This Is How I feel About Blogging Sometimes...

…..specifically coding and dealing with html and organizing and blah blah blah.

I am thinking I need a little space away from my blog for a day or two. Love me anyway?

Don't forget to check out my linqia cottonelle campaign and don't forget to click on the links! 

4 Ways to Stay Healthy This Spring! (#naturalprobiotic #shop #cbias)

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. This post is not a healthcare professional's opinion. All opinions are my own.

Let's be honest, we all have food cravings. Those late night (or mid day) cravings seem to come to us when we are exhausted, stressed, PMS-ing or just plain hungry, dang it! I try my hardest to live a healthy lifestyle, but I am no means a health freak. I am on my way to lose some weight that I have gained, but there is always room for improvement, right? There are many ways that my husband and I try to stay healthy. I want to talk about ways that have helped ME lose some of the weight that I have gained (10 pounds gone! Yay! A lot more to go…haha). 

#1: The first step my husband and I take to live healthy is taking a natural probiotic and a daily multivitamin every day. 

Insync Probiotic is a natural probiotic I have been taking for the past two weeks. It is available at Walmart stores in the “Antacids/Laxatives” section. Interestingly, it wasn’t with the other probiotics in the supplements section where I’d expected it to be.  I will admit that I had to ask a Walmart employee to help me find it during my #cbias #shop experience.

 Now that I’m in the habit (and after more than two weeks, I think the habit is well in place!) of taking my daily probiotic, I can feel the different in my digestive health, and this is just one more key to creating and maintaining that healthy lifestyle I crave. I have found it easy on my digestive system. This probiotic has help amy digestion and energy level. Plus it has helped boost my metabolism and help lose these pounds!

To receive more info on Insync Probiotics click on any of the following links:

http://www.insyncprobiotic.com.

Twitter - @insyncprobiotic

http://facebook.com/insyncprobiotic

Reason #2: The second step my husband and I take to live healthy is by going outside! 

Have you ever found that being outside just makes you want to be healthier?  You see new and beautiful places (like the Oregon coast that is shown above). You want to eat better. I don't know about you, but I crave smoothies and fruit and salads in the summer! Which is a much better alternative than a fatty potato soup! haha. 

Reason #3: The third step my husband and I take to live healthy is through hiking, biking, walking, etc. 

I will be the first one to tell you that I hate running. Even when I was in high school at my prime and was able to run 8 miles easily, I hated it. I would much rather go for a long walk, or a long hike or go biking. So, we do that. 

Reason #4: The fourth step my husband and I take to live healthy is by playing sports! 

Being raised an Ainge, sports was sort of engrained in me. I love to watch, play and participate in all sports. Whether it's just throwing a football, or playing tennis, I love being active while playing sports. 

So get out there and get going. The weather is slowly starting to become nicer so let's all enjoy it. And don't forget to take your natural probiotic today! 

Have you ever taken a natural probiotic?

Do you want to try the Insync Natural Probiotic? 

What do you do to stay healthy? 

Vegas is a perfect place for a social experiment.

So, I don't know if any of you read the website, Humans of New York. I love it. So much. But, recently, I have been chatting with the guy who runs it via email and I have talked about how I am starting to think I want to do something like that on my blog. (How cool, huh?! I feel like I'm talking to a celebrity!)

A couple of weeks ago (yes, I am behind) I went down to Vegas for Spring Break.
You want to know what I did?
I laid by the pool in the hot sun and read.
Yep, that's literally it. I am totally okay with it.
Oh, we watched a lot of movies too.
I have been to Vegas numerous times, so I wasn't super interested in doing all of the tourist-y things. I just wanted some time to relax and do nothing.
My dear family friends were such good entertainment. We had so many good conversations by the pool and I am grateful for them. (Love you Lindi and Patty!).

One night, Lindi and I decided that we were on crack and wanted to be ridiculous, do participate in a "social experiment" if you will. Our own "Humans of Las Vegas". Because, let's be honest, what better place to randomly walk up to people and and hear their responses?

