A Reflection

This year has been an incredible year full of firsts, mending, and great adventures.
I thought I'd write a post to share a bit of a reflection on some of the highlights of this year.

GOING BACK TO SCHOOL
This was a huge thing for me to quit my jobs and put the company I own on hold to go back and finish my goal and finally get my degree.

I am only one semester done, but I worked hard and stuck with it. So much so that I pulled off straight A's and have a 4.0. I know, crazy! I'm still shocked I was able to pull that off! I am really enjoying the experience and I am actually learning quite a bit too, go figure, LOL
I am so much so enjoying my 3-week break right now, but I am also looking forward to a couple of weeks when my next semester begins!

BLOGGING NOT SO MUCH
So years ago (2011), yes I have had this blog for longer than some stick with blogging. I set a goal to always post at least once a week, and try to mostly maintain a 2-3 post a week schedule.
I have for the most part kept to that since 2012, well that was until this year.
Blogging had to take a back burner, and even though it was hard at times (like an addiction) I had to force myself to work on other priorities than the blog itself.

However, I thankfully have not let it go. I still actually live (well eat) off the income my blog and social media accounts provide me with. Yup, that is how I am paying for my meals these days, LOL
I've seen many great blogging friends come and go through the years. Sadly more go than keep it up. It always saddens me when bloggers have to leave entirely especially when I have enjoyed their blogs so much. But I get it, life should always come first.
I am not ready to let this blog go, while you may see less of me, I am going to continue to figure out ways to keep it up!

FINALLY HEALED
Anyone who's read my blog over the (almost) past four years may know a little of what I have been going through. With the tendon injuries I acquired from a work injury back in January 2013. It's been years of mending and recovery, physical therapy, setbacks, flare-ups and other injuries because of the injured tendons. I won't go into more details on that, but I am happy to announce it appears I have nearly 100% recovered from this work injury!
What did it?
Changing my lifestyle entirely, my routines pretty much everything when I quit my jobs, moved away and went back to school that is what healed me.
It may sound funny, but it's true that is actually what did it, what helped me finish healing and the reason I am able to get back to being so active and running and enjoying an adventurous lifestyle again!
For that I will always be thankful for the idea to go back to school and change my lifestyle entirely, it fixed what no amount of doctors or PT could!

READING
I set a Goodreads goal to read 52 novels this year. Earlier this year I was way ahead of schedule and I love to read so I was sure I'd hit it and then some.
Yeah, not so much. I will probably finish a couple books shy of my goal. I'm halfway through book 49 right now.
But I've read over 18,000 pages this year, and that is in part to many of the books being heck of long, LOL So I won't hit the 52 book goal, but pagewise I well outdid even last years pages.

ADVENTURE
Last spring my sister and I set out on a fun adventure to hike so many of the trails that we haven't done that were only 20-30 minutes from our front doors. While we didn't do as many as we would have liked, (she got pregnant, LOL) We did do many and had a lot of fun seeing the different trails along the Wasatch Mountains.
I also summited Butterfield Peak this year, that was something I have wanted to do for a while, heck of a climb and I did it sick too, LOL
I continued with those adventures when I moved south, I have thoroughly enjoyed hiking and getting out and enjoying the desert again.

RUNNING
Well, I only ran 1 race this year and it 5k that I decided to do last minute, so I don't really count it as getting back into racing since distance running is more my thing. But it was fun to be in a race again even if I did only run it for fun not to race.

I had to pull out of the fall marathon I entered because I wasn't trained well enough for it, I volunteered instead. I learned volunteers are awesome and there is a big difference between a participant and a volunteer and rarely they are mixed much. Most volunteers have zero desire to run and think runners are inspiring but insane.  I'm not much of a volunteer, I'm a participant and there is nothing wrong with that!

However, I did build up a great base as I've been getting back into it. I've really enjoyed running new trails and places in the new area I live.

