eleven things

There's this little ditty going around the blog universe, and I figured...why the heck not?

the rules

1) post these rules (check)

2) post 11 random things about yourself (check-check)

3) answer the questions of the person who tagged you

4) create 11 new questions for whoever you tag (that's everybody reading this, p.s.)

eleven things you probably didn't know about me

1) I go through "phases" when it comes to music artists, meaning I'll listen to all of a certain musician's stuff on repeat. Summer 2008: The Beatles. Summer 2011: Mumford and Sons. Last fall: Bon Iver. Recently: Florence+the Machine. They can last for days, weeks, or months.

2) I bake my own bread, pizza dough, pita, tortillas, and make my own yogurt. I'll never go back to the store bought stuff. I think the only processed food I own is Triscuits. What a rebel.

3) I hate dirty feet. Even if I'm camping, I've gotta have some baby wipes with me to keep those feetsies clean. I know I inherited this from my mother.

4) I think it's attractive when the opposite sex isn't afraid to use big words or correct grammar.

5) I have never broken a bone but I have gotten lots of weird injuries because I'm a klutz and a glutton for punishment. I have scars from a snowboarding collision, slipping on ice, falling during a race, falling on tide pools, giving a meat slicer a handshake, and slamming my car trunk door onto my hand.

6) I talk to people in other cars while I'm driving. And when I say "talk" I don't mean "Hey, how's it going?" More like, "Hey, why are you going so slow maybe you should get in the slow lane thanks!" Yeah, more like that.

7) I wouldn't mind living in Mexico or another country down south. Wouldn't mind at all.

8) I'm from Utah, but in my heart, I'll always be a Pacific Northwest girl.

9) I keep every letter/note/card that I receive.

10) I love old movies like nobody's bidnez, and most of my celebrity crushes are dead

(*cough* Marlon Brando)

11) I can play four instruments and am learning how to play a fifth!

questions Brandilyn asked

1. what did you have for dinner last night? A green smoothie.

2. what celebrity would literally bring you to tears if you saw them in person? Marlon Brando, because he's dead, so I'd probably cry out of joy/fear at seeing a ghost.

3. do you like your handwriting? I sure do!

4. how would your dad describe you? He would say, "Oh Kenz. You're something else." At least, that's what he's said to me in the past.

5. what's the last book you read? the last book you loved? Last book I read: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. Last book I loved: Old Man & the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

6. how many pairs of shoes do you own? I'm going to say 20...

7. how often do you shave your legs? armpits? Legs: hahaha. I don't even know. Arms: at least three times a week. That was kind of fun to answer.

8. what do you order when you go to mcdonald's? (if you tell me you don't go to mcd's i will call you a LIAR!) Okay, call me a liar, but I do not remember the last time I went to Mickey D's. If I ever had to eat there, I'd probably get an egg McMuffin.

9. what's your earliest memory? watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood on the TV when I was three.

10. have you ever won anything? what? I've won some writing contests/scholarship moolah. Does that count?

11. what is your worst habit? your best habit?

Worst habit: listening to music almost all the time. Best habit: eating healthy.

11 questions for whoever reads this:

1) If you had to live in the mountains or by the ocean, which one would you pick? Why?

2) What is the funniest movie you've ever seen?

3) Taco Time or Taco Bell (if you say "taco bus" I will love you forevah)?

4) If you could be really talented at something, what would it be and why?

5) Tommy Boy or Zoolander?

6) What is your favorite thing about summertime?

7) Favorite Beatles song (if you don't have one...that's a little sad)?

8) If you had to read/re-read one book for the rest of your life (excluding the scriptures, cuz that's a no-brainer), which one would you choose?

9) How do you feel about ugly sweater parties?

10) When was the last time you wrote a letter?

11) What is the best thing you have ever eaten?

Ready, set, go!

I'm not a gymnast but I can tumblr!

So, somebody just read this blog from Dublin. Hiii person if you are still here! Or should I say, "Go mbeannaí Dia duit." That means "May God Bless You." I may or may not have just googled "Irish phrases" and unintentionally landed on Irish phrases in the Gaelic language. Google 1, McKenzie 0.

