Blast From the Past!

After having lunch with my Grandma Jones I hoped into Leo the Geo (my car) to head back to work. And that's when it happened...the radio decided to provide me with a sweet, trip down memory lane, treat. 

The song "Take a Look at my Girlfriend" by SuperTramp blasted through my speakers and I was immediately taken back to my junior year at the Moses Lake bowling alley where I was most likely ( I can't remember) kicking Rhoan Ashby's butt in bowling. When this song came on over the bowling alley's radio I told Rhoan I loved this song. He laughed and said he loved it to and somehow it kinda became our song. Super random, and a way long time ago but I always think of Rhoan when this song is played. 

I then started wondering if there is a song that people think of me when it comes on the radio. I know for a fact that all my old roommates have me ingrained in their brains forever when "It's a Great Day to Be Alive."-by Travis Tritt comes on the radio. It became my life goal to make them remember me forever from that song by blasting it basically every day I attended Byu-Idaho. 

It's funny how weird, random, and happy memories are brought back by song. Like every time I hear Bowling for Soup they bring me back to awkward brace-face Kelcey in junior high. "Heaven" reminds me of sweaty slow dancing prom night and Vitamin C takes every body back to graduation. 

I then started thinking about the other songs that reminded me of people and I got a pretty big list. Some are super super random, but its true I always think of you every. single.time. I hear the song. I hope you don't find it to creepy. haha

1."Sexy and I Know It"-By LMFAO 

'In a speedo trying to tan my cheeks..whattt?!' I can only hear that line in Marc Ortega's voice. When this song comes on its as if you are sitting in my passenger seat and we are on another road trip singing at the top of our lungs. aw man...good times haha

2."Boston"-Augustana

I always feel like I am mobbing in Jon Redford's green Jeep in the rain when I hear this goodie. 

3."Sexy Can I"-Ray J. 

Tyler Platt and our crazy rides to lunch. Tyler I remember this was your theme song in high school. Pretty sure it still is. 

4."She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy"-Kenny Chesney

Garin Bergeson and his hilarious dance for Mr. Moses Lake pageant. Garin, that dance made you my hero! Too good!

5."Every Time we Touch"-Cascada 

Kiley (Williamson) Black, The Bullet, and I would bond by singing this at the top of our lungs while pointing and winking at random strangers. Kiley, we know they liked it. 

6."Domino"-Jessie J. 

hahahaha Jacy Jones hahahaha this will always be your theme song in my mind.

7. "It's America" -Rodney Atkins

After my prom date picked me up He blasted this song. He said Prom wouldn't be complete if we didn't listen to this song. I love this memory.

8. "Peace, Love, Happiness"-G.Love & Special Sauce

Rachel Drollinger because you bring so much peace, love, and happiness in my life ;)

9."The Way You Make Me Feel"-Michael Jackson

This song was the highest octave I have ever heard my dad's voice go in my entire life. It still brings tears of laughter to my eyes when I hear this song. 

10. "Silent Night"-Tayah McQuivey and Myself

Kayley Christensen did the best narration I have ever heard, while Tayah and I sang in the back ground. Best single we every created in my opinion. 

11."White Houses"-Vanessa Carlton

My first kiss ;) ;) You know who you are ;)

12."Jump Rope"-Blue October

This reminds me of when Alli Berger and I had to get up at the crack of dawn for I team meetings. They made us do this ridiculous dance to this song to wake us up, which i totally love, but NOT at 6 in the morning. 

13."Under the Boardwalk"-The Drifters

Bill our assistant soccer coach. He would play this on his guitar and make us play our kazoos and sing along. One of the very best memories of high school soccer. 

Well that's all the good ones I can think of right now. Hope you enjoyed and weren't creeped out that I think of you when I hear these songs. Man thanks for the great memories guys. 

Love you all!!

Wisdom Teeth

Dear Wisdom Teeth, 

Well we had a pretty good run. It was fun being rebels and seeing how long we could go before they forced you out. But looks like the Doc says you gotta go. 
It's probably better this way, a good clean break for good. That way we can move on with our separate lives faster. 
I'll miss all the good times we had eating ice cream together, hope your happy when you go....to where ever it is wisdom teeth go. 