What this year has taught me is this. I don't have to run a race to enjoy running. I don't have to get a medal to feel accomplishment and success. Those things can be great, but when you run purely because you just love it and your goals are subject to whatever mood your in that day when you put on the shoes and head out the door. There is almost even more gratification than any pronounced finish line can give me.
I will eventually get back to marathons, don't get me wrong I absolutely love the thrill of them. But until then I am thankful for this opportunity to learn and get to know myself better, to train just to train for fun, to run any distance I want because I want to, not because I have to. It's been interesting and I'm glad I had to experience this!

Well, I've had a fantastic year, and I've only shared 6 of the subjects with you. I can tell you this, I cannot wait for 2017, it's going to be epic in so many ways both little and big!


What is your favorite memory or reflection of 2016?

Crazy Story, Weightloss Updates and Exciting News to Share

I probably shouldn't even be blogging, but I needed a little study break so I thought I'd write a quick one!

I can't believe it's gone so fast, my Semester is about over and I have made it through all of my classes I just have this week full of finals.

One of my finals is another group project and of course, one member (the one who begged me to let her in my group) has not done her part. She just received a not so nice email from me, and I am pretty sure she won't respond to the rest of us and I will be stuck doing her part myself.
It's annoying! I'd be more annoyed if I haven't already just assumed I'll have to do it and decided at least if I do it, it will be done well, LOL
That's me looking at the glass half full, LOL

FUNNY STORY

Originally I had finals scheduled for Mon & Tue. So I went ahead and booked a big wedding for this weekend that is a 7-hour drive north of me. Then not just one, but TWO of my instructors being their first year teaching didn't know they were supposed to submit their finals schedules. So yeah, my finals for those classes are now Wed & Thur.
Which means, I have a 9:30AM Final Thurs, then a 5-hour drive to my parents. Fingers crossed that the snows not too bad through the mountain passes and that the roads are open. Then exactly one day to prepare all the linens, centerpieces, backdrop and flowers for a wedding.

But oh it gets better. There are big storms due for this weekend, so I may not even have a full day. I may have to get everything packed in the trailer and between storms drive it an hour further north to my sisters, stay there for the night. So I only have a 30-minute commute in a morning snow storm and won't have to worry about making it to the venue pulling a trailer by 7am if the plows haven't done the roads.

I also found out Sunday night that the flowers I ordered came in the WRONG color. They are the centerpieces, main focal point, no biggie right... It's too late to do anything about them, and I can't use them. So there may be some spray painting of flowers involved. (Sadly this won't be the first time.) I will get to feel like in the Alice in Wonderland movie, painting the roses red... Except, in this case, painting the roses berry red, LOL

(It's a really good thing brides don't know I blog, LOL)

Last bit of this little beauty of a story, I only have 3 hours to pull off the entire set up and one of my worker situations fell through.
It's a good thing I thrive on situations that most would consider stressful. I am confident I can pull it all off and the bride will love it. Positive thinking never hurt anyone!!

EXCITING NEWS

A blogger friend of mine (who I would mention her name, but I haven't asked permission if we are going blog public with it or not yet.) Then there is the fact that I am an after the fact blogger.
But in short 2017 I will be hiking the Grand Canyon, Rim to Rim. Not just that, but we will be hiking Rim to Rim with detours (30 miles) day 1, camp out and then back again R2R (24 miles) day 2.
This is one of those bucket list things I have wanted to do for years! I am super excited!!!!
After it happens, I guarantee you'll hear tons about it!  The only bad part now is actually waiting until it's warm again and hiking time!

WEIGHT LOSS

So I forgot to report this last week. In November, I was able to drop another 8 pounds. Combine that with my October 6, and I am now at 14 pounds down.
WOOOT WOOOT
It's been slow going, but hey at least its going, so if slow is the way it's getting done, I'll take it because well that's better than nothing or going up!

Unlike most during the holiday season, I like to actually tell people I am dieting. It gets me out of eating stuff I don't want to, trying people's holiday concoctions and of course gets me out of potlucks. November and December area always easy diet months for me.

