the best...

just gonna leave this here.

...when oldschool music like Fleetwood Mac comes on my Bon Iver Pandora station. So random, but amazeballs at the same time.  Also, I would like to know how they came up with those band names.

...when your computer is possessed by the devil after only being alive for 4 years. Honestly, I just need to suck it up and buy a Macintosh. Why is that always the answer?!

...dark mint chocolate. oooh yes. I almost wish I didn't possess any. Then again, I'm McKenzie, and dark chocolate is part of my eternal identity (I think).

...Having a week of studying just my favorite chapters in all of the Book of Mormon. We're talking 2 Nephi 32-33, Helaman 5, Ether 12, Moroni 10, Alma 37. Ahhh yeah.

...not getting any sleep the night before. This is only good because the next night (i.e. tonight), you know for sheeeezy that you are gonna be out like a broken lamp before the sheets are even over your leggies.

...online shopping. I've always been a big fan of that there invention, just because I'm an introvert and I dislike going to malls and being overwhelmed with all the people and all of the clothes and ahhh. Yeah, Forever 21 is no place for people like moi. The only downer is paying for shipping (I'm talking to you, Urban Outfitters).

...the little patches of red on the mountainside by my house. those patches of red are getting even bigger, and it makes my heart grow bigger and bigger, and pretty soon it's going to beat right out of my cheeeeeeeest. Is that a song? No? Well, it should be.

....reading old emails between Niki and Chelsea and myself. Dang we are hilarious. Honestly, most of the time we spoke in "inside joke" and abreev and all kinds of crazy codes which only we understood. Sigh.

...titling my journal entries. Sometimes this is a drag, and I stink at it on purpose. I'll write something intentionally lame like, "I Am Tired Today, Therefore Deal With It." But today..oh man. Today's title was thus: "I Wanna Be the Gun to Someone's Holster!" I hope you know I didn't just come up with that, but stole it from a cultured hip-hop artiste. Yes indeed.

...pictures of men's style that show up on the internets. I didn't really know that "men's style" existed for awhile, because let's face it, growing up most of the boys I knew dressed in Hollister (get your flashlights everyone!) or wore their pants way too low. But let's not open that can of worms! Anyway, now I see pictures like dis and I am pleased. Very pleased indeed.

somebody get me a human who wears these clothes (and has that scruff) asap. okay? okay. 

list of happiness (gasp!)

Did you just choke on something you were eating? Sorry! It's been awhile since I did a happy list...I know. And it's not even Monday, for cryin' out loud. That doesn't mean I can't make a happy list, though. Happiness is not limited to one day, young jedi. Make happy list for every day of the week, you can.

1) being in da mood to cook, and I mean seriously... it's like the Food Network up in hur, all day long. In the past month, I made: kale and white bean soup (two times, it was yummy), banana shakes up the wazoo, sweet potato muffins, pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip muffins (ok now inhale), homemade pizza, sixtygagillion loaves of bread, homemade yogurt like a pro (also two times), egg sandwiches, lemon salmon+roasted zucchini, chicken gyros with tzatziki sauce and homemade pita bread (*dead*)...that's all I feel like remembering right now. Would you like to hire me as your live-in cook? Okey-day! (you only get to offer me the job if you're Batman/Christian Bale, aight?)

2) being so zoned out in Spanish class today that when the boy behind me said "Okay McKenzie, let's trade seats" (so we could gather in our groups) I just stared at him for 10 full seconds. And then he said, "Uhhh" and I said "Oh!" And jumped up out of my seat really awkwardly. I'm surprised my head didn't hit the ceiling! Oh wait...no I'm not. I may have amazing reflexes, but I'm still five-two.

3) because of number one (plus good old-fashioned exercise, duh), my clothes. don't. fit. any. more. In a good way. But I'm too stubborn (or is it poor?) to buy new ones. So I just have to pretend that I like my pants to be super-baggy and stuff. There's nothing wrong with wanting to bring the 90's back.

4) re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird for my superheroes literature class. The first time I read it, I was ten years old...so it definitely made more sense to me this time around. It's still just as stupendous as it was back then. Oh, and the movie? If you haven't seen it, stop reading this and go watch it now. NOW.

5) using a thesaurus to find "stupendous" so I wouldn't have to use "awesome" again in that last paragraph. Oh yes I did.