On another note, school is gonna start in T minus 4 days. But am I in Rexburg? Check no! I'm still in my basketball shorts and t-shirt, at home, milking the last of my free time. Because in a few short days, its back to The Idaho. I don't know why, but I just like referring to that particular state with the article in front of it. I must be an English major or something.

This summer has been pretty marvelous. Here's what I mean by marvelous:

• Park City not once, but two times
• The hike-every-week goal? Fulfilled! Ok, except for one week I missed. But don't worry, I'll make up for it sometime before the frost comes (Dear Rexburg, please don't let that happen until December. Or Thanksgiving. I can handle Thanksgiving.)
• Lots of family reunions (three in a row)
• garden tomatoes
• friend reunions (Kaitlyn Dwiggins gives the best hugs, people)
• running in the summery night air (which has become the autumny night air, which I also love)
• rooftop concerts. Hello, Imagine Dragons, my new favorite band. But the sweaty guy who spit on me, goodbye. Good. Bye.
  

I could list a whole lot more, but I don't want to put you to sleep. We'll save that for the post when I'm trapped in the library again. Oh gee willickers, please don't let that happen to me again this semester.

In the meantime, here's some pictures from my tumblr to entertain you. I will put real photos up here once my computer is fixed. The next time I write on this thing, it will be in Rexburg. Slán leat! (that means goodbye for all of you non-Gaelic-fluent people)

I still quote this show despite the fact that I am 21 years old.


I want to frame it.


Autumn is coming at last!


Does anyone else miss cassette tapes?


I have experienced this many a time.


Will always remain one of my favorite movies of all time.


I just like it, and that's all.


He will be at my next concert. Preferably on stage.


Stuff from this movie shows up on my tumblr a lot.


Classic.


How can you not like him?


A lot of my tumblr is foresty pictures, because maybe I wish I lived there.


A lot of people say she's my celebrity look-alike. What say you?


Fav-o-rite.


Art that I like (also comes up on the tumblr)


This made me laugh.

I know that lately this blog has been nothing but another place to put my tumblr pictures. Don't deny you didn't enjoy them! But I promise, soon this will go back to being my blog, and the tumblr will have its own place. In the meantime....have a looksee at all this goodnez!

if the world really was ending tonight...

I would pick Oregon blackberries along the bike path until my fingers turned hypothermia blue.

I would go fishing at Catherine Creek with dad.

I would find Liz or she would find me, and we'd go hammocking.

I would heli-drop onto a mountain and board straight down it.

I would run the Ridgeline trail in Eugene in the early morning.

I would jump on the tramp with the Chineseans for hours.

I would go do baptisms in this temple with Ike.

I would camp in the woods by the ocean with Grandma and Grandpa Livingston.

I would garden with Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Ray.

I would sit on the pitcher's mound with Tessa and we'd read letters.

I would eat pumpkin pancakes + taco bus + mom's sunday dinner for my all of last meals.

I would climb Angel's Landing just for the view from the top.

I would shred the ivory in the practice rooms so loudly that you couldn't hear the voice majors practicing drills.

I would break into the MTC and give Chels another bottle-note.

I would read my favorite books while I sat in a tree.

I would go back to Mexico and play soccer with all of my estudiantes y amigos.

I would go on a long drive with mom and we'd talk about brilliant nothingness.

I would walk barefoot along the foamy pathways of Neptune Beach.

I would tell everyone I haven't told yet that I love them.

Yes, that means you.

shout out to my fellow book lovers

Looksee what I found!

from here

she's at it again

since this is a random post,

i figured i'd stick a random picture on it.

success.

i'm a little bit crazy about a few things right now.

this blog. ever since discovering it two weeks ago, i have been looking at it every day. all of her recipes look so flippin' amazing and healthy. all of you healthy-food-haters out there are in for a dericious treat.

instrumental bands like this one. when i hear this song I feel like road-tripping under a starry sky with my best friend next to me, windows down of course.

making lists. it's not a new obsession, really. but it's getting worse.

reading the comments section at CNN. Look at these hilarious nuggets...

