Quote of the Day

In today's class on European Art of the 20th Century, we're studying the Dada artist Marcel Duchamp and got to his painting, L.H.O.O.Q. When you say the letters in French, it forms the phrase: Elle a chaud au cul. This phrase literally translates to- She's got a hot ass.

As our teacher continues to say the phrase 'she's got a hot ass', a friend of mine states:

"She needs some hot wax!"

Etsy Love

I have always loved Etsy but have come to love it even more the past few months. I LOVE art (what art historian doesn’t) and I find it difficult to purchase works that I like and can afford.

Usually, I end up painting some form of a piece I adore with my choice of medium and minor alterations and it turns out, um, disappointing. It’s always because I fall in love with a specific piece and want it and I will jump and shout till it is framed and placed on my wall where everyone can marvel at it. I forced my father to get me a Jackie O print for Christmas this year. He fought me on the size but there it was wrapped underneath the Christmas tree. (Side note: I have an obsession with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, just so you know for future reference)

Ok, back to Etsy. You can find great prints of originals that are very inexpensive and look great. I have found birthday gifts, decorating bits and jewelry and clothing on that wonderful, God sent site. Here are a few things I’ve purchased or love:

There are some of the coolest paper products whether your looking for calendars, notecards, stationary or letters...

2010 Printable Calendar, Yaelfran

9.oo

I found this artist's prints and thought they were absolutely adorable! I think they would be really sweet in one of my baby cousin's room...

Top: At Pools Edge

Bottom: Girl in the Yellow Suit

kikiandpolly, 20.00
The clothes are always original and you can find some really sweet and original vintage clothing...

Vintage 1950s Happy Landing Dress

13 Bees

And below, this collection reminds me of something a chic French woman would wear and who wouldn't want that...

Floppy Wool Skirt

Modaspia

P.S. New Blog!

For those of you looking for makeup advice and beauty tips I have just the thing for you! My best buddy just started a beauty blog and you must check it out. She is the epitome of fabulous and is always aware of the latest beauty trends (and she's pretty funny too!)

Here's the link to Miss M and Read My Lips:

http://readmylipsinrouge.blogspot.com/

(I'm sure if you'd leave questions in the comments, she'd answer any and all)

She'll soon be a famous blogger/vlogger/makeupogger... Enjoy!

Just Because it's Monday: Daydreaming

I have a hunch that it might be a rough week again seeing as my procrastinating has led to projects and papers piling up on my bedroom floor. So for all you in need of a pick-me-up this Monday, here are some things I have found on various blogs, websites and collections that make me happy...

Summer! The colors, the smells, the joy...

This Eiffel Tower shot, well because... oh c'mon do I need to say more...

Again, Paris!

And, as I said before, that bike ride I want to take...

Enjoy your Monday, I will be peeking back at these photos throughout the day just to keep my charming smile going... hehe.

For You Glee Lovers Out There

I love me some Sue Sylvester!

Spring is in the Air

I'm so excited that it's finally spring. Even though spring in Duluth is typically like winter, I still enjoy the thought of flowers blooming and Easter egg hunts.

The thought of spring is just so refreshing! After all these months of dead winter and a mostly monochromatic landscape (brown), I can usually manage to get my butt into gear. Yes, the procrastinating still sticks but I try to do my spring cleaning and enjoy the outdoors a little more. We have definitely been blessed in Duluth this spring with better weather than usual. Hopefully, that sentence didn't just jinx us... sorry if a blizzard rolls in this weekend!

I guess what I'm trying to say is get outside and enjoy this. All I want to do is wear a light sweater, some sandals and ride a bike down on the boardwalk. In fact, that's my goal this weekend! Who cares about those papers and homework and paintings due. I suggest you all do the same. Give your hard working selves a break and lets rejoice at the fact that spring is here!

Pictures of My Travels

Andy and Dad playing smash ball in the pool

My pool view

Great restaurant... even better signage...

Mom and I dressed to go out to dinner

The best seat in the house

Andy's surf lesson

The Costa Rica Experience

My family took off on our yearly vacation... this year to Costa Rica! I have posted a few stories, pictures and a video from our travels. Enjoy!

Our entire Saturday was spent traveling with plane swaps and an hour long drive to the hotel. We were all pooped out by the time we actually got there (10:30 p.m.) so we just collapsed on the beach and watched the tide roll in and all the stars in the sky. The rest of the trip was much more eventful and exciting. Read on for further details...