6) the weather, which constantly fools me into thinking it's almost spring. I have gone lots of mornings without my coat because by the time I get home in the afternoon, it's really really nice (okay, probably 35-40 degrees, but still). In the meantime, I freeze my nalgas off. Lovely.

7) a lovely email from student records saying the following:

Mckenzie,

We have reviewed your graduation application and it looks like with the completion of your courses this semester you will be able to graduate this semester. I am forwarding your graduation application on to the Dept. Chair for his approval. Let us know if there is anything we can help you with or answer any graduation questions you might have.

BOOYAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even care that they forgot to capitalize my K. That's how happy I am.

8) the hot pad I bought to make yogurt, which also doubles as a "make McKenzie fall asleep about ten times faster" tool. The only downside: I have a harder time waking up. I literally feel like I'm buried under ten quilts and man, it is just so niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice under there. I think it might also be making my dreams weirder (didn't know that was possible).

9) when a boy I thought was cute actually dropped the h-bomb today ("let's hang out"), he became ten times less attractive. I was surprised at my reaction. I guess I really am maturing, huh. I wondered when that would happen.

10) automatic cure-all if you are having a bad day: make a happy list for yourself, eat a smoothie or something with pumpkin in it, take a walk/go for a run/just go outside, read from the Book of Mormon, smile at someone, smile at yourself, listen to a good dancing song. And dance to it. I mean really dance.

not enough room for a gratitude list done the mcfrenzy way

You know I pretty much write a gratitude list every Monday, right? Even if it doesn't show up on this blog, those things are all over my journal. And yet I never run out of things to list. 'Tis wonderful.

1. haircuts, because sometimes your hair becomes more like a mane, and then it's just a drag. yay for scissors.
2. the amazing music I have discovered this year. the trick is to surround yourself with people that don't listen to music on the radio...and sha-bam, you will have excellent taste in music.
3. Preach My Gospel. It has become my new favorite study compadre with the scribbers.
4. fuzzy scarves, fuzzy hats, fat puffy vests and coats. i really don't mind the cold because then I get to wear layers.
5. red nail polish, it makes me feel kind of classy. and then I wear old basketball shorts to bed...
6. the night sky. all you gotta do is look up and you'll get lost.
7. autumn, for sticking around long enough for me to relish it. sometimes I wish every month was October.
8. my parents, for helping me make sense of everything that doesn't make sense in this 21-one-year old mind.
9. those funny siblings o'mine. they never cease to crack me up.
10. memories of mexico. it's nice to have good places to back to in your head and live in for awhile, even if it's just for a few minutes.
11. excitement for the future even though I have no idea what's in it.
12. everyone who has ever made me laugh, smile, or cry. you make me feel alive, and that is a good thing.

is this real life?

this should scare you.

Do you ever stop for a second and look at everything happening in your life? Do you ever want to say, "Did that just happen?" And I mean this in a good way of course. I've had a few of these "whoa" moments in the past few days. One was when the devotional speaker was talking about how his grandparents met because the slave ships sailed to America. Then he said (over the pulpit in the BYU-I Center, mind you), "Long live slavery!" I about died.

Then there was last Sunday. Oh the things I could tell! It was like I had a target on my back and God was shooting blessings at me right and left. I almost wanted to say, "Slow down, slow down, I can't carry them all!" Almost everything I read, everything someone said to me, was an answer to prayer. That's what happens when you spend a lot of your time talking to God. He talks right back.

Those of you who know me know that I like to re-read my journals. It helps me make sense of things...Well recently my journal entries from last year at this time have been creepishly similar to the things happening now. It's cuh-razy. I don't know if that's some kind of coincidence or foreshadowing or what, but yeah...journals are cool. End of discussion.

Things I love about life right now: wearing boots and scarves and hats every day, squash for deener, mixed CDs, pregnancy class, Postmodern Literature, none of my roommates playing Christmas music yet, pumpkin frozen yogurt, ward parties, seeing people I know on campus and saying "hi" to them very rambunctiously (I've been told it makes people feel good, so yeah...watch out), saying "rambunctiously" in a sentence, taking naps with the heater on, buying a puffy vest (yes, yes I did), new blonde streaks in my hair (it must be the glare from the snow...), Ye Olde Testament class, 10-page letters to Hermana Bedke, jumping on the furniture in our apartment like a child, triscuits+peanut butter+honey, text messages from TP on the day we've been waiting for for 2 years (like how I say "we," like we're a couple or something?), getting a friend a job (chyeah!), using way too many parenthetical statements.

