Turning 23, half marathon prep + more!

'Morning, friends :) Hope you all had a great week. It was a lovely one at the Neuffer household!

All week we've been cheering on the Beavs at the college world series! Here's Benny the Beav playing in Omaha :)

Last Sunday night we rounded out a full week with dinner on the patio, picnic-style. It was wonderful, and the almost-summer breeze and happy kids running around the grass made it even better.

The smiley face spatula (part of Ellen's wedding gift to us, hah) helped too ;)

After din we had a quiet night. We took full advantage by cuddling up with books - Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage for me!

This book is amazing and opens my eyes to the most important Man in history.

After a cozy Sunday night, Monday morning seemed to come too early. Even though it was tough to crawl out of bed before the sun was up, it was totally worth it. Because.....!

We made it in time for SPIN! I took the hour-long indoor cycling class while Matt worked out (even though we go to the gym together, we rarely work out together). It was my first spin class at Provo Rec and I was impressed by the super high-quality bikes and great energy of the instructor. The class left me sweaty and smiling - I'll definately be going back!

The rest of the day was a regular work day. (Below - this is a daily occurrance in our house: Matt chomping down breakfast while catching up with the latest "news" on FB. I do the same thing!)

Monday night's Family Home Evening activites were super exciting... financial planning! Nothin' like a little budgeting to bring a family together ;)

But really, it felt good to go over important details again now that life is more settled (post-wedding). 

Tuesday morning brought another early yoga class! Early-morning classes are especially fun because it's clear the students are dedicated - otherwise they wouldn't have gotten up so early! Matt did his regular wrorkout while I taught.

It was a full day of meetings (including a new project at work - we're expanding into Canada and I've been asked to help! Really excited! We're already in Australia and Brazil, so a lot of the hard work is done, meaning I get to help mostly with the fun stuff :)

After working all day it was a nice break to go to a get-together in Kiwais Park for din.

Matt was excited to bring his favorite quick German dish to share: Kartoffelsalat, or German potato salad! It's better than the American version becuase it doesn't have mayo :) It reminded him of the mission and me of my family trip to Austria in 2011.

It was fun hanging out in the perfect weather and chatting with friends. The night was topped off with a s'mores bonfire because a vietnamese girl in the group had never had them before. It was her lucky day, and of course we had to join in helping sample this American classic. ;)

Wednesday night was our regular temple date!

We had to push it back by one day this week becuase of Tuesday night activities, so when we got there I was more than ready. 

We always leave the temple feeling peaceful, happy, and re-charged. Temple service reminds us of the commitments we've made and the 'bigger picture' of life. There's a wonderful spirit that goes along with it, too.

There was no better way to end Wed. night, because Thursday was... MY BIRTHDAY!! :D

I turned 23 this year and Matt helped make it one of the best birthdays yet!

It all started at 5:15am.

I opened THIS CARD first...

NEW RUNNING SHOES! Matt knew I start half marathon training this week, so this was a PERFECT gift. He sure knows how to make me happy!!

that's a big smile for 5am :)

glamour shot of those beauties!

I also got to open gifts from family and friends, which was wonderful and very touching. I have so many good people in my life, and I am so, so grateful! Later Matt helped me spead it all out on the kitchen table so I would be sure not to forget anything:  

I had yoga to teach and usually Matt would come with me to work out, since the car's going to the gym anyway. That always means we need to rush home to get him to work right after.
BUT this morning he skipped his workout out so I could stick around the gym after yogs to take a group fitness class I'd been eyeing!!

Because of his generosity I got to break in my brand-new shoes and try out the class! I also wore the new crops he gave me. They match the shoes and everything :)  :)

The best thing about the class that I took was the cute instructor! She was so energetic and it really rubbed off :)  I left feeling sweaty and strong, but I'm not sure I'll go back to this one. When it comes to group fitness (apart from spin), I'm a better teacher than student... does anyone else 'check out' when they're not in charge of their workout??

After returning home and showering up it was a regular work morning for me. One of the perks of working from home is getting to set your own schedule - for the most part. I love it!

At lunchtime Matt was a little later than usual. I was surprised to hear a knock at the door and find him... holding a boquet of flowers!! :D That explained the lateness and I was very happily surprised!

What a sweetheart!

I'm so grateful for everyone who messaged, called, etc to say happy birthday. The day was really made by the people who made it special. Love you guys :)

In the evening we went to my favorite restaurant - La Jolla Groves in Provo. We hadn't been in a while, but I immediately remembered why it was my favorite. 

Thnks for the birtday dress, Mom & Dad!

Through those doors is where we took engagement pics, back in January!

They even brought me a scoop of birthday ice cream :)

I wouldn't have changed a thing :) All I can say is wow - THANK YOU for making me feel so special, to all my family and friends!

By the time Friday rolled around it already felt like the weekend, but I had a lot of work to do. It helped that Kristina, my friend and coworker, come over in the afternoon for an online meeting we both attended. :)

Later I made cookies for Matt's work crew. They had a Satuday shift and I got a request for cookies! I made THESE from my favorite food blogger.

the smiley spatula says it all

Saturday was another bright and early morning. While Matt got ready for work, I started day one of half marathon training! I'm excited, and a little nervous, to run the Little Grand Canyon Half in early September.

my favorite trail

It's been a few months since I could run consistantly, due to a few things. That made it even sweeter to hit my favorite trail, past Bridal Veil Falls, for an easy 4-miler. It also helped to be 10 pounds lighter, thanks to the amazing health program I've been telling you about!

By the way, after considering a few options suggested by friends, I decided on the Hal Higdon training plan. Thanks for your suggestions! 

 It was great being away from traffic and car noises - inescapable in Provo - and to breathe fresh air (also not available in Provo). 

By 10am I was feelin' good and teaching yogs to my Saturday crew. It was especially fun this week becuase I had a new playlist for class! It added a different element and everyone seemed to enjoy it. 

Saturday afternoon involved relaxing and doing chores. Later in the evening we went to see the move 42.

Have you heard of this movie? It was seriously excellent! It's about Jackie Robinson, the first African American major leauge baseball player. 

Heads up: they used the n-word a lot. But in the historical context of the movie it has a place. The movie was inspiring, enjoyable to watch, and we leaned a lot. We also really appreciated the strong marriage they highlighted as a main theme of the movie. How rare is that?

And now we're back to Sunday! It was a wonderful week :) I'm SO grateful for this blog to help share our life with you. I hope it helps us keep in touch a little better. Seeya next week! :)