2023 – Elizabeth Joy Hadley

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Book review, Book stores, Books, Library

2023 Books in Review

December 31, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

I used to read all the time, but for a while I sort of stopped enjoying it. Mostly because I had trouble concentrating on anything other than work. But this year, I made it a goal to read more, and I would say I did that! And, heading into 2024 I will continue that goal and hopefully read even more.

I will do this list from my least favorite book to my most favorite. Here we go!

9.Christmasland by Anne-Marie Meyer
This book was cute, but there wasn’t really much to it. It was about these two friends who won a trip to a town called Christmasland, which was pretty much a typical Hallmark type town. The book was cute, but there wasn’t much meat to it, it was all just too perfect, and also the couple got together way too quickly, there was no challenge to it. I like a slow burn, I guess.

8.Hide Yourself Away by Mary Jane Clark
This book took place in Nantucket, and this was a murder mystery novel. A group of journalists from New York headed to Nantucket to cover a very large story and then get caught up in a murder mystery, and it just gets more twisted as it goes on. I will say, I genuinely had no idea who did the crime until the very end.

7. By The Book by Jasmine Guillory
I love Jasmine Guillory so much. I have read every book by her. This one though was written in the third person and I don’t love books like that. This book was a modern day Beauty and the Beast type story, and ended really cute. I didn’t hate this book, but the third person point of view is just hard for me to love.

6. In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer
This book was about two people who have a horrible and embarrasing meet cute on the subway, and then just continue running into each other in embarrasing ways. The setting of New York City was perfect for this book, because only in a city like that could the meet cute happen. I wish they didn’t get together so late in the book though, they spent almost the whole book preparing us for them to get together and then they finally do, and then the book is over. I wanted more of them together.

5. The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
I really enjoyed this book. It was about a personal and private security firm who are hired to protect a celebrity. There is a lot that happens and there is much more meat to this book than I expected and I really enjoyed it.

4. Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory
Like I said earlier, I love Jasmine Guillory. This book did not disappoint. I loved it. It takes place in Napa California on a vineyard and I really love the two points of view so we can understand the boys and the girls point of view. Guillory better write another book soon, I can’t wait to read the next one.

3. Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
I debated on putting this book for number 2. Let me say, the ending of this book made me cry, like actual tears, and that never happens. Two doctors who work in the ER together come up with an agreement and I won’t say anything else, you’ll just have to read it. This book was the epitome of slow burn, and combined with the dual points of view, there were mulitple times during this book when I wanted to scream to it ‘JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER.’ They clearly loved each other, but wouldn’t tell the other person. But, then when I saw how the book ended I understood why it had to be that way. Anyways, this book was great.

2.Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
I LOVED this book. Laugh out loud funny, fast paced, and adorable. But, also it has so many real life problems that the characters go through. I mean seriously I could not put this book down.

And the best book I read this year is….

WEATHER GIRL by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I’m not going to lie, the biggest reason I chose to read this book was because it was told from the point of view of a Meteorologist at a station in Seattle. I am a morning news anchor and thought I would enjoy this book. But, I did not expect to love it as much as I did. It was one of the best books I’ve ever read. A morning meteorologist who has depression ends up becoming friends with the evening sports caster who has a daughter. Through the book, they become more than friends and a lot more is revealed. I won’t spoil it for you, seriously, you just have to read it. I LOVED this book!

Thank you to the author’s, bookstores and libraries who ensure that people like me can get lost in stories and other worlds that are far more interesting than mine. Here’s to more books in 2024!

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Christmas, Decorations, Grammy, Idaho, Jackson, My favorite things, Santa, Twin Falls

How I decorate my home for Christmas

December 13, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

I can’t believe it is almost Christmas!

I am so excited.

This has always been one of my most favorite times of the year. When I was a kid this time of year always felt so magical. Now, that I’m older, the magic has died a bit, but I’m determined to still make it a special time of year. One of the best ways to do that, in my opinion, is to decorate!!

Here is my house this year, and if I do say so myself, it looks magical!

Welcome in!

