How 'bout a Mailbag to end the week?

Dear School,
I'm honestly kinda missing you. Although, I am very appreciative of the break, I am getting so antsy to find out my final grades and what the jurors said during my jury. You can understand why I feel like I'm getting an ulcer due to stress.
Sincerely,
Ready for Winter Semester

Dear Christmas,
Thank you for being "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year." I needed to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol the other day. It made me quite happy.
Yours,
Kelsey

Dear Work,
I don't know what to say with you.
Sincerely,
On my last leaf

Dear Presents-under-the-tree,
There are so many this year! I'm so excited to give/receive you! Really, I think I did good this year for Bryan.
Love,
Kelsey

Dear Mom and Dad,
I miss you.
Love,
Your Daughter

Dear Michael McLean,
Thank you for writing The Forgotten Carols. They make the Christmas season that much more for us. Truly.
Love,
Bryan and Kelsey
ps. I love my new plaque
http://www.forgottencarols.com/latest-products/decorative-wooden-plaques/

Dear Hunger Games,
I'm sorry we haven't met until recently. I'm glad we're friends.
Love,
can't-get-my-mind-off

"Christmas Must Be Something More" by Taylor Swift

This song has become a new favorite of mine. I first heard it three years ago at a little Christmas luncheon with my sister and some of the ladies from my ward (the group of people I go to church with).

I just love it and the message it gives. It's like in How the Grinch Stole Christmas when the Grinch realizes that "Maybe Christmas, perhaps, is a little bit more."
When Christmas first came...
It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!

It came with a simple babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes. It came with angels singing on the most high, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come!"

It continues to come with charity, the pure love of Christ. As we give our hearts to others in service, we give to our Father in Heaven and our Savior.

Happy 9 days til Christmas.

Our Christmas letter

Hello Family and Friends!

We decided to keep things simple this year and just give you the highlights of what was our 2011:

1. We took our first Family Picture! (Of course, this is a highlight mostly for Kelsey, but it's going to stay on here anyway)
2. Instead of doing something normal, we spent a morning in the air for our first anniversary. Yep, we went hot air ballooning!
3. The wedding of the year! We were the Best Man and Bride's Matron to Bryan's brother, Matthew, and his wonderful bride, Leah. What an honor it was! We love them so much!
4. Kelsey joined the community theatre scene and was a featured dancer in the SCERA Shell Theatre’s production of Aida.
5. As much as we loved Wymount, we needed a change of scenery. So, we moved to Orem.
6. Bryan spent a whole night filming the Gethsemane scene for our Church's New Testament Project. Poor soul, his life is so hard.
7. Battlescars, camo, and a new gun later, we have become paintball enthusiasts.
8. Kelsey got her Associate's degree in the summer and is now on campus at Utah Valley University. She's loving being able to sing again. . . And not taking online courses!
9. We went to Yellowstone for the T. Family Reunion. This being Kelsey’s first time at the National Park, it became quite the event. Not to mention the great company!
10. Thanksgiving was spent in sandals, shorts, and 75 degree weather. Arizona treated us well while we ate, sang songs, watched movies, and shot some guns with Kelsey’s family.

As many things highlight our year, there is one thing that will always highlight our lives: Our Savior, Jesus Christ. We wish you all a wonderful holiday and pray for the best of the New Year!

Love,

Bryan and Kelsey

Christmas Traditions

Bryan's cousin Bryton is looking for Christmas traditions.

First off, I lovelovelove her piggy bank Christmas tradition. So cute. I may have to adopt it for myself.

Secondly, I'm grateful that I read her blog today so I could feel motivated to write. (since I've been dead to the world)

Thirdly, let's talk about CHRISTMAS.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Bryan and I have started a little tradition where we open our gifts to each other before Christmas, that way we can do it together. It's so sharing our own little Christmas. That's pretty much our only tradition together.

One of my favorite traditions from growing up was caroling outside my parents' bedroom door. You see, on Christmas morning, we would all convene in my parents room, make their bed, kneel next to it and thank our Father in Heaven for our Savior before going to demolish the living room.

Well, my parents didn't want all 9 of us barging in there (especially when they were (a) in their garments aka undies and (b)up all night laying out presents so they didn't want to get up right when we did).

My parents locked us out of their room.

So, we sang. Usually, it wasn't very pretty because we just wanted to wake them up so we could commence the demolishing of the living room. But, in the end, it has become one of my favorite thing about Christmas.

Thanks, Bryton :)

The Proudest Moment of My Life... Thus far

This is me unloading an AK.

So, I kinda LOVE my friends :)

Tonight, I had a girls night with a few of the girls I got really close to while I was doing Aida over the summer. Let's just say, I have missed them terribly and I just love them so much! They're so awesome! Part of me feels young around them because they have so much life experience and good advice and positive attitudes. They're so uplifting from the day-to-day (not that my super hot husband is not uplifting, but sometimes you need your friends to cheer you up). Listening and laughing and venting was just so awesome! And it was with people I really relate to. It's not that my school friends aren't awesome, but most of them are either a lot younger than me (I say alot, but they're only like 3 years younger than me) or just single and filled with drama. And not the drama I like to be involved with. That sounds terrible, but sometimes I just don't care. lol. But yeah.

I just love my friends :)

Now to go research Irish music **does jig**

Hello.

I'm Kelsey, and I suck at life.

Well.... Blogging. Yes, I suck at blogging. I honestly love it, but I'm terrible at keeping up! I can never figure out why!

As a little update to our busy life, Bryan is doing fantastic! He's working on two commercials right now--on his own! Yep! Ladies and 'Gents, my cute hubby is doing his own production work! He's excited but still kinda... I'm not sure how to describe it. Stress? Anxiety? idk. Meh, whatever! He's living the dream :)

Me, on the other hand, I'm just cruising along with school. I'm come to reason with the fact that it's going to be about 3 years instead of 1.5 years before I graduate, but I'm doing what I love and I love what I do! My voice teacher has been away since the end of October doing The Barber of Seville in Beijing, China. (Poor soul, his life is so hard... NOT!) He comes back after Thanksgiving and honestly, I'm SO HAPPY. I've been practicing every day and working on my music, but I'm just ready to have him back. Other than that, work is work and all that jazz.

So, in ONE WEEK... Bryan and I are trekking down to Phoenix to see my family for Thanksgiving. I honestly can't tell you how happy I am to be (1) getting out of Utah and (2)getting away from the cold and bracing myself for snow. 70 degrees, here we come!

It's Octo-brrrrrr!!

Which means, I've been riding my bike in the fall air. It's been pleasant.

My poor little beach cruiser is still squeaking, though. I may need to take some WD-40 to it.

School is crazy. But it makes me happy. I honestly wouldn't want to be anywhere doing anything but what my situation is RIGHT NOW. I get to sing every day and I get to analyze music and understand even deeper why music is so breath taking. It's a happy time.

Here's a little sneak peek as to what I am working on:

Disclaimer: I am NOT the person singing on these videos lol. These are just pieces that I am trying to work on. Who knew I was a soprano?!! ha!

Oh! had I Jubal's Lyre from Joshua by G. F. Handel

Pale et Blonde from Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas

Post #101. How 'bout an A-Z!

I saw this on I Believe in Unicorns and thought it would be fun to do for my second post in the triple digits :)

The Misses

Age: 21

Bedsize: Queen

Chores that you hate: Making the bed. I know, I'm crazy.

Dogs: I want a puppy

Essential start to your day: listening to music

Favorite color: hot pink!

Gold or Silver: silver

Height: 5’6” ish...

