Humbly

So remember when I was being all snooty about fads I disliked back in this post? ah haha, yeah. I have something to admit. Again.

See these puppies? They are actually crocs.

Yep, I caved when I saw the website and the rave reviews these sandals got.

I actually have kind of bad hips and need support in my shoes when I walk. But who wants to wear tennis shoes every day in 90 degree weather?? Not me!! So when I saw these on the website, I just had to give them a try. Some ladies were raving about how they didn't need their arch supports when they had these sandals, they could sight-see all day and their feet wouldn't hurt....

So now I own crocs. Not the official, elephant shoe kind. Just some little sandals. Oh yeah, here's a funny part. They are called "Sexi flip". I don't know that I would use a word that sounds exactly like "sexy" to describe these babies :)



Peace and blessings!!

Following up on the things guys should never say post

So, I guess I know what sparks everybody's interest now! Over 100 page views yesterday, haha. Just to make it all clear, yes I have had those things said to me and my friends. Yes, I remember who said them. But I don't harbor any hard feelings over them, any more at least. I did at one point think about painting giant keys on their cars (sarcastically of course, I know what keying a car means). Now, I tell people, mainly my girl friends some of these stories and we have a great little laugh about it.

What can I say? Not all my stories are about family picnics and boy birds laying eggs :)

Peace and blessings!!

6 things guys should NEVER say to a girl

Remember when I posted this one a while ago?? Well I've got another jewel to add to the collection, so I decided to update :)

I've seen a lot of these lists, but from life experiences, I've decided to make my own, mainly for fun because I am bored.

1. "You look tired."
What?? You're saying I look haggard and un-refreshed and not pretty???
You poor guys. I think deep down we all know that's not what you really mean. But it still sucks when we know we aren't looking our best. And that tired look? It usually doesn't initially come from being tired. It comes from a sucky day or...mainly that. A sucky day. So don't make it suckier by telling us in so many words that we don't look so great, k?

2. "What did you do to your hair?"
Huh??? This translates into "your hair looks weird and I don't like it." Again, I think we kinda know that's not what you mean, but still... New hairstyles are grounds for extreme self-consciousness, so let's not make it any worse, k?

3. "You have potential."
Huhwhat???? Without going into any detail about the situation this phrase was used in, let me just say this. NEVER tell a girl she has potential when referring to a future with her. In my case (and his) it ended badly. And this quote is forever branded in my little mental quotes hall of fame. If you don't see a bright future with your lady, try to end it before you whip out this gem of a phrase, k?

4. "I didn't really miss you that much."
Yup. I really had a male specimen tell me this once. I'm so glad that now I can look back and laugh at it, but at the time, it was very un-funny. Um, if you feel this way, please don't say it. Ouch!

5. "I will give my wife a couple months after she gives birth to recover, but then I expect her to get back in shape."
True story people, a guy once told this to one of my friends. Good luck finding a wifey, pal!!

6. "You're not harsh, just a little rough around the edges."
Spoken like a true gentleman. The person that said this to me now has 2 wonderful quotes in this post. The circumstances were thus. We were walking into a class at the same time and I made some smart alec remark to him. He responded with something like, "oooo, yikes Savannah." To which I said, "I know, I'm so harsh." And he answered with the above phrase in a most non-joking way. Now, this particular instance would not have bothered me had it not been for the fact that this guy has repeatedly been very offensive and yet repeatedly tried to take me on dates. He can't seem to imagine why I would not want to go on said dates with him. I guess me being honest with him and saying "no" qualifies as "rough", which I am pretty much okay with:) Just to keep things light, I will share one of my favorite cartoons with you guys that pretty much some up my feelings towards certain bros, haha :D

Haha, these are all things that have been said to me or friends of mine. Maybe it's okay to be honest, but man!! Sometimes the truth sucks eggs! And sometimes we can all adjust our priorities a little (Hem hem, number 5)


Peace and blessings!!

favorite things

I have a few favorite things. Places, foods, animals,...

Galena Creek has always been a place I get excited to visit. It's beautiful, peaceful, and close by.

