Silly Silly Squirrel

In our backyard there are a couple of squirrels that I am determined to teach how to waterski (I know it sounds silly but they ALWAYS do it on America's funniest home videos). Even though I know that we will never be able to teach them to waterski (mostly because we have no skis that small), we are still teaching them to become very comfortable around. We even named one Daniel, even though my brother daniel doesn't like that. The squirrels will come up to our back door and just stare at us until we feed them. There favorite food is graham crackers and they will eat them right out of our hands. They are really funny to watch, and so we decided to take a couple pictures of them today. 

Mrs. Mac

Mrs. McDonald, or as we always called her, Mrs. Mac, was my fifth grade teacher. She is basically the best teacher of all time and has taught me so much! The year that I was in her class was actually the year that she retired after teaching for 30 years. Ever since fifth grade then me and a few of my friends have kept in good contact with her, and still go see her two or three times a year. Usually we will at least see her for a christmas get together and once during the summer. We will go out to lunch or go to someones house and just chat and catch up with eachother about life. She loves seeing how much we've grown and changed over the years (now it's been about 9 years since we were in her class). Typically the group consists of my friends Jessica, Hannah, and Katherine. Yesterday we decided we needed to have another get together so Jessica and Mrs. Mac came over to my house for lunch. Unfortunately Hannah and Katherine weren't able to come, but we were still able to have an awesome time! Hopefully we can get the whole group together again pretty soon. 

It's tulip time!

Today then Daniel and I decided to drive up to Skagit Valley to see the tulip fields. We came up at the perfect time because the fields were beautiful and in full bloom. It was the perfect weather outside for walking around and enjoying the flowers. Afterwards we went up to visit Daniel's friend, Colton, who is going to school at Western...he happened to be in Lynden so we met him up there. We really wanted to go to some of the dutch shops...but apparently every store closed at 4...so we just walked down the street and enjoyed looking at all the dutch stuff. Afterwards we went to Colton's, ate some food, then headed back home. The whole day was a lot of fun!

HOME!

I've been home for over a week now. I thought I would have so much time to do things...like blog...but it turns out I just want to play right now. So I will blog really soon....promise. 

Happy April!

The sun is shining, it's a toasty 33 degrees outside with a nice layer of melting ice! Two more weeks of constant homework and then I get to go home....where apparently it's 35 degres with a nice mixture of snow and rain....hmmm...what happened to Washington? Today they handed out a finals week care package in class...there are tissues, band-aids, cough drops, and chocolate...should I be concerned?

The wacky adventures of Frederick McDoogle the third.

Hello....This is Mr. Frederick McDoogle the third...

He lives in my apartment...technically there are no boys allowed in the apartment (which would include Frederick)...but there are also no fish allowed...so...double negative= it's OK!

Mr. McDoogle has already been through many adventures, and we've had him probably less than a month. 

His first adventure started at Walmart where we bought him. When we walked into the store then we found the manager standing there in the main aisle as Marie and I are loudly talking about how we're getting a fish (apparently the manager doesn't know about the double negative standard) none the less...we had to shut our mouths and sneak casually into the pet aisle to find a fish. The sales guy isn't much help and isn't nearly as excited about us buying a fish as we are...but eventually we decide to pick out a beautiful blue beta, and some nice accessories to go in his home. I checked to see if the coast was clear....it was...so we quickly hurried to the check out...the checker wanted to put the fish in a bag...we thought that was darn-right crazy...so we denied the bag..until we saw our manager 3 registers down..at which time we slightly freaked out/ decided to take a bag. We made it to the car...and all was well!

Deciding a name was not easy....luckily the day before we happened to brainstorm/ compile a list of potential fish names during relief society...we were also listening of course. The list was pretty long...sometimes we decide to call frederick by a different name. Kinsey prefers to call him "Alex"...as in Alex Trebek...I sometimes like calling him frederick poncho tortilla McDoogle...etc. etc. 

Mr. McDoogle really likes his fish food....sometimes when Nephi comes over he will try and sneak Freddy some banana bread, or peanut butter M&Ms, or oregano, or bubble gum. Sometimes Alex will even swim really quick and eat the things that he is given. Mr. McDoogle mostly does this just to entertain Nephi...he really doesn't like anything except fish food..and as far as I am concerned there is no oregano in fish food...yes..I confirmed it..no oregano..or banana bread..