DUDE. Ok sooooo yeah, life is awesome.

And then there's that Hunger Games trailer.

Sorry, had to.

it's a day for happiness

what I learned this weekend

a little autumn-ness for you

nothing like hitchcock to get you primed for hallow's eve

ok...one more!

The past few weeks have been pretty sh-sh-shaky, but I've come out on top, thanks to a lovely Stake Conference and lots of pumpkiny deliciousness. What, doesn't anyone else self-medicate with loads of beta carotene? What? Nobody? Okay then...

1. a homemade batch of salsa verde, served up extra hot. We're talkin' an entire jalapeno in the mix, guys. don't worry, I'm not dating anyone...and if I was this salsa might break us up.

2. this book, a gift from Tessaface not too long ago. Every night after journal time, I write in this thing. 'tis awesome.

3. walking by somebody in the library I don't know and hearing him say, "hey mckenzie," kind of creepishly under his breath. Did that just happen to me?! I pretended I was hearing impaired. Then stifled a laugh for as long as I could until he was out of earshot. I think it's 'bout time to delete that facebook account. Yeesh...

4. yet another glorious station on pandora radio. It's hard to not turn it way up in the mornings and jam...but hey, I am nice to the people downstairs. Except when they decide to have guitar practice at 11:30 at night. Then I just want to do a ninja-jump off of my bed onto the floor. Yeah, that's mature.

5. once again pounding some piano keys in the Snow Building. however, this time I was competing with the Mozart next door who just didn't want to hear my take on Jon Schmidt. Sorry, but I used to play against the voice majors. I will out-play you.

6. those brown boots I wear, which will be clean wore-out by the end of next April. Poor things. That's what I get for living in Rexburg.

7. kicking and jumping through the ever-growing pile of yellow leaves on the sidewalk every day as I walk home from school. don't worry, I'm just a 5-year old living in a 21-year old's body.

8. autumny bike rides almost every day.

9. miraculously finding purple long johns at Wal-Mart (I know, and in Rexburg!) for my costume. Oh yeah...it's going to be so saweet you should already be jealous.

10. sleeping like a log. and if I'm going to use that cliche, I'd better un-cliche it and say that I slept like an entire forest. What? The first one didn't make sense either. Just roll wit it.

so chin up, and we'll drown slower

from here

I knew when I woke up this morning--actually long before I woke up--that this week was going to be one from the place down under. And I'm not talking about Australia. So instead of thinking about that, I decided to make a happy list.

1. the smell of old books. I smelled not one but three yellow-paged books today. I'm sure everybody on the 2nd floor was confused. They just don't undastan!
2. buying one of these beauties at last. This Saturday is gonna be like Christmas! No foolin'.
3. autumny music like this and this and this (p.s. no clue why there's a hockey player picture on that middle video. just listen to the music, kids).
4. the smattering of new freckles which has recently taken up residence on my forehead. um, helllooo, I haven't been in Mexican sunshine for six (?!) months now. What are you doing up there?
5. finally getting to wear my boots and sweaters and corduroy skirts. p.s. corduroy is a weird word.
   
6. indexing like I usually do on Sundays and putting down the occupation of a 3-year old as "scholar." Back in the olden days, it didn't matter how old you were--if you were in school, you were a scholar. Check. Yes.
7. the sound of leaves crunching beneath my bike tires. also, that cool autumn breeze on my face doesn't hurt either. basically, the only bad thing about bike rides in the fall is all of the bugs I have to swallow. Ick.
8. mailing not one but two letters this past week. And one of them was very obese...dear Amy, I hope you have warmed up your eyes for this one.
9. writing notes on gum wrappers. this used to be a cb scent and mcfrenzy tradition. I try to pretend she's still here sometimes.
10. letting my roommate cut my hair--it was gratis, guys. and not only was it zero dollah, it was also snazzy. My head feels lighter. Hopefully it's not because my brain is melting from all of this schooling...
11. finding old quotes from the chilluns in my journals.

