My relationship to the Man with the Glorious Mane

There is a rumor going around that I really like men with long hair. Hahaha... just kidding, it's a known fact that I couldn't deny if I even tried. But why would I try? I really do! Hi, I'm Chelyse and I like men with long hair. Kinda long, really long, mostly short but not, curly long, wavy long, straight long. I often find myself doing double-takes when the guy isn't even close enough to really see his face! I have a problem... but I'm quite certain it's one I have no intention of getting over :o) But... there is a limit. That's what this post is about. I have had several occurrences lately that have made me analyze this attraction of mine as of late. There are more than a few people who wonder at how I could possibly be attracted to every long-haired man that passes into my field of vision. Well... here goes.

Let me start by saying that I'm not at all opposed to men having short hair. I'm quite perfectly content to date men with short hair, so long as it's long enough to put my fingers through. There are plenty of men who pull off short hair perfectly fine...and do. Some celebs that are easy to picture, with both long and short hair, are Matthew McConaughey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Ashton Kutcher, Taylor Laughtner, Johnny Depp, that Jonas Brother, and David Beckham to name only a very few. I have to say though that in every case they look better with longer hair. With the only exception being (in my opinion) Taylor Lautner with his Twilight long hair... I think it looks like a wig.

First things first, a handsome man is obviously fantastic... but a handsome man with long hair... is way more attractive (haha, it doesn't hurt him to have incredible eyes too) Facial features make all the difference to me when it really comes down to it... it cannot be just the hair. This one is a gem!


As I was saying, a man with long hair... even great long hair, isn't for sure going to be attractive... though I am going to admire his hair... without question. His face could cancel him out in attractiveness quicker than anything. The thing is too, often times guys don't take care of their hair and it ends up looking mangy and disastrous. Because of that, I think that on some level I associate a man with good hair to be a man who takes care of himself. If his hair is beautiful he probably puts some quite reasonable effort into the rest of himself too. Otherwise it would be long, but not nice looking. Even if he's not particularly gorgeous, it's great when anybody tries to look the best they can, and I do like that.
















Mom doesn't get it. She says, "How come you like men who look feminine? No, no, no, that's not it at all! There are plenty of men in this world who have long hair and they succeed in not looking feminine, it's more like a lion with a massive mane to me. How is a mane femine? It says something about being wild, free, uninhibited, and strength in the way he sees himself. There is definitely a difference between handsome manly long hair like his...


And men with long hair, who look like women. Not that I would say that Andrej Pejic isn't beautiful in his own right... just beautiful like a woman. I think he's fascinating, and delightful, but not attractive per se. His face is just too... feminine. That being said, I know of a certain cute blond girl in Texas with a stronger jawline than his, so maybe that's a bad example. She's probably just not quite as "northern European" as Andrej. This was the most manly picture of him I could find, but I think it illustrates my point... femine... not attractive as a 'man with long hair'



Some men look awesome with wild long hair... and it's a particular favorite of mine. I know, he as a person is not a favorite for a lot of people, but I think he looks Awesome... especially in this movie. Also, I really dig his accent and attitude. I know, I know, call me crazy for it, but I'm SO ok with that.


Some men look perfectly delectable even when they put their long hair up so it looks weird... (like I said, the hair just makes it better) I like when guys get it out of the way in any way other than a ponytail. Just because that ruins it so much. And Zac Efron, I mean, I have always favored the dark hair with blue eyes combo even in short hair so how could I resist this boy with longer hair? He's another one that could do no wrong with it.


So, yes, I do like men with long hair... I think I always have. I'm certain I always will. But, I must say... there are some men with long hair that should really just... not. Really. I know, surprising coming from me... but let's be realistic. Some guys want to jump on the long hair bandwagon because it's hot right now, or because puts the finishing touch on the particular look they want, or it's easier not to get a haircut, or it puts them outside the 'box' of social norms (haha... no it doesn't) or whatever their reason is. A couple words to them. Know your limits. PLEASE. Some guys are not cut out for long hair... I've known a few who have grown it because I make no secret of how much I like it, and I have to just say... it's not for everyone... not even hott everyone. Take this guy for instance... handsome, definitely. But whoa, his hair is completely killing his look. He would look a hundred thousand times better with short hair. Someone should tell him. I would...


Another one, and back to the idea of grooming playing a role in having great hair and whatnot. Dreadlocks. I'm gonna look, and I'm probably going to like too. But from a distance. A guy with amazing dreads is someone whose hair I'll admire, and I will secretly wish he would take me away to the drum circle on the full moon. Really though, in an everyday practical kind of way, I only like it because of the lifestyle full of carefree abandon that it represents to me. There is a part of me that is full-blown hippie and loves the colors swirling to the sound of bongo drums... so love it. But, I know it can't possibly smell good, and it can't possbly be anything reminiscent of soft, silky, and touchable. Oh, and don't ask me to touch it. It does not matter how unbelieveably beautiful the man is... I won't do it. I just like the idea of them... in my mind... that's all.


Along those same lines, when a good thing becomes a bad thing, there's too much of it. I know a guy with absolutely A-Ma-Zing hair. His hair fairly rivaled the best I'd ever seen. And I always told him so. Everyone did. He was obviously told he had amazing long hair a few too many times... and it went to his head. :o) He let it grow and grow and grow until he was always wearing it in a ponytail because that was the only way it was out of his face and maneageable. He liked the attention, but stopped giving it to his hair. The ponytails and lack of general care gave him really bad split ends. The gorgeous and coveted mane of gold became ratty and disheveled looking. The change in his hair totally changed his whole look from youthful and comparable to a greek god, to old and strangely awkward looking. That isn't even to mention how a constant ponytail kills the beautiful natural wave in hair. Ah well, beauty fades, such is life. So keep in mind, men with gorgeous long hair,... too much is too much and can just ruin the whole thing...


And those are my thoughts on the fabulous phenomenon of the maned man.

