Sara and I went on a fall-esque picnic a few weeks ago, carrying our grocery bags of candy in one arm, and our knitted sweaters over the other. The sun was warm enough as we ate too many Oreos, and the yellow leaves fell perfectly into our laps. So we caught up on the past two months in only two hours, and it was reaffirmed without needing to be said: we will always be kindred spirits.

ryan lochte and michael phelps in vegas.

 

Our weekend in Vegas was a weekend well-spent. Cirque du Soleil was insane, (if you aren't a Beatles fan, this will convert you... Blackbird has to be a new favorite.) Eating at Senor Frogs deserves an entire post - like I was an 18 year old on Spring Break, (plus the food was amazing!) And sitting by the poolside watching Michael (Max) and Ryan (Austin) re-play the summer Olympics (Ashley and I being score keepers) we really had a blast. We napped, we ate, we dressed up, we talked for hours about politics (Romney'12) and walked around Louis Vuitton, as if we could afford the $410 sunglasses -- we forgot about home and and just had fun with our friends. We could travel anywhere in the world, but that's always good enough for me.

And lets just be honest: the best part about Vegas is the water show in front of the Bellagio.

(PS. Unbroken = Ended up being one of my favorite summer reads. Louis Zamperini's story is unreal.)

wedding - friends

I really liked what Brittany quoted on her blog the other day, because it fits so perfectly well with the way I feel: You can never make new old friends.

I've talked about them before, and I'll talk about them again. Most of these people knew me and Max before we even dated. Most of these people heard about our first date (six years ago) the day after it happened, or were there to witness it themselves. They were the ones taking me to Wendys the night Max left on his mission, so I would eat a frosty instead of cry. They were there the day he got home, when I was so nervous I really almost threw up.

Words will never be enough for how grateful I am for this group of friends, because in so many ways, I am so much of me because of them. Their influence and example, their jokes, and their quirks, their secrets and their stories. Letting me feel and be a part of an amazing group of people.

Walking out of the temple and seeing the familiar and happy faces of so many extraordinary friends, made everything about our wedding day even better.

our time capsule.

Three years ago I talked about a time capsule we buried. I referred to it as a treasure box, something that held my most favorite memories. And just a few weeks ago, we finally opened it – the five year marker had come.

Opening that box, sitting on the high school bleachers, with the two best friends I had buried it with years ago, was nostalgic and bittersweet in a thousand ways. I could list the hundreds of memories it brought back, mostly all the things it made us miss, but that would take too much time. It was enough, though, to make me feel 17 again.

We had buried our first cell phones, old wallets, corsages and our 2007 graduation glasses and tassels. I had forgotten about the high school mixtapes, msn conversations (don’t judge us for printing those), matching Hollister boxer shorts (you can judge us for that. I would too.) and passed notes. But what I found most special, out of all the memories I had wanted to place in that box, was a letter I had written to myself five years ago.

Truth be told, I was actually amazed at how insightful this letter was, considering I was just graduating high school at the time I wrote it. I had written a list of what I had expected out of myself, what I hoped I'd do in those five years, what I hoped would be different and the same. Although I won’t write all of it down, I will treasure that letter almost as much as the treasure box itself.

As we finished going through our pile of memories, laughing and even gasping at some of the final things we found, I guess what I really felt the most was this sense of time that has passed. I felt it. Those five years have come and gone. Five years spent in so many ways. So much has changed, so much has remained the same – mostly though, so much has happened; so many “clever twists” as Kylie would say, and that has brought both heartache and joy. Endings and beginnings. (I’d like to add, all for the best, too.)

Opening our time capsule five years after it was buried was memorable in every way that it could be. We laid in the grass for a little while afterward, talking about our treasures and as I looked up at the stars, all I wanted to do was pause time. I sometimes forget how fast it flies by, but things like a time capsule certainly remind you.

Soon enough we plan on meeting again to bury another treasure chest. As I’ve been looking around for what I’d like to put in the time capsule this time, I have felt overwhelmingly grateful to be in my skin. To be me. That wasn’t something I’d expect to feel, but I’m sure glad I do.

