It's kind of an obsession..

Even though Jamba Juice is 20 minutes away in Orem, we still find our way over there quite a bit.

Meet the Crew: {And their flavors}
Matthew Dono "Sparky" Finn: Chocolate Mood.
Abigail Jade Richards: Peanut Butter Mood.
Matthew Meyers: nothin.
Myself: Banana Berry.


And then of course..There was a Savers across the parking lot..so we decided to go dress/suit shopping. The results were fantastic.



See for yourself.


I have a really great time with my friends. Even when they are too obsessed with the slug bug game so my body is covered in bruises. Because they make my life.

Thanks guys. :)
Love, Kalynn.

Ope. See ya...

3 weeks.
{that's all it took for me to fall for you, John.}
just kidding. That's a line from a potentially really lovely chick flick, that was..massacred. That's all. anyway.


3 Weeks.

And then I'm moving away to Cedar to live on my own and become one of these.

I'm stoked. I'm ready.
except for my really long packing list.
a list from which I have probably 17 out of the 50 billion things needed to live on one's own.
but it's okay, because mama and I are going shopping next week for all that good stuff.
like a mini crock pot.


also. I forgot to mention that a few days ago I made banana bread for the first time ever on my own, and it was SCRUMPTIOUS.
Just sayin'.

Everybody said so.

And I'll tell you one more thing:
I fear that I may never see my best friend again since Tuesday came along. Why Tuesday? Starcraft 2. at midnight. Took 'em long enough. My oldest brother used to play Starcraft 1 when he was like 5 years old. They're just barely coming out with a Starcraft 2? It's not like I would even usually know about such things coming to pass. But he'd been waiting for that day for a long time and I've been hearing about it all along the way.

"Hey. One of your closest friends Drew leaves on his mission this Wednesday..."-Kalynn.
"Hey..Starcraft 2 comes out this Wednesday!" -Matthew.

I will also mention that he stayed up until 5:00 in the morning playing it once he had his hands on it. At least he's taking a break from Call of Duty?
haha. no. I LOVE C.O.D.
I'm really good at it.
anyway. I guess that's what I get for having a nerd as my best friend.
A very attractive nerd, but a nerd nonetheless.


Your friend,
Kalynn.

Maybe..

Apple juice and Yoga..

The thing is,

is that i. love. to. practice. yoga.

and have you ever heard of Jillian Michaels? She's the main woman on The Biggest Loser show. Anyway. She puts her own little spin on yoga in one of her DVDs that my mother purchased for me.

You should have seen me the day after the first time I did it. Maybe it's because I did both levels in the same session. Just. I'd done plenty of yoga before, so I thought I could handle it! I was as sore as a...like...something really sore. But that was clear back at the beginning of the summer. And I've done this same DVD almost everyday this summer. That's how much I love yoga. It really does make me happy. But...you'd think that after a half of a summer it would be less exhausting... no. I'm not sore at all from it anymore, but holy. heck. It wears me out. Which..actually makes me feel really relaxed and soothed and balanced. So..haha. It's great like that. That's why I love doing yoga.

also. I've drunk a lot of apple juice today.

Namaste,
Kay.

See, every Wednesday, I write my missionary friends..

and my work load is about to increase significantly.

Missionaries, missionaries, missionaries.

So many of my friends are going on Missions super soon!
Isn't that so exciting?!

Basically, the next 1,000 Sundays of my life comprise of missionary farewells.

Zachary Pendleton,- Singapore: Malay and Indonesian speaking.
Drew Hemsley-Geneva, Switzerland: French speaking.
Joshua Stewart- Asuncion, Paraguay: Spanish speaking.
Jacob Cooper-Tokyo, Japan: Japanese speaking.
Corey Jackson-Mexico City, Mexico: Spanish speaking.
Austin Woodfield-Guatemala City, Guatemala: Spanish speaking.
Jordan Saltmarsh: Kyiv, Ukraine: I'm not sure what he'll be speaking.
Michael Stanley: Seoul, Korea: Korean speaking.
Brad Dorius: Seoul, Korea: Korean Speaking.
(yes, they are best friends going to the same exact mission!)
Matt Finn: Harare, Zimbabwe: ENGLISH speaking. haha.

