All things health...

This post has been in the works for a long time now. But never made it to the written out phase. For a number of reasons.

1. My thoughts on this are kiiiiind of all over the place. I have like, a million on this subject.
2. Because of #1, all of my thoughts don't really have a point.
3. I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea and thinking I have a bad self image and am fishing for compliments or am hypocritical or anything weird like that.

But, for whatever reason, I've felt a nudge to write about this so I'm going with it! Hopefully I find a point to all of this somewhere along the road haha.

Anyone that knows me knows that I like to exercise and eat healthy. It's my "thing" you could say.

Exercise has never been an issue for me. I started doing it daily in jr. high and pretty much haven't stopped since. I was hardcore dedicated to it even on my mission.
It sure wasn't pretty but I did it?

I ran competitively in high school and college and ran for fun on my mission and after and then I got into weight lifting and I really liked that and I like spin classes and I like yoga aaand you get the point. I super like working out. It's a total priority for me.

It's like therapy, ya know?

I feel more confident when I exercise. Shallow, I know. But really.

And I guess it's good because you hear all the time that you should exercise because it's good for your body.

So that's nice. Put a nice little checky mark next to that.

Then, we come to food. There is a saying floating around that abs are made in the kitchen. Do I believe it?

Yeah, I sort of actually do. When I eat good, healthy, and nutritious foods I've noticed that my body looks better. They make me feel better too so that's a plus.

But here is the dilemma that I face on the daily.

Do I restrict myself so I can have a rockin' bod, OR, do I say life's too short, OR, do I walk the scary line of balance?

This kills me.

I WANT my body to perform at tip-top shape, I WANT to be confident and feel good with how I look, I WANT to have a six pack, but I also WANT ice cream...or tacos.

This pretty much sums up my life.

I'm just over here trying to find balance. 

IT'S HARD. 

Don't get me wrong, I really do love healthy foods. They are usually what I gravitate towards too. But sometimes, man... sometimes a girl just wants an ice cream cone or a shiz ton of peanut butter. Ya feel me??

But, despite my insanely crazy and really strong cravings, I've tried to be better about listening to my body and deciding what it really needs. Do I reeeeeally need that cookie or am I just bored or am I actually hungry?

Sometimes I decide I don't need it and will eat something else and sometimes I eat the dang cookie. 

And it's good. And I enjoy it. 

Aaaaaand sometimes I go overboard and eat 5 cookies... Hahaha. 

Like I said, I'm working on the whole balance thing. 

I'm really just trying to be the healthiest I can for MY body while also not letting the good stuff in life pass by. 

I am a firm believer that our bodies are a gift and we are SO lucky to have them. And you only get one, so you should probs take care of it. 

So that's what I try to do.

But, on this rollercoaster of health, I've come to realize that health looks different on everyone. What works for me won't work for her and what works for her won't work for that girl over there and it's a very personalized thing. 

Like, some people can eat whatever they want and never gain a pound (lucky b's), and some can't go within 5 feet of a cupcake or they will gain 10 pounds.

One of my favorite people on Insta (@haleya_fit_happens) posted this a while ago and I think it says it best. 

I absolutely agree.

Btw, if anyone needs someone suuuuper motivating and incredibly fit to follow?? She's your girl. I did her 12 week program and it is muy, muy bueno. 

She also posted this.

She's awesome.

For now I'm going to stop worrying about the size of my thighs, how many calories are in that, what other people think of me and just eat healthy, exercise, and be happy. 

Phew.

I'm not really sure if I ever got to a point here... But, I got a few of my thoughts out. 

That's what blogs are for right??? Haha. 

So I guess if anyone needs me... I'll just be doing my Kayla workout rewarding myself by eating a cookie after :)

The Pumpkin Patch

THERE IS A PUMPKIN PATCH HERE IN MAUI.

I felt the need to put that all in caps because this was a big deal.

I got all pouty for a minute thinking that because we're in Hawaii we won't get to do all the fun fall things, which is still partially true. But, it's fine. Some things I can live without doing. For instance... wearing cute boots and drinking hot chocolate on the reg, because it's still hotter than Hades here and so I don't really feel like doing that.

I really was sad about missing out on pumpkins though!! Lucky for us, we have awesome friends with little kids so they knew about the fun pumpkin patch wayyy up on the mountain. 

Speaking of way up on the mountain... LOOK at this view. Just look! You could see pretty much the whole island. It was insanely beautiful. 

It really was an awesome, little pumpkin patch.

I was all for picking like 6 pumpkins and taking them all home and carving the crap outta them! 

