Saturday Morning

What do Saturday morning's mean to you? What are your favorite memories?

When I was a kid growing up in South Florida, every Saturday meant a trip to Dunkin Donuts (chocolate glazed donut) and the beach with my family! The warm air (okay, more like hot!), the sand on my feet, and the salt on my skin. Such a cherished memory.

Now that I live in the mountains of Utah, Saturday mornings in the summer in Salt Lake City mean Downtown Farmer's Market!!

Mid-chew! Enjoying a peach with prosciutto from Caputo's

 From June - October, Pioneer Park in downtown Salt Lake is taken over by local artists and crafters, local farmers, and bakers and cheesemakers! It's the cat's meow.

Beautiful juicy raspberries straight from Bear Lake

Some of my favorites include the local honey and eat-with-a-spoon honey butter (so mmm!) from Knight Family Honey, the delicious goat cheese from Drake Family Farms (apricot & honey and jalapeno are my faves), and of course Ruby Snap's gourmet cookies!

Ruby Snap Cookie with marzipan and pine nuts!

I also try to go on a hike at least once a week in the summer. With so many incredible trails, it's always hard to pick one. Just recently I went down to Zion National Park and hiked both the Emerald Pools and The Narrows. Zion is just magic to me, and The Narrows are a must on anyone's bucket list. This was my fourth trip to Zion, and I anticipate many more in the future!



Welcome to Zion National Park!



View from the beautiful Cliffrose Lodge

 

Stopping for a moment to take in The Narrows

Spectacular red rocks



Picking an apple at a local lodge

 

Happiness is a Journey...

I have a refrigerator magnet given to me by my mother that says "Happiness is a journey, not a destination." And it couldn't be more true.

Life gives everyone lemons, some more than others, and I am a firm believer that happiness isn't something we just wake up with every morning. It takes effort, and is something we must consciously strive for.

Negativity is all around us. Aside from whatever stress or misgivings we each have going on in our daily lives with work, school, family, friends, relationships, health, we are bombarded with scenes and images of crime, hatred, inhumanity, injustice, and violence on our television sets, our computers and our mobile devices. We are treated unfairly at work, we get into an argument with a loved one, we fail a test at school, we are hit with a health crisis, we get our heart broken. The negativity seems to carry a larger impact on our minutes, days and lives than the positive. And yet, we cannot crawl into a dark hole and hide. We must digest and process and overcome all of this on a daily basis, and muster a smile. We must find a way to block out the negative in order to present ourselves as fabulous, well-functioning, contributing human beings, and engage in meaningful relationships, and share love with those around us.

It is our daily journey to spread happiness and love and light in a place that is peppered with sadness and hatred and darkness. It is our daily task to find the pockets of beauty that exist. Beauty is there. There is more of it than we can see. Behind the bad test score, is a mother who will help pick you up no matter how many times you fall down. Following the violence, is a community that comes together to rebuild and spread love. After the failed relationship, is an opportunity to make connections with people you might not have met otherwise.

I challenge each of you to look for the beauty in your days. Or better yet, create the beauty. Smile at a stranger. Lend a hand to someone in need. Mail a card to someone you haven't spoken to in awhile. Play with a child the way you played when you were a child.

Remember, happiness is a journey, not a destination. We must make the effort for ourselves, and for others.

Sharing some happiness from my life:

Love.

Kindness.

Adventure.

S'mores!

Wine = Happiness, right?

Friendship and silliness.

Wonder. Amazement. Snow.

Sand and salt water.

Wide open roads.

Feet in the sand. Warm sun on the skin.

Sun. Boards. Beautiful day.

Flowers.

Fresh mountain air.

Nature.

When life hands you lemons...

*Now You Grow

Quinoa for Breakfast?

Quinoa Oatmeal Bake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1-2 bananas, sliced
1 handful of organic blueberries or strawberries (add more for sweetness)2 cups of almond milk (vanilla)
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 healthy shakes of cinnamon
1 shake of salt or sea salt
a drizzle of organic amber agave nectar
coconut oil

Rinse the quinoa in a strainer, under water until the water runs clear.

1. In one bowl, mix together the quinoa, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
   
2. In a second bowl, lightly beat the egg and incorporate the almond milk and vanilla.
3. Grease your casserole with coconut oil (yum!)
4. Cut the bananas into thin slices and cover the bottom of the casserole. Sprinkle some blueberries or strawberries across the bottom as well.
5. Spread the mixture in the first bowl (quinoa, oats, etc.) evenly across the casserole.
   
6. Pour the mixture in the second bowl (egg, almond milk, vanilla) on top.
7. Sprinkle some additional banana slices and berries across the top, and drizzle with organic amber agave nectar
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes, until mixture is slightly browned.
   

 

Get Outdoors: Snowshoe for a Cause!

I have to admit, I despise gyms. I am not a fan of exercising indoors. I do not enjoy running on a treadmill to nowhere. I prefer to be outside amongst the trees and the birds and the sunshine. Warmth on my skin and fresh air in my lungs.

But.....it's winter. It's cold. In fact, Salt Lake temperatures have been downright frigid this year, and I won't even get into the air quality, or lack of it. 

And so this snowy, blizzardy Saturday, after spending weeks indoors, I decided to snowshoe. And not just any course, but a 5k for the Tubbs Romp to Stomp, a fundraiser for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. And yes, I said blizzardy...severe winter weather warning and all, the race must go on!

Sideways snow and 50 mph gusts, pre-race Zumba and pink-colored accents - and it could not have been more fun!

I encourage everyone to GET OUTDOORS no matter the season. And if you can dress silly and raise awareness for a great cause, even better!