life as I know it.

Folks, it's been a while. But I want you to know I'm back, I've slept for a week straight, and I am ready to go. Dance has slowed down. It's not over, but it is incredibly less stressful. February was the first time that I was actually able to do something I wanted to do [besides sleep all day Sunday]. It's crazy what a wonderful feeling it is to be able to do something fun. Do something selfish that is purely for my enjoyment. The past 2 weeks I have lazily watched tv without falling asleep within the first 2 minutes. I have started working out once again. [something my body has been in desperate need of] I have painted a canvas that has been sitting blank and lonely for almost an entire year. I got to take a weekend trip [I haven't had a weekend off since August] home to Idaho to see my family. And I haven't broken down into tears every night! [yea]

Looking back on my past 6 months of teaching at Weber high is good old Ogden, Utah I have been on such a roller coaster. I honestly don't even know how to explain the trip I've been on. It's not just leaving my home, my family, and my friends and coming to a new place that may not have been my first choice, to a scary new job, to an even scarier coaching position. It's the emotions and the lessons I've learned. I have pushed myself mentally, emotionally, and physically harder this year than ever before. I have never been so exhausted in my entire life. I have never been on the verge of tears so many days in a row. I have never learned so much either. I feel like I have learned so many life lessons. What's important. What isn't. What is worth stressing about. What should never be given a second thought.

I know there was a reason I came here and did what I did. I feel like it was a training ground for the post Rexburg bubble life training me to be able to handle and enjoy what's to come. These past months I have been able to enjoy my husband. We were forced to only spend time with each other [since we are now friendless in Ogden] We rely completely on each other. I could not have pulled it together this year if Ryley didn't listen to me vent. To force me to calm down and take a hot shower. If he wouldn't have hugged it out with me instead of yelled it out. It takes one strong man to deal with one mentally unstable woman.

Now the future looks bright. I am working 50 hours a week instead of 80. I actually am able to sign, and paint, and be happy. Ryley is graduated and working with a photographer he loves. We have lots of big ideas/plans for summer and for life. I make no guarantees, but you may find me in Alaska or California soon. Maybe neither. You may see me rolling up in a new [well newer] car. One that, cross your fingers, won't break down every other month. You may find me with a new job, or no job. Honestly I'm not quite sure, but I know whatever comes is gonna be good. I have spent the last 6 months stressed and unhappy and I am done with that. I am now on a strictly enjoy life policy. Regardless of where I am or what I am doing I am going to enjoy life. [if possible I would love to enjoy life by an ocean] I have a man I love more than life. I have a roof over my head. I have some pretty clothes to cover me, and enough love and blankets to keep me warm. I am done wishing for the future. I am ready to sit back and relax. [if you know me, you understand how hard this is for me to do. I'm an obsessive overachiever] Life will be happy if I live in Idaho or Hawaii. Life will be happy if I don't loose 10 pounds. Life will be happy because I choose to be happy.

Love Day Favorites

I hope everyones day of Love was happy and great.

Enjoy a few of my fav love cards I found....

images found here

My life..... my entire life

My entire last 5 months have been consumed by drill team.

Dance in the mornings.

Dance moms calling all afternoon.

Dancing at games at night.

Dance competitions on weekends.

This week is the last brutally long week of dance.

It's the week of regions.

I am completely exhausted.

If I can make it through Wednesday alive I will let you know.

Cross every finger for me + my team!

Go Warriorettes

re-post poster

Yes I know I've posted this before..... Almost a year ago to be exact. The crazy thing is, no matter how many times I watch it I am still just as amazed as the first time. This video inspires me to create. To get off my couch potato scared butt and get work done! If you haven't seen this video yet you must watch! If you have already seen it you still must watch. I promise, it's 3 minutes you won't regret.

PS I hope you all had a wonderful holiday today! Mondays are so much better when you aren't working!

date night

R and I had a much needed date night.

I loaded up on pills [I'm STILL sick, going on my 3rd week]

We grabbed some Chinese food from Golden Jade

And headed to a hockey game.

This was one intense game! 3 times the players threw off their gloves and punch it out. For those of you non hockey watchers, if the players throw off their gloves the refs don't even get in the way. It's basically saying whatever can happen and until someone is on the ice you keep going. CRAZY. We were there 2 hours and it felt like 30 minutes. Ladies, I'm going to throw this thought your way. Valentine's Day is coming up. If you're like me you NEVER know what to get your love. Valentine's is such a girly day and it's hard to find a present that isn't covered in pink and lace. So why not take your guy on a manly date? Go to a sports event, a band they like, or even just an action movie. I guarantee they will love you forever.