Of course I have a giant blow up, do you know me at all?

I love changing my flags for the seasons.

You might notice a theme, JOY! Joy is my middle name, so I have to!

My little Santa figurines were a gift from my Grammy years ago!

A flamingo with a Santa hat was a no-brainer!

I saw this on Tik Tok and thought it was so cute!

A little touch to brighten up the stairs!

Another wreath welcoming me in from the garage.

Anyways, it’s not much, but this time of year can be awfully depressing, the sun sets so early, it’s cold out. This brings me Joy and it brings me happiness to turn all the lights on and enjoy them. I’m wishing you all so much love this time of year.

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Engaged, Idaho, Jackson, Proposal, Trevor, Twin Falls

November 3, the day I got engaged!

November 12, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Hi friends!! I have quite the story to tell you!

On November 3rd, 2023 my boyfriend Trevor asked me to marry him.

I thought I would share the story here with you, partly because it’s really cute and partly because I don’t want to forget it! So, here it goes!

November 3rd, of 2019 was the day that Trevor and I first met. This year, November 3rd fell on a Friday, so all week we were planning to go out to dinner to celebrate.

We were planning to go out to Juanitzio’s, which is a Mexican Restaurant that tastes really good.

I got finished with work on that day around 2, and I headed to the grocery store after work, then I came home, took my dog out for a walk, read my book on the couch, and you know, it was just a very normal day.

Trevor got home from work and went to take a shower, very normal after a long day.

He came out from the shower and asked me if instead of Juanitzio’s, if I wanted to go to Rock Creek, which is a steak house that is a little bit fancier.

I thought nothing of it, because in my mind I’m like yeah, we could go to Juanitzio’s any day, but we probably wouldn’t go to Rock Creek that often, only on special occasions.

He then asks me if I wanted to change. I was in workout clothes, so again, that makes total sense.

I went to change into a nicer outfit and then I came out from doing that and was putting on my shoes, and was thinking nothing of it. But, then Trevor came into the bedroom and was looking at me all strange. I asked him if he didn’t want to go, or if he didn’t feel good.

Instead of replying, he gets down on one knee and proposes to me! He said, Will you marry me?

My reaction, was probably very atypical.

“Are you sure?”

“Are you serious?”

“What?”

I genuinely couldn’t believe that it was happening right then.

It never once crossed my mind, even after all that happened that day, that he would or might propose to me that day. I honestly was so shocked and surprised.

I eventually said Yes, and then we had a moment of disbelief and I had many questions for him, such as who knew you were going to do this, and How long have you had this ring? You know, the journalist that I am was very curious.

We eventually went to Rock Creek and celebrated there.

We’ve now been engaged for a little over a week and it’s finally just now sinking in.

I couldn’t believe it but I’m so excited.

I thought that we would get engaged and get married someday, we’ve had lots of conversations about it. But, I’m glad I was so surprised, because it made it so much better!

Anyways, that’s the story, and I have no idea about anything else, but here are some cute pictures that we took the day after!

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Christmas, Decorations, Halloween, Idaho, My favorite things, Twin Falls

Welcome in! How I decorate my home for Fall and Halloween!

November 1, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Happy November everyone! I know that Halloween was yesterday and before I take all my decorations down and decorate for Christmas, I wanted to share how I decorated my house this year. Mostly because I love decorating and I love how my house came out this year!

So, Welcome in friends!!

I love this flag because it isn’t just Halloween, but good for all of Fall.

I like this because it works for Thanksgiving too!

An easy way I like to decorate is just to get a few wall signs that I can exchange for winter, summer, fall, etc. It makes it look like a whole new wall when I put them up!

I love these signs! I swear I have one for every season!

And lastly, something that I got from my Mom! Changing the hand towels to match the seasons can do so much for your house!

I will ALWAYS get a decoration with dogs if they have it! I love dogs!

And that is it! I really love decorating my house for the different seasons. It makes me happy, and it makes me smile when I come home from work!

I am so excited to decorate for Christmas too, I’ll try to wait as long as I can, but I really just love Christmas decorations and want to enjoy them as much as I can, so it’ll probably be pretty soon by the time I put them up!