Can you believe that not ONE of those guys is staying in the states?!
I'm beginning to believe that they don't even send missionaries inside America anymore!

I'm so excited for all of them though..it's so crazy!

and do you know what ELSE?!

Remember this handsome guy?
{the one on the left}
He comes home in 5 months.

I'm significantly excited for that one.

With love from your very happy friend,
Kalynn Eve.

Papa has been writing a book..

about Nathan's drowning accident and such..

and he wants each of his children to write a small tid-bit about Nathan and what we've learned from him that papa can add to his book.

help me??

just tell me if I sound like an idiot. mkay? Because this book is going to be published for all the world to see. {meaning..all of Utah and those who shop at Desert Book.}

Here's mine: {unless you guys think it sounds stupid. Then I'll write up something else.}

Nathan and I are significantly close in age, so growing up we had most of the same friends and there was rarely a time when we did something without the other. I will always be able to recall my mom telling us of how we were "partners in crime", although I was always pretty good at getting Nathan blamed for our mischievousness. We liked to run around the neighborhood barefoot, eating our Ramen Noodle seasoning packets and dance to the Backstreet Boys on the brick wall on the side of our house. Nathan truly always has been my very best friend in the world.

The week Nathan's accident occurred, I was staying with a friend in Salt Lake City, and I used to get exceptionally homesick. Because of this, I would call home every night and talk to each member of my family. Nathan was the last person I talked to the day before his drowning and he knew how homesick I was, so he was telling me a few jokes before we had to hang up. The last words he said to me that night, which happened to be the last words I ever heard him speak, were, "Be safe, have fun, I love you, Kalynn!"

This memory stands as a reminder of how caring Nathan has always been. He was the peacemaker of our family, so it seems fitting now that he is still the one teaching us about love, humility, patience, optimism, and faith. Nathan's strength makes me stronger. It makes our family, as a unit, stronger. It makes every person he comes in contact with stronger. Not a day goes by when I am not profoundly influenced by Nathan and what he has to teach me. I truly believe that even through all of his pain Nathan is a happy person. If there is anything to learn from Nathan, it's that as long as you've got something to hold on to, whether it be family, or perhaps God, then you can choose to be happy and life is still worth living. And I believe Nathan does that perfectly.

As always,
Kalynn Eve.

A weekend comprises the two traditionally non-working days in a seven-day week..

Family reunion.

yay??

To be honest I wasn't the most excited person in the world for it. But looking back, I don't really know why I wasn't. Because it was a blast, and I should've known that it would be. I always have a good time with the whole fam damily. (Grandpa Stott's favorite thing to say. {I'm his spitting image.})

The plans were to meet up at Discovery Park at noon. What really happened though was, me and mother and grandpa Stott and my step-grandma Zelda sat around at the park until 2:00 when everyone got there. We started things off by taking turns in groups playing bocci ball and badminton.

• although, this little kid {my cousin's son} tried to accomplish both at the same time. Adorable, yeah?

Other activities included a family BBQ, skits/program, learning about the elderly of the family, chatting, coloring, crafts, water balloon volleyball, pinata, eating candy, and..

the water fight.

My family brought water guns as part of our skit thing and that's where it all began. I had all the little munchkins on my side as we tried to get Julie and Derek. We ran around and around that pavilion doing our best to soak my older siblings. When Derek and I were drenched we decided to take a picture together.

• That's when this little beauty was captured.

Just as Julie snapped the pic., my cousin D.J. comes around with a huge bowl of water and totally pwns us unaware. I have to admit: he got us good.

don't worry though. With a really great plan, we got him back. :)

• here's us together soaking at the end of the night. {I promise he's just as wet and I am, you just can't tell cause his hair isn't as long.}

Saturday presented a baseball game in Brigham City.

