All That Glitters is not Gold('s Gym)

Starting next week I'm doing a fitness series on my blog. I've been an athlete all my life and once I got to college, fitness became a conscious decision, rather than a bi-product of whatever sport I was playing. I've tried a lot of new things and now that summer is here we're all taking a good look at our bodies and our fitness.  I thought a fitness series would be fun and helpful, so tune in for the next few weeks if you are looking to get in better shape or have fun trying something new. I'll have guest bloggers and maybe even a giveaway! (Keep your fingers crossed!)

So here's what I need from you. I need stories. What crazy/stupid/funny things have YOU (or a friend/roommate/etc) experienced at the gym? If you have ever entered a Provo Gold's, I guarantee you have at LEAST one awesome story. Rumors and hearsay are 100% acceptable so long as they are hilarious. I want to hear them. I'll be sharing them during the aforementioned series, and I really just can't wait.

For example, I once watched a guy eat a candy bar whilst walking on a treadmill. Good for you buddy.

Start sending them this way! Shoot me an email at dholdy{at}gmail or message me on the Face.

Care-iculum.

It's been an awesome year at Mapleton Junior High. I loved it. I learned so much. I grew. I had a great time. I met some amazing people (adults and otherwise).

As I look back on our year, past the lessons about Islam, WWII, Apartheid, Communism and Immigration, I've found that what I REALLY want them to know was never listed in my state core curriculum.

• Everyone is worth listening to, and we're all a team. 
• You are responsible and are going to be held accountable for everything in your life. Don't drop that ball. You can't cop out.
• The Office is the greatest television show ever made. 
• Clean up after yourselves!
• Self-evaluate. Constantly ask yourself "Why?" "Why am I doing this?" "Why are they doing that?" and really think about the answers. Be aware of what you are doing and why.
• To my girls - Gossip sucks and you can't control what people say about you. But the way you live will give them things to talk about, good or bad. 
• To my boys - SWAG = douchebag.

But the biggest thing I want them to walk away with?

You control your life. You determine your happiness. You build your future.

So stop whining. Stop blaming. Stop giving up on hard things. Stop competing with everyone around you.

Start trying. Start thinking. Start living. Start loving. Start choosing.

Ultimately, I want you to care. About your future. About your present. About your brain. About your heart. About your reputation. About your morals. About your family. About your relationships. About who you are and who you want to be. 

In this society that says it's cool to be apathetic and nonchalant, where you can protect your pride by not trying, I wish you could see how much I believe in you. I wish you could see the amazing things that lie ahead of you if you just have the courage to reach out and try for them. I want you to enjoy the endless benefits that come from standing up and deciding that YOU are going to be happy, no matter what.

I want the best for you. I love you and I'll miss you. Thanks for an amazing year. I wish you many, many more.

Always,



Mrs. Holdaway

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes!

After Jeanette tweeted obscurely about new life changes, Katie and I got on her case about writing a blog post to update us all on her exciting summer plans. At school and following graduation, I've been getting a lot of questions as well. Our lives have changed dramatically in the past month, so I suppose an update is in order.

I have been interning at Mapleton Junior High as a 9th grade World Civ/Geography teacher for this entire school year. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Education program, basically this means I'm a slave. I have my own room and teach my own stuff  (read: not a student teacher), have to attend a million more meetings and work on two different portfolios, all while getting paid half salary. And the sickest thing about it? I still loved it. :) However, what is less than lovable is that I am not guaranteed a job. Our school lost 3 FTEs and a Geography teacher from another school in the district put in to transfer here. They couldn't hire me. It's been a pretty stressful few months looking for jobs and really just grasping at straws. I used up the remainder of my few personal days to drive all over the state for interviews, checked websites constantly, pulled my hair out....

Finally, I was offered a job at Sunset Ridge Middle School! They are a pretty new school, and they are doing some amazing things. They are a National School-to-Watch, which I think is super cool. I'm really excited to be a part of it. I'll be teaching half 9th Grade Geography and half 8th Grade US History.

In case you haven't already googled it, Sunset Ridge is in West Jordan. Clear the freak out in West Jordan. Like against the copper mine. Like the edge of civilization. It's 70 minutes from where we live right now - hence we have started looking for housing in the Salt Lake Valley!

