HAPPY LITTLE THINGS.

Because sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy all the little pieces of happiness in your life no matter how small and insignificant they may seem. 

1. At work, the Portlandia theme song came on and it instantly just made me so happy. Part of it was because it subconsciously tricked my brain into thinking I was watching the show. But also because it reminded me of driving through the canopy tree neighborhoods in Portland and listening to that song in the car with Jeremy. 

2. Coffee shop mornings with friends. I always look forward to Friday mornings for this exact reason. Good drinks, good toast, and good friends. 

3. Today at work, a guy came up to me and asked "You love your job huh?" When I said yes, he said "it really shows" and just told me how he appreciated how happy I always look walking around. That was just a really nice thing to hear. 

4. We had pizza day at work yesterday and we're having it again today! Yay for pizza days!

5. It's been a lovely cloudy drizzly day up until now (noon) which is so nice! I love a good overcast morning. I drove to work with all my windows down this morning and couldn't get enough of the fresh breeze through my hair and the nice rain smell in the air.

6. We watched a really dumb movie last night called "The Belkno Experiment" but sometimes I secretly really love bad movies. It just seems like no one on the production team realized just how cheesy it was before they sent the final product out into the world and I find that funny!

7. I organized and cleaned up my shop so I can really start focusing on Confetti Heart more! It's so nice to have an organized shop, and I really want to concentrate more energy into my business.

8. Today I got the urge to learn French again so as I've been sitting here editing photos I've been listening to French lessons on YouTube and it's interesting just how much comes back when you hear phrases again. I just want to be able to speak French so badly! One day I will. :)

9. Mama has been here for the past couple of weeks and it's been fun to have her here! We go on little drives, we watch TV together (one of our favorite pastimes!), and we get to chit chat in person instead of on the phone so that's been nice.

10. I'm just really happy today! I've been having a lot of good days lately so I'm very grateful for that.

THE PRETTIEST DRIVE THROUGH BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON

The other day, Mama, Jeremy and I took a little scenic drive through Big Cottonwood Canyon. I always thought I didn't like Big Cottonwood as much as Little Cottonwood but something about our recent drive really changed my mind. 

We stopped by Silver Lake which I had never gone to before. It was overcast, just the right amount of chill in the air, cloudy, and so beautiful! I couldn't have asked for better weather to experience a place for the first time. It really was perfect!

We walked along the path out to the water, took some photos, watched the fisherman, and admired the pretty scenery. I really want to take a little picnic out there the next time I go and eat by the water.

We then continued on to Park City through Guardsman Pass which was another first for me! I've never driven to Park City that way, but now that's the only way I want to go! It definitely adds some time to the trip, but it's well deserved time added. It's just so fun to get to drive through Big Cottonwood and have all that scenery along the drive.

Every Sunday from 10:00am-5:00pm is the Park City Farmer's Market on Main Street so we walked around and looked at all the booths. I really love Farmer's Markets. I kind of always have ever since I was little and would go to all the craft shows and farmer's markets with my mama and her soap + candle business.

We had dinner at Blue Iguana, looked in the shops, and walked along the streets in the drizzling rain. We also shared a yummy pecan caramel apple from the chocolate shop which was the perfect little treat! No matter how much food I eat for dinner, there's always room for a caramel apple. :)

It was a perfect day, and now I just want to spend every evening in Big Cottonwood Canyon! 
 

DUNKIRK. MORE LIKE STRESSKIRK.

Last night, we saw Dunkirk at IMAX in West Valley! If I had to describe Dunkirk in one word, it would be: stressful.

That movie was 106 minutes of just pure stress. But good stress. 

I really loved it! But really, I've yet to watch a Christopher Nolan film that I didn't like. What can I say, the man is good at what he does! I especially love how strong of a role music plays in his movies. It's integrated so well within the film and subtly drives the emotion of the movie. 