So. We wore workout clothes. And walked along the strip and in the nice hotels.
Despite the fact that people thought that we were completely intoxicated, it was quite entertaining to interact with so many different types of people. We asked them the same question throughout the evening.
"Do you know where the gym is?" 
(Side note: we ended up at Marquee for free that night. In some seeeeriously rad outfits. It was…interesting…. to say the least.)
Enjoy.

(Sorry about the awful quality of photos. We were stuck with my iPhone!)

It's fine. We were in high school again. 

I'm sure you all can't figure out where this is….

Guy: The gym? 

Us: Yea. Do you want to go to the gym with us? Wait…how old are you? 

Guy: 18

Us: Well, sorry if it seemed like we were hitting on you. Do you have big plans tonight?

Guy: Nah, I got pretty wasted last night so I'm just gonna stay in tonight, get some dinner, ya know.

Oh shoot, am I gonna get in trouble for saying that? 

"The gym? I don't think there is a gym here? Are you guys staying here?"

……

"Are you guys drunk?" 

"I'm from Israel…. I lived in Logan. I followed my girlfriend there. I couldn't do it. It was too freaking cold and there were too many Mormons. Don't get me wrong, they were super nice, but I couldn't be around that many of them!" 

This is Lindi running up the "down: escalator. Do you see how pissed the guy in the beginning is? Freaking hilarious.

We also ran talked to some really, really tall guy from Egypt.
And some people from Spain who barely spoke English.
And apparently I have short term memory cause I can't remember any of these people's names. 

There really wasn't any purpose to this post.
Mostly to tell you that Spring Break in Vegas is not as fun when you are married and not looking to "meet a guy." haha.
And people are super fascinating.

Bye. 

Let's Talk about Bums, Okay?

No, I do not want to talk about my bum (despite it's rather large size, I'm fully aware).

And no, believe it or not, I do not want to talk about Kim Kardashian or Jennifer Lopez's bum either. Although, let's be honest, I do love a lady with a bum. (Still straight and married, don't worry.) 

I want to talk about toilet paper.

I know. I know. 

Because as silly as this sounds, when I find a good toilet paper to use, it is like a glorious victory. I think about my experience in Africa and using the restroom in a hole (TMI?).  I came home and was so grateful for a restroom and for nice, good, quality toilet paper.

Cottonelle® Flushable Cleansing Cloths and Cottonelle Clean Care toilet paper are two products that I use, well, daily (obviously). I may or may not leave the toilet paper rolls all over our apartment. It is now spring time and my husband and I use these wipes all of the time on my nose AND on my booty (not at the same time. ew….too far…).

I have this toilet paper e'rywhere.

On my coffee table.

 On my nightstand.

(Yes, that is Tina Fey's book. I am reading it for a second time. It happens.) 

In my bathroom. 

(I do love this shelf and our curtain, if I do say so myself!)

And, can we be honest with ourselves for a second? Whoever though about wipes for our kids' is a pure genius. I just want to know why more of us don't use them for our adult selves? It's like a party when you have a bathroom party. I think it's time that we all start using them too.

Want to know some amazing things about the Cottonelle Fresh Care Cleansing Cloths and the toilet paper? Well, here ya go!

Fresh Care Flushable Cleansing Cloths
- Flushable
- Break up after flushing
- Sewer- and septic-safe
- Alcohol-free
- OneTouch dispensing tub
- Great for the entire family

Clean Care Toilet Paper
- Strong and effective for a confident clean
- Tuggable, huggable softness that goes a long way
- Two-ply
- Pairs well with Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths for the ultimate in clean

There is a coupon just for YOU can use if you head on over to Cottonelle's FB page to hear Cherry Healey (who has has headed our way all the way over from England) specifically talk about bums. Come click here to find out more!!

I use Cottonelle. Do you?

This post is sponsored by Cottonelle, but my love for good toilet paper is all my own!

Easter Coma.

