i left my flare at home sir

Quick pup update then a story that will make you glad you aren't me.

If you remember, at the beginning of the summer Katy had to give Max back to Best Friends because he was causing a lot of problems with her other dog and her HOA. I felt for her, she was completely crushed losing her boy. I knew how she felt and still feel the loss at the strangest times, it can still bring tears to my eyes when I think about how much I miss my dogs. But I knew Max would be fine back in Kanab with his canine pals. Max is in heaven so long as another dog is around to play with him.
Katy emailed me today to let me know she'd gone to a BF Super Adoption in Vegas and asked our friends how Max was doing.

They were happy to let her know he'd been adopted again! Third time is a charm I hope!

She then told me she was at the dog park a few days after this and who should she see?!? MAX! Doing his thing, chasing dogs, smiling his lopsided grin and his third mom is completely in love with him too. His problems don't seem to be problems in his new home. A perfect fit.

I've sat here bawling my eyeballs out thinking about my boys living large in Vegas. Oh my heck. They are just dogs. But they were so much more to me. I'm just so happy they are being taken care of by good people.

OK, my store: (sorry the pup update got a bit longer than planned)

I knew my first week of school couldn't go off with out a hitch.

Thursday night as I killed time in Barnes & Noble before my 8 o'clock IT course I started to feel suspiciously hot and dizzy. Uh-oh. The flu has been kicking butt and taking names in our household, was I next on the list? It looked to be that way.

I didn't want to believe it but even as I sat outside in 32 degree weather in a t-shirt completely overheating I knew things did not look favorable.

I tried to talk myself out of it as I made my way back to campus but as I walked I got more and more unsteady, clammy and the full body flu-ish ache nightmare set in with unnatural speed. I thought the least I could do was let my intimidating professor know I tried to be there and get him to sign my financial aid paper.

The only problem was that as I waited next to his desk two guys jumped ahead of me and he was bombarded with stupid questions he wouldn't have been able to answer even if they had been polite about it. I could see him losing patience as I tried not to lose my cookies. Then another guy jumps in front of me as I'm trying to talk to the guy.

Seriously, am I invisible? I know I'm there, I can my reflection in the window. I look like a maniac. My hair is everywhere, I'm sweating and shaking and an awful shade of grey, I decide the campus is crawling with jerks. I'll take this back at a later date I'm sure. I was feeling very ungracious. Don't mess with me when I'm sick.

So next thing I know I'm getting yelled at with this other guy about asking to get our papers signed: "Can we do this later when the whole class isn't waiting on you?!"

Something about getting yelled at by teachers doesn't sit well with me. I've never been able to deal with very well. And worse yet, I'm weepy when I'm sick and so I stutter out a pathetic attempt at an audible English sentence about being sick and could he please just sign the paper so I can get out of dodge.

He was unsympathetic and scratched his name into my paper as he told me I'd be missing a lot of important information.

I'm already scared of the class. I took the assessment test tuesday and passed by the skin of my teeth. The professor, a guy about my age and not unattractive (not that I care, but somehow I think it has something to do with the attitude) has it out for me already. I can almost read his mind. Instant dislike. Never a good thing. I may be over reacting. Again, all I have to go on is this experience and I am probably not a good judge of character with a raging fever.

I sit back down at my computer out of shear terror. (No, not really. I was feeling better do to the adrenaline rush of humiliation) and he starts in on a quick get to know you thing. Could we please stand up, state our name, and tell a little about something that gives us flare. What is this, Office Space?

He picks me to start first.

Fantastic.

I stand up. I'm shaking and holding onto the desk and ask if I can just do it sitting down. "I'd rather you not" This guy HATES me.

"Hi...I'm Jenna...I'm an interio..." He interrupts me, "Last name please." OK. Geez. If I were up to it I would have had this guy in my cross hairs I'm sure. "Thanks for reminding me, yes, last name... obviously I don't feel well...I can't think of anything to do with my flare right now...I'll tell you all about it later. Wait for it. It is going to be awesome."

Class laughs. Teacher sneers.

I make it about half an hour more before I made my get away including a horrible pit stop to the ladies then stumbled home to lay in bed shivering for the next 48 hours. Thanks to Jared & Camel for the Jamba juice when I didn't think I'd ever eat again, you saved me from myself.

The best part: I get to go back to that class. I'd drop it and hope for another teacher but I'm not that big of a pansy. I have something to prove now. I'm not the girl anymore. It's not 3rd grade art when the teacher yelled at me for outlining everything in black and made me cry. This is college and I'll be the one making people cry! C'mon dude. I hope my financial aid paper was crawling with germs. Ok. Now that was really horrible. I didn't actually mean it. But then, if I didn't, I would have erased it huh?

riddle me this

scrieaxte

Project: Make a word by removing 6 letters.

This is a little riddle my instructors gave us last night. Yours truly was the one who figured it out. :) It felt like redemption somehow. Work has been an uphill battle with things I just can't wrap my head around. There have been improvements. Small ones. It gives me hope.

blurry

This wasn't supposed to be blurry, it was supposed to show how cool the temple looks on my walk in to school in the mornings. Reasons (not to be confused with excuses): I was walking as I took it (too cold to stop) and no flash (so I wouldn't draw attention to myself and the bright eyed freshman I am, too much enthusiasm in the early am would be considered lame I'm sure) I'll try again sometime.


