yellowstone

 "ate the kitchen sink" at ANgies :)

So i got a wonderful opportunity to go to yellowstone this weekend!! It was so much fun. There was a group of 10 of us!!!! WE went to park city for a day, logan and then onto yellowstone and the Tetons. I got to bath in the snake river and see a bison next to my car. I got to know how amazing the people i went with really were. We camped in tents one night and helped one of the girls earn here Junior Ranger Badge. The trip was so much fun and had tender mercies every where. I am so grateful the lord kept us safe and protected. Here are so pictures. ENJOY!!!!! - shayli 

okay so the animation shows what i did in a group of 15 people!!! ITs also one of my favorite things to do. DANCE!! Tonight i went to a fabulous dance party!!!! It was 3 hours of pure dance! I loved it!! There was a huge group  of people and we were just outside the apt complex. We went and crashed another persons dance party. it was just such a fun time!!  I came home totally pumped and full of energy that is something that is bad to have when you have to be going to sleep but i just loved being me and enjoying myself .. Thats not all that i have been so blessed to enjoy today. WOrk was great. My coworkers are fantastic. i went and got ice cream with one of my roommates. IT was great just to take time and get to know her better. Then lastly one of my friends invited me to go see The Dark knight rises midnight premier!! OH but it gets better! It  is  a Batman marathon. So i will get to see Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and the Dark Knight rises. OH YAY!! i am so stoked. Also my aunt who got in a car accident is totally fine. She is safe and so are her kids. 

Having all these wonderful events take place made me realize just how i would not be able to experience this joy and peace without the atonement of my savior. Had he not atoned for me and borne my sorrows and griefs i would not know happiness or joy. I am so grateful that i am able to experience both the sorrows and the joys. I am so grateful that i have feelings and have a working body that can dance. LIfe is such a wonderful adventure in which the ups and downs are fantastic experiences. Summer is not what i planned... but it is even better than i could have imagined in so many ways. 

We would love to hear about your wonderful summer adventures!! 

till next time,

shayli 

okay so i am not sure what this post will be about or even what to title it, but this week has been... a turning point in my life.  I have been so busy with work and such that my spiritual gage has been on low and close to empty. I still went to the temple but i think it was like something to check off the list. I was just focusing on things that were good but not the things that were best. Then on Wednesday night i got really sick so i ended up not going to work  on Thursday. I was really stressed because i needed the money and i didn't want to miss a day of work. I was just not helping myself, but then i realized just what i tender mercy it really was that i got sick. i was able to spend 4-5 hours just studying the scriptures and praying and asking the Lord to help me with all that was going through my mind and heart. i have missed my friends so much lately. They are amazing people and i can't wait to see them all again, but while i was studying the lord brought peace to my heart and just helped me realize that if i put him first and all the things he asks of me then everything else will be fine. Since then i have been more dedicated to my spiritual studies and really walking by faith and its been fantastic!!

okay other update. so i am running a half marathon on August 3. So yesterday i ran 10.2 miles. My mistake was going later on in the day but i felt so good to actually finish. it wasn't the best time but i was proud of myself and i accomplished a goal. If i can do it, then you all can do it too :)

6 weeks in counting and then the Elite 3 will be united. YAY!!!

till next time,
shayli

You've Got Growin' Up To Do

Ahhhhhh...life.  I can't say that I am completely pleased with myself lately.  I have been slacking like crazy - in my workouts, spiritual life, my reading, and overall just a little bit of everything.  I lack motivation, and it frustrates me SO much!  In highschool I was beyond motivated.  I had goals in life, and I knew where I wanted to be...BYU.  This one goal made my ambition spill over in to all areas of my life, but now that I'm there, my sense of direction is completely gone.  I miss the old me, and I don't know how to get her back.  I have a major attitude problem too.  I just want to be better - ya know.  It frustrates me to see myself just doing nothing, when I have so much more potential than that.  I'm just frustrated.
However, I plan to rectify the situation.  There are some things that have happened lately that have begun to spark my fire.  During swim lessons the other day, I discovered that one of my students does not speak english!  I can't tell you how much I love to speak spanish!! I get excited and my entire mood changes entirely by saying just a few words.  It's insane.
I want to find my fire again!!  If you have any advice or suggestions, I would love to hear them!!

Muchos besos,
Kenzi

Slack Much?

