Hello, friends!
Long time no speak! I know I haven't updated my blog in forever and a day. Other things just always seem to creep up, and there really isn't enough time in one day to do everything you try to set your mind to.
The main purpose of this post is to inform y'all that my mission blog is up and running. That's right! I've spent the last little bit of free time I've had creating a website specifically for all of the everything that will come with the whole mission experience. I vote that you take a moment to check it out. Feel free to ooooh and aaaaahhh at all of the appropriate times. It's a pretty good looking website - if I do say so myself. :)
The Best Mission Blog Ever!
Feel free to give any feedback you want. Anything that tickles your fancy. :)
I guess, while I'm typing, I may as well give an update on my life. I'm in one of those in-between places at the moment. It's not my favorite thing ever, but I am learning patience, and I'm sure I'll value that somewhere down the road. The past few weeks have been the same thing day in and day out. But it is relaxing, and I love taking the opportunity to unwind after a stressful semester or two of college life. Besides, I am going to look back on these restful moments in a couple of months, and I am going to wish that I had taken better advantage of the lazy lounging.
For the record... I had my wisdom teeth taken out yesterday, so I am on pain killers. If what I am typing doesn't make any sense, let's blame it on the prescriptions, shall we? :P That and all of the ice-cream I have ingested in the last 36 hours...
Anywho... Mission prep goes well. I'm trying to study everything like crazy. I know that I've been preparing for this my whole life, but it helps my nerves calm down when I take the time to commit things to memory.
I finally found all of the skirts I needed! Yeish! can I just tell you that it is the hardest thing to find skirts that are appropriate sister-missionary-length?! Probably one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. Of course, that might just be because of the way I'm built. I'm not saying I have super long legs or anything, but they definitely make up most of my body. That whole mid-calf thing... yeah... super hard. But hey! I've got all of the skirts I need! Now... to find shoes and a missionary bag. I don't even know where to start looking, but that's okay. These things tend to work out in the end.
Other than that, life is pretty swell. I'm just trying to enjoy every minute of it. :) This will probably be the last post I make on this blog for a very long while. So until we touch base again....
Remember who you are!
Naked Choices!
Don't get Lost!
No wooden Nickels!
Know that I love you More than My Luggage!
Drive Safe!
And all that wonderful Bliss!
Keep your fingers crossed and arms folded for me! :)
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Thursday, August 4, 2011
What a Wonderful Ability it is to Smile
Alrighty, I'll just jump right into it: On Sunday, I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting. I was super nervous beforehand because I have not given a talk in FOREVER! That and i was giving the talk in front of almost 400 strangers...yeah, it's a big ward. Anywho, so i was just as nervous as i had anticipated I would be (the previous night i wrote out every single word to make sure that some of my Shalysse-ness slipped in there in the event that i would be too shaky to remember who i am). Reading my words, helped out and even made it possible for a few improv sentences (which weren't quite as successful as i would've liked them to be, but it still worked out) anyways, so i get done with my talk and i stop shaking and sacrament meeting ends and i was totally expecting to just make my way over to my seat in Sunday School, but this is where all of the smiles come in.
I had just stood up when a man speedily came up the stairs and on to the stand, stopping right in front of me. He looked down at me (yes, i know i'm short) and he said, "You must be beating them off with a stick! I fell in love with you from the very beginning of your talk. Thank you so much for being so energetic!" (after the falling in love comment, he cast a glance at my mom that seemed to ask "is it okay that i said that?") All of these things combined made me smile more than i had in a while. He totally made my moment.
After he left, the bishop came up to me and asked, "So when do we lose you to the real BYU?" Super wonderful! That man has his priorities in the right place. Once again, i couldn't help but smile.
After church, i was wandering around outside trying to find where my dad had parked my lovely black-cherry-purple van when an adorable little old lady cam up to me and said, "Did you give a talk in Sacrament? Well aren't you bubbly! You've got a lot of spunk!" I had to smile at her word choice and the adorable facial expression she wore while she was speaking to me. =D I love old people!