Conveniently, although scary at the time, The Beard's branch of Online Image in Orem shut down the day after we heard about my new job. They offered him a job at their Murray branch once they move into a new office building with enough space in June. He decided he didn't want to wait around for that job, so he started applying for other jobs. He was offered several and finally settled on Larry H. Miller Dodge/Lincoln in Provo! We're pretty excited about him as a car salesman, especially because he doesn't have to be obnoxious or pushy or deal with the finances at all. He just gets to ride around with people in new cars and make friends. Any of you who know The Beard know how great he'll be at that. :) Also, we're both in the market for new cars... so it couldn't come at a better time!

So my school year ends on Friday, we'll move up to Salt Lake somewhere (any ideas people? We're already liking Daybreak a lot) and The Beard will be able to transfer to one of the 40+ dealerships up north. I'm hopefully going to get a puppy next week when I'm officially free. How cute is that little guy? To think I could have my own... I get to excited just thinking about it. It's working out pretty well.

It will be weird to leave the Valley. It will be sad that I can't just drop in after school to visit my Blade. And family... I guess. :) It will be weird to move somewhere and know no one in the neighborhood. It's weird that  we're actual adults and our lives are changing. This could be a permanent Salt Lake life for us.

But we're so excited! The crazy and rapid turn of events actually relieved us because we can see the Lord's hand in all of it. We're so grateful to still be within an hour of our families, have good jobs and of course, each other! As long as I have The Beard... life is wonderful!

My Little "Bro"-ny

When you get married and move in with someone, there is a learning curve. Not only do you need to learn to schedule sleeping, showering, eating, laundry, and all those basic life things, but you also learn all of the weird little things that are part of your spouse's identity. Often these things weren't super obvious when you were dating. SURPRISE.

For Ryan, I imagine he had to get used to the way I spaz run/yell when I realize I'm running late or excited, my enthusiastic Just Dance every day after school, and how vital it is that I never get cold. I turn into the White Witch.

For me, I would have never guessed I would ever know so much about the online gaming community. I knew The Beard played StarCraft when we dated, but usually he did that after he got home from hanging out with me. Once we were married and living together, it became part of my life too. I can now proudly say that I know the entire timeline of Blizzard Games, I've played League of Legends (and I'm terrible at it) and I understand the legacy of Tassadar.

But here's the most disturbing thing. My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic. Yes. You read that right. Apparently, and I still can't explain this, the active demographic of viewers for this show are males age 15-35. Gamers.

Does this make sense to anyone? No. Because it's inexplicable. Before you ask me, no, there aren't any sexual innuendos, secret meanings, coded messages, etc. It's a real cartoon aimed at little girls. But somehow these men started watching it and love it.

They fondly refer to themselves as "Bronies."

I watched part of an episode on Netflix with the Beard on Saturday. It's a pretty cute show, all about the magic of friendship, being nice, being yourself and all that jazz. Still, though, I don't understand why these Bronies keep watching it and more importantly, HOW IN THE WORLD DID THEY START WATCHING IT?



This is a real thing, you guys. I don't understand it. I can't explain it. But I love The Beard. Even if he watches little girl cartoons. I watch 60s Star Trek and love Hannibal the Cannibal, so I guess I can't talk...

Sometimes, Always, Never - The Cover-up

Anyone sick of me blogging about summer yet? Good. Me either. I'm so trunky it's unbelievable.

Next weekend, pretty much as soon as school is out, I'm heading with my family down to St. George for Memorial Day weekend (sans husband. Not the best case scenario.) and I'm in the market for poolside supplies.

SOMETIMES

Jewelry. I like a little glam. But do you really need a necklace, earrings AND bangles? You're not Kim Kardashian. Let's take a step back and look at our life choices.

ALWAYS

100% obsessed with chic cover-ups. You really can't go wrong.

Sunglasses. Didn't see that one coming? Lately craving these Bamboo sunnies.

NEVER

If you go straight swimsuit, you're basically declaring your slut-dom to the world.

High heeled sandals. See above.

The bottom line is just be classy.

Sometimes, Always, Never - Frost Yourself

I'm a bit of an accessories junkie. Forever 21's accessories section is borderline crack for me. I can't leave without buying a new pair of studs, a stack of bangles or especially, a cheap pair of fun sunglasses. Jewelry can be a cheap way to re-invent your style and spice up your wardrobe.

I love displaying my jewelry and accessories in my "closet room." They are bright and shiny and make me happy -- why wouldn't I want to look at them all the time? Plus, I'm more likely to fight my minimalist nature and throw on a fabulous cuff or statement necklace if they're sitting in plain view.

Sometimes

Rings. A good cocktail ring can be a great capstone to a party outfit (first). Too many and you start looking like a member of Aerosmith (second).