How do you ever pick just one anyway!?

But then Kade told me that in Hawaii you carve pineapples and watermelons instead... Soooooooo that should be interesting. 

In the end we only got one. 

But it's a good one. A real good one.  

And now I'm feeling much better about this whole "fall in Hawaii" thing. 

Side note: I promise I don't always look like such a scrub! In probably the last 5 pictures Kade and I have taken together I am basically wearing the exact same outfit. I actually do wear clothes that don't say Vivint Solar on them. Hahaha. 

It just happened to be Take Your Wife to Work Day. So I gotta rep ya know? 

Social Media

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. Probably like most everybody else.

I love following people and and seeing what's going on with them and being motivated and getting ideas (stalking occasionally. we all do it...) and yadda yadda. 

I don't like that it makes me feel crappy. Sometimes really crappy! 

It totally has a way of making you compare yourself and magnifying what you don't have. 

I've realized that's what my issue is lately. I spend wayyyyy too much time on Instagram and Facebook and Snapchat and whatever else there is and it has made all moody and grumpy and stuff. 

I have felt a little off for a while. My attitude sucks, I'm really irritable and most of the time I just feel so blah about everything. Everything is BLAH. 

So I did a little evaluating and it wasn't my food, it wasn't sleep... I thought it could be the fact that I spent most of the day alone or that I'm on the computer a good portion of the time for school. But that wasn't it. Then, with a little more evaluating, it became painfully obvious that my time is being sucked into the never-ending black hole of social media.

Proof: 

Montana's schedule

Wake up, check Instagram and emails.

Go to the gym. While doing cardio check Facebook...to keep my mind off of the fact that doing cardio sucks sometimes. Haha mehhh. That's what I tell myself...

Come home, have lunch and while eating catch up on what I missed during the 2 hours of gym time on Instagram. 

Do homework, check everything. Twice.

Post frequent Snaps throughout the day.

....It could go on but I think I've made my point.

IT WAS PATHETIC. Seriously. I can't even admit how many times I looked it a day because it's so embarrassing. 

After thinking about it for a little I was really grossed out. Just by the amount of time I wasted doing something so very unproductive.

So after all of my phases (you know, denial, acceptance and embarrassment, shame...) I have come up with a plan. 

I will most definitely not be doing a "social media fast" because let's be honest... I would be setting myself up for failure. And frankly, I don't want to. Haha! I like social media and I think it can do good things. But, I do need limits. So, from now until whenever I feel like it, I am only checking any sort of social media 2 times a day. Some of you probably already do that and think I'm ridiculous... but I'm a recovering addict (haha) and it's going to be a challenge. 

I'm hoping this will help me to be a little more humble and grateful and nicer to my husband and not so moody and just a bit happier. 

This quote serves as a good reminder.

Now I need some new hobbies. I've got so much free time!! 

Blogging doesn't count, btw. It's a journal ;)

Our Story - The Courtship

So! Continuing with our story.... 

It's time to tell about the real first date. 

And our first week of dates. Cause yeah, I saw him every single day the week I got home.

I think the day of I spent half of it at the gym (hahahaha.. hha. ha. post mission bod. yiiiiikes.) and the other half getting ready. 

My mom had this really cute, gold sequined skirt that I wanted to wear and we both thought it would be hilarious to text Kade and tell him to get a matching vest. We seriously thought we were so funny.

He called me in a panic like 5 minutes later asking if I was serious. My mom and I busted up laughing! I told him we were kidding but then he got all self conscious about what he was going to wear so when he came to pick me up he brought like half of his wardrobe so I could help him find something.

Little did I know, he actually did go out and buy a gold tie so we could match! That was cute. 

So we went and got Thai food (which has now become our "thing") and went to the play. 

HE HELD MY HAND, PEOPLE. 

It was real nice. It wasn't even weird! It felt totally naturally. And it was like, holding hands with a super hot guy that I was basically in love with after 18 months of nothin. So yeah, real nice. 

The next day we didn't have plans to hang out but I got a call from him that night asking me to come spy on a blind date his friend was going on. Haha. So we ate Yogurtland and pretended to be a couple (heart flutters) while we observed their date. 

Side note on this night: Kade asked me to pick him up. I drove him in my car!! I was so panicked. I think I drove like an psycho and I'm pretty sure he was nervous. But I didn't crash, so, success.

The next day it was his sister's play. I was stoked because we had to drive up to Ogden. Alllllll of that car time. Alone. Together. It was great. 

We had dinner with his parents before the show. That was nerve wracking. Thankfully his parents are some of the sweetest people on planet earth and either took no notice and just thought I was odd or they ignored my nervous ramblings.

