I can’t think of a more excellent time to write a love letter than during this time of year. I’d never want to get married in December, (snow is a good friend of mine, but definitely not a welcome guest at my reception) but I do feel like if I were to ever fall madly in love, or at least spend time being in love, I would like it to take place during the holidays.

And as I mentioned before, the Little Big Book of Love finally arrived. The whole thing is darling. “Forgiveness Breakfast” recipes (strawberry crepes and champagne), poetry from the likes of mr. ee cummings (you know the author already has my attention) - and everything else is just pure wonderfulness, that I have gone through the entire book every single night since it arrived on my doorstep.

However, the most romantic thing to me was the letter this book included from Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams, while he was serving in the Revolutionary War. In fact, she wrote this particular letter two days before Christmas, on December 23, 1782.

My Dearest Friend,
Should I draw you the picture of my heart, it would be what I hope you still would Love; though it contained nothing new, the early possession you obtained there, and the absolute power you have ever maintained over it, leaves not the smallest space unoccupied. I look back to the early days of our acquaintance and Friendship, as to the days of Love and Innocence, and with an indescribable pleasure I have seen near a score of years roll over our heads, with an affection heightened and improved by time -- nor have the dreary years of absence in the smallest degree effaced from my mind the image of the dear untitled man to whom I gave my heart.


How beautiful is that? "Should I draw you the picture of my heart," or "The image of the dear untitled man to whom I gave my heart," - Snap. I love it. In fact I love it so much that I may/may not have had to send this exact same letter to somebody else just because I thought it was one of the most romantic things in the world.

And speaking of love, has anyone seen the Disney movie Tangled?
I loved it. And I cried.

living in thanksgiving.

Gratitude turns a meal into a feast and drudgery into delight. It softens our grief and heightens our pleasure. It turns the simple and common into the memorable and transcendent...Living in thanksgiving daily is a habit that will enrich our lives and the lives of those we love.
-Elder Wirthlin, "Live in Thanksgiving Daily"

My thankful Thanksgiving post I've been so excited to share.
Here I shall go:

Friends, family and most especially faith.

And I know I brag about the first two items on the list quite often,
but it's simply because I happen to have the most beautiful and incredible girlfriends,
And funny, strange, out of control boy-friends, (who like to talk just as much as girlfriends).

I have a family that loves, supports, and helps me become better each and every day.
Parents who, (believe it or not!) keep me up way past my bedtime just so we can talk on the phone at night about life 2,000 miles apart from each other.
I have a sister whose become an incredible young woman over the past year; and as we've grown up, the more we've doubled up on the time we spend talking and talking (and talking) about our joys and heartaches.

And finally, the first two wouldn't mean nearly as much to me if it wasn't for what I believe. That God does live, and that He is a loving Heavenly Father who perfectly knows and loves each and every one of His children.

Have I (or will I) ever win the lottery?
No.
Will I ever own that Anthropologie dress I've been vying for the past two weeks?
Never.
Am I insanely brilliant? Or is college graduation still taking forever and a half to complete?
It's taking forever and a half to complete.

But I do believe I have all that matters most in life, and that makes me so, so very grateful.
So, with that being said,
Happy Thanksgiving.

the day i missed the school bus.

Sara and I met my first day of Jr. High. It was the first time I had ever gone to a school that didn't require knee socks and plaid skirts, and the first time I ever sat in a classroom that held more than 10 students.

I was transferring to a public school halfway through the school year, and I still remember how nervous I was that morning. It's as if I can still feel the butterflies floating around in my stomach when I imagine myself walking down those hallways for the very first time. Fourteen years old, shy, scrawny, and at the epitome of my glorious awkward stage, truthfully, I was a social disaster. It was a miracle I made any friends that year at all.

But now enter: Sara Ann Reed

Sara and I sat at the same lunch table that first day of school. In the following weeks, we were usually surrounded by the same group of girls who would whisper to each other near our lockers waiting for the final bell to ring; but for whatever reason, Sara and I rarely spoke to each other. Sara says she used to refer to me as the "scarf girl" who wore scarves all the time, and to be honest Sara, I remember you were the girl who would trade her lunch with others and I thought that was just gross (haha - just kidding).

But then one day after school,
after we had both missed the bus,
and as we both stood awkwardly waiting by the vending machines for our parents to arrive,
we finally started talking.
I don't remember what exactly took place during that conversation,
but it must have been something special
because wouldn't ya know -
I made a friend that day who would end up being a best friend for many years to come.

I could write for hours and hours about this girl, (and by the looks of it I basically have) but there's a reason why and it extends beyond the fact that she's become one of the dearest friends I'll ever have. Sara is truly lovely inside and out. She is happy when I'm happy, and sad when I'm sad - and that has always meant a lot to me. She happens to be the sweetest girl whose ever walked the planet, and I do believe this is partly why half of Utah loves her, (and why every boy Kylie and I ever dated secretly loved her too. True story.)