A Dream Come True

I have really awesome dreams. They are often like movies, with vivid colors and plots. I frequently write them down or do something so I remember them. Usually, it stays in that form forever, just in my mind, as far as what I actually saw. About a month ago, I had a dream that didn't stay just a dream. It wasn't one of the more excitng ones, nor was it particular interesting except for what came from it.I was in a quaint little country town, going about quaint little country town activities, when I happened to pass by someone I know as I was driving along in an old blue pick-up truck. In real life this is a person I worked with many many years ago, and he is now a pilot. He is tall, slender, nice-looking, and always has an army style haircut. Maybe that's why he was in the dream. In it he was a soldier who had just returned from war. He was dressed in his military greens and was leaning against a low fence, with his big duffel bag on the ground next to him. I recognized him when I passed him, was surprised to see him, and doubled back to greet him. I asked him if he'd like to go to lunch, figuring he must be hungry, and it'd be a great chance for us to catch up. We went to a diner that was filled with people who looked like they were stopping in to eat while on a cross country motorcycle ride. They wore leather and had long scraggly hair. They were pleased to have a soldier in their midst and there was no shortage of lively conversation. When the waitress brought our food I asked her if she would take my card, as it was all I was carrying, and she said no, they only took cash. It was then that the bikers got strangely excited , seeming to know something was coming that we didn't. One of them said he'd take care of it, and conversation continued. When we were finished eating it came time to pay and that biker was nowhere to be found. The owner came over and told us that at their restaraunt they had an unusual way for people unable to pay to make it even. They owned an art gallery and would have anyone, unable to pay, paint for it and they would keep any monies made if it was sold. This enabled them to get many different skill levels, styles, and ideas  into the gallery for profit alone. They were excited to see what the soldier would paint after all he had seen. And as an added plus to the establishment there was to be a contest later that same day that was expected to draw many people to come see and buy the paintings. What perfect timing. So, we got to work painting and the contest was held. Shockingly to me, my painting won! Iwas surprised because it didn't seem to me like it was any great feat at all, simple to see, but meaningful to me. I had expounded to the judges the symbolism and that is why it was selected. I was pleased with it and wanted to keep it for myself. They told me I could not have it, that it was their property and so I devised that I would study it carefully and paint another for myself. In my dream I was scrutinizing it, trying to remember every detail. It was on paper that was a brownish-yellow and in the center was a profile of a woman's head. That was divided in half by color, white in back to symbolize the purity of mind and thought, navy blue in front to symbolize integrity toward the world. From both sides were wisps of that blue reaching toward her, to represent the integrity of the world that she was recieving... the honesty and goodness in everyone else. Below was a white pyramid facing so that it appeared almost to be a square with an X in the middle, but turned just enought that a purple triangle could be seen on one side. It represented the climb to pure knowledge and the process of it. Next to it was a chinese proverb about courage. Below it, reaching across the length of the bottom was a triangle composed of separate triangles of every color in the rainbow pointing upward. That, by color, indicated each part of the person. Red for the physical body- the care given to make it strong and work to the best of it's ability. Orange for caring for others- giving life through your own. Yellow for the power within you- power to make yourself everything you truly are. Green for the heart- for the love going out of your own and coming in from others. Blue for the voice- for the truth you speak toward yourself and others. Purple for the relationship to God- for the pure connection to Deity and the knowledge and power given from Him. Again the triangle indicating the process of it and ending in the unification of all of them as being what is portrayed above, courage, pure knowledge, integrity, ect. I studied it all carefully, memorizing every detail. Then I woke up. Having just memorized it I sketched it and wrote what everyhting symbolized. I couldn't remeber the exact proverb though. The following day I painted it, and found a quote that seemed to have the same feeling as the one in my dream. On the painting it is translated to Gaelic because I liked the look of it. It says, "Courage is the Power to leave familiar things". So here it is, a dream come true, to have, keep, and remember.

Me + Them = Love

You know how sometimes you think you have trials? ~ A girl I thought cared, and considered to be a close friend turns out was using me all along. I am trying to figure out how to forgive a third and most hurtful offense from her, but at this point I hope she does as I asked and never says another word to me as long as she lives. I know that sounds harsh, but I don't know if I could take it again. ~ The man I loved for years strung me along with flowers, gifts, time with me, time speaking to me, and empty words of love... and then got engaged to someone else... someday I'll write a long book about the scandal of it all :o) ~ Mom told me I can't trust anyone, and I wonder if it is wise or foolish to believe her implicitly. A dear friend is finding life extremely difficult to handle and won't listen to my attempts to ease the burden. ~ The boy I've had a crush on only occasionally knows I exist. These are my problems. These are the things that bother me.

But here's reality... that girl didn't care enough to care when I needed her to. She wasn't ever the true kind of friend, and now I am so blessed to know it. I gave so much of efforts, money, and my heart when she needed somone to care, and some assistance... and I got really stomped on. But I learned a lot about the kind of friend I am, and some red flags to watch out for in the future. Don't let someone be dependent on me alone for so many things. ~ That man I loved is happy with his choices so far, and because of that, I am sincerely happy for him and hope that he continues to feel that way throughout his life. He told me he could not make me happy, and in reflecting on the matter I can see clearly so many ways in which he was right. I know now that I don't want my life to go where he would have taken it, and the details of that life would have crushed my spirit, over time. I am so very grateful he never gave me the chance to say yes to a proposal of marriage. I would have happily accepted it and lived unhappily after realizing my folly. That is one of the outstanding blessings of my life thusfar.  ~ I have a very good mother, who loves me and seeks to guide me to the best of her abilities. She has a knack for keeping me out of harm's way. I know she is just as dramatic as I am, and I appreciate that about her. As my mother, she knows me well, and knows how to direct, comfort, and listen. ~ The boy I have a crush on is just that. He is way deep down good. He is handsome and kind, gentle and masculine. But do I even know if we would be good together? No, not at all. We've only really spoken a handful of times. It's ok to admire those traits without having him specifically as my own. A man who is all those things will undoubtedly ask me out, and I will be very pleased to have him.

