Pledge your Healthy Skin for the Skin Cancer Foundation

Jergens is promoting a HEALTHY GLOW. If you go to http://www.jergens.com/glowinthedark/index.asp and pledge that you will not subject yourself to tanning beds and promise to achieve a safe summer glow Jergens will donate $1 for each pledge towards the Skin Cancer Foundation! How great is that?! It just takes a simple click for you to help donate $1 to the Skin Cancer Foundation : )

I was estatic to hear about this (actually I have a tube of Jergens self tanner on my nightstand)! I'm a fresh 22 year old and I have been thinking about my past bad habits and how to turn over a new leaf. I have tanned for YEARS and only now taking a serious step towards making my skin as healthy as possible - I have stopped tanning - I can't undo the sun damage I have but I can take an active step in preventing future sun damage.

Go pledge! It only takes a second and you're donating to a great foundation ... because everyone's out in the sun!

... the hills (Newton Hills to be precise) are alive!!!

On a random Thursday morning, I woke up with a wild-hair (the best kind) - Let's go hiking!!! The weather was PERFECT - it was just under 40 degrees (I know, still cold but I don't like to sweat) and the sun was out. I think Ben was a bit suprised by my early morning thought but we got ready and headed for the hills! LITERALLY : )

Having never really hiked before, (the only time I can recall 'hiking' was when I was very young and my mom drug me along to the Black Hills to do the volksmarch up Crazy Horse - I only recall stumbling over a large tree branch at the very beginning and then it's all a blur. Mom says I napped at all the designated rest points and that's why I don't remember much of it but I tend to believe there is a reason why it's all blacked out after that nasty, muddy fall) .... getting back on track --- I was very anxious to see how I would do but a lil' apprehensive about this hiking bit. Ben loves hiking and so I thought why not try something new?

Now mind you, I haven't done ANY physical activity since last fall during cheer. Right away I was huffin and puffin and thinking, oh gosh, what have I gotten myself into? Not too much further into the hike, I was told that a steep hill was coming up - oh shit ...

Okay, I didn't mention that it's the beginning of Febuary, in South Dakota. We haven't had snowfall in a while but one wouldn't have known by looking around Newton Hills - snow all over the ground and the trail, and in some places where the sun was trying to prove it's existence through the dense trees; there was ice. So here we are, trying to climb up a steep, ice covered hill (at the time, I would have sworn the hill was a glacier) hoping to not make it halfway to the top only to lose footing and slide down like elementary schoolers on a snow pile during recess. It was a piece of work by the time we made it to the top. One that was rewarded with our first break.

After I had caught my breath and Ben had taken some scenic and candid pics I was so proud of myself. I felt like I had a runner's high : ) (a first-ever, I do NOT run ... my knee clicks - surgery can only do so much) The rest of the hike was filled with continuous laughter and I felt 'on top of the world.' Both of us nearly fell on the ice a dozen of times and even had to do some off the trail hiking due to the icy trails when making our way back down the hills.

Four plus-miles later, I was already thinking about future hikes. I had an absolute blast and loved the fact Ben shared this favorite of his with me : )

Ben would rather be the photographer I guess ...



That ain't a redbull smile - running on pure adrenaline rush!