Christmas Escapades: A Tale of Family, Food, and Fun

Our 2 1/2 week long trip to Denver and Utah started like all of our other vacations... I anxiously awaited the day that I could begin packing my suitcase, I made numerous lists of things I'd need to bring, and I couldn't stop telling my husband how excited I was! You see, going home is a treat for us since we aren't fans of the 13 hour drive to Denver and an additional 8 hours to Salt Lake City, and plane tickets can quickly add up. Before we knew it, the time to fly out had come and visions of Cafe Rio pork salads were dancing in my head as we made our way to Denver.

^^my husband does, in fact, have ears...he's just wearing earmuffs ;)^^

We spent the first week of our trip in Denver with my husband's family, and kicked it off with a trip to the Denver Botanical Gardens to see the Christmas lights. This, my friends, is when it finally began to feel a bit like Christmas! The rest of the week leading up to Christmas was full of last minute shopping, eating Cafe Rio pork salads, wrapping gifts, making cookies, and playing waaaay too many games of Monopoly. It was wonderful being able to forget about responsibilities and just spend time with family since it was our first time being all together in over a year!

I'd have to say my favorite moment of our time in Denver was when Ben's extended family gathered on Christmas Eve for dinner and a program (read: Christmas videos, lots of caroling, and a gift exchange). Everyone had finished eating and my husband's uncle turned on this video - cue all of the tears. It was a lovely reminder of the reason for the season. We ended up going to a Christmas Eve service later that night at a local church to hear my husband's aunt and uncle sing in the choir; although the music was absolutely beautiful, I quickly learned that staying up late isn't my thing anymore. ;)

Our Christmas was full of good food, exchanging gifts, playing board games, eating a great big dinner, and going to see Unbroken. It was a wonderful day, but what made it special was being together with family.

The day after Christmas we flew out to Utah! We filled the next couple of days with Comedy Sportz, exchanging gifts, seeing family and friends, multiple eye appointments for my husband (he got PRK while we were there - it's kind of like LASIK), a little bit of shopping, Cafe Rio pork salads, family pictures, board games, running errands, and funny YouTube videos. We tried new restaurants, watched movies, slept in most days, and did face masks. I can't even begin to tell you how nice it was to just sit by the fire and relax! My favorite moment in Utah was going to Temple Square one night with my family. It was so, so cold but the lights were as gorgeous as ever.

Our New Years Eve was low-key since my husband wasn't feeling great and his vision was a bit blurry the day after surgery. We ended up staying home with my sister and watching Netflix movies. At one point I made a run for shake stuff and we had a bit too much fun playing with the Oreos - Happy 2015!

Sadly, before we knew it, it was time to do some laundry and pack our suitcases to head home. The worst part of any vacation, for sure! (Minus the unpacking once you get home, ha.) There's truly nothing greater than getting to spend time with family and friends that you don't get to see very often, and it's never fun to say goodbye. However, we've got some plans to see family in the works throughout this year and I'm over the moon that I get to sleep in my own bed once again. ;)

I hope your holidays were lovely and filled with a Cafe Rio pork salad or two!

5 Weight Loss Tips for 2015

I am not any kind of weight loss or health expert. Exhibit A: I’m typing this next to a half-eaten bag of Cheetos and a few fun-sized KitKats. But stick with me.

Once upon a time during a magical time called Summer After Freshman Year, I quit my dance program, ate a diet entirely of bread and chocolate, and gained about 30 pounds. I let the weight stick around for a couple of years, until I finally couldn’t stand the way my jeans were always too tight. So I found a few things that worked for me to healthily drop the weight.

Let me know what's worked for you, and I wish us all the best of luck in our fitness New Years goals.

1. Drink more water. Our bodies need water. Once, the very handsome Biggest Loser coach Bob Harper told me (through the TV) to drink a glass of water before breakfast every morning. Yes, Bob. Anything you say. I also sip it throughout the day, aiming to get through 3 bottles during work and another one at home. A cute and functional water bottle helps. Try this, this or THIS. (WARNING: you will make more potty trips than you thought your bladder capable of)

2. Use smaller plates. If awards existed for Worst Ever At Portion Control, I’d be a gold medalist. When something tastes yummy, I want to eat all of it, no matter how much my aching stomach protests. To help curb this bad habit, I use smaller dinner plates. If I’m still hungry after round one, I go back for more.

