From Split Ends to Fresh Starts

It's outstanding how making subtle changes (or big changes) can give me a new fresh outlook on life. Something as simple as coloring my hair and trimming off some dry ends has turned me into a new woman. I wake up in the morning ready to tackle the day, starting with styling the mop on my head.

If there is something in your life that needs changing, embrace it. Sure, change can be scary but it can also be exhilarating and rewarding. Get rid of those "dry and damaged ends" in life that are dragging you down and start fresh.

Get that haircut, go after that new job, start that project, make that move, follow that dream. Big or small, positive change is healthy and essential to get where we're going.

xo Happy Monday

Fluming (it's a real word)

I'm craving crunchy leaves and combat boots but since it's still high 90 degree weather, I better pull back on the reins. So what's a girl to do? Keep doing summer shenanigans even though the majority of my friends and family are now in school mode? Meh, maybe. Perhaps it's time to hit up the pool alone and read a book, and in the process I can reminisce about the summer memories when times were slow and the livin' easy.

A reoccurring summer memory for me is lazy days spent at the flume. What is a flume, you ask? Well, it's about to get country up in here. The flume is a staple of summers spent in my hometown, in the lovely state of Idaho. It's where the canal goes across the road, and it's sketchy to say the least. The water is filthy and sometimes devil children stop in  the middle and gather moss from the water, then throw it over the flume wall on passing cars. When I was a teenager, there were boards above the flume so you could carefully walk back to go down again. It was quite the balancing act and if you fell, you would either hit metal bars and then fall back into the flume water, or I suppose you could fall off the flume altogether and take the thirty feet drop to the road. Since those days the boards started to go missing, nails grew rusty, so nowadays the kids get out of the canal, walk through a field and cross the road. Less exciting but much safer. The higher the canal water is, the more fun fluming is. That's because the water is faster so it pulls you through the flume at a quicker speed.

I have such fond memories of the flume. There were summers where Jace and I would rush to finish our work in the yard so we could spend the afternoon there. I would meet up with friends there, or cute boys. One summer night, my friends and I jumped in fully clothed. On another occasion, I had a moss/mud fight with a group of people and I swear I cleaned mud out of my ears for a month.

I'm glad I fit in some fluming with the family for the summer of 2013. If you want to experience fluming, let me know. I'll take you before fall really hits us.    

Truth Tuesday

• I am just mind-blown by this pretty area that surrounds me; this valley I call home. Sheesh, I'm blessed. We went to Bear Lake for Labor Day, even though it rained on and off all day, and Logan Canyon had me in awe with her beauty. Some of the trees are already in the beginning stages of changing colors, which makes me thrilled.

• September through December . . . it's my favorite section of the calendar. So happy September is here and I feel like it's going to bring plenty of good things with it. 

• Since I didn't work yesterday, I keep thinking today is Monday. But then I realize it's actually Tuesday. Tuesdays that feel like Mondays are one of my favorite things, because the weekend seems to come extra quickly. 

• Sometimes on long drives, I enjoy talking the lyrics to songs. Even better, whisper the lyrics to songs. It makes the most endearing love songs sound like they're coming from an obsessed stalker. 

• Should I be worried about myself since the two items at the top of my "Kelsey wants to buy shiz" list are kitty shoes and overalls? 

• Brian and I were talking about how we coped with our anger when we were younger. I used to chuck rocks at a stop sign. I think that's, like, against the law, probably.

• I finally saw Django Unchained. I was really disappointed. I think maybe I just had too high of hopes since everyone was all, "Oh gosh, best movie ever." And I know what you're thinking, "Oh, it was just too violent for you and you couldn't handle it." Nope. I'm just a girl who gets impressed by solid story lines with well-developed characters. The story line was, meh, alright. I felt no connection to the characters. On the bright side, at least I got to stare at Leo. Too bad it took a whole hour until his character was even introduced. 

• I don't own a brush. It's kind of a pain and I should maybe think about buying one. Or I could always shave my head because that would be a lot cheaper and save me tons of time.