It was a super cute play and he held my hand again! And we had the whole drive home. Winning!

This next day was probably my favorite. Kade and his friends invited me to go ice skating up in Salt Lake. 

Thankfully I'm not very good at ice skating so I told Kade that I needed to hold his hand so I could skate. Hehe. 

So, there we were just skating around the rink, having a grand ole time when these kids on the side of the rink started cheering "KISS!" at every couple that skated passed. (Kade and I probably did the awkward chuckle and side glance at each other...)

But then, the song I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas came on... So that next loop around Kade swung me into the middle and planted one right on my mouth! 

I think I was so surprised and happy and giddy and stoked out of my mind that I just laughed. It was the cutest most awesome, happy thing ever. 

So, according to my calculations, Kade kissed me 5 days after I got home from my mission. I really wasn't mad. :)

The next days and weeks were filled with Kade. And loooots and lots of him. I saw him every single day after I got home. I even saw him on Christmas. And his birthday! 

He posted this picture on Instagram. It was a big deal.

On January 12, we had a DTR. You know, determine the relationship. Or as Kade likes to call them, WAWA's. You know, where are we at. 

Either way, it was initiated by me. (HAHA) Whatever... I was just barely a missionary, I knew how to get straight to the point... From then on we were "a thing". An official one :)

Just a couple of days after that we went on our first road trip together! We went to California with a bunch of friends and it was uhhhmazing. 

I thought Kade was a winner all along but then HE TOOK ME TO DISNEYLAND.

Are you kidding me!? Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Can you sense my excitement from this picture!?

The Happiest Place on Earth is right! 

Theeeen we got fake engaged. Hahaha. Different story though. 

On January 22, we had what we lovingly refer to as our "E-versary". You know, the anniversary of the day Kade first wrote me! It was pretty freakin cute. 

He brought me flowers and we lit lanterns and made wishes. 

Alright. We're getting cheesy up in here but I don't care. 

That was the night that we said the big 3 to each other!! You know, I LOVE YOU... (I STILL get butterflies thinking about it!)

After that, we shot some guns...

We flew on some planes...

We rode some motorcycles...

and some mountain boards...

Then we took another road trip to Santa Cruz! 

And 3 stellar months after I got home from my mission we took another road trip to Laguna Beach and came home engaged!!! 

That story coming soon...

Piiiiiiiiizzzzaaaa

We like pizza around this house. Like, a lot. We even got a super rad pizza oven for our wedding! Seriously I feel like everyone should own one of them.

Since we like pizza, naturally we hopped on the veggie pizza crust train and are big fans. We've tried a couple different types and recipes.

Theeeen, one day I came across a recipe for a sweet potato crust. I was like, "Oh holla!!" Sweet potatoes are my faaaaaav. 

So I proceeded to make a sweet potato crust. So. Good. It has a bit of a thicker texture, a little heartier. And it stayed together a little better as a crust.

The best part? It was soooo easy to make. 

I looked at probably 5 different recipes and got the gist of what it takes to make a crust and I came up with my own recipe! Which is why nothing has anything close to exact measurements hahaha. 

- A couple of cooked sweet potatoes (we used 4. 1 big and 3 smaller ones)

- 1 egg (hey! An exact measurement! ;)

- Goat cheese. This depends on how cheesy you want it! You can even go without if you would rather not. I added it to give the crust extra flavor and to help it stick together better. 

- Oat flour. That is just what we had on hand. How much really depends on how sticky everything is. We started out and about half a cup and kept adding more until we felt it had a "dough-like" texture. 

- Spices!! We used crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

We mixed all of that togetha and pressed it all out on our pizza peel and let it bake for probably 7 or 8 minutes. Oven works similarly. Put it on a well-greased cookie sheet and let it cook for probably 1 or 2 minutes longer. 

Then to the best part. Toppings!!!! 

We had a super delish artichoke and garlic pizza sauce with goat cheese (I'm obsessed), sautéed mushrooms, and spinach on top. 

Throw it in the pizza oven (or normal oven) until things look cooked and the cheese is melty.

YUM. 

I've got a few other pizza crust recipes I'm wanting to try so hopefully they turn out. This has by far been my fav!

Yay for pizza!




Side note: low quality pictures for the win! This condo we're in right now could not have worse lighting. There is always some sort of hideous shadow no matter where you stand to take a picture. Soooo, this is what we get.

Our Story - The Mission

Kade left this morning for a business trip and is gone until tomorrow night and it feels like foreeeeeeevver already. 

