things I've learned from (to love about) golf

This summer Mark and I have become slightly obsessed with a game called g o l f. We have probably played at least 12 times. It started out just as something to do after work with Mark's intern, Dongsun. He enjoyed playing, and so we all went out together one day after work. Shortly thereafter it became somewhat of a post-work routine. 

Here's what I've learned from the game: 

1. The less you think, the better you swing

The more I relax and remember the fundamentals of my stroke, the better I play. Just slow it down and let life come. You'll be fine if you remember the most important things. 

2. Hit the shot you know you can make, not the one you think you can make 

I think I have shot par a handful of times this summer--that doesn't give me the right to have everyone call me "pro" or think I can drive 300 yards every time. Even when I don't it's important not ever get too confident. Just like a wise Book of Mormon a prophet once said "...and see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." 

3. You hit one ball, you go find it, then you hit another. 

Sometimes we take steps forward, sometimes we take major steps forward. Sometimes we take major chunks of dirt forward, with us. Sometimes we miss the ball completely. Sometimes we drive around for way too long, just wondering where it went. Basically life is the same. We sometimes see the destination, but it takes way longer for us to get there than we wanted it to. 

4. If you don't line up, the ball doesn't land where you think it will. 

You have to position your body and the club and hope things work out for the best.You have to know where the flag is and you have to know what's surrounding the green. If you never know where you want to go, you definitely won't ever get there. 

5. Sometimes you find fun stuff when you are looking for a lost ball. 

Sometimes in 9 holes you lose like 12 balls, but it's still a great time. Sometimes in life you come out on top, and sometimes you just can't ever get in the rhythm. It sometimes doesn't makes sense and your mind messes up shots more than the body and you just have to laugh along the way. 

6. Sometimes you find pet frogs 

Family Boating

The summer seems to be slipping away! we've had several family boating weekends, now that my sister has a boat. These little ladies make it hard not to have a blast. I love being so close to so much of my family right now. It won't always be this way, so I try to seize every opportunity to spend time with them. 

my sister Rebecca and me 

My mom with baby DJ 

Summer update

How is it that I've lost touch with my blog for so long? Probably because Summers as an adult, are way busier than those as a college kid. Working from 8 AM til' the PM is exhausting in the first place, then while simultaneously trying to remind yourself that it's summer in the evenings, makes it even worse! I'll just do a few quick updates on my summer thus far!

 

Mark is a man who loves his truck--His Toyota Tacoma-- it is one of his most prized possessions. Haha We've started an amazing tradition called "Taco Time", where we take the truck out on off-roading adventures. We explore forbidden paths, until we find ourselves on mountain tops and soaking in incredible views. You will find me often hysterical, telling Mark "there's no way we're going to make it up this one!!" Mark typically wins, when I bet against making it up absurd looking obstacles. "Somethin' bout a truck," that turns him into an extreme MAN, who thinks he can conquer anything...and I love it.

 

A few years ago my parents gave all of my siblings and me a book by Dave Ramsey called Total Money Makeover. It was very relevant at the time, as I was beginning my transition into being completely self-reliant. I was fortunate enough to have had their help through college. They led by example, when it came to frugality, savings, making things last, and exercising self-control with things we want. Their example is one that I will forever be grateful for. The words in Dave Ramsey's book, rang a familiar with me, as I reflected my parents' attitude of money. Dave Ramsey reveiwed his Financial Baby Steps. I am a believer in this stuff!!! Here they are:

1.)  Start with an emergency fund of $1,000

2. ) Pay off all debts, using the financial snowball

3.)  3-6 months of expenses in savings

4.) Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement

5.) Start College funding for your kids

6. ) Pay off home early

7.) Build Wealth and give!

This convention was super cool, and I would recommend it for anyone who wants to make lots of money, and be smart in managing it :)

We went to CA. in June, (what's new) for my friend Leigh's wedding. Leigh and I have been friends since we met like 7 years ago at our apartment complex at BYU. She lived down the hall, and we've stayed friends ever since. Somehow we'd never managed to live together, so for the 3 months leading up to her wedding, we lived together! It was so fun to be part of L-robins' last hoorah.

On the way to LA for the wedding, we stopped in Vegas for the night, since my brother and his wife happened to be there for the weekend from Portland. The pic below is when Mark was a celebrity, to a bunch of random wasted folk. Going down the escalator, they were all cheering for him. I cheered them on, because I loved feeling like I was dating a celeb.

The wedding was beautiful. Thanks Leigh and Rudy for inviting us. We loved being there with them, and having such a great excuse to party in LA once more (we never turn down those opps...)

Here is a great shot of MT on the LA temple grounds. It's always great to get to the temple, and feel at peace, and to gain a greater perspective of what it's all about.

After the ceremony, we headed downtown, to hit up an amazing taco place called "Mexi-Cali Taco"

We had some of the most amazing tacos I've ever had in my life. Mark has somehow turned me into a bit of a taco fanatic. Somehow we always end up eating or making tacos, several times a week.

The newly weds. What an attractive couple they are...