Ellie: Why do we have Easter?
Mom: Because Jesus died and then got resurrected.
Ellie: So he got zapped?
Mom: Huh? Zapped?
Ellie: Yeah, zapped! Bippity-boppity-boo!

Gotta love Disney.

promise I didn't forget about you

(finals week last fall, i barely survived that one)

It's that time of year again!

No, not Christmas, geesh. Don't get ahead of yourselves, folks.

It's finals week! Otherwise known as "must eat all the food I have left in my fridge which consists of milk, carrots, and flaxseed" week. Or "spend all my free time that I really don't have in the library eavesdropping on funny conversations" week. Or "lose all hope of sleep for the next few days because you ain't gettin' any" week. Or "sad because the semester went way too fast even though I kind of wished it upon myself" week. Yeah, that time of year.

I have approximately 2 hours of studying, 1 hour of exam-ing, and 1 hour of potluck-ing to do before Spring Semester 2011 is officially adjourned. Oh sweet relief.

In the meantime, here's a happy list I've accumulated over the past few days. Yes, it is huge. I call it the "the giant happy list of epic proportions and awesomeness." It's been stuck on the wall by my bed for the past week, and every night I pencil in a few things that made me happy. I can afford to waste just one more piece of paper. It's for a good cause, you know. Sanity always is.

6/10

• talking to Alyssa MC, she is the bomb.
• overnight oats with blueberries
• the moon outside my window
• singing primary songs @ a ward fireside

6/11

• Erin's hugs
• watermelon (an insane amount, I tell you)
• getting an unexpected A- in piano class, whaaa?
• my fan. I'd die without it.
• building on The Rock

6/12

• poetry readings (mine was about Prefontaine, baby)
• the smell of rain on hot pavement
• not having to turn in an assignment I lost
• re-painting my nails
• mango/pineapple/banana smoothies, ohmylanta
• not wearing makeup and then rubbing my face
• cleaning apartment #5's kitchen and living room, for no reason besides happiness
• "Surprise Homecoming" show on TLC. It's a tear-jerker, kids.
• Bike fixed at last!!!!!!!!!!!!

6/13

• yummy food all day
• park + Sisterhood of the T-Pants w/ Amy (yeah, I just said T-pants, I dunno where it came from)
• pre-bed showers
• summer breezes
• talking to Ikey

6/14

• napping in the Ricks Gardens
• temple w/ Amy
• being baptized for Mexicans (one was from Puebla!)
• homemade popcorn
• patriarchal blessings
• Isaiah 17:10

6/15

• Harry Potter 7.2 (now what do I do?!)
• Reese's Pieces
• laughing at certain movie trailers about certain vampires

6/16

• Craigo's with Apt. #5, my adopted apartment this semester
• Zac Efron and 17 Again, ahhhh
• funny girls in my ward

6/17

• ward potlucks
• my mom
• knowing all will be well in the end
• naps
• Falafel!
• Sunday night walks

Next time I see you, it will be in American Fork! Or if you are not a member of my family or a friend from my hometown...keep lurking! I'll be back with more when this is all over.

feeling reminiscent? check out my blogs about finals week last summer here and here or last fall

swallowed by a heat wave

a few weeks ago when it was still rainbow weather

It's gettin' a little bit toasty up in here, meaning Rexburg, meaning sometimes I sleep in my soccer shorts with the window wide open and the blanket offa my bed. And I even sometimes shave my legs before bed for cooling effect. Don't hate on the Skintimate.

Anywho, it's high time for a happy list, and I know I used to do this on Monday, but I don't think it really matters what day my happy list is on, as long as I have one! This week has been extra-specially hard, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel (4th of July Weekend!). Oh glorious four day weekend, I will write a poem just for thee. After I catch up on sleep.

1. going to Great Harvest con mi amiga mejor Amy Mathews. I can't ever work there because not only would I gain weight but I would probably start disliking Great Harvest after awhile. The thought is depressing. So let's move on now, shall we?

2. Finding out the truth about eggs. Yes, yes, I will admit that for all of my life I have thought that the eggs we eat were baby chicks that hadn't finished growing. You can imagine the look on my roommates' face when they revealed that this wasn't true and I said, "Man, I'm glad I don't have to worry about that anymore!" Ha!!! Facepalm times ten.