--
photos:
//the time capsule buried in 07 
//our first cell phones
//homecoming corsage 
//kylie's love (clever twist: then and now)
//mr. clause is actually max! 
//sara's first boyfriend.. and our forever favorite friend mr. lewis.
//sweet sara, who looks like elton john. 
//the letter.

sara and kylie (and alissa if she were here!)

I had three sleepovers in a row (which would explain my bloodshot eyes this Monday morning,) and somewhere between the muddy buddy chex mix, listing the pros and cons of attending our five year high school reunion, and using the paper towels to dry our eyes with; I realized how grateful I am for friends who make life a whole lot better when life is great,

and a whole lot easier, when life isn't so easy.

2011/2012

I will always be grateful for 2011. Sometimes I can hardly believe that 2010 was just the year before last, because so much has changed. We kid around, but we often make the joke that this year we were forced to grow up. I kind of think it's true.

I am grateful for a year that brought so much change, even for the parts that weren't perfectly perfect or what I was planning on (at the very least...) Because seeing my best friend after two years, and petting kangaroos and koalas with two parents who became more like two best friends was worth all the up and downs in between. Learning more of who I
thinkbelieve I am through friends, family, school, chances and opportunities (missed or taken) and understanding life better by bike riding and forgetting our cares, or sitting with those same friends realizing that life just got so much bigger than ourselves... and then knowing that although any of it may not get any easier from this point onward, it definitely gets more and more rewarding, and I only become more and more grateful.

I am most excited for 2012, though. I have been for a few reasons, but I decided that if the world is going to end anyway next December 21st (just like it was last May 15th?), I better make the most of it.

So cheers to a wonderful and magnificent, exciting, imperfect but perfect and happy year! And cheers to another 365 days beginning... now.

run-on sentences only because i'm so happy.

This week the stars will align because I will have been able to see every single person in the picture above.
And a few others, too.

The best thing about having old friends is the way old friends know everything about you. They know you only eat turkey and cheese sandwiches plain, they know you listen to your music too loud and about that time when someone found Sara's sock in Mr. Call's class. They know you kissed like a fish and wore boxers with leggings to midnight movies (that's truly depressing to think I thought it was cute) -- They know you by your big hair or long stories and the way everyone seemed to be in love with the other at some point in time. It's because life is only better and growing up isn't as hard, and memories from way back when are even sweeter because with them, you get to remind yourself that the relationships that last (despite the odds of growing up) are equivalent to the stars aligning. Or at least they are to me.

In a very nutshell way of saying things: I can't even begin to say how grateful I am for these friends. Friends in their sweats and face masks and retainers, underneath piles of blankets asleep on the cuddle couch. Friends in their Sunday best, all trying a little harder to be a little better. Friends who make you laugh or cry because you're laughing too hard, and friends who know what you're thinking five seconds before you do.

But most of all, I can't even (literally: can't even) begin to say how excited I am to see my very best friend: the kindred spirit of all kindred spirits, (thanks to an assigned seating arrangement in our English class six years ago) who comes home tomorrow night after two years away.

Gosh, I think I'm so happy my heart is about to burst.

to my utmost kindred spirit:

Sometimes I wonder if I should turn this blog into the adventures of Kelsie and Kylie, because that's what most of it is. Kylie has been my best friend since we were fifteen years old, and I'm pretty sure we knew each other before that in heaven. I think we promised to find each other here on earth just so we could get through life together -- because lets be honest: sometimes life is hard.

Kylie shares her personal experience here, but after the month of April this past year, I think we became more like adopted twin sisters. We sat in bed for weeks, crying, laughing, crying even more - wearing our pajamas and only eating Cracker Barrel fried chicken. (we joke about it now - but confession: that month we both had Cracker Barrel on speed dial).

Even though I've always considered Kylie one of the closest friends I've ever had over the past seven years, the past seven months we've become even closer. Saying things like "Cody," "a lot can happen in a day," or "bullet points" all mean something, but probably only to the two of us. We kick each other underneath the table when we know we're both thinking the same thing, or plan our weekend dates around the other so we don't go more than 48 hours without at least a diet coke run together.

