My grandparents are two of the most adorable people you will ever meet,
(my grandpa taps on the glass with his spoon to get our attention :)
and they are both incredible individuals who I aspire to be like one day.


After they were married on June 23, 1959,
they spent the following two summers living here:

(My grandpa pointed out that if you look close enough,
you can see my grandmother on the top!)

This lookout tower is located at "Point Prominence" right above Cove, Oregon,
and is one of the few still in use today.

I have done a little research,
and have found a couple of options for me and my future husband,
(check this one out)
But more than anything, I would love to be a
"forest ranger" at this same place that my grandparents
spent during the summer of '59 & '60.

My grandma told me about all sorts of adventures
they had as newlyweds living in this tower,
but these were some of my favorites:
Since there is no running water, you shower in a waterfall,
You must stand on glass stools during lightning storms,
You have to crane buckets of water up to the top of the tower for cooking,
but best of all:
"You have a lot of time to read and love each other."

Sign me up.

First Kiss.

"For a kiss to be really good, you want it to mean something. You want it to be with someone you can't get enough of. Who you can't get out of your head, so that when your lips finally touch you feel it everywhere*... You can't cheat your first kiss. Trust me, you don't want to. Cause when you find that right person...its everything."
Grey's Anatomy.

*My first kiss wasn't exactly like that.
In fact, to be quite honest, it was kind-of the opposite.
February 9, 2005. That was my big day.
Me and anonymous were sitting on a power box in the dead of winter, turning blue from the ice-cold weather. And it didn't help our case, considering we were two awkward 15-year-olds with no previous experience, (except from what we had seen in the movies...)

When the kiss finally took place, my heart and common sense failed me. Instead of playing it cool or sly or even semi-collected, all I could mange was: "Wow."
And still to this day, I want to bury my face in a pillow when I think of that.
But then...
Then he whispered, "That's how I've felt about you all along."

And just so you know, this story doesn't have a happy ending. (He kissed somebody else - and not just anybody else - Mr. Love of My Life kissed the head cheerleader just three days later... Could he at least have waited a week?)

And yet at the same time I still think it was a perfect first kiss.

what was your first kiss like?

Peace.

After reading this
and seeing this
and then reading this...

I saw this:

...

(me too)

New York, I Love You.

"One of the things I love best about New York, everyone came from somewhere else."
*Best news of the summer: I get to go in ... 44 days!
(So this movie looks like the perfect thing for me to thing to go see)

The L Word.

The other day, as I was driving with my sister in the car, she said... the L-word.
(and it wasn't love)
In fact, to be quite honest, it triggered such disgust inside my heart, I knew I would eventually resort to writing a blog about that experience. And here it is.

The L word which I am referring to, (and which I hesitatingly type) is: legit.
The first time I heard this word was about a year or so ago... A boy who I was slightly infatuated with used it almost every other sentence. When this word first slipped out of his mouth, I thought "Hmm, how peculiar..." But he said it, and said it, and said it...and then he disappeared, and so did this word.

Now to my dismay, it's all over the place. I heard it in a movie, in a television show, read it in a magazine and many of my friends say it...but for some reason, when this atrocious non-word came out of my sisters mouth, a part of me died.
I hate that word.

Okay, okay... I realize this odd pet-peeve of mine may offend others, because many others may use it; but once upon a time when the term "sweet" began to be used,
(ie: "there's a party tonight!"
response: "sweet!")
I also vomited inside.
My major crush of the fifth grade would say "sweet" ALL the time. All of it. Therefore, this crush of mine had to end.... Years later though, I will admit, I have found myself to be okay with this word and its usage...and (gasp) I have said it as well.

But the word legit? No. I will never come around. I can't. I won't. I refuse and apologize to those who are "L word fans." But I detest the word more than most terrible things in life, like when people chew apples

*And on a slightly more disconcerting note, as she texted he last night, he used the phrase: "I'm sitting on the couch because I'm ty ty." (translation: tired).
I can no longer encourage that relationship.

What I {Hope} My Children Remember.