3. this devotional-nal-nal. things sound more interesting when you echo them-them-them.

4. playing in recitals and talent shows and stuff, so I will stop being nervous to play piano in front of others, and actually enjoy it, and actually shred the ivory, if you know what I mean.

5. this song right here reminds me of 1, Mexico, 2, when I started liking mangoes in Mexico, and 3, how much I love Angus and Julia Stone. Amen.

6. Preach My Gospel study is the best. I forget how awesome that book is sometimes. Blows my mind.

7. This email from Chelsea was fantastico. I feel like the same things are on my happy list all the time...uh...sorry.

8. I do not have a peg leg. This makes me happy. Yes, it is completely random, but I decided just now to change things up after that last thing I said (#7). You can find the most weird things to be thankful for sometimes....

9. free waffle-bowl Wednesday at TwizlBerry

10. freckles up the heezy (that was for TP)

11. Pictures like dis on my camera:

summer nights...ahh...

hey there, folks, it's nice to meet you, I've been off the grid for awhile because that little thing called school is happening and it is also summertime, therefore I am kind of going mad. But it's okay...it will all be over soon. I have a lot to update you on--like the writer's retreat. And Ragnar. Oh and the weekend we went to Rigby+then some.

So stay tuned. Tuned. Tuned.

headless chicken

I'm sorry for the horrible images conjured up in your mind by the blog title.

However, it epitomizes what I felt like basically all day.

The days/weeks after a long weekend are always kind of skeewompus. It's a bit hard landing back on my feet, and I just need that extra day off to get over my days off. Make sense? Well I knew it was going to be one of those "recovery-without-the-recovery" days when I woke up at 7:50am, ten minutes before my first class, which happens to be fifteen minutes away.

Guhhhhffff.

When the alarm doesn't go off, even when I set it correctly (AM, not PM, for once!), and somehow I am still twenty minutes late to class...oh I just want to throw that alarm. But I have a bad arm. Never been good at throwing objects.

So instead of being all mopey-dopey, how's about I make a happy list and try to feel bettah? Okay then.

1)Nacho Libre. "Get that corn outta my face!" I know you just laughed a little bit to yourself, am I right?

2) Heavy rains pulling into Rexburg, and then sunshine all day today. Maybe spring really is here. Oh wait, it's June. So what season is this, then? Sprummer? {spring+summer can't make up its mind}

3) 500-page wedding magazines that my roommates buy and leave on the counter for me to read while I eat breakfast. Every girl likes ogling at dresses every now and then. And I ain't afraid to admit it.

4)finding this saweet language-learning program on byui's website that is not only free but has probably been there the whole time I've been in school... and I'm just now finding it?!*Facepalm* Don't worry, I'm gonna use it now. I already learned that you only say "Buenos dias" from 12pm-7pm. The whole time I was in Mexico I always wondered when to switch from "Buenos dias" to "Buenas noches." Was it at sunset? When the first stars came out? When the Mexicans start eyeing you like the white girl you are if you use it incorrectly? Usually we went with that last one. Never failed.

5) filling up all of the weekends of June with activities so that this month will sprint by. And then I will be left at the end saying "Three weeks of school left say what?!"

6) planning my schedule for next semester...and you thought this semester's was good. Well now I only have two left, and I made them fun on purpose. Soccer, spanish, soccer, spanish... you get the picture.

7)cheating on that no-sugar thing over the weekend, realizing it was a bad idea when I felt pukey and headachey all the way home, deciding sugar isn't my best friend anymore, goodbye sugar. I'm not even sad. But G's Dairy Delights might be because they lost a customer....who hasn't even been all semester anyway. Doink.

8) coming up with more funny/random ideas for this blog o'mine. I know that little sidebar says I have 26 followers, but really I think I have ten times more, because I keep finding new readers stumbling upon it each day...usually from Panama, Portugal, Brazil, Ukraine, Mexico (all over, not just where I lived), Africa, Iran, etc. Who are you people?! But hey....keep reading my blog. It's usually better than this. I think. Anonymous blog stalkers welcome! (I do it too)

9) Realizing that in 24 hours, I will be on my way to the mountains, far away from papers and discussion boards and grades. And you can bet I'll wear my yellow hat when I go.