So I look at my problems, my  trials, the things that I think are hard... and then I take a look around. I have been so blessed to be able to see. ~ One friend's wife is struggling against a dangerous health condition that is known to be quickly lethal. He is so positive. He is upbeat, caring, diligent, and hopeful. She is grateful, hopeful, and is quick to pray to a Father in Heaven who answers her humble prayers. ~ One woman has a solitary life without her family and loved ones. She is blind, and stays in her home because of it. She has the same routines every day for years, and yet she is happy. She loves visitors, and is a joy to be around. She tells stories and listens with joy to mine. She sees with eyes that are far better than physical. She senses everything eyes can't see. She is a gem in my life. ~ There is a friend who is tormented constantly by feelings of inadequacy. She thinks that she is not loved because she is not married, and cannot be loved because she hasn't been before. I have been able to see her make discoveries about who she is, and every now and then she sees her great worth. When she does, she knows she can be anything in life that she wants to. ~ I have a wonderful friend who has lived all her life with a medical condition that makes life hard for her in even the most simple tasks. She is so strong. I have never heard a single word of complaint. She has a good and pure heart, she is beautiful, intelligent, confident, accomplished, and the truest kind of friend I've ever seen. I admire her so much for all that she is. ~ Another beautiful friend who has lived with a physical disability all her life. There are few people in the world who are so full of life and vigor as she. She constantly and consistently looks outside herself and brings a smile to the face of all she meets. She has dried many of my tears with her kindness.

There are so many people I know of with trials much bigger than mine. Many people whose trials I only see in their eyes, and many people who have got to have them because they are human, though I have no idea what they are. As for myself, my difficulties change as do the degrees of the weather. I wouldn't wish even my smaller trials on anyone, but when I look around and see the heaps of trials all around me, I wish theirs could be so insignificant as mine seem to be, next to theirs. Instead, I am strengthened by them. I am comforted by them. I glean great joy from being around them. I love them deeply. I also hope that I may give strength, comfort, and joy to them through my love. I have learned that by repaying the love I have seen shown to me in life; by learning to have joy, trust, courage, and optimism; and by always relying on the Perfect Love and Wisdom of my Father in Heaven, I am more happy than all the darkness in the world has the power to cover. There is nothing in this world greater than Love. Nothing more important than Love. Let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that Loveth not, knoweth not God; for God Is Love. 1 John 4:7-8 Thanks for teaching me that one Mom. God Is Love. I always think of those words as interchangeable when I want to know if love is real. But that's a topic for another time.

Wow... What A Blizzard!!!

This one's for me... feel free to read it and all, but I just need to write to think about things from a different perspective. I have been thinking about writing this post for about a week and a half now and today... I need it.
It's winter, it's freezing, and any precipitation comes as snow these days. Today the snow was very light and airy, the other night it was nice to look at but not fun to be in, and a couple of weeks ago... when this blog post was born in my mind... there was a huge blizzard. It was the worst snow I have ever been in. I'm going to liken the snowfall to the troubles and trials that befall us as often as a winter's snow. Some trials, hardships, and problems are not very bad at all. Sometimes they are barely even noticeable, nothing more than an annoyance, like a light wispy snow that brushes by for an hour and is then easily forgotten. Others are uncomfortable and very unpleasant at the time, but the instant you are directly removed from them they are not a big deal at all and can even be looked at as a beautiful thing in life. Still others linger for days, even weeks, slick on the ground and threatening your footing at every step. These ones don't let you forget about them quickly, they can hurt, and they just don't seem to ever go away. Eventually though, they do and they become just a part of life that you remember as having happened and thank God for getting you through to the other side. Then there is the blizzard. The snow that might start out as a flurry, or might be something you can see coming at you like a white wall wiping everything you know out of its place. However it starts, it is the magnitude of it while in the middle that distinguishes it. It is all around you darkening the sky, making the cold air hurt to breathe, and making every step and every turn very potentially dangerous... especially if you are in a car trying to get somewhere that can provide safety. The hazard then in a slide or a slip of a person close to you can be devastating or fatal. It is a scary situation to be in and one that demands humility in exchange for safety. Where am I going with this you may wonder? Well, I had a unique moment that put things into a new perspective.
A couple of weeks ago I was in Arizona enjoying the 75 degree winter temperatures, but excited to come back to the snow covered ground only 600 miles to the north. The trip was delightful in many ways but, as all trips must eventually end, soon the day came that it was time to return home. That particular Arizona day was rainy, but not cold. The sky was gray and it was impossible to tell where the sun was. On the way to the airport people were driving more slowly, being more cautious, aware of the slick roads and lessened visibility. I, being used to driving in worse weather, didn't acknowledge it much at all until my brother mentioned he was texting his wife his Last Will and Testament, and that because of it I was to not speak for a few minutes. Oh, my brother. :o) Not long afterward I boarded the plane, and as it leaped into the sky I was not at all concerned by the bit of turbulence I felt. I had experienced more violent storms in the sky and this was nothing to be concerned with. We climbed higher and higher and then broke through the clouds. I was amazed at the beautiful blue sky I was looking at. Sure, there were clouds below, but they were below and had no effect on the brightness of the day I saw. Where the light hit the tufts, the clouds were bright, and brilliant white. It was easy to disregard the darkness of the shadows for the brilliance all around them. I always love to see the clouds from the top and this sea of white was certainly no exception. The sun shone brightly and it came through the windows warming my skin with it's touch. The sun illuminated everything and gave what it touched a glow that made it seem more alive. I noticed that my cares of earlier in the day had dissipated and now they were far behind me now and far below as well. The day continued and I watched as the sun got closer and closer to the horizon of clouds. It was beautiful as it started to cast hues slightly more golden than the bright white. I enjoyed it immensely. Then the pilot indicated we would be starting our descent. I saw only the sky and it's blue, with the sun and its warmth falling onto the gentle white of the clouds below. Then, we entered the clouds. The plane shook, though not dangerously. The clouds were dark around us and it looked as though it were nighttime already. I could see as the snow turned to slush and streaked it's way across the windows. But that was all I could see. I was surprised at the contrast from what I had been experiencing only moments before. As we descended it got darker and darker and there was more and more turbulence. There was talk earlier of the plane having to go on to better weather and wait out the storm. I hoped we wouldn't have to. I was relieved not to hear that news as we got closer and closer to the airport. This darkness and stormy weather was so sudden and in such contrast that it hardly seemed real. As we continued our descent I wished I could tell everyone in the storm below that this blizzard was just a farce born of perspective. The day was really gorgeous, the sun was shining brightly, the sky was the perfect shade of clear blue. This day was peaceful, and the only clouds in the sky were harmless, beautiful things. It was only because they could not now see it that they didn't marvel as I had about the beauty and perfection of the day. As we landed there were many comments about the wind blowing sideways to indicate the horizon we could not see, the workers struggling against the winds, the blackness that didn't let us see what was not illuminated directly. I got off the plane and felt the gusts of sharp, frozen air. I was unprepared for this. I had on a thin t-shirt and a light jacket... more than enough when I got on the plane. I put more layers on, gathered my luggage and went out into the night. Well, that was the funny thing about it... it wasn't night, it only looked to be. A mere 30 thousand feet above me was a bright and beautiful day. Just 600 miles away there was no snow, only a reasonably mild rain. This that I was now experiencing seemed to be just that. Just something I was experiencing... not the way it was. It made me think... all these people bustling about grumbling about the cold bitter wind, and the dangerous roads, and the blinding snow were all correct in their view of what was going on around them. They were experiencing that, and so was I. There were people in Arizona doing the same grumbling about the inconveniences of the rain. I knew though that the day above the clouds, the gorgeous perfection of the day outside these bubbles of experiences, was correct too. So, because I could see it, I could choose to focus on which ever one I wanted to. I could have complacency the attitude of a drisly dark day of rain, misery in the wretched blizzard I had so suddenly dropped into, or joy in the beauty of the clear day that covered both rain and snow. All three were simultaneously happening. In the course of life we have tough moments, bad days, general downturns, and catastrophe's that rock our very core. During each of those life experiences there is an alternate view we can focus on if we but choose to recognise that it is there too. Regardless of the storms of our winters, the springs will come. Winter will come again too, and then be followed by spring. Storms will come along often and vary in the ways they affect us, but covering every storm is a bright, clear blue sky, with a warm shining sun, and a sea of bright white clouds. So, as I now contemplate the unexpected storm, whose duration and discomfort seems all to sudden for its intensity, I can see that I have a choice. I can choose now to see the bright blue sky outside this storm, and know that the discomfort is not all there is. This storm is not going to hurt in any way when spring arrives. In looking back on it in even a few short months I will remember that there was a storm, but I will not feel its sting. In years I will not remember that the storm ever happened... except maybe when I read this. Even then, I'm sure I will not remember the specifics of it. So, yes, it's cold, bitter, uncomfortable, and I don't like it a bit, but it's ok... it's just a blizzard.