I am in an Easter Coma.

And no, not because of candy. I actually ate very little candy this Easter holiday (aren't you proud?). I would much rather have a cold soda than a candy bar anyway. Is that weird? I'm weird. Whatever. 

I am in an Easter Coma because it was a weekend full of special moments and socializing.

Which is awesome. But, I'm an introvert. So, alas, it exhausts me.

I am so grateful for this holiday, though. 

It was the one year anniversary of T proposing to me so we went fishing and reminisced, I made little Easter treats for my kiddos, celebrated my first Easter with a husband, and saw many family members. 

I  love Easter because it reminds me of the blessings I can gain from the Lord's sacrifice. Because He rose from the dead, I can rise as well. In all facets. Now, everyday. Every week. And in the next life. 

I also love Easter because of the fun colors and the feeling of a "new start" and the coming of Spring. 

Here is a wrap up of my Easter Weekend, Instagram style. 

Easter Candy bags for my students. 

Drive home on the open road during sunset time. The best. 

Deer Creek <3 td="">

I got Tanner a puppy and coke for his Easter basket. Really, all he wants in life, ya know? 

Fishing at Deer Creek--where T proposed a year ago. 

Love this picture of T proposing to me! 

Whenever we are in Heber, we HAVE to go to Dairy Keen. So good. 

Happy Easter from our cute little Charlesworth Family! 

aaaaaaand Happy Easter from the REAL Charlesworth family. Haha. 

And, here's a music video that my old choir sang and made with Alex Boye (oh, the memories!). May it all remind us of the beauty of "rising again" and "starting new". You will see little snippets of me (at about 3:15). Look closely. :) 

Teachers Change Lives.

Teaching in Kenya

As many (well, let's be honest, MOST) of you know, I am a 6th grade teacher. I chose this career a long time ago. I have a "mantra" that I try to live by. I believe each child is important, that each child can be internally motivated and that they can work with others to succeed. I learned that in my 6th grade class. My teacher, Ms. Misner, made that known through her personal attitudes toward my fellow classmates and me that school year. I always enjoyed school, but I struggled with some particular subjects. As a kid, for example, doing math frustrated me because it didn’t come natural. Yet, because of my teacher, and her positive example of community, kindness, support, guidance, and help I received, I was able to progress. This positive influence from her and my other class members allowed me to ultimately succeed, amidst the frustration I sometimes felt. Now that I am a teacher myself, I do everything I can to try to correlate how I felt at some point so that my future students do not feel the same way that I did.

It sounds cliché and idealistic, but when my students can feel my love, concern, and support for them, I see their success flow immensely! I have learned that great teachers balance high expectations with a safe place to fall. Flexibility, pure love for the students, a positive attitude and consistency are mandatory for a successful classroom. There will be days when I do not want to be there. There are days when I do not want to get out of my car and step into my classroom, but I have to leave everything that is happening internally and externally outside of the classroom in that car and use that consistency to make it through the day.

My goal in my classroom is to be uplifting; to teach my students about internal motivation. The whole idea of having a strong community is that I want my students to act without prompting. I want teamwork and camaraderie to be who they are and how they choose to behave, not something foisted upon them by me. I want my students to feel and iterate the concepts of confidence, enjoyment, enthusiasm, and value so that the students feel worthwhile. I want them to realize that school can be fun and rewarding.

Now, I don't know how much I do affect my students, to be honest. Some days I feel much more affective than others, but I am hoping that they will at least leave my classroom as better people and students.

Like me, there are numerous amount of teachers out in the world who ar appositively affecting students' lives everyday; who are doing things very similar to me as teachers in the classroom. I, personally, have many friends who are wonderful teachers and I am inspired by their efforts, energy and enthusiasm every single day. I am lucky to teach in quite an affluent area, where parents are pretty involved and are able to help out financially for their students and our classroom regarding school supplies, field trips. Other teachers and other schools are not as lucky.