Just yesterday the manager decided to come into our apartment to show a potential resident around the apartment...she came because she said our apartment is usually the cleanest...it just so happens that yesterday looked slightly like death....but anyways....The fish was just sitting there...right there on the bookshelf....as the manager comes waltzing through...Lisa and I were kind of freaking out. The manager didn't say anything..but that doesn't mean she didn't see it...so now we're staying on the lookout. We already have to hide it for clean checks...

I only get to spend 2.5 more weeks with Mr. McDoogle...then what? Will he go to live with Marie working in Alaska..that just doesn't seem proper seeing as her whole job is cutting up fish...I would personally be very offended if I was him...Or will he go to live with Marie's family in Blackfoot...maybe just continue to live at the apartment..fending for himself...I just don't know...All I can say is...Good Luck Frederick McDoogle the third...you're the best fish a girl could have!

The Sun!

I know I still need to blog about my trip to Provo for  nationals and all sorts of fun adventures...but....I don't have any pictures...and I feel like it won't be complete without pictures...so I need to wait to steal some from my mom....anyways

It's time for another thankful list ( I know these aren't the most interesting blogs...but it helps me put life into perspective so deal with it..haha)

First of all...THE SUN!!!! it has actually been sunny here for several days...and not the kind of sunny where the sun reflects off all the ice crystals in the air, which IS still beautiful, but not the kind of sun we are referring to...I'm talking about the wear flip flops and a T-shirt and threaten to walk down to sonics for Happy Hour type of sunny...oh it is glorious! 

SATURDAYS...sometimes I feel super lazy...but today all my roommates are gone and I plan on getting the apartment all cleaned up...not the most exciting saturday...but I know that I'll feel accomplished when it's over..ALSO I will probably get some homework done...which will make me feel good.

FRISBEE... The summer after my senior year I'm pretty sure frisbee was one of those every day/ nothing else to do activities...but I love it! it means being outside usually in the places that I love most (beaches, parks, and the cul-de-sac). Justin got me one for my birthday before going to college...I've hardly used it since then, but with this weather it might be time to play with it again (Rexburg also is a bit windy for frisbee...but oh well)

MARIE....She's my roommate...she's funny and says things that make me laugh....also sometimes we do really fun things together on the weekends...one week it was watching extreme logging and bass fishing...on our saturday night...good times. Also she'll watch the stupid movies that everyone else finds unbearable with me...like Dumb and Dumber, and Billy Madison.

DRAFTING....sometimes it gives me a headache.....but I love knowing how things work and go together, and being able to create things that will actually work (or should work at least). I basically could build a house from the ground up....you  MIGHT want to be jealous. 

SOFAS...I just would not enjoy being from the old days when  there wasn't sofas ...it's just so comfortable to sit on...and I hardly choose the floor over the sofa...so I think it's just a good thing...yes...it is...a good thing.

MUSIC...I love music...I could listen to it all day every day. It has such control over how I feel sometimes... When I listen to a song I'll feel like I'm going to explode and just want to break out in dancing or skipping or something. Also I love song lyrics...I'm not the best writer in the world so listening to lyrics amazes me. The way the lyrics can be so deep and mean so much...makes me tear up a bit..haha. 

TREES....I love trees...I've grown up around trees my whole life, it's weird to me how few trees there are here. In Utah we saw a cell tower trying to be a tree, it was really ugly. I'm glad real trees aren't like that...they are so beautiful and cast such amazing shadows throughout the day....which I'm also thankful for...SHADOWS...They are just cool

PAINT...so I am definitely not a painter, but lately in my color theory class we have been using a lot of paint. I think painting is the most relaxing thing in the world. Right now we're doing an experimental color project....aka some abstract art. I suck at abstract art...but I think it is a whole lot of fun! I want to practice more so I might be able to create something that is actually acceptable. 

BROTHER PARSON...he is a pro artist and is teaching me how to be a pro artist...I never thought you could actually LEARN to draw and paing...but you can! Once you learn all the rules of perspective, shadow, reflections, etc. It just takes a lot of practice...But Brother Parson is hilarious and a ton of fun and a great teacher. Sometimes we'll listen to Abba, and yesterday he was talking about conspiracy theories (don't worry this is all while we're working at the same time) but I have a good time learning from Brother Parson!

That is my thankful list for the day! Now I need to enjoy some of this sun!!!

