Happy Thursday! So I've been MIA for over a month now (whoopsies), but life has been so hectic! After returning from my brother's wedding in California last month elections came, which if you've ever worked in news you know it's a crazy day, but then something amazing happened. I know it's Thanksgiving, but why not take this chance to catch up?!
Let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud and I'll explain it all!
1. On November 2, my incredible boyfriend got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was totally shocked and surprised, and once I got over the fact I thought he was kidding, of course I said YES! The ring he picked out is absolutely stunning, but more importantly I'm over the moon to be marrying the most amazing man💜Our family and friends have been so supportive, it's been overwhelming in the best way possible. We're getting married next year on June 8. Bring on the wedding planning!! AKA PLEASE HELP! We have no clue what we're doing🙆
2. This is probably my favorite picture of Brent and I ever despite my hair being a total windblown disaster in a pony tail. We were out watching the sunset at Newport Beach on our last night in California when someone asked if we could snap a photo of them. Of course we agreed and they returned the favor. Brent surprised me with this kiss, but the love is so evident on both our faces. I'm still trying to process that I get to marry this man in less than a year💍
3. My brother's wedding was absolutely beautiful. It was this incredible garden in Fallbrook, California. The food was delicious, the ceremony was beautiful, and we had so much fun dancing the night away. Most of my family couldn't make the trip out to California, but my closest cousin and her husband made the trip which made it even more fun. Overall it was a great wedding and it was so nice to spend some time with my family.
4. Of course stopping at Pressed Juicery is a must when in Cali! I got to introduce Brent to the deliciousness that is Pressed. He loved it equally as much as I did and we sat out in the beautiful sunshine eating it. I'm trying to convince him CA would be a great place to live because there's no snow! He's not a fan of the traffic, but I think we'd get used to it after awhile (hopefully). Seriously though no snow is the dream.
5. I don't want to flood anyone with wedding photos or our Cali trip photos so I'll end it here. One of my friends showed me this quote after Brent and I announced our engagement. Several people suggested to each of us that we should date before we even were seeing each other. Clearly everyone could see our chemistry. Our relationship is so easy and effortless it's truly a blessing. I never imagined I'd find someone so perfect, but now that I have him I'm never letting him go!
Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the day with family and friends💜
Happy Thursday!! It's been a super busy week at work, but I'm very excited because not only is it my weekend I'm leaving on vacation🙌My brother is getting married over the weekend so we're flying out to California to spend a few days with them before and after the wedding. I'll be sharing pictures on my instagram so be sure to follow📸 Anyway, let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. Have you ever seen such a big fork?! Yeah me either. I did a story with a group of local school who competed against each other in a "food fight" to see who could get the most food in one minute out of a super market. All the food goes to the local food bank and the winner gets this massive fork. Naturally I went on camera with the fork and had a blast laughing at myself with this hue fork. One of the stores employees pointed out the fork was almost as big as I was. I'm pretty sure that was a short person joke....and I'm not even short.
2. I am most definitely not qualified to be a cat person. I watched one of my friends cats while she was gone over the weekend and he was so needy. He wanted to be petted constantly and I can't get over how gross a litter box is. He was cute, but I will definitely be sticking to my crazy dog lady ways.
3. I've got some new recipes to share with you guys! It's been so long since I've shared a recipe, but this one is a good one. It's a granola bar that's packed with tons of deliciousness- almonds, cranberries, chia seeds, and more😋The recipe will be coming your way soon!
4. A lot of kids can't have candy on Halloween because so many of them have food allergies or other reasons why they can't. This week I did a story with a woman who volunteers at a thrift store in town and instead of throwing out the toys the store doesn't sell she takes them, washes, mends, puts a bow on them, and then passes them out on Halloween. She was an incredible woman and I had a blast doing the story with her. It's so nice to see people going out of their way to include all kids in Halloween🎃
5. This💜You do belong, you're important, you're valued, and you're loved! Everyone goes through tough times, but that doesn't mean we no longer have a purpose. There is a reason you are on this planet. Sure everyday won't be great, but you are here and have a God who radically loves you. It blows my mind to even think about how he sees us. He sees us through a lens of love. The opinions of others do not affect how he sees you.