We were able to volunteer at the special Olympics a few months ago, as part of Vivint Gives Back

I traveled to Dallas and Vegas to do some recruiting. The pic above is when I was in Vegas at UNLV. We set up a booth in the student center and did the whole "talk to people allllll day long" thing. We opened up a new market in Vegas for Commercial Sales teams, so things at Vivint have been pretty crazy as of late. We also opened up a Dallas Market, so the next day I went to Dallas for a day of interviewing.

My sister got a boat. Mark and I typically surf together, and not alone.

This was what we found one evening at the end of our taco time. We watched a guy fly his giant kites. We drove through puddles on the way home.

Derald and DJ, at Stacey Joe's birthday party

I threw a surprise party for Mark on his 29th birthday. We had a blast with a dual celebration of his birthday, combined with the fourth of July! We celebrated all day, since we had the day off anyway :) We started with donuts, got some guacamole from Whole foods, and ended with a delish carrot/dulce de leche birthday cake+ fireworks.

Naturally, I had to get the birthday boy a present, so I opted into buying that cool looking vintage American flag you see there above the fireplace. He loved it, and so did I :)

I've become a bit more accustomed to late night trips to Beto's. I'd say that's become somewhat of a summer tradition for us.

I went to Mexico with Mark's family. Our first stop was Teotijuacan. It was one of the coolest places I've ever been! There were these massive pyramids that we hiked to the top of and marveled at the views at the top of them. Mexico City was somewhere that I'd never been, so it was great to go with Mark's fam. His little brother served his LDS mission there, so it was a unique experience to see where he served for 2 years. My Spanish came back to me after a day or so...I occasionally threw in a few Italian words, but that was expected. What an amazing trip it was!!

We happened to be in Mexico City when Mexico played Croatia in the World Cup. We went to a massive plaza in the center of the city to watch the game. It was a little crazy, and honestly I think we all were slightly nervous not knowing what to expect with the crowds, but it turned out to be an awesome cultural experience. We ate tacos for three meals a day for 5 days. Mark lost 8 lbs. the week we got home, and we both paid the price. Was it worth it? absolutely.

It's been a blast having one of my close friends back in UT. I used to have to go all the way to Iowa on random work trips to see my Kimbo, but now that Traeg has finished school, they're here for good!!  We went to CityCreek a few weeks ago in SLC to go shopping for Kim's appearance on Good Things Utah. She did a great job, and looked amazing!

We went to Bear Lake a few weeks ago with Kim, Traegen and friends. We stayed at Traegen's boss' cabin, and had a weekend of boating, skim-boarding, four-wheeling, eating and surfing. It was seriously the best weekend in a while!!  Nothing beats the weekend with great company and boats :)

Dan Reynolds from Imagine Dragons did an amazing benefit concert for Kim and her family a few weeks ago. They raised money for her chemo therapy, and it was a huge success. I have so much respect for this guy!!! It was so cool to be able to see so many people come together to celebrate LIFE.

LOVE YOU KIM!!!!! #Kimcankickit

Catching up

The past few months have been a little hectic, mainly due to going back and forth between Utah and California. Mark and my first trip to Southern California was when I was on my way to my cruise that left out of Long Beach. It worked out perfectly, so that we were able to spend the whole weekend together. 

This picture was taken on the first of many "goodbyes". As hard as it was, to be two states away, that was a time that I feel we truly learned to appreciate each other. We valued the time we had together, and didn't let it ever go to waste. 

We spent some quality time on the beach BBQ-ing and playing bocce ball (don't worry I won). We were able to watch the sunset, and hang out at one of Mark's best friend's parent's house down in Carlsbad. We also made our way to some dancing and partake of some tacos. (Two things that Mark and I always manage to fit into our schedule.) 

Even though it was a few weeks after Valentines Day, Mark's Mom packed us some candy hearts for the road. We always manage to laugh our heads off when we're on the road together, in church, on the phone, or sitting at the kitchen table. 

I don't know how we managed to Face Time for hours on end for those first few months, but I really was grateful for the technology that allowed us to at least . Our "FT dates" were always my favorite time of the day!

letting go

Look up before the storm
As humans, we often feel entitled to do things in our own way. We think we know. We think we've got this whole "life thing" figured out. We merit our earthly experiences as a guarantee in making exceptional life decisions. Sometimes the results of these decisions work in our favor, and a lot of times they simply don't. I am constantly reminded, that I don't really "know" myself as well as I think I do. In addition, I sure don't know what I'm doing most of the time. I think it would do me well sometimes to simply take things out of my own hands. I am guilty of the "know-it-all" attitude. At times I think I'm even too proud to look up.  C.S. Lewis put it beautifully-- "As long as you are proud you cannot know God.  A proud man is always looking down on thing and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.”

