is this even real life?

For the past week and a half I have been in a constant state of, "Is this even real life? I cannot even believe it. It's just too good to be true!"

In my last post I said I might have an announcement, and I do! And it's a good announcement...

It all started with a joke at the dinner table. We were talking about work or school or something, and I turned to my dad and said, "I should just come work at Bear River!" And then a couple days later, he texted me and asked if I was serious about what I said. And not really thinking much of it, I was like, Yeah, sure! I wouldn't mind trying. Totally not thinking I would get the job. So I wrote a resume-- because I didn't even have a resume yet, thank you, Pinterest-- and sent it to the head of HR and she called me the next day and set up an interview. And then that Wednesday I interviewed and it went really well. She asked me back for a second interview with the Executive Board and wow. That was a bit scary, but about an hour later they called and offered me the job! 

It all happened so quickly and I am so excited and nervous and ready and a little scared. And uncomfortable. I have been seriously stuck in a rut lately. And I'm stoked to not have to work on Sunday's anymore. I'm just... I am in awe of how much Heavenly Father has blessed me right now. And I don't know what to do with my arms (which happens in real life, A LOT, like, what do you do with your arms?!). And I have a grown up job where I have to wear business attire! And I get to look cute at work and not get cuts and bruises all over my body! And have un-nameable dirt from boxes all over me!

I am a little bummed that I won't have Wednesday's off anymore so I can't go to the temple every Wednesday morning and I am so going to miss all my temple worker friends SO MUCH. Because they are just the cutest and I love them. And I can no longer go to lunch with my Grandma and Dana. And I won't have that extra 10% discount at Target anymore, which is a bummer. But hey. The bigger picture is pretty freaking great.

Soooo, that's the announcement. I quit Target. And my last day is the 23rd. And I have a new job. And I am so blessed and scared and excited. And I can't even believe it.

I hope you guys have the greatest rest of the week!

Cheers,
     Reille K.

mother's day diy.

So, guys. I totally made my mother's day prezzie and I got it from Pinterest and I thought I would show you guys like, a little DIY thing for it. Is that cool? Or is it lame? I guess we may never know.

Anyway, I did a bleach pen t-shirt! And obviously I chose a shirt in my mom's favorite color.

Things you'll need:
-t-shirt or clothing item of your choice
-bleach pen
-a big piece of cardboard
-wax paper
-tape
-any stencils or patterns if you are not a free-hander like myself.

First, you'll want to cut the cardboard so it will fit nicely inside the shirt or pants that you're working with. Mostly just so things will stay in place and not get shifty on you.

Then, if you plan on re-using your cardboard like I do, cover it with wax paper and tape it down in all the spots that are kinda roll-y still so it won't get in the way of you drawing.

Then you put the shirt on the cardboard and tape on any stencils that you want so they don't shift.

 Before you start drawing, make sure you shake the pen really well so it's an even consistency and so the bleach-y part is all mixed with the gel-y part. And then have at it! Draw to your hearts content.




Right after I finished drawing.

Right before I rinsed off the
bleach.

I let mine set for about 10 minutes, but you can go longer or shorter. You can even let the bleach dry all the way if you want the color to be white white white. If you don't let all the bleach dry, it comes out different colors. Which, mine has a little bit of a teal color in the middle of some of it, which is a result of having thicker lines or globby bits of bleach gel on those parts. And the longer you leave it on there, the thicker your letters or design will be, because the bleach kinda seeps a little bit and gets soaked into the fibers of the cloth. And you can see in the pictures how you can tell that the color is changing and you can see what it's going to look like as it goes on.

An example of the color
variation.

  When it's as dried as you would like, rinse off the bleach with COLD water, to stop the bleaching process. COLD water. That way, you're good to go to wash it with other stuff if you want. Or, if you're paranoid, like me, you can wash and dry it by itself. :)



Once you've rinsed it, like I said, go ahead and wash and dry as normal. And that's it! Ta-da! You have a cool unique shirt that no one else will have!



Finished product!

