Life is... Good!

I often wonder, “Why can’t I have my cake and eat it too?” Answer?

In the words of so many, “Life isn’t fair.” Hmm… Bummer.

I can hear something over and over, but never hear it. (I believe that was a confession). I can know something, but not really know it. Sometimes it takes being told again, or a slap in the face, to change.

This past spring, someone told me to simply “cherish the good days.” I go back to this often. I do not use this thought to compare myself to others, but to remember to be thankful. Not every day is going to be fantastic. In fact, many days won’t even be close. However, reflecting back to times that were good give hope of what’s to come.

I was also reminded of how much can happen in one day, one hour, one moment. “Cherish the good moments.” When I can’t have my cake or even have a slice, I can remember the times that I was able to devour an entire sheet cake! (I’m getting hungry).

My aunt, Tammy, always wears the “Life is Good” t-shirts. What an awesome company. Their slogan is “Spreading the Power of Optimism.” It’s hard not to smile when you see the silly sayings and pictures. While life is not always fair, it really is good.

Naked Nails

I decided today that I am “medium maintenance.” I would like to coin this term, thank you. By this I mean I am not low nor high maintenance. How did I decide this? Well, I have gone almost 24 hours with naked nails. If I were high maintenance, this would never occur. If I were low maintenance, this would not bother me.

News flash!!! It’s starting to bother me. The way I see it, painting my nails is a noncommittal tattoo. It’s my art outlet. I can change the color to match my outfit or an event I’m attending. Just perfect. I suppose Dad would call this my “vice.” Call it what you may. All I know is that I sweat a little when I see this….

and this....

She's My Bean Queen

Cooking shows are entertaining. It seems that in the past few years, The Cooking Channel and The Food Network have grown in popularity. This is fine by me, because I have totally jumped on the bandwagon!

Let's face it. There is a lot of study down time in college. When I was a freshman, I found myself utterly intrigued by Paula Deen.

Her focus is southern comfort food. Her obsession with mayonnaise, butter, and all things bad for you is comical. Her love for life is simply contagious. As I began to follow her show, I realized that the reason I loved her so much is because she made me feel loved and comforted. Funny how someone I've never met is able to do this. Her cooking talent is evident, but her talents stretch far beyond the kitchen.

But let's get real. She's hilarious. 

"Bein' rich is having leftovers. Good leftovers make yo' tongue fly outta yo' mouth and smack yo' brains out."

"Nobody better get between a fat girl and her food. 'Specially if the girl is me."

"Oh I would be so teed off if I didn't put butter on my biscuit one mornin' and I walk out there and a truck hits me. And there my ass is, lyin' out in that street to die healthy. Oh, nooo, darlin'."

And if you really feel like laughing today...

It's just too bad that her sons, Jamie and Bobby, are married. Those are two pretty men. 

Where's the Cream Filling??

When people say they like organic potato chips and brussel sprouts, I have to question them just a little. I like a lot of health foods. I see them importance in whole grains, fruits, and veggies. But, who are we kidding? A few cheese balls dipped in ranch dressing just does the trick sometimes. I could honestly live on M&Ms and diet soda. 

When I see donuts, my mouth begins to water. There, I said it. I love donuts. Ugh! I just can’t hide it anymore. I’m not partial to any certain kind. I don’t want hurt feelings here. A cream-filled long john is sufficient; however, I enjoy a little donut hole just as well. I will treat all donuts equal, just as they should be. 

This is where balance becomes so important. A donut here or there will not kill me. The Krispy Kreme diet, however, is a bit of an overload. I have found that seeking balance can be challenging, and not just with my donut obsession :-) After reading God Never Blinks by Regina Brett, I realized the importance of taking the next right choice. Live for each moment, and go with what feels right. Everything else will fall into place. There is no need to worry about the past or future. Just take the next right step. Even if it means eating a teeny, tiny donut hole. 

Say My Name, Same My Name...

For any runners looking for a really great tool, check out Map My Run. I use it to find running/biking routes. It works especially well when I want to run in unfamiliar places. It's quite user-friendly. Today I found a new 4-mile loop. It's nice to switch it up and feel excited about running again!

