balance on the side of the big raft. Etc. Etc. Etc. We would pass them down from generation to generation and our great, great grandchildren would show the picture to someone and say, “see, my grandparents forever ago were cool. They did awesome things.” 

Well … the waterproof camera miraculously recovered after the trip had occurred. It’s possible the batteries were faulty. I like to think this was a trip and a memory that only Tyler and me can share.

Whatever it was, the rest, I can just tell you, was just as I’d hoped. We arrived and went straight to the pool. Camping was great. The next day’s river rafting guides were as authentic and granola as ever. I find them fascinating.  We rafted on the six-man for the first half, stopped for lunch, then took our turn on the small, red two-man canoe. I was to steer, Tyler was to power the skiff. Once we got the communication thing down and I stopped spinning us in circles, it was really not so scary and a lot of fun. And a great workout, I might add. 

Back at the campground, mid-afternoon was not all that “cool” with the heat and all. We spent our time in the pool, then when things got too much – we hit up the Wendy’s in search of A.C. We played cards for the next few hours. 

When things cooled down a bit, we took our chance with our mountain bikes on the slick, orange rock. There was no one anywhere around for millions of miles it seemed. I am too scared sometimes. I was thinking of wildlife attacks and flat tires for approximately 1/3 of the ride. But when I let myself, it was really beautiful and exciting. 

Fun to be in Moab, fun to be just us, wish I had some pictures, but I guess a few words are going to have to do. 

What to do in the Month of July?

Well, if you’re me …

You go to concerts on rooftops and in stadiums to see fireworks. My very musically versed sister invited us to a concert in downtown Provo – an outdoor concert is one of my favorite things, and this one was quite nice. The next night, we attended the Stadium of Fire. It was patriotic and full of fire and works. Our first night of getting together was right outside the Stadium of Fire, watching the show two years ago. We’ve come a long way.

You celebrate babies and freedom. We welcomed a new niece to the family – Maya Kate – and joined her sisters along the Ogden parade route for the 4th of July festivities.

You realize Harry Potter is not such a bad dude after all. I finally gave in and agreed to read the Harry Potter series with Tyler. Turns out it’s not so bad after all. I’m quite enjoying Ms. Hermione and the twin Weesleys.

You go to Real Salt Lake soccer games and try arena football on for size. We've decided that Real Salt Lake is currently our favorite team to watch. The stadium is awesome and the games are exciting.

You stress at work and the event ends up on TV. The governor was here. The mayor was here. About 700 others were here and 500 more watched online. After months of planning, the ground is finally broken and the fancy spoon shovels have had their day in the sun. In about two years there’ll be an $85 million dollar building on the site. Thank goodness I’ve got some time to recoup.

Then, you plan a trip just for two. I can hardly sit still. We’re headed to Moab in mere hours for a day on the river, a few nights in a tent (hardly roughing it when the grounds boast showers and a swimming pool) and some mountain biking too. I’m so excited.

July, all-in-all I’ve enjoyed you. Thanks for sun and lightning and good times.