the one about hard things and just being nice

Life is like a mountain. 

It's hard and steep and almost always full of bumps. You fall down often, and slide backwards half the time.....but the views are always worth the struggle.

 Oh wow it's been a really long time. 

We had a summer of go go go--I didn't take a single class....all my efforts were put towards getting into nursing school.....and it WORKED! I was accepted into my program, and started last week! We played alllllllll summer long and enjoyed every single minute together as a family, loving our extra free time. As I rested my brain, I had so many thoughts that sprouted and began to grow in my mind--things I needed to write down. I am a fairly quiet person--I really only open up to those I'm close too--I'd much rather observe most things in life. But sometimes it feels good to just get stuff OUT, and I found myself continuously scribbling down quick notes, ideas, and feelings all summer long. Some of them take root and begin to grow out of my brain, and just beg to be expanded upon and shared....this is one of those seeds.

oh and by the way I'm dotting this post with pictures of Ali and I climbing a mountain, because what is a post without pictures? and really you can relate so many things in life to climbing a giant mountain.

We often hear people say things like "being a _______ is really hard." Fill in that blank with whatever your current hard situation may be--"single dad", "teenager", "stay at home mom", "teacher", "president of a multimillion dollar company" (ok I don't hear that one often, but I imagine that it is no easy feat), this list goes on. But what I'm learning in my wise old years, is that guess what? Being a HUMAN is hard stuff. I don't know of a single person who wakes up in the morning and says "I can't wait to start my perfect day in which I will have no problems and nothing will go wrong!! My life is so easy--I have this whole existence thing all figured out!" That person does not exist, believe it or not. 

We all have issues, some are tiny and laughable, others are huge and life changing. We all have our OWN troubles, trials, struggles, and things that are just plain hard. So with that knowledge, we need to remember that every single person we come in contact with each day, (via real life or this weird thing that is social media), also has things THEY struggle with. Because we are each unique and have our own individual paths with personalized obstacles, we need to remember that the way WE do things may not be the way SOMEONE ELSE does things. And then let's try to remember (last thing I will make you memorize, promise) that we shouldn't be so judgmental of those other people because they are not doing things our way. You know, let's just be nice. To everyone. Everyday.

I live in this quirky little culture bubble that is very different than where Robby or I grew up, where too many people get caught up in "right ways" and "wrong ways", and have very strong opinions on how things should be done and how lives should be lived.  And because many people here subscribe to the same culture, it's hard not to feel a little bit out of place when I don't 100% do the same things everyone does (which I think it a good thing.....right?! Let's not all be exactly the same, that is just way too boring.) If a choice is different than the "norm", it is sometimes perceived as WRONG by the majority. And because that paragraph contained a lot of very vague generalizing, I'll give you a very specific example. 

In my community many of the moms stay home and do not work. I love this! I think it's awesome and hard and awesomely hard, and truly the most amazing job ever. But I have chosen to go back to school--it's something I have always wanted to do, and in these last few years I have realized that I truly want to help people in difficult times, and I can do that by being a nurse. I am so excited just thinking about it--me! A real nurse! But these choices I am making about school and work do not make me any less of a good mom. They are not bad choices at all--they are just different than what others choose to do--and that's ok! It feels like a good choice for me and my family, and Robby and I are actually pretty good at making decisions for our own family, imagine that. Yes we are juggling a lot. We are running everywhere like crazy. Some "mom things" have to go--I can't volunteer in my kids' classrooms, I cannot have freshly baked cookies laid out each day when they get home from school, (ahem, but who will have cookies waiting for ME?), we do not sing merry songs as we braid each others hair and talk about our perfect and hassle-free day, and we are usually rushed and it's rarely perfect.....(deep breath!)...but for the most part, I have felt like I am really doing my absolute best at managing ALL.THE.THINGS. But as hard as I try, I still get "why are you going back to school with young kids?" "Do you really plan on working while they are still at home?" "Are you able to be home when your kids get home from school?" they ask with judging tones. The load of all these comments starts to build and build on my shoulders, (and if we've ever met, you've probably noticed that my shoulders aren't all that big)......and I really start to get weighed down. I started this week feeling like "I CAN DO ANYTHING! I'VE GOT THIS STUDENT/MOM/WIFE/HUMAN THING IN THE BAG"....but because of unnecessary comments from others, I'm ending my week questioning, "am I doing anything right?

Back to today's main lesson: let's just be nice to people. Everyone has a giant load of hard stuff to deal with; it's not up to us to tell our neighbors/friends/strangers what they are doing wrong and how they can do it better, and it is absolutely OK(!) to do things that go against what may be "normal". 