(I know I am weird, but I have my reasons.)

I'll share a quick story and then you'll know why. Years back I was at a potluck work party and we were all in a circle talking and eating the food. One of the main dishes made by this lady who while we were all eating it and commenting on how good it tasted, proceeds to tell everyone she quit using soap, doesn't wash her hands with it, doesn't shower with it and doesn't wash her clothes or dishes with soap anymore. (Not kidding, who would make that dumbness up!)

Literally, everyone in the room paying attention had their mouths open with foot coming out and well I spit mine right out onto the plate and didn't even try to hide the fact.
I won't go into her ridiculousness of her reason why because who cares, crazy earth nutty people are not people I will ever understand. The important part is, she ruined me forever for eating potluck or stuff from people that I don't know REALLY well and trust.
(If you are a crazy no soap using earth nutty person and I just offended you, well I'm not even going to apologize and you should be used to people thinking your nuts! LOL)

Alright, that is probably way more than I should have taken the time to write!
Hope everyone has a great week, I'm going to go back to my study notes now.

Have a great week everyone!

Christmas Tree and Dry Skin Miracle Saver

I'm heading into the final two weeks of this semester, I can't believe how fast the time has gone. I also can't believe I still have a hard time figuring out how to fit blogging into my schedule.

I did go up north a week ago to visit my family for Thanksgiving, it was fun seeing them and one of my nieces grabbed onto my leg begging me not to go back to college. It was cute, I won't lie I love how much she adores me, as I adore her just the same!

I'm still dealing with the headaches, but I received this awesome new Humidifier free to try thanks to participating in the Influenster program. I was skeptical that it would make a difference, however, I have been feeling slightly better.

More importantly, my skin feels SO MUCH BETTER! Seriously, living in the desert is awesome, but how it dries your skin out is not so much awesomeness. I swear I was putting lotion on numerous times a day and hardly felt it made much a difference.

I've had the humidifier for a week now, and HUGE difference. I only need to apply lotion once a day now, and when I wake up in the morning my face no longer feels like it's dry and tight. I run the humidifier on high pretty much all the time when I am at home.

The one they sent me works fabulously and better than I could have hoped. It was one of those miracles in disguise that I was chosen to review it for Influenster and Honeywell. I highly recommend getting a humidifier to help with even the dryness of turning the heat on in your homes.

If your interested in getting a humidifier definitely check this one out,  AT THIS LINK

I also got my Christmas tree up! I wasn't going to put one up, but my sister said a girl who has 36+ pine tree's in storage (for the event and wedding company) cannot, not put one up for the holiday. So I gave in and grabbed a smaller one from storage and hit up the dollar store for some ribbon and a bow and pulled out my marshmallow smores camping ornaments. Went with red lights because well, it just sounded pretty and put the tree in a small wheel barrel because it looked like a cute stand!

I've been enjoying running, last week my schedule was a bit lighter to get ready for the heavy loads I would be doing this week and finals next week.
I took a new trail, and literally came within 1/2 mile from crossing the Arizona border, I totally would have gone further but it was getting late in the evening and I wanted to get back home before it got dark out. Definitely going to do this one again and run into AZ, and the gorge which is where per the map at one of the parks said it comes out of. If you know the area, then you know how stunningly gorgeous the gorge is!

I also had to head to Zion National Park for a class project. But finished the project as quick as I could and went out sightseeing and of course hiking!
Probably my favorite weekend there so far. The shuttles are shut down for the season and the amount of people in the park was significantly less.
It was awesome to have less people and actual peace and quiet out on the trail, I loved it!
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy people too. But the new types of crowds on National Park trails are the annoying playing their music as they hike type, and I don't care if it offends anyone I very much dislike those types!

It was beautiful though, light snow on the higher elevation areas within the park. The trails were a little icy when I got up high and to the top, but it was perfect and cool 50-degree hiking day and I am so glad I was able to take advantage of it.