Instruments you play: piano, percussion

Job title: Asst. Manager

Kids: not yet

Live: O-town, UT

Mother’s Maden Name: Thompson

Nicknames: Kels, Kelser Belser, Kelsey Gracie (to Bryan)

Overnight hospital stays: Uhhhh never?

Pet peeves: The word "like" being overly used.

Quote from a movie or tv show: "Hot dog to hot dog bun ratio: Why for the love of mustard are there never enough buns?!" Mr. Magorium rocks.

Right or Lefty: right-handed

Siblings: 5 sister, 3 brothers

Time you wake up: about 7 AM

Underwear: I don't understand this one... But I wear them, yes...

Vegetable you hate: eggplant.

What makes you run late: my husband...

X-Rays You’ve Had: The ones from the dentist. My wrist. And my pelvic region... Awkward. Moving on.

Yummy food you make: I back cakes like NOBODY you have ever met :)

Zoo Animal: Hippopotamus

The Mister

Age: 24

Bedsize: Queen

Chores that you hate: I don't mind doing chores.

Dogs: Had them growing up, and want them when our kids grow up

Essential start to your day: showering

Favorite color: Blue

Gold or Silver: silver

Height: 6'

Instruments you play: violin, a little piano

Job title: Camera Room Assistant

Kids: not yet

Live: O-town, UT

Mother’s Maden Name: O'Toole

Nicknames: Bry, Big Ol' Bry, (insert last name here), Honey-baby (by Kelsey)

Overnight hospital stays: None

Pet peeves: Facebook

Quote from a movie or tv show: "What you do in life echoes in eternity." --Gladiator

Right or Lefty: right-handed

Siblings: 3 sisters, 1 brother

Time you wake up: about 9 AM

Underwear: I don't understand this one... But I wear them, yes...

Vegetable you hate: asparagus, zuccini

What makes you run late: Getting ready

X-Rays You’ve Had: Catscan.

Yummy food you make: I don't cook

Zoo Animal: cheetah or elephants

Maaaiiilll Baaaag!!!

Dear Mailbag,

Thank you for being convenient so I can update people on my life in short terms. But not so full of details... Meh. We'll work this out one day.

Love, Kelsey

Dear School,

Man I missed you.

Sincerely, A Student

Dear School,

Stop asking me for more money!

Sincerely, A Poor Student

Dear School (is there an echo in here???),

I wish there was some way you could be downhill both ways instead of just one. Although, I do love riding my bike and getting some sweet exercise.

Sincerely, Tired

Dear Bryan,

Thanks for being cute. And endulging me by purchasing season 1 of CSI:NY. This makes me happy. I love you.

Love, your little wifey <3

Dear Bike,

You need to stop squeaking. I can't seem to figure out why you scream at me so much. I'm doing the best I can.

Yours truly, the concerned bike-rider

Dear Lucha Shoes,

You know how much I love you, but why in the WORLD have you started to make my feet stinky??? I've never had stinky feet until now!!! WTF, MATE???

Regards, I-need-more-dress-socks

Dear God,

Thanks for looking out for me. I love you.

Yours, Your daughter

Dear New Ward,

I promise we're not total strangers!!! We just have other things going on in near-ish places, so we go to other wards instead of you. Maybe it's a good thing I don't have a calling yet...

Sincerely, Bryan and Kelsey

Dear Apartment,

As much as I love you, I wish you could just decorate yourself! (and where in the world did we get all this crap from??? geez...)

Love, Kelsey

Dear Paintball,

Why are you so expensive yet SO ADDICTING???

Sincerely, Poor.

Dear Bed,

I'm coming.

Love, me

Why, hello there!

WOW.

You'd think that Bryan and I moved across town, started school, and haven't had a moment's sit down in like 3 weeks...

GAH!

As you can tell, it's been a mad house around this little family's home (no, I'm not announcing anything besides the craziness that is my life).

We moved. Yes, we're in our new apartment. Oakhurst is treating us pretty well :) Although, I'm not super fond of the rust stains on the counter in my guest bathroom ***grumblegrumblegrumble*** I am super happy with pretty much everything else! The first night here, Bryan and I laid in the bed and were just gazing at how enormous our new master bedroom was. And yes, I just said master bedroom! 2 Bed, 2 Bath, one HUGE APARTMENT! At least, compared to Wymount it is much bigger :)

School is... Awesome. Yes, I just used school and awesome in the same sentence. I love being in school, strange as it is. And I love being able to sing all the time again. I also love the fact that I'm getting exercise every day! I've been riding my little beach cruiser to and from school everyday. It is tiring (especially after riding uphill and then having to run up 4, sometimes 5 flights of stairs before getting to class) but it feels good.

Bryan is living the dream! The MPS (Motion Picture Studio) is shooting the Goshen stuff right now and he's gotten to go on set once already! It was his first night shoot and they shot the Gethsemane scene. I'm so jealous! It was so good for him, though. Like I said, He is living the dream!

Other than that things have been pretty normal around here. I'll be posting about my birthday soon. But not today. For now, that's it!

Back to School

YIKES!!!

Yes, I am going to be going back to school as an on-campus student tomorrow for the first time in two years. Since Bryan and I got engaged, I have either been working or taking online classes. Needless to say, I'm not sure how well this is going to go over

Dear Wymount....

I decided that I was going to reminisce a little bit, seeing as Bryan and I will be moving out of our first apartment in two days... It's a little bittersweet...

Dear Wymount,

First off, I must say that this has been an interesting experience altogether. Although Bryan and I are gone to Bountiful a lot, I have loved calling you home. Thanks for being open when you were. We never expected a second floor apartment to treat us so well. It seems like we needed it, considering how loud and often we watch movies. Having no neighbors on the other side of the wall was nice.

Remember when Bryan was putting up all those shelves and woke up the baby next door during her nap? I guess it was the hard way of finding out where her room was. But it was still funny. Those first few months of putting up decorations and getting used to living in BYU housing was a little rough for me, but thanks for pulling through when you did.

Christmas was a fun time for me. Being able to decorate my own little house and have our little white tree in the corner where the orchid usually sits (sorry orchid, but Christmas tree comes first during December) was kinda special. Opening gifts and starting traditions together was fun and strange all at the same time. Who knew that we had so much in common.

I wanted to say sorry for not celebrating many holidays/birthdays here. But I do want to say thank you for being our clean, quiet haven when we got back from those mini-vacations. I don't think you realize how special you are.

I'll miss your rent price. I know that's selfish, but you're not half bad of a place. Some of the other apartments that are in close range of your rent are... Well... Dumps, to say the least. Thanks for not being trashy :) I mean that in the best way possible.

I could have done without those little black and red bugs in my bedroom during the summer months, but I deal with those if that means the AC unit is right next to my side of the bed.

In the end, I guess what I want to say is: Thanks for being home. Not just any home, but our home.

With All of My Love,

Kelsey

The Most Wonderful Weekend to Date! (A month late! hahaha!)

Thursday morning came, and we slept in. It was the most wonderful sleep in ever. I had new hair, I didn't have to work or even worry about work, and my best friend and I were leaving for our weekend getaway. I was so excited, I just wanted to leave! We packed the car, picked up my sunglasses from my hairdresser, and then drove!

We drove through the canyon. The camera was in the trunk, but I wished the entire drive that I had it. I hope to drive through there again. It was a perfect 78 degrees with the windows down. The river was full and the canyon was gorgeous. We listened to music and laughed and talked about what we might do when we got to our amazing hotel. I love my best friend. After all, he's the best :)

When we got to Park City, we had an hour to kill, so we got some Kneaders. I needed me a good cranberry-white chocolate chip cookie. (Don't hate until you eat one. You will change your mind. I promise). After lunch, we went to our hotel--The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Park City. Valet greeted me and they trolleyed our stuff down to our little suite. I already felt like a rockstar and we had been on vacation for 2 hours!