At my Young Single Adult activity, we had the opportunity to sample quite a few Canadian candies. I had no choice...I had to laugh at myself when I started gagging after placing a piece of soap flavored gum in my mouth. And then I had to chuckle as i thought of all the people who kept that gum in production as the #1 Canadian Gum because they liked that flavor. Don't try it, just trust me: dryer sheets, soap, and maybe a little bit of grass...it was...ummm...super delicious! ;)
I also had to laugh when, at that same activity, I was compared to Eunice in She's the Man... Maybe it's just me, but I fail to see the similarities. =D
On Monday, Logan was watching TV. A commercial came on for this device that sends out a high pitched ringing noise to keep pesky animals out of your yard. To prove the need for this device, they showed a few clips of animals doing not ideal things. One of these: a family of raccoons tipping over trash cans. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing when Logan muttered, "Darn Raccoons! Why do they do that? Don't they know that that makes people not like them?" =D (Maybe this is where he got the information about raccooons?)
Monday evening, my dad walked in the door, put his work stuff down, took off his shoes, and asked me to put in Psych. This coming from the man who, just a week previously, would not come near the stuff. If you know my dad, you understand.... =D
Lastnight, I had a really great conversation with Slade. It is funny to see the way that his mind works. Was I ever as much of a 15 year old as he is?
Slade: Why is it that only older girls like me?
Me: Who told you that they like you?
Slade: No one, i just know that only the older ones do.
Slade: It's normal for Garrett to get married! He's a guy!
Me: Slade, if he gets married, he's going to marry a girl.
Slade: Yeah, but it won't be you, so it won't be weird.
Me: Why don't you just go lay down? I will turn the light off when i'm done. You
know that when you go off to college, when you go on a mission, and
when you get married, you are going to have to know how to sleep while
there are lights on.
Slade: Yeah, well, I can learn then. Right now I'm enjoying the ability of not
being able to sleep with the lights on.
Later...
Me: Slade, when you date girls....No, never mind.
Slade: No tell me! I need to know about when the lights are left on!
Slade: Do you find me annoying?
Me: As a brother, yes. As a person, no.
Slade: (chuckles) What's annoying about me as a brother?
Me: Well, you know how you know that I'm trying to be serious and make you
serious and then you aren't serious on purpose?
Slade: (looks at me with a puzzled look)
Me: You know, when I'm trying to intimidate you into giving me something of
mine, or leaving Logan alone, or doing the dishes...I'm trying to be all
serious and you know it, but you still make some sort of joke out of it by
picking on me instead of Logan or making fun of me. Yeah, i don't like
that. Why aren't you intimidated?
Slade: I do that?
And then there are his comments that border on the "i'm invincible" side of teenager-ism:
Slade: I once jumped off of a dam. It was cool! We weren't supposed to be up
there.
Slade: The only reason that we got caught that one time we went ding-dong-
ditching is because Frank got caught on the barbed-wire fence. If he had
let me go first, I totally would've made it over
yeah, good times. Another thing that makes me smile is watching Logan play video games. The kid sits criss-cross-applesauce with his back completely straight, and then, when he wants to see around a corner in the game, he will turn his own head while his eyes are still glued to the screen. Most adorable thing ever!
it also makes me really happy when Logan let's me play Lego Star Wars or Batman or Indiana Jones with him. (They're pretty much the only games he'll let me play with him) He kills me on purpose to watch how i'll react, and if i'm too slow for him, he'll double back and push me over the edge so he can continue undisturbed. =D
I had to laugh at the ordeal it was to get the grocery list my mom gave me today:
Green Bell PepperGreen Bell PepperCeleryGreen Bell Pepper If you have time: Get these!!!!!
I had just stood up when a man speedily came up the stairs and on to the stand, stopping right in front of me. He looked down at me (yes, i know i'm short) and he said, "You must be beating them off with a stick! I fell in love with you from the very beginning of your talk. Thank you so much for being so energetic!" (after the falling in love comment, he cast a glance at my mom that seemed to ask "is it okay that i said that?") All of these things combined made me smile more than i had in a while. He totally made my moment.
After he left, the bishop came up to me and asked, "So when do we lose you to the real BYU?" Super wonderful! That man has his priorities in the right place. Once again, i couldn't help but smile.