Drama queen, I know. But really! I miss him. 

Because of that I'm feeling a bit sentimental this evening so I thought I'd share mine and Kade's story! It's one I've told probably a hundred million times but I want to write it down! 

It makes me so happy every. darn. time.

Here we go....

In 2013 Kade was living and working in Oahu. My dad went out to Hawaii to film a commercial that Kade happened to be in! My dad, being my dad, kept hinting at this missionary daughter of his... and Kade wasn't having any of it hahaha. 

But, he and my dad hit it off anyway and went surfing and cave diving and all sorts of other stuff.

Fast forward a bit and they went to Guatemala for a charity trip with Vivint together. My dad kept hinting at his missionary daughter and Kade still wasn't having it. 

Fast forward agaaaaain, my dad and their mutual friend Dan are in California at dinner together. Dan texted Kade a picture of me (embarrassing) and said, "Hey dude. Found your wife."

According to Kade he was like, "Who's that??" Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dan told him it was Kurt's daughter and that he really needed to start writing me.

Thank the heavens for Dan and his amazing wife, Laura during that. If they wouldn't have pushed and prodded like they did, he probably would never have written me! 

During this time, I was in Seattle, minding my own business, preaching the gospel, being faithful and focused and having no idea that all of this was going on! Until... I get an email from my dad that says, "Met this way cool guy named Kade. He's going to write you so make sure to write him back."
He was sure to include this picture :)

What a champ.

Then, whaddaya know! Kade finally wrote me!

We wrote emails every week for almost a whole year! Contrary to popular belief we always had things to talk about and it really wasn't ever awkward. Later on we started to add pictures to the emails.

Truth be told, it was what I looked forward to all week long! There were some weeks I didn't write my parents because I spent too long writing Kade an email. Hahaha.
Not sure if they actually knew that... Soooorryyyyy mom and dad!! 

So, about 6 months in to writing, things were great. I'd say we were good friends, ya know?

Side note: It is crazy how well you get to know someone when all you can do is write emails. Really! You get to know them on a totally different level. It was cool to actually get to know him know him in a strictly friend way before we ever even met.

Anyway, back to the story! I will always remember this moment. It was around my birthday in June and my companion and I were out knocking doors and I just had this thought pop into my head. A really quick, fleeting kinda thought but it was "I can really see myself marrying Kade."

I wasn't thinking about him or anything and after that thought went through my head I thought "Hmmm. Cool!" and then went about my business.

Over some months, lots of emails were sent, a few super hilarious videos were made and sent, and one really super cute package was sent too.

He found out that I am a freak for pancakes and waffles and he sent me my favorite waffle mix! With almond butter and an amazing syrup. Cue the heart eyed emoji.

My mission time was coming to a close and thank heavens Kade had moved from Hawaii to California in the time we were writing. California was just so much closer ya know?? Then, one email, he dropped a bomb on me and told me he got a job offer in Utah.
I ABSOLUTELY squealed like a little girl in the library when I read that. But, I played it cool and told him that I thought it was a really good move and that Utah was a cool place ;) Haha.

Like 2 weeks before I was set to come home, my dad emailed me and told me that he had tickets to see A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater two days after I got home and that I should ask Kade.

So I did!

While I was on my mission.
Hahaha. He didn't know when he was for sure moving back to Utah yet so it was for a really good cause k!? I needed him to not live in California when I got home!

He agreed and then asked me on a date two days after that! His sister was in A Christmas Carol and so we planned to see it again! Trust me, I wasn't mad.

Then, we wrote our last emails to each other. It was a totally bittersweet! I had looked forward to those every week! I knew and hoped soo so much that it would be just as wonderful and easy in person as it was in email and that we would just click. That was one of my biggest fears in meeting Kade! And that he would smell bad or something... It's a totally valid fear.

 Then, I came home! It was awesome.
I bawled like a baby.
I was really happy Kade wasn't there.... Sorry babe. It wasn't pretty. 
I think I hugged my mom for a good 3 solid minutes. But that's a different story.

I didn't get released from being a missionary until the morning after I got home and a couple hours after that Kade came over! He wanted to meet first before going on our date. So happy it happened that way. Aaaaand he brought me flowers! Whatta guy.

Like I mentioned earlier, I was so nervous to meet Kade. I was worried that I had built this relationship up to something unrealistic and I really didn't want to get my hopes up and have them crash and burn because he smelt bad or sounded like a 5 year old girl or was totally awkward in person. Again, valid fears, guys.