We settled in and I discovered my new love: the flatscreen in the bathroom.

Yes, I am in love. I told you. It's so convenient to be able to watch the news while you shower or do your hair. No need to shout to Bryan and ask, "What did they say??? It's going to HAIL??"
"No honey! That guy is going to JAIL!"
"Oh... I figured hail in August was weird..."




Anyway. Away from the randomness. We settled in and then sat by the pool, where the awesome people of the Waldorf continued to treat us like rockstars with food, drinks, and classical music poolside. Who knew vacations could be so awesome?


Then, my darling husband let me shop. I got dolled up, we got some dinner and he let me go! I didn't find much that first night, except for my new brown belt for our family pictures (A&F Outlet -- appprox. $15. Steal). I hid it, of course so I could find it later. Bryan laughed.


We called it an early night because of our Saturday adventures. I woke up to this outside on my balcony....

That was such a beautiful wakeup call to the amazing morning of Hot Air Ballooning.

Yes, I said it. And yes, we did it.

It was so serene and so beautiful. The 6 AM air made me feel so alive! We didn't get to fly over Park City because of the wind, but we drove about 20 minutes to Heber City and flew.

After that, Bryan surprised me with a theraputic massage and a mani/pedi appointment. It was so relaxing and it was exactly what I needed. The massuse discovered that the reason why I get pains in my right shoulder is because I've been holding babies on my right hip since I was ten--the curse that came with being a young aunt. She was absolutely amazing. And my manicurist was probably one of the sweetest girls ever! I really was spoiled. Bryan really does love me. And I love him desperately.

After that, we went out to dinner where I had the best burger I have ever had in my life! I don't know why, but that thing was DELICIOUS! There really are no words to describe the awesomeness that was this burger. It's times like these when I wish I had a better phone so I could have taken pictures of the amazing food we ate. We dined, we laughed, we walked. Me and my best friend.

Sunday morning, I woke up to the most beautiful bouquet of flowers I have ever seen. It was colorful like the morning sun and smelled amazing. Next to it was a book made by the love of my life. It was called, A Glimpse to Ever After: The Story of Our First Year. He's so sweet. I decided that making a book of our year would be a great way to archive our life together. He's awesome.

We cuddled and watched movies for the rest of the night. It was truly a relaxing weekend. The best weekend to date.

Oh, ps. I'm going to Katy Perry on Monday :)

So, this has never happened before!

You know that giveaway I talked about? The post just below this one?

Yeah.

I TOTALLY WON!!!

The color of the font--yeah. The color of my Undertease shirt.
For freeeeeee!
My shirt should be here any day now and I am so excited I CAN HARDLY HANDLE IT!!!

Also, I lovelovelove Ashley from i believe in unicorns.
She's just so awesome.

Is it creepy that I'm saying stuff like this about a person that I haven't met in real life???....
I feel like a creeper.
Just a little...

I think I may have a serious problem.

I entered another giveaway.
These Undertease shirts are just so awesome!
And you can never go wrong with a layering shirt!

And in other news...

I made it!

I did it. I tried out for community theater and I made the cast of AIDA!

Rehearsals started this last week and lemme tell ya... They're kickin' my TRASH! Our choreographer is a freakin' genius and he's having us do some amazing stuff. But I haven't danced like this in almost 3 years. Let's just say, I've been limping and been sore a lot!

I'll have to post about Bryan and I's anniversary trip some other time because I should really be doing homework.

Ooops! I did it again!

Not like Britney Spears.

But, I entered another giveaway on i believe in unicorns.

I couldn't help it!

If you know me, you know that I love me some BOWS!!!
And she's giving away a DANG CUTE ONE!
If I don't win it, I think I may turn around and try and make some of these myself
because they're so freaking gorgeous!
And a little bit pricey :/
Anyway, happy Tuesday!

Brain Function

It's totally at an all-time LOW right now.
Which isn't good.
I have a mid-term that I have to do before Thursday.
Why Thursday? You might ask. Aren't things due Saturday at midnight for your online courses?
Yes. They are.

I want to be done Thursday because on FRIDAY.

Bryan and I will be here:

The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Park City, UT!

Isn't it gorgeous????? Ohmygosh, I'm sooooo super excited! I can hardly contain it!!!

But then, I come back to my little dilemma.

I am now down to approx. 48 hours to get all my homework done, take a midterm, and make sure that work is in a spot where those boys (and now McCale) can function without me.

I wonder how they'll do...

I'm in love...

With Oakhurst Apartments :) lol

But really. Bryan and I have been apartment hunting for a little while, seeing as we live in BYU student housing currently and soon enough, we won't be BYU students anymore so we can't live here much longer....
We found a couple that we like. We saw one on Tuesday and their prices shot WAAYYYYY up. Yeah.
No bueno.
And all their fees and deposits and what-not are NON-REFUNDABLE!
Whaaaa?? Yeah.
L. A. M. E.

So... about $500 down the drain was pretty much out of the question.

When we first got to Oakhurst this morning, I wasn't too sure about it. But then she brought us to the "model home" apartment... And... I'm in love :)
It comes with storage, a porch, washer/dryer hookups, a HUGE bathroom, and a really good sized master bedroom. The second bedroom is pretty good sized as well, which means we may be getting another futon or a nice blow-up mattress for when people stay with us, that way they don't have to sleep in the living room. YE-YEAH!

Anyway. I am excited.
But, we're still considering just buying a condo.
I'll keep you posted.

ON THE Y!!!

I just love this pic.
Thought I'd share.
This is from when we went and hiked the Y in Provo.

Games People Play... :)

So, our dear friends the Haygoods and the lovely Brittanie came down to hang out with us!!!
I dearly love them.
They're fabulous. :)

Anyway, Tye introduced us to this new game called

THE GREAT DALMUTI!


It's super fun.
If you like Scum, it's like that... But on steroids.
Totally recommended :)

This card trumps all. THE GREAT DALMUTI CARD!

So, I don't normally do this...

I entered a giveaway on i believe in unicorns! They're for these ADORABLE tights! Check out the post here. There is a very likely chance that I won't win this one, but hey! It's worth a shot, right???

A much needed update.

Oh my HEAVENS.

It's been a while.
Can't you tell that I'm working full-time and taking 12 credits?!!!

Hi. I'm Kelsey. And I don't think I'll be making it to my 21st birthday.
Holy hannah!

Anyways, the last time I posted was, like, a MONTH ago!!! So, we must recap :)

My brother-in-law got married in March!! (woot-woot!) I wish I had pics, but facebook won't let you save images anymore :( boo.
But it was so beautiful! Leah--the blushing bride--asked me to do her hair and help her get in and out of her dress at the temple and for the reception. It was such an honor! I love this girl to DEATH! We are so similar, it's kind of awesome :) We did a traditional South African dance to introduce the wedding party, there was dancing, good treats... It was just all around a grand ol' party!

We had our FIRST Easter as a married couple this year, and my little sister came!!! It made me so happy to have Kylie here with us!

The Easter Bunny came a day early with our baskets... (She must have known we would be spending Sunday with Bryan's family **winks**)Bryan wanted the soccer ball, Kylie wanted a monkey, and I thought the little bumble bee's were too cute to resist. SO AWESOME! :)
I made us breakfast burritos Saturday morning and Kylie helped me set up my Skype. I felt so old trying to maneuver it. She was laughing at me half the time, I swear!
The afternoon rolled around and we took Kylie to the BYU vs. Colorado State Softball game!
It started totally pouring rain, but we had SO MUCH FUN! BYU dominated, so the game ended in the 5th inning. We curled up in our blankets, ate hotdogs and pretzels, and cheered on our Cougars! So fun!