After church, i was wandering around outside trying to find where my dad had parked my lovely black-cherry-purple van when an adorable little old lady cam up to me and said, "Did you give a talk in Sacrament? Well aren't you bubbly! You've got a lot of spunk!" I had to smile at her word choice and the adorable facial expression she wore while she was speaking to me. =D I love old people!
At my Young Single Adult activity, we had the opportunity to sample quite a few Canadian candies. I had no choice...I had to laugh at myself when I started gagging after placing a piece of soap flavored gum in my mouth. And then I had to chuckle as i thought of all the people who kept that gum in production as the #1 Canadian Gum because they liked that flavor. Don't try it, just trust me: dryer sheets, soap, and maybe a little bit of grass...it was...ummm...super delicious! ;)
I also had to laugh when, at that same activity, I was compared to Eunice in She's the Man... Maybe it's just me, but I fail to see the similarities. =D
On Monday, Logan was watching TV. A commercial came on for this device that sends out a high pitched ringing noise to keep pesky animals out of your yard. To prove the need for this device, they showed a few clips of animals doing not ideal things. One of these: a family of raccoons tipping over trash cans. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing when Logan muttered, "Darn Raccoons! Why do they do that? Don't they know that that makes people not like them?" =D (Maybe this is where he got the information about raccooons?)
Monday evening, my dad walked in the door, put his work stuff down, took off his shoes, and asked me to put in Psych. This coming from the man who, just a week previously, would not come near the stuff. If you know my dad, you understand.... =D
Lastnight, I had a really great conversation with Slade. It is funny to see the way that his mind works. Was I ever as much of a 15 year old as he is?
Slade: Why is it that only older girls like me?
Me: Who told you that they like you?
Slade: No one, i just know that only the older ones do.
Slade: It's normal for Garrett to get married! He's a guy!
Me: Slade, if he gets married, he's going to marry a girl.
Slade: Yeah, but it won't be you, so it won't be weird.
Me: Why don't you just go lay down? I will turn the light off when i'm done. You
know that when you go off to college, when you go on a mission, and
when you get married, you are going to have to know how to sleep while
there are lights on.
Slade: Yeah, well, I can learn then. Right now I'm enjoying the ability of not
being able to sleep with the lights on.
Later...
Me: Slade, when you date girls....No, never mind.
Slade: No tell me! I need to know about when the lights are left on!
Slade: Do you find me annoying?
Me: As a brother, yes. As a person, no.
Slade: (chuckles) What's annoying about me as a brother?
Me: Well, you know how you know that I'm trying to be serious and make you
serious and then you aren't serious on purpose?
Slade: (looks at me with a puzzled look)
Me: You know, when I'm trying to intimidate you into giving me something of
mine, or leaving Logan alone, or doing the dishes...I'm trying to be all
serious and you know it, but you still make some sort of joke out of it by
picking on me instead of Logan or making fun of me. Yeah, i don't like
that. Why aren't you intimidated?
Slade: I do that?
And then there are his comments that border on the "i'm invincible" side of teenager-ism:
Slade: I once jumped off of a dam. It was cool! We weren't supposed to be up
there.
Slade: The only reason that we got caught that one time we went ding-dong-
ditching is because Frank got caught on the barbed-wire fence. If he had
let me go first, I totally would've made it over
yeah, good times. Another thing that makes me smile is watching Logan play video games. The kid sits criss-cross-applesauce with his back completely straight, and then, when he wants to see around a corner in the game, he will turn his own head while his eyes are still glued to the screen. Most adorable thing ever!
