Truth Tuesday

Here's an amateur sketch, by yours truly . . .

•  Does anyone else have such issues at work? I was freezing today in my studio. I'm seriously considering packing my snuggie for tomorrow. Opposite problem in the winter. Logan is typically a frozen tundra during the winter months. You put on all the layers you can to protect yourself. You wear the thickest socks you own. And sweaters. You must wear warm sweaters. So in the winter, I go to work dressed to protect myself against a blizzard, only to get in the VFX studio and have it feel much like an Easy Bake Oven. Pretty soon, I'm mopping up a pile of my sweat with the sweater on my back. And yes, my very impressive art is also very dramatic. I feel I must clarify that I actually do not sit in the studio naked. The walls are glass and my coworkers can see inside, so that would be mighty awkward. Also, that was supposed to be a fan in my hand but it very much resembles a tulip . . . or something. 

• I full-fledged bawled for myself a total of three times last week. That's a lot. I do cry pretty easily but usually not for myself. I guess I'm afraid of being a wuss (oh, the irony!). I was so sick with allergies on top of my sinus infection and I had just HAD it. I was sick of being sick! Typically when I get sick, it only lasts a few days before my body fights it off and bounces back. This time, however, I was a pathetic sick person. I kept trying to do all the things I regularly do as well, and I think it set me back even more. So yeah, I felt like I was wandering through a dark abyss all last week. I took naps every day (I'm not a napper), my exercise was at a bare minimum (I need exercise every day to stay sane), and I wanted to act out violently to just about anyone who crossed my path. So yeah, not a happy week. I went back to the doctor and got some new antibiotics, and this week is off to a much better start. You don't have to worry about me killing you in a fit of rage after all.

• I absolutely love to create! I've found it's even more of a joy to create things with my husband. One day maybe we will create a baby, but for now we will stick to things like patio furniture. Brian built a sectional for our deck! I showed him a picture of something I liked and he just got out the tools and whipped it up! I even helped sand and stain. I also made the cushions for said furniture. It ended up being a really rewarding and fun project to work on together. Also, we saved tons of cash! Outdoor furniture is so expensive. It was much cheaper just to do everything ourselves, and it really didn't take up too much of our time. Since finishing the furniture, we've eaten dinner out on the deck almost every night. I'm also constantly camped on the new furniture, writing and reading. I'm out here right now typing up this silly blog post! 

• A few weeks ago, I had a dream that I forgot to celebrate the Fourth of July. I woke up in a serious panic. If you know me, you know I'm a holiday freak. Also, July Fourth is one of my favorites. I most definitely went out and bought an American flag shirt the day after my nightmare. 

• Father's Day came and went! My dad is the most difficult person to buy gifts for, mainly because he doesn't ever want anything. So like a six year old, this year I made him a candy poster. I knew he would get a kick out of it and I also knew he would for sure eat the candy bars. 

Well, I'm off to see Jurassic World. I haven't seen it yet because, I'll be honest, by the previews I thought it was going to be totally stupid. But according to ticket sales and the reviews people are giving it, I was totally wrong. My bad! I'm glad I was wrong though. I mean, the original Jurassic Park is such a classic.

Peace XO

A Mom Who Plays

Last week, my mom and sisters came to town and went swimming with me after I was finished with my work day. I love hanging out with them. My sisters and I still fight sometimes, but they are becoming some of my very best friends. 

After getting to the pool, we found a grassy area to camp out and chow down on some melted Chick-fil-a cookies. After the cookies were devoured and our hands were somewhat smeared with chocolate, we all hopped in the cool, refreshing water of the pool.

I've seen so many articles floating around the internet lately about how moms should get in the water and play with their kids and stop worrying about what they look like in their bathing suit. It's such a weird concept to me that some women are so self-conscious that they stop themselves from having fun. My heart breaks for women who deal with these body issues or insecurities. I mean, we're all human. We all have insecurities with our bodies time and time again (at least I know I do). I mean, swimsuits sort of fit my body weird. Let's be honest. Swimsuit tops don't always fit so well when you have broad football-player shoulders paired with the world's flattest chest. But you know what? It's fine. I've come to realize the only person who notices that is me. People have other things, more important things, to be concerned with than what I look like in my swimsuit. And so I swim.  