Hey there.. so we haven't written in awhile, lo siento. Has been my turn? I don't know.. Anyways, I'm Back to revive the life of this wonderful blog. How is everyone? Hopefully good and happy! I am doing well :) Same story-- been working a lot and spending time with family and friends :) I realized that I am very blessed to be in the situation that I am in, being close to my family. They are great, especially my nieces, they are SO much fun! I have to admit, I probably spoil them.. but if you knew how cute they were you would too!!

I have a few new things happening in my life but I haven't it with my besties (just had to add that to my computers dictionary.. is it not a word or did I spell it wrong ;) haha) yet, so therefore I cannot post these things for the world to know yet! I will let the suspense set in. . .

Anywho-- I should get going, Sunday is a day to be with family; so I am going to entreat myself with their presence and maybe a little something that may or may not contain sugar.. AHH there I said it! I am going to eat something with sugar-- I deserve a little treat before I start my busy week of work and working out.. I vow that I will do better this week and keep my body happy and healthy! You should do the same :) Take Care!

Love-- Chels

Guardian angels ..... true friends

Hey guys! its me shayli. And i had to share about how truly amazing the other two girls who post with me are. First background on me, growing up i have never stayed in the same place for longer than 3 years. before you feel bad, DON'T. i absolutely loved it. It has shaped me to become the person i am today. I have gotten to see all walks of life, learn from them all and love them all. Another thing is that it has made me super close to my family. From all the moving, making super close and lasting friendships rarely happened. I had alot of amazing friends, but moving a year or two later made it a little more complicated for some to stay super close. Anyway : summary: i have never felt like i have had girlfriends who i could see being by my side for the rest of my life, until now. 

The lord works in marvelous ways. Let me tell you about how this elite three came together and you will see exactly what i mean. Freshman year of college, i had no idea where i was going to live, so i just asked the Lord to help me pick a place. I chose Wyview. Well little did i know that Chelsea  Baker chose wyview as well.... and so did Kenzi christensen. Chelsea and i were in the same ward but i didn't fully take the opportunity to get to know her. Lucky for me i was given a second chance sophmore year when we got to live in the same housing complex four doors down from each other. Enter Kenzi, from a story they will have to tell  they decided to live together. So all three of us at Belmont. The lord allowed Kenzi to be my visiting teacher and we became friends. Then from there i got to know Chelsea so much better and was inspired to ask them about living situations for junior year... and here we are. I am know rooming with two of the most amazing people i know. Two people who continually keep in touch and keep our friendship going no matter where any of us are.  They are angels in my life, who lift me up through texts, phone calls, skype dates and blog posts.Love them oh so much and can not wait to meet up with them in August and reunite the Elite three. LOVE YOU GUYS!

Baby Shower Anyone?

Here I be, sassy as a woodchuck and twice as handsome ;) haha random? yes. That was the first line of the monologue I performed as my Junior Miss Talent. Anyways--- Things here are going just great! Work has kept me pretty busy. Although this last week was pretty chill, I know the coming week will be more busy and crazy- which is alright by me.. wanna know why? More money! hehe

Y'all are probably wondering about the title of my post. Well yesterday I was able to attend a friends baby shower. I played six years of volleyball with this friend, and three years of softball. And she is having a baby now!!! It is so crazy!! I am very excited for her! She will be such a great mother! I can imagine being a mother and loving it, but the realization of it is kind of crazy to think about. I look at my relationship with my nieces and I love them SO MUCH! The are the most innocent precious cute beings on earth, and I have to think of myself having my very own little girls that I can love as my own children and it kind of scares me. Its a huge responsibility, but I think that is why its so important to chose to marry the right man, someone that will share the responsibility and hopefully calm a little bit of the anxiety. OK that's enough of a growing up spill for one Blog post!

OH! I met a new friend! I work with her and she is pretty great. I am very glad that I have met her and look forward to getting to know her even better. I love making new friends!! She and I have become workout buddies at a gym and have vowed to make each other keep on top of our goals.. So know if I don't succeed I will have four girls to answer to--- which is scary so I have no choice to succeed! haha I miss Kenzi and Shayli! It is days like today that I wish I could just pull both of them away from life and just go on a nice sunday walk with them and talk about randomness, and laugh about dumb things, and get teary-eyed over small tough things we have to face in this life. I love you guys!! Kenz come home so we can have a skype date with Shay again!!