@ "Oprah has a half-sister"

"oh yeh? I have a toothache...stop the presses!"

"What is really sad is that there was a program on Oprah's heritage and someone actually watched this. Wow...you need to get out more. Maybe get a hobby other than Oprah worship."

"If I were Oprah, I would ask for DNA proof before adding them on the xmas list." HA!!

@singer Willie Nelson being arrested on pot charges

"Come down hard? For what? Pot? Tobacco, alcohol, red meat, McDonlds....these things are all worse for you, but perfectly legal...."

and in response to that last comment : "You don't lose your mind nor can hurt other people eating at MacDonald you dummy."

my personal favorite: "Live your own life and let people live theirs. I smoke weed and it affects exactly nobody but me. And the extent that it affects me is greatly exagerated by people like you. Sure there probally a few people that were high and drove off the road or something like that. But pot is like anything, it should be done in moderation and you shouldn't do dangerous activities while high. If i want to sit at home and get baked and play video games I am not a criminal."

"Willie makes no secrets about smoking pot. It would act a pain releiver to help him keep on the road touring. At his age and it more than benefits him." oh geez....

daydreaming about foods i will eat when i go back to the u. s. of a.

great harvest bread. oh, wheat bread in general will be niiice.

almond butter.

nuts that aren't doused in lime juice.

spinach.

baby carrots.

hummus.

grilled chicken+grilled veggies.

veggies in general.

milk.

imagining running in a neighborhood where nobody stares at me as i coast on by...

also daydreaming about running clothes. i happen to love spandex. yerp.

orygun coast and zion's are always on the brain when i need an escape hatch.

i imagine i will have a hammock in a week's time. psyyyche.

these little turkeys:

google video chat. remember the days when I came home to utah on the weekends and the children got super-hyper? well, this is almost the same, only I don't feel them grab onto my legs and not let go. :(

I really need to go now. I'll come back to this here blog latah. With a real, legitimate PHOTO POST.

don't you wish your weekend was awesome like mine?

(stolen from tessa)

there are lots of things in my life that i really love.

that's why i created the happy list monday thang.

and today, my happy list is all about what i done did,

this weekend, which was a 20 on a scale from 1-10.

yeah, that good.

1. getting engaged.
2. hahahahaha....you people are gullible (if you are experiencing a bout of monday slow-ness, #1 is a farce simply thrown in the list to wake you up. c'mon, it's only 5:30. you can make it to 8!!)
3. Ok, but seriously now. Autumn is my favorite time of year. How many times do I have to say it? The weather has been most excellent all during October, which has allowed me to really relish it. Relish. It is such a great word.
4. Road-trippin' it with the Bedke Sisters. We played POTI MASH (sounds appealing because it is), the gratitude game, the self-esteem game, hot seat, and visited their Uncle Grant (for all of you Livingston's reading this, think Grandma Great's house). I'm grateful for people who have basements full of tomatoes. They remind me that all is right with the world.
5. Q&A's. But not just any Q&A (like those conducted late at night after too much fro-yo)...no, this was with Elder Bednar. I loved the way he answered most of the questions with a principle or a scripture. One of my favorite one-liners was something along the lines of: "'Self-worth stems from the root word 'worthiness.'" In other words, those who are the most happy with themselves have a good relationship with their Father in Heaven and cultivate a life of righteousness. Love it!
6. Speaking of frozen yogurt....pumpkin spice frozen yogurt+wayyy too much graham cracker topping ("like a sandcastle in your throat," as a wise woman once said) is kind of delicious on an October night.
7. Accidentally coming upon "Fork Fest" (raise your virtual hand if you know what I'm talking about. Actually, don't, because that will make me feel better if you were as ignorant as I was). This happens to be a free band festival that apparently American Fork does. WITH JOSHUA JAMES. Apparently American Fork is "down" and "happenin'" and "the stuff," and I just don't know anything about being down or happenin' or being the stuff. But we went anyway. AND that leads to the next happy list thing...
8. The girl dancing in front of us at the concert. I bet she's all over YouTube by now. It was some mixture of yoga, hula, and...well I'm not sure what else.
9. Taking craaazy photographs with TP and Allie Love (click on the link at the top for some more) at the park using only a park bench and our imaginations. Sometimes...our imaginations get a little bit out of control. I place all responsibility in the hands of the dancing girl and the frozen yogurt.
10. Another beautiful Sunday in American Fork. I remember when we moved into our house 5 years ago this month, I was a bit skeptical about it (hello, I was 15 and knew everything). But it was autumn. And the reddish-goldish mountains were right there by my house. And the guys in the ward did help move our stuff in. Autumn+American Fork=a good first impression.