I went with a lime theme because that's my mom's favorite color. And I also went with a joke-y present because of a recent conversation I had with my mom. Basically, she's just the best, and I don't tell her nearly as often as I should how much I appreciate and love her. Even though some days she drives me up the wall, she's still the best Momma for me.

Anyway, I hope everyone has an awesome week! I may have an announcement later this week, and I may not. Look for a post on probably Wednesday. :)

Cheers!
     Reille K. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

vegas.

Once upon a time, I went to Vegas for the first time ever with my bestie, Jessica, for my 20th birthday. Yes, 20th. And everyone thought I was the weirdest little weird, because what's the point if you aren't 21? Well, the point is, there's more to do in Vegas than drinking and gambling, and even if I WAS 21, I still wouldn't have done any of that stuff. Yeah? Yeah. 

 

The drive down was super windy, and they closed the freeway twice in the four days we were gone. And I finally got to sit in the HUGE Beaver Valley chair. High school Me felt like I was part of the "in-crowd" for sure. It was fun and nice to go at whatever pace we wanted to because we were in charge and we could stop for whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. 

We went to The Tournament of Kings, which was a blast. We sat by a Canadian named Matt, NAND Merlin hit on me at the beginning of the he show. Which, was awesomely uncomfortable. There was a spotlight on me, and we know how much I hate attention. Ha! But, it was still flattering. And we went to the Shark Reef Aquarium, which is the only predator based aquarium. So basically, SHARKS, right? So, obviously, I was SO THERE. Because sharks are my favorite and are the absolute best. I managed to hold the tears in, even though I was so excited. I did manage to get makeup all over their glass because I had my face pressed up against it so I could see better though. I touched rays, and horseshoe crabs. And they had more than one shark tunnel, and see-through floors so the sharks could swim underneath you, which they did. And they had so many different kinds of sharks that were all established so they were nice and big and beautiful. And a ginormous sea turtle, which was so majestic. Obviously I found the coolest adult t-shirt with sharks on it and bought it.

We weren't allowed to take pictures once
the show started, so I got what I could.

 

We also went to the Titanic exhibit, which was cool in a different way. I've always known a lot about the Titanic, but somehow, I forget it the most. I forget that 2,000 people died on that boat. And I forget that it was supposed to be so super safe. And I forget that some peoples family members didn't even know they were on the boat at all. They were all on their way to a better life. And it ended so abruptly. And that makes me a little sad and also never want to go on a cruise. Just kidding, I still want to go on a cruise. Around the Greek Isles. But the exhibit was super cool. I enjoyed doing that. We went to a super expensive buffet, and took a nap after (what else would you do, right?)  I tried crab legs, and decided that in the he case of all seafood, unless the work is already done for you and you're just reaping the benefits, it's not worth it. 
 

We walked most of the strip and people watched and ogled all the beautiful hotels/casinos. We decided which ones we would stay in if we were ever rich enough. We saw a small Liberache exhibit, which was beautiful. It took dedication to wear all that super heavy beaded clothing on stage. I love that the hotels are all themed, and there is a theme for everyone. They just need a strictly underwater one now, kind of like the one in A Goofy Movie, and they can call it the Triton or the Grotto, and my life will be complete. Yes to the Mermaids, No to the water beds though. Those are difficult to sleep on. We spoke to beautiful Irish men about how unruly hair can be. We made poor poor poor choices when it came to footwear. And regretted it tremendously. 

We went to church in Jessica's old ward, which was a fun experience for me. The vibe in church in other states is different than it is in Utah. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's there. Also, their chapels are tiny! But everyone is really nice, and I had a really good time. And we met up withJ's old high school friends. Which, was interesting. I really liked most of them, so, at least there's that. And we ate yummy food all weekend, and it was just a super fun experience. Also, we missed the bomb threat that happened at Target by a few hours, which, thank goodness. Because that would have sucked. And we also missed the drama that naturally followed. So, that was nice. 