Be your own person, and let everyone else be their own person too. Then give each other a nice smile and high five as you pass by in life, because hey! Being a human no easy thing.

and speaking of high-fives, self-timered high fives on mountain tops aren't as easy as they seem/we are super uncoordinated 

go us.

********

[So maybe this was a weird way to jump back into the old blog, but it really has been heavy on my mind (and my heart, and my ice cream consumption,) and I felt like I should share before it exploded out of me. So next time I promise more rainbows and sunshine--photos included, deal?]

oh hey

eggs 'n boots

Oh hey...it's me. I'm alive!

These past few weeks you must have all been on the same wavelength...I've received several comments and nice emails hoping I'd be back soon and wishing all was well. Thank you! I've been missing for.....FOUR MONTHS! But the best part is....we ARE well--very well....life has just gotten so busy that I have not cared to find the time to dust off this little corner of the Internet and say hello (besides, I hate dusting.)

There isn't really a way to sum up our last few months.....and I'm not quite ready to come back to you full time, but here is a weak attempt to do both:

School was crazy.....so crazy I still have nightmares about it. The anatomy program at our school has been ranked one of the top in the nation, and it ate up every single second of my day last fall. I spent every hour I could at the school with the cadavers (yep you read that right)--a couple nights each week I got home at ONE....AM! and then I'd get up and do it all over again the next day. As much as I enjoyed the material (our bodies are AMAZING!) it wore me down and burned me out.

(Side note: totally all worth it though when I got my A!)

I finished up classes a week before Christmas and I have to say, it truly was THE best Christmas ever. Just my little family, cozy in our house with good food and no responsibilities or deadlines...and no more cadavers!

I'm taking a lighter load this semester--and I don't know if I'm still feeling the effects from last semester (I am) or if I really just don't like Physiology....either way I'm ready for my summer break (finals in April, then my entrance exam in May...and then I apply for nursing school....GULP. 

pray for me)

The winter has been weird and kind of forgot to show up, but we had the kids up skiing whenever we got the chance. The trails dried out early this year and we have been out running and riding the past few weeks....and we are MORE than ready for summer now!

I turned 32 high above the desert floor in Zion in January, and celebrated the day in the red rocks with my family and friends and then ate the best nachos of my life. Thirty two feels GREAT.

We inherited three more hens (which makes eight for us now) and I am seriously obsessed with my girls. As the days get longer we are getting more and more eggs and I never tire of it. Mark my words, someday I will be the crazy chicken lady with 20...30....40 chickens.

WE ARE MOVING. 

It won't be bad--it's literally around the corner, but let's all agree that moving is the WORST. It came up quickly and caught us by surprise.....but the closer we get to the move (just a couple weeks away!) the more excited I get. The house is smaller, but the property is bigger--this seems to be the trend for us the last few years, and if we keep going at this rate we will be living in a tee-pee in the mountains within the next five years or so (probably with a billion animals).

We've been climbing more as a family--the warm springy temperatures had us scurrying up rocks the past few weekends. Robby and I have been taking quick lunch dates to the bouldering gym, and I think I am addicted. It feels so good to use every muscle in my body and really learn to trust myself as I get more and more comfortable on the wall. I love a good physical challenge, and while the mountain peaks are still all covered in snow, this has become my new favorite thing.

FOOD.....so many of you still come here for quick and easy recipes and I wish I had a new one to share with you today. Come find me on Instagram (@_sheenarae) where I share very simple ideas from time to time (most of which involve eggs I'm not gonna lie). We eat pretty simply with our busy schedules, but I usually make my favorite chocolate chip cookies on the weekends. We shared a garden with our good friends last summer and we are down to 1 jar of beets, 2 jars of beans, a little bit of frozen corn and green chilies left.....I am just itching to get planting as soon as we get moved and settled. We had THESE lettuce wraps for dinner last night and they are always a favorite (I added some chickpeas to the chicken curry and made a spicy yogurt sauce with plain yogurt, a little mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar).
Oh! And Amazon dropped the price of the cookbook I photographed a few years ago--

The Family Flavor--so go grab a copy if you don't have one already. 

Oh and: I'm still writing reviews for Backcountry.com and you can also find me occasionally on Athleta's IG feed--I'm a contributor for their social media. I'm still selling prints HERE--thank you to all who've supported me so far. I haven't added anything new to the shop (I will!) but if you have a request, please let me know! And like I said above--come find me on IG--I share a few times a week. 