Have a terrific weekend and I'll be sharing some pictures from Cali starting tomorrow🎉🎉🎉
Happy Thursday! It's more than halfway through the week and it's already felt like the longest week ever. Good news is only one more work week to get through and then I'm off to Cali for my brothers wedding! Anyway before I start rambling let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. Puppies make everything better🐶Once a week my boyfriend and I go to the shelter to look at and play with dogs that are up for adoption. It helps socialize the dogs and get them adopted quicker, but it also allows us to get our puppy fix. This handsome fella is named Divo. He's a husky mix and 50 pounds of pure fluff. He's was so calm in his kennel, but when we got into a room with him he went crazy. Granted he's only 10 months old, but the fella had us fooled; he's a sweet pup though and I have no doubt he'll find an incredible home.
2. I had a massive nerd moment the other day. I shared a picture on instagram from when I was home sick and pulled out Atticus' new book The Dark Between Stars, well he liked my photo and I totally geeked out. I'm such a poetry nerd and I feel no shame admitting it. Any other fellow poetry nerds out there?
3. TV reporting is most definitely not glamorous. A lot of people think we get our hair and makeup done for us, which is not true, and we get clothes given to us, also not true. We pay for everything ourselves and trust me we do not make a lot of money. I was outside a local middle school reporting on a really awesome program they have and a bee kept swarming me. He was buzzing me for a solid 5 minutes and I finally hit him with the mic and he flew away. I looked like a crazy lady out there swinging my mic at the bee but I was not about to get stung🐝
4. The program is too awesome not to share about. It's a group of 16 middle schoolers who are known as the Hope Squad. They're trained by their school counselors to be on the lookout for other students who are depressed or potentially thinking about suicide. The kids reach out to them, lend a listening ear, and if needed (if the case of suicidal thoughts) reach out to the counselors to let them know what's going on. It's a fantastic program, the kids were so passionate about it and you could just tell they were making a difference in their school.
5. Example two of reporting not being glamorous. I was covering this incredible female powerlifter and sometimes to get cool shots you have to get down and dirty...in a dress. I was on the ground on my hands and knees to get the shot I wanted- mind you not a flattering pose- when the gyms manager snapped a photo and shared it all over social media. I got quite the array of comments on my "lovely" pose in the newsroom🤦
6. Oh how I wish we could make people understand this. You are so much more than whatever happened in your past. Your past does not define you. You are strong, you are beautiful, you are loved, and you have the ability to do anything you want to do. I don't promise it will be easy- it might take years to achieve and be a tremendous struggle, but the risk is so worth the reward. Your future and your happiness are worth it. Don't let your past define you. Let it inspire you to work toward a better future.
Happy Thursday and have a terrific weekend🎉🎉🎉
Happy Thursday! This week has felt so long, anyone else dragging right now? Part of that has been a few early mornings at work, but my lupus has been acting up so I feel really run down. Aside from some laundry, cleaning, and hitting the gym I plan on doing a whole lot of nothing on my days off to get my body some rest. Anyway, let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. Pretty much anyone who knows me knows I'm a massive poetry nerd. I finally got my hands on Atticus' new book The Dark Between Stars. It's so beautiful. The poems are similar to his first book, but also delve deeper into emotions and love. I highly recommend it!
2. I've been dreaming of açai bowls for weeks now. In two weeks I'll be able to eat all the açai bowls my tummy can stand when my boyfriend and I head out to Cali for my brothers wedding. We're super excited to get a few days away from work and to get time to relax. Both working high demand jobs is hard, so getting to spend time together and with my family will be super nice. Plus we get to dance the night away when my brother gets married💃
3. It's been awhile since I've done yoga on my own. My boyfriend and I try to get to class at least once a week but it's hard with our schedules. Taking time out to practice by myself again has been relaxing, but also frustrating because I can't do as much as I used to. I know it's a matter of time before it all comes back and I need to be patient, but patience is not one of my strong suits😬
4. I love this quote. So often when we face difficult times we panic and feel stuck because we can't see the outcome. For me personally, some of the most difficult times I've ever gone through forced me to grow the most. No one likes going through hard times, but I know I'm stronger because of them. I wouldn't be the person I am had I not gone through times that tested me. I definitely wouldn't be working a job I love right now, I wouldn't have the incredible boyfriend I do, and I wouldn't be as strong or half as feisty as I am. Don't let hard times break you, let them shape you.
