true love

it's almost valentine's day!  i won't lie..i'm pretty darn stoked.  this year, i'll trade in my ski goggles for sun glasses and head to sunny san diego with my main squeeze. 

with love on my mind i've been listening to lots of cheesy love songs, and found one that i especially love.  sometimes when i listen to love songs i like to think that jesus is singing them to me.  corny, i know.  but i love it.  that's a lot of love right there, folks.  so here you go, my favorite love lyrics for this lovely, sunny, monday!

cause all of me

loves all of you

love your curves and all your edges

all your perfect imperfections

give your all to me

i'll give my all to you

you're my end and my beginning

-all of me by john legend

here's the whole thing

peace+love

a story in first person objective

i went on a date last night with this guy in my Shakespeare class.  he took me to see Kishi Bashi in concert at Kilby Court.  it was a pretty neat concert (plus he's japanese...and, well, i love asians).  during the encore i was just watching the band when i noticed someone pushing the woman in front of me.  all of the sudden there was a man on the ground--he'd passed out.  i turned around to look for my date.  i saw him leaning down to help the guy on the ground.  when i looked closer i realized that wasn't my date....my date was the one passed out on the ground.  um.  ya.  he got right up again and seemed like he was totally okay.  i asked him if he wanted to go outside and get some air.  he said he'd be okay for the rest of the song.  apparently he wasn't.  30 seconds later he fell in slow motion to the ground again.  this time he fell backward and all these people gathered around him.  he jumped right up again after about 8 seconds.  by then the song had ended and we walked out for some fresh air.
i never really talk about my love life on my blog because it's public.  maybe i'll go private.  cause as my mother pointed out to me today when i told her this story, there is never a dull moment.  i go on plenty of dates, and even if i don't like the guy that much i almost always come home with a good story.

peace+love

ironically enough...

...my creative writing teacher is killing my muse.  i have to write so much that it makes me not want to write here or my personal journal or letters.  bluh.  so you can pretty much count on my posts being really short this semester.
i keep seeing all these posts about peoples' themes for 2013.  and actually, as cliche as it is, i do have one.  it is a song (shocker, i know).  here it is

you just really cannot know what a year has in store for you...i know that on new years eve 2010 i had no idea i'd be leaving on a mission, my parents would be getting a divorce, i'd be falling in love with cycling, and all the exciting things that happened that year.  each new year brings triumphs, hardships, laughter, tears.

so, "float on" going to be my attitude toward the challenges i'll face this year...

"bad news come don't you worry even when it lands

good news will work it's way to all them plans.

alright don't worry even if things end up a bit too heavy

we'll all float on alright"

peace+love

a self-promoting post

i'm no sarah mclachlan, and the sound quality isn't super great, but it comes from my heart

merry christmas.

peace+love

in the bleak midwinter

last night i went to the (sold out) lower lights concert at the salt lake masonic temple.  stand by tickets--arriving early and being patient sure pays off.  awesome venue.  really, coolest venue ever.  what a fabulous way to get into the christmas spirit.
and they played my favorite christmas song...in the bleak midwinter.  i know i've turned into such a softie, but the last verse always gets me choked up...

what can i give him,  poor as i am?

if i were a shepherd, i would bring a lamb,

if i were a wise man, i would do my part;

yet what can i give him?  give my heart.

the lower lights sang such a beautiful rendition, but it's not on youtube (just buy the album. you won't regret it), so i will share another beautiful rendition...

or you can listen to the lower lights version here.
peace+love

how do i love thee?

friday night i went to the mindy gledhill concert...it was a miracle that we got in (really, though, by the kindness of a lady in line with an extra ticket...thanks, susan!) and i was so glad we went.  i love concerts, but to be honest, it's rare that i leave a concert feeling uplifted and inspired spiritually. this song especially touched me.  i feel like this is how jesus feels about me.

then yesterday at work i was talking with my missionaries about the atonement. i shared with them this video

 

i've seen this video heaven knows how many times, yet every time it impacts me--the excruciating pain and horrendous suffering.  all of it for the children of God, because He loves His father and He loves us.  and even after washing His face in the creek, the water running red with His blood, He goes and heals the ear of the very man who tries to arrest Him.  He loved him.  as i watched it yesterday i began to think of that perfect love that Christ has for all of us.  His suffering was so great that He even cried out, "if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done."  He loves God more than He loves Himself, so He went through with it.  but not only that, He loves us more than He loves Himself.  all of us.  you, me, lady gaga, hitler, obama...He loves them all.

we are so weak.  we hate, we criticize, we judge, we do everything but love.  

but not only that, too often we love ourselves more than we love God.  we indulge in that song that has that one swear word because it is pleasing to us for that time we're listening.  we skip out on sunday school cause we're tired.  we blow off or ignore that person cause they're weird.  

in what ways do you love God more than you love yourself?  how would your life be different if you were to change those things?

peace+love

sweet sounds

while i admit there's no haven like cedar city, happy valley actually isn't too shabby of a place.  we're surrounded by beautiful, majestic mountains, some decent cycling routes, and some pretty awesome bands have even come from this little place on the wasatch.
just a couple of my favorites lately...

book on tape worm

imagine dragons

and just because i love my dear friend nick hardy so much, i'll promote his band here too...