We always have a great time up there as a family, so we went last Saturday. We packed a bunch of food and loaded up the dog and drove there. Food always tastes better outside, why is that? Anyway, it was a super peaceful trip, we had a great time.

Another random favorite of the day?? Fruity pebbles. I could eat punch bowls of that cereal every day and never get sick of it. Actually, I have eaten like 3 or 4 bowls of it in one day before. Basically breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. Oh, and it's gluten free, so double bonus, I don't get sick!

Peace and blessings!!

Fads I dislike

Cake pops. Can't tell you how many events and such I've gone to where these suddenly appearing, apparently amazing little buggers have been.

What do I have against cake pops you might ask?? Nothing. Oh wait, yeah. Gluten!!

Crocs. I've never owned a pair. Mainly because I don't want my feet to look like giant elephant feet molded to look like human feet. But I'm also secretly jealous of people every time I see them wearing a pair. Because they look so darn comfortable! But I think Crocs' day in the sun may be coming to an end soon. Because they started compromising the original design and coming out with all kinds of shoes and other products. I may even purchase something croc-ish soon, because check out this website!   Somebody was thinking

White watches. I own one, so this is basically a confessional about me caving into a fad. I love my white watch. But I sort of stop loving it as much when I see it's twin on 30 other girls at church or somewhere. So then I take it off and put it in my purse, only to take it out a little while later and apologize for being so petty. Okay, I don't really take it off. I just try to hang on to a little of my pride and wear that thing like it's the only white watch ever made by man. This is the white watch I bought-->No, I am not above the trend.

Gluten free diets. Why would you do this to yourself if you didn't actually have to?? If I had the choice, I'd still be stuffing my face with gluten, straight gluten 24/7. I'm jealous of the people who have a choice. Just do this for me. If it gets to be something that makes you sad that you can't eat gluten any more because you decided to go on that diet, go ahead. Just eat that cake pop someone brought to the party. This all applies to the people that don't have an allergy or intolerance for it of course. If you do, then don't eat that cake pop and come join my club. I'm considering t-shirt designs as we speak.

This one is kinda hard to explain. But in so many words, the fad to be individual and unique. Because now we are all trying so hard to be unique that there is no band undiscovered, no hairstyle untried, no awesome t-shirt unworn. We are all so unique that we are exactly the same. So stop trying to be unique and you will be the most different person you know, haha.

Just so you know, most of this is pretty much a joke and I've been quietly laughing to myself typing it out :)

Peace and Blessings!!

Silver Lining

Summer storm clouds of Nevada

I've always thought that was kind of a funny phrase. Look for the silver lining in the clouds. It seems like it's saying clouds are dark and bad and not a whole bunch of fun. But I actually really like clouds! Probably because growing up in Nevada, clouds are a little more rare and special here than they are anywhere else. But give me a gray, cloudy day and I'll usually revel in the comfort of my warm home, or hanging out with friends in a restaurant somewhere enjoying the romance of a good storm. And clouds always make for the most beautiful sunsets.

Nevada sunset

But what about life-clouds? How do I feel about those? Can I say that I love them as much as the clouds in the sky?

I think a lot of us have our fair share of life-clouds. Glooms and grays and even raging storms. Some of us may be Nevada dwellers, where the storms are few and far between, but when it decides to storm, it storms with a vengeance. And then some of us may be Seattle dwellers. Where it seems life is always in some form of never-ending gray and the sunny days are rare.

I've kinda had some storms in my life. No, I don't feel like my life has been super trying up to this point. But recently it's felt like all the trials and the failures and the pains have just piled up into one big storm cloud, so the sunny days haven't peaked through in a while. But can I learn to love the clouds in my life as well as the clouds in the sky? Can I actually find hope and joy and keep moving forward even when it feels like I'm constantly getting drenched in the rain? I want to share with you some lessons I've learned. Keep in mind, these lessons don't stick with me all the time. Sometimes the pain and sadness of things that have happened still overwhelm me. But I'm looking for the happiness even, or should I say especially midst the clouds. I'm trying to love the clouds.