Sophomore year,
7up girl notebooks,
Our matching sweaters,
Rooming together in the cell-block-like dorms our freshman year of college,
It seems like some of my happiest memories include this young lady.

So in honor of her birthday, I have written an entire novel (which will make up for the lack of a birthday post last year, something she never lets me live down :)

But let it be known:
Sara Ann Reed is my best friend,
and she has been ever since we were 14.
She's as beautiful, and as radiant as ever -
But now she's 22.
She deserves the best birthday ever,
And you can bet your bottom dollar we'll still be celebrating her birthday 22 years from now too.

Good thing we both missed the bus.

snowflakes fall.

Seeing all those snowflakes fall, it's like a swarm of white butterflies in the sky.
- Victor Hugo in Les Miserables

Considering Thanksgiving holiday begins this week,
I'd like snow to come pay a permanent visit.
Today, tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that -
all the way until New Years, please.

wingardium leviosa!

I'm definitely not the most attractive one of the bunch,
but clearly, Harry Potter has me hooked.
(I was the only one who drew a scar - which signifies my dedication to the series).

Although I'm just reading book 2,
and the movie last night made little sense,
(since when did Malfoy take sides with Voldemort!)
I still felt like one among the many life-long Harry Potter fans.

And even when the people waiting in line would ask me questions about things I didn't know,
(like: can you believe Alaster Moody dies in this movie?)
My first thought was, who is this you speak of?
But instead, I would just smile and wave my straw wand and reply,
Wingardium leviosa!

So even though I've only been a Harry Potter fan for a week,
(and this probably goes without saying)
I want to go to Hogwarts and become a wizard,
I want a Nimbus 2000,
and I think that little elf Dobby is so cute I just might cry.

business as usual.

If you and I, (whoever the imaginative you may be) were to sit next to each other at a bus stop this very moment, and start talking about the weather, and (if you're a student) our majors, we'd probably also discuss the following:

1. Zac Efron is so cute.

2. I told a friend that the beautiful sunset last night meant that we were going to win the basketball game. (Naturally, he didn't believe me - but I said if BYU won, I would dedicate a blog post to it. So here it is Wesley dearest: I was right.)

3. Speaking of BYU...You are a funny school. Reading the editorial section this morning in the Daily Universe about "the sanctity of marriage" - and reading a letter to the editor from someone who met his beautiful wife within a week of getting home off his mission, ended up getting engaged 3 weeks later, and after 11 months of marriage, he's found success in life with a wife whose now pregnant with twins...well, this just reminded me that although grateful to attend such a great school, (hey - at least we have Jimmer) I will never cease to find some of your quirks...well, really strange.

4. I've admitted it before, but I like to argue. And maybe argue is the wrong word, but I like to debate just about anything... and I mean anything. Whoever I marry one day will probably reconsider our marriage once or twice because of this inherited trait (yep dad, I got it from you) but truthfully, I can debate for hours. I even had a few good arguments accumulating in my head just while reading the editorial section of the newspaper this morning, (reference back to #3) - it just happens.

5. I'm now onto the second book: Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets. Surprise, surprise, I love it. And yes, I have voiced several times, (even to a lady at the post office) "I really don't know why it's taken me so long to start reading these!" -- now if only my HP friend wasn't living in Japan, I'd hug him and kiss him and thank him a million times over for those books.

6. I have specifically planned an hour every day this week to reading whatever I want. No text books, no school work, I just turn off my cellular device and I sit and I read. I think heaven will be me reading by a fireplace all day, every day, with a handful of peppermint sticks.

7. Candide (Voltaire) = Best book ever, I promise.

8. Skip.

9. I've used the phrase je ne sais quoi three times this past week within casual conversation, (once to myself) -- and I've gotta say, I will always regret not sticking with French. And piano. But you can be sure that the day before I die, I will be a French speaking, piano playing woman. Mais oui.

10. "Kelsie Christensen...BYU Daily News...Provo..." - just say it to yourself out loud, three times, and tell me if it was not meant to be?

And then, at the close of our conversation, I would tell you to go onto YouTube and watch this video once you got home... and it's not just any video, but it's one of those Christmas-feel-good-yes-you-might-just-cry kind of videos.

And yes, I know Thanksgiving is another week away, and yes, we have another month to go til Christmas, but my holiday season started November 1st.

Cheers to the most wonderful time of the year!

the treasure map.

I had to fight a pirate to get a hold of this treasure map...
Okay, not really.

It only took a Sunday afternoon to complete this,
but whoever thinks New York City and L.A. are the only exciting places to live, simply just haven't created a treasure map of their own hometown.