AND IT GETS BETTER!

After the game, there was a meet-and-greet with the team! They handed out posters to everyone who came down to the clay and the team signed them.

Livin' the dream!!!

Then we went back to the apartment to color eggs! But we ran into a problem...
I didn't know that you needed vinegar for the egg dye. So, we ended up making faces :)

Then I started school. I'm taking 12 credits. Online. Again. You'd think I would have learned my lesson. Oh well... I have 2 A's, 2 B's, and 1 C so far (I'm working on that C. It needs to get higher!)

My nephew Tristin was blessed on May 1st. He's getting so big! It was also fun to see most of my family that weekend. I missed my mom and dad.

Eliza asked me to do her hair for her FIRST EVER PROM!!!! Her dress was amazing and she looked amazing! It was kinda fun watching her come down the stairs and seeing her date's reaction. His jaw basically dropped and he said, "Wow! You look amazing!" It was fun :)

Today was my first REAL day off in about 2 months. Every time I've had a day off from work, something was going on with the family; wedding, baby blessing, prom, blah blah blah... ANYWAY, Bryan and I went and hiked the Y --which is hard but SO FUN--but on the way down, it started POURING rain and we got SOAKED!!! It was pretty funny :) After getting home and cleaned up, we went to the mall for a bit and got me my 16-bar audition book (more on that later). Then we came home and I finished homework. It was a good day.

Tomorrow I will give my first lesson as a Relief Society teacher in my ward. I'm super excited! I've missed teaching! I'm a little nervous, but I know that the Lord will bless me and those that are in my class to have the Spirit and be inspired to teach one another.

I'm Stuck...

Today I was watching Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Because it's hilarious. And awesome. And it makes me feel all fuzzy inside. :)
Anyways, there is one part where Mahoney goes to Mr. Magorium and says that she wants to get a new job and she says that she feels "stuck."

I kinda feel the same way.
I think half of it is because I'm doing the same hum-drum stuff everyday.
But that doesn't help the feeling.

I have a feeling that school is going to help.

After Mr. Magorium leaves, Mahoney is talking to the Mutant and the Mutant tells her that she isn't "just a block of wood." (you have to see the movie to understand. it's awesome). He tells her that she just needs to believe in herself, just like she believed in Mr. Magorium. Then, magical things can happen!

I just need to believe in myself, just like I believe in my husband, God, and love!

It's just getting to that point that's the hard part...
:/

Slow Polk in the Fast Lane

So... I'm driving to work this morning
oh so merrily!
it was a good morning.
good talk with God,
good scriptures,
good stuff with school...
just good :)

HE-NEE-WAYS...

I'm driving to work and makin' good time
when this DUMP TRUCK gets in front of me!
Mind you, University pkwy is NOT a pleasant drive.

Now, I'm in the PASSING LANE.
aka, the "I don't want to get stuck behind slow freakin' trucks" lane!
He went 10 UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT!
Holy stink.
That was almost unbearable!
Until he turned left half way down Pkwy.

That was nice :)
Then I could continue with my cruising.
(at a safe speed and very carefully, of course)

I just figure, if the limit is 50 MPH--
I'M GOIN' 50 :)

Happyness :)

This is my day today and tomorrow.

I love my Heavenly Father!
I love my Savior!
I love the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson!
I love the Apostles!
I love the Gospel.

:)

Overwhelming.

It hit me today.
Like
REALLY hit me.
I will NEVER sing at or with BYU-Idaho again.

I got on facebook tonight like any other night and was browsing through the feed. I like having a facebook because I like knowing what's going on in people's lives and I like keeping in touch with my friends. So, I began scrolling:
Girls who were Beehives when I left Arizona are graduating,
Friends posted new "pregnant pictures"
Others were talking up Spring Break...

And then they started.
The status updates about TOMORROW.

Tomorrow is General Conference for my church.
Tomorrow, during the afternoon session, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will not be singing.
Instead...
Tomorrow, Brigham Young University-Idaho's Combined Conference Choir will be performing.
And I won't be.
Tomorrow, I will sit and look into the faces of so many of my friends and comrades that I have grown to love and respect in the Music Dept. perform sacred music for the biggest event semi-annually in the Church.
And I won't be with them.

I loved BYU-I. I had so many opportunities there that I never would have been able to have had I gone somewhere else. And now, quite frankly, I'm scared.
I'm scared that I may never perform again.
I'm scared that I may never be whole again.
I'm scared of losing my talents.

And I'm afraid that's where I'm headed.

Thoughts on Thursday

I can't sleep.
Lately, it's been a HUGE struggle trying to get the proper sleep that adults should get. I try to go to bed between 10 and midnight, but always end up tossing and turning for 1-2 hours. Then, I'll wake up every hour or so for about 15-45 minutes, tossing and turning, until my body finds a way to get back to sleep.
Then my alarm goes off at 7 am.
But I'm SO TIRED.
So, I try going back to sleep again.
Usually I will sleep until about 9 and then force myself to get out of bed.
But I'm still exhausted.
I've tried a few things; white noise, cooling the room, lavender spray... I'm actually terrified of taking sleeping pills, but I wonder if I should try.

Any suggestions?

Lovely

This weekend was a CRAZY weekend.
But so totally fun and worth it.

After Bryan and I got to Bountiful on Friday night, it felt like I went immediately to work. I had to bake chocolate cake cookies (cake batter, 2-3 eggs, 1/3 C of oil. Mix. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. That easy), chocolate chip cookies that I personally felt super embarrassed about how crappy they were, and a chocolate cake (that never got eaten) for Saturday.
Tylene came over and kept me company while I baked and started to lose my mind. I felt so worried about what the decorations were going to end up like.
My brother-in-law is getting married to probably one of the sweetest, cutest girls I have met! And... She's AFRICAN! Like, a LEGIT African! From Lesotho (The country in South Africa)!
Anyway, I wanted it to have a little African flair, but I felt like I didn't know where to start... So, I just started.
Cream tablecloth
Red Runner
Brown napkins and plates.
Raised platter.
Basotho hat? Of course
Little giraffes? Always
Little red pom poms? That'll tie it in.

I was very proud. I'll see if I can get the picture from my mother-in-law.
When my husband got back from setting up for the bachelor party, he looked at the table and said, "Oh, Grandma's done it again! She's so good with centerpieces!" at which my mother-in-law responded, "Uhhh no. That was your wife."
And do you know what he said???
He said, "REALLY?!!"
Yeah. He was surprised. I don't know exactly how I feel about his reaction, but I'll take it I guess....

Then Saturday morning came: The Lovely Day.
Leah went through the temple. It was such an awesome experience being with her. We had a few people walk up to us afterwards and tell us that they knew exactly who the groom was because of the smile that was on Matthew's face the WHOLE SESSION.
It was fun :)

The bridal shower was a HUGE success! I had a lot of people tell me how fun it was (which was the goal)! But, I have to give props to my awesome help Vee, Lou, Grandma, and Mom! :)

I stayed up way too late at the Bachelorette party, but it was still super fun :) But, because I was up so late, my voice was kinda scratchy when I sang in church on Sunday.

So, I need a little help

I'm in a wedding on March 26th.
I have to wear red jewelry.
And...
I CAN'T FIND ANY.

Got any ideas where I could find some? :) preferably some stud/small-ish earrings and a necklace (the longer, the better!)

Thanks.
Love you :)

Day 27 – Your favorite place

My favorite place? The temple.



