Dear Long Lost Friend

Dear Long Lost Friend,

Hi, how are you? I know it’s been awhile and I’m sorry it’s been so long. To be honest…I really miss you. I miss hanging out with you and laughing at stupid things. I miss our inside jokes and our way of just understanding each other when no one else around us could. Most of all, I miss our friendship.

There wasn’t a specific reason we stopped talking, we just grew apart. Life happens, right? I am so busy all the time with work and school and everything that happens in this crazy life… and I know I put our friendship on hold to pursue those things. I am sorry that I did not make time for you.

I know I haven’t reached out, and I’m sure you have reasons why you haven’t either. Weeks of not catching up turned into months, which turned into years. At this point it is so much easier to just let each other be rather than reaching out and trying to find something in common again. But I want you to know I still care. I see you on social media living your best life, finding true love, finding your dream job, finding happiness. And even though I am no longer part of that equation for you, I am so happy you are thriving.

I really do wish you well. I hope you are following your dreams and doing the things that you’ve always wanted to do. I am watching from afar…cheering for you during your accomplishments and happy for you when you reach new achievements. You deserve the best life possible. And even if we never get the chance to catch up, I hope you know you are always in my heart and I will always consider you a friend.

Love,

Amber

 

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I Didn’t Burn The Cookies!

If you know my husband, you know his favorite snack is cookies & milk. He LOVES cookies & milk. His favorite cookies? Seasonal Oreos. He says they taste better than regular Oreos (which I now agree with, after only eating seasonal Oreos for a year and then trying to switch back). One winter I bought him 4 packs that way they would last him until the spring Oreos came out…and yes, he ate them all. Don’t worry… You’re not the only one wondering how the heck he is still so skinny!

So today as I was sitting at home on my day off, I decided to try and make some homemade chocolate chip cookies (his second favorite) since we were out of cookies and there aren’t any seasonal Oreos out currently. I wanted to do something nice for him since I have been grumpy with him the last couple of days. I googled a recipe and clicked on the first one to pop up. I had all of the ingredients, so I pulled out my baking supplies and got to work. When I pulled them out of the oven…they were perfect!!!

If you’re wondering why this is a big deal, here’s a back story. I suck at cooking…pretty bad. 9 times out of 10 it doesn’t taste quite right, and don’t even get me started on trying to cook a spontaneous new dinner. One time, I forgot to drain the macaroni before adding the cheese. Another time I didn’t realize that jello needed hot water to actually become jello (Henry let me know after 2 days of me waiting for it to set in the fridge). I am very good at preheating the oven, pulling something out of the freezer, and throwing it in. Luckily, Henry is a better cook than me, otherwise we would be out of luck.

So today as I looked at those beautiful unburnt cookies with pride, I realized that even the worst cooks can have a good day.

Do you have any easy recipes for me to try or funny cooking stories? Comment below and let me know!!

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The Story of My White Pants

Today I tried on my white pants.

They are pants that I don’t normally wear because I am so worried that I will drop food on them and have a stain, or I’ll sit on something and have a stain…or worse…what if I were to fart and have a stain?? So, I never wear them. As I was going through my clothes, I saw them sitting there in the bottom of my drawer and thought “I’m a big girl, I should just try to wear them today.” I haven’t had any taco bell lately, no big deal.

I pulled them out, and looked at the size. “Well, hopefully they fit!” I thought to myself. So I put my leg in…a little tight. Second leg…and as I was jumping around like a maniac trying to get these darn white pants on, I was very glad that I was home alone so Henry didn’t have to be witness to this circus (how embarrassing). And guess what?

They didn’t fit.

You see, I bought these pants years ago when I was at a very different stage in my life. I was unhappy, way too thin, and not very confident in my skin. These stupid white jeans, while currently stain free…represent so many metaphorical stains on my life that I have bleached out. I removed the jeans (by way of force because I was slightly stuck) and the most beautiful thing happened to me. They didn’t fit…and I didn’t care.

I didn’t care that I’ve gained 20 pounds since buying them. I didn’t care that my stomach fat sprung out when I tried to button them. I just thought, “oh well!” I’ve become so comfortable with my body image that it didn’t matter how my body has changed since high school. I’ve learned to love myself the way I am. Of course I will continue to work toward a healthier and more muscular self…but for now, I will donate my white pants to someone who isn’t afraid to eat taco bell in them.

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The Struggle Was Real…

That time we played the Lottery and won $2!

