Kauai

I'll just start by saying Kauai is my new favorite place!

If you are thinking about vacationing to Hawaii GO TO KAUAI you will not be disappointed!

Me and Jord had never been to Hawaii before so we had some high expectations of beautiful green mountains and amazing beaches, and Kauai had it all. 

We had been planning our Hawaii trip for a while but we didn't decide to go to Kauai until a few days before we left and I am so happy we did. 

We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Resort at Coconut Beach!

Such an amazing resort. Great food, amazing views, hammocks, and unreal sunsets! Oh and it's in the best location on the island. There is only one main road in Kauai so it wasn't too hard to get around. Our taxi driver one day said, "You're never going the wrong way, just the other way." So that was perfect!

If you do Hawaii you need a rental car! We were so happy with our red mini van we felt like locals with our boards strapped to the top. We used Turo for our rental car. It's pretty much like airbnb for a car. LOVED it, and loved the price! :) 

Who doesn't love eating at yummy places on vacation? I know I do and I always want to try the best places. There are so many great places to eat but these are the ones we tried and loved. 

My Favorite Reads

Who knew reading could be so much fun?

I have never been much of a reader. I always thought what could I get out of a book that I couldn't get out of a movie? The answer is true invested emotion. I seriously get so invested in my books I bring them on date night now. The feeling of having a good book you can't put down is the best feeling ever. I wanted to share some of my books I have read lately and why I love them.

First off, I am terrible at picking books so I love following Olivia Gochnour's blog willivia.com

She reads a ton and always has the best book recommendations. Some of my books are repeats of her suggestions but the more suggestions the more you will know how amazing these books are. 

1. The Time Traveler's Wife

Romance book. I got this book at the DI for $1. Best purchase ever. This book is so well written it keeps you hooked. It made me laugh and cry and love Jordan so much for not being a time traveler. But at the same time how cool if he was. Lots of cool stories. 

2. The Girl on the Train

Thriller book. I wanted to read the book before watching the movie because I heard so many good things about it. And I love Emily Blunt. This book was amazing. I didn't think I would like a thriller because it wouldn't make me cry. But trying to figure out who murdered who is pretty cool too. My suggestion read the book first. But that's with every book...

3. A Man Called Ove

Go buy this book RIGHT NOW!! I don't know if it was my love for the older generation or that I have been spending so much time with my Grandpa lately that made me absolutely love this book but I am so happy I found it. This book is a story about an older man and his life alone and his past and his future and uh just so much goodness. On the front cover there is a quote from PEOPLE saying "You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel new sympathy for the curmudgeons in your life." And that is exactly true. Jordan caught me on video a few times bawling my eyes out reading about Ove. So trust me you will not regret this buy. If you like a feel-good make you cry kind of read this is your book. 

Here is one of my favorite parts of the entire book. 

"Loving someone is like moving into a house. At first you fall in love with all the new things, amazed every morning that all this belongs to you, as if fearing that someone would suddenly come rushing in through the door to explain that a terrible mistake had been made, you weren't actually supposed to live in a wonderful place like this. Then over the years the walls become weathered, the wood splinters here and there, and you start to love that house not so much because of all its perfections, but rather for its imperfections. You get to know all the nooks and crannies. How to avoid getting the key caught in the lock when it's cold outside. Which of the floorboards flex slightly when one steps on them or exactly how to open the wardrobe doors without them creaking. These are the little secrets that make it your home." -Fredrick Backman

4. The Husband's Secret

I felt a little weird buying this because it seems like your typical husband cheated on his wife book. But it's not! The author Liane Moriarty wrote Big Little Lies (I want to read next) and has gotten so much hype lately on her writing. So I tried it out and to be honest it wasn't my favorite. I was waiting the whole time for some huge world crashing event to happen once you find out the "husband's secret" but I didn't... Still a good read but not my favorite

5. The Magnolia Story

Who doesn't love Chip and Joanna? And if you have no idea who they are go on to HGTV and record every episode of Fixer Upper and you will love them. They are so positive and uplifting I loved listening to their book. Yes, buy their audible book. Listening to them talk about their life and how they met, their trials, and successes is the way to go. 

