current goals | blogtember #2

Today's blogtember prompt is: Share a list of your current goals. I love goal setting it's a little ridiculous.  I like to make big goals and break them up into smaller goals and break those into even smaller goals and then put those goals…
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introductions | blogtember #1

For the first day of curing my writer's block, I'd like to start with some introductions. My name is Emma. I am a self-declared insomniac, lover of soda, cereal, pizza, and ice cream. Food is basically my love language.  "My diet starts…

cure for writer's block: the blog-tember challenge

As you probably gathered from my previous blog-post, the struggle has been real when it comes to writing.  Serious writer's block over here.  So I have found a temporary solution.  Let me explain. ( tl; dr -  backstory to why I am participating…

when there's nothing to write about

I'm stuck in a rut. Yes, being stuck in a rut is the most cliche phrase ever, but I don't know what else to say other than being stuck in a rut is the absolute worst. I'm overwhelmingly busy and yet at the same time I feel completely bored…

a last minute business trip

When you get a call from your boss on Thursday morning telling you to drop your plans get tickets to go to San Diego for a business trip for the weekend, you go and you don't complain. We work for a group of universities doing international…
sleep
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10 tricks to falling asleep (from an expert)

As anyone who knows me would say, I am a self-declared insomniac since I started college.  Over the years, I have picked up on a few tips that have really "helped" me get a better night's rest.   1. Check every social media site…
society

It's Society's Fault

"Society makes us believe that homosexuality is a lot more common than it actually is..." or "Society would have us believe that pornography is harmless when in reality it is a drug..." or "Society has created gendered expectations that…

my hair dilemma

Tomorrow is my last (in person) class of my undergraduate career.  Freaking out?  Maybe just a little. It's also Wednesday and our house smells like weed and stale cigarette smoke thanks to some lovely neighbors that probably just moved…
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what would leslie knope do?

One time my husband and I were having a hard week.  I suppose it was one of those hormonal, emotional weeks for me and I wasn't really believing in myself.  I had messed up at work, I felt overwhelmed, and I guess I just felt defeated. I…
disneyland
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Today I Met an Angel: A Letter to my Future Husband

[DISCLAIMER: I wrote this on December 13, 2014. But reading it again helped me remember a lot of things, and I'm publishing it in order to hold myself accountable. Sorry for the lack of pictures.  This is more of just a wordy blog post and…
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Finding Myself Again: The RM/Newlywed Life

Yesterday Dallin and I came home from work, went and sat next to our apartment hot tub, and we started talking about books. I told him about the book I'm currently reading and how he just has to read it.  We talked about how we both…
sodalicious

playing parents

This weekend Mom and Dad Strong went to Washington DC for business/pleasure and they asked Dallin and I to hold the fort while they were gone.  "Sure! No problem!"  We said.  Thinking it would be cake considering everyone knew how to clothe,…

a culture a year

So one day in January I had this idea.  I was sitting out by the pool on a Saturday reading the book: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana. It's a beautiful story of sisters who start their own dressmaking business in the middle of Afghanistan right…
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packing lunches: an ode to Dallin

I have the sweetest husband in the world.  Since I'm working full time and in school full time, Dallin is constantly supporting me.  Yesterday morning, I woke up to this cute lunch that he prepared for me since I'd be on campus all day.  Strawberries…

the most rebellious thing I've ever done

We always swore we wouldn't speak of this to anyone... and maybe I really shouldn't, but every time I see this picture I just burst out laughing.  I showed it to Dallin and asked him, "did I ever tell you this story?"  He shook his head…

my diet starts on Monday

This semester I've been learning all about food, nutrition, and its effects on the environment.  I'll admit, I have gone through a few kicks: juice-cleansing, clean-eating, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free all within the last few months.…

the spring break life

Another advantage of transferring to ASU was that WE GET SPRING BREAK NOW.  It was the best thing ever and the break was just invigorating. Mostly because we got to go on a cruise. 5 Common FAQs about Cruises and My Responses: Do…
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becoming a sun devil

  I was born to bleed blue. Cougar blue.  Rise and Shout, the cougars are out!  And I will always bleed blue.  I think. When deciding to take our jobs and stay in Arizona, I kept thinking... what will I tell my kids?  I always…