Dunkirk is one of those movies that is so captivating, I forgot I was sitting in a huge IMAX theater full of people. I finally remembered about a third of the way in to the movie that I wasn't alone with the movie. Any movie that can make you forget what's immediately happening all around you is a pretty good movie!

So if you haven't seen it yet, go watch it!
If you say "But Olivia, I don't like war movies..." go watch it.
If you think you'll just wait until Redbox, treat yourself and see it in the theater.
If you think just any old theater is fine, I say no way Jose, go watch it in IMAX. It's worth it!

A PICNIC IN LITTLE COTTONWOOD.

Saturday, my Mama made a lot of yummy food, and my family went up to Little Cottonwood Canyon for a picnic! We had good picnic food too! She made pesto, chicken salad sandwiches, and a couple of different kinds of a salad.

It was the nicest temperature up there and so nice to escape the heat for a bit! We went up to the top of Little Cottonwood to Albion Basin and found some logs to bring together to sit on and eat. We had our dinner and Jeremy gave pieces of bread to a little critter who kept coming by. I think he called it a potgut? He was cute whatever he was!

After we ate, we walked along the path up towards Cecret Lake. Jeremy and Forrest climbed rocks along the way, I took lots of photos, and picked too many wildflowers. It was just a really nice evening.

Sometimes I forget just how nice it is to go up the canyons. I always love it when I do, but sometimes I let too much time pass in between my trips up there. I'm going to make it a point to explore the canyons more and just escape the city a little more. I mean, this absolutely beautiful place is only 30 minutes from my house. I don't really have any excuses not to spend more time up there! 

I also really want to start utilizing the canyons more with my photoshoots. The wildflowers and pine trees are just so lovely and I want to do more shoots up there.

Forrest performing an Indian Paintbrush healing blessing.

Until next time, Little Cottonwood Canyon. :)

IT'S FRIDAY, I'M IN LOVE.

I felt reeaal cool today. And I have photos to prove just how cool I felt thanks to Jeremy and my friend Ryan. :)

 

Every Friday morning, we all go out to coffee before work and it's pretty much the highlight of my work week. Today we went to Publik; I got my mocha, and cinnamon sugar toast and had the peachiest little time. I love Fridays.

 

MOVIE TUESDAY: THE HOUSE

Last night we watched The House! It was really silly, but also really funny! I giggled a lot and my mom even laughed a lot, so it's even mom approved! Well, I mean it's normal, cute, open-minded mom approved. But don't take your uptight Mormon mom to it, she won't like it. haha.

While we were waiting for the movie to start I was thinking about how much Jeremy and I probably spend on our weekly movie habit and thought it must be a lot. Granted we don't go every single week (almost though), but if we went say 50 weeks out of the year that would only be $250 a year. That really isn't that bad honestly! I feel like I've blew $250 in way worse ways. 

I will gladly forever spend $5 a week to carry on the funnest Tuesday tradition, and to be able to see movies in the theater. :) 
 
It's just so much more fun to see all the movies in the theater! Plus I'm slowly adding to my crazy movie ticket stub collection that I will probably never do anything with. I have saved every single movie ticket stub since I was a freshman or sophomore in highschool. One day I'll finally bring them all together and do some type of project with them. Until then, they will continue to sit in a variety of little treasure boxes in Utah and California.
 

IMPULSIVE LITTLE HEART OF MINE.

I have this little problem where I want to do too many things, be too many things (occupation wise), live too many different places, and have too many grand ideas.

Lately here are a few. As you can tell, my heart has no idea what it wants.

• Move to New York City for a couple of years and make just enough money where I can afford rent, live comfortably, but still give myself enough free time to experience all the fun touristy things.

• Buy a home/apartment/condo in Los Angeles. Recently I've been looking at houses everyday online in LA and get my heart too excited for something that realistically is at least a year or two away.
  
• Live in Hawaii for a year. I just really love the idea of living in Hawaii. I don't know if living there will take away some of the magic of the island but I don't think it will. I know there's a big difference between being on vacation somewhere vs actually living there, but I think it would still feel carefree and fun living and working there too.
  