Happy November!

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Arches, Arches National Park, Lisa, Moab, Mother, Utah

Visiting Arches National Park with my Mom!

October 25, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Hi again friends! Continuing on with my fun week in Utah with my mom!

So after we saw Derek Hough in his amazing live show, we drove down to Moab, Utah to visit Arches National Park!

First of all, the drive there was breathtakingly beautiful! It was a little long from Salt Lake City, but honestly, the views were amazing!

This was pretty much the views for most of the drive!

Once we got there, we checked into our hotel, which was actually a ranch, and we went to check out the downtown Moab area.

The view from our hotel room! It was RIGHT on the Colorado River!

On Friday morning, we woke up early, and headed to Arches National Park!

I’m not going to lie to you, I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into, I didn’t know much about the park or the history, or really what to expect at all. I like doing this to myself sometimes because it leaves me with no expectations!

But, let me tell you, I LOVED IT! From the amazing rock formations, the challenging, yet still doable hikes, and the really cool way that they laid out the National Park. I could not get enough! It was so much fun!

Here are a few of my favorite arches and hikes!

The hike to this one included 3 other arches as well!

The Delicate Arch was the hardest hike we did, but my goodness was it worth it! This arch is iconic!

This one we had to hike through sand for! It was awesome!

After a great day at the park we headed back to our ranch for dinner and relaxing! It was such a great day!

Had to pull over to take a picture of our ranch from the road!

Side note, our ranch had the best restaurant at it! The Cowboy Grill! I’m still thinking about our meal to this day!

I really enjoyed Arches National Park and the town of Moab and all it had to offer. The park was vey accessible for everyone, and the arches could be accessed if you weren’t up for the hikes. The hikes just made the views a little bit better!

The next morning we got to see the annular Solar Eclipse, and we were in the 80% path for the Ring of Fire!

We went for a walk along the Colorado River before watching the Solar Eclipse!

Then we drove back to Salt Lake City and did a little shopping, had a little dinner, and enjoyed our time together!

I really can’t say enough good things about Arches! It was a really cool park, very well put together, a lot to see, and the Arches were just so cool! I would go back for sure!

I’m very thankful for my time with my mom in Utah!!

Thank you for reading friends, have a great day!

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, dance, Derek Hough, Idaho, Lisa, My favorite things, Symphony of Dance, tour

Derek Hough’s show ‘Symphony of Dance’

October 19, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

You guys, last week I had such a good week! On Wednesday, I went down to Salt Lake City and picked up my Mom at the airport and then we went to see Derek Hough and his wife Hayley on tour!

We were so excited! I bought these tickets the day they went on sale, so it was a long time coming!

Since we had VIP tickets we had to get to the theatre early, so we could check in and then go back stage!

We waited to take our picture with Derek and Hayley and then went to the Question and Answer session!

I was able to ask Derek a question, and I just wanted to share his answer with you, because it was amazing. I asked him how he deals with and handles negative comments about him on social media, or over email. As a morning news anchor, I get comments all the time towards me, and I asked him how he handles it.

Derek said that at first he would take those comments to heart, but then he started to realize that when people would said hurtful and negative things to him, he began to realize that says more about the people saying it, than it does about him. He said he began to have empathy for them, and recognizing that they are missing something from their own lives if they feel the need to reach out to you to say their negative comments. So in case you needed to hear that, there you go.

I LOVE this picture so much! The true happiness on my face can’t be beat!

After the VIP session we went to the Cheesecake Factory for a quick dinner and then headed back to the theatre for the show! We had about two hours in between the VIP session and the show!

Our seats were in the second row, right on the aisle! I turned around and this is the view!

Derek’s show was called ‘The Symphony of Dance’ and I have seen Derek in every show he has ever done, and to be honest, they have all been AMAZING! But, there was just something so special about this one. It had so much heart behind it.

The Symphony of Dance, in my opinion, was a metaphor, for the journey of life. There will be ups and downs and highs and lows, but overall it’s the journey that you remember. I loved that so much!