Oh and I guess since this is my first post of the year....Happy 2015!

I hope to be back to a more regular schedule after we get moved and school winds down....we have so many fun adventures I want to share, I am anxious to get creative again in the kitchen, and I really have loved the community we've built here the last few years. But most importantly--I hope that you can learn (as I have the past few months) that even though our world revolves around what is happening on the Internet, when you strip it away life still goes on....and it goes on beautifully. Don't get sucked in to your screens--life will move on without you.

until next time....

The Little Red House Winter Essentials

Hey everyone! Just popping in with my winter essentials list! As promised I've added new gear/kids stuff/snacks/+more to meet all your winter + Christmas shopping needs. 

Check out my list (with links!) HERE 

and let me know if you have any questions about our favorites--I can always add to the list. 

Happy shopping!

alive and well

Hey guys! Lonnnnnnnng time. So sorry for my absence.....I have been completely immersed in school this semester, and any free minute I have I'm spending with my favorite three people--so Mr. Internet and I have had to take a little break. I'm sure you understand, right? 

But....there is good news. 

For years many of you have been asking, and it's FINALLY happening. 

Prints are now for SALE!!

Find them HERE.

I will be constantly adding to the shop, so please don't hesitate to make any requests--like a photo from here or my Instagram? Let me know and I'll get it listed just for you--don't be shy. 

I promise not to be gone for too long....in the meantime, follow our adventures and simple recipes on IG-- @_sheenarae.

Thanks for all your support over the years!

top of the world!

...well....the top of Utah at least.

It was about 10:00 when we threw the tent up under the trees. We gazed at the stars for a few minutes before we crashed...our wake up call would come early. Before the birds, before the sun, before the light even started to creep into the sky, we packed up--lights on--and headed up the trail. Four headlamps jogging through the pines, dodging rocks, shadows, and one giant moose.

The sun crept up and warmed our bones as we left the trees and entered The Meadow.

 

The Meadow stretched on and on and on--Kings Peak looming in the background. We passed campers still warm in their sleeping bags, step by step inching our way closer to the mountain. Well, closer-ish....it was a big meadow.

A few more miles on the trail and then we cut off--blazing our own way. Marshy grass, wildflowers, and a seemingly impassible mountain taunting us as we moved into it's shadow. We stopped and took a breather and loaded up on calories--we were 10 miles in and about to take on some serious elevation. Straight UP through a rock slide known as "The Toilet Bowl"....

see it there? dead center in the middle of the photo....it was no joke.

Up up up. Legs burning, lungs asking fore more air (there wasn't any), hands looking for anything to grab on to so we could pull ourselves up to the next rock. And then do it all over again.

And it went on foreverrrrrrr.

looking down.

Rocks on rocks on rocks.

and a few more rocks.

but then.....

THE TOP!

13,528 feet up into the sky...Utah's tallest.

We looked out over the ancient Uinta mountains and breathed in the thin air. We stretched out in the sunshine and soaked in the feeling that you can only get when you're up in the clouds.

The Crew.

All the fun came to end when we realized we had to get back down.

oh....

Two miles of rock field--as tricky on my brain as it was on my feet. Step here? or there? ooh--that one! whooooops, that one slipped.

Rocks haunted my dreams that night.

It was a long stroll back to the car. A jog through the marsh, back to the meadow, into the trees--those last few miles seemed to take the longest.

We soaked our tired legs in the icy mountain stream and rejoiced that we were DONE! We did it! So much work--but worth every step and every rock and every ache that we were sure to have the next morning.

so worth it.

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” 

― John Muir

*     *     *

Now let's talk food.

When you're out for an all day hike you need food. And lots of it--good calories to fuel your body so you don't crash.

We started the morning out with my favorite pancakes (Kodiak!)--I made them ahead of time, slathered them with almond butter, a drizzle of honey, and a few strawberries, topped them with another pancake and wrapped them in foil so we'd have a quick breakfast--no prep needed--just grab and go.

This was a 25 mile hike--most people make it a backpacking trip, but we made it a day trip by running sections of it. When I'm running, I don't like anything too heavy in my stomach, so I go for Stinger Gels , Chews , and I LOVE their  Waffles --so good!

Before we started our big climb up the rock field, I wanted some protein so we downed some Krave Jerky. It's not hard and super chewy like a lot of jerkies--it's tender ant the flavors are AWESOME--my favorites are the spicy ones.