So that's about it, I am onto a week of major group projects, class presentations, very big paper to write and beginning the study process for some finals. Fun stuff!!

Do you use a humidifier in the winter?

A few updates and some great hiking views

It's been a few week's since I wrote a Monday post, I am sorry about that. Blogging hasn't been easy for me lately, I just cant seem to find the groove between blogging, school and well how worn out I have been with headaches.

I quick update on the headaches I mentioned. I've been into a specialist twice now. I had a CT scan this past Thursday.
The only good news is the scan ruled out any need for surgery right now.

They are a little baffled by it all, it seems I have all the symptoms of a sinus infection from hell, without the actual symptoms. In other words, I get the headaches and the pressure, but I don't actually have a sinus infection or any type of cold like symptoms that go with it.

Anyhow, we are trying a few new things, to help but it may be something I have to learn to live with for a while and I am having a hard time with that because I am so drained and well it's super hard to concentrate when you have horrible headaches all day. Regardless I am hopeful, so we shall see.

I do try to stay positive on my blog, but I'd be lying to you if I said last week wasn't a rough one for me. However, despite its faults, I had so many other great things happen that it evened out and now I look back on it as little pick me up miracles that I needed to help lift me up and get through the rough patches!

Another positive note: I was about to buy a humidifier to help since it can't really hurt, plus my skin is drying out faster than I can keep up with the lotion and crazy as it is luck was on my side and I am being sent one from Influenster to try out for free. So see even when all seems bad, there are always silver linings!

COLLEGE LIFE

I am keeping up on my studies. I am slipping a little in one class when I didn't do as well on the last exam, but there is an extra credit assignment they put out that will hopefully bump me back up to an A.

Two of my classes are like group project mania, I have had 3 the past few weeks. One of which is a video we are presenting in my class this morning.
It's funny, we picked an environmental theme, and I'm not even an environmentalist, LOL
But it's all good!
If you've followed my blog awhile you may recognize the pictures. I donated all my own photography so we could make the project easier and faster!




HIKING

I did get out last weekend. The weather has been absolutely beautiful here, still feels like summer, so why not get out and do some hiking. If you can't tell I am really loving living near Zion National Park, I don't think I will get bored! Although, I do need to find some local friends who are into backcountry distance hiking because there are a few trails that are 15-20 milers that I REALLY want to do next spring!

Speaking of backcountry hiking, I REALLY want to hike the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim next spring, so I'm just putting it out there in case any of my blogger friends are going to be in the area, reach out to me because I am totally game!!!!

THANKSGIVING

I am looking forward to this short week of school, and going back home to visit all my family and friends for the holiday weekend!
I can't wait, and it looks like it's been snowing up north so maybe I'll even get to go play in the snow or something this weekend!

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday week, and if any of you are traveling I wish you safe travels as well!!!

RUNNING

Although I've let it slip a little, I have for the most part kept it up through all of the worn out patches. Because I think it helps to stay active.
I've had a few really great runs lately, and I love that as I am dropping some of these pounds, my body is getting stronger and stronger. I haven't bothered increasing the mileage much I keep it between 5-7 a day. But I think after the next 10-pound weight drop which I am working hard on, I am going to try to double my weekly mileage and get back up to around 30-40 a week through the winter. I mean after all what good is living in a town where you can enjoy year round running if you're not out there running!
No races planned, just running for me and my sanity right now!

All the above pictures were taken on my hike last weekend. The scenery is gorgeous, the pictures don't do it justice! It's just a good thing it gets darker and colder in the desert at night because I'd have a hard time ever wanting to leave the trails!

Have a great week everyone!

Tell me something fun you did last week or have planned for the holiday.

A Unique Beach Experience for the Coming Winter

TRAVEL TUESDAY

Most may think of going to the beach in the summer time.  While that is always a fabulous idea, I am going to suggest visiting the beach in the winter.  I want to tell you about this cute little beach town in Delaware called Rehoboth Beach.