That's just a random city about 2 hours north of here.

It was a lot of fun. Driving two hours with some of my favorite people {Matthew Ludlow, Matthew Finn, Alyssa Jensen...And Benji Shepard, but I don't really know him.} was certainly a great time. Whether it was racing the hispanic kids that kept waving at us, Matt's riddles, not being able to find a bathroom, too much candy and popcorn, losing 24-2 {when those boys are normally really good}, being squished by tired boys, or watching fireworks and being celebratory of Steel Days on the way home, I wasn't bored for a single second.

x.O.
-Kalynn Eve.

"It's 5:00 and I haven't eaten anything today.."

--Direct quote from Matthew David Ludlow.

So,naturally, Matt and I go to Mimi's Cafe.

Because sometimes we do that.

Actually, yesterday was Matthew's first time there.

We both love the place. The food is delicious. Matt got french toast, and I got Cajun Chicken Alfredo. But the food wasn't even the best part.

• the forks were super long so as to be able to stab more food and thus fill you faster.
• the bread was filled with raisins. It was gross. But very entertaining.
• Matt put his straw wrapper around the pepper, and we decided that those shakers were us getting married. So we decided on a date. September 1, 2013. We really hope you'll come.
• Matt discovered that he's a wonderful photographer.

Mostly, I really just enjoy going to lunch with my best friend. We have a good time.

Yours truly,
--Kay.

234..

I know I'm a few days late but..
Dear America,
you are now 234 years old. Happy birthday! and happy Independence Day to everybody else.

The 4th of July has always been my favorite holiday. My family always makes a big deal out of holidays, and it's always been exceptionally fun. It's something I definitely want to carry on when I have my own family someday. What goes down is, first I make us some cute
star-shaped rice krispy treats with red, white, and blue sprinkles.



















Then my papa grills us the best steak in the world and we all gather for a delicious family BBQ. My parents never leave anything out. There's always steaks, hot dogs, chicken, salad, watermelon, chips and salsa..the works. We eat until we can't eat anymore. And then we squish in a serving of my mama's delicious mud pie.
Then we all gather outside and play croquet! I'm probably the worst croquet player you'll ever know. Actually, not even probably. I just know I am. Believe me.

Then we all part ways to do fireworks with our friends. This year me and my friends went to the park next to the Provo temple to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks. We had a pretty decent view, and it was a lot of fun. Fireworks are my favorite. LOVE EM.
And then if there's time I bring my friends back home to do some street fireworks that we purchased earlier. This year there wasn't time, but we did them on the 5th of July, which was still just as fun.




















Do you have any great Independence Day traditions?
Tell me.

Life is good, huh?
-Kalynn Eve.

In case you didn't know..

