The Do's and Don'ts of Coconut Oil

I have been experimenting with the all purpose and cure all coconut oil. And I'm here to share my story.

DO: Use coconut oil as a pre-shower hair mask. It melts at very low temperatures so you can just hold it in your hands and run it through your hair. I'll leave it in for 20-60 minutes depending on how distracted I get doing other things.

DON'T: Use coconut oil as a conditioner (okay, this wasn't actually me but it was someone I'm very close to.... *cough*mother*cough*) it does not rinse well by itself and will just leave your hair an oily mess, right mom? haha!

DO: Use coconut oil as body lotion. When I'm fresh out of the shower it makes me feel so soft and silky, especially during this winter months where my skin gets so stinking dry. Bonus: use as a moisturizing lip gloss.

DON'T: Use coconut oil as a brush cleaner. I saw a video on Facebook that you could use coconut oil to wash your make up brushers, it took me about two weeks and about 4 washes to get my brushes usable again and I still didn't get all the oil again. Maybe I just used too much and I should have diluted it a bit more but I probably just won't try that one again.

UNDETERMINED: Oil pulling. I've heard it's great, in case you don't know what oil pulling is, you can read more HERE. I've tried it a couple times, I almost gagged the first time because the texture was so awful before it melted. I haven't noticed the benefits yet (I'm quite skeptical when it comes to holistic treatments) but my mouth does always feel fresh after trying it.


So there you have it! Have a great weekend and Happy Coconut Oil Using! :)

yes, i'm still here

I've thought about giving up on this little space of internet. But I can't get myself to do it. It's like a journal (which I have also been terrible at keeping up on). I love looking back at everything so, I will update when I can.

Guess what? I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL! It's been about 2 weeks and it just feels so amazing to be able to go home after work. I have decided to stay at America First until after the New Year and then I will look for an esthetics job. 

It's my very favorite time of the year. My house is all decorated and I just love sitting on my couch with all the twinkly lights turned on. 

Right now, I am watching Reign on Netflix and it is excellent, you would not believe the costumes in that show. They are to DIE for. I wish it was acceptable to wear extravagant gowns and dresses in just  daily life. Ugh. I was definitely born in the wrong time period.

Here are a few pictures from the last bit:

trip to moab

my "niece" her costume was the cutest

the people who helped me through school, taught me everything esthetics and became family

Have a wonderful Christmas Season!

tourists for a week

As you may have seen, we spent a week in my old stomping grounds in the beautiful San Francisco. My heart was so, so happy being back and being able to show Bryan where I spent almost two years and of course spending time with my 3 kiddos.

For those of you just joining in, I lived in SF as a live in nanny for almost two years to the most amazing family with the most amazing kids.

We did literally everything there is to do in San Francisco. Complete tourist status (except Alactraz because it was sold out, wahh!) Beach, wharf, the bridge, ate at a different restaurant for every meal, spent a night in the country on a beautiful vineyard, cable cars, Giants game. It was amazing.

The kids didn't know that I was coming so we were able to surprise them and it couldn't have gone better, they FREAKED after they finally realized who I was (and that took a lot longer than I expected hahaha). It was great, and of course we didn't record it but its fine, it was great:)

We stayed with my uncle Randy who is seriously host with the most. He was so amazing to us and I'm so glad we were able to spend time with him.


I shared all my pics on FB so I'll just share my favorite few here:

ps- my sister will be home in 3 days!!!

I Got Bangs (And Other Life Updates)

Hello all! I've had so many things happen lately (who hasn't?) and life just gets away from you, ya know? I started a new job at America First Credit Union and I am loving it! It is so great. Its a much better environment than my last job, I'm very happy there:) Bryan is out of school for the summer and does the majority of the housework and I come home everyday from school at 9:30 and tear up because he always does what I had been planning on doing that day whether it be dishes or laundry. I definitely got so lucky with him. He's the very, very best. 

I cut bangs! I swore I'd never do it again because I hate it every single time but I decided to not go as drastic this time and I'm loving the change. We had a celebration for my grandma for her 75th Birthday Party. She's the cutest.

