mormonism 101

i’m loving this post:    FAQs on Mormonism

religion is a touchy topic – i get that. everyone has their own beliefs and opinions. it gets very personal.

i am a mormon because i CHOOSE to be. i believe and know it with my whole heart to be true. it shapes every aspect of how i choose to live my life. it is what brings me hope and happiness.

what i don’t like, is how so many people are too quick to criticize and act like they know more about my religion than i do. we live in a world of social networking and the world-wide-web has endless information on it. unfortunately, this means that there is A LOT of BOGUS information out there. i can’t even begin to tell you the crazy things i’ve had people tell me that they’ve heard, read, or that their preacher even said about “the mormons”.

so, if you want to know the truth….about anything. you go to the source.

for you curious folks out there – here i am sharing very common FAQs about us “Mormons” (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) – check out the link above. check out mormon.org.

no, we are not brainwashed. no, we are not a cult. no, we are not an “all-white” religion. and no, we do not worship Joseph Smith.

yes, we are Christians. yes, we have high standards. yes, we believe in family.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormonism-101#C3

love, whit

KONY 2012 – everyone needs to watch this

“Joseph Kony is one of the world’s worst war criminals and I support the international effort to arrest him, disarm the LRA and bring the child soldiers home.”

this tugs at my heart and makes me want to get out and change the world …and i can. we can. now. today. in 2012. even if in the smallest way.

Since this video first streamed on March 5th, people have begun criticizing and attacking it. BUT – I look at this campaign. What inspired it. How it is inspiring others to help or be involved in a good cause. It’s touching hearts to think less selfishly. In it’s way, it IS making a difference in this world. People are becoming AWARE and wanting to take part in making a change.

so…maybe Kony will be stopped in 2012. Maybe not. But why do people need to start criticizing an attempt to TRY. I more respect those who try and fail than those who sit back and find fault in good intentions. We can all choose what cause to support and what to donate to. Let people support what they want. The main idea here is to share this video. A video that I think  is making a difference on it’s own. We need to be aware….be moved…


Watch this video….

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

go www.kony2012.com

also check out the Invisible Children Store:

the world needs people who get involved. the world needs people who make a difference.

love, whit

Mail in March – i’ll be your penpal

i would venture to guess that most of society today knows the feeling of checking your email to only find lame SPAM. or even logging onto facebook and having no messages or notifications really worth getting excited over. ugh. i hate that too. BUT – you may also know the excitement of finding quality emails from friends or family. maybe even some pictures! or that day you log on to facebook and feel thrilled to see high numbers up in the left corner – the anticipation of clicking to see who wrote on your wall or left you a message. or in the blogging world, finding many comments left from your readers, your friends. let’s face it – people love that!!! we all like feeling loved – to know someone took a few minutes in their day to think of you. actually, in essence, i believe we live for it in a way. human interaction and communication. building and having friendships. relationships.

what am i getting at??!

facebook, blogging, and the internet ASIDE – let’s talk about the hand-written letter. this is something that warms my soul more than any other correspondence (other than face to face). THAT is something that makes my day. tangible, homemade, hand-written, personal – just the concept of the time it takes to send something of that nature – - – it speaks volumes. it is special. and, unfortunately in this day-in-age, it is unique and rare. but it doesn’t have to be! in fact, i wish it wasn’t.

i’ve always loved sending mail. i love crafting together cards, letters, and envelopes. i love preparing packages and send them with anticipation wondering about when it will arrive and if it will bring a smile to the face of the recipient. i enjoy sending because i absolutely LOVE receiving…and wish the world wouldn’t forget the value of such a simple thing.

my fellow blogger, Cassie, at Books and Bowel Movements (love her blog!) has inspired me to take on a challenge: A Month of Letters!