Evolution of Kensington 203

I have lived in the same apartment since I came to college, the last two years I have been at kensington manor apartment 203. Even though I am in the same apartment every semester..the dynamics of the apartment change so much every semester. I have always gotten along with my roommates, thank goodness, but that doesn't mean every semester isn't drastically different. Let's just compare this semester and last semester. My "last" semester roommates Emmilie and Mary were replaced by my "this" semester roommates Megan and Lisa. Kensington 203 used to be a place full of love and happiness and butterflies.....and then...there is this semester. 

Yes! that is my hand... with a loaded/ technically not loaded nerf gun aimed at Kinsey's face...we used to be nice...but things change. 

So this was while playing a round of my favorite game rummikub. This game used to be a stress free, go to the park and play rummikub sort of game, but ever since Lisa and Megan came along there has been an abundance of violence. Typically Shawn will come over and wrestle with Megan and Lisa, usually Kinsey and I will get away with mostly just sitting on the couch laughing, occasionally getting sat on...But last night we decided to join in with the fighting. Megan and I had pulled out our mattresses out to the family room for our sunday naps, so it was the perfect wrestling mat. Kinsey and I fought eachother for the next half hour or so. I did all sorts of professional wrestling moves on her like the "Cobra Clutch" and "Straight Jacket". I pretty much beat her down. Today I have all sorts of invisble bruises...I feel them..but don't see them, it's weird. But I had to do my angry dance yesterday to get out all my wrestling rage. well..here are some more pictures of playing last night. 

The longest game of Rummikub known to man...Megan hates rummikub

Lisa and Shawn having a "who can jump higher" contest...I think it was a tie.

Thursday

I love Thursdays! For some reason I wake up in the morning and think "hooray it's Thursday....I love Thursdays". I don't even understand what it is that I love about them so much. Usually it is the day for a new episode of the office, there hasn't been a new one for several weeks....but those Thursdays have still been awesome. I think it's because Thursday means that it's almost Friday...which means that it's almost the weekend...so you would think Friday would be my awesome day...not saying I don't love Fridays...but I just like Thursdays. 

After pondering about my feelings for Thursdays, I had another thought... I like Thursdays because they mean it's almost the weekend....well...why can't I just like the weekdays for there own characteristics rather than being characterized by it's distance to the weekend. If you think about it there are 5 weekdays and only 2 weekends....why waste those 5 days waiting for the weekend? why not just enjoy all 7 days? You never hear people sitting there on saturday saying "I can't wait until it's monday!"....that just doesn't happen...but I think I'm going to try and make it happen...I'm going to try and be so excited for everyday that I just can't wait for it to be Monday...or Tuesday...or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday...They are all good days....so.....

Happy Thursday!

good day.

Today is a good day...I don't know...it's just good. 

Today my class started at 8:15 instead of 7:45, so I got to sleep in an extra half hour. 

For breakfast I ate yogurt, blueberries, and granola...I'm trying to work on eating healthy...sometimes sucks but it makes me feel good. 

Walking to class it was almost WARM...and it was sunny....I really wanted to dance all the way to class...but I just had to hold back....and it was really hard to hold back. 

Class got over like an hour early, so I was able to work on homework and chat with people in the studio..I just like it. 

When I walked back from class it was STILL warm. I know...crazy. 

I got home and checked my email and there was a message from Alaska Airlines saying that I should be able to come back and work this summer..I am so Excited!

I learned that from now on I am a Washington Nationals fan...this season...I didn't know this team existed until last year at a Mariner's game and I was trying to figure who the crap the other team was....but...I'm pretty sue they are winning the world series. 

Today is just good! actually...it's awesome...I like awesome days. and it's only noon! so hopefully the rest of the day is awesome too! I get to paint in my color theory class...I like painting...mixing colors is fun. good day. 

let's try this again

So....I was pretty negative in my last post....so I decided to try again and be more positive. Right now I'm taking a world religions class and I'm learning a lot about the eastern religions. One of the main things my professor wants us to focus on is meditation. To take some time out and just be still. So I decided to do that, and I realized there is so much in life to be thankful for. In Buddhism there is the term dukkha which basically means suffering (sorry Jamie...don't worry it's spelled different), and the main thing with dukkha is that life is full of suffering, but if you step back and separate yourself from suffering then you will be able to overcome it. I know that all I did was hurt my toe and got a little dizzy, but I think it's important to not let those little things in life get you down. So I'm trying to focus more on all the things that I'm thankful for...so yes..here it is...another thankful list!

