It's Thursday and the sun is shining! Hallelujah!

I've been keeping notes in my phone of random things - things I'm lucky to have, things that make me laugh, things I overhear that are just plain hysterical... it's kind of awesome. On super rough days, I read through my notes and it helps a little bit.

I decided that the radio should have a maximum number of times per day they can play a song. When I get up at 5 and get to work at 7 and hear the same song three times, it's overkill. I loved that new Bone Thugs song and now I want to rip its throat out.

I made jar salads yesterday and sort of took pictures so I can post a tutorial. I'll try to get that up this weekend for all of you that are interested in seeing my process. Maybe. It's going to be a busy weekend so please don't send anthrax if it doesn't happen.

The last few days have been really ugly weather-wise, and before that we were in a month-long inversion, and I cannot tell you how insanely happy it is making me to see blue skies out the window. They say the inversion is coming back since the snow stopped, so I'm trying to get the most out of the sun today as I can. It's cold, but it's beautiful.

I found out that no matter how funny a person is, I have a really hard time reading books that are based on real life. I much prefer fiction that has a ton of action and suspense. When it comes to funny people, I am better at receiving them in quick doses (like, a blog).

Peppercorn Ranch has changed my world of salad dressings. It's so delicious.

I am going to start working out next week. I am sort of excited and sort of not. I feel like I need an accountability partner or something; someone to give me crap if I say I'm going to work out and then I don't. Let me know if you want to be that person. :)

This was supposed to be a really good year because it's the best number, but you guys, it's tried to kill me multiple times. Not such a great start. Here's to a much better February!

Photo dump Wednesday

This has been my commute for the last couple of days. Today, it took me an hour and 20 minutes to make my 26 mile trek to work. It's freaking ridiculous. I'm so incredibly over winter.

This kitty. When he's being sweet, he's SO DAMN SWEET. He hides his evil well, and I fall for it every time.

Sometimes, you just need a cupcake with Nutella on it.

 

I haven't taken many pictures this week. Overall, my mood is off. This snow, this cold, this horrible winter... it's starting to suck my soul like a dementor, except that no matter how much chocolate I eat (and trust me, that's a lot lately), I don't feel any better. I might die before I get out to California (less than two months!), and that would be tragic. I think I need a mini vacation to somewhere the temperatures stay over freezing for more than three hours. It's seriously life or death.

You are beautiful. Just the way you are.

Browsing around today, I found a link to Don't Compare Yourself to Celebrities, a Pinterest board dedicated to pointing out Photoshops and showing before/after pictures of celebrities. You guys, this makes me sick. How are we ever going to be able to raise children who are comfortable in their own skin if all we can show them is picture after picture of altered women (and a few men) and tell them it is beauty?

Go browse through it. If you've ever looked at an ad and hated yourself out of comparison, this should make you feel an ounce or two better.

I wish we could make this media bullshit stop. I wish our kids could grow up in a world where being themselves is enough. How bad does it have to get before we realize how much harm we're doing?

The greatest salad in the history of ever.

Ohh, this salad. This spectacular, flavorful, life-changing salad.

I guess I have to say, your tastes may differ from mine. But to me, this is the greatest salad ever. One time, my mom asked Shelby and I to make this for dinner. So we made it. And then ate the ENTIRE THING. It really makes enough to feed 4. We ate it all. Before anyone got home. You guys, it's really good.

Southwest Caesar Salad
prep time: 10 minutes; serves 4

1 package (10 oz) Dole complete Caesar salad mix
1 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast
1 can (14-16 oz) low sodium kidney, black, or pinto beans (I use black); drained and rinsed
1 can (8 oz) corn, drained
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
1 medium red, yellow, or green pepper; cut into thin slices (I tend to go with orange/red, just to add color)
1/2 medium purple onion, sliced very thin
1 medium avocado, sliced

Combine all ingredients except dressing, and toss. Add the dressing just before serving. Eat it real good.