10) this song. the best line: "when you run, make sure you run to something and not away from."

happiness, otra vez

I seem to be drowning in happiness these days. I guess 78 degree weather, sandal tans, frisbee and bike riding can do that to you.

1. Confession: I wouldn't mind living on a farm when I grow up. That's why I kind of really like this blog.

2. twizlberry. the only place in town that has sugar-free frozen yogurt. how many more weeks of this, mom?!

3. amy mathews. not just her blog....even though it is pretty amazing, I like the person better. We go to taco bus together and watch really awful movies (cough-the tourist-cough)

{please ignore my overly tanned face. it's mexico's fault. promise i don't fake bake or wear orange makeup.}

4. THE SUN. is. finally. here. oh how i love it.

5. it's called coconut shampoo, and it makes my hair smell like pina colada. definitely a good thing.

6. an excerpt from "Never Sniff a Gift Fish." I have read and re-read this page a number of times since checking out the book. I don't know why but it makes me laugh out loud every time. Okay, I know why. Just read it:

7. cinnamon. I put it on everything. No, serious, everything. My apples, my cereal, my yogurt, my PB&J, my banana smoothie. Good thing it's only fitty cents at Wally World, cuz I am a pobrecita.

8. When the automatic door at Wal-Mart is out of order and I make a big show of trying to magically open it with wave of my arms. And then I see the Out of Order sign, obscured by tinted glass. Awkward moments abound.

9. jumping off of sand dunes in the middle of nowhere + other mischief. because what else is there to do here on a friday night?

favorite quotes:

erin: "there's a hole in my pants and some sand is leaking out of it...."

me: "you're like a broken hackey-sack!"

anonymous person: "do you think anyone can see me in here with my pants off?"

random guys we didn't know: ooga-booga-ooga-booga!!!!! (think my old high school mascot)

me: did they just do a neanderthal mating call? what was that?

rachel: my comm teacher says it's gonna get all rainy and gross again next week, because that's what always happens when it gets this nice out. people dress immodestly, so God punishes us by bringing back the yucky weather.

HA!! only at BYU-I.

10. playing legitimate quidditch in the park, minus the brooms. I felt like a fool the whole time. Dan, if you're reading this, you're gonna pay. Don't worry, though, cuz I convinced Erin to "fake-injure" me so we could get out of the game. We are sly. And I'm a good actress when it comes to screaming and holding my leg in agony.

11. yummy salads for lunch. um...you're drooling on your keyboard.

12. random thunderstorms in the middle of a springy day. I love it when the sun is shining and rain is pounding the ground at the same time.

13. taking walks with Courtney Gopp like we're freshman again, even though that was three years ago, and I can't believe how much has changed since then. And how much is the same.

14. when sand fills up my tennies and then I have to walk all funny, like a penguin. My life is really good.

15. I'm reading 1st Nephi right now and it has never applied to my life more than it does now. Every day I read something else that makes me go, "Whoa." It's like reading entries from my journal that I haven't written yet.

16. number of trips outside Rexburg I have planned already: two, possibly three. number of people coming to visit me this summer: two, possibly three. number of times I have listened to this song: two, possibly ten.

17. this place. ahh.

i was happy, so i wrote it down

1. only the best pandora station ever ever ever. ever.

2. raw almonds, in my cereal, in my yogurt, in my mouth. mmmm almonds.

3. this yellow beanie. i wear it all the time. chelsea called it the hobo hat. do you concur?

4. checking out one book every day of the week from the library. i think the librarian man is starting to recognize me. he even calls me by name. that sly fox.

5. spring starting to show its face. i know it's rainy, but that's the equivalent of an oregon spring to me, so. it's a start.

6. writing brain barfs for class. brother cameron told us to write one based on a prompt he got from 2 Nephi when Nephi says "I glory in my Jesus." Hence this:

My Jesus is running into that burning building, teetering one way or the other, not knowing if he is coming out again, he is falling asleep wondering about his children, what they will become, if they will remember everything he taught them, he is watching a friend stumble, down and down, only to be there at the bottom, already waiting with arms oustretched, he is watching carefully out the window when the thunderstorms roll in with such precision he made, he is waiting for the moment when the light touches the sky just perfectly and then he knows, he knows, he is pulling me up the hill when my legs give out, they just won’t go because I am so imperfect and so weak, there he is again to tell me of course you can, so I do it, he is walking on trails in the forest, listening for the sound of the sea, thinking of the questions lost there and how he will answer them all, he is playing music alone.