Being a teacher, I think people often forget what teachers do for their own classrooms. Did you know that teachers spend money every year out of their own pocket, especially in underfunded areas? I do it probably every month. And I don't know if you remember this, but teachers don't get paid that much ;). Teachers are all around us doing innovative things in their classrooms and just need that extra help in order to teach in their classroom.

Here's where you come in. 

Adopt-A-Classroom is a nonprofit organization that helps connect donors with teachers to enhance the learning environment for students. Office Depot and Adopt-A-Classroom have partnered to raise awareness about teachers and all that they do in the lives of their students. You can help donate to this organization by clicking here. 

Below is a video of a woman named Cassie Cox, who is a teacher at an alternative high school in Ogden, Utah. This is the last stop for students before dropping out. Cassie is a former drop out who went on to earn her Masters Degree, and wants the same for her students. She gives them a second chance, and a new way to look at learning. Watching this video below reminded me of all the hard work that teachers do around this state and country--and it's crazy to think that this is right here, in Utah, in my own state, only an hour away. Take a minute to watch this video. 

How grateful I am for teachers who are inspiring these kids all over! Again, for more info on this fantastic program on Teachers Changing Lives, click here.

• How to Register Your Classroom as a Teacher
1. Go to Teachers Change Lives website (http://clvr.li/1emq4KF)
2. Click on the red box that says "Register Your Classroom," which will take you to the Adopt-A-Classroom website
3. Follow the corresponding steps from there
• How to Donate to a Teacher
1. Go to Teachers Change Lives website (http://clvr.li/1emq4KF)
2. Click on the teal "Donate to a Teacher" box on the Teachers Change Liveswebsite (http://clvr.li/1emq4KF), which will take you to the Adopt-A-Classroom website
3. Follow the corresponding steps from there

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Giveaway//CASH MONEY!

Welcome friends!  I am super excited that it's finally starting to feel like spring around here and to celebrate we are doing a big cash giveaway!  I am teaming up with 10 other bloggers for a Spring Giveaway where you can win $105 cash money! Seriously…who doesn't want to win some cash?! Good luck!

Here are all the amazing bloggers hosting this giveaway!

Aubrey of Dreaming About Someday // Lena of Root & Blossom // Jennifer of Mommy Life After Ph.D.

Amy of Love & Hot Chocolate // Mindy of Best. Day. Ever. // Rachel of Can't Google Everything

Ema of Our Love in Bloom // Fel of Fels Photos // Michelle of Our Three Peas

Pamela of Mcdonald's Playland // Sierra of Oh, Just Living the Dream

What an amazing group of bloggers!  There are many ways to enter and no mandatory entries!  Do as many or as few entries as you want!  Do them all to maximize your entry potential!  And don't forget to tweet about the giveaway for an extra entry every day!

Enter via rafflecopter below and good luck!  Happy Spring everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What?

Real Talk time. This is probably mostly for me moreso than you, but you know. It's all good. 

Today, I got in my car after school and sat down in the driver's seat.
I took a deep breath. And I stopped.
I instantly asked myself, "WHAT?"
This questioning caused a lot of unsettled feelings. I felt really…off. And then, I realized that I have kind of felt this way for the past 2 months, really.
I wish I could pinpoint what it is. I'm not entirely sure.

It could be a mix of a lot of emotions that I have towards my family. Some resentment, anger, sadness and frustration towards them.

It could be that I still hate my body.

I haven't been writing, blogging, journaling and "reflecting" which is something that I need. Bleh. Maybe I need to have more reflecting time? (Ugh, I'm such a hippie.)

It could be that I literally have not stopped for a long time. I get up at the buttcrack of dawn (Can you tell I've been with 12 year olds too much?) for yoga, go to school, come home…and sleep.

It could be that I am ready for summer. I am just exhausted. I am stressed with end of the year testing coming up and I fear that I haven't prepared my students enough.

I am really overwhelmed with a lot of my relationships with friends and close people in my life. There have been a lot of ups and downs recently and maybe it's starting to wear on me?