We spent about an hour at the top--eating, talking, and enjoying the views. I have really learned over the past few years how many calories I really need to cram in my body to keep me going on a long run/hike. I perform so much better if I keep enough fuel (and TONS of water) in me. I wanted more protein as we sat up top so we tried out
Epic Bars. 
These bars interested me for a few reasons--I mean first of all, it's a bar. Of meat. All wrapped up and ready to go. But mostly because they raise their animals the RIGHT way...you know, like animals should be raised. The bars don't have weird ingredients--just meat, fruit, nuts, a few spices and then they are smoked. The taste is lightly smokey and it really hit the spot and filled my salty protein craving at the top of the mountain. The first few miles of the downhill were slow going through the rocks, so I had time to digest before we picked up the pace again--I don't think I'd eat these for a run, but they are perfect to put in your pack for a hike, and they'd make great backpacking fuel. If this sounds like your thing--go read up on Epic--they are great people with an awesome and unique product. Grab a sample pack here.

notes: 

-Kings Peak is actually a 30+ mile hike if you don't take "The Toilet Bowl" route. Instead of going up the mountainy pile of rocks, you go around it. Read more here. (we started at the Henry's Fork trailhead) 

-I like to drop a Nuun Tablet or two into my water for extra electrolytes.

-you can never go wrong with a peanut butter and honey sandwich on a long hike...it's always tastes so good after you've been out for a few hours.

-I'm writing reviews for Backcountry.com if you want to take a peak at some of our favorite gear. Check it out HERE

-after you hike Kings Peak you should eat at Hi-Mountain Drug. Even if you don't hike Kings Peak, you should eat there....trust me.

-Come find me on Instagram--I'll be giving away a box of Epic Bars next week! 

@_sheenarae and go find @epicbar too!

back again.

that time of year. again. it seems to come quicker and quicker each time.

our summer passed in a flurry of campfire smoke and late night ice cream eating....but all good things must come to and end I suppose (although I predict many more late nights with ice cream eating in our future). I have such a hard time with school starting each year. It means our summer freedom is over, but it also means my babies are growing. And growing and growing and no matter how much I protest, they don't seem to stop. I still remember dropping them at preschool for a few hours a week....and now they are practically teenagers! Ok.....I guess not....but still--they are just too big.

They were completely ecstatic for the start of this year. These two share a room and an hour after they were supposed to be sleeping they were still giggling and carrying on....I could FEEL their giddiness. They bounced out of bed in the morning--no problem at all. We ate pancakes and peaches, and they quickly dressed in the clothes they'd picked out days ahead of time.

Slow down guys....just a little bit.

His
Kindergarten
First
Second 
Third

Hers
Preschool
Kindergarten
First

Helpful Links
Minnetonka Boots. She had a pair of these last year and we LOVED them. They held up through the entire school year--rain and snow included. 
Boys Adidas Sneakers

friday senses

.... a little catch-up from the last month....

seeing: back to school EVERYTHING. new shoes, backpacks, pencils, crayons, all over my house. The dreaded time has finally come......NO! I'm just not ready....I'm in mourning and we are eating lots of ice cream. I know I know--we still have a good month and a half of nice summery weather around here, but it's just not the same once school starts....who's with me?!

celebrating: speaking of school, I finished up my summer classes! Woohoo for no more math!! I have had my nose in a math book for the past two weeks and I've had math jargon and word problems and interest rates and parabolas haunting my dreams at night. It feels SO good to be done.

anxiously awaiting: I have a week break and then I hop right back into class. Anatomy and chemistry this time--they will keep me busy but I'm excited to dive in. and nervous. but mostly excited....

anniversary-ing: Robby and I hit the big 1-2 in July...TWELVE!! We spent an evening out on the town like real adults, and saw Wicked--I HIGHLY recommend it! I can close my eyes and it seems like it was just yesterday that two crazy kids got married and tried to figure out how to be grownups together. I think of all we've been through--all the moves, our awesome kiddos, 1000s and 1000s of roadtrip miles....and I'm so happy about all we have accomplished in our funny little life together.
hug hug, kiss kiss, little hug, big kiss.

dating: every summer the kids head to grandma and papa's for a week and Robby and I squeeze as many dates in as we can. We hit a handful of our favorite restaurants (order the fig pizza HERE!) and spent a good amount of time on the trail. We climbed Twin Peaks, which rises above the Salt Lake valley at 11,328ft--it's a 5100ft climb in 4 miles, which = ridiculously tired legs. But it was well worth the pain and so fun to get out and get dirty together. Some of you may remember the last time we attempted Twin (HERE)....there were no injuries this time--there was a giant bull moose, but we all came out of it ok.

and look at the view!

running: I had a lapse of judgement last month and signed up for a 50k....ha! I have been getting out and enjoying some long runs on Saturdays, but I'm anxious to step up my training a bit once the kids are in school. I just can't resist these trails...

montana-ing: we spent a few days along the river in Montana with my family last week. We played in the water, explored a ghost town (more on that soon), and spent and afternoon digging for crystals. You know, because Montana is the best.

