Endless Love

I have been chastised for my lack of blogging lately.... My bad.
Life is going wonderfully, school is insane but awesome, I love my life.

One thing that I had not been looking forward to happens next Wednesday. March 21... yup that is my birffday. Don't get me wrong, I love parties, I just dislike having all that attention on me. Call me odd, but it just makes me feel like a selfish brat. I realize this is a huge double standard since I love to celebrate everyone else's birthdays. Get over it.
Turns out, as fate would have it, I was able to meet the love of my life. I've decided is my birthday gift to myself. Being 21 is going to be awesome with this sweet ride! Not only is having a truck awesome, but hanging out with my brother, customizing our trucks is awesome as well. (Ryan has a '94 F150, so our trucks are dang similar. It is so exciting!)

I have fallen in love. I'm committed.
Here's how it happened-
           Step 1: Save money.
           Step 2: Wait until Ryan (the all-knowing, deal-spotting, guru) comes to Idaho.
           Step 3: Stalk Craigslist continuously and drive all over East Idaho looking at glorious Fords.
           Step 4: Meet some awesome grandparents who don't know what is wrong with their seemingly awesome truck.
           Step 5: Bargain them down to half the asking price.
           Step 6: Buy that glorious Ford.
           Step 7: Spend a couple evenings in the shop with Ryan.
           Step 8: Have a perfect running truck for an absolute steal of a price.
           Step 9: All your wildest dreams come true.
           Step 10: Deck the crap out of that beauty.

I am now on step 10.
Long story short, I saved an insane amount of money. When I bought the truck, the tranny was in safe mode and their appeared to be a slight issue with the starter. We bought it for dang cheap, expecting to have to rebuild/replace the transmission. I am the luckiest, most blessed person on the planet, all of the time, so naturally all that turned out to be wrong was a big blown maxi fuse. I now have a glorious 1995 F150 with only 130,000 miles, and loads of potential. Incredible. Seriously, who gets that lucky?! This means that my truck budget is not even close to being maxed out, which means I'm going to have the sickest truck ever.

My plans:
- Take out the plastic bedliner and Monstaline the bed and rocker panels, grill, and light casing either black or charcoal
- Build the custom bumper for the front and rhinoline it and the rear bumper.
- Build the light rack and rhinoline it as well.
- Tint the windows to about 20%.
- Lift it a few inches and big bog tires tires (285s or 33s).
- Line the middle portion of the hood.
- Install a new stereo
- Have the best summer ever!

Basically it is going to be legit.... all white with black/charcoal accents.














I realize that very few females care about this. Call me a white-trash red-neck if you want, but I am so excited. It is funny to me to see who cares about trucks and who definitely does not. All I gotta say, is that come summertime when we are taking my lovely truck to play in the sunshine, you will probably start appreciating it more. Life is better with a truck.

Budget Stress: Good-Better-Best

My return to Idaho is less than a month away.

(Okay, it's 27 days living, but only 20 days of work. Not that I'm counting or anything. Geeze. Happy now?)

I am ecstatic to once again be in the land of sunshine, family, and friends. Unfortunately, I will also be in the predicament of real-life-big-kid stress again. S. T. R. E. S. S. 

Life has recently uncovered some major flaws in the "Mand-o-lin Budget for a Job-Free Semester"... 

1. Airplane tickets to/from Alaska = mucho dinero.

2. Cars cost money even when you don't drive them.

3. Grocery costs nearly triple when you're allergic to gluten.

5. I repel technology. My new laptop has decided to malfunction in the motherboard area.

        AKA- I get to buy myself a new computer! Again! Joy!

4. Spending all of the money I have allotted myself this year would stress me out.
        Stress-free money is saved money.

Simply put- I love to buy things, but spending money stresses me out.
Big time.

Don't worry, I don't understand it either.

I realize I am certifiably insane, but "mental-breakdown-recuperation-fund" is another one of those things missing in my budget.
Let's not go there, my friends.

In working towards a solution to this problem, I have put together some "Good, Better, Best" scenarios.

Enjoy...

GOOD: Sell my body for money. (Otherwise known as donate plasma). If I can shrink my grocery bill to fit to the plasma amount then things would be peachy. I could transfer the 'food' fund to the 'keep-in-my-account-indefinitely-to-make-me-happy' fiund. Lovely. The downside- if I eat more than I sell then I will want to get a job just to make sure I don't run out of money. This would mean remaining a productive member of society, and we all know how dreadful that is.


BETTER: Find some old people that live in castles and such. Adopt them as extra grandparents. Find a gypsy to hypnotize the old people... Badda-bing-badda-boom- money.


BEST: Run away and live in the mountains as a nomad. I just bought a new tent, and am really super duper excited to use it. Why not make it my home?! Seriously though, cheapest house ever. No mortgage, no rent. I would catch my own meat and pick my own berries. This would give me the opportunity to hike all day long, shower in waterfalls, drink natural spring water on the rocks (literally), and sleep under the stars every single night. If I die? Two words: Natural. Selection.


That is my plan to sweet success. *Patent pending.*



<3 Living the Dream,
-MK

REMEMBER:

Anticipation Station

I cannot contain my excitement any longer.

In less than 2 months I will be moving back to Idaho!

I will definitely miss Alaska's people, wildlife, scenery, my family, and my dog. 

I will probably not miss,the freezing cold, non-pack-able snow, and the lack of sunlight winter has brought though. 