It could be that I am still learning the ins and outs of marriage--what works for us, what doesn't (does that ever really stop? Haha. Maybe I'm just a slow learner.)

It could be that my hormones are still all over the place. (Maybe it's PMS? TMI? That's a lot of acronyms. LOL.)

This "offness" (that's the literal term for it) isn't sadness though. It's not a depression, which is something that I know very well. It's just sort of…off.
I can't really explain it. Which is why I think it's so frustrating. I usually know what's going on with my emotions, body, and self so well and I can't seem to pinpoint it.

I have made a lot of stupid decisions recently. Nothing major, just to the point where I think I was subconsciously trying to stop this "offness."

So…..

I have learned that I need to work harder at being nicer. To my husband. To my students. To my friends. To people all around me. Because I am so hard on myself, I tend to have those same expectations for others, which isn't fair.
So, this Easter season, I am going to work on getting out of my "off-ness."


I am so grateful for T. He is a good husband and even better man. And this picture makes me happy.

via instagram

Any ideas that help you when you feel like this? Am I the only one who feels this way? 

Giveaway//Whitney English Day Designer

Raise your hand if you want to win a Whitney English Day Designer!

(Ooooookay, all of you should be raising your hand). 

Seriously this is the cutest thing on the planet and I may need to go get one myself right now. 

You know the drill. 

Good luck :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms:

+Must live in the US to enter 

+All entries will be verified

+You will be shipped the August 2014-July 2015 Whitney English Day Designer to your US Postal Address

+This giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by Whitney English

My Kind of Coworkers.

This is what life is like all day at an elementary school.
NOT.
But, in all fairness, we do dance a lot in my classroom. And laugh. A lot. In the faculty room, too.
Man, I chose such a cool profession.
(I'm in the first minute.)
Enjoy?


Also, don't forget to enter the Albion Fit Giveaway here! 

Albion Fit Giveaway!

Well, friends. 

I am on Spring Break in Vegas so I won't be posting a ton--just a heads up. Try not to  cry yourself to sleep tonight, k?

I hate to admit this: But it is soooo awkward to stand there all alone and have your picture taken. Especially in workout clothes.

But, the time has come in my blogging.

It's time for me to take pictures in front of a camera alone of my full body and post them on here. Eeeeek.

All insecurities aside regarding my skin, my weight, my body, etc. the pictures were taken.

And I am so excited because it is for a good reason for YOU GUYS. 

Albion Fit sent me this Long Crew T shirt a little bit ago. I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this shirt is, you guys. It is literally the most comfy thing I have ever worn in my entire life. It is light material so I don't feel like I am wearing a ton of layers. Albion Fit has all color options. The beauty of this shirt is that you can wear it as a workout shirt, but you can also wear it with regular clothes or just as lounge around! 

Preparing myself mentally for these photos to come. 

….AND HERE THEY ARE….

One of my favorite parts about this shirt are the sleeves. I love the thumb holes.

(I won't lie…I don't mind my nail polish or wedding ring either ;)) 

I had to take a picture with my beautiful Subaru outback, Piper, too. She is outdoorsy and workout-ishy so she gets to be in these photos. We have been through a lot together, Piper and I. (Piper and me?)

It helped that I had cute hair. Thanks to kimmy. 

Blog post to come: how to do this hairstyle!

Okay, now it's your turn.  Enter below to win a free amazing workout shirt for yourself. Good luck!

Also, Albion Fit is giving you all a Discount code: 15% off any albionfit.com purchase with code livingdream15 at checkout. (exp 4/10/14)

Click to join the giveaway

//Wanderlust//: 10 Amazing Places to Travel.

