quarter-life crisis

Is there such thing as a quarter-life crisis? Because I'm pretty sure that's what I've been going through these past couple of weeks. I haven't had an affair, or bought a new sports car or done anything else that people who go through a mid-life crisis supposedly do, but I did put in my two weeks at Victoria's Secret + dye my hair red. And no, it's not because I have a huge girl crush on Jaclyn Hill and want to look exactly like her, ya silly! It's totally because of this quarter-life crisis I'm going through. Because, holy $h!z is summer really almost over?! Am I really only 21 days away from being an adult and having a grownup job?! Answer: YES. So obviously dying your hair a different color means that you're still hip and fun and you have all the time in the world to complete your "Summer of Shay" to-do list.

But for some reason, I forgot that dying my hair would help me feel better about moving on to a new chapter in my life, because I totally freaked out to Chris last Friday night. 

Babe! I haven't accomplished anything I wanted to this Summer! Can we go on a bike ride to the temple tomorrow?! And how about we go visit Tidbit next weekend? And take the raft up to to Tibble Fork? We need to do all those things before August 18th. DO ALL THE THINGS! 

Luckily, Chris was sweet and only giggled at my ridiculousness for a second before reassuring me that I still have time to do all of those things before school starts. Now that I worked my last shift at Vickie's today, I'm starting to agree with him + not get as many panic attacks thinking about the fact that I'm going to be a grownup next month. 

All I have to do now is make it through girl's camp this week... which is obviously off to a great start seeing as how it's almost 2am and I'm still putting little handouts together and waiting for a load of laundry to dry so I can  have clean underwear while I'm there. 

...I'm just going to keep blaming my quarter-life crisis I'm going through right now, ok?

No matter how terrified I may be that my Summer of Shay is coming to an end, or that I'm less than a month away from becoming an actual teacher, I can take comfort in knowing that I never ever ever have to fold another freaking panty table again. PEACE OUT, VICKIE'S!

And helloooooo adulthood! (+ many more crises)

The Sandy's Go Camping!

For the past few years my family has made it a tradition to camp on July 24th...

... in my parent's backyard. Ha!

But for some reason, my family decided that we should try REAL camping this year, like, go somewhere that there's no cell service and/or toilets that flush... so Payson Lakes it was! Which ended up being so, so fun. And I must say, for a family that never camps anywhere other than in the comfort of our parent's backyard, we did pretty dang good at "roughin' it." I mean, having your dad drive all the way home to "get more firewood" (shower) + have him bring back drinks from McDonald's + bringing your selfie stick is really roughin' it...right?! Baby steps...

Anyway, here are some highlights from Payson Lakes! Scroll, scroll, scroll!

+ FOOD FOOD FOOD AND MORE FOOD. Thanks mama Sanderson for feeding us better food than we eat at home! 

+ FOOD (again). Because, there really was so much crap to eat up there. Like, I considered going on a juice cleanse when I got back because that's how much junk food we had up there. 

+ My selfie stick + running out of daylight/phone battery.

+ Playing "I'm going on a trip"

+ Roasting anything and everything we could find. The most original being hi-chews with a marshmallow (don't diss it until you've tried it! Right, Mitch?!)

+ Fishing! ...and catching only one fish (by yours truly!)

+ Gagging to the point of nearly throwing up because of the bathrooms (and Evie crying because of them ha).

+ Paddle boarding/kayaking/watching Dash kayak

+ Grandpa putting Talon into "tonic paralysis" by scratching his back

+ A chipmunk eating half our loaf of bread

+ Going for a run around Payson Lakes

+ Mom making the ultimate comeback in horseballs

+ Getting rained on the first night

+ Introducing Cade to the crazy that is the Sanderson family

+ Staying up past midnight around the campfire 

+ "Hup! 2, 3, 4..."

+ Dad building his own tent over his truck (+ trying to get out of it at 5:30am)

+ Grandkids playing with glow sticks

+ Being informed by the camp hosts on our last day that we were too loud and had too many people in our sites. 

+ Embracing that Sanderson temper/pride and making sure to burn all of our extra fire wood so the hosts couldn't sell any of it after we left.

Yay Payson Lakes! 

... see you next year? 

Eh... at least our posterity can see that we did go camping somewhere besides mom and dad's backyard. 

Happy MOOsday! (see what I did there?)

I'm debating whether or not to post this... mostly because I threw a fit last year when Chris suggested we dress up like cows to get free food from Chic-Fil-A for date night... but, can you blame me? Fighting a huge crowd dressed like cows AND swallowing my pride and dressing like a cow just for a free meal?!