I'm Kalynn.
1. I like to be very punctual to EVERYTHING. everything. I don't believe in being "fashionably late".
2. but I don't like to be rushed.
3. I will most likely remember everything you ever say to me. I just do.
4. my favorite scriptures are 2 Nephi 2:11 & John 14:18, in no particular order.
5. I will attend SUU in the fall and I will absolutely love it. I know I will. It's gonna be FUN.
6. I love learning.
7. reading..is what I do.
8. On my calendar, I write down what I did that day. And then I save it at the end of the year. I still have my very first calendar from 5 years back. With everything I did that year on each day.
9. I often brush my teeth in the shower. while I'm letting my conditioner soak in. Just to save time.
10. I tend to worry about things either too much or too little.
11. I have way to many clothes. Most of which I should give to someone less fortunate than me. But I sometimes feel like my clothes have memories. memories which I don't want to forget. memories which I'd hate to give up. I know I should give them away anyway..we'll see.
12. I used to lose things a lot. I still do. but i think I'm getting better at finding them.
13. I took piano for 6 years, but I didn't have the self discipline {like Julie} to practice enough. I didn't even make it to level two.
14. Julie is my sister. The second oldest of the six children. She produced my first niece, and my first nephew.
15. Sometimes, i drive around aimlessly. listening to whatever happens to be my favorite song on that day over and over and over. I sing with it. even though the windows are down. I come back home when I'm sick of the song. And then I get sad that I wore out my favorite song.
16. I'm antsy. But I don't always have to be doing something. Matt is grateful for that.
17. I can make some REALLY. ugly. faces.
18. Aaron says I'm touchy. I like giving out hugs, pats on the back, & kisses on the forehead and cheeks.
19. BUT. I do NOT like to give high fives. Those bug me. Don't ask me why. I don't even know.
20. I'm extremely indecisive. I know that's an unlikable character trait. I wish I wasn't. I drive myself crazy. But even the tiniest choices are an important part of life.
21. I don't believe in hand sanitizer. I highly doubt it works. Mostly, it just just rubs those germs around. Ask Matt. He knows.
22. I mean Matt Ludlow. He's my best friend. He's been stuck with me most everyday this summer so far. But we have fun.
23. Abigail is my other bestie. But she's a full time worker now. I miss her lots of times. She's a beauty.
24. My mom. FREAKS. about EVERYTHING. she's a little nuts. But I have a great great great BIG amount of love for that woman. She birthed me. She fed me. She's always giving and never ever taking. She is a beautiful human being.
25. My oldest sister, Melissa, is like my second mother. She took care of me during those few months when my mama lived at the hospital. She still takes care of me. Always has. Always will.
26. My time perception is actually very sketchy. That could have been a week or two. But I could swear it felt like months, so I believe it was.
27. I'm not a big milk fan. but chocolate milk? well, I'm it's BIGGEST fan.
28. I feel you meet every single person in your life for a reason. And that they are part of your life for that moment in time because you are supposed to learn from each other. Therefore, I become really attached to people and it takes me a long time to move on from them completely.
29. It's actually kind of abnormal how much I love to love people. Even this lady at walmart one time who told me not to give that strange man gas money cause it was dangerous. She was just taking care of me, you know? She was so nice...
30. I love to play games. All games. Even the ones I hate. I get that from my mother.
31. I love composition notebooks, because Abby and I turn them in to the Blender or the Waffle Iron.
32. The Blender is basically a journal that I share back and forth with Abby, and we share our thoughts on each others lives and feelings. We're currently on Blender #3. I wish she'd write back real soon.
33. The Waffle Iron is the same thing, only a 4-way journal between me, Abby, Matt Meyers, and Matt Ludlow. We're about halfway through our first one.
34. I just like to write a lot. I'm not saying I'm good, I'm just saying I like it.
35. Although..I did get the only A on that one assignment in college writing. :)
36. And My papa says I'm a good writer.
37. I love my papa. He's the best. I can guarantee it.
38. I really do believe in Jesus Christ. And that he is the savior of this world. And that he is my big brother.
39. My oldest brother is Derek. He's a got a wife. and a little baby on the way. I love new babies.
40. My other big brother is Adam. He is a goofus. {don't be a goofus. Don't be a goofus! Name that movie..} He freaks a lot. Like everyone in my family. :) but he is brilliant. and he has a bigger heart than anyone I know.
41. My younger brother Nathan holds the specialest {it's a word. deal.} of all places in my heart. If you don't know why, ask somebody else. I don't like to talk about it. Unless you're Matt. Then I talk about it too much probably.
42. I enjoy rollerskating from time to time. And I still like Classic Skating, because I didn't grow up here.
43. I had a BBC News phase, but recently I don't like to know exactly what's going on in the world. It just..scares me. It really always has. Ask Adam. and my mom.
44. I don't know why God gave me everything good in this world. But I sure am grateful.
45. I would be nowhere without the amazing friends I've been fortunate enough to gather.
46. I don't like goodbyes..because I usually make myself a fool. I'm bad at them. They're weird..hard..and awkward for me. always.
47. It really doesn't take a lot to make me happy. Mostly, just a certain amount of sugar in my blood.
48. That's because I'm hypoglycemic. It's not a big deal.
49. I want to be married in the temple someday. But not soonish. Gimme 5 years. at least. please?
50. I'm one of those people that chews on their pens at school. And I don't think it's gross. I like to believe my mouth is relatively clean.
51. I'm always have a bunch of crap with me wherever I go. Like. camera, phone, water bottle, keys, wallet..I bring em all wherever I go.
52. I document my life, and the lives of all my friends, with my camera. I'm always taking pictures.
53. But I'm not a photographer. I can't make my pictures look all great and deep like some people can. I wish I could.
54. Sometimes I tend to be violent. but not for reals. I just..throw stuff. and.. hit people..but I'm a weakling. It's not like it hurts.
