Sierra's View

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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

YEE HAW.

I like to think I'm a country girl.
I'm not.
I like to think that cowboys are always hot.
They're not. 
But something about those cowboy hats kill me.

But the Heber Valley Stampede Rodeo on Saturday reminded me why I love me some country! (See how I even did inappropriate grammar in that sentence?) #englishnerd
I tagged along with the entire Charlesworth gang and my brother, Landon, joined us. It was his first rodeo and I was so excited for him. Especially since I have lived at these things this summer. (Hmm....sounds like I need to find a tall, hot, rodeo man? Oh, wait...) 

I stole a nice camera and was documenting the entire thing.
Once AGAIN, I am dying for a nice camera. 
I'm ready for a Nikon donation, people ;)

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

Dallan. 
Landon and Kimmy. 
Jack, Dallan, Cole: The boys who participated in the Hide Race.
It was so fun to watch someone actually participating in the events!
Makes it a lot more exciting. 
Haha! The boys lifting Jack up on the hide race!

Aw. Cute brother, Landon!

I love this picture. Typical Lanny face. 



Cute little Kaydie Jo :)

Hey, look! It's me!

Cole just waiting for the outhouse. hahaha
Buckin' horses!
Nice, Cole. 

Cortni, who rode the horse, in the hide race! 


So cool. 
Landing. 

right before competition!



Ummm, I find a little boy who looks exactly like my nephew, Palmer.
WHAT. 
Love this picture of Jared.

Aw! He's a cowboy, now!
Cole and some really white girl ;) 

Proud to be an American!





Such a cowboy!

Love the sunsets that happen in Utah!




Loved this horse. 





Cookie!!

Love the silhouettes in this. 
I want a horse so bad!

Landon found his new girlfriend.
She was obsessed with him.
No, really.


Cowboy hats :)

 Yay for fun summer activities!
....that are basically over :/
Real life has officially hit. 
12 hour days: at all day teacher workshops, meetings, planning curriculum and organizing classroom. 
I come home completely exhausted. I don't have the energy to do anything except lay here and watch the Olympics.
I am feeling a lot of "negative" emotions right now (stress, anxiety, nerves, overwhelmed...you catch my drift).
But I am trying to stay grateful that school starts in 2 weeks and that I am given this wonderful opportunity in the first place. 
I'm just holding on to life right now. 
Sometimes that's we can do, right?
Like I say, never a boring day 'round these parts! (see what I did there?)
xoxo. 

Monday, August 6, 2012

WHY DOES THIS FASCINATE ME SO MUCH?


NASA just landed the Curiosity Rover on Mars. These are so many of the very first pictures.  This JUST happened earlier this morning.
1:42am EST 8/6/2012

SO COOL.

#nerdalert




Why aren't people making a bigger deal out of this?Should they be?
Why am I so intrigued by this?
Should I not be?

Olympics, Mars, and a new literacy program in my elementary school!
Big changes are ahead, people....

ha.


P.S. Don't forget to enter my most recent giveaway! Ends on Wednesday!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

This Is Why I Watch the Olympics.

Holy hell.
(sorry mom)

Jake Dalton. US Gymnastics. Drool.

Is he gay? No, but really....
You can't forget about Michael. Right?

Ryan Lochte 

both?!
Russell Holmes. Men's Volleyball. 

Olympic Athletes, specifically, Jake Dalton, you can come find me at any time.....
No, but seriously. 

HURRY.

Good News!!!
I have decided to extend this GIVEAWAY until Wednesday, August 8, 2012 at 9 pm.


If you have not entered--go do so now!!!!
*if you don't have an instagram or twitter, just leave a comment saying that you are following Oh, Just Living the Dream and liked on Facebook. Just do whatever you can.
Ya dig?
Mucho love, people. 
Yay for free things!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Venting Session #58340654923

(cause it feels like I have a lot of those? Hey, but it's been awhile, so that's good, right?)
I have so much going on right now that my brain feels as though it's about to collapse out of my head. 
I think I'm going to break down any second.
My body is exhausted too. 
(Funny how your body shuts down when your brain shuts down, huh?)

This month: 
-basically finished my last semester of college. 
-have to start (finish?) a teacher work sample and a portfolio to officially graduate. 
-finish decorating/organizing a classroom. (I live at my elementary school. No, seriously. Today a fellow teacher said to me: "Girl...do you ever take a day off?!") 
-plan an entire curriculum. (oh yea, no big deal... this should be about 15 bullet points). 
-educate thirty 4th graders--make them love me as their teacher!
-2 very important weddings (bridesmaid in one so that means bachelorette parties, etc.)
-Move out. Find a place to live for 5 days. Move into a new apartment the day before school starts. 
-All week teacher conferences.