• Take a short term job on the set of a TV Series in Iowa that I got offered. A couple weeks ago I met some people on the set of a movie being filmed here in SLC. One of them offered me a 60 day set job starting in August. The only problem is it's in Des Moines, Iowa and I don't know where the heck I would live for just two months. It would be some really good money though so I'm very tempted!
  
• Buy a house in Salt Lake City to fix up and rent out. Houses here are so cheap and it's fun to think I could actually afford one today if I wanted. Yay for unknowingly saving money for a down payment all this time.
  
• Open a bakery. Ever since I was little, I've always loved the idea of opening my own bakery. For some reason lately I'm starting to really take notice of all the vacant buildings I could see my bakery moving in to. It's just fun to think about when I pass by cute abandoned shops.
  

Despite all my different ideas lately, I actually am very happy with my life right now. I really enjoy my job. I'm able to live in the fun part of Salt Lake City. I love how cute Salt Lake City is. I'm saving a lot of money. I really love all my friends here. And I just really love how easygoing and carefree my life is right now.

Life is happy. But it's always fun to daydream. :)

ZUMBA. ZUMBA. ZUMBA.

I went to a Zumba class for the first time last night with Mama and I learned two things:

1. Zumba is actually a lot better of a work out than I thought it was going to be! You're just constantly moving and following along with the instructor for an hour, and boy oh boy was I sweaty at the end!

2. I have no rhythm whatsoever! The whole time I felt like I was constantly two steps behind all the other ladies. In my defense, it seemed like a lot of those ladies were regulars because they already knew the choreography almost simultaneously as the instructor was doing it. I think even if I knew all the moves, I would still be so behind though! I just might not have that intuitive dancing bug in my soul.

It was really fun though! The ladies were all so in it, and danced the whole time, and it was a fun atmosphere. I think we'll have to go again next Thursday evening! 

Perhaps I'll get better. :)

LET'S BE REAL FOR A SEC.

I got kind of chubby. 
I mean, this isn't really news to anyone. It all started right around my first year living in Rexburg. I blame it on moving away from home for the first time with a mix of an amazing cook of a boyfriend at the time who made me dinner every single day. Super delicious, but not so healthy food every single night. Who wouldn't get chubby?!

Anyway, I finally decided I want to get back into shape and to look how I did when I was 18, 19, 20. I was skinny and super in shape from swimming and I just miss those days!

I found a cool Sport Rec Center up by the U that has an indoor and outdoor pool! (Along with a full gym, workout classes, and an ice skating rink!) So last Thursday I bought myself a month membership to try it out and I've been just about every night since! It feels so good to start swimming again!

Without meaning to, I always end up there about 8:00pm to swim for an hour and just in the week I've been I'm starting to see the same regulars every night which is fun. There's a group of 3 older Russian women there every night to swim and then end the night in the sauna, and I just admire their friendship from across the pool and locker room.

My goal is to lose 15 pounds by my 25th birthday. If you're a health nutritionist look away because I already know that's an unhealthy weight loss goal for that time frame but that's what I'm shooting for!

Fun Fact: When I first met Jeremy, I lost 7 pounds in two weeks. My boss teased me that it was Puppy Love because I was never hungry and never felt like eating. I was just too happy to eat, I suppose. Crazy right? haha

For being chubbier, I still fit into my Junior year of highschool swimsuit!

So this is my goal! 

• 15 pounds weightloss by September 12th.
• Swimming or some form of good exercise everyday after work.  
• Eating healthier everyday. 
• Become more aware of those little sneaky calories.
  (I'm looking at you chai's and mochas!)

Starting Weight: 146
Current Weight: 139
Goal Weight:     125

Wish me luck! Losing weight is rough mcguff.

DATE NIGHT TO SPIDER-MAN! SWIMMING. TARGET SHENANIGANS.

