The Sunny D, She's Back

My nephew Graham and his cute cast...Ellie helping him up the slide at Chick-fil-A.

I return to my classroom this Wednesday. It will be a new to me classroom in a different hall but closer to the bathroom so that's a huge plus for me! I am still teaching second grade and I have been in my room once or twice week all of July from 2-7 hours trying to organize it and get it ready and fresh for my new set of students. I love being in my classroom and I am excited for this next year. It is bittersweet though as I have enjoyed this summer so much. It wasn't a fancy summer. I didn't run any crazy races...well not since the last one that I broke my tailbone! I didn't travel to any distant countries as I love to do. I did do some important things though which made this summer meaningful and special to me. 

Annual Rocky Point Trip with Heather. All the heart eyes. We never get to see each other and so it is so fun to do what we love to do....be at the beach.

Three glorious days in California. Surf lessons, paddle boarding, going to the temple together, and museums. Perfection. 

I cleaned and scrubbed and organized. My kids helped to patch the little nail holes in the wall and touch up paint. We even painted the baseboards and a fresh coat of paint to a few doors. 

We got new flooring put in. It is so beautiful. The kids were both HUGE helpers. Aydan hanging the curtain... It isn't quite done yet downstairs. I ordered a new sectional and it should be here soon. 

The kids had a great summer with friends, at camps, and Aydan went to EFY. 

New classroom, new theme. Ellie came to help.....and ended up using supplies to make forky. 

I did a lot of work to get my health in check cutting carbs, sugars, and fats was really hard but I feel so good. My doctor was able to pin point a deficit in my hormones which as causing major exhaustion. I feel like myself again. 

Each week I tried to make it to my favorite place whether it was with my children, friends, ministering sister, or by myself. I love the temple. 

Spent some quality time with these little nuggets...they loved the ice cream cone.

Books were read, podcasts were devoured, Netflix was watched, naps were had, healthy food was eaten, twenty pounds was lost, children were loved, old friends were reconnected, and the Sunny D got her mojo back. 

XOXO-The Sunny D

Cowboy Tough

I attended two funerals this week. I would have attended three if one had not been in Utah. Three Good Men. It has me contemplating things, life, health. How we live our lives and what really matters. 

I went to an old cowboys funeral today

He was tough as nails his old buddies did say

But he loved his wife fiercely,

children, grand children too

He feared God, served his country, fought all the way through

It made me think of Grandpa 

I felt right at home

In the midst of farmers, hard working sowing, 

They know a broncos hot breath

Cowboy boots, hats, and Wranglers 

The outfit they wear doesn't determine the fit, 

Of a man whose life was lived with true grit. 

It's the heart of those men that is soft and giving

The love of their family makes this life worth living

And then I wondered where all the cowboys had gone?

Where are the men tough as nails and strong

The ones just like Grandpa who worked all the day

Then came home at night ready to play

He'd wrestle us, whisker burn us, giddy up on his knee

Is the generation gone? And...what about my son? 

I thought on the pew as the funeral had begun

He has cowboys legacy not from just one family but two

Is there cowboy still in there to work and to play

Or are our boys drowning in school everyday

In this technological age how does a man do it?

With a cowboy heart 

Is that why some numb it? 

With videogames, cell phones, drugs, and vaping

Maybe some things need changing

Let the boys outside

Let them ride horses or quads

Let them explore, work hard, and race their cars

Let them blow up stuff and go to the lake

Let them light off those fireworks that came home by mistake

For how can a boy with a cowboy heart focus all day when school starts? 

These were the things running through my brain

At my friends, Dads funeral I went to today

But that is not all, what about the women?

The cowboys protection and safe haven

What about the daughters and granddaughters with a cowboy heart? 

Tough as nails, true grit, soft and sweet and sometimes swearing

I thought of the women in my life...no troubles sparing

Our cowboy heart shines its way through

When faced with sore trials as many of us do

We face the challenges with grit everyday

Grandmothers, Mothers, Sisters and Friends

I watch you fight the good fight with sophistication and grace

So when your kids are rough housing and you feel like you live in a zoo

Or life's troubles are washing over you

When you watch your friend work three double shifts in a row

Or your Dad's brother takes his very last breath

When you know your in the ring of fire

Your friends Dad lost his life to cancer

Or when a friend just can't fight anymore 

Loses the battle with mental and emotional health

When the money is tight and your not sure how you'll get through it

Or you've been single for so long you just think...oh Hell screw it

Your kid gets suspended 

If there's sickness and your a tired caregiver

The problems are many BUT

Just remember.