7. shredding the ivory in the practice rooms in the Snow Building. Sometimes the pianists next door to me get really loud, so we have duets. Yeah, it's kinda cool.

8. deciding what to do with that english major, por fin (that means finally). it involves traveling and teaching english. sounds like me, huh?

9. I'm gonna finish the Book of Mormon by the end of June! And that means I will be 1/4 of the way done with that goal of mine! (see #2)

10. naps+crazy dreams in which my parents give me a giant laptop for graduation and it gets washed away in a giant tsunami. huh?

11. first time at big judd's. ahh yeah.

12. people who dare to walk around rexburg like this:

if she wants to wear a cape, more power to her.

{ha...accidental joke. sorry. i know i'm the only one laughing.}

13. ashley and i's to-do list for the semester. it involves lots of camping, hiking, fishing, rafting, and general mischief. hopefully the weather will soon cooperate. if not, well i guess we'd better get some good rainboots.

14. taco bus twice in one week. it's so delicious, i can't stay away. plus, they have novelas on in there. it's not like i can't watch novelas in my own apartment. it's just that in the taco bus, i don't feel as ashamed for doing so. that is all.

15. this devotional. i can't get it out of my head.

16. everyone who reads this blog and does not comment, because you boost my self-esteem just for reading it (that includes you from iran, france, africa, mexico, and brazil. yes, i know you read my blog, and you are cool for doing so).

simple things

"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." 2 Nephi 5:27

1. Old photographs

2. My kinda shoe closet

3. Traveling

4. Pretty hair

5. Naps

6. Mumford & Sons, in a boat no less

7. Mangoes

8. Just plain awesome

9. Fancy-schmancy shampoo, makes your hair smell like pumpkin pie (?!)

10. Farmers market berries

11. Beach campfires

12. Breakfast+peanut butter

13. Spring

14. Sweet chalk art

15. Pretty sure I could live in South America, no problem

16. Bobby D.

17. Mm soup

18. Manti

19. Longboards

20. Fro yo

21. Bike riding

a list created to induce smiling

(how I feel about Mexico)

That's right, 'tis time for yet another happy list.

By the way, I have taken my sweet time updating this blog because, well....I was really getting used to seeing Wentworth Miller every time I opened up my page. Shameless, I know.

1. A musician known as M. Ward. Discovering new music is always a happy thang.

2. Being in charge of the FHE lesson every week. You wanna know somethin? I usually (9 times out of 10) make up a lesson either 10 minutes before we start or on the spot, going off of a quote or a scripture. Tonight I used about being one of the wise virgins from my trusty Spencer W. Kimball book. Then I ended up talking about preparing for General Conference...which I wasn't really planning on. Guess the Spirit had something else in mind.

3. Talking to old friends, making new friends. I'm sort of nervous for next semester because all (and I mean all) of my old posse which I have known since my freshman year will be gone. But I think I've got this friend-making-bidnez down. Right? Right.

4. Missionaries. I think I've mentioned them before on here. But man, I love 'em. I have so many friends either on missions, going on missions, or returning from missions. In other words, I have really good friends, folks.

5. OK, this is more awkward than happy: when people post on facebook the weekend after they get married. Hello, do you really want us to comment on that status about waking up with an elbow in your face? Oy.

6. Dating advice from Spencer W. Kimball that actually makes sense.

7. We get to play soccer not once, but two times a week now. Did you know I love soccer now? Oh. Well I do. Even though lots of people get hurt, including myself (last night it was a soccer ball to the ear and a lovely kick in the shins). That's just how we roll.

8. We're goin' to the D.F. (Mexicans' nickname for Mexico City) in 2.2. days! (I say .2 because we're leaving at 2am on Friday morning. Psyche.)

9. Apple-Cinnamon candles.

10. Turning the song "Wheels on the Bus" into a rap so my kids will wanna sing it. Success.

11. Did you know that National Geographic actually re-created the floating house in Up?!!! Yeah, they totally did! Because they're National Geographic and they can do whatever the heck they want. Geesh.

