Going Healthy- For REAL

So I know that I recently made a commitment to stay off sugar. In my heart, however, I knew I wasn't going to follow through... I just wasn't motivated! Two nights ago, Sterling (My wonderfully amazing 16 year old big brother) and I talked about actually committing. I actually really like to work out, and Sterl does to! We also eat pretty healthy and always have salad at dinner and protein shakes in the morning. Its just that, despite our healthy eating for the most part, We will still succumb to the enticing chocolate-chip butterscotch cookie fresh out of the oven, or the homemade cinnamon bread Mom is famous for, sitting all buttered up on the counter top. (Kudos to me- I didn't have any of the cinnamon bread! Whoop!)

I totally feel committed- and that makes me sooooo happy! I am off Sugar, Carbs, and Carbonation. I actually don't like soda... whenever I DO drink it, it's only when it is offered to me. I think that it's a good thing that I don't like soda, because it bloats your belly, and I think that is the thing I am most self-conscious about since I dance and have to wear skin-tight clothing.   Yesterday Sterl and I started running together. I run on the tredmill at the gym in the morning, and Ster runs in Wrestling at school, but we have never run together! It was fun, motivating, and time went by much quicker as we ran along a shaded creek, than when I run solo on a stationary piece of equipment staring at the same "Inspiration Fitness poster" for half an hour. Also I have been doing yoga in the mornings again! Really hard yoga.... Here's the link! http://zuzkalight.com/category/workout/ This girl is incredible.... whoa.

So today is my second day off sugar! I can't wait for the want of sugar to be gone... or at least fade a little! I "cracked" yesterday afternoon. I just wanted something sweet! So I turned to Rice milk- my savior! Hahahaha I LOVE RICE DREAM®. It is seriously the most heavenly thing ever. I've converted little Shep to Rice Dream-ism. Fun Fact about me: I love to drink. So I usually have a water bottle in my hand, and three empty ones at my beside.... I also like to drink Vitamin water zero... my parents have given me a limit on those.... and at last- Rice Dream. Ahhhhhhhhh :)

I brought the entire carton upstairs.... Shep and I with our cups!

Five cups later...

Wedding Song

Last night was aMAZing! Why was a seemingly regular Thursday night so fun? Because I got to play my guitar ans sing for someone! Here's the whole story, which I wrote yesterday:

One of the most fun, spunky, and yet laid back people in the ward is Sister Wendy Keeler! Let me just say- She's incredible! It is so sad to me that all her kids are grown up! If only there was one my age... heck- if there was one within 3 years of me I would love them because they would be a Keeler. So anyway, Wendy's son is getting married tomorrow, so she was having a "casual" dinner with all the family and close friends. By the way, it was in her backyard, which was so extremely beautiful! Oh, the flowers! So since it was supposed to be casual, 2 days ago, Mom told me that Wendy wanted me to play guitar to liven things up! I sat on their pool ledge and strummed away! My mom came up and took a picture which I'll include, but I look kind of weird, since she took three tries to do the picture and it was my "Hurry up please, Mommy, I really need to be playing..." face. After everyone had gotten their food and had settled into comfortable conversation, I made my way around the corner where they were eating and began to strum the opening chords to Elvis Presley's "Can't help falling in love".  I stood right at the cute couples table and began to sing! They were soooooo adorable :) They kept laughing, which made me laugh! Great night.

Playing at the Dinner

In Young Women's this week, we were Challenged to watch four of the Prophet and apostles videos. Here's the link:

http://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/what-are-prophets-testimonies

I really liked the experience that President Monson talked about in his video, about how the man asked "Where will my spirit go when I die?" and President Monson flipped open the scriptures randomly to the answer. Part of the reason I liked this so much, is because I have had my own experiences where I flip open my Scriptures and read the PERFECT scripture. President Monson didn't suddenly have a vision and the man's bedside, he opened the scriptures, something we all can do.

Also, I wanted to share a pic of my nails.... there cute little stick on things and I LOVE them!