Living via life's lessons

I just got off the phone with Randon. Things are convoluted between us, and nothing is as it seems. Somehow, through all the garbage we are still the very best of friends. He knows me far better than anyone else, and I know him far better than anyone else. We have come to realize over the years that we need each other for our mutual understanding and love, and are obviously not willing to do without each other until there is an actual reason to do so... like a ring on some girl's finger. Like it or not, approve or not, that's just the way it is and obviously neither of us are willing to change it. That being said, that's not the point of this post. The reason I mention it is because tonight we had another long conversation, that was not about the things we had previously discussed discussing(which happens an awful lot lately. There is just too much to say), and I want to mention some things I have fairly recently discovered in conversing about our lives. I have been thinking a lot lately about finding the Life in life and loving it. I have tried over the last several months to figure out what really makes me happy and have found things that do and things that don't. Real vs. fake. Randon comes in here because he already knows what makes me happy and is always trying to encourage me in those things and discourage me from the things that make me unhappy. He has seen what course in my life leads me to both. He gives me constant encouraging, strength, and an endless supply of advice. Lately, I have found a greater measure of happiness and an increased love in life and for life. Something I have found myself saying frequently about various experiences, both good and bad, is this. I want to experience life... all of it. In Heaven there are many negative things we cannot ever experience. We cannot experience the pain of a skinned knee, a frostbitten nose, sweltering heat, being lied to by the person you trust most, being gossiped about, rejected, and many many other things we experience here. Those are only Earth experiences. Ones that through the duration of eternity we will never experience again. Going through them is often hard and are things I wish I never had to feel, but they are for here, for our experience, for us to experience. I try to remember that this is my chance to experience negative things, and try then to be grateful to have experienced the Life in life. Loving the bad parts can be harder in the moment than in hindsight. Sometimes in hindsight I can easily see how God was protecting me from something I didn't know to protect myself from. Something I would have run to with open arms, and suffered greatly for doing so.

Thank you

You know how life throws you a curve ball sometimes? I feel like I'm at the batting range and they just keep coming at me. Well, that being said, I'm not entirely sure batting ranges have ball throwers that throw curve balls... but you get the idea. First, I would like to say thank you to the very good and dear friends in my life. A great big thank you to my family for always being there to talk to. A big thank you with all my heart to Randon, who is simultaneously the biggest cause of internal distress and comfort lately. Oh how I hate to love you. :o) Really though, thanks for always being there to talk for the hours and endless hours of just being there for me. I don't know why you still hang around, but I'm so glad you do. Thank you for looking past my weaknesses and the dumb things I do that hurt you. Thank you for saying the things I can't hear from other people. Thank you for being in my life and letting me be so a part of yours. Thank you for the little moments and for your consistency. Thank you also for letting me know I'm not the first... and that I won't be the last. Thank you for... everything I can't write in a blog. A great big thank you to all the people I have recently met who have left their good footprints all over my life... I really don't know what I'd do without all of you. Thank you for being good-hearted, kind, fun, uplifting, inspiring, and so different from the people whose time with me you are replacing. There have been many times that your kind words and your smiles and your allowing me into your lives has been the thing that gives me the strength for one more day. And lastly, thank you to those of you who read this blog from hundreds of miles away and don't leave any indication of it. I know who some of you are, though you don't know I know it, and I want to thank you too... just knowing you are there, though I'm certain I will never speak to you, is enough. Thank you for caring about the people you do.

