Eating Out Strike!

So... We haven't been eating out and I'm loving it! Cooking all of our meals at home has not only given me more energy in all of my daily activities, but I feel healthier! We are eating more raw foods and less fried foods. Not only are these all amazing benefits, but the best one of all is that I'm remembering how much I love to cook! I actually look forward to it every day as I wake up and realize that today I get to cook whatever is on the menu! We have also saved enough money this month to make up for all the money we spend last month!

From now on, I will try a new recipe every month and I will put it on a page. Every month will either be a dessert or a meal. If it doesn't get to expensive to do these new recipes every month, I will make it every week! When we move to Missouri and maybe have a larger apartment I will have more space to cook and the new recipes might get a little more elaborate.

I challenge all of you newlywed women that read this to go on an eating out strike and focus more on the homemaking side of things! I understand how it seems like it is more convenient to grab food from a fast food restaurant than to make it at home. But you will not forget your experience and you will always have that saved money in the bank.

Good Luck!

Second Haircut

Its always cheaper to cut your own hair right?? Sometimes, I wonder. Especially when I cut Justin's hair and he is as wiggly as a two-year old! This is a picture of him right after I finished trimming up the back and he would not hold still. No he isn't on drugs! He was just being goofy.

My mom taught me how to cut his hair about four months ago. It is the most stressful thing I have ever done! I worry so much about getting it so perfect that it takes about an hour and a half to finish the haircut, but it always looks good in the end!

Here's how worried I get.... Every time the hair starts to grow over his ears he always tells me that its time for a haircut and I magically get sick the first day he wants one. The next, I have to go to the store. Once its been three or four weeks later, I finally break down and do it! It is quite a wonderful experience having someone trust you with their looks!

Here is Justin after the haircut. Look how happy he is! Doesn't it look good? I love how accepting he is of my insecurities (aka... his trust with my haircutting skills.) I am in love with every minute of my life!

What I'll Miss about Utah

The past few weeks I have taken it upon myself to pay attention to all of my surroundings and realize how wonderful Heavenly Father has made this world for us. There are several things that I will miss about Utah and I've even come up with a few things that I will NOT miss.

NOT Miss:

• Dry Climate
• My hands, feet, legs, face, every part of me that gets smeared with lotion several times a day will not miss this cycle. The humidity in Missouri should keep my dry skin somewhat at bay. 
• Low Oxygen
• Not only will my lungs relax and start to breathe properly, my body will also start working a little more efficiently! I have asthma, and with our thin air it makes walking outside and especially exercising outside very difficult. 

WILL Miss:

• Family



Vernon, Utah Reservoir

• My side of the family is mostly here in Utah. We have some in Texas, Oklahoma, and Oregon as well. I won't be here in person, but in spirit the family parties are being attended!
• Mountains
• I love the mountains! There are so many opportunities in Utah to go hiking and mountain biking. It is even fun sometimes to go hunting (not the killing part though).
• Camp-outs
• I'll miss the family camp-outs and the fun four-wheeler rides with dirt-filled hair. 
• Desert
• Yes... I'll miss the desert. I love exploring and seeing all the cool artifacts left by the Indians and the Pony Express routes that Dad used to take us on.
• Temples in Close Proximity
• It is such a blessing for us to have temples wherever we are. I think sometimes we take it for granted how close we are to the Lord's House. In Missouri, we will be able to attend the temple once a month until the Kansas City Temple is completed. The closest temple is the St. Louis Temple. 

There are a lot of things to miss, but there is so much to learn and so many ways to grow through experiencing different atmospheres!