Rexburg will be like a tropical vacation. 

Seriously.

I love my life of econ and friends. I love seeing a temple everyday. I love getting to run away to UT to see my Grandma, Grandpa, and extended family. I love only being 4 hours away from family get-togethers and parties. I love that I'll live less than 5 minutes from Ry. I love that we'll go to the same school. I love having parties for no reason at all. I love buying 10 pounds of potatoes for $5. I love hearing inspired words everyday. I love that I will still be able to visit Grandpa Jim regularly to talk, clean his grave, and leave happy things. I love hearing devotionals weekly. I love visiting teaching. I love moving. I love change. I love love.

BIG NEWS- I have decided to move. I love Davenport Apartments and all of the girls I have lived with, but am ready for a change. Frequent parties will still be held at my place... my new place. I plan to see you there.

<3 Living the Dream,

-MK

REMEMBER:  We don't quit playing because we grow old.... we grow old because we quit playing.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The biggest question on my mind right now is whether or not to return to Idaho this weekend. I am off-track and don't start my next semester until January. I have a refundable plane ticket and have been praying hard about this. We will see whether I get a definitive answer or get the opportunity to exercise my faith and agency.

I am the type of person that goes more by intuition than reason, so I have decided to do a little pro/con action to help me rationalize....

ALASKA: 

I feel like I may have not fulfilled my purpose here... 

Cons:   1. I don't know many people...yet.

            2.  Dark winter months.

            3. No jobs that can help boost my resume.

Pros:    1. I feel like there is still a lot I have yet to
                   explore and discover here.

            2. I love our branch and would love to get to 

                   know everyone even better.

            3. It's gorgeous with plenty of places for

                   outdoor adventures.

            4. Get to drive the F150 and see gorgeous
                   tucks constantly... <3

            5. I love my family and get to be with my 

                   dog.

            6. This place forces me to slow down, and we all know I need to get better at that.

            7. Job prospects at Fort Greeley or I can always substitute teach= a job guaranteed.

            8. I'd make much more money here, jobs pay far better. Also, no rent!

            9. My momma has a sewing machine... meaning fab crafting possibilities.

IDAHO: 

I feel like it might be time to take the jump...

Cons:   1. Job uncertainty.

            2. Living expenses.

            3. Certain drama I wouldn't mind avoiding...

Pros:    1. Living with Ry and Kim.

            2. My car and independence.

            3. Have interviews lined up for jobs that can 

                  help my resume.

            4. Get to be in warm weather again.

            5. Grandpa Jim <3

            6. Much closer to my extended family.

            7. Friends.

            8. Friends.

            9. Did I say friends yet? I love so many 

                  people in Idaho.

            10. My possessions are in ID waiting for me...meaning less storage unit rent$.

            11. Idaho is beautiful and there are many adventures to be had.

            12. Football season, need I say more?

Hmmmm.....

The Clash: Should I Stay or Should I Go

<3 Living the Dream,

-MK

Remember: "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows." - Thomas S. Monson

Cha cha cha Changes.

-Minnesota-

This past July through December I returned to the lovely Minnesota, just north of Minneapolis and St. Paul. I am quite ecstatic to announce that I have fallen completely in love.

A few highlights from my time spend frolicking there.... I was blessed to be with my lovely family, I was blessed to have the opportunity to nanny for a couple of the cutest boys on the planet, I was blessed to see some wonderful doctors, I was extremely blessed to attend the best ward ever...(I mean, with a name like Dinkytown how could it not be incredible? haha), and I was blessed to be with the greatest people on the planet. In a nutshell, I am the most blessed person on the planet.

-Christmas- Wedding -New Years-

We went on a massive roadtrip this December (massive due to the scenic route my father chose and the road blockings trying to contain us.) Looking back now, it was quite awesome! I got to spend 4 days in the car with my awesome little brother, Matthew. He is seriously such a stud and I am so grateful to have him in my life. It was such a treat and a blessing.

This wonderful Christmas season I was blessed to be able to spend in Utah with my immediate and extended family. It was wonderful! I was able to meet up with friends, spend much needed time with various family members, and talk to my best friend on Christmas Day. I would have to say, this Christmas has been my favorite of all time. It was spectacular.

On December 27th, 2010 my amazing big brother, Ryan, married my lovely roommate, Kimberly, in the Salt Lake Temple. There were fabulous receptions in Salt Lake City, Utah and then Kuna, Idaho. I am so happy for them and hope them the happiest of lives with the cutest of kids.

I celebrated the best New Years ever with my Uncle and his wonderfully awesome family at Bear Lake. It was beautiful and fun, and let me experience snow and lakes one last time before heading back to Idaho....land of the man-made lakes. haha. I love my family!

-Now-

I would love to tell you I am traveling the world or backpacking through some unknown land... but alas I am back in Rexburg, Idaho.

I go a fabulous University (Brigham Young University - Idaho). It is seriously a great place to be and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be here. I am surrounded with great friends, roommates, instructors, mentors, coworkers, and am once again close to my amazing Grandpa.

This year I have been extremely blessed to recieve an academic scholarship and a BYUI grant, meaning that almost all of my tuition has been paid for. It has been such a blessing to me and I am trying to keep my grades up so that I will qualify for the academic scholarship again next year. I am blessed to be in a great Economics program full of tools for future success. I am trying to re-find my love for Rexburg, due to the fact that I still have around 3 more semesters left. I have faith in my ability to do so.

:)
Life is grand.