the challenge is to mail 31 letters. they will be hand-written, home-made, personal and all with the “whit touch”. (ohmygoodness who wouldn’t want one of those?!!?) i think it’d be rad if i had 31 different people to write to. old or NEW friends! SO…

here’s my offer, if you’d like to help me in my ambitions, for one of my envelopes or parcels to make it your mailbox, or simply to become my penpal- you can e-mail me your address! i love getting to know people better and forming new friendships…what better way than through mail?! i think it will be a beautiful experience. and very much something to look forward to when walking to the mailbox every day. i’ve been thinking something like this would be a fun idea ever since i saw a fellow blog friend do a Christmas Card swap with her readers (nicole and her precious puggle can be found here)

yes, some of you may be thinking it’s a bit sketchy to give your address away to me (especially if you don’t know me too well). but i assure you, i am no creep. i will not stalk you or sell your information. haha! you must know me somewhat anyhow if you are here perusing my blog. however, it is clearly your decision.

if you’d like to send me your address, do so at my email:    whitney[DOT]tutt[AT]gmail[DOT]com

march is here soon!!!

love, whit

 

that time i tried to go on a diet

 

 HAVE YOU EVER GONE ON A DIET??? i haven’t. ever. i like eating way too much. i’m rather food obsessed actually, and i love cooking. especially since the invention of pinterest and my discovering foodgawker.com. what GREAT time wasters! though healthy eating is big for me, so it’s not like i’m overweight or anything. i have just never really been able to restrict myself from eating something i want. ha! i just make sure i exercise so i can…which is how it should be, right?

WELL…i decided to do this diet i found. it claims to make you lose 10 lbs in a week! dream come true! it seems healthy…fruits, veggies, that kind of thing: READ ABOUT IT HERE.

thus it happened: the non-dieting whitney went extra-fruit-and-veggie shopping, stocked the fridge, and decided to give it a go.

UGH is all i can say. disaster.

i am just NOT the diet type of person. the first day: all fruit, nothing else. i had a whole carton of strawberries..papaya…red grapefruit…grapes…and yet i felt so empty all day. just making endless trips to the bathroom. it was like i had nothing inside of me. ick. you know how in movies or commercials the food will start talking to people and calling their name – just INTICING you to eat them? OH EM GEE that happens! i can now say i’ve experienced it first hand. my dove chocolates and fruit snack stash at work were staring at me with their big Pixar puppy eyes. horrible feeling. so i ended up going home and eating myself a big bowl of cooked cabbage. yes, a healthy choice still. but it filled me up which is what i wanted. and… i ruined the “all fruit” day. whatever. not that bad of a cheat, right?

day two: a baked potato for breakfast (i was allowed one “pat” of butter…and i may or may not have exaggerated how big a “pat” is) and then only all veggies all day. let me tell you that baked potato tasted like a gift from the gods! i was feeling good. i steamed a mother load of fresh broccoli and cauliflower for lunch. and even had some zuchinni, cabbage ( i really like cabbage), mushrooms, and onions (all lightly cooked together, i’m so classy with my veggies)….but then i started to be just sick of it. and again…i was peeing like no other. everything i ate went straight through me. i was feeling empty and with no energy. who would’ve thunk such a “healthy diet” would do that? i attempted (yes, attempted. i always feel like a fool) yoga and then 3o mins at the gym….but felt like a weakling. NO energy. and empty. go figure, i went home and ate some carrots….with hummus! HA. yes, i dunked those carrots in that hummus…big scoops with no shame. i’m pretty sure protein is no-no for this stage in the diet….but i felt so sick without it. and…i was craving something with flavor. hummus is divine!

day three: TODAY. i’m realizing how bad i suck at following a diet. only fruits and veggies. not bad, thing is i woke up feeling nauseous. to the point where i could hardly stay standing. i was shaky and miserable and had to keep sitting down or laying on my bed in the process of trying to get ready for work. i ate some fruit in the car on my way to work, but i still felt like i had no energy and sick to my stomach. maybe people who diet all the time are used to this kind of thing?? i read about a model who would only eat an english muffin and water every day – half in the morning and half later in the day….but to me, it’s just not worth it (though i really didn’t think just fruits and veggies would do this to me – my mom seems to be fine and she’s doing it as well). anyway…i said forget this and drank one of my Odwalla vanilla protein shakes. good for energy. and i feel like a million bucks now! yes, it’s against my diet. oh. well. then after eating my container of fruit and a petite vinegar dressed salad for lunch (that’s all you’re ‘allowed’ on salads) – my goldfish that i keep at my desk were calling for me. cheddar blasted and pretzel mixed. who could resist! …so of course i had a handful …or so. then 3 or 4 (maybe 5) of my dark chocolate covered almonds made their way into my mouth too. let’s admite it, i’m SUCH a good dieter!