I think the biggest reason the whole "Moms Get in the Pool" phenomenon is foreign to me is because of the mom who raised me.

My mom. Oh my gosh. She is so much fun. She's the first one in the pool. She's the first one to try anything that seems the least bit intimidating. Growing up, my dad worked a lot and wouldn't always be able to go on vacations. That didn't stop my fearless mom though. She would plan the vacations and take her four kids on adventures by herself. She will take her ranger on joy rides through the mountains, zooming up rocky terrain or speeding through mud puddles. 

I'm sure my mom has insecurities, or has had moments where she feels she's not good enough or not pretty enough (we all do), but those are not the moments I've been exposed to. I believe I grew up not thinking about what I looked like in my swimsuit because I grew up with a mom who never spoke aloud of what she thought about herself in a swimsuit. Rather, I grew up with a mom who swam and played in a swimsuit. 

One day, when I become a mother myself, I hope that I can teach my children to play and explore and learn and laugh, like my own mother taught me. I hope I can teach them to have confidence in themselves. I hope I can teach them that they are capable of doing anything they set their minds to. I hope I can teach them to be kind (oh, how I hope they will always be kind). I hope I can teach them to contribute good to the world, making it a better place for those around them.

And I know the only way I can teach my own children any of this is by showing them. I need to be a mom who plays, a mom who explores, a mom who never wants to stop learning, a mom who believes in myself, a mom who believes in others. The best way to teach them will be by example, just as my mom taught me. 

I'm so thankful to have a mom who plays (and a mother-in-law too, you should see that woman on the slopes).

And I'm so glad I snapped these photos on my waterproof camera. We look pretty happy with wet hair and makeup-free faces. I'm looking forward to more summer days filled with playing. 

Sunday Best: Summer Vibes

dress: Ross, hat: Roolee Boutique, sandals: Head Over Heels

About a month ago, I went to Ross looking for some cheap and cute flower pots. But alas, whenever one walks through the doors of Ross, they often exit with items they had no intent of purchasing. This is the story of how I got this dress. It was just hanging there on the end of a rack, begging me to take it home. I imagined myself wearing it to the farmers' market as I ran my hands across the light and cool fabric. I reached for the price tag and turned it over. Seven dollars, you say? Sold. 

I didn't even try it on before leaving the place. I do wish it came floor-length rather than ankle-length (slightly awkward), but you get what you pay for I suppose. I can't complain. I plan on wearing this hippie dress quite a lot this summer, paired with a hat and some comfortable sandals. For this outfit post, I accessorized with what Brian calls my "adventure hat". Everyone needs to go on an adventure every now and again, am I right? 

Just a random sidenote: Brian took these photos of me in the heat of the day, so pay no attention to the brightness and the glistening of my sweaty face. Summer is here to stay for a while, folks!  

Sunday Best: Glorified Loungewear

shirt: Old Navy, joggers: Smith's Market, sandals: Delias, heart sunglasses: American Eagle 

Oh, hey! A bunch of pictures of me wearing clothes! 

I'm really happy about the fact that joggers are so fashionable right now, because they are basically just glorified pajama pants. Except I can't wear my pajamas to work. I mean, maybe I could. After all, I'm on the radio. You can hear me but you can't see me. But still, I try to keep it semi profesh (that's totally a real word). This past week though, I really struggled when it came to getting myself ready. As many of you probably know due to your running noses and itchy eyes, it's allergy season. And the fun thing about allergy season is that I'm allergic to allergy medicine. Thanks body, you are hilarious. Also, I've been battling a sinus infection for the past two weeks. I even went to the doctor. The doctor! That's a big deal because I have a great phobia of doctors and hospitals. I avoid them at all costs. And I'm on an antibiotic. An antibiotic! I can't remember the last time I was on an antibiotic. Probably grade school? Maybe? Mom? 