Have a terrific Thursday and a great weekend🎉🎉🎉
Happy Thursday! It's been awhile, but sometimes breaks are needed and stepping away from screens has been nice. It's hard because all day I'm surrounded by screens, constantly checking social media. It's a big reason I've majorly stepped back from the blog because when I'm off work I just need time away. Anyway, I'm back this week so let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. Two weeks ago we ventured down to Kansas City for a weekend away from work. Since I work weekends I never get to go out and have fun because I have to be in bright and early, so having a weekend away was super nice. My incredible boyfriend surprised me with Taylor Swift tickets for my birthday. I had been to one Taylor Swift concert before so I knew it would be a good show, but dang it was flat out amazing! She put on such a good show, played almost all the songs from her reputation album along with some older songs. Overall such a good concert and there's no one I would have rather gone with💜
2. While in Kansas City we did some exploring, but the weather wasn't ideal for most of Saturday. Thankfully it cleared up for the concert and then Sunday was beautiful. Sunday morning we ventured to the library in the heart of downtown because they have this incredible front that's made up of book covers. I was super excited to see it, totally nerdy I know, but I love books and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
3. Do you know someone that really likes peanut butter? I mean really, really likes it? My boyfriend is that person. He goes through so much he bought a four pound container of it at Target. We put a mark on the calendar to see how long the jar lasts. So far we're a week in and he's definitely made a decent dent in it.
4. I captured this sunset while I was out on a late night shoot with two friends from work. It was so beautiful and I loved how the suns rays could be seen in the blue sky. Sunset is such a magical time. The colors in the sky always amaze me, every night is a little different, and at least for me it's so easy to get lost in the beauty of those moments.
5. This is one of my all time favorite quotes. I never fully understood how true it was until I started dating my boyfriend. When you find someone you want to spend all your time with, you never get tired of their company, you miss them the second they leave, they feel like home, and they make your world feel more alive and beautiful, at least for me that's when this became true. I knew what it meant to find someone you're so in love with that you'd do anything for and you'd choose them in any version of reality💜
Have a great Thursday and a terrific weekend🎉🎉🎉
Happy Thursday! This week has felt long and fairly miserable thanks to allergies. Any fellow allergy sufferers out there🙋it's rained fours days in a row here in Nebraska and of course my number one allergy is mold so the rain hasn't helped that at all. On the bright side I'm off for four days now and get to head out on a mini road trip🚗 But before I head out let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. Yawning puppies, really does get any cuter than that? My boyfriend and I regularly go to the local humane society to look at dogs and of course play with them too. I'm not a little dog person, but these two baby chihuahuas were so stinking cute. They were all snuggled up when we walked by them, then they perked up and the front fella starting yawning. I can't help but be enamored by puppy yawns😍
2. I saw this running bumper sticker a few days ago and laughed. A normal marathon is 26.2 miles, so getting lost for an extra 1.7 miles is impressive...and a little sad. I told the guy at the running store about this while I was buying new shoes and he got a kick out of it too. I'd love to hear the story behind that one.
3. My boyfriend is beyond amazing. He would hate that I brag on him, but I've never met such a thoughtful, kind, and loving person. Every single day he does something to make sure I know I'm loved. This week has been rough so he slipped a note into my lunchbox, I found it at work and instantly smiled. I thank God every single day for him because he is the biggest blessing in my life. Since I know he reads this, I love you (and I will always brag on you!)💜
4. Peanut butter and bananas, it's a classic combo, but it's even better in waffle form. We've made them several times now when we're making breakfast for dinner. They're super easy to make, only require a few ingredients, and are ready in a jiffy- which is good when you're starving.
5. Sunday morning I was driving back from a super early morning shoot at work when I got stuck at the light right in front of the Nebraska state capitol. It was a quiet, very peaceful morning. There's almost always people milling around, but it was totally quiet for once so I knew I had to take a picture. It's also a really pretty building inside and out. There's so much history in it, it always takes me back.
6. I never thought this verse from Songs of Solomon would mean anything or be true for me. I tried to force relationships on my own for a long time and I can tell you they didn't work out on purpose. I was miserable in them and I was definitely not in love. But God is faithful and his plans work out in his perfect timing. When I was least expecting it he plopped my boyfriend into my life, who had been just a friend and made me see him in a different light. It's something I never expected and never imagined, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Six months ago if you would have told me I would be where I am right now I would have laughed in your face, but God works in ways I will never understand. I can only be incredibly grateful his ways are superior because my way was a disaster. You may not be able to see it now, but I promise you he has far greater things planned for you than you could even begin to imagine.