Big Sky Montana

A few weeks ago, I went to Montana. I had five days off in a row and was dying to go surfing in California. Somehow I ended up in Montana. I'm really glad though... things always turn out well. It was so beautiful, and relaxing, and I didn't have to do anything but whatever I wanted. I traveled with a guy I have been seeing named Austin, and we stayed with my dear friend Marilyn, and her husband, Patrick. We drove up Thursday, and back Tuesday. Montana is beautiful country, but I don't think I'm supposed to say anything about it because the preference is for it to stay beautiful... and small town. So don't move there! ;o) The big fair was in town, and with it came the big rodeos. We went to two rodeos, and there ate delicious food, ate huckleberry ice cream, drank huckleberry lemonade, and played some games. I won an adorable little unicorn I named MoonBeam. One word, like Mom's name, with two capitals. I won her at a game of "Throw 3 balls and knock down 3 pins". I had to play it twice to get her, and between them was told the secret of how to throw hard and straight. The woman told me to think of a guy I was mad at, and viola!!! MoonBeam is mine! I won some other toys too, but didn't know what to do with them so I gave them to a little girl I passed. Marilyn, Patrick, Austin, and I went on some beautiful excursions where we saw wonderful things. We went to the river... which I really wanted to get into. There we saw osprey riding the wind, a beaver swimming circles in the river, a Bald Eagle chasing a wayward osprey out of his territory (Ahem America...), and some trout coming toward the surface at feeding time. We saw lots of animals the 4H kids had raised. That is such a great program, in my opinion. We went to another river and saw geese osprey, and Marilyn gave me an eagle's feather she found. She says it gives courage. I fell in the river, but I must say, cold spring water dipped straight from the source was sure lovely, and tasted very good. Marilyn said the water there is very close to perfect that way. Speaking of, or hosts were perfectly delightful! Marilyn made such delicious meals for us, and let us have fruit from her trees and garden. We went on a delightful hike up the mountain we were on, and when we reached to top I climbed a mossy tree that wouldn't have been scary but for the wind blowing so hard. I got to sleep in every day till ten, and one day, Austin brought me breakfast in bed! Oh, it was such a delightful trip I wanted to stay another four or five days!