I hope you all are loving the weekend. Do something fun. [if you have no ideas the Bronco's are playing tonight. It's going to be intense!]

everything wood

Lately I can't get enough wood.

Just look at these beauties!

Find them all here on my pinterest

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Trying to think of anything but dance...

All I can think about is dance, dance, and more dance.

I've got to get it out of this crazy head of mine!

So what do you do when you have no energy to be creative,

but you need a creative boost?

Say it with me my friends. Pinterest!

Pinterest is my happy place when I am in a desperate need of a 5 minute fix at work, or when I'm laying on the couch too lame + lazy to do anything but don't want to feel like I'm doing nothing. I go to Pinterest.

Come look at some of my top pins on a cold + lazy January day.

Beautiful things = beautiful day

Oh please enjoy

Christmas part II

This year R and I decided that instead of spending lots of money [that we don't have] that we would make each other presents. At first I thought this would be a genius idea. Then I had to come up with something. What do you get a guy that can do everything? I mean does he really want me to make him furniture or decorations? What kind of guy really wants that? Then there's the whole problem of keeping it secret. Where do I do these projects without R finding out? Especially someone so cleaver like R who hates secrets.

Finally after a million bad decisions I decided to draw charcoal pictures of R and I. I felt good about it..... until I started to draw. Have you ever tried drawing a picture of you husband? How do you draw a picture of someone that you love so much. Who when you look at them you see a million memories, a million dreams, and a million butterflies? Then how do you draw yourself? Try drawing a picture of your own worst enemy. Good luck. I think I drew over 15 photos of each of us and I'm still not satisfied. I finally just had to say it's the thought that counts right. Lets hope so...

Besides all the stressfulness and craziness before Christmas, it was the best time giving each other our gifts. We were both acting like giddy little children so excited for Christmas morning. But this time it was to give instead of get. I was so nervous giving R his gift that I was literally shaking when R opened it. I think it went ok. He says he loves them. [it might be a lie, but I'll take it]

Ryley made me an amazing chandelier. It is absolutely beautiful! Seriously, what an amazing man! He came up with the idea. [not one hint] I was completely surprised and wowed. I am married to such a talented person! Score for me.

Because it was such an awesome experience we decided that we are going to make presents for each other every year. I'm super excited to start one of our own traditions as a family. I know it is going to be one of our favorites. Yea for Christmas! Yea for Ryley.

Christmas Part I

It's always a party with our family

Welcome to a little Shaum Christmas Eve party

A little wild. A little crazy. A little awesome.

What a year

Where did 2011 go? I feel like I take a nap and 4 months go by. Well, maybe not take a nap. I wish I could take a nap. More like I'm running around and around and run through each month until the year is over. 2011 has had its ups and downs. I would like to think more ups then downs. We stared out the year in our old burnt orange countertop apartment. We would work and school all day, cuddle and watch Jimmy Fallon all night and ski every weekend. Nothing huge happened, just life. This summer I finally got my first legit job with insurance and retirement and a salary. This was a big deal for us. We moved away from Rexburg. We miss it so much but also realize that it wouldn't be the same if we moved back.

We started our life in Ogden. We now have granite countertops and our house is warmer than 65 degrees [it's 74 right now...yea!] We have 2 friends instead of 20. We are each others best friends. Moving to Ogden has really been a climactic and also an anticlimactic event in our lives. It's hard to explain. When I think on our move it feels like nothing had changed in our lives. We live in a place that is 5 degrees warmer than where we used to live. We don't have our friends and family to party with anymore. We do the same things. We eat the same food. But then at the same time I feel like moving had completely shaped our lives. We aren't college kids anymore. [my sweet man is a graduate after a big sacrifice of moving for his last semester and taking a million insanely crazy online classes <3 ] We rely on each other more. We have each other and that's it. We aren't living our lives from semester to semester anymore. But it goes deeper than that. Maybe it's the mood of our lives, or relationship. I am really at a lose of words to explain, but just know it's a good thing. I have never been more happy. Even though I have a crazy schedule and I'm stressed and tired. Even though Ry isn't in love with his job. Even though we miss having friends and I miss the sunshine. Those things don't really matter. Ryley makes all those problems ok. We have been married for 2.5 years. I already love him so much more that I did on our wedding day. It makes me so excited for the years to come. I'm sure the years will just keep getting better and better.