3. Don’t eat the last bite. Refer to #2 and my ability to defy recommended portions. A rule I came up with for myself during the thick of my weight loss attempts: leave one bit on the plate. The point: when you’re full, leave what’s left on the plate. You DON’T have to eat it.

4. Choose several small meals over bigger courses. This advice has been rampant lately, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. Instead of stuffing yourself during the three traditional meals, eat as much as you need whenever you want. For me, if that meant I ate 20 bitty meals in 8 hours, then that was aaaa-okay.

5. Move your body. I don’t exercise regularly. I try. Really, I try. Zumba makes it easier--I love the fun, upbeat class atmosphere, and I recommend finding something YOU love. But even with a gym membership, I don’t find myself spending hours doing aerobics or weights every week. Instead, I try to move a little whenever I can. This means, most days, I drive to the gym, lift for 10 minutes, and leave. I walk or run around the neighborhood when I can. My motto: five minutes of exercise is better than none.

A Christmas Card for You

Hello, hello. How are you? Is it Christmas yet?* Will it ever snow? Because it's basically summer over here. Which I'm actually fine with, because I spilled the topping from my leftover Tucano's flan all over my winter coat & now it's covered in a crunchy, sticky, caramel coating. Laundry is not a thing that happens during finals week. The poor coat.

Christmas cards have been trickling in through the mail. I pin each one to my refrigerator using those cheap magnets that businesses print their logos on and hand out during Fourth of July parades or staple to the phone book. (Any places that sell stylish magnets? Let me know).  I love Christmas cards. It combines several great things: personal mail, people I love, and, duh, Christmas. Seeing photos of friends and family serves as a good reminder of what I'm supposed to be focusing on during the holidays.

Plus, sometimes you get one of those fabulously brag-tastic, 10 pagers. You know the ones, About your distant cousin Maury who traveled to Fiji and France and the North Pole this year, where he saved baby seals and cured a disease?

Anyways, since the big day is sneaking up on us--10 days!--here's to wishing you the happiest of holidays. Our good friend kindly snapped a few shots for our first Christmas card last week. If I could afford the stamps to send one to all of you, I would. But for now, here's the virtual version.

And a few outtake (happy our decorations doubled as a last-minute backdrop):

*This site will always let you know if it is indeed Christmas. 

Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.

Fall Favorites

Andy's Favorites
1 //  Levi's Skinny Legging Jeans - Whatever stretchy, magical denim these pants are created from really, really floats my boat. I definitely would count them more jeans than leggings. But, if you like wearing comfortable, flattering things, take a peak at these. (I have the black as well and will admit they are a bit stiffer)

2 // Spoon Rest  - I'd never owned a spoon rest until October when I spotted this lovely at World Market--the kitchen knick knacks section will always be my favorite. It fits right in with my preferred color palette & has been quite handy.

3 // Make Up Forever Mascara - Since I first started playing with make up, I have always preferred skinny mascara wands to fat ones. The tapered brush on this guy is a perfect hybrid between the two and the formula lasts all day.


Lex's Favorites
4 // Aferarien Boots from Aldo - After months and months of searching for the perfect pair of riding boots, I stumbled upon these from Aldo. I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it! They're surprisingly comfortable, good quality, and they go great with anything.

5 // Autumn Wreath from Yankee Candle - Have you smelled Autumn Wreath before? It's the perfect scent for fall and the holidays in general! I burn this baby whenever I'm home and my apartment has never smelled better. Unless of course I count the moment each day when my husband sprays on his cologne. ;)

6 // Popcorn Stitch Infinity Scarf from Walmart - Guys, color me impressed with Walmart's current selection of scarves. Since it almost breaks my heart to spend money on things I consider to be "gift material" (e.g., hand lotion, socks, expensive fingernail polish, scarves, etc.), there's no way I was willing to shell out $40 for a fluffy tan scarf. Fortunately, this one was less than 1/5 of the price and it keeps me perfectly warm!

7 // Napa Vineyard Lip Crayon from Burt's Bees - This has been absolutely fabulous. The color has been a fun one for the fall months, and it helps me not feel completely washed out as my skin becomes more and more translucent. I love that it doesn't have that sticky feel that some lip products have.