The females had 18 costume changes, and each one was more spectacular than the last!

Each dance told a story, and each dancer was phenomenal! I’m telling you I would see this show every night in every city if I could. I left feeling so inspired!!

This show was particularly emotional for Derek because he is from Salt Lake City, and he had a lot of family and friends and his old dance teachers in the audience, and it was a sold out show! It was so special. I can only imagine how Derek was feeling up on that stage!

I just want to thank Derek and the entire cast and crew for this show! It was truly wonderful and I think everybody, even if you know nothing about dance, could enjoy this show and enjoy seeing the talent and hard work and creativity on that stage! I would see it every night if I could!

Thank you Derek, from the bottom of my heart, for teaching me to live my life with passion and to never let anybody make you feel bad about being who you are!

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Idaho, Jackson, journalism, My favorite things, Reporter, Summer, Twin Falls

Top 10 of Summer 2023

September 12, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Hi friends!

Earlier this summer, I set a list of things I wanted to do during this summer, it included everything from Watch High School Musical 1, 2, and 3 to go to a water park! Sadly, I wasn’t able to accomplish everything I wanted to on my list, because you know, real life and work and other commitments and bills to pay and chores to do. But there were still some really good days too! So, without further ado, here is a look at my Top 10 of this summer! Hard to believe it’s already over!

Visiting my family and friends in Boston!

I would consider this the start of summer! It was such a fun week and I miss all of these people so much! I have such good memories of this week!

2. Hosting a big 4th of July Party… on July 1st.

At my house, the fireworks are lit off from the field that is literally one house away from mine! So, what did I do? Hosted a giant 4th of July Party to have everyone over to watch! It was such a good day!

3. Going paddleboarding on the Snake River

I have kayaked the Snake River before but never Paddle boarded and it was so much fun! This particular day was gorgeous out as well, so it made it even better! I hope I can do that more next year!

4. Floating the Boise River!

Another first for me! I’ve never floated the Boise River before and it was so much fun! This particular day was 102 degrees and the water was 54 degrees! We had a few minor setbacks on this day, but overall it was so much fun! I love trying new things!

5. Going to Roaring Springs Water Park and Wahooz Family Fun Center!

I sadly have no pictures from the water park, but this sunset was taken on the drive home this trip, so it will have to do!

6. Kelley’s Canyon Orchard Peaches and Cream Day!

Trevor and I drove down into the Canyon to Kelley’s Canyon Orchard where they grow peaches and other fruit. On this day, they had peaches and cream and it was delicious! This spot in the Canyon is so pretty and it was so peaceful!

7. The Twin Falls County Fair

The Twin Falls County Fair is absolutely always a highlight of the year for me! I just love the people, the food, the atmosphere! It never disappoints! These two gentlemen run the model railroad building and I love them to pieces!

8. Attended a gorgeous wedding!

We went to a gorgeous wedding for our friends! Trevor was a groomsmen, doesn’t he look so handsome? But this wedding was so fun, and I danced the night away on that dancefloor!

9. Taking Jackson to the Pooch Splash!

The Pooch Splash is an annual fundraiser put on by the Twin Falls Animal Shelter for their medical fund. Jackson is from the shelter and I love to give back to the people who gave me my best friend in the world! Jackson had the time of his life too!

10. Covering important stories to Southern Idaho

I mean, considering almost my entire life is spent at work, I guess I have to include it on my Top 10 of summer. It is what I spent most of my summer doing.

And there you have it folks. I didn’t do everything I wanted to do, not even close, but it was still a really great summer full of laughs, time with friends and family, and some fun days.

I used to love summer when I was a kid, probably because we didn’t have school and I could spend all day doing whatever I wanted.

Now that I am older, I think I like Fall the most. The seasons are changing, it’s cooler in the morning but warmer in the afternoon. We’re back to our routines and schedules, which we all know I love a good schedule.

I have to be honest with you, this year in general has been hard for me in many ways, most of which I will never get into on here, but this summer wasn’t all bad! It had lots of good moments, but I’m ready for Fall now!