2011 was a great year. I have high hopes for you 2012. Maybe a new home, new jobs, new adventures. I have already make a big list of resolutions both personal and with R. I feel ready and excited to get started and check a few things off. I say bring it on 2012. I'll be ready. Ready to party. Ready to laugh. Ready for whatever crazy adventures come our way. I have a feeling it's going to be a big year!

So proud

It has come and gone. R graduated!

It was such a happy day!

It's crazy that 4+ years is summed up in a half hour

We just crossed a huge thing off our list,

now on to some fun stuff....

ps check out Rs AMAZING website!

Something too good to pass up

I figured since I have had such a streak of being a terrible blogger I should just keep it up,
but this is just too good NOT to blog about.
My man is a big bad college graduate.
[not officially until Friday at 7 o'clock]
Here's how it all went down...
Wife had BIG FAT HUGE surprise for husband.
Wife is really really bad at keeping surprises actual surprises.
Wife FINALLY gets to surprise husband on Tuesday.
They drive and drive and stop at the DI. [just a quickey]
They drive and drive and drive
and stop to eat at a little diner. Amazing scones. Amazing.
Husband eats and eats and eats. Wife is amazed at where
her thin husband is putting it all. [Is it going in his pockets?]
Wife give husband a little wrapped box.
Usually wife gets tiny wrapped boxes.
Husband opens up present like a little girl... or an old grandma, can't decide.
Husband's face lights up.
Husband gets concert tickets to favorite band Cake.
Husband LOVES loves loves wife.
They drive and drive and drive.
They are so happy listening to happy music.
Husband + wife love Cake.
Cake loves husband + wife.
[Wife wishes she had cake to eat}
Life is happy

When it was 11/11/11

I'm not gonna lie, I was excited for 11/11/11 Considering it only happens every thousand years I think it's pretty cool that I was here to witness this one. What do you do on special days when you live around no friends or family and don't have a whole lot to do? I find myself asking this every time a holiday comes around such as Halloween or New Years Eve. Supposedly everyone is supposed to have a great night doing something extra ordinary. Usually my expectations are too high [out of excitement for a special day] and I am usually let down. Because of this I have decided to let go of all special occasion expectations and just be happy.

This friday on 11/11/11 I made sure to let all of my students know what today was and how cool it was. Yes they rolled their eyes at their incredibly lame teacher, but I didn't care. I came home to a studious husband trying to get 3 papers written. I helped him write a few. I also decided it was about time to actually make dinner. A good sit down dinner. So I cleaned the kitchen [you can't start making a good meal in a dirty kitchen] and got to work. I watched some Big Bang Theory re-runs that were on tv and amused myself by spinning around the kitchen. Dinner came and went. We went out and grabbed a movie at Blockbuster. Can I just say that this is the first time that I have rented a movie at a store in about 3 years. I had to sign up with Blockbuster again and I felt so stupid because I had to keep asking the most pathetic questions like "Do I get a card or something" and "What do I need to do when I give you the movie?" How were they going to check it out to the right person. ha yup idiot. We got a chick flick, FINALLY, and stopped by Smith's for our favorite Moose Tracks ice-cream.

We sat at home. We ate lots of treats and watched a movie. We might have played tag a bit and I'm pretty sure we pestered each other in attempt to entertain ourselves. Besides that not much else. I did however force Ry to take a picture with me at 11:11 pm on 11/11/11. Yes he rolled his eyes at me just like my students, but I didn't care. I made him anyways. I'm glad I did. It's a moment in history.

Instead of making my own art...
I come up with ideas for art projects for my students.
Not as relaxing or inspiring but still fun.
Hows this for step one of an self portrait poster?

A Much Needed Break

A trip to Newport always includes...

Many bike/longboard rides

[usually to the Wedge]

Pit stop on ride to eat at the Stuffed Surfer

[best breakfast around]

kimee + Jared

me + R

Sweet shots of all the surfers rocken the waves

always collecting sea shells along the way....

This year we experienced Santa Monica as well thanks to Jared + Kimee.

It was beautiful and so fun walking around on the pier with good music, good company, and great rides.

oh look there is something incredibly awesome and secretive over there!

Oh look I'm so strong I'm picking up the ferris wheel. Wow

My attempt to salvage an overexposed photo that I really wish turned out

This trip was relaxing and wonderful.

If definitely didn't last long enough.

I am grateful for all the time I had to spend with R

and also with Kimee + Jared.

I have decided vacations are needed every other week

At least