This is Bryan and I the day we got married outside of the Mesa, Arizona temple where we were sealed together for time and all eternity.
I love the temple because it is a place that can give me peace. It is the house of God. I can worship and commune with Him. I can escape from a world filled with remorse and torment and take time to think and be close to the Spirit. It is a place of comfort and learning. A place that is sacred and special. I love it there, in the temple.

Day 26 – Your fears

I have one fear: Loss.

Now, you might say something like, "Well... That's not really a fear, is it? I mean, really."

But it's true.
I am afraid of loss.

Because when you lose something, your world crumbles a little bit.

My life has always been rocky, but rocks stay put.

What I'm trying to say is, if I lost one of my "rocks", I'd fall. And that scares me.

I'm afraid of losing my family.
I'm afraid of losing my husband.
I'm afraid of losing my pride.
I'm afraid of losing my dignity.
I'm afraid of losing my religion.
I'm afraid of losing my mind.
I'm afraid of loss.

Get me?

Day 25 – A first

A first.

Okay....

Ummmm...

The fact that I work at a sports store. THAT'S a first. I don't play soccer or lacrosse, I don't wrestle, and the last time I played volleyball was over years ago. Yeah, I'm a little lost, too...

Day 24 – Something that makes you cry

There are lots of things that make me cry.
I'm kind of a boob.
No, really. I cry A LOT.
My husband teases me about it, but I believe that there is nothing wrong with a good cry.

Anyway, something that makes me cry...

I cry the most often when I feel the Spirit touch my heart. When God tells me that something is true or when my testimony grows just a little bit more, tears fall from my eyes

I cry when I see someone I love suffer, and there's nothing I can do about it.

I cry during movies.

I cry when I listen to "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way" by LeAnn Rimes. I think I cry during this song because if Bryan ever left this earth without me, this song would perfectly personify how I would feel. When I have nightmares about Bryan dying (which for some reason happen a lot), this song plays in the background. (Yes, my dreams have background music. DON'T HATE!)

Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better

There isn't just one, so I'm going to make a list.
I like lists. :)

.kissing my hubby
.talking to my mom
.hugging my sisters
.bear-hugging my husband
.bawling while my husband holds me
.hanging out with my girlfriends
.eating cupcakes
.drinking fruity drinks (non-alcoholic OF COURSE!)
.praying
.reading a good book, including THE good book
.laughing
.watching a good movie
.eating a WHOLE bowl of popcorn (it's kinda gross, I know)
.baking
.doing my hair
.going for a walk
.playing with my nieces and nephews
.listening to music
.singing at the top of my lungs!
.playing the piano

Day 22 – Something that upsets you

WARNING: THIS POST IS A LITTLE GRAPHIC. IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, I SUGGEST SKIPPING THIS ONE... Love, Kelsey

I had my first REAL experience with this thing last night.
I didn't get any sleep.
That's not what I'm going to blog about, but that does upset me.

What I am going to tell you about is how my husband was dog sick.

It was about 6:30 when I got the text from my husband telling me that he had vomited twice. I got a little worried, of course, but it was just my luck that I ended up not getting home until an hour later :( He was laying on the couch, writhing. I got him some crackers, some Sprite, a bottle of Gatorade, and applesauce... He then continued to vomit almost an average of 3x an hour after that.
I called our friend Eliot twice in a frenzy, hoping he could come and give a blessing to him. I tried contacting our home teachers and friends from our ward, but they either didn't answer or I didn't have a phone number for them. I paced and paced. Then at about 10:30, Bryan said he wanted to try and go to sleep.
We said prayers together, then got into bed.
I couldn't fall asleep. Or, I guess, I wouldn't let myself fall asleep. I read a little, texted my mom, and waited--hoping that Eliot would call back.
After an hour, my phone rang.
"What's going on?" Eliot said into the phone. He knew something had to be wrong.
I told him what had happened and asked him to come give a priesthood blessing to Bryan. He said he would, and showed up with a friend to help administer at about 10 after midnight.
I had been bawling. Bryan had been vomiting more. I think he was up to 15 times when Eliot got there. The blessing he gave was simple, and I prayed as I sat and listened to the words said.
After they were finished, Eliot looked at me and asked if I needed one.
I did.
So, as he began to speak, I wouldn't let myself calm. But the Spirit told me to relax and listen to what he was saying. He told me that this would pass. That my love for my husband was strong. That I needed to be patient and understand the healing power of the atonement at this time. It was exactly what I needed to hear.
Eliot and Devin left.
We tried, going to sleep, but the night wasn't over yet.
After that, every hour at 10 til the hour, Bryan was in the bathroom.

What am I trying to get at?

What upset me is that my husband was suffering.
And there was nothing I could do about it.

I've felt this feeling before, but never to this degree do I recall ever feeling this much. I was scared. I was angry. All I could do was sit and watch and console, but not comfort.

It was hard. I'm just glad he was able to get some sleep this morning. Now I have to manage to find the energy to get through work today.

Day 21 – Another moment

I'm getting a new sister-in-law in less than 4 weeks!

The other night I was talking to her, planning her bridal shower, and I just felt like telling her how much we (my husbands family, my husband, and myself) all love her and appreciated her. It was a tender moment for both of us. She is so beautiful and smart and caring and has an awesome testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

I'm so excited to be able to call her my sister!

Leah, you rock :)

Day 20 – This month

This month is FEBRUARY! Full of love and movies! Two of my favorite things! :) lol
But really, I think that's pretty much what this month was for me.

Bryan makes movies. And I love making movies with him (although I've only done 2, it's still a BLAST).
Anyway, because of his passion for making films, we watch A LOT of movies! Which is fun for me! I love cuddling up on the couch with him and watching a good film.
So, because of the Golden Globes, SAG's, and Academy Awards, we've been doing research and watching films that have been nominated. It's been a BLAST!

And then there was Valentine's Day. This was technically our first because Bryan was out of town last year over the holiday. It was pretty special and SO much fun!

Day 19 – Something you regret

Well, here's the interesting thing:
I have no regrets.

Yeah, I look back at times in my life and think, "Wow. That was stupid."
But everything that has ever happened to me has helped me grow and become who I am.

So, I guess this is the end of this post. Maybe I'll do Day 20 right now...

Day 18 – Your favorite birthday

That's actually tough... The last few years, I've had pretty awesome birthdays. But I think this last one was my favorite.

Why?

Because I was completely happy all day. It felt like nothing could get on my nerves, and nothing did! It was all over, a GOOD day.

It started with waking up to "Happy Birthday" by The Ting Tings. I love this song because it's what is played at Shelley's party in The House Bunny (a favorite movie of "The Amigas"). Then, my sweet hubby had my gifts waiting for me in the living room! A bike and a new pair of DC's! I love them both. I wore my shoes that day :)

We ate breakfast and I went to work.

When I got there, my manager had gotten me a cake. It was SO AWESOME! I mean, what's better than a cookies n cream cake?! I don't know, but it made me feel all fuzzy inside. I shared it with all the guys. It was fun.

Then I got a call from Bryan saying that our good friend Andy was in Provo and he wanted to go to lunch for my birthday. He treated us to IN-N-Out burger. Again, just something that made me feel really happy--good times with good friends. Then I finished up at work and went home.

Bryan and I went on a bike ride to pass the time before we went to Chili's (my favorite) for dinner. I got wings and a salad and ate Bryan's mashed potatoes... It was delish :)

Then, we rented a film called Departures. I have to say that I think it's one of my new favorite movies and I wanted to find it and buy it.

Anyway, my birthday continued for the rest of the weekend. My sister and her family took us to dinner the next night and we watched a movie. Then on Saturday, I went shopping with her! My parents had sent me money and she got me a Kohl's giftcard and Kohl's cash. It was awesome.