(nick is the one on the couch without the guitar not in a dress)

robert and the carrolls

happy listening

peace+love

over-alliteration

i know i'm a bad blogger.  here's to renewed resolves.

words cannot express how grateful i am today for...

pic stolen here

i am yet to find a physical activity more rejuvenating, relaxing, refreshing, reassuring, ravishing, reintarnating (Reintarnation - Coming back to life as a hillbilly) as swimming.  it's funny, my body and mind fight the same battle three mornings a week.  and most of the time, luckily, my body wins.

6:08 a.m. alarm goes off.  i turn it off.

6:10 a.m. 2nd alarm goes off.  turn it off and lay there as my head argues with my body as to whether or not it's really worth it to get out of bed and make the 4-block trek in the freezing, morning air to the pool.

6:15 a.m. body refuses to fall back asleep, roll out of bed, put on swimsuit, eat a granola bar, and out the door.

6:30 a.m. sit on edge of pool anticipating that initial plunge into what seems to be freezing cold water. 

...then, that magic moment (cue Ben E. King).  i take the plunge, and in an instant all the pent up anxiety, worries, even physical illness just floats away.  

it may sound like an exaggeration to you.  you must not be a swimmer.  try it.  it will change your life forever.

today i am also very thankful for this ever-so-soothing voice.

and look!  it was uploaded to youtube on my birthday...it's a sign.

peace+love

the day the brits invaded my soul...

i still remember the first time i ever heard the sweet strummings of the banjo, beautiful tones of the horns, and rustic vocals of mumford and sons.  it was late one night in February of 2010, soon after their first album was released in the u.s.  i was reading some blog..i can't even remember now whose it was, but they had posted winter winds.

it was love at first sound.
i spent the next hour listening to every song i could find of Mumford and Sons on youtube.  i listened over and over again.  then ordered the album.
my life has never been the same...which is why i cannot wait till tuesday.

pre-order your copy of Babel here

peace+love

what makes the irish heart beat...

i still remember the day i found out van morrison isn't black.

pretty much all my memories of him consist of riding in the car in the middle of the night through southern utah to get to las vegas or orderville.  i was never good at sleeping in cars, or anywhere besides my own bed for that matter,  so i'd usually be the only other person awake besides my mom.  she would listen to either van morrison or gladys knight and i would look out the car window at the moon and star scattered night sky.  i remember in the bush off to the side of the road i'd look for the beady reflections of deer eyes, and dead rodents in the median.  mmm, those were the simpler days.

i think i just always assumed he was black because the majority of my mom's favorite singers are, plus add to that his rich tone, amazing improv skills, gorgeous interpretation of this, my favorite jazz song,...

i don't remember how exactly it came up...but i think the conversation went something like this...
"i love van morrison's voice.  i just find it kind of ironic and funny that a black guy is singing irish jigs."
"kelli, van morrison is white."
"what?!?"

i mean, i guess it's cool. i don't really have anything against white guys...

peace+love

c'est la vie

last week i got a new job and packed up and moved to provo.  it happened fast.  but i'm happy.  i feel like i've been flying by the seat of my pants since i've been home--in ALL aspects of my life.  it is time to take control...
it's as if someone is sending me a message...

in the meantime...here's my latest obsession

peace+love

i think i'll stick with brandi and mumford...

my lovely cousin douglas informed me that nicki minaj is the new michael jackson.  my dear friend sam informed me "she puts lady gaga to shame".  and not in a positive way....i couldn't even bring myself to post a video of her on here.

then sam showed me the latest up-and-coming dance music.  

someone please tell me that this is just a really bad dream....

peace+love

speaking of banjos...

i've been looking forward to yesterday since october 31, 2009. it is sad that my october will not be the same next year (it will be spring in chile). so i'm going to make the most of this month (the 20 days that i'm here, anyway). my kick-off consisted of:

-sleeps with skye- my twin not by birth (she has a twin in real life, but lauren's married now, so i'm the next best thing).