Best Regards, 


Kelcey

Moments

I was browsing on pinterest...(i know, i know, surprise surprise) and I stumbled upon this quote.

"There are moments which mark your life.

Moments when you realize nothing will

ever be the same and time is divided into

two parts, before this and after this."

-Unknown.

I also was reading on itjustgetsstranger.blogspot.com (another surprise)  and he posted this in one of his blog posts.

"Every once in a while you hit an exact moment where you realize that everything you see beyond that moment will always look different to you than before that moment and it's all because of that moment. I'm not talking about long drawn out life changing experiences- those certainly force you to view the world a completely different way. I'm talking about just small and quick exchanges that for whatever reason permanently shed light on life."

-Elli McCain

I agree that we all hit moments like these in all of our lives and I want to share some of mine.

1. When I was a kid I was terrified of everything, and I mean everything, like riding a bike for example. I hated laying on the grass, I was too chicken to jump off the high dive, and don't even get me started on roller coasters. Anything new that involved heights, or fun I was scared of it. I always got crap from my family because my younger sister, who wasn't born with an ounce of fear in her body, did everything I was too scared to do. Finally one day, after climbing up and down the latter on the high dive about 6 times, at the public pool, (in front of a hundred people) I closed my eyes. Said one final prayer to thank God for my beautiful short life, and I jumped off...And I LIVED! Ever since then I knew I could conquer any fear. 

2. The day I became high school soccer captain was the moment I realize childhood dreams do come true.

3. In 6th grade I was a student body officer (still have no idea how I became one) but us, student body officers, were required to perform a skit in front of the entire school. I went to the, butt crack of dawn, practices for weeks before the performance. I learned the dances and all of my lines. The night before the performance I had a nervous break down (remember I was a chicken back then). I told my mom I was quitting and I was NOT going to school the next day. In my mind, nothing, ever in a million years could get me to go up on that stage. (Except maybe twenty dollars and a baby bottle pop cause that was alot of money and the best flippen treat ever to a 6th grader.) After calming me down my mother and father proceeded to give me the lecture about, if I promise someone I will do something I can't break that promise. And if i started quitting things now, I will always be a quitter for the rest of my life. For some reason that lecture had a huge impact on me and my life. I did the skit the next day and so far, to this day, I have not quit anything that I promised I would do. 

4. When I crossing the finish line, after running in the worst hail storm cross country race ever, with the my personal record time. That was the moment I realized that pain is a mental battle, your body can do incredible things when pushed.  

5.Every Monday when I was on the high school soccer team, we had to do what is called the juggling challenge. One has to juggle the ball 30 times on their thighs to pass the first test. Then you move up to 40, then 50. Then it goes to just your feet in the same 30, 40, 50 pattern and then to your head. Each week you have a chance to try and pass off one of the tests. I was never really good at juggling and if you failed you had to do a fun run. (p.s. fun runs ARE NOT FUN!) So basically I passed the 30 thigh test miraculously one day but all the other days i had to do the stinking. not. so. really. fun. fun runs. The last Monday of my senior year I decided that I was going to pass the test if it killed me. Occasionally a girl on the team would fail but be really close and would ask for the double or nothing chance. If you failed a second time you had to do the unspeakable...run TWO FUN RUNS. *gasp!* I don't remember anyone actually passing the second time so hardly anybody ever did the double or nothing challenge. So I figured since it was my last chance I would do the double or nothing if worse came to worse. I had to get forty...how hard can that be ha ha (actually I had never gotten more than thirty...ever...but I was determined.) So it was my turn...I got 35 juggles. Shaking I looked up at my coach and said, I'll do double or nothing. He gave me the, are you sure, look. I nodded and kept practicing until it was my turn again. By my next turn alot of girls were done with their test and were watching because not very many girls ever did double or nothing. Second test...I got 38...almost teary eyed and still super shaky  I looked at my coach and with a strike of insanity I said...triple or nothing...all the girls gasped around the circle. My coach gave me the, you know i'm really gonna make you run three of the fun runs if you don't get this, look. I nodded practiced a couple more times then got ready for round three. Everybody was watching by now and was cheering me on. I couldn't breath, barely controlling my shaking I did my third test....i got 40 but my last juggle i kicked it too far away and dove...but missed it...if you don't catch the ball after getting 40 it doesn't count. Wanting to cry, I got up from the ground and looked at my coach and I was surprised to see that he was smiling, he said..."let me guess. Quadruple or nothing?" I said, "heck yeah!" I dominated that last test and did a victory lap!! That was the best soaring feeling ever! That was the moment I learned that perseverance will take you anywhere and that nothing feels better than achieving your goals.