DAY 2: Sit and Fry

Because we spent all day Saturday traveling, my family decided to relax by the pool. The temperature was a steaming 95 degrees and being the white corpses that we were, we were bound and determined to get a tan.

Of course, I fry, Andy (my brother) fries, Mom and Dad fry, as does everyone else at the resort of the JW Marriott.

Later on in the day, Mom and Andy decide to go for a dip in the ocean. Mom, like me, is quite oblivious to her surroundings. Andy is more towards shore and sees a gigantic wave coming in. He yells to Mom, 'look out!' She just waves back thinking nothing of it. Just

then, ka-ploosh! The biggest wave of the day had crushed her and she was no where to be seen. All of a sudden, she pops out of the ocean with her hands covering her chest. She lost her top. And her sunglasses. And her hair binder. HA! This was one of the funniest things you could see. That was good for wave diving that day.

This is a picture of our family out to dinner that night. Costa Rica has the most fabulous food. We would get all dressed up and find some shack restaurant that served the best margaritas or mojitos. I indulged in incredible quesadillas, fresh lettuce wraps, spicy, seafood pasta

and jumbo shrimp skewers (so much better than macaroni and cheese).

DAY 3: Lobster Town

To put it simply, we looked as if we were lobsters! Don't think we weren't diligent sunscreen appliers, we are. The sun was just too intense! Andy got it pretty bad. His little ski-slope nose had taken the beating of a lifetime.

Andy: "I'm never going in the sun again! Winters in Wisconsin, I'll be wearing sunscreen." (He's pictured to the right, protecting his skin from further damage)

We were still enjoying ourselves though and Mom scored us six free margaritas from a juice bar. The drinks were free for people from Caravan Tour group so what does Mom do, she scampers on up there and pretends to be with the tour. My

mother is bold with a capital B and would do anything you asked for... she keeps life, well, uh, interesting.

Below is a picture of Mama and I on the beach...

DAY 5: I Took to the Ropes with the Greatest of Ease

Not exactly. I'm scared of heights so this was tough for me. Monkeys were jumping all over the place as we went flying across the canopy of the Costa Rican forest. Everyone was enjoying themselves whereas me, the baby of the bunch, was sweating profusely hoping not to plunge to my death at any second.

The trip was well worth it and something we were told we had to do in Costa Rica. Dad and Andy did Super Chico (aka, Superman) and Mom went upside down. I stuck to the ever comfortable fetal position with hands folded in prayer.

All I can say is I'm so so glad I did it, definitely a highlight of the vacation.

P.S. Below is a video of me on one of the ropes. They thought it would be funny to bounce me along seeing as I was the biggest scaredy cat in the group... not so funny guys! Enjoy!

DAY 6: Out to Sea

My dad booked us for a wonderful afternoon of sailing on a catamaran with an hour of snorkeling. The boat was gorgeous and we set sail on the Pacific. With endless drinks and great entertainment, we were destined to enjoy the afternoon. Unfortunately, I had suffered some terrible sun damage to my chest and had peeled off every inch of it... NEVER do this. Believe me, it is the most uncomfortable thing you can imagine. I grabbed my flippers and jumped in.. Owwww! It burned! I darted out of that ocean so fast I probably scared all the fish out of it anyone wanted to see.

So the rest of my day was spent laying in the hammock-like netting, looking down at the ocean I once loved and now hated.

We capped the night off with a beautiful sunset sail and headed for land. If I remember correctly, I fell asleep at 8 that night... fabulous!

DAYS 7-9: If it Ain't Broke...

The title meaning we were fried! We decided to sit by the pool again - hard life, I know. Andy

and I were busy applying our SPF 90 when we saw some newcomer in a lawn chair across the pool, white as snow.

Andy: "That guy straight across from us... he's going to fry."

Kenzie: "Amateur."

Yes, we could probably be on a sunscreen commercial or bottle saying use this wonderful invention or you'll look like us idiots.

Later that day, Andy took a surfing lesson and actually caught a few waves. I unfortunately was stuck on my lounger under an umbrella, shaded from that tormenting sun. I'm pretty sure the only times I got up was to take a dip in the pool or fetch a margarita (two necessities).

All in all, it was a fabulous trip. Yes, we all look like lepers now but we're a bunch of happy lepers.

For John...