Arm Party, AKA stacked bracelets. I love this trend, especially atop a classy gold or rose gold chunky watch. However, if you work in a formal office, have to give a presentation or you are interviewing for a job, keep it simple. The arm party is not quite professional.

Always

Every girl should own a classy watch. I know we all have cell phones and sit at computers all the time, so wearing it to check the time is not necessary. But wearing a watch is just so timeless to me. My husband got me  a coveted Michael Kors gold watch for Christmas and I'm pretty sure I even shed a few surprised tears. That's not to say it needs to be expensive. There are tons of affordable options at Forever 21, Icing, etc.But why not drool over this Kate Spade for now?

A dainty pendant or charm necklace that has meaning to you. My mom gave me and my sister classic necklaces from Nordstrom with silver and gold heart charms when Brooke graduated from high school and I was leaving for England. They are beautiful and I can wear them every day, not to mention they remind me of my family and how lucky I am. Get a pretty one - even if it's just one of Forever 21's little animal pendants  or exotic looking fake stones for $2.

A killer pair of dangly party earrings. I bought some jade green wood earrings on a whim at Cozy in Provo when I was picking up some of my fave undershirts. I end up throwing them on whenever I'm heading out to a party or concert. They are such a fun addition to my standard black outfits.

Never

Lose the Young Womanhood in Recognition necklace. That belongs in a display case or a special box with your 8 year old CTR ring.

Overload. When I was probably 13 I heard the rule

Pick Two: Hair accessories/Earrings/Necklace/Bracelets/Rings

I still follow that.

Nail earrings. Yuck?

What in the WORLD is this?

All images from Pinterest.

Summer Fever

Each day gets more and more beautiful. Each day the kids get more and more antsy. Each day we count down the remaining number of days that they'll have their butts in my seats.

Summer is so close I can almost taste it. Well, I can taste it. I have been having grapefruit for breakfast every day and it just feels so summery. I am pulling out my wedges and flouncy skirts. My gladiators beg me to wear them each morning.

Last night was warm and gorgeous. We took advantage of a beautiful evening drive and the 1/2 off Sonic shakes after 8 pm. We hit the swings at Mapleton Park and just enjoyed the warm air and cricket soundtrack.

As I posted about my outfit planning earlier this week, I thought I might try some outfit pics. The Beard laughed and laughed and made fun of me, but we had a great time.

Warm summer nights with my best friend? Marriage is the best.

Type A Fashion

Situation: I'm a very Type A (red) personality. I like structure, schedules, planning, countdowns, lists and deadlines. I am a control freak, a leader and bossy. As I type that, I realize how incredible it is that anyone married me. Thanks, Beard! Despite my obsession with structure and minimalism, I love fashion, style, flair.

Problem: I'm sick of wearing the same predictable outfits. BUT I'm not creative. When I do feel spontaneous my chambray shirt is wrinkled, the sweater that matches my classic but rarely worn J.Crew pencil skirt is in the wash, and my running-late mornings lead me straight to my predominately black outfits.

Solution: A combination of the left and right brain. Planning + Creativity.

I decided to start planning all my outfits in advance. And I'm not just talking the night before. Every lazy Sunday night while I'm eating popcorn, The Beard is online gaming, and I'm watching AFV or The Office, I browse my Pinterest style board and outfits I've tagged in Google Reader. I put together a few inspiration outfits that I got from my couch session. Then I pick a few items in my close that I haven't worn in a while or only wear with the same black trousers or whatever. Then I force myself to create an outfit with those items. I (glamorously, see below) iron everything and plan which days to wear certain outfits.

I tried the trick at the beginning of the year where you turn all your hangers backwards. After you wear an item, you turn the hanger back normal-ways (really technical jargon today). By now, almost everything is turned around. However, I still have 5 or 6 things I still haven't worn. That makes the decisions easy. I take one of the sad, lost clothing items and try to wear them. Sometimes I love it and it starts getting into the rotation. But more often than not, it's impossible or I hate it. So when I toss it in my DI pile it's easy to let it go.

I also try to mix up my weekly outfits with a few rules.

• Professional dress on Mondays and Wednesdays - that's when my meetings are. 
• Heels once a week. I don't mind wearing heels, I'm just lazy. Its best if I force myself. 
• Find a new way to wear my School Spirit Sweater each Friday. It got boring to rock it with a white tee, jeans and wedges each week. 
• Try something new with my hair once a week. Otherwise I go crazy. Thanks, Pinterest!
• Lately, I've been trying to wear my glasses more. They give me a headache but I look smart, so... tradeoff?