But, I honestly was worried for no reason. He gave me a big hug when he first walked in and it just felt good! Like, good. It wasn't weird or awkward and it was like I had known him forever! Because I guess I had known him for almost a year. It was the coolest thing.

We went to pick out a Christmas present for his niece and we got acai bowls. The conversation flowed so easily and the whole time I remember just being sooo so stoked because this guy I had written and become good friends with and, let's just be honest here, loved, was really real! I actually was with him! In person! And I could see him and hear him and smell him! And he smelt great, btw! 

It was fantastic and everything I had hoped it would be.

Now, on to our courtship story. Coming soon :)

10:00

For probably the past 4 nights and a row Kade and I have gone to bed at 10. 

And I'm not meaning deciding to go to bed at 10 and then brushing our teeth and getting into bed and looking at Instagram and going to bed at 11:30. 

I mean both dead asleep, out cold, at 10:00 pm.

One night it was even 9:30!! I kid you not. I have pictures to prove it! But, then I realized that they are pictures of us in bed and that would be weird to post them. Haha.

Sometimes it really is just so good. And then sometimes I feel like a total chump! 

We're a fun-loving, young, hip, newlywed couple! (ugh. maybe not after that comment...) We should be out on the town! Partying with all of our friends and hanging out and doing fun stuff!

Aaaaaand then I remember we live in Hawaii. Where there isn't much of a night-life. And we have no friends. 

Hahahha. Just kidding. We really do have friends! They just all have babies and work schedules and things to do. 

So. We usually hang out at home. Which is totally fine! Here is the really pathetic part though... We'll start a movie or a show at 9 and both of us are struggling to make it to the end! 

We're such a married couple. 

On the bright side, this is probably the only time in my whole adult life that I have ever actually hit the full 8-10 hours of sleep. It's quite nice. 

There's the married person talking....

Please, please tell me we aren't alone in this. 

Lilikoi

Lilikoi. Aka passion fruit, the nectar of the Gods, yummy yumness, whatever you want to call it. 

I had never had it and really didn't even know what it was before coming to Hawaii and I was definitely missing out. This stuff is GOOD. 

It's a cute, yellow ball fruit full of amazingly tasting gooey stuff inside. It has seeds that give it the perfect amount of texture to offset the sliminess. 

Sounds appetizing right? HAHA! I swear it's good.

What is so funny is that it grows like weeds around here! People think of it as more of a nuisance and nobody really cares for it. Which is sad but also fine, cause like, more for me, ya know? 

We visited our friends last week and stocked up on soooo many from their yard. Of course I didn't get a picture so just trust me on this one.

So, since we have a fatty pile of lilikoi, this is the concoction that I've come up with. With a little inspo from my good friend, Steph!

Looks a little gross. But it's not, promise.

It's plain greek yogurt, cottage cheese, looooooots of lilikoi, and a tad of agave to sweeten it up if your fruit is tart. 

It's my go-to for a quick and easy snack. 

yum.

Haleakala

Since Kade and I have recently moved to the island, we like to go exploring and actually see where we live! We usually do a new hike or go to a new beach or something new every week. 

One of our most recent adventures was going to the top of Mount Haleakala to watch the sunrise. 

That involved getting up the mountain and getting up there earlier enough to see the sunrise. That meant 3:50 AM! 

Nobody should ever get up that early.

But, we did. 

After a forever long car ride of complete blackness and a really small, windy road, following like 30 other cars, we made it to the top! 

And it was cold.

I don't know if Hawaii has softened me up, or it really was just that cold. But, man! Who would've thought Hawaiian temperatures could reach as low as 40 somethin' degrees. Not this chick. 

So anyway, we waited for the sunrise, and waited, and waited....

sunned out. sorry, kade.

It was the coolest thing being above everything else and being able to see the whole entire island from one spot. It was amazing!

It was way cold and way, super early but it was so worth it.

The nap after wasn't too bad either. ;)

Tarzan

I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Hansen family!!

I named him Tarzan. He's cute huh??

Older than the hills. Smells like it too. But runs like a champ and it drives. 

Big deal, folks. 

I have been without a car ever since we've been in Hawaii. So a couple of months now. Which is totally fine! People do it all the time, for wayyyy longer periods of time than me, and by choice. Totally cool. 

Buuuuut, ya see. I've been stuck in our teeny, baby apartment where only so many treats can be made a day, so many counters can be wiped off, and so much homework can be done. 

I've walked plenty of places, mind you. But walking a good distance with arms full of groceries isn't ideal. Plus, it's so darn hot! And I'm a little bit lazy. 

So, with open arms I welcomed Tarzan into the family. 

Bless him and his funky smell.