Then, on Sunday, we had dinner at Bryan's parents house. My mother-in-law made me potatoes with hamburger gravy (so good!) and I got to spend time with the whole family! It was really special because it was my first birthday with my in-laws. They're so great.

All in all, GREAT birthday :)

Day 17 – Your favorite memory

Well... It's hard to think of just one.

But one of my favorites is when my husband told me he loved me for the first time.

We had already kinda jumped into our relationship. A week after we met, we were "official." But, like I tell everyone, it was just instant the friendship that we had. So, we didn't waste any time ;) lol

Anyway, he was dropping me off after a night of hanging out with our friends, but I felt a little distressed. The next day, he was going to the airport with all of our other friends to see THE EX-GIRLFRIEND come home from her mission.

Now, when I say she is "The Ex-Girlfriend", I mean, she and my husband dated before their missions, talked about getting married, the whole SHEBANG. So, I was a little worried. I mean, Bryan and I had only been dating about a month and so I was pretty much convinced that once he saw her that he was going to drop me like a hot plate and run. I felt like he probably wasn't that attached to me and with his past with this girl, he would just leave me behind. But, I really liked him. I wanted to date him and get to know him... But I was so intimidated.

Anyway, back to the story. He was dropping me off and I was just being quiet and not saying much because I was scared of what the next night was going to hold because in my mind, he was going to come to me and say, "I'm sorry this was so short, but I know that my feelings for (ex-girlfriend) are real." But, that didn't happen. While I was sitting there in my silence, fighting my tears, Bryan broke into me like he always does. He's very good at making me talk. So, I just went on about how I felt about him and how I was scared of what tomorrow held for our relationship.

At that moment, Bryan took my face in his hands and put my nose against his. "Kelsey," he said, "I want you to know that you don't have anything to worry about. You are amazing. And... I think..." (dramatic pause) "I think..." (Another pause) "I think that... I love you."

At that moment, everything swelled up inside me.

I looked up at him and didn't say anything at first, but then when I realized that all those feelings that were filling me were of joy and happiness, I told him "I love you, too."

Day 16 – Your first kiss

Oh wow.

This is an interesting and embarrassing story...

I was 14 years old. It was at my best friend's 15th birthday shindig. Nicole lives in the boonies--literally. The roads out there are all dirt. Anyway, so one of her neighbors was invited to the party and so she drove there in a little golf cart. We had all been in the front yard. It was nice weather, so we had been listening to music, jumping on the trampoline, and just having a ball!
Anyway, my "boyfriend", Miki (pronounced "Mikey") was invited (obviously! we were DATING!) So, we were enjoying the fun and hanging out, and I didn't want to stand anymore, so we had a seat in the golf cart with my friend Jessica. Next thing I knew, Miki and I were alone in the golf cart and in the yard. it literally came outta NOWHERE.
I looked up at Miki to see if he wanted to go inside and -- BAM! He laid one on me.
I remember leaning back after and just walking inside. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face so EVERYONE knew what had happened.

Day 15 – Your dreams

I don't have much when it comes to dreams. When I look back on my life to see if I have/had any, It seems like I'm more of a "Live for what I got" type of person. But I do have one dream that I know has never changed.

I want to be a mom.

As cliche as it is, I do! I feel like it's the most innate part of me, this feeling. I've always wanted to have kids, to raise them, and to help them find who they are as individuals. This is one thing that my husband tells me that he really loves about me. I'm not career driven, I'm family driven. Yes, if I have to work I want to do something that I love which is why I'm getting a degree, but I would much rather stay at home and be a homemaker/wife/mom. It seems so much more satisfying. To me, anyway.

I guess another dream (or I guess something I've always imagined doing but don't necessarily have the guts to get together) is being a performer. I love the arts so much and I've always loved singing and dancing and being in front of an audience. It's exhilarating and exciting and it just makes me happy.

Day 14 – What you wore today

Is there an echo in here? I feel like I just did this like 5 days ago... Oh, wait--I DID!

Anyway...

This morning I wore work out clothes for my Zumba routine. Tank top, jazz pants, and my Nike running shoes. They suggest trainers, but even with my employee discount at work, I don't have that kinda money for new trainers.

Then I showered and changed.
Wearing my black shirt with the gray wings on the back (this shirt is SO COOL)
Skinny jeans
Knee-high socks (Do not mock!)
And my old, beat up Vans.

time for work.

Day 13 – This week

Well... This week is like half over.

Yesterday was our first Valentine's Day. And I have the sweetest husband ever :) I love him so much.

I started off my day with Zumba (it ROCKED) and I gave Bryan his present. I got him a little card and a heart full of gummy treats! He was pretty happy for that :) Then, we went our seperate ways for work. About half way through my shift, a man carrying flowers and chocolates walked in and asked for me. I couldn't help but blush and smile when he handed them to me. The bouquet was gorgeous and the chocolates were amazing! And my cute hubby wrote me a sweet little note :)

I came home and he was doing homework. So, I blogged, watched Pride and Prejudice, and then got a little dolled up for that night.We went to the mall and wandered a little bit, just to pass the time. Then, Bryan took me to Panda Express! I was so excited because I've been CRAVING it for about 2 weeks now! Oh, I was happy :)

We took it home and ate it while we watched Social Network (my new favorite movie). It was perfect. I love him so much.

The rest of this week is just filled with work and more Zumba. But, amazingly, I do not work this weekend! ha ha! I'm super excited to just HAVE A WEEKEND!

Day 12 – What’s in your bag

Oh gosh.
My purse is like a train wreck! But, somehow, I can still find everything!

Right now in my purse there is:

my wallet
an old Forgotten Carols program
several old grocery lists
a couple of pens
two highlighters that don't work
some feminine things... (sorry to the boys)
chapstick
lip gloss
2 hand sanitizers -- one germ-x and one victoria's secret
a couple of old papers with random grocery lists and other "to-do" things written on them

Day 11 – Your siblings

I have a lot of siblings.
I'm #8 of 9 kids! It gets a little chaotic, but I wouldn't have it any other way :)
I love my siblings sooooooooo much.
They're pretty much awesome.

I have to talk about them from oldest to youngest, because... Well, that's just how it's always been in my family: Go in order, and you won't have any problems lol

#1 Dawn
I remember growing up knowing that Dawn was my big sister, but not really knowing her. It wasn't until the summer that my family moved to Arizona that I feel like I really got the opportunity to get to know her. When we moved to AZ, both my parents and Dawn and her husband were building houses. So, for about 3 months or so, we lived in the same rental house. Dawn and Derek had the master bedroom with their (at the time) 2 kids, my parents had one bedroom, and I shared a room with 3 of my other siblings as well as one bathroom. It was crazy, but I really did get so close to Dawn. Then, when all our houses were done, she only lived a 10 minute walk away, if even that. She is so awesome and kind and a good friend. She decorated my wedding, and I loved it! She is amazing!

#2 Daye
Daye was the first in our family to get married. She and her husband moved into a little duplex that was in our ward boundaries, so I spent a lot of time with her growing up. She and her husband would take Kylie and I to Chuck-E-Cheeses and let us have sleepovers... It was awesome. I learned that Daye is someone who always has your back, no matter what! She does everything she can to make you feel comfortable, and she gives one AWESOME haircut! She also decorates cakes! She really has a talent for crafty things (one of my many weaknesses).