And I know growing up means things change, because I've seen a lot of that this past year. But I also know that growing up in my and Kylie's case only means another 365 days of friendship. So with all that (and so much more) -- let me just say I love Kylie like a sister and couldn't be any more grateful for a kindred spirit like her. Her 22nd (take 2) year of life will surely be the best - because lets be honest: we'll be the best of friends for all of it.

mission impossible: krispy kremes.

I know I say it so often, but this time I really found my kindred spirits.



Sargent
Dr. Ross
Lieutenant
Agent 89
Caroline
Heaps

And we're all off to Hollywood. I'll be sure to write a postcard.

as is tradition...

Summer 2011. from Kelsie Christensen on Vimeo.

Another summer documentary.
Here's to: thelma and eleanor, (their new bff luna!), wesley's timeless advice - naturally shared at cafe west, utah lake, the river bank, ray charles, fireworks, emails, penpals, and sunshine.

--

And I'll miss it. Just like I do every single time school starts again.

check.

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement, the greater part of life is sunshine. -Thomas Jefferson

Really couldn't have said it any better myself.

will defend the silver lining.

Last night Kylie and I had a late Birthday celebration with lunch pails, sparklers, bubble gum and diet cokes. We sat in our usual spot and talked about what we usually do, like how life rarely ever goes according to plan. But something I can count on is friendship. She is one of the only people I can have a conversation with, without saying anything at all.


After hitting a bucket on the freeway the other day (never-ending road construction, thank you) I took my car in to get an estimate of how much it would cost to be repaired; the sweetest old man came out to take a look at it, and surprised me when he said, "For you, it's free!" Even when I insisted on paying him something, he refused. I went home and wrote the first thank you card I had in a while, and I felt so grateful I couldn't even find the right words I wanted to say.


And I'm sunburned. Sometimes I hate it when that happens because people like to tell you that you're red, but this time I don't mind because it means I had a summer day yesterday, and I don't have too many of those left.


So a combination of mosquito bites, early mornings and feeling blessed sums up most of this week. And even though it's almost the end of summer, I'm not that sad.
At least not when John Mayer comes on the radio.

TGFT

Thelma and Eleanor made a new friend before I left (a blue beach cruiser Sara so perfectly named Luna), and right now that is the only thing that makes me feel okay about having to leave New Zealand in the next little while. I didn't think that I'd be that sad to go, but I have a feeling I just might.

I have so (so, so, so) so many adventures that I want to write about, (like):
-The night I finally tried vegemite (it's awful)
-Gold Class Theaters. Watching a movie on a lazy boy recliner (seriously) and they serve you MnM's in a champagne glass? Why, thank you for changing my life.
-The fact that the pizza here is worth living for (not kidding). I have a new unhealthy addiction for pizza.
-The New Zealand International Film Festival. That deserves an entire post of its own.
-The fish market - which almost made me sick to my stomach. So many (ginormous) fish (on steroids).
-The cutest friends I've been able to make... I once believed the nicest people lived in Hawaii, but I changed my mind: they're in NZ.
-And going on the worlds best date (with yes, a boy who has an accent) traveling around to things like little quaint towns and the most beautiful beach I've ever seen... If I die tomorrow, I have lived a full life.

But I plan on writing more about all of that soon enough. In the meantime though: TGFT. Or in other words, Thank goodness for Thelma (and the friends at home who I miss oh so much!)
Because oh my, I will miss it here too.

PS.
Please listen to this song. He's kind of a big deal down here, and he should be at home too. #Love.

i could die happy here.

I've mentioned Dear Lizzie before, but today was especially special. Chocolate cupcakes, recounting our Fourth of July events, drinking dizzy fizzy lizzies (or something like that?), eating turkey and cheese, and forcing ourselves to memorize this song (almost got it!) - we spent most of our time admiring the food and our surroundings rather than eating our lunches.

And speaking of the fourth...
Kylie and I were able to cross off several more items on our "summer to-do list" - but that deserves it's own post, and I plan on saving that for three special people next time.