Thanks for reading, Have a great day!

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Idaho, Twin Falls

Thoughts with Liz

August 5, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

The other day my boyfriend Trevor and I went out to dinner at a local restaurant. We walked in around 5 and there were maybe 6 or so booths taken.

As we were walking towards our booth, I saw that one of the booths was taken by one woman. She was sitting alone.

I immediately remembered the time when my dad took my brother and I to the Ski and Snowboard expo in the Seaport in Boston. It had become our yearly tradition. We would go early on a Saturday and then afterwards we would go eat at the No Name Restaurant. Yes, that was the name of it. It was a delicious seafood restaurant right on the water.

When we went to sit down at the No Name Restaurant all those years ago, I saw a man siting alone. I said to my dad, “he’s all alone, I feel bad, you should talk to him.” I actually did feel really sad about it. I thought, how horrible that he has no one to go out to lunch with. He must be so lonely.

My dad turned around and started asking him if he too went to the ski and snowboard expo. They talked for a while. The man seemed excited that my dad was talking to him, and I remember thinking how sad it is that he didn’t have anyone to go out to eat with, no one to talk to, laugh with.

This past week the woman was eating alone and I thought again how sad it was that she didn’t have anyone to go out to eat with.

But, I’m older now and have had a lot more life experiences than all those years ago at the No Name Restaurant, so I thought, I don’t know her story. Maybe she’s on her way to work or heading home from work. Maybe she’s traveling for business. Maybe she likes being alone. She could be new to the area. After all, there aren’t any rules about eating alone at a restaurant, she could be perfectly content to enjoy her Mexican food by herself.

But, as I think about it more, it still makes me sad. It makes me sad because these people on both occasions didn’t have anyone they could call to go to dinner with, so they went alone.

And to be totally honest with you, most of the time, I feel very lonely in my life. I’m not lonely because I’m not surrounded by people, I seem to always be surrounded by someone.

I’m lonely because I have yet to meet anyone who is like me. I know a lot of people, sure, but I don’t know if I have anyone in my life that gets me, and understands me really. I’m not sure I ever will.

Anytime I try to explain how I feel or what I think, no one seems to truly understand what I mean.

So maybe, going out to dinner alone is better than being surrounded by people who don’t understand them. Maybe, it’s peaceful for them.

I hope they know I’m rooting for them, whoever they are, wherever they are. I wish only the best for them.

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Bruce, Father, Father's Day, Idaho

Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

June 18, 2023June 17, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Happy Father’s Day to all the father’s and father figures today, but especially to my own dad.

Bruce Robert Hadley.

I am very grateful for my dad. He is probably the strongest person I know, mentally and physically. But, more than that he is a hard working, kind, a person who would do literally anything for the people he loves.

I think I got a lot of my personality from him. We are both emotional people. We feel big emotions, happy, sad, angry, etc. We aren’t middle of the road type people and we don’t try to hide how we feel.

I also learned a lot about hard work and not giving up from him, which is the best lesson I could have ever learned. If you work hard and never quit, the world is yours; that is what he taught me.

My dad was always working when I was younger, but somehow he still managed to come home and play baseball with us, or drive me to dance class. He always managed to ask us how our day was, and really care and really listen to us.

I have so many amazing memories with my Dad, so many amazing trips skiing across the country, so many weekends swimming in the pool, and going camping in New Hampshire, and bike rides to Hilliard’s to name a few.

I definitely wouldn’t be who I am without you Dad, and I love you so much. Happy Father’s Day Dad, I will love you forever!

Thank you for always being there for me, I love you!

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Idaho, journalism, Reporter, Suffolk University, Twin Falls

4 YEARS LATER

May 19, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Dear Elizabeth,

Today is a monumental day. 4 years ago today you graduated college with your bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, one of the most exciting and special days in your life.

Now, it’s been 4 years. Which is crazy, because 4 years is the amount of time you were in college. So now, you’ve been out of college for the same amount of time that you were in college. WILD.

I am so proud of you, Elizabeth. So proud of how much you have grown and how much you have changed, and become who you were meant to be.