It has come.
Spring Fever, if you will. 
Next week is my Spring Break and words can't explain how excited I am to get away. 
The upcoming knowledge that Spring is coming, that it (maybe) will begin to be nice and warm,  has only increased my urge to travel. I love to travel.  Whether it's just a two hour drive from my home in Northern/Southern Utah or a 12 hour drive to the Northwest or two day plane trip to Africa, I have been so lucky to travel to many places throughout this world. I am so grateful to have had these amazing experiences. Now that I am a newly married woman, my husband is in school and I have a teaching salary, the opportunity to travel is a lot smaller. Which, makes my heart sad. I  yearn for adventure. If I were to win the lottery, I would drop everything and travel the world. In a second. Some people would buy nice homes or a nice car or nice clothes. I would travel to the most obscure, amazing, beautiful places and live with people in their homes to experience real life in their world. 
So, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite vacations and travels that I have done in the past 7 years of my life. Some of them are fairly close, some are far, but all are beautiful places with wonderful memories.
note: these are not the only places I have ever been. I just chose my top 10. 

1// San Diego, CA. 

San Diego reminds me a lot of a sunny Portland. People are, for the most part, very nice, active and chill. The weather is perfect and it is the beach! What more could you ask for? If I had it my way, I would live in SD forever. 

Coronado Island. 

La Jolla Cove. 

2// Fiji 

Bula! Oh man. I went to Fiji with my cousins for a high school graduation from my grandparents. I literally have not been in a more beautiful place in my life. Every picture I took look absolutely fake. The weather was warm, the food was delicious. Our favorite part was playing the guitar/ukleles, singing and dancing the night away with the locals.

3// Maui, Hawaii.  

My family loves Hawaii. There is something so chill and "lazy" about Hawaii. It makes you want to sit on the beach, sit back and relax, and read a book. My parents go to Hawaii once or twice a year for a month and I am so jealous! I have had the opportunity to go to Hawaii a few times and I fall in love every single time. And those sunsets, my goodness! Stunning. 

4// Puerto Rico. 

My brother served his LDS mission in Puerto Rico so we went back to visit a few months after he came home. Oh, wow.  I fell in love with the food, people, and landscape of this place.

Downtown Puerto Rico. 

5// San Francisco, CA. 

Do I even need to explain this place? I love it so much. The last time I went was with a huge group of college friends, which, ironically, resorted in an incredibly dramatic, emotional trip. I would like to go back! I loved riding the buses, the bridge, Alcatraz, the pier, 

etc. 

6// Kenya, Africa. 

Sometimes when I think about my experience in Kenya, I still get teary eyed. And I went more than 2 years ago. This place has been the most life altering trip (NO NOT A VACATION) that I have ever experienced. I long to go back so bad. If anyone wants to sponsor my trip to help teach those kiddos again, feel free too. :) I lived in the village in Kenya for months. I taught students of all ages. I saw their lives. I lived, laughed, and loved with these people. And I completely fell in love. Take me back. 

7// New York, New York. 

Oh, New York. I love wide open spaces, but there is something magical about being in the city. It was exhausting, but I secretly loved people watching and meeting all different kinds of people. I love the adventure feeling that exists in a big city. NY is one of those places you have to go at least once in your life. 

8// Oregon!!

I'm a little biased, but Oregon in the summer is one of the most beautiful locations ever. 

The Oregon Coast, Crescent Lake, and Portland, Oregon are three of the most stunning locations in the world, in my opinion. 

You just need to go. But don't forget a jacket :) 

Oregon Coast.

Crescent Lake, Oregon. 

This was at my wedding in Portland, oregon. This is my backyard. Can you believe it? So perfect. Aw, the green. 

9//Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. 

It's Mexico, what else do I need to say? Just stay away from the scary cartels. Hahaha. 

10// Utah. 
I took this photo in Heber City, Utah where all of my in laws live, but it looks to real similar to Alpine, where my husband and I live. Although I wish Utah was more green, the mountains are absolutely stunning. I love when they have snow on them with blue skies. So pretty.

So. If anyone wants to join me on my travels, let me know. I'm out of school in May and I am so ready to travel :) 

Have you ever been to any of these places?
What did you think? 
What are some other places I need to go?