2015 Aspirations

 

This year I've tried to keep it simple with my goals. In 2015, I want to slow down and really enjoy the wonderful people and things around me. And I think these aspirations will get me on the right track :)

 

1. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

 

"Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be." -Abraham Lincoln

 

I have a tendency to let things "go all over me." That is my phrase for when I get so stressed out about something it completely consumes my thoughts until it is resolved. And to be honest, most of the things I let effect me this way are not important. I would like to get better at telling the difference between something that matters and something that simply does not. I want to fill the time I spend stressing with things that I love, like crafting and yoga. I think this will help me breathe a little easier and be a little happier!

 

2. Get Better Sleep 

 

"There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep." -Homer

 

I need a schedule. In almost everything I do, I love to have structure! But, my sleep is just one of those aspects of life I neglect and it gets a little chaotic. Some nights I get 5 hours of sleep and others I get 10 {let's be real, it's usually closer to 5!}.  There always seems to be something so much more interesting to do. I would really like to give my ZZZ's a little more attention this year.

 

3. Spend More Time Outdoors

 

"I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery-air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, "This is what it is to be happy." -Sylvia Plath

 

I'm guilty of coming home from work, going into my apartment, and only venturing out if I need groceries or if I left something in my car. I would like to change this in 2015. I want to read outside on a blanket when it's warm; I want to build a snowman when it's blustery; I want to go kayaking in the summer. I'd like to turn off my phone for a bit and more fully notice the world around me. I think this will also foster more physical activity too, which we're always shooting for, right?? ;)

 

4. Be More Thoughtful

 

"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world, indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

 

This one applies to a lot of areas of my life! First and foremost, I want to be better at calling family members I don't see often enough, and be more present in the conversations I have with those who are around me. Secondly, I'm really good at saying my prayers and reading my scriptures daily, but I want to thoughtfully ponder what I'm saying and reading. And lastly, I want to consciously think about what I'm putting in my body so I can be a bit healthier. Next year, I want to focus a little less on the frivolities of life and a little more on the things that actually add to it .

 

And that's all I got :) I would love to hear some of your 2015 aspirations!

 

 I wish you all a happy and safe New Year's Eve!!

 

 

  

 

 

 

L+L//Tumbled Jewelry Giveaway!!

 

 

I've teamed up with Tumbled Jewelry to give away a beautiful bookmark and bangle! Amanda, the creative genius behind Tumbled, is a good friend of mine from my Southern Virginia days and is just as creative and fun as her jewelry!! It has been such a great experience to collaborate with her on this project.

Be sure to check out the rest of her beautiful pieces on the Tumbled Jewelry etsy page here.

 

Enter to win on my Instagram page @lovenliterature.

 

**For a bonus entry, leave a comment below with one of  your 2015 resolutions**

Winner will be announced on New Years Eve!

 

Tell your friends ;)

 



Review #4: "The BFG" by Roald Dahl

Favorite Quotes:

"Sophie, crouching underneath the blanket, felt strong fingers grasping hold of her, and then she was lifted up from her bed, blanket and all, and whisked out of the window.

 If you can think of anything more terrifying than that happening to you in the middle of the night, then let's hear about it." -page 17

"The Giant let out a bellow of laughter. 'Just because I is a giant, you think I is a man-gobbling cannybull!' he shouted. -page 25

"If it is very warm weather and a giant is feeling as hot as a sizzlepan, he will probably go galloping far up to the frisby north to get himself an Esquimo or two to cool him down. A nice fat Esquimo to a giant is like a lovely ice-cream lolly to you." -page 37

"And the bubbles were wonderful. Sophie could actually feel them bouncing and bursting all around her tummy. It was an amazing sensation. It felt as though hundreds of tiny people were dancing a jig inside her and tickling her with their toes. It was lovely." -page 68

"'The matter with human beans,' the BFG went on, 'is that they is absolutely refusing to believe in anything unless they is actually seeing it right in front of their own schnozzles." -page 99

About the Main Character:

This book really has two main characters, Sophie and the BFG, but I honestly don't think I could give a description of the BFG that would do him justice...you'll have to read the book to know all about him! Sophie is the little girl with the extreme misfortune of being carried off by a giant in the middle of the night! Yet, the real story begins when she realizes her misfortune may not be a misfortune after all. The BFG becomes her friend and together they solve the problem of Giant Country...namely the 9 other giants who reside there and sneak of each night to gobble up poor "human beans!" She is clever girl with a very interesting best friend.