6. Prom, that was the day that I learned that there is such a thing as a perfect day...cheesy, i know...but true.

7.One day while in gym class I found out some really nasty rumors had been spread about me. I was extremely hurt. After I stopped crying my friend Victor (my emo, Russian friend) told me that it doesn't matter what people think or say about you, the only thing that matters is what you think and what you know is true. There are so many times that I am reminded about what he said...

8. One night while going to school at Byu Idaho in Rexburg I received a phone call with some really bad news about my Grandpa Jones. While sobbing uncontrollably I called my boyfriend at the time and he comforted me on the phone while running the entire way (a mile) to get to my apartment...I never thought of about love the same way again.

9.I use to have this boss who I thought was very calloused and mean. She always seemed to be in a bad mood. Then one day while I was doing some file work in her office she tearfully told me about how it was the anniversary of her only son's death. He was tragically killed in a car accident around the same time her best friend passed away. Which was only a couple years after her mother lost the fight to cancer...I never thought about people the same way after that. 

10. Two days before a 3 day weekend my sister, rachel, marc and I planned a camping trip. (it was the middle of February) We dropped everything, drove 6 hours to Moab and camped out in 20 degree weather. I have never had a funner road trip in my life!! That was the moment I realized that the only thing that keeps me from doing extraordinary things is me.

11. I lost a bet once and became a True Aggie with a random stranger. That's when I learned it's ok to be spontaneously crazy sometimes.

12. My sister and I had hamsters when we were little kids. We use to take them out of their cages and "play" with them. Which usually consisted of pushing them down the little orange and blue slide...we didn't realize this probably wasn't fun for the hamsters. Please don't tell the animal rights activists...But one day my sister lost her hamster after we pushed it down the slide. It probably was trying to make it's escape for freedom. But one thing lead to another, my sister burst into tears and of coarse since I am the oldest it obviously was my fault and some how I get sent to time out. (I've noticed that this is a weird phenomenon that it only makes sense to blame the oldest for everything that goes wrong in the house.) Well, i remember stomping to time out and in my frustrated tears I said a prayer to Heavenly Father that Jacy would find her hamster and right when I finished my prayer my mom yelled "We found it!". I've always known the power of prayer since then.

13. In 7th grade my keyboarding teacher took his own life. That's when I learned that life is a gift and there is always something to live for.

14.Leaning against my car after realizing somebody I loved for four years didn't choose me, that's when I learned what a broken heart really feels like.

15. After the most depressing and hard year of my life my uncle was driving me to the airport to take me home for Christmas break. He gave me some advice and while he was talking it literally sounded like he spoke words that came from Heavenly Father's mouth. This isn't the first time but it was a moment that reminded me that Heavenly Father does speak through friends and family to answer our prayers and I need to make sure I listen. 

Country Convert

Well as a country convert myself, I am always looking for opportunities to share my testimony of how amazing country music is. I have been working hard to convert a new coworker of mine. I even went so far as to making him an "Intro to Country Music. Disc 1." CD. I then let him know that if he listened to that CD 4 times and once while driving on a dirt road, he would be converted to country music for the rest of his life and he will never regret it.

He seems very hesitant on accepting this new fate I have picked out for him, but I know its for his better good.I have been following up with him to see if he met my challenge of listening to my CD and this is how our email conversation went.

From: Kelcey Jones

To: Coworker

Subject: Country Music

Are you in love with country music yet?

Kelcey

From:Coworker

To:Kelcey Jones

Subject: Re: Country Music

Kelcey...