it also makes me really happy when Logan let's me play Lego Star Wars or Batman or Indiana Jones with him. (They're pretty much the only games he'll let me play with him) He kills me on purpose to watch how i'll react, and if i'm too slow for him, he'll double back and push me over the edge so he can continue undisturbed. =D
I had to laugh at the ordeal it was to get the grocery list my mom gave me today:
Celery
Green Bell Pepper
Milk (1%)
Very Vanilla Soy Milk
"Okay, that should be good...(hands it to me)...No wait! (takes it back)"
Celery
Milk (1%)
Very Vanilla Soy Milk
One 4 oz. can Green Chiles
"Okay, make sure that you get the milks last so they aren't warm by the time you get back...(hands me the list)...No wait! (takes it back)"
Celery
Milk (1%)
Very Vanilla Soy Milk
One 4 oz. can Green Chiles
If you have time:
Mild Cheddar Cheese
Fritos
"Okay, i think that's it. Don't forget to get the milks last so they aren't warm by the time you get back...(hands me the list)...No wait! (takes it back)"
Milk (1%)
Very Vanilla Soy Milk
One 4 oz. can Green Chiles
Mild Cheddar Cheese
Fritos
It was super cute. After that she proceeded to tell me that if i felt like it, i could pick up "5 apples and 3 bananas...no, better make it 4 apples and 2 bananas...i don't know what do you think? 5 apples and 4 bananas?" In the end, i didn't get any apples or bananas. =D I love my mom! This is generally what happens when she sends me out to pick up a few groceries.
Anywho, i hope that these stories helped you utilize your wonderful ability to smile. I hope that things are going well and that you are taking time to laugh every day.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A trail blazer's adventure in Williston (and other places)...okay, so maybe they're Tuesday Pictures
Here they are! After many labor-intensive hours of editing/ sifting through unrecognizable blurs to find the real nuggets and hours of waiting as they tried to load again and again, here they are! Suffice it to say that editing, sifting, and waiting took a bit longer than expected. (Mostly the waiting to upload part...and maybe even the epic failure at attempting to put the pictures in chronological order...Technical Difficulties are bliss- feel free to read sarcasm into that statement) However, they are now available for your enjoyment. Feel free to poke fun at wonky facial expressions, laugh at the appropriate times, and maybe even cry because some of this loverly scenery is just too breath-taking. Anywho...I hope that you Enjoy...
At the LDS visitor's Center in Independence, MO
Yay Finger Puppets!!!!
The sign said: Please Touch!!!
Flooded Missouri River equals driftwood and hours of wonderful exploration.
An attempt at a picture with Slade: he wouldn't hold still.
Reptile Gardens, South Dakota
This 170ish year old tortoise is just a bigger version of my Oopsie, right? =D
They really liked being pet...which was super cool!
The North Dakota State Flag
The Texas State Flag
It was a windy day...hehe
Slade through a window or two of Liberty Jail
Okay, Red Eye Tool. Did you really have to make me look like a creeper cyborg that is about to zap whoever's taking the picture?
He didn't want his picture taken.
This is not a picture of that mineral-dirtied water that draws your eyes at first...where's waldo?
Can you say one of the most classic facial expressions on the face of the planet?
What's the difference between pictures 1 & 2?
Keeping hydrated: very important
"She's quite the photographer! She got me holding the bird, wearing the antlers, and punching the goose!" ~~My Dad~~
best fourth of july activities ever! We went to a random park in the middle of a really adorable downtown... bliss...this is slade trying to knock me off the teeter-totter.
and it was super fun to mess around on the swings.
buffalo!
yes, this is a buffalo poop-splat...and feel free to add emphasis to the splat part... and yes, i did add this to my blog pictures.
I don't know if you noticed, but this rock almost looks like a turtle...just saying
Is waldo stuck?!?
Okay, be honest...who wants that book for Christmas? I bought one for each of you. ;)
The sixth finger on the lady bug puppet...the six fingered man killed my father!
bug spray is very much necessary...ticks, mosquitoes, etc.
hahaha
Ummm...he's apparently been hanging out with Slade quite frequently...lol
Yes, he is in a plastic ball on top of a pool of water...curse you weight limit! I've always wanted to do something like that!
Quite the lady's man: the girls couldn't help but be flung in his general direction by ummmm... centrifugal force, yeah
Logan's there...he's just too short
Again...just a smidge short
Petting Zoo!!!
Yes, he dropped the bunny
These animals made THE weirdest noise in the world! When you see me next, as me to replicate it...
Shalysse's Random Picture of the Whenever
Until Next Time!
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