It's a wrap (bucket list wrap-up)

At the beginning of this summer, I made myself a "summer bucket list" of things I wanted to accomplish this summer. I would love to say that I did every single thing on the list, but life happens and some things don't work out as planned. Regardless, I did do almost every thing on the list to some extent.

The Summer Bucket List

Hiking Bell Canyon with Shelby

·         Lots of hiking-Corner Canyon  5/23/13, Bell Canyon with Shelby 6/4/13, Millcreek Canyon 6/6/13, and Ensign Peak 6/15/13

·         Maintain my weight-I actually gained some weight, some of it being nice muscle definition

Camping for Bike MS

·         Go camping more than once-6/29/13-6/30/13 and 8/10/13-8/12/13

·         Learn more about blogging and do it regularly-proud to say I posted over 30 posts this summer, and learned a little about html coding and the like.

·         Spend a week in Vegas with my girlfriends for my 21^st birthday.

Cute little Austin that I had the privilege
of babysitting. He is such a stud!

·         Get a summer job-plasma, yard work/cleaning for my parents, one-time babysitting

Plasma!

·         Donate plasma- 6/4/13 

·         Make new friends-a few here and there. Still praying for some awesome Christian girls

St. George golfing with my
best friend Amanda.

·         Try new things (golf 6/9/13, Indian food, make sushi 8/18/13)

Fruit/protein popsicles

·         Make fruit popsicles-7/17/13

·         Watch two of my good friends get married (Tristen&Enoch 8/17/13 and Kaitlyn&Michael 5/13/13)

The beautiful bride & her groom.

My first legal drink, a gin fizz!

·         Drink a fruity cocktail on my 21st birthday

The Capital building with my love.

·         Visit the Capital building-7/29/13

·         Read lots and lots of books-I probably read over 20 books this summer

Millcreek Hike

Yesterday morning I had the privilege of going hiking with the lovely Cassie. We went up Millcreek Canyon and hiked 2 miles up and 2 miles back down. We were even a little ambitious and ran for a bit! I am so blessed to be able to drive a short distance and feel like I am hours away from the city life. It was definitely needed after a semi-stressful week. It was so fun getting to know Cassie more, share our hopes and struggles, and even give each other Godly advice. She is such a sweetheart and a beautiful person inside and out. Even though she is a newer friend of mine I look up to her so much and can share things with her that are hard for me to open up about with others. Thank you God for a friend like her.

I strongly feel that God brought her into my life at the exact time I needed it most. We just happen go through the exact same body image struggles and eating challenges. It is such a weight off my shoulders knowing that I'm not the only one feeling the way I do. I have someone who I can confide in and who knows exactly the feelings I am having.

While on our hike she shared with me a book she was reading. It breaks down Psalms 23 verse by verse.

[The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.]

 Long story short, we as humans are comparable to sheep and God is our Shepherd. If we have a bad shepherd (the devil), we will be underfed, malnourished, and straying far away. When we put God as our ultimate shepherd, he fills our every need, he provides us with food (his word), and genuinely cares for us.

I was so encouraged by everything Cassie shared with me while hiking. It was great to get some much needed girl time while enjoying God's beautiful creation!