tonight was a girl’s friday night at the mall of georgia with Paige. shopping and a movie (This Means War – such a fantastic rom-com, i recommend it!)…and i may or may not have had some chick-fil-a chicken strips with a coke zero. the “zero” in coke zero means zero cals…just in case you didn’t know.

whatevs. i’m still continuing with the diet schedule and we’ll see what happens. i maintain i will still lose weight even with my cheating. diets are so stupid. besides…i’ll be at the gym tomorrow. and “only” eating bananas, milk, and some no-cal soup. gross, right? i know. but don’t worry, i have things under control…i still have some leftover wild blueberry white chocolate cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory in my fridge if i really need it.

OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS:

1. i just might need this fantastic bathing suit (anthropologie)

2. i’m moving. to Utah. Provo specifically. in mid April. at my ripe old age, i’m embarking on the “get my degree” journey. i’ve mapped out my graduation plan and should be done in exactly two years. dear heavens i hope so. i’m in it to win it!

3. i’m very much looking forward to this change in scenery and daily activity. and even more stoked about living with my lovely Chelsea Vose! not to mention…being just minutes from so many other people that are on my favorites list that i rarely see because i’ve been so far away east coast bumming it for the last two years. (was that a run-on sentence? probs. whatevs.)

4. Waffle House gives me THE biggest stomach ache every time i go. but i never hesitate to go when an opportunity suggests it!

5. before being utah bound, i’m florida bound. for the beach, to be exact! YESSSS. talk about a much needed week vacay in early april. it’s Paige’s spring break, and there is just no better way to spend it.

6. maybe i’ll actually get a tan??? it’s been so long since my skin has been any shade darker than pale. ha. i used to work as a county lifeguard and swim instructor for a few years – in the sun EVERY DAY and i was still made fun of for being so white. i’ve learned to embrace my complexion. though, basking in the rays in still worth a shot. can’t wait.

7. this means my “beach bod” needs some work as well. since i’ve been home from Italy, my gym attendance is PATHETIC. where i used to go and stay at least an hour – often Zumba and then some miles on the treadmill….now i’m doing good to make once or twice a week and feeling done after 30 minutes – HA! so it’s time to get myself back in the swing of things. obvi. not to mention i’m going to get so skinny being on this diet :)

8. for the last FIVE years of my life, i’ve found myself in distance relationships. six and a half years total – because i attempted one in my early college years as well. why would i do that to myself??? i don’t know! it just always happens! it’s like i can’t find someone i’m interested in that actually lives in the same state. i got pretty used to the distance thing. but i am so over it now. i want nothing more than to find a decent boy – that makes me happy – that i can actually spend my weekends with. i’m hoping utah will do that for me. dream big, right? my previous wishing holds true.

love, whit

Sorrento, Italy

South of Rome. South of Naples. Along the “almost” Amalfi Coast is Sorrento, Italy. I now know it for it’s small-town “country” hospitality, amazing ocean views, windy seaside fishing village, and lemons the size of your head.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled with my choice of hotel…right up on the ocean-side cliff…

our room was great, with a balcony view to die for…

we had to follow a little road to get into town, but I really enjoyed the 7 minute walk and the view…

once in town, the tiny cobblestone roads are filled with little shops (all on sale – holiday season perks!) — Did you know that in Italy, stores are not allowed to have sales whenever they want? Sales only happen twice a year…and when they do, everyone has to go on sale. Fortunately for us, all the sales last 6 weeks after Christmas! woohoo! In every city, too! double whammy!

Anyway…check out these ginormous lemons that Sorrento is so famous for…

i loved the paths leading down to the ocean…and the views of Vesuvius…

we walked down to the port one day…and ate at this restaurant…SO GOOD!…

I forgot to take a picture of our food before it was practically gone – my caprese salad…mom’s veal and cheese filled potato something-er-other…

she gave me one…and my Gnocchi di Sorrento (with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella) was heavenly…

a rainy night in the central plaza of Sorrento……more on Sorrento…and it’s fishing village – Marina Grande – later…

love, whit