Another Character to Note:



The majority of the book is just Sophie and the BFG, but the Queen of England does make an appearance. What I love about her addition to the book is how straightforward she is in dealing with what Sophie and the BFG have to tell her. The problem is presented to her and within 24 hours it is dealt with completely. Quite direct, that Queen of England!

Plot Breakdown:

1. The Little Girl Who Saw Him...The BFG had no choice, but to take Sophie.

2. Running to Giant Country...the BFG could be an Olympic sprinter and Sophie takes a peek at the 9 man-eaters.

3. Breakfast...Is Sophie on the menu?

4. The B-F-G's J-O-B...Sophie learns what the BFG spends his evenings doing.

5. A Plan and a little Mixing...by putting their minds to it, Sophie and the BFG contrive a way to save the people of the world from the 9 man-eaters.

6. A Little Assistance...introducing the Queen of England!

7. A Big Hole and a House with Big Doors...with the man-eaters taken care of, the BFG and Sophie each get their reward.

8. Learning and Writing...a wrap-up of what Sophie and the BFG did after leaving Giant Country. 

Something Interesting to Note:

My favorite thing about this book is the quirky language used by the BFG. Dahl evidently put so much time and thought into what the BFG called everything. It makes the book feel charged with imaginative, playful energy! And who doesn't love a little word play, "right or left?"

Right, that's what I thought :)

Should you read The BFG before you die?

My opinion would be yes, you should! Though that may be because because I love it so much. To me, it is one of those books you should really read as a child, but, if you missed it, it's never too late to read The BFG. It's a great little reminder of the wonder that is being a child. It will definitely be something I read again!







  





A Very Merry Christmas

 

 

Merry {late} Christmas!!! I hope everyone spent the past couple of days with family, eating until the couldn't anymore, giving and receiving gifts, and remembering the real reason of Christmas!! Trager and I switch off Christmas and Thanksgiving with our families each year so this Christmas we are in St. George with our Hintze fam :) And our holiday season has been so much fun so far! (The holiday season doesn't end until New Years...right?!)

 

 

 

 

 

On Christmas Eve Trager, Taylor Ence, Tegan, Papa D, and I all loaded up to go on a horse ride. We rode for about 2.5 hours and for sure the highlight of the trip was when I almost got bucked off my horse! I had gotten a little comfortable and after riding up and down hills through a million little bushes we came to a dirt road. Trager, Taylor, and Papa D had all galloped ahead while Tegan and chatted behind them. And then we decided it was time to catch up. I kicked my horse (Paco) and clicked my tongue and he shot forward. At first I was fine, but the more he ran the less in rhythm I became. At one point I could've sworn I was going to go over his neck! Finally, after a few swear words (whoops!) and clutching the saddle horn for dear life, I got Paco to stop. My legs shook for about twenty minutes afterwards, but overall Papa D said it was win because I stayed on! 

Also, I can't get enough of those pretty red mountains!

 

 

After we got home from riding and warmed up a bit, it was time for Christmas Eve dinner! Ty always makes prime rib and twice baked potatoes and lots of other goodies. Twice baked potatoes seriously might be my favorite thing to eat! After we ate, we each got to open up a few gifts. One of them was from Trager's grandpa and his wife who are serving an LDS mission in Wisconsin and Michigan. They are currently serving in the upper peninsula of Michigan so we all got some sort of "yupper" t-shirt. It was pretty cute! Then we got to open our "surprise gift" from Ty and Papa D. Of course, it was our Christmas jammies! This year Ty got all of us a really hilarious t-shirt. Mine read, "I'm silently correcting you grammar!" I think she nailed ;) After gifts we watched a movie about the nativity and it was the perfect way to end the night!

 

Our Christmas morning was filled with gifts, laughter, and cinnamon rolls...one of my favorite combinations! We spent the rest of the day watching movies and being around our family. One of the things I was most excited for this Christmas was to talk to my sister, Megan, who is serving an LDS mission in  Santa Rosa, CA. I write her emails most days, but getting to hear her voice was really special :) I may have cried through most of the phone call. I'm just so proud of how well she is doing! Sister Gowens is such an example to me!

 At the end of the night, all the girls went on a car ride to see the Christmas lights in the area. We went to about 6 houses that each had music coordinated with their lights. It was so neat to see! Finally, we went to a look out point over St. George and even though the picture below doesn't do it justice, it was so pretty to see all the lights of the houses surrounding the St. George temple.

 

 

I hope everyone continues to have a wonderful holiday season!!

 

Book review up tomorrow...