Going to Vegas is like going to a different planet. They have no open container laws and everyone always has a drink firmly... "Firmly" in their hands (or on a necklace and around their necks). Inside of the casinos, the air is pungent with the smell of all the millions of cigarettes in there. I said that I bet a bunch of people who work in casinos get lung cancer even if they never once smoked. Probably true. And people would be drunk, full on drunk, so early in the day! It amazed me that all these people would spend all this money to go to Vegas, spend so much money doing stuff, spend so much money gambling, and buying drinks and stuff, just to be drunk the entire time and most likely not even remember it. It kills me. I just, don't get it. I decided it's not regulated because it's like The Purge, but instead of illegal things like murder and torture and stuff, it's reckless behavior. Interesting, right? 

All that being said, I really enjoyed it there, and I think we have stumbled upon a new tradition. We did a lot, but we still missed quite a bit. And we can always re-do some stuff! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,

     Reille K. :)

"its where they have everything you need to be young and reckless."

That's right. VEGAS. In just under an hour, I'm headed out to Vegas for a long-weekend getaway with Bestie Jess. Kind of for my birthday, I suppose. My last few days of being a "teenager" will be spent in Sin City. Everyone has been asking if I'm turning 21. Because, Vegas. But, alas, I am not. Only 20. We're going because it will be nice to have a break from Orem and all things that reside here for a few days. To get away and to not think about all those things.

Jess planned a surprise for me, and I got it out of her. I hate waiting to know what people are surprising me with. And I also hate it when people sing Happy Birthday to me. And guys, I am so freaking excited. We're going to Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur and we are sitting in the front, and we're cheering for Norway and they are going to be jousting. JOUSTING. Can we say real life "A Knight's Tale", anyone? And once I know the surprise, I can be so excited for it! And I prefer being excited to being all, "Ugh, but what are they going to do to me? What if I don't like it? Uuuugh." Haha. I'm a little weird guy, but that's fine.

I'm really stoked to go and be able to come and go whenever I want to and not to have to worry about keeping people up and we can sleep whenever we want and do whatever we want. And just, have ALL the fun! It will be my first trip without family, or chaperones, and I'm nervous and excited and a tiny bit scared, but that's okay. Because hey, I'm a goin' on an ADVENTURE!!!!! With my best friend! And I just feel so good about that. Because, adventures are good for you.

So anyway, probably the next time I write, I'll be not a teenager and I'll have finally been to Vegas (this will be my first time being there!) and I'll have sat in a really big shark tunnel (we're going to Mandalay Bay). And I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. Even though I'm pretty sure no one reads this anymore... Oops.

Cheers!
     Reille K. :)

when you get a text before 7 am...

I wrote this last week, but couldn't publish it until I was officially released...

I planned a really super cool Easter lesson. With video clips and greatness. Thinking that this is for sure going to be either my last lesson as a Relief Society instructor or one of the last. 

A member of the bishopric texted me the morning of my lesson and asked to meet with me before church. Like, right before church. I saw it coming. I knew that he was going to at least release me. If not give me another calling to replace the old.

He did. 

Release me. 

And I got a new calling. 

I was happy, but there was a sadness there that I wasn't expecting. One that didn't come until the moment I ended my lesson. My lesson with the video clips that would NOT work because the wifi signal in the RS  room was rubbish. The lesson that I kind of had to just wing. My last lesson. Ironically, it landed on Easter, which, was actually really nice. 

Afterwards, there were a few people that told me they think the videos wouldn't work for a reason. And I'm sure they're correct. Because last week, the teacher had no issues with the wifi, so I though for sure I would be fine. I think I was given this last opportunity to really share my testimony of the Savior, because that's all I had to fall back on, in terms of a lesson. I didnt even cover the half of my testimony of Him, but I'm glad I shared the small portion that I did. 