NOPE. NOT HAPPENING.

Besides, the .2 seconds that I actually considered going and tried to make cow costumes with garbage bags and sharpies was just a hot mess. Actually, just a mess. There was nothing hot about trying to cut arm holes and/or scribble spots with dry Sharpies. Ugh. I get the angry sweats just thinking about it!

BUT! I found a solution for this year! It's called, "having your sister-in-law text you to come to Chic-Fil-A because she made you cow ears and spots out of vinyl!" And throwing your pride out the window along with that bikini body because you can go through the drive-thru! Oh, and being accompanied by these cuties.

I guess the real reason for this post is to say this:

Sorry, Chris.
Thank you, Kami!

Also... do you think they'll recognize my outfit when I go back to get a free shake tonight? (pride-- where are you?!)


Happy Tuesday  MOOsday!

Lately around here...

+ our house has been coming together! I finally got Chris to start putting stuff back on our freshly painted walls, which actually wasn't that hard to do this time around since he's been looking for any excuse to use his new drill set ("babe, doesn't this make me SO manly?!"). You know when you get a dramatic haircut and every time you pass a mirror you're surprised about your hair? That's how I feel every time I walk downstairs. The power of paint is real people!

+ the universe has been telling us to STOP buying 1/2 priced shakes at Sonic. First sign from universe: our car dying there. Second sign: waiting 10 min for our order to be taken and then having a carhop come out and tell us that their machines aren't taking any payments. Third sign: our car dying there... again (Chris, turn the headlights o f f ). Do you think the numbers on the bathroom scale are a sign from the universe, too?

+ i've been loving all the rain + lightening! Is it too early to say the F word? Because F A L L is all I can think about with these storms going on. I know, I know... I'm weird. 

+ there's been a lot of homemade dirty diet Dr. Pepper + guilt. Mostly because I have the nerve to put it in one of my Swig refill cups. Oh, the shame! But, it's not you Swig, it's me. 

Actually, it is you--ain't nobody got money for that! + You keep putting peach in my DP instead of coconut.

+ Chris has been perfecting the rootbeer float. Thanks to mama Sanderson, Chris now has the perfect ratio of rootbeer : ice cream + rootbeer crystals! Oh, and the rootbeer for floats has to be Barq's--no exceptions. Floats have become a regular dessert at our house. 

+ (and now so our posterity doesn't think that all we did was eat this summer...) we've been going on walks. Most the time our walks end up at the baseball fields watching little league. Chris likes to remind me that he was "legit" at baseball when he was younger, and then after he's reassured me of that, his eyes start to light up as he thinks about having sons to play and coach sports with. It's pretty cute. 

'MERICA

I never remember how much I love the 4th of July until it's finally here. Like, how can I not remember that BBQ's + family + fireworks make for the best day?!

This year we started our celebrations early by going camping Thursday night. Camping was a lot scarier, sweatier, and not-as-sexier than I thought it would be (my fantasies of Chris + I under the stars were crushed after poppin' a squat in front of him in the woods. hello 2+ years of marriage!), but the perfectly toasted s'mores by Chris made up for not being asleep more than an hour at a time!

Just look at that golden brown mallow!

We woke up bright and early on the third to go fishin' up at Strawberry on the pontoon with Tom G and others from the Gourley gang. I love this tradition! Mostly because I can justify slamming a fistful of Doritos in my mouth at 9 in the morning, but also because Chris is so chipper while fishing! + he's so cute when he lets the nieces and nephews drive the boat. 

Be still my heart.

Now for the actual fourth of July! I started my Independence Day as every American should: Diet Dr. Pepper! From McDonald's! And pulling forward in the drive thru because apparently making two more drinks requires a wait... I'm sure it's fine. Anyway, the rest of the day was filled with little victories such as getting Chris to put gel in his hair, wearing red lipstick, and managing to eat ribs, chicken, and a hot dog covered in mustard and NOT spilling on my white shirt. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Then we went and watched the PG fireworks + hot tubbed. If you think watching fireworks is fun, try watching fireworks in a hot tub (you can thank me later).  

But wait! The celebrations didn't end there! 

Yesterday the Gourley gang got together for ice cream + a firework show courtesy of Mikey! We had some minor kinks, like Emily getting hit with a firework, but I think with a few adjustments this could become a Gourley family tradition! It was so fun and made it that much harder getting back to reality today. 

I think it's safe to say that after this weekend it's going to be a little harder for me to forget how much I love the 4th of July... 

America, why you so great?!