Have a terrific Thursday and a great weekend🎉🎉🎉
Happy Thursday! Sorry for skipping last weeks thinking out loud, but I was just in need of a digital detox. I spend all day at work on social media and staring at screens so it was nice to take a break. I've also been in a bit of a rut with posting. I rarely cook anything worth sharing, free time isn't something I have a lot of, so I stick to the basics. It's easier that way with my job. Anyway I'll stop babbling now so let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. This song is incredible. My boyfriend stumbled across it while he was watching one of his weightlifting videos (not sure what macho weight lifter would listen to this song), but it's so beautiful. It's instrumental and just a beautiful love song. I highly recommend checking it out!
2. Running the past couple of months has been a struggle. I've cut back or flat out not done it several times. I think part of it has been from pure exhaustion (work and lupus fatigue), lacking motivation (I'm not afraid to admit it happens to me), and several other factors. Last Thursday I had a really solid run for the first time in a long time. When I was done I sat on the gym floor dripping and sweat smiling from ear to ear like a crazy lady. I wanted to scream FINALLY! Running has always been therapeutic for me so I missed it, but I also wanted to listen to my body which clearly needed a break. I'm not back to running like I was, that will take time and I'm going to listen to my body. If running sounds like a good idea then I'll happily hop on board, if not then I'll do other cardio.
3. My boyfriend is so unbelievably amazing. We leave each other sticky notes to find all over each others apartments- he's far more creative at finding places to put than I am. I was on the phone with my dad and I opened the fridge to grab my water bottle and just started laughing. Right there on the middle shelf was a sticky note. He's also put one on the toilet that scared me half to death when I went to pee early in the morning.
4. The humane society here has a snapchat where they post all their adorable animals to their story. My boyfriend and I have gone several times to play with dogs just because we saw them on snapchat. This cutie was posted yesterday and her expression just melted my heart😍the shelter said using snapchat to showcase animals has been a really effective way for them to get animals adopted.
5. There is so much still to come in life. Even during the hard moments in life think of all the joy there is still to be had. Don't give up.
"Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." Psalm 23:4
Have a terrific Thursday and an incredible weekend🎉🎉🎉
Happy Thursday! What a week it has been. There's been a lot of hours logged at work thanks to some major events happening in the state, but I've gotten to pet some dogs and work with two of my best friends. Overall it's been a solid week but I'm VERY thankful it's my weekend🙌I plan on taking some naps, working out, and taking some more naps😴 Anyway, let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. Monday was the first day of school for kids here. I went into work early to cover kids going back, get their reactions about being back at school, and to talk to parents about having their lives back now that the kiddos are back in school😉Little did I know there would be an angelic dog at the elementary school I was getting video at. This pup is a therapy dog of one of the teachers at the school. The kids all loved her and the younger kids who were crying because they didn't want to leave mom and dad got walked to their classroom by this adorable pup. I wish my school would have had a therapy dog🐶
2. Have you seen the @i_weigh movement on instagram? One of my best friends at the station showed it to me and challenged all the girls at the station to participate in it. All you do is take a picture of yourself, put characteristics about yourself around you, and tag @i_weigh on instagram. It's all about inspiring positivity about yourself. There's a lack of self-love and it's a great way to realize how amazing you are!
3. Let's talk about jackfruit. I've heard about all the incredible benefits of jackfruit, but I've never actually had it. I do think it's ridiculous to buy this monster in the store, especially when it's sold by the pound and it weighs a solid 25-30 pounds. Really what are you supposed to do with that thing?! Someone please explain because to me all it looks like is if you dropped it you'd break your foot or whatever it landed on.
4. For everyone who thinks reporting is super glamorous let me present you exhibit A. Everyone had to be at work early to report on a prisoner execution, it poured all day long, the humidity was 100% (aka HORRIFIC hair day), the wind kept catching my dress just right making me look pregnant, I had to stand on a curb to look taller, and the exhaustion was so real. On the bright side it was a hectic day with tons of breaking news, which I love, and I got to do team coverage with two of my best friends at the station. Despite th long day and all that went wrong it was actually a lot of fun.