Henry and I have both always been very like-minded individuals who strive for perfection with everything we do. I think that’s why our marriage has worked so well…because we refuse to give anything less than 100% to our relationship (okay…maybe like 90% on days we are a bit moody). But nonetheless we work hard for everything we have, and I try not to take any of it for granted.

Being a Computer-Science and Engineering major, Henry had to be very devoted to his studies. Sometimes our date nights would consist of eating dinner at McDonald’s, and then going home and studying. He would write out these study guides that were an average of 20 pages (front and back), and he would ask me to read the header of each section so he could then recite every single piece of information that he had written under it by memory…it was really quite impressive. It was really hard to be interested when I didn’t know what the heck most of it meant, but I participated anyway because he asked me to. We were always each other’s biggest support system when it came to getting through school.

Other times, after crying that my bank account was not attractive, we would cook chili mac together and watch Netflix and that was our date night. If you haven’t heard of chili mac, you take macaroni & cheese and you mix it with chili. We enjoy it with hot sauce and sour cream (it sounded gross to me too but don’t knock it until you try it, plus it’s only $2 to feed two people so very budget friendly). We both worked as much as we could handle while also going to school full-time in order to pay our bills, and sometimes we had to make sacrifices to keep ourselves afloat.

A scavenger hunt Henry set up for me on Valentine’s Day

Even though there were struggles and hard times, we always tried to go out of the way to make it not seem so bad. I remember surprising Henry with a sticky note scavenger hunt where the end prize was a candy bar. It wasn’t a huge thing, but the gesture made him happy (plus, scavenger hunts are super fun!) Sometimes Henry would make a nice candlelit dinner, clean the house, and put on some ambiance music so that we could have a date at home when I got off of work. The things we would do to get through weren’t big, but they meant everything. (Here’s some cheap date ideas)

We have entered into a new phase of life, with college ending and our careers beginning. There will be different struggles that will come up, and the struggles we have experienced in the past will become memories. Luckily, I know that no matter what life throws our way…Henry and I will always strive to give whatever it is 100%, and we will get through it together.

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The Skepticism of Marrying Young

Photo taken by Alex Knudson Photography

There seems to be a lot of skepticism that comes along with being married at a young age. When I got engaged at 19, I remember being so excited and telling everyone I knew about it. There were people who seemed genuinely excited for me, and people who said things like “you’re making a mistake, you should travel the world first”. That statement always makes me laugh because it is the one I hear the most often when people are judging me for being a 21 year old bride. But honestly, why can’t I travel the world with my best friend at my side? I don’t even like going to the grocery store without him, why would I want to go to another country without him?

You see, there’s not really a rule book for the exact age it is socially acceptable for an adult to get married. Have you ever read stories about people who married young and are now celebrating their 80th marriage? Well, I want that to be me and Henry, and I really believe it will be. Marrying Henry is one of the best choices I ever made in my life. He is my best friend for so many reasons. He always encourages me to reach my full potential, he always supports the decisions I make (even when they might seem crazy), he listens to my concerns, fears, long stories, and rants, and most of all…he tells me he loves me every single day, even when I’m not being very lovable.

When I married Henry, I knew there would be skepticism from people who don’t know us good enough. But at the end of the day, that doesn’t matter. When we went into this marriage, we knew it wouldn’t be sunshine and rainbows every day. Marriage is work, no matter how old you are. We are committed to one another, we never go to bed upset with each other, and we communicate constantly. Some days are really amazing, and some days are really hard. But how boring would life be if it was easy every single day?

Snorkeling in Hawaii

For the people who don’t believe in young marriages lasting, I understand that not everyone is ready to get married earlier in their life. People have different things they are ready for earlier and things they are ready for a little later. Like I have explained in my post First Comes Love, I was ready for marriage young, but I am not ready for children yet. Some people are opposite. And that is okay.

At the end of the day, Henry and I made the choice that was right for us. Being married has been the most wonderful experience of my life. We get to grow up together and experience all of life’s trials together, which is amazing. My advice for couples who are getting married young would be to be true to your heart. If you believe your marriage is the right choice, you have to follow what you want. No one else should make that decision for you.

Were you married young? Comment your favorite memory of being a young husband or wife, and be sure to follow for future post updates!

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Even More Obstacles!

As I wrote about in a previous post (climbing up obstacles), rock climbing has become a hobby of mine. Previously, there were two indoor rock climbing gyms located in Reno that my friends and I would climb at. When we heard about the newest gym that was opening, Mesa Rim, we were really excited that we would have another gym to climb at. Having a third gym means we can switch off between locations and try out different climbs…since the other two gyms only change about one wall per week, the climbs can get repetitive.

