Independance Day weekend!

Fri: everyone in the apartment left except for Maddi and I. Mads made delicious orange sugar cookies with orange cream cheese frosting.They were to DIE for!

Sat: Went to Rigby lake with Kacie and got a wee bit sunburned.Then had a nice trip to WalMart for some aloe, the guy looked at me strange when he saw my red face and the only thing I was buying was aloe, but when you need it you need it right?

Sunday: Went to church, took a nice long nap (2.5 hours), but I was only planning on a 17 minute nap. Made some delicious chocolate chip cookies! They were so soft and delicious! (Recipe at Allrecipies.com, search chocolate chip cookies, then sort by rating, first one on the list!)

Then my friend Christine invited me and Maddi over for dinner with some of her friends, and had enchiladas! we then proceeded to watch The White Lion on Netflix. A documentary on Natatzi, a white lion in Africa. Oh man I cannot tell you how jealous I am of  Maddi's brother who is currently in Mozambique! But, thou shalt not covet!

The 4th!: Walked in the rexburg parade next to the Ying Yang float, which had a dragon and some ribbon dancers. The float had won Mayors Choice. when I told the old chineese man that he had won, he did a little dance, I took a picture of him in front of the float with all the dragon dancers, and then he told us that next year Maddi and I should be in his float and he will get us costumes!
After the parade, we went to Panda Express and joined the ward at their usual spot to watch fire works.

Mads and I only stayed for a little then we went to go see Brad and Janae who had come up from Utah. First we made a stop at one of my favorite place in Idaho... Reed's Dairy!

Then we got to see little Levi and Jared! Bethany (Levi's cousin) is a photographer in the making, and told us all the spots that she wanted to have us take pictures. Here some of them are.

And I personally think this is the best one of Levi!

Here is Maddi and I looking awkward in the field of barley...

It was so cute to see the little kids playing in it, only their little heads popped out.

And last but not least the fireworks in Idaho Falls

Also, brad gave us this great prank idea! Poppers+toilet seat+gullible person= great laughter! Marie was the first to go to the bathroom. She came running out yelling, JERICA! Then Jessica. She came out and said, "I thought I had farted, or I broke the seat!" The residue...

How to: Place poppers under the pegs of the toilet seat, and wait. It will give your victim the bang that they need in their day!

Great Sabbath

     Sorry for all of you who read this. I also like to think of this blog as a journal. Today was a great Sunday! We talked about Elder Dallin H Oaks talk Desire, and we made a list of things that we desire. These are mine, in no particular order.

• Please God in all my doings
• Marry in the temple
• Go to Africa with a humanitarian aid group
• Be someone others can rely on 
• Do my personal best in school
• Gain a greater testimony of the gospel
• Stay debt free all my life
• Have my family always know without a doubt that I love them
• Be of impact in someones life
• Always have daily scripture study and prayer
• Monthly/ bimonthly temple attendance
• Always be worthy to attend the temple
• Raise children in the gospel 
• Obtain a degree
• Always notice the good in others 
• Always lift others with my words and never bring someone down because of what I have said
• Always follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost

Dallin H. Oaks said, "Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. Thee desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming."I hope that my desires are righteous and allow me to become someone God is pleased with. 

CRAZY ROOMMATE!!!!!

This is Maddi typing, Jerica's favorite roommate of all time. I just wanted to let the world know that Jerica is the most crazy roommate ever! She is always dancing,  singing, making funny faces, laughing uncontrollably or doing any combination of these things. She may be crazy but thats why I love her! Life is always entertaining when she is around and she always makes me smile!


 
This is Jerica in all her glory. Notice: She even carries around this sign to tell me she loves me...told you I was the favorite roommate!

Child's Pose

So this is why they call it child's pose.... I know that it is comfortable but I had never actually seen a kid do it before.

The hardest thing about being away from home is that I get to miss all of the things that the family does together. This weekend, I came home, and we painted Brad and Janae's backyard shed. We also put in bark in the side of their yard. It was pretty fun to surprise my parents for the weekend.