5. I read this yesterday and thought it was so incredibly beautiful. Poetry is my favorite💜
Have a terrific Thursday and a great weekend everyone🎉🎉🎉
What is something you love about yourself?
How do you relax after a long day?
Happy Thursday! This week has been a bit of a rollaercoaster. There's a lot of big things happening both personally and professionally, so I'm glad it's my weekend where I can step back and just take a breather. Good news is all the changes are exciting, including my brother's wedding in Cali (mini vacay!) and going to a Taylor Swift concert in a few weeks🎉Anyway there's a ton of cute puppies ahead, so let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. It's not secret I'm in love (or mildly obsessed) with dogs. I'd love to adopt a pup from the humane society, but with my insane schedule and living in an apartment it's just not the ideal circumstances to have one. My boyfriend remedies my puppy love by taking me to the shelter every couple of week to play with all the dogs. Nothing beats giving those dogs a few minutes of attention because they're cooped up inside all day until they find homes. This sweeties name is Mocha and she was such a ham. All she wanted to do it play and give kisses, I hope she finds an amazing home💜
2. A lot of people think reporting is super glamorous- totally not true. Don't get me wrong I absolutely adore my job and my coworkers, but glamorous is not an adjective I would ever use to describe the job. A lot of my days are spent waiting around for people to call me back, rushing around like a crazy person to meet deadlines, lots of driving, and attempting to look put together when I'm on camera. I took this inside a live truck while our photographer (also one of my best friends) and I were stuck waiting around. It was well over 90 degrees and lemme tell you no AC can keep up that great with the heat🔥
3. Weird things happen around TV stations and in the latest edition of oddities I was walking outside to the station cars to go to a shoot and what do I find in the parking lot? A pair of men's underwear. Lord know how they got there, I certainly don't want to know.
4. On a WAY cuter note, one of our evening anchors got a new puppy. She brought the adorable pup into work which automatically made my day and the little cutie was obsessed with sniffing the camera lens. Even though I had been stuck out in the heat and in the hot live truck as soon as I saw the puppy my day was instantly better. Puppies really do make everything better🐶
5. Having gracious speech is something everyone could work on, myself included. I'm far from gracious. If I'm asked my opinion I will give it and I don't believe in sugarcoating the truth, which isn't always the best. I'll never be the most gracious person in the room, but it's something I'll work on and will continue to work on forever.
Have a terrific Thursday and a great weekend!
Happy Thursday! Holy smokes how has it already been 100 weeks?! That's crazy to me and what's even crazier is people still bother to come check my blog! I've hardly blogged at all since moving to Nebraska, but ya'll still check in with me and email me and check instagram. I'm just so blown away all the time by how awesome my readers are. You guys are so good to me and I'm sending each of you a massive hug💜Anyway, aside from that mushy gushy moment let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud!
1. It's no secret I love amazon. I use it for most thing, the majority of the time it's cheaper than buying stuff in stores, plus it's delivered right to my door which is a huge plus. For the first time I ordered paper towel and toilet paper and my boyfriend was ripping me for it. It was delivered in a massive box (which I recycled), but I think it's super convenient, especially working a job with hours continually subject to change. He can make fun of me all he wants but I think it was a great idea😬
2. I got to dogsit for a day and it was probably one of the greatest days of my life. This sweet pupper and I went to the dog park three times, took a walk, a nap, and had an amazing day hanging out. She's a chow chow so that's why she's so poofy. She's an absolute sweetheart and I love when she cocks her head😍
3. Firefighters are so incredible. They work so unbelievably hard every single day, are constantly sleep deprived, and do not make nearly the amount of money they should. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to see a demonstration on how they rescue someone who's trapped after an accident. Their tools, called the jaws of life, are really incredible. In a matter of minutes the guys had the dummy victim out of the vehicle and were giving it medical attention. I've been to countless fires, but to see the medical side of their job was really interesting to me.
4. It's always better to give than to receive and it's so true. Nothing makes me feel better than giving. Whether it's to a friend, someone in need, no matter what or who giving just feels good. If you're feeling down volunteering is a great pick me up, plus you'll meet incredible people. True power is in giving. You don't have to give money either, time is an incredible gift and sometimes it's all someone wants.
Have a great Thursday and a terrific weekend🎉🎉🎉
What is your favorite way to give and why? Gifts, time, etc...
Do you like shopping at stores or the convenience of home delivery? Why?