#3 Aubrey
Aubrey is amazing. I got to know her really well when I went to college. I lived with her off and on during those 2 1/2 years. She is an amazing mom, a wonderful wife, a loyal friend, and one of the greatest big sisters ever. There are some days when I wish I could go back to just living in her basement. That way, I could keep being with her all the time. But, she's not too far away :)

Now, this is the point when I actually get to know my siblings while I was growing up! ;) lol

#4 Matthew
My big brother. He loves his family. He loves his Savior. He loves his God. He is extremely athletic and kind of a punk at times, but he knows where his heart lies. He has been beaten, battered, torn... But he has come back stronger than ever. I remember talking to him once. We were in his truck driving to church. He could see right through the face that I had on. As he shared with me some of his experiences, he just kept telling me to keep going, keep being better. He saved me that day.

#5 Emily
Emily is the most generous person I think I have ever known. She would give you the shirt of her back if you needed it. Literally. She's lent/given me clothes on several occasions. She is fun to be around. She loves kids. She loves her husband. She loves the gospel. And I love her. She always knew how to get me to talk or to make the right choice. There were times when I has having a rough time that she would come into my room, wrap her arms around me, push me against the wall, and stick her nose in my face until I talked or cried! And the thing is... I'm so grateful she did. She has always looked out for me.

#6 Adam
I'm pretty sure that Adam didn't start liking me until after he came home from his mission lol. I'm kidding. But it was after he came home from his mission that we realized how much we had in common and how good of friends we could be. He is a hard worker, a good friend, and an awesome dad :) He will fight to the death for what he knows to be right.

#7 Ian
Ian is my best friend. He and I were kinda outcasted together when we were growing up hahahaha. But, it created a friendship that I wouldn't give up for anything. I don't think he liked me much until I got into jr high, but nonetheless! We have had some awesome times together. He is wise and kind and very loyal. He's a good husband and dad. He has a simple yet powerful testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

#8 (that's me, so we'll skip that)

#9 Kylie
We have been stuck together since she was born and we found out she was a girl. Yep. We had matching outfits and everything up until I went to high school and got the guts to tell my mom that I didn't always like matching Kylie. But Kylie is a loyal friend. You can count on her to help you out of even the toughest of situations. She tries so hard to improve herself. She's talented, athletic, and beautiful (and single, if anyone knows of a cute, LDS guy for her ;) lol)

I have the best siblings. And that's that :)

Day 10 – Your belief

Well, the first thing that comes to mind that describes what I believe is a little song that I learned when I was in Primary:

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!
I know who I am!
I know God's Plan!
I'll follow him in faith!
I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll honor His name.
I'll do what is right!
I'll follow his light!
His truth I will proclaim!

It's probably the best song EVER. For real. It's pretty fun to sing.
Anyway, like the song says, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Or LDS. Or "Mormon"

What I believe is simple:
I know that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ. I know that they both love me infinitely and want me to return to their presence after my life on earth is over. I know that I came from my home in heaven to this earth because God has a plan for us; a plan I like to refer to as the Plan of Happiness because God made this plan for us to BE HAPPY. I know that by being baptized, I have been washed of my sins and have the opportunity to have the full fellowship of the Holy Ghost as my companion. I know that I can be forgiven of my sins and that I can keep myself unspotted from my sins. I know that FAMILIES ARE FOREVER. Through temple ordinances and sealings, families can be united NOT JUST TIL DEATH TO US PART, BUT FOREVER. I know that my family--that of my parents and siblings and my new family that Bryan and I have created--is forever and I am grateful for the sacred covenants I have made. I know that the Bible and Book of Mormon are the word of God and that there is a modern-day prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I love him and sustain him to be the messenger of God. I know that God still teaches us today through revelation. I know that the trials we face in this life are given to us because GOD KNOWS WE CAN MAKE IT! He knows our strengths, our weaknesses, our knowledge, our faults, and He would NEVER give us something that we couldn't handle.
I love my Father in Heaven and I pray every day that I will live a life worthy of His presence.

Day 09 – What you wore today

Brown shirt.
White longsleeve underneath.
Jeans.
Halloween socks.
Brown fuzzy boots.

Well, that was easy.

Day 08 – A moment

A moment...?
Really?
We couldn't be any more GENERAL?!!!

What does this MEAN?!!!!

Okay, I will just choose a moment and tell you about it.

When I took out my endowment and walked into the Celestial room for the first time... I knew at that moment what my heaven--God's heaven--was going to be like. I had worked so hard to be there. And when I walked in, the first person I saw was my (at that time) future eternal companion. Bryan smiled, came to me, and hugged me. That was the purest happiness I think I have ever felt. Then, there was my parents. After that, my siblings. And then, my in-laws and dear friends. Those are the relationships and the people that I want to be with forever. And, because of that day, I know I can be.

I know that God lives. That Jesus is the Christ. That through the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, all things are possible including eternal life and eternal families.

Day 07 – Your best friend

Well... I have 3 groups of best friends. I know. That's weird. But I do. All these girls I absolutely love, adore, and look up to.

The first, My College Besties
aka THE AMIGAS!


Amy and I met during my first semester of college. She was having a hard day in our PhysSci class and I could tell. So, I walked up to her and asked her if she wanted a hug. And then I invited her over to make brownies. It was a friendship made in heaven :)
So, Amy and I moved in to the same apartment together the next semester. We didn't meet our FHE group for about a month, but when we did, that's when we discovered Kiah. Again, it was basically instant. We asked her to hang out, we planned a triple date together, and it was awesome. Kiah became the third wheel of our cute pink tricycle :) (I like to think that it's pink).
In all of our time together, I have learned so much from them. They also have been my rock when I needed them. And, we do have a pretty good laugh :)

The second, My high school besties
I don't have a picture of all of us together, so I'll just talk about them. Nicole, Suzanne, Alex, and Roselyn.
Nicole was one of the first people that talked to me when I moved to Arizona. She was always nice and fun. A little quiet, but we broke through that ;) She is such a wonderful example. Even though I only heard her bear her testimony aloud twice,
I could always feel it in her actions. And now, she and her husband are sealed in the temple and she's a beautiful mother.
Roselyn was actually friends with Nicole in elementary school, so I met her through Nicole. She is so fun to be around! There were times when I connected with her in so many ways!
Alex was new. When I ran into her while she was getting a tour of our high school, I had the impulse to hug her. That was when I knew she was going to be one of the best friends I'll ever have.
Suzanne was new, too. I remember when we started hanging out with her, I thought, "She is so funny!" And she is. For real. I also knew that she loved the gospel. It just radiated.
They're amazing. Even when we weren't on the same page, we always found a way to pull through.

Third, My new friends :)

Almost everyone is in this picture. The first time I hung out with them was right after Bryan and I started dating. I felt really comfortable with them, which is hard to do when you're the newbie. I'm just grateful for them and just how awesome they all are. I have already learned so much for them and I've known them less than 2 years! I I feel so blessed!

Day 06 – Your day

Today was... Alright, actually.

My hubby and I slept in this morning. We're trying to get better at that. But, nonetheless, we take advantage of the fact that we don't have kids and we have flexible jobs and we got up at 9:45. Fabulous :)
I wore my purple shirt, jeans, and Vans. I felt like wearing purple because my socks had purple on them. It made me happy.
Then, I went to work. It was busy! We haven't been that busy for a while--it's our slow season. Got out pretty early, too. It was nice.

Day 05 – Your definition of love

Love is:

kind.
pure.
laughing.
innocent.
marriage.
waking up next to your best friend.
talking for hours about nothing.
being able to sit in silence.
holding hands.
giving.
kisses.
teasing.

everything.

Day 04 – What you ate today

What did I eat TODAY?!!!

Well, it's honestly doing to be what I ate YESTERDAY, because by the time I got home from my festivities, it was super late and I was a zombie.