I'm thinking next time I make it, I'll add edamame. That would officially push it over the edge of deliciousness.

A lifetime of walking the line.

There is a line that exists when raising a child - the line between being supportive of your child and their choices, and making sure they don't end up that ridiculous person on American Idol who seriously thinks they can sing but sounds like a cat in heat.

That line is much, much fuzzier when you are a stepparent. Plus, there are more lines that as a parent, you just don't have to deal with. How much should I try to do? Where do I step in and help? Do I try to be her additional Mom or do I step back and just be a side-note?

The hard thing is, as a stepparent, you almost have to overcompensate because people expect you to be this terrible person who can't love someone else's child and treats them accordingly. But where does the line come into play? Am I going overboard going with Punk and BioMom to California for cheer nationals? Is it too much for me to be put on the email list for her cheer squad? Is that something I should be standing back and letting BioMom tell me all the details? I have a hard time letting someone else have any play in my life when I cannot control it. But am I over-stepping as stepmom?

Lately Punk has had this sort-of 'better than you' attitude towards other people (everyone, really; even the Husband), and it really gets to me. I never wanted to raise a child that was arrogant or stuck up or felt like she was better than others. But how much can I even contribute to who she becomes? I try to be a good example, but what more can I do? I definitely don't want to start problems or point fingers or make it seem like I'm blaming anyone, because I'm not. But I find myself getting annoyed with it, quickly; partly because it's a terrible attitude to have and partly because there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.

I've had to come to terms with stepping back. It's actually part of my 2013 plan (I made a resolution to be happy; that's it) - to step back and relax a little. To not be so hard on myself and not get myself down for the littlest things. I spent all of my day off Monday reading. In fact, I've read four books already this year. I read instead of cleaning sometimes, and it's nice. I reorganized my sanctuary to feel better when I'm in there. And this weekend, I'm going to buy fabric and make myself a blanket with the sewing machine I got for Christmas. I'm not going to worry about things that are out of my control, especially in the stepparenting realm. Because, really, when it comes down to it... there's nothing more I can be doing than what I'm already doing. And I need to learn to be okay with that.

Photo dump Wednesday.

Hey! Another medical ID bracelet! Just getting tested for the flu, which was negative. Just another way 2013 is trying to kill me. Looking forward to a great February! *sarcasm*

This is one of my favorite things about working from home - this little evil creature turns into my snuggle buddy. I love every second of his warm purry self on my lap.

OMG you guys. "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" by Jenny Lawson. I read it last weekend and was seriously dying of laughter! If you like TheBloggess.com, you'll really love this book. I died twice.

Selfie, from the devil cat. He likes to rub his face on my phone and apparently, it responds well to his touch.

Photo dump Wednesday.

I love this kid. We can be goofy together in our Kanye glasses and a t-rex chomper named Dine O. Saur.

I done chopped all my hairs off. I kind of love it and I kind of miss my long blonde hair. But mostly I love it.

Mason jar salads. About two hours of washing, chopping, peeling, and packing it into jars for two weeks of meatless, healthy lunches. Awesome sauce. I will make a tutorial if you guys are interested.

Punk and her cheer squad took FIRST PLACE at their first competition! I am so proud of her for the hard work she's put into cheer. And, they really did rock it. Plus, look how cute her and her cheer bestie are.

That salsa. I just made a second batch last night because the Husband was begging for it. So freaking good.

It's too cold for anything right now.

So, record-breaking low temperatures are everywhere. But I want to complain about how it's worse for me than you right now, okay?

It's been single-digit temperatures for nearly three weeks, with the exception of two or three days where it made it up to a whopping 28ºF. My body is revolting against the cold by getting a cold. What the fuck is that? Seriously, body; how does that make ANY SENSE? Next time, maybe you could combat the cold with cupcakes. I don't know how that will work, but it sounds better to me.