it is halfway through October. get out your kleenex.

love, the mckenzers

happy list monday

i hereby start a new tradition....and i shall call it "happy list monday" and it shall be mine. (also, did you notice i am not capitalizing my "i's" like normal?! this is about as much rebellion as I can muster.)

1. the smell of pumpkin bread in october (it has to be october, ok?)
2. blowing bubbles with gum while simultaneously riding bike uphill to class
3. sitting under a tree to study and having leaves fall onto your books
4. the smell of the taylor building (it smells like Temple Square, HONEST)
5. getting up at 5:30 (!!!) just to read scriptures...I think maybe I could become a morning person after all.
6. putting on that edible lip gloss just so you can eat it (what? I get hungry)
   
7. ripping the "frazz" off of notebook paper and rolling it up into little balls
8. sneezing a bunch of times on the 2nd floor of the library (it's the quiet zone, so people glare at you more for breathing loudly. it's fun.)
9. homemade guacamole, need I say más?
10. becoming friends with siblings of people you met freshman year who are now on missions. co-inky-dinks galore!
11. talking to mom on the phone
12. finding out that my roommate also applied to go to Mexico and also got accepted to Puebla. like WHOA!
13. sitting in the art gallery, just for kicks.
14. having people not-so-subtly try to read this over my shoulder and imagining what they would write on their happy list

mondays really get too much flack. and guess what?

I don't even know what that phrase means.

anyway, make a happy list and the
badical-ness of Monday will soon fade away.

lurv, mcfrenzy

New Blog(s)

So...I decided that this blog wasn't big enough for all of my thoughts.

Nevermind my six (that's right, six) actual journals which I keep on various topics outside of this blog.

So far I only have one blog that's up and running...which is an accidental pun because the blog is about--you guessed it--running! Apparently it's a good way to keep track of your progress and get all of your "running angst" on paper...virtual paper that is.

If you are brave (which I think you are because you're already reading this blog), click here to find the newest branch of this crazy blog tree.

p.s. this blog is still under construction, so I apologize in advance for its lack of coolness and gadgetry. Just you wait...

Next look out for a food blog (yep, I finally caved) and a writing blog...wahoo!

One Hundred Posts, Baby!

'Tis my 100th post. I've been thinking about it for a long time, and I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to write.

Is it supposed to be profound? Funny? Reminiscent? Maybe all three?

When I first started this blog, it was an outlet for recording outrageous college experiences. I figured if I started a blog for that sole purpose, outrageous things would happen to me.

And so they did.

Instead of giving you a big fat recap of everything, I decided to make it a little purtier.
I decided that I will be posting a heck of a lot more....
As in, once or twice a week.
Maybe a day?

My creative juices are flowing like a class 5 rapid right now.
So I shall succumb, like I always do.

Instead of writing your favorite memory of me/blog post in the comment section, I would prefer that you let your creative-ness run free.

So

write a poem
an original joke
a really really short story (flash fiction)
something in a different language
your favorite food and why
a dream you've had
the perfect day
a creative goal
your idea of beautiful

*mucho amor, mcfrenzy*

p.s. i haven't quite figured out how to make the comment button a different color, so click on the title of this post to see it betta.