The 9 toenails that don't even hurt, and my one screwed up toenail...because suffering makes you stronger

The fact that the high for today was 42 degrees...yes...that is quite warm for these here parts

rain....it practically rained yesterday...it rocked!

meditation/zenifying.... it's good to not overanalyze life

lotion....sounds silly...but I'm fond of the stuff

flowers...there's not many outside...but our apartment was full of them last week...I miss the flowers...I like them. 

The Gospel...kind of obvious...it rocks!

speaking of rocks....geology....it makes me and kinsey feel really cool to talk about rocks

Frederick McDoogle the Third...aka the sweet Beta we bought yesterday

rebellion...I know...it's a bad one...but we technically aren't supposed to have fish...we saw the manager at walmart when we were fish shopping..it was an adventure

BYU-Idaho..it's cold and in the middle of Idaho...but I'm pretty fond of it

etc. etc. 

Ew.

so yesterday during my social dance class then right before taking my test for cha cha some kid asked me to dance. Somehow he managed to kick my toe, thus half my toenail is half way off....this has happened before and usually I just get over it, keep dancing, and find a band-aid later on. I figured I would do the same thing. So I went to the partner I was dancing with and looked down and my whole toe was covered with blood...it was nasty..so I rushed off to the bathroom to clean it up ( I personally was more concerned about getting blood on my dance shoe than about my toe...p.s. my shoe got really gross....I was not happy). But anyways...I wrapped up my toe with some toilet paper, took my cha cha test and by the end it was all nasty and red...so I found a band-aid... all I can say is it's starting to hurt a lot more now. Daniel thinks it's my own fault for taking a 280 social dance class  (which is sort of beginner-ish) instead of taking the techiniques classes that he's taking...all I know is my toenail keeps catching on things and it makes me want to puke...Anyway...today I feel really nauseated, dizzy, and kind of claustrophobic...I'm pretty sure it's toe related...haha...But I felt like this for a few days this past summer and basically passed out at work, don't know what made me feel like that...but I hope it doesn't decide to last a few days again. I don't really feel that sick...just like if I stand up I'm gonna pass out. 

But I'm gonna look on the brightside..right now it is 39 degrees! yes...you heard that correct...39 degrees! it hasn't been this "hot" all semester...so despite the toe/ dizziness....I'm pretty dang happy! I think I prefer feeling a little off rather than having it be gross outside! AND I'm also happy because I get to see my mom and sister in like....2.5 weeks! hooray!

Jennifer is...

So facebook is a pretty big deal in modern day America...one of the features of facebook is the status feature where you say what you are doing...I was just looking at my profile at the last few statuses I have had. I always seem to have the brilliant idea of changing my facebook status when I am not exactly having my brightest moment in life. So this is what the facebook world will know about me if they quickly look at my status. 

Jennifer is playing the Hanukah song on the guitar, while waiting for her hair to finish dying, and wearing a grocery bag cape.

Jennifer impaled her lip with a fork in an attempt to eat rice...how cool is that? not very

Jennifer accidently took a nap instead of doing homework...and now she just wants to sleep some more...instead of doing homework

Jennifer is wondering what size stairs are supposed to be

Jennifer had a fun day in class today, but also has a big glue gun blister on her finger

Jennifer is wondering why she's forcing herself to relive the saddest day of her life..aka the kingdome implosion

Jennifer is trying to teach herself to like yogurt

Jennifer thinks snow would be pretty if it weren't for the fact that it's ugly, and is wondering what happened to her limbo skills

so....what do you think this says about me?

New Hair

So...I have this addiction to dyeing my hair sometimes.....and I was doing so well (I hadn't dyed my hair since the beginning of the summer...aka FOREVER)....until yesterday. I decided it would be fun to go a little darker with my hair. My friend Ashley dyed it, and I think she did a swell job. I like it too...It's always fun to have a little change. 

Before

After

Giving Thanks

I know it's not Thanksgiving or anything, but I just feel really grateful for lots of things right now. Ever since I've been away from home I come to appreciate all the things that I have at home, but also the new experiences that I gain at school. It's almost the end of my second year at school (and by almost I mean not almost at all) and the longer I'm here the more I become thankful for everything in life. So here are some of the things that I am thankful for:

Roommates

Family

The Water and everything associated with it...

