College Puts the "Dying" in Studying

It's that time of year!! That's right...

Finals Week.

I just wanted to write one last blog before I left Colorado for the west coast. I believe I mislead you from my previous posts.. making you believe college is all rainbows and butterfly's. While this was me at the beginning of the year...

This is me now..

Christmas is my FAVORITE holiday. My mom and I spend a day listening to Nat King Cole and the soundtrack to White Christmas while decorating the entire house. My dad and I have made a tradition of picking out a Christmas tree together because one year just the two of us went instead of our entire family and picked out the best tree in about 15 minutes time. 

But, while all of my friends are already home celebrating the holidays with their families... I am in my dorm room, studying like a nerd with no social life. Well, right now I'm writing my blog, but that's because I was verging on mental insanity. I have a test tomorrow, and final on Monday, a final on Wednesday, and two papers due on Wednesday. Then... I'm home free. Well, if I can find a ride to Denver that is. So I am going to take this one step at a time and I will be back home in Oregon listening to the rain outside and sipping (apparently)vegan hot chocolate while watching Christmas classics with my family. 

I'm so CLOSE!

Thanksgiving Break!

Time to celebrate!!! Why? Because we've passed 1000 views on my blog. Can I get a whoop whoop?

There are many, MANY reasons to celebrate right now (but here's just five more)

1. Thanksgiving break was AWESOME

2. I made some new friends, which is always FANTASTIC

3. Only a few more weeks until I'm back in OREGON

4. A month until CHRISTMAS!!! (my favorite holiday)

5. Two and 1/2 more weeks until I'm FINISHED with my first semester in college 

So, this last weekend was Thanksgiving break for us mavericks at CMU. And while everyone went home and celebrated this holiday of eating food until your stomach aches, I was titled the "orphan child" for the holiday. However, I didn't mind:) I was passed among friends (like divorced parents pass their child among each other) and met a bunch of people. People that I am convinced are definitely the prime of Colorado. 

While I met new people from all over CO, I also grew closer those that I feel completely myself with. 

Rae was nice enough to open up her home to me over the holidays and share not only her wonderful family and friends with me as well. (yeah, she's pretty awesomatic) Needless to say we had a blast, cruisin around Denver...

Red Rocks...

And Boulder,

And everything else :)

 Denver was so much fun, and now that I'm back in Grand Junction.. Finals have begun.
And with finals comes stress...
                                              and with stress...
                                                                        sickness :(

So I'm gonna drink my tea and pray this pain in my throat goes away so I can focus on studying. 

I'll probably see you all again for Christmas<3

Have safe travels this holiday season and I will update you again soon!

VOD: If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 -Corinthians 13:1-3
Happy Holidays! And don't forget the holidays are about love, loving one another, and the love Christ has given us. How blessed we are:)

Here Comes Winter!

And with winter comes the Holidays!!
I cannot express to you how excited I am to be coming home for Christmas, it's all I can think about these days. However, since plane tickets are expensive and I am a poor college student I will be staying to the Midwest for Thanksgiving.
Since college is kicking my butt these days I haven't really had a lot of time to get out. But I can keep you updated on what is new in the 'ol GJ.

Well... this past week the temperature decided to take a turn for COLD! While it is in the freezing temperatures here, it's definitely different from an Oregon kind of cold. Everything in high desert is much dryer, dry heat and dry winters. So even though it's quite cold it's not that "chill to the bone" kind of wet cold. The first snow of the season STUCK! I couldn't believe it. Since it seems to snow like ten times in Oregon before it actually sticks to the ground. And it was pretty neat to see all the Hawaiians outside the night it snowed making haggard snowmen since it was the first time they had seen snow.

I've been indoors pretty much all week studying for test that continually seem to get harder, so Sunday I decided I need to get OUT! So I went on a hike on the Corkscrew, pretty close to the Liberty Cap hike I went on a few weeks back. And in the middle of our hike it started snowing haha. Good thing I just got a nice puffy snow coat from my parents and sista for my Birthday! THANKS GUYS!

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2 Corinthians 4:16-18  So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. :)

God is Apparent

October 26th Friday! The day before my Birthday! But today was the day that we decided to celebrate :) I have been getting pretty homesick recently. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Colorado, but home is where the heart is and this would be the first birthday I wouldn't get to celebrate with my family and friends in Oregon. However, I feel so blessed with the AMAZING friends that are so sweet and good to me here in the Midwest, I forgot about my homesick feeling tonight.
We had a delicious home cooked meal with some of the best company I could ask for:) One of the best parts of the night though was the cake that the girls baked for me! haha with frosting decoration of a muscle made my night lol

I can't tell these kids enough how much that night meant to me.