How do you guys choose outfits?

Sometimes, Always, Never - To the Max(i) Dress

I was slow to adopt the Maxi trend. They just seemed frumpy to me. They were in garish prints, only sold at skeezy tourist gift shops on cruises and pretty much swallowed everything up. But they sophisticated with time, as all things do (that's what I keep telling myself when I'm looking at these students of mine). Now? Can't get enough. After the ever stylish Eliesa bought a glam maxidress, I followed suit. I impulsively bought a black Hawaiian/floral print tube top maxi at Target and it immediately commandeered my summer wardrobe.

Then this winter I went one step further and decided to try the maxi SKIRT. I was just browsing Old Navy online (like I do every day that ends in -y) and saw their jersey maxi skirts were on sale. I had their knee-length jersey skirts and loved them for their ease and comfort. I clicked "shopping cart." But then I got a little wild. Instead of my comfort food - black - I kept finding my eye attracted to the "wine red" skirt. So I took a gamble. I bought it. Turns out, Danica LOVES wine red. I love that I can rock it with black and gold for a luxe look, gray for easy neutrals, and white/blue nautical stripes for a spring transition.

That's what a great purchase is - something that stretches your wardrobe and makes you want to find new outfit combinations to keep wearing it.

As we approach summer, I encourage you to look into this enduring (and modest. And comfortable. And glamorous) maxi trend. But as always, be tasteful.

SOMETIMES

Dress it up for school, church or a date. The primary function of a maxi is for easy days at the beach, pool, hotel or any other easy-breezy summer activity. It can be worn to more formal places and activities, but you HAVE to dress it up. This means:

• Lose the flip flops and gladiators. Opt for pretty flats, wedges or anything peep-toe. Well, no pumps. That should go without saying. 
• Wear a blouse, blazer or pretty, belted cardigan instead of your basic tank top, tee, or maxi on its own. This says "I meant to do this. I didn't just get here from Seven Peaks."
• Along with that, DO YOUR HAIR. The carefree, beachy mess is awesome. But not if you're trying to pull off a maxi as a real-life, in public outfit. 

ALWAYS

Belt it. If you don't, you're gonna look like a tube of Pringles.

Get one that skims the top of your feet. Any longer and you're gonna look like a wizard.

Just wear it like Sydney. She's always an always.

NEVER

Please. PLEASE. I'm begging you. Stop wearing maxi dresses OVER a tee. No. Don't do it. If it's a tube or spaghetti strap (which most of them are) I get that you need to be modest. More power to you! But get a lightweight linen or cotton cardigan to wear OVER THE MAXI. I wear a short-sleeved, cropped black sweater with mine and it's perfect. No one wants to see your white shade tee underneath that bright pink floral maxi. Come on. 

  

(I realize this is just a tank top, but the same rule applies.)

I Find Your Lack of Geek Disturbing...

Tomorrow is one of my favorite non-observed holidays - May the Fourth. As in May the Force Be With You. As in National Star Wars Day. I've loved Star Wars since my dad took me to see the re-release in the 90s. When I was in 9th grade the remastered editions came out on DVD and I watched them over and over and over.

**The "new" Star Wars, Episodes 1-3 are not real Star Wars. I am not going to be an obnoxious fan and freak out over them. I enjoyed them. The effects were cool and they were a lot of fun to watch. But they are not real Star Wars. You should not judge the Star Wars saga by the newer movies. Go see them in 3D though! Visually  incredible!**

The title of this post is a misnomer. Star Wars is beloved by geeks, certainly, but was not created exclusively for them. There is a reason everyone recognizes the Imperial March. Everyone recognizes Chewie, Yoda, Han, Princess Leia and her buns. Every kid wants to play with light sabers. There's a reason this did so well, although having an adorable little kid helps.




Star Wars are arguably the best movies ever made. They were sci-fi, action, suspense, romance, comedy and drama. They blew everyone away with their stunning visuals and special effects - keep in mind A New Hope came out in 1977. 1977!

They are classics. Still watched. Still referenced. Still relevant. They just don't make them like that anymore!

So I am going to spend my weekend watching these. Wearing this. Drinking out of this. Impressed? I also have 2 Star Wars lunchboxes. But I thought that would be overkill.

My plea to you is this. Watch them. Enjoy them. I've never met a single person who said they didn't like them after watching the original trilogy. Just do it. Finally see why they won't ever go away. You'll never regret it.