...including the beach

Random Adventures

Friends

Food that I didn't buy

The Big City (apparently Seattle fits in that category)

Twister and other amazing games

My Dutch Heritage and Poffertjes

Being Myself and hanging with the cool kids

acting like I'm 5

Homecooked meals

the fact that I am not easily offended

Roadtrips where I don't almost die

There are SO many more things to be thankful for...but I think I'll leave those for another day...all I can say is life is good!

Angry Dance

There are few things I love in Life more than angry dances. They are my favorite thing ever! Last semester Emmilie and I would do angry dances on a regular basis just to get our anger out. 

Here are a few of my favorite angry dances! (p.s. I swear sometime I'll start doing normal blogs again..this week is just CRAZY!)

Bret's Angry Dance from Flight of the Conchords

The Footloose Angry Dance

Troy Boltons Angry dance from HSM3

Rod's Angry Dance from Hot Rod

The Internet

So it's 2:38 am and the internet makes me angry...so I wrote a poem about it. 

Oh  internet you're not my friend

you're really rather mean

I doubt that we can make amends 

with  you're  inconstant routine

Sometimes you're pace is very fast 

then leads to a screeching halt

my bitterness is unsurpassed

and yes, it is your fault

DSL and cable too 

will only make things worse

but the truth is you smell like poo

and make me want to curse

Another Blog

So basically I am really cool and decided I want to be just like Linda when I grow up! so... I made a recipe blog just like her. Now I have three blogs... my life blog, my interior design blog, and now my cooking blog ...I really need to figure out something better to do with my life... maybe later. I mostly just made it for myself so that I can keep track of the recipes I like, but I figured I might as well share it just in case you wanted to look at it for some reason. Here it is! 

Jennifer's Recipe Box

Provo!

This past weekend Daniel was planning on going down to provo to visit some of his old roommates and go to a concert, so I decided to go along with him on the journey. There are all sorts of people in Provo....and I am a big fan on some of those people...so I decided to go visit. Plus Rexburg gets a little chilly in January and Provo is slightly less chilly. 

On the way there we took the scenic route through Logan and on the way there we even got to see the great city of Preston, Idaho, aka home of Napoleon Dynamite. It's a pretty hopping place, we were so excited to see the "cuttin curral" and the DI where napoleon buys a sweet tux. The city is exactly as old fashioned as it looks in the movies. All the store fronts were displaying an array of polyester dresses with very large should pads. Good times. Eventually we got to Logan which was pretty exciting. I had never been there before and the temple was gorgeous. But after our stop in Logan we finally drove all the way to Provo. 

I pretty much spent the weekend partying it up with Andrea, who I was staying with. During this last winter break I was barely able to see her, so it was nice to catch up and party. Saturday I hung out with Heather, Brooks, Jason, and his friend Brianna. I went out to lunch with Brooks and Heather and then went to the Creamery and mini-golf/ deal or no deal with the rest. It was a ton of fun, I hadn't seen Heather and Jason in over a year, and due to the fact that I practically lived with them every summer when I was younger, it was exciting to see them. I'm really hoping Heather's baby will come before I come back to provo for ballroom nationals in March. That would be so much fun. Later on on Saturday Andrea and a few friends went bowling on campus where I remembered how crappy I was at bowling! 

Sunday I went to Andrea's ward then went to visit my old roommate Mary. She made me some awesome scones! I think she should come back to Rexburg and be my roommate again, but apparently she has other plans in life. So it was pretty much an adventurous weekend. I of course forgot my camera so I have like no pictures. But I do have one picture of me at the cuttin curral...so I guess I'll just say this picture sums up my mini vacation. 

Battle of the Cookie...2009

Kensington 203 tonight had a showdown, a battle, a full out war....yes...it is just as you guessed. We had a chocolate chip cookie contest. The contestants were Lisa Rammell from Driggs, Idaho, Laura Schramm from Brigham City, Utah, Megan Street from Driggs, Idaho, and Jennifer Walsh from the great city of Federal Way, Washington. Blood sweat and tears were put into making these cookies. The games were interlaced with sabotage; missing oven mitts, verbal abuse, physical abuse, and any other kind of abuse that I have failed to mention.  The competition was intense, and after much bribing of the judges Lisa won the title of "best chocolate chip cookie". 

The Cookies

The Bakers/ Gangsters

Lisa and Megan.... apparently they are connected at the hip

Things got PRETTY brutal....Kinsey wasn't even a competitor...I don't understand

The Judges preparing for the competition

A perfect 10? RIGGED