So yeah, I don't want to be like, a Debbie Downer . . . but I've been kinda miserable. Especially because I despise being sick. I mean, who in their right mind likes being sick? I'm not good at resting. At all. So I've continued to go to work, do yard work, exercise (or attempt to) during this weird illness and by doing all these things, I think I've stopped myself from getting better sooner. Maybe one day I'll learn my lesson. 

I wore this outfit midweek. Nothing like my favorite floral joggers and a top knot to kick a sinus infection in the rear. Best of luck to all of you fighting off allergies. Take some extra Benadryl for me since I can't (okay, don't really take extra).

And a sidenote: I really do have a major case of wanderlust just as my shirt professes. Ever since getting back from Thailand, I just want to go on more exciting trips. One day I might get Thailand documented on the blog. One day . . . 

Different Flavors

A few weeks ago, I was feeling so over the internet. Everywhere I turned in the world of social media, there just seemed to be meanness, bitterness, bullying and arrogance. I am the type of person who really absorbs the energy of others too, so I try to be really careful about not only who I'm chilling with in person, but also about who is filling up my feed on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter. When I see someone on Facebook complaining a lot or posting really angry things, I've found there is nothing wrong with hiding their posts from my wall. I don't need their negative energy in my life. It's just silly.

I recently even thought about deleting my social media accounts, taking a hiatus, but then I thought, "No Kelsey, don't let the negative and angry people win. Don't let them rule the internet." So there's that. I'm still here, trying to send a little sliver of my own love and optimism into this (sometimes vicious) world wide web. That's the thing, while there are a lot of meanies on the internet, I also see a lot of love and goodness being spread around by people, and I adore that. But dude, the bullying and shaming has got to stop. It's crazy to me how cruel people will be when they can hide behind a computer or phone screen. The sad part is, I think a lot of bullies have built their confidence up so much while hiding behind a screen, that the bullying is even coming across in face-to-face interaction.

After deciding to stay on social media, I had to take a step back and look at myself. What kind of material was I posting on my own accounts? Could I be more positive? Was I being the bully sometimes? The answer to both of those questions is: yes. The thing is, we all get passionate about certain topics and we all want to believe that the way we do things is best. Maybe the way I do things is best for me, but I need to realize that it's not going to be best for everyone (and that's totally cool). I'm LDS. Being religious makes me feel happy and whole. Are my beliefs going to make everyone happy? Probably not. I'm an avid runner. If you don't run, does that make you stupid? No, that idea is stupid. I love animals and could play with them all day. If you don't like animals or you are allergic, does that automatically make you a jerk? No. I got married young. Should everyone get married young? Of course not.

I'm hearing talk all the time of being more "open-minded". The truth is, we live in a society where no one is truly open-minded. We don't know how to respect the opinions and lifestyles of others. We are turning into a people so concerned with being heard and respected that we are forgetting to listen and be respectful. Someone can live a different lifestyle than me and be happy. More so, someone can live a different lifestyle than me and be a super good person.

I really love ice cream. Like, I really love it. I love it so much that we even had Cold Stone Creamery at our wedding. My very favorite flavor at Cold Stone is Chocolate Devotion (chocolate freak over here). It's chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce, chocolate shavings, and brownie mixed in. YUM. Do I think every single person needs to order Chocolate Devotion just because it's my favorite? No! There are a lot of people who are not going to love eating that much chocolate. I get that. But it's still my favorite and it makes me the happiest. Sure, there are other flavors I like but there's nothing that hits the palate quite like Chocolate Devotion. On one occasion, I had a friend tell me how great Birthday Cake Remix was. I NEEDED to order it. Well, I try my best to be open-minded so I gave Birthday Cake Remix a shot. It was just okay. With every bite of cake batter though, I found myself wishing it was chocolate-flavored. So I didn't love Birthday Cake Remix. Guess what? I'm still friends with the girl who does love it. And she loves me even though I have an unhealthy obsession with chocolate.