4 years of being in the real world, as they call it.

I wish I could have told you how your life would go back then, but that would have ruined the fun of it. You also probably wouldn’t have believed it.

Here is what I wish you could’ve known though.

LIFE IS HARD: One month after graduating college you will move across the entire country by yourself. You will start a job in a town where you know no one and nothing. You will be alone, and sad, and sometimes really upset because you gave up your entire life for this job and no one seems to understand how hard it is, and how alone you feel.

But here is the good news: Life is hard. But you can do hard things. You can, and you will. And you won’t give up, because that’s not who you are. Embrace the hard, embrace the sad days, and then get stronger, and more independent. Recognize that life is hard, because if you do that, you can get through the days. Life sucks sometimes, it really really does, but if you have a goal and a dream, the hard days won’t get in your way.

A PANDEMIC WILL BEGIN 9 MONTHS AFTER YOU MOVE: Ah yes, the COVID-19 Pandemic that no one was prepared for. You’ll be forced to work from home for months on end, but still required to complete your news reporting duties, and be a person that the community can trust and rely on all from your one bedroom apartment.

Some days you will wonder how you will get through it, and when the pandemic will end, if it ever will. If you thought you felt alone and isolated at your new home and new job before the pandemic, just wait a few months.

YOU WILL ADOPT THE CUTEST DOG: Jackson will become the best part of your life. He will need a lot of structure and routine, because he was abandoned and left for dead, which is how he ended up at the shelter. But, with practice, he will become the best dog you ever had, and sometimes the only thing you could count on to make you smile at the end of the day.

YOU WILL ALSO MEET A GREAT GUY NAMED TREVOR: Trevor and you will start dating and you will really enjoy getting to know him, and eventually you will move in together, and then buy a house. You will laugh, smile, cry, and he will become your best friend. The person who you love with all your heart, even through the hard times, which there will be.

YOU WILL MOVE TO WEEKEND ANCHOR AND EVENTUALLY MORNING ANCHOR: Turns out, you will really come to like living and working in Twin Falls, Idaho. And, you will work hard and tell stories that matter to this community. You will see the difference that you make in this community, and you will care so much about it and the people here. Being a journalist is so hard, but to the people that live here, the stories you tell, they mean everything. When you move to the morning show, people in the community will come to know you, and actually enjoy your bubbly personality.

LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE: I mean, through the COVID pandemic, losing two grandparents and a dog, working every shift possible at the station (besides overnight), working from home, working from the station, training new people, moving to a new house. Life is just messy, and it’s hard, and it’s unpredictable. But you adapt, and you move forward with the circumstances presented to you in the best way you know how.

YOU WILL BECOME A STRONG, INDEPENDENT PERSON: When you moved away from your home, you needed people. You couldn’t make a decision for yourself without other people’s opinions, and you never said no to anything. You believed you weren’t worthy of anything, and you had to prove that you were. You never advocated for yourself and what was best for you, because you just said yes to anything and everything, because you wanted to prove that you were a good journalist, and more than that a good person.

Elizabeth, you are so brave, and so strong, and you don’t need anyone or anything to tell you that you are worthy or good enough. Not your job, or your boyfriend, or your family, or the general public, and especially not social media.

You are worthy and you are enough because you are you. And you will make mistakes and you will mess up and you will cry and you will have hard days.

But none of that makes you less important. You have nothing to prove to anyone. You are the best company in the world, (besides Jackson)

You have to have confidence in yourself and believe that it doesn’t matter what the viewers think about your looks or how you talk or how curly your hair is.

Over the past 4 years, your life will turn upside down and back again, but at the end of the day, you will become strong, brave, and independent.

Elizabeth, it’s been 4 years since you graduated college and if you knew all of this then, you probably never would have taken that cross country drive to move here to Idaho.

Life is about making choices. You make them, and you stick with them, and then you decide what to do next, and you choose to make the best of what happens.

I can’t wait to see what the next 4 years hold for you, because if I know you, Elizabeth, it will be crazy!

Love, Elizabeth.