I avoid the elevators at all costs. They take forever, have no less than 10 people in them at any given time. And frequently get stuck, not something I'm too keen on experiencing first hand. So I trek. And all my classes are on the 7th and 8th floor. I love climbing stairs. It's coming down that hurts. My silly skier knees.

my arm is missing

my alarm didn't go off (don't ask why) but luckily I woke up and made it to class (almost) on time. Second day and I'm already making great impressions. I am so impressed with my instructors! Check out my color theory instructors website here. The portfolio in particular is amazing. His style is so much like my favorite designer, Kelly Wearstler. And I get to learn from this guy.

I left my cell at home today. It has unavoidably become an extension to my arm. I've gone to reach for it no less than a gazillion times already today and the frustrated emails from the guys on the road wondering if I'm ignoring them for the fun of it are making me thing an hour round trip home to get it would almost be a good idea. Instead I'm crying about it to you. I keep absently hoping that it will materialize in my bag somehow.

I need my google, my email... you're laughing at me and thinking 'I could go days and days with out my phone.' Bold statement my friend. Try it sometime.

living the dream

First day of classes! Or maybe I should say first day of class since I only have one class on Mondays. So far I absolutely love school.

This day has been years in the making. When I came home from Korea my plan was to work in St. George for a couple of months until school started in SLC and I would be there...
Obviously my plans went a little differently than planned. The last couple of years have just confirmed that design is in my blood. I am happiest when I'm knee deep in a project. I moved my room around, again, because it's the closest thing to decorating I could get my hands on. Michele was careful not to call it a sickness! Let's call it a passion.



Driving to work after class I felt on top of the world, feel like I'm living the dream. Finally. Last year was about decisions and switching things up again to get back on track.

This year is all about refinement. Throw me in the fire baby. I'm so ready to see what I'm made of.

what job security?

I almost lost my job this week. I had told them about school when I interviewed and they had said, 'We completely support you going to school, we'll do whatever it takes.' Except let me go to one of my classes that takes me away during the day for an hour, three days a week. I'm feeling a little less loyal and a little more like I will keep a look out for other possibilities. I've watched the way these guys work and I know they throw blame around like it's a diseased frisbee so I suppose this week was my turn to get hit in the face with a flying disk of fury. I did realize how much I wanted my job until I had to really fight for it.

The bright spot in this madness was I had Sarah's bridal shower to do Thursday night. I went home sick with a migraine the day before the party so that left me the day of at Costco praying for inspiration. I had luckily already done a lot of shopping for it so all that was left was food and fresh flowers (Kate Spade says NEVER throw a party with out them) I thought of all things Sarah and hope I put together a night that will get woven into the many memories from this fun time in her life. It was so great seeing people from the ward I grew up in and see Sarah center of attention and glowing.

Joni was there sans Amy who is in St George (we missed you!) Joni is one of those people in all my memories of YW and camp and sleepovers. I once spilled tomato soup on her white carpet, she didn't even blink an eye. I thought I'd be banned from the house!
She got hurt a few months ago in a freak accident right after Amy had her baby and we all so glad she is doing better.

Coree just came in my room to ask me why I had pine tree branches in our drawer in the fridge. I was distracted and told her I used them at the shower in the water with pineapple bits. She thought I meant I'd just taken a shower with these things. No Camel. I put them in the water AT the shower. It was tasty. Try it sometime. I saved the extra to make my favorite pork dinner sometime. And it is rosemary, not pine trees!



















If you are one of my readers who check in with Kickbutt you've already seen pictures from earlier this week when we all got together at Grandmas house while the California cousins were in town.

Playing Bang!, an Italian cowboy card game I'm sure I'd eventually understand if I could focus for more than a minute on learning the rules. Heather and Grandma are represented in the photo by their arms. Sorry ladies!

OH! And some really, really great news - This blog is being brought to you from my very own new fantastic lap top!! If you didn't already know it, you know it now, I'm a very spoiled girl. Thanks M & D for my beautiful blue Chritmas present.

Happy Birthday Dad!

You are a one of a kind, fantastic guy Daddio.

Memories that came to mind today:


I love not laughing at your jokes. (then laughing about them later when you can't see)


You make an excellent peanut butter sandwich. You made my lunches for years and those were my favorites. Jackie always wanted my lunches with my capri suns and fruit snacks. Little did she know the sandwhich was the best part! Then in high school when I'd wait til the last minute to get up you'd make me instant breakfast and bring it downstairs with a pop tart I could take with me as I ran out the door. I never thanked you enough I'm sure.


The funny, unique things that make you You: sleeping with one eye open, prepared for any event, loads of questions, silly jokes, tic tacs in your coat pockets, socks with sandals, 3 x 5 cards litered about with lists or more questions to be asked, news radio, fire extinguishers, a drawer just for batteries, monster flashlights and the phrase 'What's going on in here?'... the list goes on and on of things that remind me of you.

Arguing with you about the color of the porch light (yellow makes people look bad dad, who cares if it keeps bugs away?)


I love how you study the gospel and how it is such a gigantic part of your life. I liked seeing you in your office, space heater running, completely immersed in your studies.


Popcorn, root beer and ice cream, staples for a healthy diet. They go with movies, favorite TV shows, nintendo marathons or sitting on the front porch. (Don't think I am forgetting peanut butter, it just goes with out saying it was there)

The way you and mom are together. Taking walks, whispering about me thinking I can't hear you, eating yogurt with peanut butter, going on trips, laughing, reading, etc etc. You inspire me and show me what true love looks like.

Thank you for always being there for me, you are the best example. I look for your qualities in the guys I date because I know if I find someone who will treat me as good as you treat mom, I will have found perfection. (or close enough)

Love you always.