Tag: Hiking
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My Rim to River to Rim Journey with KDA
It has taken me a minute to process, to think, to be ready to share here, but here’s a little about our day in the Grand Canyon. We began in the dark, the sun just a faint glow peeking at the edge of the vastness of the Grand Canyon. Sixteen kidney donors, each with one kidney…
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I Made a Thing (and Let It Be Enough)
I almost didn’t tell anyone about it. Not because it wasn’t good.Not because it didn’t matter.But because finishing something — and then letting it exist — is vulnerable in a way I’m still learning how to hold. Today, I launched my first digital planner: Coach Sunshine’s Weekly Workout & Nutrition Planner. That sentence alone feels…
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🧡Thankful Thursdays: Still Standing
Some days feel like too much. You know the ones—when life pulls at you from all directions, stretching your strength and testing your spirit. Days when the emotional weight is heavier than anything I’ve lifted in the gym. When the work I love feels endless, when the stories I carry for families press a little…
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Sunshine Says: “Some Days Are Heavy—Here’s What Helps”
Some days are heavy.Not in the way that dumbbells build muscle or a loaded barbell challenges you to rise—but in the way your chest tightens, your brain fogs, and even a deep breath feels like work. You might not always see it from the outside—but grief, exhaustion, overstimulation, burnout, memories, and hormones all know how…
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Feature Friday: The Pack That Carries More Than Gear
Today’s feature? My Osprey HikeLite 18 — a compact, trail-tested daypack that’s been with me every step of the way on my Palo Duro Canyon training hikes. It may not look flashy, but this pack is one of the most important pieces of gear I own. It’s lightweight, breathable, and perfectly fits my 2.5L hydropack,…
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Thankful Thursdays: Thankful for the Trail and the People On It
Some days I have to stop and take a deep breath—not because I’m tired, but because I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. Twelve years ago, I said yes to becoming a living kidney donor. I didn’t know then how fully that “yes” would change me. I just knew someone needed help—and I had a spare. Since then,…
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Wellness Wednesday – A Decade With One Kidney: What I’ve Learned Since 2013
In 2013, I did something that changed two lives—mine and someone else’s. I became a living kidney donor. It wasn’t a dramatic decision for me. It was rooted in something quiet but fierce—a deep sense of love, responsibility, and purpose. I didn’t know then all the ways this choice would shape who I am today.…
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Trail Tuesdays: The Path to Strong is Never Straight
Trail Tuesdays Murph Prep, Mindset, and Muscle on the Move Some Tuesdays, the trail is dusty and wild. Other days, it’s made of air squats, push-ups, and sit-ups in a quiet room while my muscles burn and my mind fights to stay present. Either way, it’s always a trail—a path that winds through challenge, grit,…
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Marriage & Meaning Mondays: “The Trail Less Intended” – A Palo Duro Canyon Wedding Adventure
Weddings are always full of love, laughter… and sometimes a little unexpected adventure! A few weeks ago, I had the honor of officiating the sweetest ceremony for Ben & Lina on the stunning CCC Trail at Palo Duro Canyon. Their vows were heartfelt, the setting was breathtaking, and the love between them was absolutely radiant.…
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Snapshot Sunday: Finding Light in the Canyon
Some people wake up on Mother’s Day with breakfast in bed or brunch reservations.Me? I woke up and laced up my boots. I hiked into Palo Duro Canyon yesterday — Texas’ own quiet giant — where flowers bloom between rocks and the wind carries more grace than most conversations ever could. These moments in nature…
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