 Oh Maddi! This is my roommate Maddi. Her and I seem to get along pretty well. This is when we had cake and ice cream and went to a comedy show for my birthday. It was way funny. I am glad that I have the roommates and FHE brothers that I do. i have seriously been blessed.

 

This is another reason that I miss being at home. I love these boys with all my heart! My nephews and niece are all in Utah for the summer and I am missing it! This is what I get when I ask them to smile... can you see the sincerity?

 

Levi and Jared, Levi loves this hat that my grandma Kentner made. it is so big, and to be honest I do not think that anyone could get out of the house with that thing on. It is ridiculous.

I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Only 6 more weeks and I will be with them for 5 months!

Home Sweet Home

I am going home for the weekend! It is my birthday tomorrow and my Grandpa's birthday as well. Since grandpa is turning 80 my grandma is throwing a huge birthday party for him. Flying all the family out to Utah, and having a catered lunch. This should be great fun, I get to see all my cousins, and aunts and uncles that I haven't seen in a long time. May i add that all of my immediate family is going to be there?!!!! I get to see all my nephews and niece tonight! I leave in 2 hours to go home and boy can I tell you that I am excited?! I love family! Bring on the party and sprinkles!

Lazy man Iron man !

Yesterday, Christine, a girl on my biggest winner team told me about the lazyman ironman. You have 1 month to complete 2.7 miles swimming, 112 miles biking, and 26 miles running. I am so excited! And if you finish, you get a free t-shirt! Yay, I love free stuff! Let the race begin!

Country Lovin'

      What got me started in this country lovin' mood has been our planned trip to Wyoming. But, due to weather we could not go so all of us roommates went home to Utah for the weekend. In Wyoming I was going to get a cowgirl hat. I have wanted cowgirl boots and hat for as long as I can remember. But, I guess being home in Layton, Utah wiull have to be enough to give me the country fix that I need. My parents live in a house that looks out to a green field of some crop (I don't know what though) and it looks so pretty. Being home has made me think quite a bit. I have realized that when I get married, I want to live somewhere with land, and own a truck, I love feeling like I am in charge and on top of the world when I drive big trucks. I want a place for my future kids to run, and play. Also I want to have animals, horses, cows, chickens, rabbits, pigs, and whatever else comes with living on a small farm. My parents neighbors have horses, and green fields and that life so appeals to me!

     I think, well actually I know, that I am totally and completely infatuated with Scotty McCreery. I have bought his cd of all of his performances while he was on American Idol, and I listen to him at least an hour straight a day. I blame my roommate Maddi... she got me started. He is a 17 year old country singer who sings like he is 24. If you just listen to him, he sounds totally like he is older than he actually is. If I could marry Scotty and live on a farm I think I would be in heaven!

I LOVE THE COUNTRY! 

Homesick : /

Ever now and then I will put my Ipod on shuffle, and lately some of my very dear to my heart songs have been coming up. These songs remind me of when all the kids were still at home.  

Angels Among Us- Alabama

I remember driving home from Grandma and Grandpa Kentners house singing this song in the car with the whole family. 

Mary Go Round- Skip Ewing (not on you tube! Can you believe it?)

This song has a little place in my heart because it reminds me of my brothers. I don't really know why, but when I hear this song an old memory of my brothers pops in my head. 

I Love You This Much- Jimmy Wayne

This song remind me of Mark. This one is a cute/sad one that Mark used to always play. 

On top of The World- The Carpenters

This is the only song that I remember from Mom's full collection of the Carpenters. It always sat right next to the microwave ready to put in at any moment. 

Butterfly Kisses- Bob Carlisle

Dad. That pretty much sums it all up. I remember walking in my dads office 10 years ago and he was listening to this song, he told me that he wanted to dance with me at my wedding to this song. Then, I didn't really know what it was but now I am definitely in love with this song. 

Accentuate the Positive- Bing Crosby

Grandpa! I love him! This song encompasses his whole life. Since this was one of Grandpa's favorite song it became one of Mom's, so then it became one of mine!

You Raise Me Up- Josh Groban

Superbowl 2004 explains the reason for this. Our family had just gotten dvr or tevo whatever you call it. Josh was performing for the half time show and mom started crying. From then on she was in love with dvr and Josh Groban. We watched Josh perform this about 8 times in a row. 