55. let's just say..I'm not short.
56. Recently, I like to shout "You're good!!" at people. All the time.
57. It's not like I hate the mountains here, I just LOVED and MISS those beautiful red mountains of St. George.
58. I like hiking. Even though I suck a breathing during such an activity. It's just..chill. and fun. and you discover lovely places.
59. It's not like I talk tons, but when I do talk I like to be heard. So when I'm in a big group of people, i talk loud. Just. Deal with it. I don't wanna forget what I was gonna say.
60. Which happens. a LOT.
61. I like to sing a lot of times. and I can memorize lyrics easily. I've been singing my whole life. It comes with being a Petersen. but mostly I do it cause I enjoy it.
62. AFHS CHAMBER CHOIR 2009-2010.
63. I wanna learn to play the guitar. And I want to have fun singing time with my second grade class.
64. If you didn't gather, I want to teach second grade. It is the best grade. You color. Love books. learn to add numbers. learn the months of the year. learn to be nice. learn to listen. have singing time. It. is. the. best. IN LOVE with it.
65. I have a money-spending problem. Matt helps out with that, though.
66. I know I'm spoiled. You don't have to tell me.
67. But I don't think I'm a brat about it.
68. I like typing stuff. I can't wait to go to college and have my own laptop so that I can type all my notes in class. That makes me uber stoked.
69. When I'm not feeling shy, I can converse with ALMOST anyone. Abby says I'm empathetic. But really. I could get into a good, deep conversation with..your grandma? a friend? That lady at the grocery store? As long as there wasn't any pressure, and not a bunch of people listening in.
70. I make a good listener. I promise. Ask anyone.
71. I like doing YOGA. and NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES. They hurt. It's satisfying.
72. I enjoy music. like..all music. Rock is my all-time favorite, but I've always liked Rascal Flatts. Then I went through that 60's rock phase, which I still utterly love, but recently I like to listen to crappy rap on the radio with Matt. It's funny. and fun. And gives you lots of energy. It's best on the radio, because the radio is censored. for the most part.
73. I hate it when I'm driving around and I can feel that my car's alignment is off. It bugs the crap out of me. But not literally.
74. There is this one hill by my house, down the street from the temple, that I love to go down because I don't have to push the brakes or the gas the whole way down and my car just goes perfectly 5 over the speed limit. It may be the most satisfying thing ever.
75. I hate it when people don't use their blinkers when they're driving. Or when their blinker is on for no reason. Therefore, I always use my signal appropriately.
76. I like to scrapbook I guess, but mostly in bursts. I should learn to do a little each week, but usually i just do a bunch at a time. I'm way behind on this year's scrapbook.
77. Can you believe I'm almost 19? So weird.
78. I love my family. a whole heck of a lot. There's a bunch of us. We're crazy together. We're close. It's unique. and I love it. I hope to produce such a family. Way to go, parents.
79. I belong to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know who I am. I know God's plan. I'll follow him in faith.
80. I like primary songs still. I know like..all of them.
81. During the school year I always went to bed by 9, because I knew I had to wake up early. This summer, I go to bed around midnight every night and usually wake up at 6:30 to feed my brother. I think I don't mind going to bed so late because I always figure "it's summer. I can sleep in the middle of the day." but I like to be productive, so I rarely do that. It's beginning to catch up with me.
82. I have a great deal of amount of love for some of my high school teachers. Ingersoll. Shelley. Selytina. Dzubak. Warby. to name a few.
83. Brielle Porter. Long story short, Heavenly Father KNEW we needed each other. I'm a hundred percent positive that we were even best friends in heaven.
84. My heart holds a great amount of love for Audie Bishop and Monica Law. They were my most favorite Y.W leaders ever. They loved me. You know?
85. I like to make chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips.
86. That's a lie. I like to make chocolate chip cookie dough without the chocolate chips. and then just eat the dough.
87. I'm determined to become a really really really good cook in college.
88. I'm gonna cook dinner for my boyfriends every Sunday at SUU.
89. Boyfriends meaning Boys that are my just-friends. Or if I ever get one that isn't. :)
90. I HATE feet. hate hate hate. They're ugly. All of them. Especially my brother Adam's when we were younger. I think that's why I hate them. Don't worry, his are better now, but the loath is still there.
91. I love vintage things. and memory lane. but not my memory lane so much as other peoples.
92. when I think of something funny, it's the hardest thing ever in the world for me to hold back a smile on my face.
93. It's also hard when someone texts me something funny. I can't hide my emotions while texting. I frown, smile, or laugh out loud. Every time.
94. I don't like mustard, and I only like ketchup on hot dogs.
95. I am IN LOVE with fry sauce though. I could marry it.
96. I love trees. the big kind. Good for climbing, looking at, and building tree houses in.
97. I'm still mad that the people who moved into my first house cut down that huge tree.
98. I hold grudges. I'm sorry. But at least I'll tell you why I'm mad at you. SOME people don't even give you that courtesy.
99. I like that ice cream with all the bright colors. Superman, I think it's called.
100. I like to eat ramen noodles with my friends. We sometimes have ramen noodle parties.
101. We're also known for having banana parties.
102. I still love all those old disney movies. Aladdin, Lion King, Toy Story, Sleeping Beauty.
103. I love the Swan Princess too, but it's not a disney movie.
104. My favorite movie is Gladiator. Second place is a two-way tie for Sandlot and the Goofy Movie.
105. when doing a school project, I like to work alone. I don't like group projects. I don't like relying on other people for my grade. Plus, I work better alone.
106. I. am. NOT. most likely to be a vet. I don't even like animals that much.
107. Except our dog Mrs. Bones. She's alright.
108. I adore Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Russel Crowe, and Julia Roberts.
109. I love old Doris Day movies.
110. I think it's funny the Jake Hess' favorite movie is "You've Got Mail."