Anyway, for breakfast, I totally WOLFED down a bowl of Berry Colossal Crunch! It was short, but I enjoyed every second.

While I was at work, I ate a couple of crackers to keep my stomach from screaming at me before lunch. And then, I had leftover pizza for lunch from the night before. Again, I WOLFED it because we were pretty busy at the store most of the day.

Then, Bryan and I went on a date with our friends Andy and Tye. We went to the Old Spaghetti Factory! I had never eaten there before, so I was pretty excited. I had a salad, sourdough bread, tortellini with alfredo sauce (soooo good!), and spamoni ice cream; chocolate, cherry, and pistachio. It was pretty freakin' delicious :)

Day 03 – Your parents

This is my mom and dad :) I love them very much.
They got married in the Oakland, California temple on March 22.
There is too much to say about them. So, to keep it simple, they're amazing and if it weren't for their persistence and constant prayers, I wouldn't be where I am today.

I love you, Mom and Dad.

Day 02 – Your first love

Musicals
As dumb as it sounds, it's true.
I would watch a Disney movie almost every day growing up, because I loved to sing all the songs.
A few distinct memories of my Disney song obsession:

1. I was watching Pocahontas. You know the song toward the end when she is racing through the forest and then makes it to the mountain top just in time to save John Smith from getting beheaded by her father? I remember running around the family room, singing with her, and then when she flung herself on John Smith, I flung myself onto the recliner and "protected" the pillow. Oh yeah. That's a true story



2. The Little Mermaid was my FAVORITE movie as a child. We had a porch in our backyard that was a square one, but it had this perfect little corner that I could pull myself up on. Well, that was my rock when I sang "Part of Your World." Especially when I sang the reprise and the "waves" of the "sea" would crash up behind me as I sang, "WOOOOOOOOORRRLLLDD!!!!" Yeah. Another true story.



Then I discovered REAL musicals. My parents had gotten the Special Edition 10 Year Anniversary concert of Les Miserables on VHS. I watched it twice in one day. Then, they got the cd. I hijacked it and kept it in my room. I did a little concert to my Beanie Babies one day when I was 9 years old and I sang "I Dreamed A Dream" to them. When I was in 6th grade, the choir sang "Castle on a Cloud." I didn't have to look at the music once. Yeah. I was a G. I would watch The Music Man with my dad ALL THE TIME and he would tell me stories of when he had helped choreograph for it when he was in high school. He was a rockstar to me :)

Day 01 – Introduce yourself with pictures and words

Hey-O!



My name is Kelsey.
My husband is Bryan.
And together... We make one dang cute couple ;)
I love him terribly. He's my best friend, greatest mentor, and better half. He's the best, to put it simply :)

Enough about my cute hubby.

I'm number 8 of 9 kids. I'm convinced my mother is a saint.


I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and PROUD OF IT! I love the gospel! I love my Savior, Jesus Christ! I love my Father in Heaven who blesses me INFINITELY!


I love music; singing makes me who I am. I also love to dance. It kinda makes me who I am. I love performing in every way. I did plays all growing up, I was in choir from the time I was 9 all through college, and I taught dance, took classes in school, attended at a studio, and was on the dance line all through high school. I hope that what I have is a healthy addiction to the stage.


Now, I'm just going to blabber a little bit about myself: I really like studying history--as in, biblical history. I took 2 years of Old Testament and wished there were more OT classes I could take. It's weird, I know. I really like food, but don't like eggplant. I'm half Latin (1/4 Puerto Rican, 1/4 Castillian), but no one believes me. I taught myself how to read. I hate math. I'm not as old as you think I am. Trust me. I tolerate my job, but I'm waiting patiently for the day when I can say, "I'm taking my maternity leave! FOREVER!" I really want kids. I love my husband. A lot. <3

50th POST! Wahoo!!!

So, for my 50th post... I'm cheating :) lol.
No, really though. I'm going to just post this super cool 30-day list thing that lots of other blogs are doing! It looks fun, so I thought I'd try it :)

Day 01 – Introduce yourself with pictures and words
Day 02 – Your first love

Day 03 – Your parents

Day 04 – What you ate today 

Day 05 – Your definition of love

Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend

Day 08 – A moment

Day 09 – What you wore today
Day 10 – Your beliefs 

Day 11 – Your siblings

Day 12 – What’s in your bag

Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory

Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret

Day 20 – This month

Day 21 – Another moment

Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better

Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place

Day 28 – Something that you miss

Day 29 – Your aspirations

Day 30 – One last moment

And now... we wait

I finished my BYU application. I got accepted to UVU on Monday, but as an out-of-state student. Apparently, I have to have my license and be a registered voter for at least 3 months.
I'll be making phone calls, come April. I'm not paying that much for tuition. That's a little absurd. Especially since I am technically a resident of Utah, but the school just makes you do more crap to qualify. I mean, I've lived here for over a year and I'm married to a resident. And, as a matter of fact, I have proof of BOTH of those--WHO KNEW?!
Ugh. But, it will be done soon enough. Just got to wait it out for a bit.
I think waiting on BYU for a fourth time, though, is going to be the death of me. I know that I want an education. It has been a goal of mine since I decided that I was going to college to actually FINISH with a Bachelor's degree. But, now that I'm here and now that I've seen how much my husband (quite frankly) despises this school... I don't know if I belong there. If anything, I could give it a try for a semester or 2 and then see if I want to leave.
But then again, I have a different personality than my sweet hubby does. I will probably love it.
Maybe.
It's just not exactly right for him.

Know what else we have to wait for? Moving.
Yes, we're pretty set on moving if I don't get into BYU. The apartment we've been looking at is pretty awesome. And it's right down the street from UVU, behind Wal-Mart, and is closer to my work with less crazy hills which means...! I get to ride my bike to work more often :) YAY FOR EXERCISE!

Know what else we have to wait on? Kids.
I had the strangest dream the other night. The only thing I can really remember from that dream is that Bryan and I were in a room together and he was angry at me. He was saying things like, "What are we going to do?!" and "It's too soon!" and "You lied to me!" Then, I lifted up my shirt and said, "Well, I can't really hide it anymore." I'm guessing that in the dream, I was about 16-20 weeks along because I had a nice little baby-bump.
The sad part is, when I woke up... I was so depressed that it wasn't real. That's the first time I've really felt "baby hungry." At that moment, and for a few minutes after, I wanted to be a mom.
I mean, I joke around with Bryan a lot. I'll tease him whenever babies come on the tv or whenever we see cute little kids running around at the store or when there's a baby blessed at church... But that moment was the first REAL moment that I've had where I just wanted a baby.
Weird.

Know what else we have to wait for? Bryan's W2's
We're worried that his old employers won't get them to us because of one's reputation for being late with EVERYTHING (including pay), and the other not having our new address. **sigh** Hopefully we get it...

I'm done for now.

I've never been a "New Year's Resolution" type of person

But this year, that's changing.

My sweet husband is a SUPER GOAL MAKER! No really. He is.
Anyway, so I decided that this year I would make a few goals that I know I can attain or at least get close to attaining. I read this talk not too long ago that was pretty awesome. It's called "Go For It!" by M. Russell Ballard. And... I loved it! It really put a new perspective on goal-making for me.
I always felt like if I made a goal, I was more likely to fail. I felt this way with almost every goal I made! (I'm super hard on myself; something I need to work on). But this talk that I read just helped me out so much!
Elder Ballard said that we need to make righteous goals that lift us up, but those goals also need to be ones that we know we can attain.
HA!
I needed it in simple terms to realize that I needed the confidence to attain those goals!
I'm retarded. Simply put.
Anyway, I made a few goals. And I'm hoping that I can attain them by the end of this year.