Dance With my Father- Luther Vandross

Just a favorite of ours...

This has been a week of country! I love it, a new favorite guy of mine is Scotty McCreery. Oh man, he has a beautiful deep voice and if he proposed to me today I think there would be now hesitation to say YES! for a while now I have wanted a pair of cowboy boots and a cowgirl hat. At this time in my life, I want to live in a modest home with a piece of land and a few animals, oh yeah kids too, who will play in the yard while my husband and I sit on the front porch on a swing watching them. Oh man I LOVE COUNTRY. Ever since Mom and Dad moved to a house out in the country (kind of), that life so appeals to me! Hey I have the right to dream right?! 

Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not? -- Scotty McCreery

Yeah, if you were standing in front of me!

Well, Now I Feel Stupid

     A couple days ago Marie and I were sitting at the computers right next to the printer. All of a sudden a library worker just takes the printer away. We were wondering why they were taking away a printer that was working just fine, but oh well. Then the fun started. The first person came up to the computer, swiped their card, and looked at where the printer was to grab their print job. Their faces were priceless! The look on their facse was if they had just been caught on some Candid Camera show. Marie and I started to think we should take pictures of them when they looked over. This happened again, and again, and again. 

      There was one guy in particular though. I watched him as he sent the print job from his laptop in a cubicle. He got up tried it, and didn't get that there was no printer. So he went back to his laptop and tried again. And then he tried again. He then brought his laptop over to the computer and tried to hook it up to the computer to get it to print. What was he thinking? Did he not know that ther was not a printer, and if so where did he think that paper was going to come out of? Then he couldn't figure that out so he proceeded to one of the school computers tried to print it from there and then went back up to look for his printed paper. After about 15 minutes of trying, I was laughing hysterically, and I did not think that I could help myself from wetting my pants. He proceeded to leave and then another guy came and tried, then he said in a loud voice for all of the east wing to hear "Just to let all of you guys know there is no printer here! So don't come over and feel dumb!" I guess he was just trying to make himself feel like a bigger fool in front of everyone. 

     I am excited for our barbeque today! My roommates, our FHE brothers, and Mark and Summer  and I are going to Porter park grilling some chicken, hamburgers, and then going to play a little game of volleyball or something like that. It is the first nice Saturday of the semester and I am taking advantage of it! Well hope you all have a good Saturday, I have a Biggest Winner challenge to go to. See ya!

See the Lords Hand in All That I Do

For one of my classes I have to make 2 daily goals, mine today were: make it out alive, and see the Lords hand in all that I do today.   

   These past two days have been very stressful for me. Yesterday I had about 6 hours of homework, Biggest Winner workout, studying for a chem test, and a chem lab to do. I went to the temple in the morning with Marie, and then came home took a shower, went to class, went to devotional, ate lunch, did some homework (not all of it), then realized that I had signed up to clean the I-Center that night  (7-9) and then once I was done with that, went to the library and did homework, and tried to accomplish my lab which didn't happen. I was stressing out major, and didn't know what to do. Then in my Doctrine and Covenants homework that I was doing I found these comforting verses, 

Doctrine and Covenants 84: 83-85

For your Father, which is in heaven, knoweth that you have need of these things. 

Therefore, let the morrow take a thought for the things of itself. 

Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man. 

     During that day, I was wondering if I would have the time to be able to do all the things that I needed to, but when I read this, I felt like I would, and that God would prepare a way for me to be able to study for my test and get all my homework done. I just needed to do what was due first then work my way down the line, and if I did it that way, then I would be able to get everything done. 

I was also worried today because I still had to finish the lab, and take the test. Then in Doctrine and Covenants class today, Brother Williams said many things that calmed my heart. One of them was "When you do God's work, you get God's pay" I was worried yesterday that because I had failed to remember that I was cleaning the I-Center  that would knock a lot of time off my hands, and also because I went to the temple in the morning and went to devotional. But, I know that because I put God first and did his work, that he rewarded me with the things that I needed, and more.