The last day I was 28... and preceeding events

So, this summer... well seems like it has been a busy summer, but I haven't really gone anywhere... at least not compared to last summer. I gotta say though, on that note, I am so happy that my life has changed so much since this time last year. I am really loving where I'm at, and loving the people in my life. I feel happier and much more content with myself and my situation. Anyway, so this summer, so far, I went to Vegas for a couple days to meet up with Randon, who was there for work, and then went to Lake Powell for a couple days right after. That was a busy weekend. Vegas was fun, though we didn't do any of the normal Vegas stuff. We went hiking, and running, and had lots of good, needed conversation and quality time together. It was so wonderful to be with him, laughing, playing, having our relationship just like it used to be. I was very glad to have those few days with him. I've been getting to see him a little more often lately and it is always such a treat. Powell was a blast. I met up with new friends. Cory Mon and the Starlight Gospel was headlining a concert there so we got to be on a huge houseboat for the stay. I got to meet lots of really cool, fun, interesting and downright likable people there. When I got there most everyone had been there a day or two already, and had been having a wonderful time. We spent our time getting in and out of the water, I didn't need anything but my swimsuit and a towel to lay out on. It was delightful! The air was just hot enough to make the water refreshing and the water was just cold enough to not want to stay in for too long. We just played all day long! The concert that night was a lot of fun and afterward we all came back and made our beds on the top of the houseboat where we watched the stars and saw the moon rise over the lake. That was a magical moment... one that could not be captured by pictures or words, and was a perfect moment because of that as well. We drove home the next afternoon and what should have been 4 hours was a lot closer to 7 because we stopped to take pictures of every little thing and we got snacks and stuff. We sure had a great time though! That trip changed things subtly, but in such a good way. The following week I discovered a place that will be a favorite place as long as I am in Utah. It's called Pirate O's and they sell chocolate from all over the world. Devin and I spent 40 bucks on chocolate that day... hmmm... I just ran out yesterday. The party was fun and the food was great! A week and a half later my adorable niece came up to stay with me for 10 days. That little girl is so much fun and I am just loving seeing her grow up. She is such a good-hearted and sweet little girl. She is seven, and I lived with her until she was almost a year old so she and I have a special bond. She likes a lot of the same things I do, and I have no doubt that her excitement over sparkly things comes from when I would dangle my necklaces over her as a baby, and put enormous rings on her tiny little fingers. She loves doing super girly things with me and I just melt because she has such a perfect flair for it all. It was cute, when she first got here I asked her if she was hungry... she said she was, and I asked her what she wanted to eat. She said, "In Arizona there is a place called RA, do they have that here?" I told her no, and she said, "Well, is there a place here that sells sushi?" I laughed and said yes, but that we weren't going to have sushi for lunch. She was disappointed until I suggested In&Out. I could tell then that it was going to be a lot of fun... and pretty expensive. :o) After we ate we went shopping. She has a knack for finding me cute clothes I never would think to put together, so we had a deal. We'd each pick out an outfit for the other. She found a really cute pair of shorts for me... which I'd been trying to find for some time, and I found her an adorable outfit. It was a black, white, and gray shirt, with black cropped pants with little studs as fringe, a black sequined vest, and silver sequined shoes. She looked so stinkin adorable in it that when I saw that it was 5 times as much as my shorts I couldn't help but get it anyway. I told her though (it's all about life lessons) that if you are ever going to spend way too much much money on clothes you have to make sure that you can wear each item with lots of other clothes you already own. :o) The next morning we did the weekly rounds for meals on wheels and had a great time visiting with some of the seniors. One of the gentlemen gave her some flowers from his yard and some chocolates and she loved that! Later on she and I went to the pool and played mermaid... which I have not done in years!!! :o) It was fun, I was the Mom mermaid and she was the daughter and we pretended sharks were trying to get us. Later we went to the rodeo. Anaya loved the motor cross intermission. And she was not pleased that the cowboys were roping the poor little calves and knocking them over. After thaaaaat, just to round off the day we went to Velour to see Patrick's band play and then there was dancing afterward. She loved the fog machine and the colorful strobe lights. I loved watching how excited she was about everything. She was a blast and is such a little charmer! The next day she and I went to the Lehi Days Parade. She got gobs of candy and fun stuff, which I made her eat somewhat responsibly. :o) We had vegetables for lunch which she swore she was going to hate, until she took a bite... and then she ate them all. She made a huge fort for the puppy while I was getting ready for the day and did an exceptional job of cleaning it up when we were ready for that. I was impressed. I don't remember being that good of a fort-taker-downer when I was that age! We went to the movies and saw Toy Story 3 in 3D. I quite enjoyed it, and I just loved that she was all cuddly in the parts she thought were scary. After that we went to a huge carnival in West Valley City or something like that. We went on tons of rides and I realized rides I used to be fine with now make me sick. She loved the Fun Houses the most. We watched fireworks, and she was wiped out by the time we got to the car. The next day was Sunday. We went to church and then went to the Mt Timpanogos temple. We had a very wonderful experience there and I felt like I finally was able to do some of what she asked me to do. She asked me to teach her about God and Jesus Christ, and as we spoke she had so many questions and it was really an amazing experience for both of us. Then we went to "the big temple" as she called it and we saw as much of it as we could before it closed, but we could have spent a lot more time there. We had a really great spiritual conversation on the way home and I just felt so privileged to have been able to share it all with her. I was impressed at her understanding of concepts and her insightful questions. That was my favorite part of the trip because it was so special and I know that is the part that will last forever. The next day, Monday, we went on a picnic and she discovered that contrary to her former belief, she really does like chocolate milkshakes :o) She was a little apprehensive at my suggesting it but she sure came around after just a sip. Then we went to the Biggest dinosaur museum in the world... really, the very biggest one! It was fun and she loved getting to do the hands on stuff. When we got home she built yet another fort (I never saw so many forts in so few days) and she came visiting teaching with me. I had told her also that we'd get some frozen yogurts and that seemed to be a great time for it, so we ate them as we watched UP! The next day, Tuesday, we went to the Aquarium and had a blast there too! My favorite part was all the little seahorses and I think her favorite was when she found out you could feel the electric shock of the eel she hung around a while stopping everyone who came near and showing them how to do it. It was adorable! Afterward we went to go buy her a dress for a wedding reception. We found several she loved but only one that fit. I could spend a fortune shopping with that little one! The following day Wednesday, was pretty low key in the morning, just watching tv, then when the sun was debating whether or not it was really going to come out or not we decided we'd give it a shot and went to a big, colorful water park called Cowabunga Bay. We went with my neighbor and his little brother and we all had a great time even staying only a few hours. The wind picked up so we got some rainy day passes to come again when the weather was a bit better. We really had a great time anyway, playing on the slides and in the lazy river. She has such an imagination and a smile that is just so contagious! After the water park we figured we needed some Cold Stone, and we got the biggest size and that was a great treat! When we finished, we came home, got cleaned up, and met up with Aaron and his brother again and finally went for sushi! The next day, Thursday, we went on a hike to Bridal Veil Falls and hiked right up the front of it. Who needs a trail? I had her go first in case she fell I would be right behind her and she did really good! She did just what I told her and made it to the top perfectly fine. When we got up there she decided she wanted to go over to the side with all the mist and she was going to do it the hard way. I let her, and when she realized it was really hard that way I showed her how to navigate it and she did fine. It was colder there though, with the spray and being in the shade a bit, but it was fun because as we looked down we could see a rainbow in the mist. Anaya was so excited to be on the top of a rainbow and she was looking for a pot of gold. We didn't see one, but she said there was silver all over. As she went down a little ahead of me it almost looked like she was going to walk right underneath it. Too fun! After that we went to the Homestead Resort in Midway where we got to go inside the crater and feel the warm water. We went to Granny's on our way back and got the best shakes in the world! They really are, they must have more cream in them or something. She got cookie dough and I got mint chocolate chip. We saw two deer munching on someone's lawn in the middle of the day, which was quite a delight for Anaya, and when we got back home we headed right back out to Cowabunga Bay again, and we went on the slides and I got to sit out in the sun for a while, which I quite enjoyed. We stayed for several hours and then went home and Anaya set up a little nail salon in my room. We did her toes pink with flowers, and her fingers sparkly purple with swirls, and dots, a star, a heart, and other pretty designs. The next day, and last real day of the trip was Friday. We got up and delivered meals again for meals on wheels and this time we stayed and visited with a couple of seniors for several hours. Our last stop was at a couple's house where the wife just loved that Anaya asked for more flowers as she'd received last week. They had bloomed so nicely, and were so delightful! She had her husband take Anaya out to the yard and show him the ones she wanted. She came back with a bundle and the wife said she needed more. They went out 4 times until the grocery basket we had was stuffed full of beautiful flowers! Then Anaya played with her lovely figurines and snow globes and such till her hearts content. We all enjoyed it very much! When we got back home I did laundry and got Anaya's things packed, and did all the mundane stuff that has to be done at the end of a trip. She made forts for the dog and played all afternoon. Towards the evening we got ready and went to my beautiful co-worker's fabulous wedding reception. She looked amazing, the food was delicious, it was all picture perfect, and we had a lovely time, though we didn't stay long. We had gotten a late start and I misjudged the time, and we still had one more stop before she could get to bed! We headed over to Velour. Now, for those of you who have never experienced Velour, I would recommend it. This particular night, and for a few nights prior, Corey Fox, the awesome owner/operator had changed this hot-spot local music venue into a vintage flea market of sorts where you could find all kinds of fabulous things vintage. Anaya had no idea what all of that meant, but she had ten dollars and by golly, that was where she was going to spend it. I didn't have any cash on me, though I wish I had a record player, because if I did I'd have bought some records for sure! I ended up chatting with Corey while Anaya ran back and forth picking out things and coming to ask him if she had enough money to buy it. She came away with her hands full and a stuffed purse to show for it. I enjoyed that. Corey said to me, Wow, you coming here tonight is a lot different than when you were here before! I see you guys have been keeping very busy, and (basically) you look tired. :o) I was tired! I don't have the energy for non-stop all the time. I took that cute little bug to the airport the next morning where we met up with Gramma. She had brought most of the flowers from the day before with her and she was just the cutest happiest little thing bouncing along with her flowers poking out the top of her back pack, and her little cowgirl hat on her head. I was really bummed to get back in my car and not see the cute girl in my back seat. I had really gotten used to it, and really liked it. It was a wonderful trip, and I wonder as she gets older, what she will remember of it. I loved it. Later that day, I went to the Freedom Festival. We ran into Dustin, and met up with Corey later. It was a lot of fun, and quite good too because I learned of a political party that is pretty much aligned right up with my political beliefs... so i joined it. It's called the Constitution Party and if you've never heard of it... look it up. I was surprised to learn that it is a bigger party than the Libertarian party and though it is even so, still small, I feel good knowing that I can finally put my vote behind what I believe, not just the option that is closer than the other one. The next day, Independence Day, I was well on my way to being sick. Even so, I went with a bunch of people, to Park City to watch the fireworks. The crazy thing about that is it was 60 degrees! Ok, I don't know what kind of cruel joke Al Gore is trying to pull making half the U.S. population believe that the world is about to melt, but I have a feeling it has something to do with creating some kind of clout since nobody believed the whole 'I made up the Internet' thing. Who gives out the Nobel Prize anyway? I mean really... I'm going to ask them for one for MY significant contributions to to the world. Anyway, I was wearing a long sleeve shirt, another shirt over it, and a sweater and still was freezing half to death. The fireworks were nice, and within days I was diagnosed with bronchitis. I have been laying low in the last 6 days since. I have only been to the Modest Mouse concert, and a date. I know, I don't usually log about dates, but this one I should say a word or two about. We had dinner, went for a walk, (which I quite enjoyed) and spent the next 4 hours at the Draper City Cemetery. It was one of those nights I hadn't expected to happen, but thoroughly enjoyed. We found some really awesome gravestones and were there till about 2am. We layed on the grass for a good long while talking, looking at 'constellations' and just enjoying each other's company. After the week I'd had with not feeling well, not getting out, and with my birthday looming mercilessly, I really needed that. Tomorrow starts something new... it's the last birthday I'll ever have... or so I'm told. I'll be 29. So, today is the last day I'll be 28. Nothing is going on today that I particularly ought to write about, though there are a few things I could say about current events. They're not positive though and I'm sure in a month they will be forgotten. No need to remember. So 29 huh... Are there brakes I can apply for just a while to stop it from being just mere hours away? I'm not ready for it! I have things to do first, like travel, get married, and have a couple kids!

