summer vibes

I am back in Colorado for the summer and feelin’ the summertime love!  Everything is so green and sunny and hot and I am in my element.  So far my summer has consisted of training, fresh meals, pool time, good friends, BBQs, 4-square, long bike rides, nights out in the town and even summer school is more enjoyable.  It is crazy to think that July will be here next week–my summer bucket list is still so long!  I am on a good pace however, and I am enjoying every moment in the mean time.

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my personal sauna

The flooding is gone and the mosquitos, humidity and heat are here!  Confession: I love the heat and the humidity.  Call me crazy, but I am in my element.  I have been taking advantage of the weather for my workouts for sure.  Even if it is high noon or 3pm, I will get my booty outside.  The sun, heat and humidity doesn’t bother me, I just make sure I am hydrated.  The mosquitos on the other hand…those things can just evaporate.  Anyway…be sure to hydrate and eat a good breakfast like…

defining diet

Yup.  That is chicken.  Take away my label as a “pescatarian” or a “vegetarian that eats fish” or a “vegan who eats fish/eggs/honey” or whatever you once classified me as.  The truth is, I was always bothered by those labels anyway because one word cannot define my diet—and my definition of the word diet, the way it should be used.  Be aware, this post will have some food and recipe ideas, but it is also filled with my thoughts and feelings toward the modern use of the word “diet.”  

a makenzie restoration

✝ Makenzie will never be forgotten. She was such a role model both in dance and life.  Makenzie’s story and legacy, the Stocker family and Makenzie’s best friend Caitlin have all helped me in dealing with my own personal grief with Jessi.  They taught me to “turn my mourning into dancing” and showed me that I can get through this.

Todd Stocker

The dreams about her have subsided. I don’t think about her everyday as I have in years past and I’m needing to play old audio to remember her voice. Six years ago today, my oldest daughter, Makenzie — who is now my youngest — was invited into heaven.  “Six years” is a long time as I think about all that has happened since.  Great things.  Hard things.  Things to celebrate and things to mourn.  

As I spend today in the back corner of a small-town coffee shop, I think about the word “restoration.”  More-so, I think about what it takes to be restored.  Brokenness first.  Surrender second.  Expertise third.  Time last.  Then, restoration births new life.  That’s God’s way.  He takes my broken and hurting heart for the loss of my child and calls it to surrender.  He reaches out and holds my surrendered hands first to comfort, then…

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austin adventures

This weekend, my sister and I headed up to Austin to celebrate my future sister-in-law’s bachelorette party and festivities.  It was so much fun and we were lucky to have nice weather.  If you have not heard, Houston has been flooding pretty badly and pretty much all of Texas has been hit with some serious storms.  Pretty much everything we did centered around the outdoors like grilling and playing games on the patio, going to various wineries and BBQ for lunch, to walking around 6th Street bar hopping the night away.  It was great meeting all of the friends and family that I get to see again come July for the wedding–I can’t wait!