Key to Treasure Map:
SSCG = Strawberry shortcake cupcake gang hideout. Navajo Indians once lived there. This is also where "The Shire" can be found.
Hobbitville = They may be little, but they sure know how to fight. Bring pepper spray, just in case.
"Kings Rock" - Discovered once by Louis and Clark, we re-discovered it this past summer on a hike through the mountains. Best view of the U.C. -- and best when bringing a fall picnic (including a thermos of hot chocolate and an ipod).
Maple Lake - Legend has it that Merlin still lives here. If you want to fall in love, bring a raft and a date, and the odds will most certainly be in your favor, (trust me on this one).
Kong Kones at Maceys - Will cheer you up 100% of the time.
Haunted elevator - Downtown P-town. Includes flickering lights, rickety sliding doors and all the works. Just be aware of the office workers...
Cafe West - Best when you tell the cashier your name is "Wes" when ordering 99 cent fries and ice cream. Glorious.
The Wishing Fountain - Been in use since 2006. Every wish I've ever made there has always come true.
Nickel City - Although I'm not a fan of arcades, Nickel City has a machine that predicts the future. Seriously...I think we spent $10 dollars worth in nickles, just so everyone could find out their future spouse.
Muse Cafe - Monday night, open mic night. This is the only cultural experience you can find in Provo, and it's always a pretty good show.
Sweet Tooth Fairy - And now ladies and gentlemen, you've hit the jackpot.

The list of "treasured items and places" goes on, and on, and on...
but if there's anything I've learned in the past few years,
it's that usually the funnest things only take a few good friends and a good imagination.

HP

I've never read Harry Potter.
Not even a page.

A friend (who thought I was crazy) tried to convince me every day that I was missing one of the greatest gifts mankind had to offer. I still remember getting texts at three in the morning saying something along the lines of "I can't stop reading..." But basically my Harry Potter knowledge comes down to this: Voldemort is bad. Harry Potter is good. And Hermione is way, way cute, at least in the movies. But I, for whatever reason, was never interested.

Later on, this same HP obsessed friend even went so far as to go and buy a second set of all 7 books in the series, just so I could have my own copies and finally get around to reading "what I had always been missing,"
But that was last summer,
and I'm afraid the unopened books have only gathered dust on my shelves.

However...
For whatever, out of the ordinary reason,
I've decided that with an open agenda this weekend,
I am going to finally begin book one: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
So even though I'm twelve years too late,
is it too late to start?


PS.
My cute little sis (and only little sis) - so in other words, my favorite little sis Kenna wanted me to pass this on to all those interested: If you're anywhere near the University Mall this next weekend in Orem, Utah, mention her name if you happen to stop by American Eagle, and you can get an additional 20% off your AE purchase!

I forget Christmas shopping is right around the corner...
Stress.

Gap.

A lot of my friends think GAP is plain and unoriginal,
but I think their 2010 Winter Lookbook proves them all wrong.
All these photos are so, so pretty.
And I'm falling in love with sequins left and right.

What do you think?
Where are some of your favorite places to shop?

life is for sharing.

i've cried tears of happiness twice this past week.
i'm on a roll.
as i stalked cute blogs in my broadcast lab this morning,
i stumbled onto this video
and the last 30 seconds of it made me cry.

why exactly?
i'm not sure.
maybe it just put things into perspective --
lately i've become so absorbed with the uncertainty of "planning my future,"
that after watching only two minutes of this video,
i was reminded again of what is most important.

life is meant to be shared,
and that is something (despite whatever the future holds)
i can always be certain of.

twinkle lights and such.

no matter the occasion,
the cupcake tree always makes everything look absolutely charming.
and when we added the twinkle lights, candles and homemade party hats,
i imagined that if i was little again,
that's exactly what my tea party would have looked like too.

why must the weekend always end?

perfect english autumnal days.

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it.
-George Elliot

I'm not sure if ee cummings has anything written about autumn, or else I would most certainly take the time to mention it now -
but I think George Elliot still put it nicely.

And isn't that photo gorgeous?
If only I didn't burn everything I cooked,
I'd make an apple pie this weekend.

(Ask my mom one day about the time I tried to make a grilled cheese sandwich - If only putting cheese and bread into a toaster were all it took)

Maybe I'll stick with hot chocolate for now.

Wishing you all "one of those perfect English autumnal days."
-P.D. James can take credit for that.

photo

little big books.

the little big book of love,

the little big book for brides,
even the little big book of christmas.

i found out yesterday that i adore the little big books.
so i bought three.

best present to myself in a long time.

birds of a feather flock together.

(kylie haws is no stranger on this blog,
and i'm pretty sure that whenever i refer to "we"
most people already know that the "we" refers to kylie and me)

So Kylie Haws turns 22 today,
and I love her so.
After 7 years of friendship,
I can't think of anyone I would have rather had around for
everything from Sadie Hawkins to Sara's wedding reception.
I could list thousands and thousands of memories,
but in short, all I have to say is this:
Kylie is my kindred spirit,
or as she puts it, my b.f.f.a.e.a.e.
This means we'll be friends forever.
And ever, and ever.
And ever.

(and let's be honest kylie, we still miss birthdays in mr. call's class -
hence, the video premiere.)


Birthday Day in Class. from Kelsie Christensen on Vimeo.
for whatever reason, we were camera shy that day.

Happy birthday girlfriend.