On Thursday night, we decided to head over to Mesa Rim to check it out. I seriously couldn’t believe how big the gym was! There were what seemed like 60 top rope climbs that were about 3-4 stories high, and a bouldering section that was absolutely huge. We went ahead and signed up for a monthly membership, which included a free t-shirt and sticker (everyone likes free stuff)!

On Sunday, I was able to climb for the first time at Mesa Rim, and it was awesome! They haven’t fully deployed their route setting crew yet, so most of the routes were set by only a couple of people. The front desk employees let us know that there would be routes changing multiple times per week, which will definitely keep things interesting and challenging. I also really appreciated how they had multiple routes for each different skill level. We had brought a couple friends climbing with us that hadn’t been climbing before, and they had a blast as well. There were very easy climbs for them to get a feel for climbing on, and there were a little harder climbs to create more of a challenge.

My husband Henry doing top rope climbing

We stayed for a couple of hours, about half bouldering and half top rope. They do not offer auto belays, which I imagine would be hard for people who don’t climb normally and are just wanting to do a one-time thing. But since my whole group is top rope certified, we are able to take advantage of the entire gym. I did not reach the top on most of the top rope section yet (since I’m still overcoming a fear of falling and heights). But even though I did not reach the top this time I’m excited to work on gaining more confidence on the wall in order to reach the top in the future.

If you haven’t checked out Mesa Rim yet, you can always stop by on Saturday, August 5, 2017 for their grand opening celebration!

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Tips For Incoming College Freshmen

Photo Credit

Entering into my final semester of college, there are so many things I wish I knew when I was an incoming freshman. I’ve compiled a list of 8 pieces of advice I think can be helpful to those of you who are new to the university life!

1. Its okay to not know what your major will be right away. You may know exactly what you want to do and you stick with it the entire time,  or you might change your mind 3 times. You aren’t expected to lock in your major for a little while, so take a couple semesters to do the required classes, like English and Math, and then decide what to major in.

2. Dress comfortable. Those heels might be super cute, but if you’re going to class it might be best to skip the heels and go with some shoes you can walk in. For me, my parking spot was generally about a mile from the building my class was in. Also, the classrooms can be cold, so keep a light sweater in your bag just in case!

3. You will lose touch with friends from high school. Whether you go out of state for college or you attend your local university, your friends will change. I’m not saying every friend you have will peace out of here as soon as your first semester starts…but there will be some change to your inner circle. You will meet new people who are in the same classes or clubs as you and they might become some of your closest friends. Its hard to stay close to people who have different schedules than you, but don’t be afraid to text your old buddies for some coffee to catch up every once in awhile!

4. Not everyone is doing it. Whatever it might be… if you feel uncomfortable doing an activity but it seems like everyone is participating, go with your gut. It may seem like everyone is going to that kegger, but if you’d rather stay home and binge watch Netflix, then do what you want to do.

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5. Prioritize your spending habits. Books are expensive, tuition is expensive, everything is SO expensive! When you are worried about paying rent and your bills and buying gas and groceries… money can get tight. I worked the entire time I was in college. There were times I looked at my bank account and cried, and there were times where I splurged and bought that $40 dress (which is not cheap when you’re on a college budget). The most important thing I learned after moving out of my parents house was money management. I would definitely suggest getting some sort of money planner.

6. Get the e-book! There are a lot of professors that do not require you to bring your book to class, or they might allow you to bring your laptop. If the e-book is available, it is usually cheaper, easier to search for content, and good for the environment. I can’t tell you how many times I was doing homework and just searched for what I was looking for and found it right away, rather than searching through all the pages of the printed book.

7. Compare text book prices. Your university will most likely have a textbook store, but there’s also a lot of other options. Get your book list, and do some research before buying.  Last semester, I saved over $300 just by researching my books first. My favorite site is Chegg. They usually have the book for way cheaper, and will send you coupons or free samples if you order the print books! There’s also Amazon or local stores where you can compare prices.

8. Do your research before choosing your professor. Getting the professor that no one else wants to take straight up sucks. There are sites like Rate My Professors where you can look and see what other students thought about the class.

Do you have additional advice that you think is helpful? Sound off in the comments below and let me know what you think!

Read my last blog post here!