Springville city sucks a fat one at plowing the roads, so after the 8 inches in one night and then the upper-20's the next day and then back to the negative temps, the entire city is just one big ice field. It's kind of awesome when you know how to drive in it. Kind of not awesome when no one else does.

I'm pretending I am not getting sick. It's not going well so far, but I'm trying. I don't have a fever. My nose is not running. And I absolutely do not have a cough. That's just a tickle from the popcorn I ate last week. Or my tonsils healing. Right? Right. Also, my voice? I picked up smoking. Back off my shit.

Punk had her first cheer competition on Saturday and they took first place! Out of 12 teams! That's freaking awesome. They did such a good job. And BioMom and I spent nearly all day Saturday together. We didn't argue or have issues, and she actually hugged me when I was having a panic attack because my niece was called in as a runaway (she's fine now, until I get to her). I can't say it didn't have its awkward moments, but overall it was not bad. It gives me hope for California.

I hope for everyone's sake, the "warmth" comes back. I never thought I'd say it, but I would give my left nut to see 40ºF again. Wait, what? You heard me. Left nut. Don't ask questions.

Things I learned on Pinterest: easy homemade salsa

pinned by me here; originally pinned from mountain mama cooks

 

This salsa is THE SHIT. Seriously. So good and so easy and just... the shit, okay?

Easy Homemade Salsa

Ingredients

1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (10 oz.) original Rotel

1/2 small onion, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

jalapeno to taste - I used 1 whole jalapeno, with the seeds, because I like it hot

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

medium size handful of cilantro, washed

juice of 1 lime

Put all of the ingredients together in a food processor (or a good blender). Pulse for 30 seconds to 1 minute, basically until all of the ingredients are combined and the salsa is your desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Eat and die** at how easy and delicious it is.

**Don't really die.

Photo dump Wednesday (aka phoning it in)

The remodeling of the living room starts. Tearing down wallpaper is awfully stress relieving.

A freaking fantastic waffle from the Waffle Love food truck. Food trucks are finally hitting Utah and I couldn't be happier. This was ridiculously good!

We went for almost two weeks without hitting double digits, and it was below zero every morning when I came to work. I rejoiced today when the forecast said 33ºF.

The only cool thing about it being so cold is that when it snows, the snowflakes hold their shape for a really long time. These were on my windshield when I got to work. I used the macro focus on my phone to take the picture, and I'm awfully proud of how in-focus the flakes are.

December GLOSSYBOX review

Have you heard of GLOSSYBOX? Well, just in case you haven't, let me explain. GLOSSYBOX is a subscription service you can get where they send you a box each month filled with 5 different travel-sized beauty products, and the boxes start at $21 including shipping. They range from fingernail polish to hairspray to bath salts, etc. So many different things! If you are wanting to try new products but not pay so much before you know you like it, GLOSSYBOX is a perfect option.

If you are wanting to try it out, there's a link in my sidebar <<<<< to sign up. (I am an affiliate, so yes, I get something for you buying a subscription.)

I was sent the December box to review. Here's what my fancy box had inside:

ZOYA nail lacquer. This was by far my favorite in the entire box. I got ZIV (?? that's what it says on the bottom of the bottle so I'm assuming that's the name of the color...) and it's incredible! It's a sparkly gold that goes on super smooth and looks more like gold chrome when it dries. I super love it.

Pleats Please perfume by Issey Miyake. The smell of this perfume is very musky. It's not a bad scent, but it's toooooo strong for my sensitive nose.

JEWELMINT jewelry. I got a really rad ring, but I wish it was a bigger size because it's a large ring but only fits on my pinky, so it's kind of awkward. I will probably wear it out every once in awhile, but it's not an everyday ring for sure.