1. Family is so important. Treat them right, because there will be times when they are the only ones still there to love and support me. Don't tarnish the relationships of the ones I love and who love me the most. It's easy to fall into the trap of treating these relationships with complacency, because they can't go anywhere, they're my relatives. But that is exactly why I shouldn't fall into the trap. Because these people were placed around me by my Heavenly Father, and He knew who I would need and who would need me. He knew the family I belonged with.

2. Give up trying to do everything alone. It won't and can't work. At times when I have absolutely no strength and it takes great effort just to get out of bed, think of who gave me this life. He will not and does not expect me to do it alone. Just as my father on earth wants to help me, my Father in heaven wants nothing more than to give me the guidance and strength I need to face the day ahead. When I do feel that I am going through a strong time in my life, use that strength to lift others. Because again, it's not me who is the strong one, that strength is a gift. So share it.

3. Have self control. Others have agency, just like I do. They will not always, and in fact even rarely sometimes make decisions based on how it affects me. All I can do is control how I react. The Savior spent his whole life in kindness, love, and service. Yet He was persecuted, despised, betrayed, and slain. Some of His final words were, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." From that ultimate example of love and forgiveness, surely I can learn to love and forgive people for petty little mistakes that are made. I make them always. The Savior never did. This is why it is required of us to forgive all men.

4. Times of trial show true friendships. John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  When I think of this verse, I don't take it to always literally mean you know who you're true friends are if they'd be willing to die for you. I take it to mean they give of the time they have in life to uplift and encourage you. They put thought and effort into doing things for you that aren't always convenient or easy. I've found friends like this. A lot of the time I feel I don't even deserve all the love they show me. But that just makes me all the more grateful to have them.

These have been my thoughts lately. These lessons have been the silver lining in the clouds. And I love the clouds all the more for showing me these things. A couple days ago, I probably could not have said that. But today, with it's beautiful weather, with my kind, happy family, with my wonderful friends, I can say that and truly mean it.

Happy for the storm

Kevin's a GIRL?!?

Hey guys! So pretty much everyone has seen the movie Up, right? If you haven't go watch it before finishing this post so I don't ruin the big surprise for you.

So there's this huge bird on that movie, a rare bread all bright and rainbow-y like in the picture below. Anywho, the little boy Russel decides to name the bird Kevin. A very bird-like name, no? So back in My SUU days (graduated May 2011, celebrating my one year mark as a graduate this weekend) I bought a little parakeet. At the time of purchase, I didn't know whether he was a boy or girl. So I decided to name him Kevin, just like the movie. Well in the movie, they hear these little baby bird cries and then Kevin cries back. They realize, "Kevin's a Girl!?" The guy at the pet shop told me I'd know if Kevin was a girl or boy in a month or so because the little band above his nose would turn blue if he was a boy and pink if he was a girl. So in a little while, the band above his nose sort of grew into a blue-ish hue and I realized he was a boy. To be honest, I almost wanted him to be a girl so I could use that line I quoted four lines up. 

Kevin from the movie

My little Kevin

 Last night, we got a little surprise. For the past two years now, little Kev has been assumed to be a boy, as such, he has been treated like a boy. Mainly that just means we refer to him as a him or he.... But I was out for the evening, sitting with Kimmy in her car talking before heading out to frisbee when I get a call from my mom. All she said when I answered was, "Kevin laid an egg."

I can't remember exactly what I said, but I do remember using the line, not even intentionally, "Kevin's a GIRL?!?

Yayyyyyy!!!! My Up dream came true!!

Here's his egg wrapped in tissue with the label Gabe put on it

And here's the egg!!

Apparently my mom and Gabe had gone into my room, and Kevin had made a huge mess with his food. So they were looking in there and suddenly Gabe says, "What's that? And they look closer and he's like, "it's an egg," and my mom says that's impossible because he's a boy, and then they look even closer and Gabe says it's definitely an egg.

So Kevin IS a girl after all!! And you can bet I'm not changing his name. And even though he is a she now, I still don't think I can refer to him as a her. It's super weird. I've had him for almost 2 years and always thought of him as a he. So "he" he will remain. But really, he's a she. Sort of like a reverse Ms. Doubtfire situation :)

Peace and Blessings!!