I have  a confession...I left the CD in my desk. But it will be listened to soon, I am still waiting for the opportunity to drive down a dirt road with my shirt off and my window down. 

Coworker

From: Kelcey Jones

To: Coworker

Subject: Country Music

Haha Perfect, you know I think that's probably the best way to get the full experience. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to tell when you have listened to the CD. New country converts have this glow about them ;)

Kelcey

From:Coworker

To:Kelcey Jones

Subject: Re: Country Music

I am listening to the very first song as I type this email...I am cringing...

Hahahaha

Coworker

From: Kelcey Jones

To: Coworker

Subject: Country Music

Don't worry, by the fourth time listening to it, it will be your fav.

Kelcey

From:Coworker

To:Kelcey Jones

Subject: Re: Country Music

Are heavy medications or illegal substances involved in developing a love for country music?

Coworker

From:Coworker

To:Kelcey Jones

Subject: Re: Country Music

Ted's description is, it sounds worse than a bloating horse sound...

(p.s. Ted, has the biggest collection of most hatting hatred of all the hatred in the universe towards country music.)(I learned long ago that he will never be converted to country music)

From: Kelcey Jones

To: Coworker

Subject: Country Music

No, eventually the lyrics and beautiful melodies will be enough to intoxicate you into a country comma by pure amazing talent. The only drug you will need is George Strait's voice.

P.s. tell Ted his mom makes a bloated horse sound...(sorry that was kinda inappropriate)

I think my coworker was so inspired by my last email it left him speechless and he didn't feel the need to respond. I think, besides the bad influence of Ted, and the critics of the branch, he is well on his way to becoming a prime convert ;)

I'm praying for you coworker!

Halloween

Well I am a little late on posting this, but Halloween was so fantastic I thought I should share it. Here is a picture just to give you a little taste of how magnificent it was.

Halloween started out as a perfectly normal day. I'm not kidding when I say a perfectly normal because I totally, and completely forgot it was Halloween. I sat in my car, turned on the radio and the first thing the overly peppy radio man says is "Happy Halloween". Crap! Since I have perfectly calculated my morning routine into a 25 minute process, I only give myself about 10 precise minutes to get ready each morning, I was going to be late to work if I didn't start driving immediately.

I had an internal battle for about 30 seconds on whether or not I should whip up a costume and be late to work, or just be a party pooper and not dress up. I decided on the later and backed out of my driveway and drove cheerfully to work.

The closer and closer I got to work the more I desperately wished I would have grabbed a costume...I am suppose to be the "young spry chicken, who parties too much" according to the old ladies I work with. How am I suppose to rise to their expectations with no costume. 

Plus after years and years of observation, I have learned that there are only two people in this world...the partiers and the party poopers. I was putting myself into the pooper category by not dressing up. I'M TO YOUNG TO BE IN THE POOPER BOX! My heart is 100%, Absolutely, positively  definitely in the party category but who would believe me when I showed up...costumeless. This was bad. 

Then i spotted it! My soccer bag! I totally had all of my soccer clothes for our indoor game in my back seat. Bless my heart. I subconsciously prepared for Halloween with out even knowing it ;).

So I quickly changed and was an "intrumerals soccer player" for work. But wait, I know what your thinking "Aren't you wearing a fantastic Safari adventurer outfit in your picture." Well...yes I am, I drove straight to the DI after work and found that beauty.

Jacy, Rachel and I decided that we were going to celebrate Halloween by going swing dancing after Jacy and I's indoor soccer game. We barely won KICKED TRASH! in that game, rushed home and drove straight to the dance.

Country swing dancing is a blast! But this is our third week going and we are definitely beginners. We see people doing moves like this...

  

And this...

And we are over here...like this...

It's the truth...

But one day, we will be pros ;) We are mostly there to scope out the hot cowboys and potential eternal companions.

 The only problem with swing dancing is that it is inside and with all those hot, sweaty country bodies swinging around (not in a dirty way, you sicko) it gets dang hot hotter than the sun real quickly. Especially after playing an intense, butt whooping soccer game right before. I have to resort to only dancing one dance and spending the next two drying off. But still fun ;)

Things were going great. I had been cheerfully swinging, laughing and spraying potential soul mates with my sweat until jacy and Rachel both had been asked to dance and I found myself awkwardly standing alone.