 

loving: Lu and her fascination with gross bugs. You guys HAVE to check out
Tomboy Vintage shirts. They are the cutest for your girls (and they have adult tees too!) I have the hiking tee and it's super soft and the fit is perfect--I really love a good T-shirt. We were happy to find and support this little company promoting rough and tumble girls--check them out!

devouring: every bite of summer fruit we can get our hands on, and our new favorite Kodiak Cakes. Now you all know that I am a "from scratch" kind of girl, but I am seriously loving this pancake mix. They are whole grain--nothing artificial in them at all, they are super easy to make (add water! and I usually toss in a few eggs). I like the Power Cakes--they have whey protein and these are my new favorite fuel before my long runs. I usually make up a big batch so we have left-overs for a few days. They are so good with coconut oil, fruit, and a little maple syrup or honey.
(some Costcos carry them and most Targets do:)

It's almost weekend! Get out and making the most of it!

way up high

Before we get started here, do yourself a favor.

Grab a pencil and paper and write this down:

Visit Colorado.

I can't believe this wonderful place is our neighboring state and we are just now getting around to spending some time together--what terrible neighbors we have been.

We left Mesa Verde (check out part 1 HERE) and headed north--up up up the mountains on a windy road with views of rocky peaks and wild forest. We spent the day around Silverton--we threw our tent up in a meadow and wandered around the wilderness dodging rain and chasing waterfalls.

The next morning we woke up to sunshine, grabbed our packs and headed to the trailhead for Ice Lake. As excited as I was to explore these mountains--I was a little nervous. I had no idea how our day would go--the hike was only 7 miles but we would top out over 12,000ft--I was curious as to how the kids would do at that elevation. (the highest we have ever hiked with them is 10,000ft). We packed extra water and snacks, rain jackets, and agreed to take it slow.

Did I say slow? Not these two. They powered up the mountain like it was no big deal. While my lungs felt heavy and crowded, they jogged and chatted away like we were at sea level. We hiked through the pines for a while--the trail moderately steep with some switchbacks. The forest then faded out to this view.....!!!

We were there July 5th--the wildflowers were just starting to open. Waterfalls poured onto the valley floor from all directions and we passed snow slowly melting on the trail.

During our final climb the kids made mention of there "being no oxygen", but they still managed to pass a few adults who had stopped to, ahem...puke their guts out.

We had hoped to make it up to Island Lake--about a half mile further than Ice Lake, but the thunderclouds were rolling in, so we quickly made our way down the mountain--we got to the car just as the first raindrops started to fall.

On top of the world! 12,300 feet!

Ice Lake Trail Details

Trailhead: out of Silverton. Take County Road 7 (off of 550) and follow it to South Mineral Campground at the end (about 4.5 miles on gravel) There is a parking lot and the trail is well marked--this is really popular hike.

Distance/Elevation: 7 miles round trip to Ice Lake with about 2400 ft of elevation gain.

Bring: extra water and fuel. You burn more at higher elevations and will me more susceptible to altitude sickness if you are dehydrated.....don't get dehydrated!

Also bring: pack a rain jacket--clouds can roll in quickly.

Note: Start early. Thunderstorms happen almost daily in the mountains and you don't want to be caught up there when a storm hits.

Shoes: I wore my Trail Runners (I wasn't sure how rocky the trail would be) but I wish I'd worn my Chacos There was a pretty big stream crossing so I had to take my shoes off (Robby just carried the kids across to save on time). The kids wore their Salomon trail runners --super awesome shoes for little hikers but the laces are ridiculous and jam up too easy. Get the shoes, replace the laces with regular tie-laces.

Lots more handy trail details: HERE

After Party: We grabbed a burger at Maggie's Kitchen in Ouray followed by ice cream at Mouse's Chocolates. (Ouray is the cutest little town and we are already itching to go back).

We loved this part of the country and feel like we only saw a fraction of it's beauty....we hope to get back soon!

Headed out for a hike? Check out my post on Trail Etiquette