it's almost October but still hot and green outside

This is how I want it to look. 

(Photos taken last Fall.)

I wore pants, leg warmers, and boots yesterday. 

Getting dressed that morning, I thought to myself, 

"I'll show you, hot weather! I'm gonna dress like it's below 50 and there's nothing you can do about it! Hehe..."

Then I went to the UofU's employee appreciation day and spent hours outside walking around in the sun. 

And died. 

Weather: 1

Sam: 0 

So while I try to wait patiently for the weather to cooperate and stop being such a dummy, I thought I'd make a little list of my favorite things about this magical season: 

First, and foremost- pumpkin flavored everything. Wins every time. 

Getting to wear multiple layers and cute boots. (But let's not talk anymore about that.)

A fun holiday to look forward to every month. 

The leaves. Oh the leaves! 

Snuggling up with hot chocolate. 

Oh! 

And you know what else I absolutely love!?

...pumpkin flavored everything. 

Did I mention that already?

on writing a book

Over a year ago, I started writing a book.

It's a book about my experience triumphing over divorce.

Some friends and family are currently reading the manuscript and giving me their feedback.
I'm inching closer and closer to having a finished version ready for an editor.
But first I have to find an awesome editor.
How does one go about doing that, anyways?

Sometimes I wonder if my book will ever really be finished. 

Or if anyone will want to publish it. 

And then what if no one reads it? 

I would like to see it published. I really would.

I imagine it'd feel wonderful to be able to hold the finished product in my hands and know that it's all mine. 

But I think it would be OK if no one read it. 

Because it would still be finished, and it would still be mine.
And that would be enough.

pizza in the park

On Monday night, we grabbed a pizza and a quilt after work and headed to the park. 

It's funny and wonderful how just a little change to your ordinary routine, like eating dinner on a quilt instead of at the table, can make an evening feel so much more special. 

When we got to the park, it was warm outside and full of kids playing and a birthday party. Less than an hour later, it was almost dark, getting pretty chilly, and the park was empty. 

Fall is here! 

We also suddenly had a totally empty large pizza box on our hands.

Yup. 

This is how we do.  

Sponsor Love {kristie was here}

Kristie is just your average totally beautiful, exotic girl who recently returned from a magical trip to Europe.

No biggie.

There's a little bit of everything on this blog but I'd have to say that her photographs are what really get me. 

And her writing? Just as wonderful as the pictures. 

Click here to visit Kristie Was Here!

Sponsor Love {shoes never worn}

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Shoes Never Worn is like nothing I've seen on the blogosphere.

It's gripping and intense. 

Different is good. 

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thanks to you

Last night we visited the mountain valley oasis that is my parent's new house. 

Sunday family walks are probably in my top five favorite things to do in this world. 

(Eating root beer cookies and puppy-anything are also in the top five.) 

I'm feeling much better than I was and that's mostly because of you and all your wonderful, sincere, kind comments on Saturday's post. 

Thank. you. so. much.

In the brief moments on Saturday morning that I seriously contemplated just deleting this whole blog, a  very inspirational movie quote suddenly came to mind: 

"If you're gonna let one stupid prick ruin your life...

you're not the girl I thought you were." 

First: just for the record, I hate the word, "prick."

Second: in my case, it was unfortunately a whole gang of ______.

Third: yes, it's totally a Legally Blonde quote. 

Lastly: This wasn't the first time that quote has burned within my heart.

I also found similar gems of wisdom in all your amazing and encouraging comments this weekend: 

"Haters gonna hate." (a classic)

"Keep doing you."
"Sometimes people just don't know."

A link to TSwift's "Mean" music video.

"Thanks for making the world suck less."

So I guess all there is left to say is...

Thank goodness for Legally Blonde, Taylor Swift, and the best blog friends a girl could have.

misunderstanding

This morning, I logged onto my site tracker. It showed a few hits coming from a particular website I'd never seen before so I clicked over. I soon had this sinking feeling that this wasn't going to be good. But I kept clicking and eventually found the source of where the visits to my blog were coming from. 

I should have listened to myself. 

I shouldn't have read it. 