Ode to Summer:

Here's to:

:summer hikes.
-Tuesday I went on a group date with my good friend Jordan Gunderson and 12 other fun personalities I haven't seen since graduation. We went on a fun five mile hike up a nearby mountain to see some waterfalls. Only..we never did find those waterfalls..

:summer fishing!
-I've been waiting my entire life for this moment! And finally I was granted the opportunity. My dear friends Jared Hall, Mikelle Pyne, Matthew Ludlow, and I took J-Hall's truck to Lone Peak {approx. 1 min. away from my home} and did some serious night fisihing..for my first time ever! Matt caught some moss...but other than that the catching was on the down side..nothing. But it's okay..we sort of expected that, so we brought some Sweedish fish for our enjoyment.


:summer biking.
-tandem biking that is! Matt's dad bought a tandem bike a few years back, but no one used it for a long time because the tube in the back wheel had a hole. So we repaired it the best we could and it actually lasted us a good long bike ride! Matt's quite the handy man. We rode all over town and everyone we passed smiled and waved, because everyone thinks tandem bikes are the cutest thing ever. Which they are. But all good things come to an end and finally our poor tubing job just couldn't handle it anymore and it went completely flat. I think next time we feel like biking, we'll just go buy a new tube..:summer nickel cade nights!
-We've fallen in love with this place. There are so many great games! It's a fantastic way to have a wonderful time.




p.s. we love DDR.

Cheers,
Kay.