• I'm surprised at how I react to things 

• I'm surprised that I sometimes seem to make the same mistakes over and over again

• I'm surprised I'm as strong as I am 

• I'm surprised at how weak I am

• I'm surprised at how hard it is not to care 

• I'm surprised at my desire to let go 

• I'm surprised how difficult it can be to let go

• I'm surprised at how sometimes I don't know what to say 

• I'm surprised at things that sometimes hurt me

• I'm surprised that I feel justified to treat people a certain way

• I'm surprised that I want someone to just tell me how it's done

• I'm surprised at how much I know, and yet how little I actually understand

What I'm getting at here, is that the world, and our very circumstances, constantly change. It all changes, and what we're left with, are decisions. I KNOW that those decisions are easier to make, when we look to the very One who created us. I think it's very safe to imply that He knows us a little better than we know ourselves. I heard something at church today, and it really resonated with me. 

  "Rather than solve the problem Himself, the Lord wants us to develop the faith that will help us rely on Him in solving our problems and trust Him. Then we can feel His love more constantly, more powerfully, more clearly, and more personally. We become united with Him, and we can become like Him. For us to be like Him is  His goal. in fact, it is His glory as well as His work." 

Wow. So basically we need to get over our pride, and trust more in Heavenly Father. After all, the more we learn to rely on Him in making decisions, and helping us endure our struggles, the more united we become with him. Isn't that the whole purpose of the Atonement? To become At-One with God? {At-One-Ment}. 

Part of this mortal experience, is to increase in faith. The more we increase in faith, the more we are able to TRUST him.  We think we know ourselves well enough to make it through this life on our own. But the fact is, we are nothing without Him, and everything with Him. God never changes. He is the part of our lives, that is constant. He is stable, steadfast, and firm in his love for us. One of my favorite scriptures of alllllll time, Romans chapter eight, verses 35-39 states: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For thy sake we are killed all the daylong; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more thanconquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, norangels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present , nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

One thing that I do know, is that I need to trust more in God, and that he can make more of me than I can of myself. I think what triggered this post, was me feeling the need to be reminded of that. I know that I for one, can't agree enough with Ammon (see below) when he talks of the immense love that he has for God, and his long-suffering. 

"Therefore, let us glory yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." (Book of Mormon, Alma chapter 26 verse 13) 

I too, am so undeserving of the grace and mercy I receive from God. I will, however,  'glory in the Lord' all day long. I am grateful to know of a God who never changes, and that he has provided a way for us to make our weaknesses become strengths--IF we choose to accept His love and mercy.  

EXL 8 week body fat loss competition

Last year my older sister and I did a 6 week body-fat loss competition at an amazing gym in Orem called EXL Fitness. With two other women on our team, we took 1st place. Click here to read my post from last year's competition: http://ciaomomilla.blogspot.com/2013/01/6-week-body-transformation-challenge.html

Since I loved participatin so much last year, I couldn't help but sign up for round two with enthusiasm! I felt so great, and I will say that after those 6 weeks of hell, I looked fantastic. I shed a few pounds of fat, and leaned up like crazy.

My sister is an amazing example of one who has an incredible will-power.

This was our team last year, who did amazing. We won the competition, and I loved the way I felt at the end of the 6 weeks, and I developed a few lasting good habits of nutrition and exercise.

 This time, the competition is two weeks longer, and we are only a team of two :) People call us the "tough twins"--and yes, someone asked who was older the other day. I was in complete shock!!! Could I possibly be mistaken for 35?

The picture below is the night we had our first weigh in--and yes, we are in matching Lulu sweatshirts. This competition also entails a judging on "before & after" pictures. We took those last week, and I'm doing everything I can to have some smokin' after shots ;) We are in it to win it. $1000/each will be ours.

I love the "Three Principles of Power" too:

1. FOCUS

2. CORRECT RESOURCES

3. MASSIVE ACTION

Aren't these awesome? I really do love stuff that pushes me both physically AND mentally. We wake up at 5 AM 3X/week, and get pushed to our body's limits by excellent trainers. Matt and Kyle are both supportive and motivating. I love that sometimes I absolutely hate them by the end of certain workouts ;) No pain no gain, right?

Here are the basic principles of the competition (which I love)

 1. Correct Mentality

2. Correct Nutrition

3. Correct Nutrition

 4. Correct Body Function

5. Correct Accountability

Let me just expound on my favorites for a bit...

Correct Mentality

Isn't so much of anything MENTAL? I am convinced that the reason I was able to finish a marathon, was because I was mentally tough, and prepared. I believe that the key to excelling at any given task requires a fierce mental commitment to it.

Correct Nutrition

As they say, "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym." 'Nuff said. It is one of the hardest things ever at this stage in life, to be disciplined when it comes to what we eat. Eating is far more a "social activity/event", then something we do out of sheer "need" or "survival"--I want to focus on only eating when I am actually hungry--listening more to my body. On that same note, only eating until I feel "satisfied," rather than "full." And yes, there is a difference!!

Correct Body Function

Correct Accountability

You have to sign up for each session you attend, thus; you are accountable for every time you work out. I love that we have to be accountable, it increases your motivation that much more.

Everyone needs to take control of their health in one way or another. For me, it's a great opportunity to push myself, and not allow myself to ever plateau. It's hard for me to keep in tip-top shape, if I don't have something I'm working towards. I love that I have a sister who I can do things like this with. It's so much fun (well, "fun" is a relative term...but it's worth the pain, to look and feel great).