8 Ideas for Improving Your Relationship

    I've had the good fortune of working with some incredible couples over the past few months while teaching relationship improvement courses as a part of my senior capstone. As teaching goes, you come out having learned or remembered lots and lots of things, maybe more than you taught. I adore  the new perspectives and opinions that every student in these classes has to offer.

So, today I wanted to share a few things that have benefited my own marriage and the relationships of the awesome couples I've been in cahoots with during these classes. What would be on your list of lessons you've learned to keep your relationships in tip-top shape?

1. Learn to Regulate Yourself

Instead of focusing on how you can change the habits and attributes of your partner, self-regulation involves paying attention to your own behavior. What can you personally work on to improve the relationship? Often, a change in your own actions initiates a change in your loved one and the relationship you share.

2. Understand How the Outside World Affects You

Many people tend to blame either themselves or their significant others when experiencing life's rough patches. However, recognizing how the outside world affects your relationship can change your perspective. Life events happen without our consent on a daily basis. Realize that a bad day at work, a disagreement with a family member, or a horrible commute can easily transfer over to your relationship. The solution? Share with your partner. Not only will sharing the event relieve stress, but it will also allow he or she to understand your behavior. 

3. The Past is Part of the Present

My childhood home epitomized frugality. Shopping revolved around sales, coupons, and price-matching. On the other hand, my husband grew up knowing he was allowed to put anything in the shopping cart with the contingency that he would help his mother carry in the groceries from the car. Long story short: when we got married, we had to hammer out how shopping would work for our family. 

Understand how your partner's past influences how they act. What was his or her parents' relationship like? How did finances work in the home? What value was placed on education, work ethic, or family vacations?

4. Appropriately Use Social Media

Ah, social media. It can create a community of strong support and love to bolster your relationship. But, used incorrectly, it can transform into a world of bad advice, tension, or secrecy. Have an open discussion with your partner about social media use if a problem may exist.

5. Resolve Conflict in a Healthy Way

There are entire volumes dedicated to resolving conflict in a healthy, constructive manner. Here is a summary of my advice: raised voices, name-calling, and placing blame are all counter-productive. Be calm. Be willing to compromise. Turn off the cell phones and the televisions and schedule specific time in your calendar to discuss issues. When things get heated, take a time out and revisit the problem later (the recommended time is under 24 hours!).

6. Forgive

Relationships depend on forgiveness. People make mistakes--dozens of them--every single day that need to be forgiven. Learning to forgive allows you to replace hurt feelings with altruism. Don't waste your energy on being offended, angry, or vengeful. Instead, use that powerful energy to improve your ability to efficiently problem-solve as a team. 

7. Work Hard. Then Work Harder.

The average relationship decreases in satisfaction overtime as couples settle into daily routines. Work is essential.Take an interest in each other's activities, actively listen to your partner, and make the effort to continually learn about one another. Grow together.

8. Lower Your Expectations

It would be ridiculous to say to expect nothing of your partner. However, make sure your expectations are realistic and obtainable for your current life situation. If you have too high of a standard, your partner will always fall short. 

Amazing Race: Halloween Edition

Firstly, I am not all about Halloween.

I do not like things that go bump in the night, glow in the dark, or jump out of closets. The love my peers have of horrifying adrenaline rushes from haunted houses goes waaay over my head. The scariest movie I have ever seen is the Sixth Sense, which I watched probably over a decade ago, and it still gives me the willies when I wake up night to grab a drink of water in the dark.

That being said: my husband seems to appreciate me holding off on Christmas until after fall holidays are over. I am trying my very best to enthusiastically jump on the spooky bandwagon. This weekend, those attempts merged with both my planning of our monthly family activity and my love for reality TV game shows. Duh-duh-duh-dum (read: drumroll): a kid-friendly, Halloween edition of the Amazing Race.

We split the family into three teams of three and sent them on a hunt around the house and property for clues (all of which rhymed, because I couldn't resist). The littles and the adults were both able to participate AND I was able to use up a ton of the yellow and black construction paper I'd been hoarding for a few years. Win-win.

My parents have a beautifully dense grove of scrub oaks growing in their back yard. With a little yarn and patience, we created a tangled spider web for contestants to travel through. Chad also cleverly helped me slip clues INSIDE of pumpkins: my second favorite part of the whole caboodle.