6. When Breath Becomes Air

This is a book about a neurosurgeon who is diagnosed with lung cancer and his story on facing death while living. This was a perfect book to read before I start my next year in nursing school it is his perspective of a doctor becoming a patient and how hard it is to hear world shattering news. The Epilogue is what got me. His wife ends the book with her side of his last days and it brought the water works. This book really makes you think hard about life and death. I was flipping through the book when I finished it and hadn't even realized how much I highlighted there is some serious gold in there. 

All Things Texas

Me and Jordan have been LOVING Texas.

Well, we could do without the extreme heat and humidity, but so far we are loving it here.

We have been able to do some exploring since we got here and I wanted to post some of our favorite stops. 

1. Magnolia!

I can't get enough of this place. It is about 2 hours from our apartment and I have already been twice and want to go more. If any of you watch Fixer Upper you are probably just 

as obsessed with Chip and Jo as I am. I even got their audiobook and finished it in a few days I love them so much. P.S. listening to that book while living in Texas was so fun. I would make my trips down to Waco and recognize places she would talk about. and now I think I am an interior designer, thanks Joanna... 

The second time I ventured to Waco I took Jord and some of our friends to experience the joy that is the Silos. The girls had their fun at Magnolia and after we went to the BSR cable park in Waco and had a blast. Seriously one of my favorite days. The BSR cable park was so country and chill we seriously didn't stop laughing the whole day. 

Pinterest must know I am obsessed with subway tile too because that is my whole feed. Anyone else love subway tile?

Loved having a girls trip with my mom, aunts, and cousin.

The original Dr. Pepper Museum is in Waco Texas. Now if this was the Diet Coke museum I think my family would've spent the day here instead. #dietcokeaddicts

Now the line to the bakery is extreeeeemely long, but so worth it. Strawberries and cream cupcake is to die for. I have never tasted a better cupcake!!!

2. BSR Cable Park

3. San Antonio

Jordan's family came to visit and took us to the beautiful city of San Antonio. San Antonio is where I experienced true Texas heat. The minute you step outside you start sweating it was insane. But, the riverwalk was amazing. San Antonio is crazy beautiful. We got to walk around the Alamo and walk the riverwalk and eat some good Texas BBQ. 

Top favorite Texas BBQ (so far... there are lots)

1. Rudy's BBQ- so so so so good!!! 

2. Hard-8 BBQ

3. Spring creek BBQ

4. Deep Ellum
If you are like me and are easily fascinated by street art you will love Deep Ellum. The feel there is so cool. There are just streets filled with colorful walls and live music all over. So many places to eat, one I am looking to try is Pecan Lodge. No idea what kind of food it is but the line is always like a mile long.

Every saturday the wives out here go to yoga in Klyde Warren Park.... ha and then get donuts in Deep Ellum. All in moderation right? But seriously Texas is huge, and has so much to do. So we are trying our hardest to fit it all in before we go home. 

Life Lately

We Moved!!

Jord and I are now currently living in Dallas, Texas. Well technically Irving, but it's like 10 minutes from Dallas. And I have been waiting quite some time to get out here.

Jordan moved out here the beginning of March. But I had to wait till school got out to finally move out here. So we spent two months apart. I came to visit him once and he came home for Easter, but that was not enough. Thank goodness for FaceTime!! Oh and we are only here for the summer so we will be back in Utah in August. 

I just finished my 1st year of nursing school!! Yay. Super exciting and I have one year left. 

It has been the most rewarding and exhausting experiences ever. I absolutely love it. But this is a much needed break. Except does anyone else feel like they can feel everything they have learned slowly leak out of their brain. It is definitely stressing me out, and I didn't bring any of my books out here so if anyone knows good nursing podcasts, videos, or websites let me know so I can freshen up. 

Speaking of books I am reading A Man Called Ove and it is amazing!! 