Denise Richards Volume Extend by Christophe. This is a finishing spray that says it will provide "a touchable hold all day long without buildup." It's supposed to maximize volume, thickness, and shine. To be completely honest, I didn't notice much of a difference between this and my cheap hairspray. BUT, my hair does cooperate rather well. It may work better for someone with hard-to-manage hair.

mark. Lipclick Luxe lipstick in m.powerment petal. I'm not a big lipstick wearer, but this isn't bad. It's got a fairly minty scent to it and it's light so it doesn't make my lips feel gross. The color is a neutral pink that's close to my natural lip color, so it more just makes them pop a little. I really like the tube, though - it's got a magnetic closure so no fear of it coming open in your purse and ruining everything.

Wella Velvet Amplifier. This is a hair primer. I chopped all my hair off, and it basically does whatever I tell it to, so I haven't used this yet. Punk's hair is stick-straight so I'm going to use it on her and curl her hair to see how it holds. I've always been pretty happy will Wella products though, so I'm hoping for good things.

Heartland Fragrance Co. bath salts. My second-favorite item in the box. I got the white tea scent, and they smell INCREDIBLE. I don't really take baths, but I did toss a handful into the shower before I got in and it made for a fantastic shower. They can also be used to exfoliate, which I absolutely plan to do. These are yummy.

Ch-ch-ch-check it out!

   

 My hair is all gone. And it's too cold for it. But whatev. I really love it like this even though I was trying so hard to have long hair.

Because it's Friday. And I have cash burning a hole through my pocket.

I got some money for Christmas, and every single piece of my being wants to spend it so hard, it's nearly killed me twice already. I'm not on Etsy anymore, but I still do a bit of shopping there. Here are some super fantastic things I found today...

penguin iPad case from BoutiqueID (but I'd want it for my Nook)

felt flower headband from No Plain T's

robot pocket notebook from The Tiny Fig

grab bag of elastic hair ties from Studio Asparagus

set of 6 chevron hair clips, also from Studio Asparagus

rad plaid fabric earrings by made by jewls

**I wasn't paid anything or given anything to post these. I just really like them and thought I'd share some cute products/Etsy shops while I was moseying around the internet.

2012 in review.

As a whole, 2012 was just too shitty for my taste. Yes, good things happened. But when I think about it in its entirety, I'm relieved it is over and seriously looking forward to a new year. Plus, it's 2013, which is awesome! I love 13. Here's hoping it's a great year.

Kendahl

• Started the year off in the second worst depressive period I've had since high school. I was sooooo incredibly low, it hurt. Got on a trial medication and it's really helping and I'm sad I have to stop taking it ever. This is probably why the year was so shitty, though. It's been a battle.
• Started a new job selling renter's insurance and LOVE it. Probably my highlight of the year. 
• Ran a 5k. 32 minutes, yo! Proud of myself for this one.
• December was the month for medical issues. Got a kidney infection, had my tonsils out, and ended the year with a bang by ripping open the tonsil wound and losing over a pint of blood in the ER waiting room.

Husband

• Wrecked his BMX bike and lacerated a kidney. Spent the night in the hospital peeing blood. 17 days before our health insurance kicked in.
• Sliced his thumb almost to the bone. Ended up with 18 stitches holding it back together. One seriously wicked scar to show for it.
• Finally finished the dragster and got it to the track. Now addicted to it.
• Bought a Jeep and started rock crawling, thanks to my incessant pestering for the last 7 years. Loving that.
• Spent more money than I care to count up buying a new motor for the dragster and a bad ass tranny for the Jeep so we can go hard. It's how we do.
• Threatened to quit his job no fewer than 38 times.

Punk

• In sixth freaking grade now. SCARY. Next year is junior high. EVEN MORE SCARY.
• Got a big girl four wheeler and is such a good rider. Also scary.
• Tried out for and got on a competition cheer team. This takes up every extra second of her time, but she's rocking it.
• Conquered a double back handspring all by herself!
• Excelling in school, especially math - she's even in the accelerated math class.

I feel like our year was so boring when I write it out but it really wasn't. This was probably the busiest year of my life so far, between everything we have going on. I lived through it and am looking forward to a GREAT 2013. (It's all in the mindset, right?)