One of my favorite things in life is running. To most people, this seems crazy; sometimes it can be, but it’s also calming. I know that at the end of a long day, I can go to practice, and when nothing else makes sense, cross country and track will.

I think one of the funniest things that makes me happy is mannequins in clothing stores that are dressed really badly. I just don’t understand how people think that looks good. It’s the funniest thing.

I have moved several times in my life, and although it is stressful, I learned to find the joy in the little things along the way. The second time we moved to Alaska, we drove through Canada and got to see so much wildlife. This picture was one of my favorites from moving to AZ, driving from Washington. Even better than the views, the memories my family made together, I will never forget.

For most of my life I’ve grown up near, or on a beach. Every time I put my feet on the soft, cooling sand, everything else fades away. Then, if I were to go on a run, everything else becomes even more irrelevant. It’s so beautiful, the way the waves crash off the sand, the birds squawk, and it’s so silent yet loud all at the same time. The beach is just all around amazing.

My baby girl. She brings me so much joy everyday. She loves everyone, and she’s always so happy (unless someone were to shoot off fireworks, a gun or start a beeping noise). I adopted her after our first move , when I was about eight or nine years old. Since then, we have gone through so much together, but she always gets me through to the other side with a smile on my face. And she’s a pretty good cuddlebug too.

HOCKEY FIGHTS!!! I went to my first hockey game with my dad when I was in fourth grade. There I fell in love with the fast pace, loud sport. I would never even dream of playing myself, but I still love to watch. My favorite part is watching the players get into fights. In recent years, refs have unfortunately cracked down on how rough they can get, but every once in a while, I see a pretty good one.

Camping never fails to bring me joy. Getting outside, shutting out the crazy world of social media, and being miles away from any other human life forms is so fun. Being together with my family always brings out a smile, and whenever I come back, I feel rejuvenated and ready for anything life might throw at me. This specific photo however, ended in a bit of a fail, but still lifelong memories.

KOMBUCHA!!! Mmmm, rotten tea right? Despite how disgusting it might sound, it’s actually really good. The health benefits of it are a nice bonus too. My dad taught me how to make it in eighth grade as part of our homeschool curriculum. It just has this interesting (in a good way) taste, and always makes me feel good.

The first time I had the opportunity to try Spam Musubi, I did not take it. The idea of Spam didn’t sit right with me. When I finally had the courage to try it, I LOVED it. Now, all food makes me happy, but this one has something different about it. I think the process of making it brings me the most joy. Reusing the can to cut out the rice is so perfect. I love it.

This year I got my first medal in high school running. It seems like a little piece of metal that won’t change much, but it represents a lot to me. After a long, hard race, getting a medal represents the accomplishment. Plus, they’re shiny too :).