I did it!!!

all bright & shiny before the race!

waiting for the race to start

my little cheerleader with blue hands :)

thankful for this girl for pushing me the whole way!

nailed it.  

on Saturday i ran in my very first race ever!! 

it wasn't that long and i totally suck at running.... but i still can't even believe i went through with it!

my friends encouraged me to sign up with them and since running a 5K was on my 20 wishes list for this year, i decided to go for it even though i never run.
ever.
never ever. 

but i finished. and more importantly, i survived. 
AND i completed it under my goal time!
so i mean... i thought that was pretty great :)

Adam and Elijah came to cheer me on too. as much as i told him he really didn't need to come, i was really happy to see them on the sidelines smiling, clapping, and yelling "GO MEGAN!!"
i feel like i feel in love with both of them a little more that day.

and anything with bubbles + hanging out outside + eating fruit snacks all day automatically means that Elijah will have the time of his life.

i was telling Adam today that i was feeling kind of bad about it all since i didn't really run that far
or have that great of time
and other people run way bigger races
and i couldn't believe i was proud of such a small thing....

but Adam reassured me how proud he was of me and that for just starting out running it was a great accomplishment. he also reminded me that i should feel good about myself for what i've done instead of comparing myself to others all the time.

which is true. comparing is my weakness.

but looking at these pictures again reminds me of the rush i did have for completing something that was honestly a big challenge for me.
maybe i'm not the best runner. or have the most endurance. or the fastest.
but i'm good enough for me.
and i should be more proud about that.

so..... all in all, it was a pretty exciting & momentous day!! 
I DID IT!!!!
:)

happy homecoming

my very best friend Amy just returned home from her year-and-a-half LDS mission in Tahiti. 

oh man, have i missed her! 

Amy and i met the very first night of Freshman year up at BYU. 

i was immediately drawn to her because she was so cool, funny, and was from Arizona. 

right when i heard those words i immediately introduced myself and in that moment i met one of the best friends i have ever had. 

we have been through a lot together.
college

boys/boyfriends 

working at Taco Bell 

late night study sessions that turn into writing on each other's Facebook walls 

being hilarious 

Beto's runs 

early morning labs 

crappy jobs 

roommates 

road trips 

friends going on missions

dance parties
bringing the rain, Optimus Prime style

awkward dates 

ditching school to read Harry Potter 

drama in every shape and form 

marriage & babies 

and lots and lots of other amazing memories! 

Amy is one of the only people that gets me and truly one of the funnest people around. 

if you read our wall-to-wall, you would know just how hilarious we are. 

cause seriously it's the best thing ever. 

i'm so so happy she's home and we are able to live in Arizona so we could see her.
[[even though we got there an hour early cause the flight was delayed and Elijah had multiple meltdowns that included blood curdling screams especially when he got a paper cut from the poster and it was basically the most embarrassing & torturous experience ever with a toddler....]]
it was all so worth it once we saw Amy come through the gate!

it's been a loooooooooooong 1.5 years and i can't wait to make up the time apart.
WELCOME HOME, MY LOVELY AMY FRIEND!!!!!! 
{lots of exclamations just how you like it ;)}

:::p.s. Shabby Apple giveaway winner announced here + use coupon code mrsrobinson10off to get 10% off your Shabby Apple purchase :)

on a summer day

on Friday we hung out with our good friends and went on a {surprise} hike up the canyon.
we were trying to get to an area to go rock climbing but it was farther than expected.
and hiking up the canyon with 2 babies started to prove to not be such a good idea much longer
[especially with one who just wanted to sit and throw rocks… ahem…. Elijah].