There is a rather lovely website called:
"1,001 Rules For My Unborn Son"
And as it says, "Lets get some things straight before I get old and uncool."

Thinking to myself, I realized that there are a lot of things I hope to get straight with my future kids; so thanks to inspiration, I have come up with a few things that I hope my kids remember too:

1. I hope they always remember that once upon a time, I was just a kid too.

(18 year old me. Proof.)

2. I hope that they love turkey and cheese sandwiches, because that is about one of the only things I can make exceptionally well.

3. Sorry to say kids, but job hunting will never be fun. Ever.

4. I hope to pass along something my mom always told me when I had a bad day: "Just try to do better tomorrow than you did the day before." That always stuck.

5. I hope I remember to pass on the lifelong wisdom of my dad, who would always tell me: "Kels, there will always seem to be someone more talented, or more beautiful, or more brilliant than you - but you must absolutely love yourself for whoever you are."

6.But most of all, I hope they have the honor of meeting my parents {their grandparents}, and remember that as old as they may seem, their grandma was once on the cover of a calendar and their grandpa was once the star of a basketball team.

7. I hope they know that as weird as my generations fashion may seem, it will indefinitely be back in style one day.

8. {I wasn't asked to my Junior Prom...and I survived.}

9. I hope they know wishes will always come true.

10. And although the list goes on, it seems 10 items to a list is mandatory. So "last but not least" I hope they remember to, "Honor the names that you bear, because some day you will have the privilege and the obligation of reporting to them (and to your Father in heaven) what you have done with their name."
~George Albert Smith.

And with that ladies and gentlemen, I am signing off.

My Kid Sister.

"My Sister & Me: Linked by volatile Love. Best friends who make other best friends, ever so slightly less best."
-patricia volk.
This is her:
(She is one of the most beautiful people you will meet).


This is my favorite video of her:
(She is one of the funniest people you will ever talk to).


This darling girl is my kid-sister Kenna.
You may all feel slightly jealous she isn't in your family...and I understand.
You should be.

Ken has an incredible love for life, and can even make my oh-so serious dad laugh til he cries. She has been through a lot, but has gotten through it with a smile on her face
at least when I'm not stealing her clothes.

Ever since were were little, I remember always wanting to be her best friend, and not just her bossy older sister - her personality draws everyone to her, which is probably why she was friends with more people in my grade during high school than I was.

Today I am lucky to have her not only as a sister, but as a best friend, a roommate, a shopping companion, on speed dial, and always around for a shoulder to cry on.
I couldn't have asked for a better sister.
Happy 18th Birthday Ken. I love you!

my new best friend.

I went to this movie the other night.
I absolutely adored it...

....

But mother nature stepped in, and ruined the last half.
Miserable, I went home and opened the cupboard to find relief;
Instead - I found my new best friend:
Why have I not known that there was such a blessed thing called, Midol PM?
Instead of laying in bed suffering, I was knocked out within three minutes.


I have never been so happy.

My Life In A Book.

That is my dream, to finish my 7Up Girl series....
and a definite goal to complete one of the
four books in the series this summer
(I guess we'll see how things go...)

But, this book isn't filled with sentences or paragraphs.
this book is dedicated to stuff.
-A picture of Ashley Olsen that I've had since I was 12
because I so desperately wanted her hair (and sometimes still do).
-Fortune's from fortune cookies.
-Old notes passed in class.
-The first email I received from a boy in the 8th Grade.
-A list of the reasons why I love my hometown, even though I
dreaded driving pass the rodeo every morning on my way to school.
-Old pictures that have been long forgotten, faded and torn.
-Advice to my future kids.
-My infinite play list
(rocket summer, beach boys, and john mayer among the many...)
-All-time favorite poems, quotes, talks, inspirations....
-And so on.

This is my summer project:

This is my life in a book.
Good Luck to me!

The Curse of the Vintage Dresses.

I have been cursed, and I never believed in such a thing,
but trust me - it is a curse. {before I get too ahead of myself,
let me back up for one moment...}

There is a darling vintage shop in downtown Salt Lake City called Decades; this is where my friends and I like to go visit when we have a free afternoon. Whether we have saved our paychecks to buy a few things, or just twirl around the dressing rooms as if we lived in 1954, Decades is our favorite place to shop.