Awww, you Cooked...

Yesterday was Kenny's birthday. Last week in California he mentioned that he wanted Angel Food cake. Sure! No problem... right? Now, anyone who knows me knows I don't cook much, but I've googled recipes and made them successfully before so I didn't think twice before saying I'd do it for him. I found a recipe and happened to mention it to Randon when we spoke. "Uh oh" he said, "Maybe you should start with something easier than Angel Food cake." I asked why and he told me that I would need to beat the eggs just so, and then I would not be able to open the oven door until it was done and then I'd need to wait for it to cool entirely before I took it out of the pan. That would be ok. It's seems to be just as finicky as a cheesecake, which I've made a few times without any trouble.I found that I would have to go buy every single ingredient it called for, and a pan. So I went to the store and as I was looking for "cake flour" (is that a real thing?) I happened along the isle that has all the boxes of cake mixes and lo and behold there was one for Angel Food cake! Hooray!! That is just my luck, because really when was I ever going to use Tartar something-or-other, or Almond Extract ever again? So, I got it and went home convinced that what wasn't going to be thaaat hard, was now going to be super easy! So, I mixed the batter with water and whipped it for 30 seconds and then for a minute, then poured it in the pan and put it in the oven. It was the easiest thing ever! Well... that part was. About 5 minutes later I happened to look in the oven and Aaaaaaack!!!! It had a gooey bubble that was about 3 inches tall!!! Oh No!!! It was spilling onto the bottom of the oven and onto the heating irons! It just kept spilling and spilling like it was a scene in a movie! I could just see it, the oven bottom filled with cake.... and then bursting into flames and burning down the 12 condos in my building! So, I grabbed a cookie sheet and put it under, but if I just left it to cook, the cake would not get the correct amount of heat for the time it called for so I scraped of the bubble and let it continue cooking. A few minutes later, I checked it again and there was about an inch tall bubble, but it wasn't falling as quickly, so I left it and just watched to see what it would do. Just about ten minutes before the time was up it started to do something weird. It fell not only flat, but caved in!!! Well, what could I do about it then? When the time was up I took it out and turned it upside down on some cups so it wouldn't flatten more... and let it cool. I came back a few hours and it didn't seem to look much different. But it was cool. So I took it out, and cut it in half and then took a slice of it to put under the part that sunk in. It looked ok then, so I decorated it! I covered it in some cream I whipped up and then put some strawberries and blackberries on it! I put it in the refrigerator and then tasted what was left of the other one. Yum!!! I gotta say... for having really no clue what I was doing... sometimes I surprise myself! Now the fun part... bleh... cleaning the oven. :o)

Viva Las Vegas...Baby!