-not actually getting any shots--thank heavens for modern medicine; i was able to opt for the typhoid vaccine via pills! and the flu shot via nasal spray!! yes, i was a very happy girl.

-the temple. oh sweet refuge and house of sanity aka the only place i don't ever feel consumed by thoughts of doubt in my ability to serve a mission.

-the lower lights in concert--the closest thing to a baptist choir the mormon church will ever get, complete with clapping, stomping, amens and hallelujahs! i like to think this is the kind of concert that will welcome in the second coming.

-sammy's with some of my most favorite people in this whole world!

and now it's conference time.

peace+love

stay alive, drive 55

cedar was so good to me...

-st. george temple

-a big smile and hug from prof. modesitt

-pastry pub complete with chocolate tiger cake

-sky fest (20 some-odd hot air balloons launching at once)

-german pancake breakfast

-getting lost but eventually hiking in bryce canyon

-all of the above with great friends

-the funnest birthday party i've ever been to with new friends (including huck finn)

-church

-sunday writing ritual in my tree

-birthday celebration for the one and only skye complete with awesome conversation and the encouragement i've needed all month

(photo teaser courtesy of cheri. i'll get the disposable developed someday soon...)

did i mention i have great friends? i've been home less than two hours and i already want to go back. the only thing sustaining me is live recordings of mumford and sons. shocker, i know.

peace+love

perfection

if anyone could even begin to understand how much i love this band, then they would understand true love.
peace+love

overworked and underpaid

yesterday my sister informed me my eyebrows needed to be plucked.

i also missed out on a perfectly windy day of kite flying.

but, on a more positive note...

tonight, i was taking my dog for a walk after dark. i kept picturing bo radley following me.

i got a little nervous, so i hummed "long shadows" to myself.

nothin' like the sweet sound of josh ritter to make you feel better.

(it also helps that bo radley is actually a good guy who saved scout and jem from an untimely death by the knife of the town drunk...)

p.s./btw my birthday is in a week. i'm $66 away from my goal of $210 to charity:water. if you have not yet donated or told a friend to donate, you have until friday!

peace+love

i want to go to cedar city...real bad

this post was going to be dedicated to all my cedar peeps out there and all about how i'm slightly heartbroken i will not be there with you this fall. in case you didn't know, i love cedar city with most of my heart. but i decided to be positive and dwell on the things i love about nsl. this can still be dedicated to all my cedar peeps, though. you should come to nsl for my mission farewell.

my summer at home

=bike ride on the parkway under a full moon

=outdoor movie with amy

=not enough hiking

=meeting/getting to know amazing people who have already changed my life for the better

=watching a friend be baptized

="guard and protect your heart" (that's for you, ali)

=twilight concert series

=a job where i'm actually irreplaceable.

=inception 3 times

=charlie st. cloud=$8.50 and two hours of my life i'll never get back

=i laughed through the entire thing...the girl next to me bawled through the entire thing and smelled of fecal matter

=waiting five weeks for a mission call

=but guess what? it's coming on wednesday.

peace+love

arachnophobia

there was this one time that i melted from the heat.

oh wait, that was today.

yesterday i woke up with a spider bite on my cheek. which means there was a spider crawling on my face that night. in my bed. with me.

then last night i was sitting at my computer and put my foot down in the corner underneath my desk. i landed right in a spider trap with 8 dead spiders.

the chaos that ensued went something like this:

me screaming looking up at the ceiling so as to avoid witnessing what i had actually done "KERRI! GETITOFF! GETITOFF! GETITOFF!"

"I AM NOT TOUCHING THAT THING!"

"PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GETITOFF! GET A PAPER TOWEL"

i felt like i was going to throw up for the next half hour.

on friday i got some new freckles at the lake. that night i watched fireworks on the roof of the rec center.

saturday i went for a nice long bike ride all inclusive with a nice little steep uphill right at the end. i rewarded myself with neilsen's frozen custard that night. except actually kerri paid.

and today i watched sound of music.

a good weekend on all accounts.

what did you do?

peace+love

love lost

newsies meets little miss sunshine meets sandlot meets the temper trap...?

i think so.

ain't no mountain high enough...

during the king's peak trip i did a little experiment/preparation for the mission. i didn't bring my ipod. shocker, i know. i couldn't listen to my music (or any for that matter) for 3 whole days. i barely survived, and unfortunately 3 days is much shorter than a year and a half. either way, these are the songs that were on repeat in my mental ipod for those 3 days.

Sound of Music - The Hills Are Alive (i think you have to click it....oh how i worship julie andrews)

...and brandi

it was a good trip.

sorry i've been slacking on tuesday's muse lately. i'll try harder, cause really, there is so much music to share.

peace+love