He knows me better than anyone else. He knows what I struggle with. He knows the exact people to send into my life to help me and bless me in ways I never knew I needed or wanted. He knows the deepest fears of my heart. He knows about the bad days, as well as the good. He knew that this calling, of being a RS instructor would scare me to death, but would help me grow a LOT. More than ever expected, in ways I never expected. He knew that it would help me realize just how much I DO know about the gospel, where I never thought I knew all that much. He knew I would fall short in this mortal life, and he sent a Savior to help me when I did. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to teach this past year. As much as I disliked it at times, it has truly made me better. 

I'm going to miss it. But I'm also excited for the new challenges that are coming my way. 

Cheers!

     Reille K.

the "fins" series.

Once upon a blue moon, I used to review books on here. And that was all I did. And that is also what got me into the idea that I enjoyed writing and that I was pretty good at it. I did that for an entire summer, the one that I convinced myself to ONLY read "Classics". Such as: Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice (I think)... I don't remember any of the other ones. They were a little boring to me and they all had basically the same plot line and all run together anyway... Woops.

Anyway... I posted on Instagram the other day my library haul, and someone wanted to know how a few of the books were, therefore, blogpost. :)

 

The "Fins" series, as it has been so lovingly christened. There's also a novella (I assume) called "Pretty in Pearls" that I haven't read, but might. We'll see. The series is written by a woman who used to be a swimmer and always wished to be a mermaid. (I mean, what girl HASN'T wished to be a mermaid at one point? I sure have! ... I still do sometimes.) I had read the first two books in high school (and maybe even the third) and totally forgotten until I was a little bit into the books. But, as I am the QUEEN of re-reading, I didn't mind reading again. Because, well, mermaids!

 

I mean, it gets a little cheesy and all that, but let's be real, we love the cheese-factor. It's about an *almost* 18 year old mermaid princess who lives on land and goes to high school. She's half-human but her mother (her human half) died like... when she was really little? The first book is about her falling for the boy, but the second and third books get a little bit less superficial and go more into the princess business and she has to stop wars against the humans because we are ruining the oceans. (Kind of true... oops.)

Personally, I really enjoyed them. I read the first two books in one day... ha! And the third book the next day. But, I also read reals fast. I thought the imagery was fantastic, and the love story was not super unrealistic. She, Lily, is magically bonded to the guy (no spoilers, just in case) and she still isn't sure if she Loves him, so she makes her dad, the king and the only one with the power to break the bond, sever the bond even though she ends up Loving the guy. It all works out in the end though, don't worry! It was refreshing, if you ask me.

Anyway, I would recommend them. Let me know if you read them and we can talk about them! Like a book club! ;)

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Cheers,
     Reille K.

no better place.

This place though. It is my absolute favorite, and I can't think of a better way to spend my Wednesday mornings than being here and doing work for people who have (usually) been waiting for over 100 years! I always open my eyes when I'm doing baptisms so I can see where and when my ladies were alive. And so I can look at their names and think of them more clearly.

The people at the temple know who I am. I'm a regular. And that is really cool. I have ALWAYS loved the temple. It was one of the first things I ever had a real testimony about. And when I wasn't sure about anything else, I was always sure of the temple. And if I knew that what happened in there was real and true and wonderful, then the rest of it HAD to be true too, right? RIGHT. The temple has always gotten me through. And I'm really bummed that I don't get to watch Conference this weekend as its happening, but hey, I still got to go to the temple this week. And hey, that's what the internet is for, right? So I can read, watch, or listen to the talks later. And try not to fall asleep all the time like I did when I did that in October. Their voices are just so soothing and wonderful, wouldn't you agree?

The only time I feel real peace, is at the temple. And I CRAVE it. I just can't find it anywhere else. I feel completely content when I am in the temple and I don't think of anything except the people that I am doing work for, and the temple workers who are standing right in front of me. Because guys, I just love them! They are so cute and great! And it is AWESOME. Because I am constantly overthinking everything and my thoughts are going a million miles a second and when I'm in the temple, my brain slows down and I get a break from my whirring thoughts. And I feel only positive emotions and it lifts me up. And it's the best.

I can barely put into words how much I love the temple. Because I don't think there is any combination of words that can do it justice. Not really.

Cheers,
     Reille K.