This weekend I had brunch in Des Moines at Jethro's BBQ. It's located near the Drake campus, and has been visited by the Travel Channel's "Man vs. Food" show!

Host Adam Richman attempted to eat a five pound sandwich in 15 minutes. Crazy! (He failed with one pound left).

As I looked over the brunch menu, I noticed an omelet named the "Anna Kay." Even though my middle name is Jane, not Kay, my eyes jumped quickly to this part of the menu. 

When I was little, I searched the public library for any book with a character named Anna. I read the same stories over and over. Why this was so exciting, I will never know. 

Growing up, I never liked my name. When we ordered shirts for clubs and sports, my girlfriends would put their first names on the back. "Ashley,""Kelli," "Brooke"... They all looked so cute. My shirt said "Anna." Two letters. Boring and short! What a sad life I lived ;-)

However, I suppose my name does have some perks. 

• I mean, it rhymes with banana, one of my favorite fruits. 
• It's a palindrome. Anna. Did I just write that forward or backward? You will never know. 
• It means "gracious." Clearly perfect for me.
• But best of all, I was named after my great grandma :-) 

Fun fact: It is technically pronounced /a-na/

Song of the day: "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child. Tootles!!!

Forever Young, I Want To Be Forever Young

I am an avid reader of msn.com. It is a great source for news, sports, entertainment, fashion….  really just EVERYTHING! I just love it; however, it tends to be quite the time sucker. Some of my favorite pages include “fitbie” and “glo.” There is just so much information. Each article leads to another. Honestly, just amazing. Sorry, I’m a nerd.

Today I came across an interesting article called “What We Wish We Knew As Teens.” This age group is so intriguing to me, so I immediately clicked on it.

Bayside High = most iconic high school of all time

Back off ladies, Dylan is mine.

Here is the list:

           

1.     Love Who You Are

2.     Have More Fun

3.     Character Counts

4.     Awkwardness Fades

5.     Memories Fade, Too

6.     Don’t Limit Who You Date

7.     Think of Your Career

8.     Don’t Rush

9.     Tune Out the Haters

10.  Allow Yourself to be Pursued

11.  Just Breathe

I absolutely love this list. In my mind, it is perfect. High school is a busy time. There are activities and obligations. Teenagers are learning who they are. Personalities are being formed. Each individual has so much to offer to the world. Each teenager is special in his or her own way. It is easy to let the stress of fitting in and future plans muddle the high school experience.

Looking back, I spread myself too thin. While it’s not good to put all of your eggs in one basket, it is also not ideal to do everything. Teenage years should be about figuring out strengths and weaknesses. It’s about making mistakes and learning from them.

It is easy to “shoulda, coulda, woulda” the high school years. The fact is that they shape who we are today. All of the awkwardness is part of the ride. “It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.” Thank you Green Day :-)

Last but not least, the high schools of the future:

Are you a Gleek?

Zac Efron is stealing the hearts of tweens, teens, and adults. Truth hurts.

I feel like turning on "The Breakfast Club." Sounds like a nice little Sunday for me. Take care. Call a high school friend.... or don't. 

Snap Out've It!

I'm all about getting a solid eight hours of sleep each night. With that being said, we all know that life happens. Late nights and early mornings are sometimes necessary. Like Faith Hill said, "The secret of life is getting up early, the secret of life is staying up late." The problem is when they both occur the same night.


Along with less sleep comes irritable Anna. For some reason my eyes feel wacky, cold sores form, and I'm just plain doggin' it. Not fun.

Introducing....

The Nap. Oh, how this three letter word has become my best friend. Now, I'm not the type to nap for hours on end (I consider that actually sleeping). I am a huge fan of the "cat nap." Just 20-30 minutes of "resting my eyes" is heavenly.

Then there's the "snap out've it" nap. These sometimes cause a bit of anxiety. This is when you are so out of it that you wake up in a sweat. Panic sets in. Where am I? Where am I supposed to be? What day is it? Is it 5:00 am or pm? Ahhhh!!! Clearly, you need to "snap out've it."






This girl is pretty notorious for this type of nap :-)
Love you, Katherine.






Now that I just got my nap in, it's time to pull myself together and meet a few friends out for the Sturgis Falls Celebration! Hope the weekend is going well!