The month of December, this small town that has one main street that runs through the entire town all the way to beach boardwalk.  From the moment you enter this town, it's all decorated and lit up for Christmas.

This was probably my most favorite picture I took the entire trip, because I love the lighting so much.
This was actually taken on the beach right outside my hotel.

One of the best things about visiting a beach town in the winter are the prices.  You'll find hotel prices are extremely discounted and you can get a room right on the beach overlooking the ocean.

If you need an idea of something to do on the beach.  Seashell or shark tooth collecting.  Because the summer crowds are gone, I could walk down at almost anytime and find huge shells, and lots of shark teeth (I like to collect them:)  Also a fun evening thing I enjoyed was cooking up some hot chocolate in my room and taking it to the beach to sip on while I walked along the sandy shore.

I had a corner beach view room.  Which also looked down at the boardwalk.

I mentioned the town dresses up for Christmas, well they also dress up the beach.  Here at the boardwalk you can find Santa's house, which may look small, but during the day they have actual Santa hours for kids to visit.  There are also these cute sea creature light exhibits along the boardwalk area.

The cute gazebo pictured below is at the end of the town street.  Just before the boardwalk.

If you like marathon's this is also the actual starting line spot for the Rehoboth Beach Marathon.  You may notice how decorated the gazebo (aka Bandstand) is, the lights and garland up and down the poles.  Well the entire town along the street, all the street lamps every so many feet on both sides are decorated up the same fun way.  It really is Christmas at the beach, I loved it!

Kinda hard to tell, but you can kind of see how fun the entire street is decorated up from the picture below.  Not just the street's but the business are also into the holiday spirit.

When you're not shopping the beach shops, or sipping cocoa on the beach, you can go out sight seeing.
Take a little drive down to Cape Henlopen State Park.

WW II Watch Tower

You can get a history lesson, and tour the top of one of these World War II look out towers.  Which also have 360 degrees of fabulous views.

There is a 3-mile long paved trail through the park.  As well of 6 miles of beach to hike and explore.

If you like lighthouses, there are a couple to check out as well.  I absolutely love lighthouses, I find they are each unique in their own way!

And if you still haven't found something to do, just bring your Dairy Cow to the beach for some family Christmas pictures:)  I actually have no idea who this family is, but they gave me a great smile as I watched them walk this big cow to the sandy beach as they posed for photo's.  Hope they don't mind I snapped the picture:)

I actually saw several people out surfing on one of the nearby beaches one day.  They must love it, because I would imagine even in a wetsuit that has got to be cold!

Visiting the beach in the winter is just an entirely different experience.  But was a lot of fun in this cute dressed up Christmas Beach Town called Rehoboth Beach.

IF YOU GO:

*  There are several flight options (Baltimore, D.C. & Philadelphia)  I flew into Philadelphia and rented a car and drove south to get there.
*  Some hotels may be closed in the winter, and others are open and have great prices.
*  If you like to run races, they have a fabulous marathon (I loved it!) and half marathon in December, The Rehoboth Beach Marathon.  The race starts at the beach, runs through the town, woods, and State Park.
*  I discovered in December they didn't even charge me to enter Cape Henlopen State Park, where in the summer yes you have to pay a visitors fee.
*  There are plenty of places to eat here, you won't even have to drive further into town if you don't want to, lots of shops and small eateries right in Rehoboth.

An Unplanned Absence

Just wanted to leave a quick note, my absence from blogging and lack of responding or visiting other blogs this week and part of last week was completely unplanned.

While I do work ahead and have blog posts ready to run, I actually went in and canceled them. I am a Networking blogger with many of you awesome people, and I knew I wouldn't be able to visit other blogs this week so I didn't want others to stop by my own and wonder why I didn't do the same to theirs.