Where you came from

you got this,

With true cowboy grit,

Pull on those boots 

because your 

cowboy tough 

The Summer Suffer Diet

I am that person I thought I could be, I even had to buy more produce. I am on what I like to call the dust and water diet. That is the name for any eating plan that you feel like you are so hungry your stomach is eating itself...or at least hopefully all the rolls that could make up a bakery on your body.

I love looking at all the before and after pictures as much as anybody. You know the ones...the mom bods in the first pic followed by a picture of a hot barbie with abs. What you don't see is the suffer. You only see the results. You know and that is the thing you have to get really, really, comfortable with suffering.  I wish all those Kayla Itsines girls would write the real stuff..the good stuff..tell us about the suffer. Not how you feel now...I am not where you are now, right now, I am dreaming about a crumbl cookie all of a sudden being delivered to my door. Or a McDonald's ice cream cone while eating exactly a 3/4 cup of berries. Or eating plain chicken and asparagus while your kids are eating a pepperoni pizza. Tell us how that is? I'll tell you...it's hard. But, it is also temporary and I know that and that is what keeps me going this is the cut the fat phase. No carbs, No sugar, and No fats, DUST AND WATER.

What I have learned from the dust and water diet:

1. I am so nauseous from eating only lean meats, two fruits, and non carb veggies each day that I realize that what I was eating must have been so bad for my body. Was it even food? Clearly I am detoxing.

2. You know you are on the dust and water diet when the sacrament bread looks like a tasty little snack. You jump for joy in your head thinking CARBS!

3. Green beans all of a sudden taste sweet.

4. Your sugar free gum becomes "dessert" mmmm watermelon, grape, bubblegum

5. Taking a nap cures all hunger pain

6. You find that broccoli as a side to taco seasoned ground turkey is delicious...it soaks up the juice.

7. Longingly looking at summer fruits that aren't on our list..watermelon, peaches, and nectarines.

8. Your pants aren't tight anymore.

9. The weight loss is obvious on the scale.

10. You realize that you aren't actually hungry....you learn to pay attention to your body.


Summer Suffer XOXO- The Sunny D

Item No. 5-California Summer 2019

On the way to California we stopped at the outlets. We did a little school shopping and I found the MOM jeans. WHEW! Thank goodness for that, it makes it easy for me to shop.

I made Ellie try sushi....you can't REALLY call it sushi since it was a California Roll from Pei Wei. She wasn't a fan. 

Day 2- We got up, had breakfast and went to Surf School. We attended the Clint Carroll Surf School which was really great. Our instructor was named George and I would definitely use them again. They were so good to us. 

I had the kids try Dim Sum...I wouldn't recommend this place. The soup dumplings were good and that is about it. 

We saw Toy Story 4, it was great! Tuesday morning was cold and rainy and so going to the beach was out and that is what we wanted to do. We changed plans...we found a yuuuummy breakfast place on Yelp called the Rooster Cafe. It was so cold to us....we got a Mexican Hot Chocolate to share. It was delicious. Aydan had been talking about a breakfast burrito all week and that is what he ordered, Ellie ordered pancakes, and I had french toast. It was a really fun place and I would go back for sure! 

Then we headed to the Newport Temple and did baptism's for the dead. 

You can't see but my kids were distracted on the way in by the rollie pollies and were catching them. 

After the Temple we went to The Getty. They had a great exhibit that highlighted beasts in medieval art. It was very interesting. 

The kids were interested in the first exhibit but the others......they were bored and Ellie said she didn't want to see any more naked people. .....Oh Art! 

Then Aydan really wanted to go to the Supreme store. The Groves was right up the road so we stopped there for dinner. 

 They had a Laudree's at The Groves! We each ordered a macaroon and they were delicious! I was happy to let my kids taste one.

We then went to Balboa and had Balboa bars....so yummy! I rented a couple SUP boards and we paddle boarded. It was so fun! 

After paddle boarding we went to Ruby's for a lunch/dinner. It was so fun sitting right there. We were going to drive home but it was such a lovely day that we decided to go to the beach for a few hours before heading home.

THE WAVES WERE HUGE. 

I let my hair just go wavy and Aydan kept calling Beachy Mama. It made me laugh. 

We left the beach at 6 and drove home Wednesday night. Our trip was so fun. I love these kids. This age is such a fun one. I love that we get to do stuff together.