Bryan and I got to go up to our beloved Star Valley, Wyoming over the 4th of July weekend. We went fishing, did some sketchy four wheeling trails and had delicious fresh raspberry shakes. It was nice to get away for a minute.

And in another minute, we are heading to California! I am so freaking excited I can't even tell you. It's been almost two years since I was there and every time I think about seeing my kiddos, I get like, giddy and want to cry because I'm so excited! The best part? The kids don't know I'm coming so I get to surprise them. I can't wait to show Bryan around the city that I came to love so very much.

I hope everyone else's lives are as happy and wonderful as mine:)

^^ hahahah I'm an idiot

I Got Bangs (And Other Life Updates)

Hello all! I've had so many things happen lately (who hasn't?) and life just gets away from you, ya know? I started a new job at America First Credit Union and I am loving it! It is so great. Its a much better environment than my last job, I'm very happy there:) Bryan is out of school for the summer and does the majority of the housework and I come home everyday from school at 9:30 and tear up because he always does what I had been planning on doing that day whether it be dishes or laundry. I definitely got so lucky with him. He's the very, very best. 

I cut bangs! I swore I'd never do it again because I hate it every single time but I decided to not go as drastic this time and I'm loving the change. We had a celebration for my grandma for her 75th Birthday Party. She's the cutest.

Bryan and I got to go up to our beloved Star Valley, Wyoming over the 4th of July weekend. We went fishing, did some sketchy four wheeling trails and had delicious fresh raspberry shakes. It was nice to get away for a minute.

And in another minute, we are heading to California! I am so freaking excited I can't even tell you. It's been almost two years since I was there and every time I think about seeing my kiddos, I get like, giddy and want to cry because I'm so excited! The best part? The kids don't know I'm coming so I get to surprise them. I can't wait to show Bryan around the city that I came to love so very much.

I hope everyone else's lives are as happy and wonderful as mine:)

A Series of Fortunate Events

This time of year always makes me super nostalgic. It's the time of year I graduated high school 5 years ago, Bryan left on his mission 4 years ago, we both came back to Utah 2 years ago and I started school 1 year ago all around this time.

Do you ever think about the decisions you made or events that happened to lead you to where you are now? Like I just think about if my parents had picked a different neighborhood to live in back in 2000, I wouldn't have met Bryan and married him 14 years later. Also, if I hadn't decided to date Bryan, I may have not decided to think about seeking out my own adventure while he was serving his mission. I wouldn't have lived in San Francisco, I wouldn't have met my nanny family or some of my very best and closest friends.

Or sometimes when something didn't work out the way you'd planned, it turned out for the better. Like when I wanted to start school in February of last year but things didn't work out with my financial aid so I had to push it to May instead. If that hadn't happened, I probably wouldn't have the job I have now, or have the friends I do.

Right now, I'm super bummed because my goal was to be done with school by the end of July but I did the math and I won't actually be done until the end of September. But I'm sure there is a reason for that and something wonderful is going to happen that could only happen if my schooling got pushed back.

I also wonder how on Earth I didn't see Bryan for TWO. WHOLE. YEARS. like, what?! That is such a long time! Nowadays, I hate having to leave him for a few hours for school in the mornings. ha ha. It's kind of embarrassing. But he's just my favorite:)


We bought a truck this week. We are SO EXCITED. We cannot take it up into the mountains. Also, guess what, we are going to San Francisco in 107 days. I check my countdown every single day because I'm so excited but it turns out, that makes time go by super slow.

Have a great day and I hope everyone is enjoying this incredibly beautiful weather! And always remember this:

I couldn't resist this ^^^ Baylor insisted on rollerblading when I went on a walk with my parents tonight hahaha.