During one of these visits, we ended up buying each of ourselves a dress, and as soon as we left the store, we ran into the nearest bathroom to change...but it wasn't long until we started noticing something strange was going on...

Without fail, (and this is NO exaggeration) every man above the age of 50 stopped to talk; they were the all the nicest old gentlemen, but they always, without fail, stopped to talk.
every.
single.
one.
Coincidence?
Maybe...

But just the other day, as I slipped into my adorable dress from 1949, every grandma I ran into (whether it was in the elevator, check-out line or bookstore) stopped to say how darling I would look with one of their grandsons who almost always went to MIT

So, my friends, I have come to the conclusion that there is a curse to these dresses (for lack of a better word), because it really is not a curse at all - in fact, we love it more than owning a magical pair of pants that somehow fit us all.

But there is one last thing....
I still believe there is one more part of the curse, and it is this:


I was born 50 years too late.

Dear Zac Efron,

My Gang.

We like to call ourselves the strawberry shortcake cupcake gang,
but it's just s.s.c.g. for short. Because we like to make friends, we would like you to join.
If you're interested in taking part in this, read on:

-First and foremost, there is only one rule: you must love strawberry shortcake cupcakes:
(But then again, who wouldn't?)


-Next comes initiation, because a gang wouldn't be a gang if there wasn't a prerequisite: FIVE Chinese fire drills in ONE night.

(It's actually a lot easier than one might think...)

-If you are able to complete all of the above, you will then take part in the candle/balloon ritual.
*the ritual is as follows: make a wish on both a balloon and a candle. it's that easy.

And last but certainly not least, you must participate in meetings down by the river bank.

*this is optional, for there may be some with no river bank nearby

Boys are allowed.
So are pets.


Join Today.

Forget-Me-Nots.

My darling, darling friend responded to my simple thought that forget-me-nots were just a lovely kind of flower.


Please read what she had to say here.


And read everything else she has to say, here:
{a new simple something!}
It's worth your while!!!

Thank you SHOKOOFEH! It made my day :)

{PS.}
The reason I love these flowers oh-so-much, is because of the old Disney Fairy Tale, Thumbelina. If you have seen the movie, you will know why.


Until next time, have a splendid weekend*

The Adventures of Kelsie and Kylie.

We've been on a few adventures since Mr. Gardner's tenth grade Algebra class, but the latest one?
Kylie has fallen in love.

After meeting the "merchandise boy" at a recent concert, (and mind you, he is a Michael Cera look-a-like) we exchange a few words, a few laughs, and out of the blue he hands Kylie a piece of paper containing his name, so she can look him up on Facebook...(oh what would we do in a world without social networking?)


Because of this blessed event,
what did we do?

We have an honorary picnic celebrating this piece of paper - located next to the skittles

Our picnic included:
Hugs and Kisses.
Peanut Butter MnMs.
Starbursts.
Baked Potatoes from Wendys.
&
(Two) Chickens from WalMart.

Is there any better way to celebrate the beginning of love,
than by eating a calorie-infested midnight snack?

I think not.

Au revoir. Sholem. Tschüss. Faka'au a. So long, farewell...

I wasn't built for goodbyes.

I have given goodbyes many times.
Goodbye after a date.
Goodbye after get-togethers.
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye...
But what I am talking about is a real, honest to goodness - "I won't see you for a long time" - goodbye.

Goodbye to my best friend Betsy, when I moved in the sixth grade.
Goodbye to my high school sweetheart as we headed off to college three thousand miles apart.
Goodbye to my friends who did the same.
Goodbye to my missionaries who have left for all around the world.
Goodbye to my white house with black shutters.
Goodbye to my childhood.
Soon enough, goodbye to my adolescence.
But most recently, goodbye to my parents who have moved to New Zealand.

Charles M. Shulz and I think alike.
"Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos..."
Because I wasn't built for goodbyes.