 I realize that religious beliefs, political opinions and lifestyle choices are much more complex than ice cream flavors. But you know what's never complex? Kindness. We need more of that. We need less people worried about being right and more people worried about being kind.

I recently met another girl who was my same age (24). She didn't seem very happy with life, at least not to me, but maybe I was wrong. Who am I to judge? I was trying to be friendly, asking her questions about herself. In return, she was sort of rude. The only thing she asked me was this, "So you're only 24? Isn't that a little young to be married?" I really wanted to be snarky back and say, "Aren't you a little old to not have a job and be living with your parents still?" But I didn't say that . . . because I'm trying to practice this thing called choosing kindness. So I just smiled and said, "Yeah, I'm pretty young, but I'm also really happy."

It's amazing that you can go into an ice cream parlor and choose from a variety of flavors and toppings to make exactly what it is you are craving. Pick your flavor and enjoy it. Stop letting it melt away all over your filthy hand while you're busy judging what others choose to put in their own cone (or cup, because I'm not a huge ice cream cone fan).

Waffle-filled Weekend

Do you ever get just the silliest notions in your head of random things you want to accomplish before you die? One of my many silly notions that I've never been able to let go of is that I wanted an orange cat, male preferred, and I would name him Waffles.

On Saturday morning, Brian and I both woke up craving waffles. But being the lazy millennials we are, we refused to prepare our own waffles. Therefore, we got dressed and took the motorcycle over to our new favorite local spot, The Waffle Iron. I went with a sweet waffle and Brian went with savory. We shared a little.

A while after consuming our gourmet waffles, we decided to wander on over to Petsmart to check out the adoptable cats. We've been doing this lately, toying with the idea of getting a second cat if we just so happened to meet the right one. Well, on Saturday the stars aligned because there were adoptable KITTENS. And there was the most adorable, playful, clumsy, ORANGE, MALE one. I looked into his sweet green eyes and then turned to look at Brian. That's when we both whispered in voices of utmost reverence, "Waffles . . ." 

We then held him and played with him for a bit and it was settled. This cat was my silly notion coming true. He was meant to be Waffles Weller. And of course, I'm telling my side of the story here because it's the only side I know, but I think Brian was even more excited about taking Waffles home than I was. He grew up his whole life thinking he didn't care for cats. He's making up for his lost childhood of being surrounded by evil barn cats. Anyway, I filled out the paperwork and Brian shopped around for some toys and kitten food. Just like that, Waffles was ours.

If you are in the Cache Valley area and ever see the cats at Petsmart, they are actually cats rescued by an organization called Four Paws Rescue. This is the same organization that we adopted Munch (our dog) from. I can't say enough good things about Four Paws. They care about the animals so much. They're a no-kill shelter and they do their very best to get all their animals foster parents. This way the animals can flourish and be around other pets and people before going to their forever homes. I highly recommend adopting from Four Paws if you are searching for a pup or cat to love on.

It's only been a few days and Waffles is already right at home. He's a social thing. He also hasn't developed his coordination very much yet. That whole idea that cats always land on their feet? Yeah, I don't think that's true with kittens. Luna, our firstborn cat, had a much more difficult time adjusting to Waffles being on her turf. But hey, we didn't even warn her. We just came home with a new cat that just so happens to attack her tail 24/7, so I can't blame her for being a little prissy over it. We've basically rocked her whole world. The first day she basically just followed him around and hissed at his butt, but I'm happy to say she is now back to her normal self. The two of them have started playing together and even cuddling. Luna also tries to bathe him when she gets a chance (such a good big sister).

So . . . we are officially the creeps that have more animals living with us than people. My friends are all having babies right now. Me? I adopt cats. You can't leave a baby home alone or expect it to use the litter box. Cats are easy stuff.