Not to mention, exercise, the gospel, and this lovely blog.

.....yea. That's a lot.
A lot of work.
A lot of changes.
A lot of grown up life. 

I sat down on my couch this evening after being in my classroom all day and took a deep breath. 
It's funny. 
I have been going so hard that I didn't even realize how stressed I have been. I've been too busy to even think about it! Ha. I should have started noticing when I hadn't slept all week...literally. 
I have not socialized for an entire week and I did not even realize it until today! I didn't "plan" anything to do this evening, so I was stuck doing nothing. A part of me felt like I needed to do something, that I needed to go be around people, but than the other part of me told myself that it's okay to just relax.

I know, I know....So often, when I need to get things down, I tend to hyper focus. I become so enthralled, almost obsessed, with what needs to get done that I cannot tear my mind away. (It's that stubbornness in me). 
But I have realized that I need to learn to gage my energy levels. I use so much of my energy in that classroom, that afterwards, I completely crash. And that is not fair to the other people in my life outside of my job. 

BUT THEN...
As I sat on my couch watching the Olympics, I became almost frustrated. People not calling me back. People not making any effort with me. I haven't socialized because I haven't made a ton of effort with people. Well, how come they don't do a little bit of the work? (we've been here before, haven't we? An constant reoccurring cycle, it feels like...)
So, as I sat there, I became, almost, bored. 
I didn't want to sit here on my couch by myself, yet, I didn't want to exert a ton of energy.
But I didn't want to particularly be alone.

I, then,  progressed to a state of complete spontaneity. I texted multiple people, on a rampage, to go do something quite rambunctious and random. 
I wanted to drive home to Oregon (stupid teacher conferences!).
 I wanted to go do something fun. 
And of course, no one could. Blah.
I tried to go do fun things. 
It didn't work.

And now, finally, it has all clicked.
I am trying to fill some kind of void, which is, not coincidentally, usually the case when people need to vent (yea yea, sierra's psycho babble...).

I want someone to do nothing with. 

I want to come home to a buddy who will let me exert no energy with them. I want to come home and be in the presence of a man who will sit here and watch the Olympics with me. Who doesn't force me to say anything, but to be content with just sitting. To bond, without any verbal communication. I want that kind of connection. 

It does not help that the last man I was falling in love ended up being a complete jerk. Because of that, of the negative ending, my walls have come up again. And I have turned to things that "I need to get done" to stop all the pessimistic feelings I was having towards myself and towards him. 

I am an independent woman. Very independent. I am competent and hard working. But, like most girls, I sometimes would like that bond. That special, imperfect connection with another human being(male, preferably ha.) 

And that time will come soon. Soon enough, that is! Haha.
Until that time,  I continue working on myself. I continue working exponentially hard on my future career and strengthening my talents. 
And I continue to be okay with lying on my couch watching Olympics alone tonight.
Hey, I need this, okay?

Don't forget to enter my most recent giveaway!!


Happy Weekend.
xoxo. 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Dear Me {10}: PEARLS & A GIVEAWAY

Dear Me, 
Yesterday you loved dresses.
Today you love pearls.
Are you a girl or what?
(I am, in case you are all wondering). 

Dear YOU
(My Readers): 
I have good news for you, people! 

Freshwater Pearls is a lovely company that designs stunning pearl necklaces, earrings, bracelets. 
See for yourself:






Aren't they pretty?!
Please ignore my awful picture quality. I am dying for a nice camera. (birthday present?)
*Side note: on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do I look like a teacher in this outfit? Good thing pearls go with everything ;) Don't judge my pictures or my face...it's been a loooong day. Good thing I am NOT a fashion blogger. I don't know how you ladies always look so cute. #toomuchwork

Freshwater Pearls are giving away a pair of free pearl earrings to one of my lucky readers today! Yes!!
Normally, these earrings retail price at $27.99 plus shipping and handling. Their company strives to keep the lowest prices with the most high quality inventory online! 

They have all types of colors: peach, white, yellow, etc!
"Like" their Facebook page for more information. 


And! For your information, they are offering the following when you buy from Freshwater Pearls:
$5 off when you spend $20.00 or more-code: freefive
$10 off when you spend $40.00 or more-code: freeten
$15 off when you spend $60.00 or more-code: free15


To win these earrings, please do the following. Write your name and email in a comment once you have done them: 




1.  "Like" Oh, Just Living the Dream Facebook Page
 2. "Like" Freshwater Pearls' Facebook Page
3. Follow me on Instagram

4. Follow me on Twitter



Additional Entries include (you get bonus points for this one ;)): 


Write your own "Dear Me" Letters and include button in your post to link back here. 
(embed the code below button to place in post)


Oh, Just Living the Dream




Giveaway ends on Monday, August 6, 2012 at 10 pm