12. This video. Please watch it and laugh 'til you cry. Thanks...and have a nice day.

friday list: currently diggin'

Um. Guys. I accidentally started watching prison break. bad idea. because guess what, wentworth miller is the bee's knees. he's only a genius, trying to save his innocent brotha from the electric death. oh yeah, and he makes paper cranes on the side. what the junk? can my future husband please be really manly and yet make paper cranes on the side? thanks. awesome. (that was on the off-chance that my future husband reads this blog. hah.)

AND plus when you watch the show you learn all of this sweet prison lingo like "shank" (a homemade knife) "fish" (the MTC equivalent of "greenie"), and "bust your grapes" (not sure what this one means yet but it's kinda funny).

oh...and it also makes me really grateful that I'm not in prison. Which I won't be anytime soon, unless taking mexican chocolate across the border is illegal.

Sooooo you guys know I like lists, right? Right. I should probably go to some kind of rehab for it. What would we do at this rehab exactly? Maybe they would force me to write all of my separate thoughts into one giant paragraph. Ugh. That would be torturous. I hate huge, long, never ending paragraphs. {yet I am an English major. Analyze that please.}

Anyway. I have conjured up another list of awesomeness for you, to congratulate you on making it to Friday. Not only is it Friday, but according to my calculations, it is almost spring! For all of you who do not live in Mexico (I promise I'm sorry for you), especially in Rexburg, you're probably thinking, "Geesh, when is it gonna be sunny already?" Or, if you are a glass-half-full person like myself, you are thinking, "Geesh, when it is gonna be sunny already?!"

Oh wait.

Those sounded exactly the same.

Guess it needs to be spring already, huh. I'm pretty sure when I get back to the USA in less than a month, it will immediately start acting like spring. I'll bring the Mexican weather back with me for you guys. You're welcome!

On to the friday likey-list. Saying "likey" makes me feel like I'm 7 again, p.s.

1. books. i have a very small library here in mexico. it consists of spencer w. kimball's teachings (good book but not when I wanna just plop myself in bed and read all night long, ya know?), a runner's book, and "1001 pitfalls in spanish." i'm dying. i have a few gagillion things on my must-read list when i get home. guess what, i'll probably finish them in a month. guilty as charged.

2. polaroids. just look at these beauties.

ahhhh yeah. call me shallow.

3. places i would rather be, a.k.a. a photographic "happy place," for those days when I just need to get away. but don't have any monayyyy.

4. the D.I. is so cool. I literally cannot wait until I get to go visit one of these again. Is it weird to miss a thrift store that smells like old books and musty clothes? Yeh. But I am the epitome of weird, soooo. Yeah. No me importa.

5. getting up early!!!! Once upon a time I wrote a journal entry and it was all about how much I wanted to be a morning person. I was tired of being the one who slept in and missed the good pancakes (or the good earthquakes for that matter...urgh). Then a miracle happened. I got up early for scripture study and everything else about my day was better. Guess what? Russell M. Nelson agrees with me. It's for real, folks.

6. funny things my kids say/do

(this is benji in a wrestling belt he fashioned out of his notebook. classy)

today i asked them, "do you guys know what happened in japan today?"

benjamin: "Oh I know!!! A SUSHI! A SUSHI!"

me: you mean...a tsunami?

benji: ohh..yeah...a tsunami.

i think he and grandma bonnie would be friends.

alejandro, when he walked into class today: "Today I am happy, teacher."

me: "Cuz it's Friday?"

him: "No, teacher, cuz I live."

me: "Because you're alive?" [as you can see I have to correct them a lot]

him: "Yeah, because I'm alive."

Always a good reminder.

I read to them from James and the Giant Peach today. The pictures are a little bit...unique. I opened to this page to show them what James looked like. First words out of Alejandro's mouth: "Whoa, he's very ugly, teacher. Verrry ugly."

These girls aren't in my class, but one of them (on the leftie there) is famous for a few lines:

"Some people in the world think that Justin Bieber are gay, because Justin Bieber are gay."

or, a really sweet one that she uses when Teacher Kaitlyn exasperates her:

"Aww, teacher, you are so injustice!"

Dontcha mean unfair sweetheart? Yeahhh.