I am constantly laughing and crying because it is so good. So if you want a good book to read go grab it, you won't regret it. 

Lastly, if anyone has been to the Dallas/Fort Worth area tell me all the fun things to do, and places to eat. And I haven't taken any pictures out here so here is one from a while ago that Kierstin Jones took and it's my favorite!

Fitness

Well, here is my first fitness post. 

I already feel like a tool.

I am not an expert, and most healthy food makes me want to throw up. 

But I would say that fitness is a big part of my life and I have never talked about it so here it goes.

I played sports all growing up and was very active so I didn't have to worry about 

eating healthy and going to the gym. 

I was 5'10" in 7th grade and still am today (hopefully I haven't grown).

I was that tall, lanky girl that had no curves or butt all throughout high school.

When I moved away to college I was so afraid of the "freshman 15" that I got a gym membership and started going with Jordan. 

I started out strictly doing cardio- running on the treadmill until Jord was done with his workout because I didn't know what else to do. 

Finally, Jord showed me what to do when it came to lifting. 

It was seriously embarrassing how weak and uncoordinated I was when I started. 

But once I got the hang of it I started to really like it. 

It has been 3 years since I started working out and it has been a game changer.

I have gotten stronger, I have more energy, and I have a different view on my body.

I go to the gym (Gold's gym, woot woot) 5-6 days a week doing cardio and weights. 

I start with 20-30 minutes of cardio, mostly sprints and stair stepper.

And then I end with about an hour of weights. I try to focus on a different muscle group everyday. 

I have grown to love the gym and actually feel like I know what I'm doing now.

I still have a long way to go but it's easier when you have someone to go with, thanks Jord.

Except he won't lift with me anymore because I think he loves his gym buddy more than me.

And my gym buddies (Jesee and Treasure) left me all alone, so they need to come back or I need a new workout buddy!

These two pictures were taken two weeks apart. The first one I was slacking off eating like crap.

The second one I was still eating like crap, eating healthy is the most difficult thing ever

anyone else feel the same way? But anyways, I was more strict with my workouts. I started lifting heavier and doing 30 minutes of sprints and noticed a huge difference. I don't know if you can tell a difference in the pictures but I felt better, and leaner, and had more energy. 

Also, Jordan has been in Texas for 3 weeks now and I miss him like crazy!!!

What's Cookin??

So to start this post off I absolutely hated cooking. 

I felt like dinner took way too long to make, I didn't like to grocery shop, and I had no idea where to even start.

So for the first 8 months of marriage I seriously never cooked. That was Jordan's job.

I didn't learn to love cooking until we moved to Chicago because I didn't have anything better to do.

So I got on Pinterest ( duh...) and found some easy recipes that would feed a bunch of people. 

In Chicago I was feeding three mouths, well actually like like seven mouths because we had guys come home from work and be starving with nothing to eat. 

So I have learned to make some pretty big meals, and somehow we seem to always have leftovers.

Which is the easiest dinner everrr! 

Currently I still make dinner for three mouths. We are living with my Grandpa right now and he 

is not afraid to tell me if what I made isn't so awesome. So I will only post the ones that are favorites.

I have been asked a few times what I like to cook and how I find time to cook. 

So here is the secret...... CROCKPOT!

You will see when I post my favorite meals that 99% of them are crockpot meals.

The reason I love using the crockpot is because I can make dinner before I go to school or work

and come home and it's done. And it cooks a ton of food (if you have ever seen how much Jordan eats, that is a good thing).

All of these recipes can be found on my Pinterest but I figured I would put them here so it is easier to find. 

1. Taco Soup Recipe

This is my all time favorite. I make this about once a week and it's a hit. Everyone loves it and it makes for great leftovers. 

2. Pulled Pork

I think everyone has their own pulled pork recipe they like to use but this one is super quick and is soo much better if you use pork tenderloin. But as you can see I love when I see recipes that read "easy". Also super good on sandwiches, tacos, quesadillas, salads, and with potato salad