I had heard of people being hateful towards blogs/bloggers but hadn't experience it for myself. 

Now I've experienced it. 

I actually found myself really questioning this blog for the first time and what it's all about. 

So, in an effort to remind myself, I feel like I need to get some thoughts down to help me process and get past the ugliness. 

...

I've had a blog for years now. 

When I was married to my first husband, I had a blog.

When I was going through my divorce and single again, I had a blog.

Now I have this blog. 

Blogging has been a positive experience for me in many, many ways. 

I've written more about the reasons why I blog here. 

One thing that I've always tried to uphold in my blogging is honesty. 

So when I write about how wonderfully happy my life is with my husband, that's because it's the truth. That's not to say that things are perfect. Only that things are very happy. After going through a horrible divorce, happiness in a marriage is something that I firmly believe should be honored and celebrated. That's what I've been doing from Day 1 on this blog. Writing posts about enjoying a happy, healthy marriage helps me to focus on gratitude and appreciation. I never want to take my marriage or Chas' goodness for granted.  

Along with the love and silliness that goes on around here, I also feel like it's important for me to write about ways I'm striving to become a better human.  

Getting divorced taught me important lessons.  

Earning a Master's degree taught me important lessons. 

Being an art therapist teaches me important lessons. 

Being a college professor teaches me important lessons. 

Trying to be a good partner in marriage teaches me important lessons. 

I write about these things because it helps to solidify those lessons in my mind and heart. 

And the Young People Style posts? 

I'm the first person to make fun of us for doing those. They are pretty crazy and super cheesy. 

But they're also pretty fun to do together. 

We're weird.

So whatever. 

...I was going to write more but I think I'll wrap up here. 

I guess at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what other people think. 

I didn't start this blog for other people.

We all learn from experience.

If you haven't experienced something, I can see how it'd be easy to misunderstand someone with a different life experience and paradigm. 

So I don't need to fault others for misunderstanding me, my blog, or my marriage. 

I can let others hold their own opinions whether those opinions are positive, negative, or somewhere in between.

Those opinions don't have to affect me unless I chose to let them. 

And I'm not going to do that. 

introduce yourself!

We've picked up some new young love friends recently and we're so glad you all are here! 

Truly. 

We both are consistently surprised and touched by your comments and the fact that you are interested enough to follow this little blog. It's not unusual for me to yell for Chas to come read a particularly thoughtful/funny comment. Honestly, even knowing that you're taking the time out of your busy life to write something after a sometimes silly little post is amazing to me. 

Please know that I don't take any of your comments or any of our followers for granted. Every bit of it means so much and has become such a fulfilling and satisfying experience for me. 

And that's thanks to you. 

I wish I could know more about you!

You, who I really only know through this magical place called the interweb. 

So I thought we could play a little get-to-know-you game because we all know how much everyone loooooooves those games.

First, I'll tell you a little about me: 

I'm Sam. 

I'm an art therapist, an artist, college professor, blogger, and writer. 

But mostly, I'm a partner in love, silliness, and cheeseburger consuming with Chas. 

I am sensitive and I like it that way. 

I love my family and wish I had a better relationship with one of my sisters. 

I could eat homemade rolls and jam for the rest of my life and not be mad about it. 

Then Chas will tell you about him: 

My name is Chas (short for Charles).

I'm a filmmaker. 

I have eight siblings.

As a kid, I pretended I was colorblind so I could be like my colorblind brothers. 

I like sports- both real and fantasy. 

After a long day at work, I'll ride Scoots home while listening to TMBG and singing along loudly.

And now it's your turn to tell us about YOU!

Ready.

Steady. 

Go-y. 

cabin close-ups

Probably one of my favorite places in the world. 

So beautiful. So relaxing. 

It's always difficult but kinda nice returning to real life after a little vaca getaway. 

But then you come home from a 10 hour work day and your husband gets home 30 minutes later (9:15pm) only to rush out the door to do some volunteer service work until midnight. (He's a good man, that one.)

So ummm...

When can we go to the cabin again?

Sponsor Love {dear prudence}

This chica cracks me up. Browse through her "about the girl" section and then just a few posts and you'll know what I mean. Loooove it.

