#45 Sledding at the Sand Dunes

Rexburg is strategically located just a short drive from the St. Anthony Sand Dunes. In the winter, they are just perfect for sledding, something that I really hadn't done before yesterday. I did go tubing at Brianhead when I was maybe eleven or twelve, but it's not nearly as dangerous (or fun).

Unfortunately, I am "snow-tarded." Snow and I don't get along very well. I fell multiple times climbing up the hill and once the sled came out from underneath me. I was just covered in snow. My hands were numb within minutes. I left soaked and exhausted and feeling like I'd made a total fool of myself.

I loved it. Beneath the snow lays the faint smell of sand. I felt a little like I'd spent the day at the beach.

#42 Porter's

Porter's is a local craft supply store. I would describe it as Michael's cool grandma. It has everything you need for about anything you could think of making--sewing supplies, scrapbooking supplies, art supplies, two entire walls of vinyl stickers, seasonal decorations, picture frames, and even office supplies. I spend a lot less time there than I would like to because I like having money for food. While Heather was here this weekend, we came to Porter's seeking something fun to do. I thought of a cool picture frame I had decorated with paint and scrapbooking paper last semester, so we applied the same concept to other adorable wooden things. She made a peace sign hanging for her wall, but left before I could take a picture of it. I decorated a clipboard.

#22 Moving Away Changes The Way You Look at the World.

Growing up in a place with a population larger than Canada's exposed me to lots of different kinds of people. Even so, I still had a pretty limited idea of what the rest of America was like.

(click the images to enlarge)

My map of America before college

Then coming up here taught me that there is civilization in the landlocked parts of this nation.

My map of America now


If my notes are completely illegible, contact me for details on why certain states ended up in the category they did.

#15 Roommate Sleepovers

Friday night we continued the theme of roommate bonding by having dinner together ("It's our first family dinner!") and having a "sleepover." I brought Sven the Mac out to the living room and we watched Meet the Robinsons in our jammies with our teddy bears. (Yes. We all have teddy bears.) And by the way, I had forgotten what a fantastic movie Meet the Robinsons is. I think it just might be my new favorite Disney movie.

Then I showed them Sven's Photo Booth.

left to right: Sam, Jenna, me, Erin

Pop Art!

Black & White=Serious.

After we ate the rest of the rainbow sherbet (not sherbert) in the freezer, we all got to sleep in our own beds. I don't know about you guys, but sleeping on a mattress instead of in a sleeping bag is a major win.

#13 The Guys

(from left to right: Ben, Erik, Will, Alex, Chris)

About a month ago, Shayna came home from a friend's house and insisted that I meet him and his roommates. From then on, you could usually find us at their place over on the other side of Porter Park any given non-Sunday night.

We do things like have ninja star fights. (ATTACK!) Or play Rock Band. (No, Shayna, we will not play "Ghostbusters"again.) Or watch and mock classic movies like Back to the Future.  (That defies the laws of physics because...) Or lay on the floor and sing songs because the power's out. (Will, do you know how to play...?)

 They don't mind that we're freshman and we always need rides home at curfew and that we practically live at their place. I'm comfortable at their place. They're good guys.

#12 Adventures in Cleaning

Today was the big White Glove Clean Check. We started last night. I was up until four yesterday scrubbing the oven and stove. I spent the better part of today cleaning the rest of the kitchen and my side of the room. It actually felt good to scrub the drip pans, even thought it took 45 minutes to do one of them and my hands were covered in steel wool at the end of it. It was just me, my iPod, and the task. I got all caught up on my KFI podcasts (more stuff about the traitors in Pakistan and less about Tiger Woods' sexts, please).

But the best part is right now. I had to pull out my desk and dresser to vacuum behind them and I have no desire to move them back. So now I have a little fort back here. It's right next to the radiator and I am warm. I'll be sleeping here because I also have no desire to put my newly clean sheets back on the bed since I'm switching rooms in three days. And my bed is basically one big storage unit right now.

Only things on my to-do list now: finals, party, and break out the sparkling grape juice with the roomies the last night we're all together.