 

October 27, what is so awesome about this day?? Well, besides that it was my BIRTHDAY, I got to spend it doing one of the most awesome things I can think of! Going hiking, and bouldering with some of my best friends exploring more of the Mid West. My friends decided to wake up and get me out of bed at 4 am (not an easy task) But I am so happy they did!

We drove about an hour and a half to Moab, Utah! Which, is home to the Arches National Park, to watch the sunrise and it was gorgeous!

Here's a quick video I did of the arch we were below when we watched the sunrise. I most of these photos and videos with my phone so sorry that the quality isn't that great. And you can most definitely hear in my voice how tired I was hahah

Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

I live in a place where God is apparent in the everyday beauty that surrounds me and the people I am with. I couldn't be more blessed... -Kenzie

 How cool is this place?

The national park lies atop an underground evaporite layer or salt bed, which is the main cause of the formation of the arches, spires, balanced rocks, sandstone fins, and eroded monoliths in the area.

 

It is known for preserving over 2000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch.

 

I'd have to say this was quite the successful Birthday weekend. Thank you to all my family and friends who wished me a happy birthday and reminded me that I am loved no matter where I am. And thanks mom and dad for the balloons <3 

Devil's Kitchen

Can't handle the heat? Get out of the kitchen! Devil's kitchen that is... 

It's Fall Break! And while that means a four day weekend, let me tell you this weekend was well-deserved. I haven't blogged in a while, and that is because I have been having my nose in a book constantly the last week studying for my mid terms. And they were, terrible... college is hard! But they are over now and it's time to have some fun :)
Went hiking this weekend up at Devil's Kitchen. I love that there are so many hiking trails right in my backyard. And with my new rock climbing class that I am taking I will soon be able to anchor along any of these rock formations and climb as much as I want! :)`

Isn't it cool?

I love being outside as much as possible while I'm here, at least until winter comes around and being outside might not be quite as enjoyable. 

Getting ready for the cold winters in Colorado I went to Gene Taylor's who was having a big sale, 25% off the whole store! So... got myself a nice thick coat :)

And now I am SO EXCITED for the snowboarding season! There are some awesome mountains around here I can't wait to try out and even though for this next quarter I will be picking up a new course I am determined to balance my school work and make it up to Powderhorn as much as possible!

Well two days left of break! And it's gorgeous outside! I'll blog at ya again soon. Happy Monday!

P.S. T- 12 days till my BIRTHDAY!! whoop whoop!

Road with Irons - Via Ferrata - Telluride

Another OP (Outdoor Program) trip in the bag. This weekends agenda, The Via Ferrata in Telluride, CO. I think the perfect way that I heard it described was that it was neither climbing, nor hiking. It's a hybrid of the two... like extreme hiking.

The trail definitely gets your blood flowing and shouldn't be attempted by anyone afraid of heights.

It’s pretty basic. Clip in,  shimmy along the rock, unclip, repeat. However there are some sections with out cables or handholds. And because I’m short I couldn't reach some of the footholds, so those arm workouts came in handy during those sections of the climb. 

Via Ferrate means “Road with Irons” in Italian. In climbing the term Via Ferrata refers to a route with additions like ladders or cables. It’s so hikers and climbers can feel safe while above exposed terrain. The concept for Via Ferratas started in the Dolomites during World War I when the Austrians and Italians were fighting in the mountains. Routes were built and permanent lines installed to help troops climb.

This is a link to a video that will give you a look at exactly what we did this weekend. No this isn't a video of my group but it is the same exact route we took. 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1908361709037&set=vb.357683390122&type=2&theater

Pretty awesome right?

After we passed, what I think was the most extreme part of the trek  I had to go to the bathroom BAD. And as you may of guessed, there aren't many public restrooms up 700 feet above ground. So, with the help of another woman,Julie, we tied a rope around my harness and attached that to a cable and repelled me off the side of the cliff to a spot where I could do my business. Needless to say there couldn't have been a more beautiful  spot to go. While that was probably the most memorable part of the trip I was the talk of group for the rest of the trip haha with every time someone said "shit" or "poop" heads would turn and you'd hear someone say "Jess? you gotta go again?" haha I can cross that off my list of most awesome places to relieve myself.

The girls. It was a blast because all of us signed up for the trip together and early, so it turned out to be an all girls trip! Well.... for the most part, we had three guides who were guys. But by the second day (when we did the Via Ferrata there was only one). I've got some pretty BA girls who love doing outdoor adrenaline stuff as much as I do:) 

Me and Kenzie :)




















Telluride was BEAUTIFUL!! It was just tucked in between mountains, and you could see in the aspen trees that fall was approaching by the gorgeous yellow color of their leaves. The blue skies, great company and gorgeous view made this trip definitely one of the most memorable for sure. I am sure I will never forget this trip.