but i was secretly relieved about it cause rock climbing kind of freaks me out!
i keep thinking of all these scenarios where you slip and fall and the anchors come out and other climbers start to pull you down and then people are screaming, “CUT THE ROPE!! CUT THE ROPE!!” and you fall to your death trying to save everyone else…

does that scare anyone else?
or is that just my own overreacting thoughts?
i think i’ve seen too many dramatic movies…

even with having to drag a screaming Eli-man up the mountain, it still turned out to be a really great hike!
we stopped by a little water fountain that had fresh spring water running through it and it was SO good!
Elijah loved that part and by the time we headed back down the canyon he was completely soaked.
cooled him down fast 

 

when we got back home we also had a little barbecue with our friends and made s’mores.
it was a perfect, amazing, fun, summer day!!
when we got home Adam said,
“it’s days like today that make me sad to leave this place!”

i couldn’t agree more…

thanks for the awesome day Rasmussens!

---------------------------------------------------------------

and the winner for the Our Reflection spa package giveaway is Amber M.!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
i’ll email you soon :)

Breathing Space Retreat: Day 1

 

this last weekend i had the INCREDIBLE opportunity to go to the Breathing Space Blogger Retreat in Daybreak.
i have to admit that at first i was really nervous to go.
it was my first night away from Elijah ever and i started crying once i left.
but once i got there, checked in, and saw all my friends i was a little more relieved.
and it was absolutely amazing so as much as i missed my little family, it was definitely an unforgettable weekend!

the retreat was held in Daybreak and it is gorgeous!! it’s straight from a picture book with beautiful houses and a wonderful community. if it wasn’t for the fact that we are poor college students, i would move there in a heartbeat!

we even got to stay in one of Daybreak’s gorgeous model homes.
this one below to be exact:
it was amazing!!

and it’s even more gorgeous inside!!
i’m still reeling from it.
too bad all my pictures ended up being blurry… but just trust me. it was incredible.

after checking in the first day, we went straight to our first classes.
Gentri and i first went to the Style Please class taught by Becki from Whippy Cake.
the class was really great and i learned that i have an oval face, with Summer coloring, and i am a dramatic style :)
but besides that, Becki taught us to own our style and let our personalities shine through.
she is such a great example of confidence and loving our bodies no matter what our shapes, colors, or sizes.
plus, Becki is on of the funniest, cutest, sweetest girls i have ever met!
i want to be her! 

from there, we went to the cupcake class that was taught by the one & only Megan from Sweet Tooth Fairy.
she.is.AMAZING!
when i first signed up, i thought it was just going to be about learning tips and tricks on how to make beautiful cupcakes. and even though she did teach us some techniques, she taught us how no matter our circumstance, we can make ordinary things extraordinary if we just try.
she has had no baking/culinary training but now has a huge successful bakery and recently won Cupcake Wars on Food Network.
i loved learning from her and could really eat her cupcakes all day!

 

after the cupcake class, we hurried to our amazing model home and got ready really fast for the Stepford Wives themed dinner party that was going on later that night.
the party was PERFECT!!
we had Italian soda mocktails, garden party-style decorations, lots of beautiful 50’s inspired outfits, incredible food, a photo booth, and more!
we even heard from Dawn Meehan who competed in the last season of Survivor at the age of 39.
holy.cow. she is incredibly inspirational!
it was so cool to hear her story and learn about her experience.

[Dawn from Survivor]


[some of the event coordinators and DIY bloggers for the Daybreak DIY Blogger home challenge:
Aly from Style Please, Char from Crap I’ve Made, Jen from Tatertots & Jello, Shelley from House of Smiths, Lara from Less Cake More Frosting, Amy from The Idea Room, Cameron from Daybreak, and Kathy from Danish Mama]


[back: Nichelle, me, Jenny, Gentri; front: Elise, Ashley, Alycia, Savannah]


[Char, me, Amy, and Jen; i basically died after taking this picture cause i couldn’t believe these fabulous ladies would really take a picture with me!]


[Gentri, me, and Becki; died again]

and of course the night wouldn’t be complete without an awesome dance party!
:)

the retreat was amazing and this is just the first day!
i have so much more to share for the second day.
so stay tuned…

[all professional photos courtesy of Jenny K Photography]