Where is Home?

When I'm at college, I refer to my dorm as "home." But for the past nine years I have referred to my house in Oregon as "home."Which got me thinking:

So, where is my home?

Apartment 208: A refuge from from college life. A place where I can chill with no pants on complaining about my cruddy day. A place where I can sing and dance at 2AM and have my roommates happily join in. I love being here; a place I call home. 

My house in Oregon: A place I am comfortable. A place I don't feel the need to entertain, please or be with other people. A place that I can be surrounded by love or chose to be on my own. A place with free food. I love being here as well; a place I call home.

CONCLUSION: I have a habit of making myself very comfortable where I am, wither I'm at a my own home, a friends house, or an office's lobby. I just tend to be a very home-y person. I can have two homes, and I am grateful to have two places filled with people I love, who love me. 

I am so blessed. Have a lovely day.

Spoken Word

Poets are amazing people. They have a way of making the everyday ordinary experiences into beautiful and vivid. So real, I can't help but connect with them and experience what they feel whether it be pain, depression, hurt, joy, excitement or love. All these emotions are so easily portrayed through spoken word. 

Which brings me to my latest obsession. 

You guessed it.

Spoken Word Poetry.

My new favorite is Sarah Kay. She speaks beautiful, she says the hard things, she speaks truth and never looks back. Her video with Phil Kaye, When Love Arrives, really touched my soul and my heart.

They address love. I wish I could summarize their words, but I cannot. So please watch it. 

"Love arrives exactly when love is suppose to. And it leaves exactly when love must." 

I don't think my love of Spoken Word will dwindle soon. I am thankful to live in a world with poetry and people brave and creative enough to share it.

Have a lovely day. 

Wind Caves

"Let's go on an adventure."

Most of the fun things I do here in Logan, start with this phrase by one of my roommates. It was 11PM two nights ago when we decided to go on a hike in the Loagn Canyon called the Wind Caves. I know most college students up here have done it so I figured it would be a casual hike, oh on the contrary. 

Although it was doable, it was not what I thought. The 45 minute hike was up hill, not just a steady incline, but literally climbing up the entire mountain. Also, fun fact, I am terrified of the dark. I was trying to play it low key how terrified I was.

Huffing and puffing up that moutain in pitch black wasn't my favorite thing in the world, the view was amazing. I wish everyone could see how outstandingly gorgeous it was in the solitude of the mountains. I was in awe. I am so thankful that I live in such a beautiful place and have such wonderful friends. 

Have a lovely day. 

Autumn Is In The Air

AUTUMN AROMA:

Take a pot of water add:

      {Apple Slices

      {Orange Slices

      {Cinnamon Sticks or Powder 

      {Whole Cloves

Warm over a medium high stove until boiling.

Turn down heat to low and let simmer.

                              I love this time of year. 

Fall.

The trees. 

The leaves.

The crisp air.

The sweaters.

The hot chocolate.

The colors.

But I can't always translate the beauty of the outdoors into my own little dorm, until now. I hope you all add a little more spice into your everyday fall life. Enjoy and have a lovely day.

Retreating To My Roots

Meet William Budge. My great great great grandfather.

I choose to go to Utah State University before I even knew that he helped settle this part of Utah and knew that he was buried right near where I live right now. But that is where I am, less than a half mile from my ancestors. I have found that his grave is a place of refuge for me during this time of my life.

I come here often to pray and meditate during my busy weeks. The peace that encompasses this cemetery has become vital to my sanity and spiritual health. But during this process of retreating back to my roots, I have learned so much about where I've come from.

There is so much comfort in knowing where you've come from, because it reminds you of where you're going. Well rather- where you want to go. You think of what people will remember of you while they go to your grave. It makes me want to live a life they would be proud of.

Have a lovely day.

Warm Pasta Salad

Okay. So here's the deal. I love pasta. There are a few kinds of pasta I am very comfortable with making, but hey, college is a time to try new things. So here what I have created is a recipe I am proud of, it's super simple but it's perfect for a quick filling college meal.

you need
     {your favorite pasta- one serving amount
     {your favorite salad dressing
     {add ins- choose whatever you have on hand
         chicken   
         cheese
         veggies ect.
               tomatoes- fresh or sun-dried
               spinach
               zucchini
               *anything works*

As simple as it seems, this recipe works for me because I can change it up, just by using the different indigents I have on hand at the time. Don't be afraid to mix all your veggies together- after all, the more veggies the better.

Here is what I used: normal macaroni, my favorite Cesar dressing, bagged and washed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, with chicken. The trick about the chicken is buying a rotisserie chicken and shredding it up myself at then I can throw it into anything during the week. Just simply cook the pasta and add the dressing and add ins right on top of the warm pasts, mix and enjoy.

***NEW TIP***

If you want to wilt spinach into any pasta, put the spinach into the strainer first and then dump the boiling and fully-cooked pasta on top. Between the hot water and sitting underneath the hot noodles, the leaves will come out perfectly cooked every time. So no need for a separate pan; wilting has never been easier.

Concrete Jungle

 The view from the infamous Concrete Jungle.

View from the inside looking out.

 Always refreshing to see some HP love.

 My favorite tag.

On top of the world.

I am so lucky to live in the beautiful Logan Canyon. I mean where else in the world could I have scenic  Saturday afternoons like this one?