 

An Open Letter To My Little Sister

To my beautiful 16 year old sister,

As you’re reading this, I am sure you have locked yourself in your room away from the craziness of the house because our brother is being annoying and you “literally can’t even” with mom. I was there at your age too, believe me.

It seems so heartbreaking when your friend says something mean about you, or when that guy you thought liked you…actually likes your friend. I’ve been there, it sucks. You’re in a stage of finding yourself and figuring out who you want to be while also dealing with peer influences and drama. I can’t even tell you how many Sarah Dessen books I read while crying thinking “this is my life, right here”. That stage of life is not one I would go back to, that’s for sure.

I’m here to tell you that life gets better. After you push through the rest of high school and you are able to make your own choices about life…it gets better. The things that seem so important right now will be distant memories that you won’t believe you even cared about five years from now. That guy that was your boyfriend who lied to you will become only a memory. That girl that said something bad about you will become the girl you look at later in life and think “wow, I remember her being a [insert current slang word for horrible person here]”. And that will be all you think about her, because you will have so many other beautiful things in your life that drown out the memories of high school past.

You will come to realize that mom was right about a lot of things, your siblings are the most important to you, and that life is too short to not eat that ice cream. You will look back at the pictures of yourself from that stage and think “wow why did I wear that” and “dang, my legs looked fantastic in those shorts…why did I think they didn’t?” But I understand that right now you probably think this is all nonsense, and that is okay.

You are so smart and beautiful and I know you are going to do so many great things with your life. And even though I have moved out of the house and it may seem like I am a million miles away sometimes (at least to me), I want you to know I am always here. I love you sis.

Love,

Amber

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Climbing Up Obstacles

I didn’t realize the importance of having a hobby until I finally found one. The amount of stress that comes along with being in business school and working and trying to have a social life can be extremely overwhelming at times. About 4 or 5 months ago, our friend Andrew invited us to go indoor rock climbing at Basecamp with him. He had wanted to go and didn’t want to go alone. I was hesitant at first because I don’t always like trying things that are out of my comfort zone, but as soon as we went…I was hooked!

A big group of us had decided to get memberships, invest in some rock climbing shoes, buy chalk bags, and start getting serious. You don’t realize how much of a workout you’re getting until the next day. The day after we went climbing for the first time I remember waking up and feeling sore muscles that I didn’t even know I had!

Ever since that first time, I have gone climbing at least twice a week. Climbing has made me realize that getting a workout can actually be fun! I have seen improvements in my strength, my flexibility, and my stress levels. Not to mention my husband and a lot of our friends go with us so it is also a great way to socialize and catch up.

Climbing at Rocksport in Reno

I am still a beginner according to the rating system (I can finally finish a V2), even though I have improved vastly over the last couple months. I am gaining confidence on the wall and overcoming my fear of falling…slowly but surely. Henry, being the monkey boy he is, is already finishing harder climbs up to a V6 and is seriously fearless when it comes to trying new routes.

Rock climbing has become the hobby I didn’t know I needed. It allows me to escape for a little while, and I am so excited to keep improving my climbing skills.

Let me know your thoughts about having a hobby and be sure to follow for updates about future posts!

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First Comes Love…

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes graduating college and gaining financial stability. Not what you were expecting? Apparently, most people expect that baby to come next…at least that’s how it seems since I am asked on a daily basis when Henry and I are going to start having kids. Let me start off by saying: Yes, we do want kids someday. No, we do not want them right now.

I love babies. I love holding babies, playing with babies, watching babies grow…I think people who are my age and have children are superheroes to be honest (speaking of superheroes, this mom is amazing!). My mom had both my brother and me when she was 23, and being 23 right now I don’t know how she did it! But I do not want to have children for at least a few more years.

Not only do I still have six months of school left, but I feel like I am still blossoming as a person. Henry and I have this amazing relationship where we are growing up, experiencing life, and growing our social circles together. We are so happy with the life we have right now, so I don’t think it’s a bad thing to put off having kids until we are ready to settle down a bit more.

Here’s our plan: I graduate college in December, I get a full-time job, we save up for a year or two, we buy a house, maybe travel a little bit, THEN maybe we will think about creating little babies. Don’t get me wrong, I would be overjoyed if we were to be blessed with a surprise before we decided we were ready. But holy cow…if I go to one more barbecue where someone implies that my biological clock is running out of time, I might just pull my hair out!

So, if you see me and I am missing a chunk of my hair…you know why!

Be sure to check out my previous post here.

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