"you will win beyond your wildest dreams"

"Just give it up. Surrender your will to Him. Unconditionally. Withhold nothing. Turn it all over to Him; all of your desires, wishes, dreams and hopes. Be true and faithful in your head and in your heart not just in your behavior. Trust in Him Trust Him who knows all things. Trust Him who has all power. Trust Him whose love for you is perfect. Trust Him, who alone suffered, paid and atoned for your sins, and for your weaknesses as well. Trust Him that He will make of you, immeasurable more than what you will ever, ever, in all eternity, make of yourself. He will create of you a masterpiece. You will create of you only a smudge. You will create an ordinary man. He will create a God... if you surrender, if the Lord wins, you win also... the only way to win is to lose. Lose yourself in the Lords work , and you will win beyond your wildest dreams." 

- Lawrence E. Corbridge,  The Fourth Missionary

Liv sent this quote last week and I haven't stopped thinking about it. It's talking about missionary work but it can be applied to almost any situation in life. 

Today I finished taking my basic esthetics test (finally) and I'm SO EXCITED. I have literally never been so nervous. I was the only one testing today and I was sweating bullets. I do this really fun thing where when I get nervous, I get physically ill. Like, full on stomach ache. I could not figure out what was wrong but my stomach was hurting for like, a full week and then I realized I was nervous and then I was fine. Anyways, I passed. So that's all that matters, right?

My favorite part of the whole week was solidifying plans to go to SAN FRANCISCO! I am so excited, I just keep picturing seeing my best little buddies' faces again and I like, want to cry because I miss them so, so much and I'm just so excited to see them again!

I went to the chiropractor for the first time ever today and I would recommend it to anyone because it was amazing. 

Also, if anyone has any remedies for keeping snakes, YES SNAKES, out of my basement apartment, it would be much appreciated! I am seriously freaking out.

HAVE  A WONDERFUL WEEK. AND BE SO HAPPY BECAUSE LIFE IS WONDERFUL.

change is a good thing

so, I stated a new job this week. I'm now working at the front desk of a salon in Salt Lake. I'm SO excited to be getting into the beauty industry, even if it's just front desk work. so with that said, I had to quit my job at Plato's. Which was nerve wracking because I'm a people pleaser and I hate being the bearer of bad news. But I did it! And I'm sad because I loved my time there but, like I said, change is a good thing:)

I took my basic esthetics written test yesterday and passed! So now I just need to take my practical and I'll be good to go! Until my masters test... but that's for another day.

This Valentine's Day was the first one Bryan and I have been together in 3 years. Last year I went out of town and the two years before that were when he was on his mission. We just went to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory and then watched a movie. Neither of us are huge fans of V-Day. I believe love should be shown everyday of the year. You shouldn't need a special day to show your love to someone. So there's that.

I've been REALLY missing my sister the last couple weeks. And today, I wanted to be with her even more. I just wanted to give her a hug and take her to get ice cream and sing embarrassing songs at the top of our lungs in my car.

Utah Skies

The skies have been exceptionally incredible this week. Probably thanks to the nasty inversion. Oh Utah, I do love you but your air quality is sub par.

Bryan and I like to pretend we have the money to buy a house. We're constantly on KSL and Zillow finding what we like and what we would do in terms of updating and such. We even went and walked through an amazing model home. Its all in good fun. What was really fun was when the big ol' powerball jackpot was waiting to be claimed and we talked about what we'd do with all that money. But if I learned anything from Breaking Bad, (besides meth is bad) its that money doesn't fix everything. So for now, we are happy in our cute little apartment. 

I hope everyone is well. I'm a week away from taking my basic esthetics state board test, so wish me luck!!

Capitol Reef

We got to go down to Capitol Reef (aka- one of my favorite places ever). It was a long drive and we didn't get the camping spot we wanted and it rained a lot but, man, was it incredibly beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen such yellow trees! The pictures do not even do it justice.

^ lucky me ;) ^

Also, I just started doing eye lash extensions! This is my very first set. I'm not even close to perfecting it but I'm quite proud of my first set:) So starting next week, book and appointment with me at the DATC 801-593-2401 so I can get in some practice!:)

PS- everyone go watch Breaking Bad! Bryan and I just finished it and I still can't even get over it!

A Perfect One Year

To celebrate our one year anniversary we spent the weekend in Park City and pretty much did nothing and it was so perfect:)

I'm so unbelievably happy and life is just great:)