Let me give you a brief explanation:

I've not told you this, but over the past year, I've suffered from a lot of headaches and at times sinus infections without the sinus symptoms if that makes sense.
I was able to get help over the summer and had a blissful 3 months of nearly headache free life. But about 2 months ago, I got hit hard again and have literally had terrible headaches from the moment I wake in the morning and sometimes through the night.

While we did venture into treating for migraines, a few weeks ago I realized that wasn't working at all. Then about a week and a half ago my body just said enough is enough. Whatever infection that is in me has taken over my body and stripped me of all of my energy.

Yes, I skipped any running and hiking almost all last week, and that says a lot!
Additionally, I fall asleep within minutes if I am not physically moving or drinking ton's and ton's of caffeine.

Looking at a computer screen for blogging has been out of the question because I do about all I can take to get my assignments done for school on it. But since I am in class listening to a lecture right now, thought it would be easy to take a quick minute and update you all.

Getting worse and worse I called a specialist and fortunately was able to take someone else canceled appointment on Tuesday. They have me trying some new things, and while it's not a huge difference I can feel a bit more energy coming back into me, which I can't tell you how great it feels not to want to just sleep constantly, so I am very hopeful this time!

I've been trying to go running most days this week because I want to keep my fitness up while I get past this infection or whatever it is that is taking over my body.
I'm even bound and determined to get some hiking in maybe over the weekend if the medications I am using continue to wipe out whatever has been wiping me out :)

So, please excuse my unplanned absence the past week and a half. I am going to continue to stay off computers as much as possible just for my headaches sake for the remainder of this week. But I do have every intention of being back at it Monday and I look forward to hearing from you and seeing what everyone's been up to!

Have a great rest of your week friends!!!!

Visiting Flaming Gorge for Travel Tuesday

Today for Travel Tuesday I am going to take you on a location way up on the top of Utah, right near the Wyoming boarder. I beautiful and stunning lake area called Flaming Gorge.
Although, if you want to get technical some of the reservoir is in Wyoming as well. But in my opinion the Utah side is the most stunning.

Truth be told, you really do need to get a boat with a full tank of gas to really see the canyon and drive through the blue waters looking up at the beautiful various colored cliffs around you. However, even if you don't have a boat, you can still take a few small hikes, or a scenic drive and see a lot of it.

The reservoir is about 91 miles long, (reason for a boat) but even I haven't been through the entire thing. I've taken day trips out on a ski boat through many sections of it.

However, I've also done a lot of paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, swimming in the lake as well.

I will say, this is a summer destination. Most of the lake is around 6,000 feet in elevation. Perfect for a summer cool spot, but probably not going to be as much fun when it's snowing or icy in the winter.

There is a ton of wildlife in the area. Depending on the side of the lake your on, you may see antelope, deer, elk, desert big horn, moose.

If you're even luckier you might even spot a bear, but most of it is heavely forested with the lodgepole pines so you'd really have to be in lucky spot for that.

You'll definitely have to check out the Dam, its in a gorgeous area. You can even rent a river raft and head down the green river and do a little fishing or light rapid running.

I've been down the Green River in a raft many times in this area, it's awesome and gorgeous! There is also some incredible fishing if you have the patience! The fish here can get really big!
In fact sometimes around the dam you can see the trout which are the size of children coming up to blow bubbles at the top.

Take the scenic drive to some of the overlooks, they are seriously stunning! You can stop in visitors centers and learn more if you'd like too!

The sunsets are gorgeous. Before you ask, no there is no filter on this.
But why it is so orange looking? Well that is because there was a huge wildfire in the Uinta mountains to the west the evening I took this shot. It's sad all that smoke was in the air from a fire burning nearly 100 miles away, but it did make for a stunning sunset photo!

The lake is mostly for boats, there is very little beach area. However, if you go to the Northern end, you can find some sandy beach area's to play or camp on.

The area is in the higher mountains, so if you do go and you are out on a boat make sure you pay attention to the sky. If lightening looks like it's coming in, get off the lake. I don't know why, but people chance it every year, and I swear not a year goes by that I don't hear a sad story of someone getting struck.