I just adore bloggys with fun, quirky writing. 

And this one has great pictures, too. 

Score. 

Click here to visit Dear Prudence!

Sponsor Love {color it mia}

My favorite thing about Color it Mia is her new series called "Mia's Life Lessons." 

While in England, miss Mia is sharing some of her insights she's finding about herself and others along the way. 

And if you're not so into self-awareness, then follow along anyways and live vicariously through the life of someone traveling the world!

(No fair.)

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meet the fam

(Two more little sisters not pictured.)

We spent this weekend at my family's cabin in Woodland, Utah. 

The leaves are just starting to change up there and the air is the perfect amount of cool and crisp. 

We just had to take advantage of this fall beautiful-ness and snap a few family photos after church on Sunday. 

We're kinda bummed that we didn't plan ahead and pack the matching khakis and demin tops. 

Oh well. 

Can't win them all.

...

P.S.
If you've emailed me and haven't heard back, please email me again!
My account has been wonky and I hate it.
xoxo

be awesome next month

 Starting in November, rates will increase slightly so hurry your bloggy buns on up and get in on this while it's hot!

Click here for current stats and rates. 

Email youngpeoplelove@gmail.com to reserve your spot!

P.S. 

If you haven't seen already, I'm giving away a free individual or couple's custom portrait on The Daybook. 

Check it out here and enter to win! 

time to get serious

Late at night, things can get preeeeetty serious around here.

First, after we're tucked in bed and just about to turn off the light, we have some Sam and Chas iPhone time.

We check email, blog surf, facebook, and tweet. 

Basically, we hook into electronic social media like two robots. 

We're cool. 

After we unplug and become humans again, we snug up and talk about serious, important matters.

Like how if robbers came into our house, they'd mostly wanna steal our snugs. 

Or how awesome it was that Chas was able to strap the tripod to his backpack using only butcher's twine.

And how one of us really wants a sugar cookie and the other really wants some "special drinks" (otherwise known as chilled water).

Our upstairs neighbors probably think they live above a kindergarten class for all the giggling that goes on after 11pm. 

Here's a recent late-night gem: 

In speaking about the misconception of the tomato being widely considered a veggie and not a fruit (See? These are intense convos), Chas made a very astute observation: 

"The tomato should sue V8 for defamation. Poor misunderstood fruity tomato."

Brilliant.  

Young People Style: being a real wife

Sam:
top: TJ Maxx, skirt and belt: F21, boots: Nine West, cuff: gift

Chas: 
v-neck and cardigan: F21, jeans: Target, shoes: Vans

I'm turning over a new leaf in wife-dom.
It's called Sam-cooks-dinner-all-by-herself-and-has-it-ready-for-Chas-when-he-gets-home.

You should also know that I'm starting to do the grocery shopping alone as well.
I went on Tuesday and I'm still proud of myself.

Chas and I have always done the shopping and cooking together so this is kinda a big deal, guys.
(Speaking of which, where's my awesome wife trophy?)

Chas is very appreciative of this new leaf.
He calls it service and I like that.
Then I remind Chas that his working everyday is a service, too, and he smiles.

So basically we're both just really good people. 

nephew, 2 months

My nephew, Banks, is just over 2 months old.
This is my favorite picture of him. Hands down.

I showed Chas and he asked, 

"Is that a smolder!?" 

Chas would know.

Reason #1663 why I want a little cryings

So we can dress him/her in this little scooter jacket! 

My sis-in-law, Eliza, recently surprised us with this little cutie patootie.

She said it reminded her of us and of this: 

This month, I'm trying to focus on all good things about life without a little cryings.

Things like sleeping in on Sunday morning until noon.
Things like late-night treat runs, movie runs, store runs...basically anything late-night.
Things like having all this wonderful happy anticipation inside me. Anticipation that maybe, just maybe, this month might be the month when that little pee stick finally shows two lines and we get to feel happier than we've ever felt before.
Things like lots and lots of free time all to myself.
Time to paint.
Time to write.
Time to snug.
Time to ride Scoots together.

So for now, life is wonderful.
Just me, Chas, and Scoots.