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Obviously, my first favorite part was the witch run. A player from each team had to mount a broomstick and run through the neighborhood, all while cackling and/or shouting the line "I'll get you and your little dog, too". Watching my daddy do this with super-enthusiam made my whole evening. My whole Halloween, even. A run-down of all our events is below.

All activities call for treats. My big sister whipped up some sweet potato cupcakes with maple buttercream and marshmallow ghost topping. You could not even tell they were gluten free (we are up to two gluten freers in these parts now).

A list of challenges were as follows: 

1. Sort through handfuls of candy corn pumpkins until finding one with a clue written on the bottom. You must eat any you pick up that don't have a clue.

2. Pick a broom and ride it to your next location while doing your best witch impersonation.

3. Roll you pumpkin down the hill (we had a few grassy knolls to choose from) using only the broom acquired from #2.

4. Break open your pumpkin and sort through the goo to find your next clue.

5. Run to the cornfield and pick up your next clue (along with a roll of toilet paper).

6. Traverse the spider's web through the forest.

7. At the next location, dress one of your teammates as a mummy with the toilet paper. The next clue was snuck into the end of the roll. 

8. Using no hands or help, have a player bob for apples. Sit down at the starting location, and you're the winner!

I think this could be some sort of awesome tradition. Taking ideas for next year--any other fall activities I could throw in there?

The Start of Something New

Hey there, welcome to Peachy Keen! We're Andy and Lex, and we're BFFs. Here are some Q's & A's that you might (or might not!) be interested in reading.

How long have you guys been friends?
We met during Freshman year of high school and actually weren't too fond of each other until the beginning of our Junior year. We ended up bonding over the fact that both of our zippers were down one day, and probably ending up in a class together had something to do with our friendship.

So, really, how LONG have you guys been best friends?
Best friends? Since our Junior year of high school, so that would be almost 6 years. (AP United States History was the turning point.)

Were you guys weird in high school?
Probably, haha. Who isn't? We spent most of our senior year either 1) baking and decorating cakes on Wednesdays (aka: Cake Wednesdays) for different seniors, 2) eating McDonald's Snack Wraps in one of our cars during lunch to avoid people, or 3) ditching school to do weird things like go to DI (a local thrift store) or take naps at parks like homeless people. We promise that even though it sounds like we were bad students, we weren't, and we actually got involved in quite a bit of school stuff. We just suffered a bad case of Senoritis.

Did you guys always live by each other after high school and do you now?
Yes and no. We both attended BYU after high school (and are still in school, dang it), but Lex lived on campus the first year and Andy lived off-campus. Our Sophomore year we lived together. After that, Lex got married and ended up moving to St. Louis a few months later, so our friendship has been long-distance for the last 2 years. It's a bummer, but we hope that one day we get to live closer to each other!

Were you guys weird in college and are you still?
Again, probably. :) We spent a lot of nights in college hanging out with new and old friends (we even ended up dating two guys who were already friends so the four of us spent a lot of time together Freshman year), but we also spent quite a few nights watching Friends together and talking until the wee hours of the morning. The great thing about our friendship is that we're just as happy to sit and talk as we are to be out and about doing things.

What's the most embarrassing thing you guys have been through?
A few years ago, one of our guy friends came up to us and drew us both in for a bear hug. As a result, our faces got squished together and our lips ended up an inch away from the other's. It was equally hilarious and mortifying, and we never lived it down.

When was the last time you guys saw each other?
 Less than a month ago!

Traveled anywhere fun together?
St. George, UT a few times and Disneyland!

So you guys are starting a blog. . . What do you plan on blogging about?
Things we love! Makeup is high up there along with food, books, and traveling. We're suckers for great makeup and beauty products, and have learned along the way which products are worth spending your money on and which just simply aren't. We both enjoy cooking and baking, but especially the latter. :) We've found that we can't resist a good book or the chance to travel somewhere new. The point of this blog is to share things we've learned, discovered, and love with you!

How can I get ahold of you guys if I have any questions, comments, or complaints?
Leave a comment or shoot us an email at thepeachykeenblog(at)gmail(dot)com.

We're so excited to be blogging together and we're even more excited that you're here! Join us by following along on Bloglovin', Twitter, or Pinterest.

XO.