So... As many of you have noticed, we went on a week long Spring Break hiatus... It was much needed, and well deserved I think... As nearly all of my friends left to go on their worldly adventures and sight saw the world- I stayed in town and did nothing "worldly"... Instead of going out-and-about, we went up the shore a few times and went to Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls... The weather was beautiful and we were out in it nearly every day... So for those of you who find it necessary to go away for Spring Break and be in 100 degree hell, I beg to differ...

To Costa Rica or Bust

I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again. Okay, I do… next Monday, but until then I will be soaking up some sunshine in Costa Rica. Whoever invented spring breaks was a genius… Ben Franklin knew his electricity but that doesn’t compare to the balmy beaches of the Pacific.

Enjoy your break, hope your doing something fun! I’ll have pictures to post of my fabulous travels to the land of the ‘rich coast’ (Costa Rica).

Freedom

Because I am done with classes for the week, this is how I feel now that everything is done...

Just Because

For all you animal lovers out there:

A pig who doesn't like mud...

An adorable pup whose face you can't resist...

Audrey Hepburn and her pet deer, Pippen...

And a mouse that made me smile...

This may be one of the more random posts on this blog but I love animals and I just can't resist these ridiculously cute photos. I want my hyper little rascal (Ruby) who jumps up when you get home and doesn’t quit until you’ve taken her on a long walk. I think it has to do with the unconditional love thing… Pups don’t care what you look like or how you act and if your having a rough day, they just cheer you up by looking at you with those adorable eyes and wagging tail.

Happiness: Turns Out It Is Not That Difficult to Attain...

I found this picture online (surprise, surprise), and I think it speaks a lot of truth... So followers, let this be some motivation for you as you go about your day, week, life... I know I sure am going to start... Simple, yet to the point...

Bon Appetit

I don't know about many of you but as a college student I don't like grocery shopping. I like having the food, just not spending the money. This usually results in a typical dinner of mac n' cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or rice. Not exactly the healthiest of meals but it gets the job done.

By far, some of the funniest things I've heard of people eating for meals have included such things as Ben and Jerry's ice cream for dinner, cheese and crackers until the crackers are gone and it's just cheese, but the best is probably the sweethearts (conversation hearts) for lunch... that'll fill you up! My meals usually end up being a concoction of what's in my cupboards and fridge, this usually means a very unbalanced meal.

You can tell from the meals above that I'm probably not the best cook or that I don't like to cook (all of the above). It gets too complicated for me. For instance, the two times I cooked dinner with a friend we made a lasagna and it turned into a popover and set off the fire alarm... twice! Let's just put it this way, the names of McKenzie and Julia Child will never be used in the same sentence.

Happy Friday!!!

Happy Friday everyone and have a GREAT weekend!!!

Bilingual Schwesters... Not Now (Probably Not Ever)

I finally got my big break! The UMD Statesman did an article on bilingualism of students. My friend and I were pictured in the article with our professor.

Now you all know of my dislike for the German language, don't you think it's funny that they choose probably the two worst students in the German department to represent the bilingual students at school? My friend and I are the gals who sit in the very back of class and laugh, make jokes and can't take anything seriously while other students give us the stink eye and our teacher shakes her head at us 'schwesters'.

The funny part of the story is how we found out we were in the paper. Waiting at the bus stop for our bus to come, some guy reading the paper looks at us, then back down at his paper and back up again. He then says, "you two are in the paper" and we frantically run to check the pile of Statesman's on the bench. There we were, on page A3, wow... that's embarrassing.

Therapy

It's been a tough start to the week. In true German style, we had a test on Monday to start the week off... like I said before, NEVER a good idea. Pretty sure I flunked that (10 page test in a 50 minute class is ridiculous)! So as I read my thousands of pages of art history texts Monday night I managed to eat half a box of Girl Scout cookies and have begun to call it 'German Therapy'.

Tuesdays are my marathon day. I spend a record 11 hours on campus... ugh! So, in true Kenzie fashion, I picked up a pint of my favorite Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia for 'Tuesday Therapy'. If I play my cards right I may be able to manage some sort of therapy every night of the week. The plan is to eat, vent to my saint of a mother on my issues then pop a Tylenol P.M. and conk out till I have to do it all over again the next day.

So, if your ever looking for a venting partner and are in need something for your sweet tooth, you know who to come to... life is tough and we all have those days, mine just happens to be a week!