 I was caught in the middle of debating on whether I should pretend the group of girls next to me where my friends or to stay put and hope some guy would feel bad for me and ask me to dance, when this broad shouldered, tall, manly man came up to me with his friend. "Are you Amish? " he said laughing and then pointed to his friend and says,"would you like to dance with my friend chad?" It took me almost a full minute to realize that his Amish comment was referred to my costume, and it took me another full minute to realize that his friend, who had been holding onto his arm with both eyes closed, was blind. Before I could finish both trains of thought i said sure...

So in a confused daze I walked to the middle of the dance floor with Chad holding onto my arm. Not saying anything he started swinging my around with  pretty good coordination. I hate awkward silences, so i started trying to think about something Chad and I could talk about. But I was drawing a blank. I COULD NOT think of what to say. Which is usually pretty rare for me...It's pretty hard to get me to zip it when I am dancing with new people. But I don't really know any blind people.

I remember meeting a blind kid in 6th grade. I was a student body officer (what ever the heck that was)(in 6th grade I seriously didn't know what a student body officer was an how i became one....)  n.e. ways the other "student body officers" and I were in a early morning meeting making posters for an assembly. I remember the blind kid was there and he super smart. He could guess right every time what we dropped onto his desk. I then remember watched these really mean kids harassing him and making him guess what color of marker they were scribbling on his arm. I also remember them hitting his desk to try and scare him. Why are kids so terrible?!  

So all I know about blind people is that they are really smart and are perfectly normal people like me. So we probably could talk about anything. (except mean kids picking on him) I just really, really didn't want Chad to think I was an idiot. (or one of the kids that bullied him, cause I remember I wasn't mean...but i didn't stop the kids from being mean. Which is just as bad.)(Oh my gosh! I'm a terrible person!) . And before I could figure out if I really was a terrible person, or if i have changed since 6th grade, or what I could start talking to chad about, my brain started going into panic mode. 

How do i start the conversation? what do i say? Will it be ok if we don't talk the whole time? what if i offend him? what if chad was the blind kid in 6th grade? what if he knows it was me who didn't stop the kids from bullying him?!! Just compliment him on his dancing and he will never suspect you...and before my brain decided on what to say my mouth decided to practically yell "SO YOUR NAME IS CHAD?!" Why the crap are you yelling at him Kelcey he's not deaf!

Chad:whispers something inaudible.

Me: (still in a super loud voice) MY NAME IS KELCEY.

Chad:whispers again something I can't hear. maybe he is talking quiet to get me to talk quiet. but yet again i yell.

Me: THAT'S COOL?! SO DO YOU COME TO THESE DANCES OFTEN? yeah that's good, now you can compliment him on his dancing.

Chad:yes.

Me: I CAN TELL, YOU ARE REALLY GOOD AT *oft* just as i was about to finish my compliment he smacks my arm against my forehead and almost knocks off my hat. 

Me: haha, haha ha ha I'm wearing a hat. What?!

Chad: says nothing...

Me: (go back to yelling) SO WHERE ARE YOU FROM CHAD?!

Chad: Bear lake

Me: I hear it's beautiful there! oh my heck did i say that out loud? no, oh praise the heavens...THAT'S COOL, I'M FROM WASHINGTON.

Chad: So do you like dogs?

Me: I LOVE DOGS! why can't i control the volume of my voice?

Chad: I have a service dog.

Me: AW, WHAT KIND OF DOG IS IT? oh no! does he know what kind of dog it is? did somebody tell him? 

Chad:She is a golden lab, and retriever mix.

Me: AW THAT'S COOL. 

then the songs ends...

Me: Well thanks for the dance. oh now i can talk normal.

I run and chuck Chad and all the bad memories back to his friend and hide in a corner the rest of the night. Sometimes I should not be allowed in public...

Besides chad reminding me how much of an idiot i am (and how I am a non bulling stopper). Halloween was fantastic!