January was quite a crazy month for me... because of guys... so the first weekend of February I went with a group of friends to Vegas and had a much needed break from it all. Brian and Heather's birthdays are the end of January and we had originally planned on going out the previous weekend, but things didn't happen then so we went out when we did. It was kind of overcast and drizzly when we were there, but nobody minded a bit. There was a group of 8 or 9 of us, but I primarily just hung out with Heather, Brian, and Spencer. We had such a blast! When we got there we changed and primped a bit and ate...and of course took pictures... then we went to this pub at the Monte Carlo where there was a girl and guy show called Zowie Bowie that sang covers all night. It was kinda funny cuz they would change their clothes based on the singer... like, when it was a Fergie song, the girl (Marley Taylor) would wear a hat, and when it was a Britney song, she'd take the hat off and dance like Britney, and the guy would do the same, with hats and bling and whatnot. Pretty early on Chris Phillips (the guy singer) pointed me out and was singing lyrics to me and whatnot, and after a while when he sang Sexy Back he pulled me up on stage and was like "She's bringing sexy back" as the lyrics. It was fun dancing in front of all those people. I didn't stay up there the whole song though... cuz really... it's not my show :o) It was such a blast dancing all night. I got up on stage again for the very last song, and waved goodnight to everyone with them. :o) It was so much fun. When the show ended I danced a bit more with this guy we met on the balcony earlier, and then as we were leaving we chatted with Zowie Bowie and took some more pictures. Oh, and when he hugged me, as he was pulling back, he kissed my mouth! Hahaha... I had to laugh. It was kinda awkward! Anyway, it was a total blast, and for what 5 or ten bucks, it was Totally worth it! Then Brian and I went and played in the street... hmm... I should point out that it was very very late at night and there weren't many cars around :o) I think we got home around 5am that night. We stayed at the Encore hotel, right next to the Wynn. It was so nice inside, and we were on the 21st floor, so we had a great view down the strip. We slept a few too little hours and got up to start the day. We went to breakfast and then decided to just wander. We ended up going first to the Bellagio where we first took pictures by this big horse made of mirrors. The boys' picture was hilarious, and it was so funny to see the expressions of the people around when they posed for it. Then we went to the garden where they decorate it according to the season or the holiday. Apparently, it was near Chinese New Year, and apparently this year is the year of the Tiger. Actually, much of Vegas was decorated for Chinese New Year. Oh, Chinese New Year is apparently a different day every year, and the Year of the Tiger starts on February 14th. Wow... I totally missed celebrating that holiday! We went out to the fountains, and played as we waited for the next song and fountain show. We met these ladies who were taking pictures of us and with us and we took pictures and gawked at the sights all around. It was lots of fun! After the show, we headed down towards Ceasar's Palace. We wandered around there just enjoying the hotel, and did some window shopping. I found some cute clothes and a really amazing art shoppe that was having it's going out of business sale. It really was amazing, and if I'd had gobs of cash I would have loved to buy some of it. It was right across from the statue of David, which is 18feet high and, did you know, an exact replica of the original? We went and saw this show Spencer had told us about where the statues talk! ...well, it's probably a much more entertaining show for kids. But, it was next to a really cool fish tank! We wandered a bit and took pictures of lots of things, and can I just say, I love the statues in that hotel. Everyone was like, "Chelyse, what are you going to do with pictures of statues?" and "You need to go see the real statues." I agree... that is a fabulous idea, and I will... but for now, I want to take pictures of these. We stayed there quite a while, until Spencer had to leave. So, we went back to the hotel and got ready for dinner. Heather didn't end up going, and we got all dressed up and went to... wait for it... Claim Jumper. I know, nothing exclusively Vegas, but I was outnumbered. I had the filet though so I was quite happy. It was like Christmas. Actually, all the food was very good. When we were deciding what to do after that, I wanted to go do something active... I mean it was after all Saturday night! Most of the group wanted to go gamble, but I have Zero interest in that, so we all went back to the hotel room to decide and regroup. I lay down on the bed as everyone is lazily doing this and that and nobody seemed in much of a hurry to do anything. Well, enough laying down and I fell asleep. Then Brian woke me up and told me they were going to the Hard Rock to gamble, so I just let them go without me, and changed into my jammies and went to sleep. Oh, also, let me mention that all through out the day I had been getting texts from my Mom. My sister Tish's baby was coming that day and I was being notified of Every event preceding it. It was funny, the texts she sent. So, late late at night, but before everyone got back, I got a text saying the baby had come. A few days later they named her Mia Jade, and she was born January 7th, at 2:34am, weighing 7lbs 2oz, and is 20.5 inches. This was the first picture I got of her. She is just beautiful, and I was so happy she's finally here. She is much anticipated... and Mom sent me a little sound clip of her crying. Awww... such a brand new little cry. I listened to it and promptly fell back asleep. The next, and last, day Brian and I decided to go off on our own because I wasn't really wanting to spend the day watching people gamble when there's so much else to do, so after eating, we went down to the Madame Tussauds wax museum and had such blast playing and taking pictures with the figures. I was a little disappointed that the two hottest guys... in my opinion, were the least like themselves... I guess you just can't duplicate perfection. Who you ask? :o) Obviously, Brad Pitt and (my personal favorite) Matthew McConaughey. But there were many other celebs that were great likenesses and we spent quite some time there just playing and having such a ball. Here's some pictures of them, and then actually there.








So, we eventually got all the way through, and then spent some time browsing the Venetian, and then went over to Treasure Island. That was fun, and I found the most unique ring there I almost got. I've never seen anything quite like it, but I don't have a picture of it, so it's probably useless to mention. We played with all the fun stuff in the gift shop, bought some eye patches, then promptly returned them, and eventually made our way over to the mall for some window shopping. We hadn't been there long when we happened upon the Betsey Johnson store. Now, I love her style, I think she is Such the Fabulous designer and I'd buy one of her dresses for Sure if I thought I'd wear it more than twice. They are so girlie and lovely, like something out of a book, but simultaneously modernized. I tried on 5 or 6 dresses I think, and was really torn about buying this one. It is perfection sewn. It's so cute and feminine and so much fun to wear! If it was more wearable than pink allows I may have bought it, however, the pink was rather perfect... hmm, anyway, I tried it on twice, oooooh and ahhhhhed over the piles of lace, and decided I'd better think on it a bit before just buying it. Good thing too, because since, I've found it on ebay for over $200 cheaper! Anyway, shortly thereafter it was time to head for home. It was a long and snowy drive and we got home very very late/early, but it was Absolutely worth the lack of sleep. Viva Las Vegas :o)