The Veil is Thin

I wanted to touch on an experience I had on Saturday night. I learned that a friend of mine had done something so sad that she could never get back- she broke the law of Chastity. I love her to death, and I honestly do not feel any differently about her... I really didn't know what to do, seeing that she was not a member of the Church, and she didn't regret her actions. As we proceeded to attend a (super-fun) Tri-stake dance, I could not get the thought out of my head. I knew that this friend had had a VERY different upbringing then mine, and I admired her endless optimism and kindness. I was distracted by these traits to notice the absence of light in her eyes. That night, after talking to my mom about it, I found myself crawling into bed a little after 12 AM. I told myself that I was so tired, and didn't need to read my scriptures. After all, I needed sleep, and after a full day of Cosmic jump, and an evening of pulling wallflowers onto the dance floor, I was exhausted. After laying down and turning out the light, I had a strong impression that I needed to read my scriptures, so I turned the light back on and flipped open my book. The first verse I read was 2 Nephi 32:3 which says:

 

 I instantly knew that reading my scriptures was the right thing to do; after all, isn't it always? I was so overcome with sadness however as I thought of my friend's decision. I rolled to my side, sobbing, and gripping my scriptures. I began to pray. I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to send some of his angels to comfort me. Suddenly I felt as if a burden had been lifted off of my shoulders. I have always read about that feeling... but  I always thought it was an analogy or something. I didn't think I could physically feel this lightness. I knew that I was not alone in my room. I could feel the presence of others with me, comforting me! It was a feeling I have never felt before, but I loved it. I have never connected with Heavenly Father the way I did that night. The beauty of it was enough to make me start crying all over again.

For TODAY's post, I don't have much to share. It is Tuesday, and since Saturday, each of my prayers have been so much more personal.

Mom and Daddy told me that we are going off sugar! So I had to have one last shabang before I committed to give it up.... for a year.

So I grabbed a pixie stick! What better way to go OFF sugar, then to EAT a whole tube of it?! In my other hand I have my For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet opened to the Physical and Emotional Health section :) I am so grateful to have something so inspired to look to for guidance. I have also been studying the Sexual Purity section as well, given the recent experience.

Company for the Learners

So today I had my Hip Hop class- Yesssss my favorite! I dance at Koenig Dance School, which is a really nice studio with great teachers. Today my teacher, Brandy, walked into studio A holding an envelope- addressed to me! I was excited, because another girl in my class had gotten the same thing only a few weeks before, and her's was an invitation to join Company. I was excited for her when she received it, but I wondered at the same time what I had to do to get one myself. Flash forward and I am opening the envelope. I told everyone who was grouped around me that it was probably just a promotional thing... nothing special. I said this for my own benefit, I didn't want to get my hopes up. I opened the letter, and sure enough- it was an invitation to Company! But when I read the first sentence, I realized it wasn't really company, it was "Teen Intermediate Company". That means its the mediocre one... but I still really wanted to do it! I would get to compete! Competing has been a dream of mine since I was six. I mean, I would get to have one-on-one classes with a teacher to work on my technique, choreography, and memory retention. Dream. Come. True. But wait- there's more! Naturally I let my eyes wander down the page, reading about the competitions I could take part in, the possibility of performing a solo (gasp!), and THEN the prices. Ouch. While I had been busy thinking about the wonderful possibilities, I'd momentarily forgotten that all of it would cost money. All I can say is that it was well over $1000- YIKEROOSKEY! I have four siblings, all of which have their own classes they take, and their own interests and hobby's. Actually, I think I am currently the most expensive child- with guitar, voice, and dance lessons, I'm definitely not in the position to go up to my daddy and say "Hey would you mind paying over a thousand more dollars on me, since I am just that selfish?" I suppose I will just throw the invitation away.... no bother asking for something out of my reach! I'm broke from helping pay for two summer camps, another costly luxury my parents had allowed me. In the long run, I'm a lucky, lucky girl.

Here I am holding the Invitation Packet :)