The scenic drive from the dam heading north, does provide many places you can stop the car get out and enjoy the view.

Best part about this lake, with the exception of holidays, its not very crowded. You really can feel like your alone with the beautify at times.

For the hiking lover, there is plenty. Especially down near the dam and lower area's!
I love to camp and there are ton's of campgrounds all around this lake. Some of them right along the lake. Others up in the beautiful forests in the mountains around the lake.


Have you been to Flaming Gorge before?

Me Monday, My Updates and Share Some of Yours

I am pretty sure all of my college professors were all on the same page last week. Because I was seriously overloaded with homework and projects to get done. I literally sat on a computer writing papers for 6 hours two days in a row.

Crazy busy, but I stayed on top of it and got it done and surprisingly enjoyed it!
On the plus side, I didn't walk into any walls this week, LOL

The final week of the blog hop, which is an online event I enjoy putting together each year. Well, that was sort of the icing on the cake of busyness.

My only regret, although I did follow all of my own rules for the hop (kinda have to as the host, LOL) but normally I like to try to visit more than the required, but this year I didn't quite get a chance to quite as much extra as I usually do.

Was the hop successful? I think overall it was for those who fully participated. Participation was at about 80% on one hop and 75% on another. A larger than in the past fully non-participation rate. Which is kinda a bummer because the time commitments were half of what they normally are and I made it quite reasonable to maintain dropping all the past stuff that seemed to eat up too much time.

Oh well, overall I am happy with the things I heard from it, and if it works great for the majority then that is all that matters! I've found a few new great bloggers out of it, that I am looking forward to following so it worked for me too!

RUNNING

We've had some great weather, it's been literally perfect running conditions. We are starting into the fall here so mid 80's.
I'm starting to build a much stronger base, and I'm getting better the longer I run. (My body has always liked distance.) I almost wish it was in the budget to run a half marathon this fall/winter I think I'd enjoy it! But I will resist, as to keep myself on a budget for this college thing:)
On the plus side, I dropped 6 pounds in October. I have a lot more to go but it's again what I'd like to call a great start.

On the plus side, it's not been bothering me at all to run so I haven't had to slack off on the running. (It's only bothering me going up or down stairs or when I twist wrong.)
I came across another new trail, I found this part along a river and glanced through the tree's and saw a trail so I took it. Best, part is it's very close to my home and in a safe area so definitely plan on adding it to one of my weekly runs!

HIKING

After the busy week, I decided Friday night to unplug and stay off of the blog and internet (mostly) for a couple of days. Went over to my new hiking playground in Zion National Park Saturday and hit up a hike that I haven't done since years back in my high school days with my family.
I've always loved hiking through portions of the Narrows.

I literally got to a point in the hike, and I stopped and just stared up and looked around and decided I am so blessed to be surrounded by such beauty and even more blessed to be the adventurous outdoors type that enjoys hiking in it. I know that sounds stupid, but hey a girl can be a dork with her thoughts sometimes!

I've got a lot more great pictures, I'll have to so an Travel Tuesday Post on it, eventually:)

I know it's Halloween, so I hope you are all having an awesome holiday. I love dressing up, but this year I skipped it. I know lame!
Want to know even more lame, I didn't buy any Halloween candy to hand out. I've seen very few kids living around here and I doubt kids trick-or-treat apartments anyhow. Plus with all the trunk or treats, I passed on on my run the other day. I figure, I probably wouldn't get any anyhow. Plus, if I did buy a bag, I would be the one who would end up eating it all.

Just in case, I think I will just avoid being home in the rare chance someone does stop by! Yes, it's okay to dislike on me for that, I'm not proud of it!

So that was a few bits of my past week, tell me about yours?

Do you enjoy fall hiking?
Do you totally dislike me for the Halloween candy thing? it's okay to tell me!

I am linking up with HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin today for their Weekly Wrap!