This past weekend was FUN! 
Friday night I went swimming at the Sport Center up by the U by myself and it was so lovely! I swam 26 laps in 40 minutes which made me feel so good! 36 laps is a mile so I did about 2/3rds of a mile! I haven't been swimming in a long time so I'm still working up to how I used to be. I used to be able to just swim and swim but I just haven't kept up on it recently. I'm excited I'm starting again though! Here's to a healthier Olivia! :)

I went out to lunch Saturday with Mama and Forrest to Chunga's and got the most delicious pineapple drink with my carne asada burrito plate. That drink was yummy! Pineapple drinks always seem so refreshing on a hot summer day. 

Saturday evening we all went to see the new Spider-Man! I always really have enjoyed the different Spider-Man movies and I liked this one as well! Spider-Man always just seems the lightest feeling story out of all the superhero movies. We went to the 7:30pm showing which was nice and full which I love for a movie like that!

Sunday morning Jeremy and I went to The Park Cafe for a cute Sunday morning breakfast! We sat out on the patio which is only really nice this time of year! They have that area open in the winter with heat lamps on and it's freezing! But it was really nice this time, and it was fun to look out at Liberty Park across the street and watch all the joggers/rollerbladers/bikers go by. 

Then we went to Bath & Body Works because I ran out of some of my favorite perfume. And the best thing happened! It was on sale for 75% off so naturally I bought way too many!  When they're $3 a bottle, you naturally just have to buy a bunch. Right?

We went to Target not really for anything in particular, sometimes I just like to go "see what they have". We look at the same sections every time. I look in the dollar section for new birthday cards & note cards while Jeremy bugs me that I'm taking too long. We look at all the new stuff in the home decor section. Lately we've been looking in the patio section for backyard things. And 88% of the time I stop to see what new silly leggings I can get from the little girls section. The XL in Girls fits me and they're so much cheaper than women's leggings and way cuter! So far I have the pink donuts one, blue and yellow banana ones, and sherbert ice cream looking ones! I will proudly match all the 8 years old around. :)


I call this: "The coolest kid in the candy store."
Not really. I just made him stop and positioned him in the middle of the aisle for a photo and he naturally put on his sunglasses. Don't worry, we're not the terrible people who wear sunglasses indoors haha.

Blue Copper is our favorite coffee shop in SLC so we tend to end up there a lot. We go to a lot of others but at the end of the day, I think we just both really love the vibe in Blue Copper the best. For the summer they have the best Vanilla Bean Lemonade and it's sooo good!

FOURTH OF JULY 2017!

You guys, I LOVE the 4th of July! It's always been one of my favorite holidays ever since I was little. I love the parades, the red white and blue attire, the bbqs, the patriotism, communities coming together, the glitter parade floats, but especially the fireworks!

Oh how I love firework shows. 

 

This year we went to the North Salt Lake firework show the night before the 4th! That's one reason I really love that firework show; they always have it the night before so we essentially get two nights of the 4th of July celebrations! They had a ton of food trucks on the street and everything would have been so tempting if I wasn't so full!

On the actual 4th we woke up early to go to the Murray parade! We did that last year and it was really fun so we went back again this year. It's a cute parade and the best part is it's only an hour long! That's just my kind of parade: short and sweet. 

We had a bbq at home which was the yummiest! Mama made a lot of food and Forrest grilled ribs and chicken + veggie kabobs on the grill which were so good! We had Megan and Jordan (Jeremy's sister and brother-in-law) over for dinner also which was really fun!

After some rounds of Mario Kart, we went to the Sugarhouse Fireworks and this year they had carnival rides set up! Forrest + I went on a really fun spinning one which was so much fun! 

 

 

We ended the night with some little fireworks at home only to have the neighborhood crazy lady come outside to yell "No fireworks!". She really is so crazy, you guys. She once got mad at Jeremy and I for parking on the street in front of her house because it was "her spot". News flash, lady, nobody owns any spot on a public street. 

I'm now super excited for Pioneer Day so we can have another firework show! We always go to the one at Liberty Park so come be friends if you live in SLC! :)