Top Three Interesting Things About Me.....Redone

I was reading June 30, 2008 post that I did about my top ten interesting things and thought I would revisit that today.  Some of them remain the same.....others have changed.  Since I have a lot to say, I will only visit the top three today.  I do after all have a baby that needs my attention so time is limited (I have tried to ask her to wait till I'm done....she doesn't listen).

1.  I am no longer addicted to Vista Print.....that does not mean I don't still love them. I do. But I have run out of ideas on things to make and my priorities have shifted just a tiny bit.  However, my new addiction is Amazon and Etsy. Like I said - priorities have shifted.  Now I will explain each one and why they are addicting.

Amazon - where else can you search for just about everything under the sun and get free two day shipping when you buy.  (Okay - you have to be an Amazon Mom for the free shipping and spend lots of money but hey I did and now I get free two day shipping.) Needless to say I adore Amazon and have a wishlist on there. 

My newest wishlist item?  This sand and water play area.  I know Kenzie is only two months but holy crap, when she is two years we WILL HAVE THIS!  When I was trying to add it to my wishlist today I accidentally hit "Buy Now with 1 Click".  I freaked out......but for a brief moment thought.....maybe I am meant to have this NOW. But sanity took back over (Uh - hello it is $80 even though I DO GET free shipping and I'm not working right now). With tears in my eyes.....I canceled my order. But one day sand and water play area you WILL BE MINE!!!!  (Well Kenzie's but always remember who purchased you). 

Etsy - If you have not checked out Etsy, you need to pronto! Seriously.  This site is full of things that people make and you can PURCHASE!  I love it. I would purchase all day long if my husband didn't threaten to take away my wallet.  The newest items I purchased from this site were two knit hats for my daughter from this store which is now currently on vacation.  But when she is back I highly recommend you check her out!  Anyway, I bought Cookie Monster and a lion hat from her.  I mean can you say ADORABLE?!?!  Where else can you indulge in this crazy hat obsessions except on Etsy? Little does my husband know but I'm considering buying him the Oscar the Grouch hat (he's grouchy when I shop) and Grover for me and we can take all sorts of fun family photos!!  Which we can post on Awkward Family Photos.  (Which I love - I always make sure we take one of these for our own personal photo album.) I love Etsy so much, that I finally got a credit card from PayPal and now earn fabulous points when I purchase items......we will have a long fulfilling relationship. 

2.  I still have a separate compartment for desserts therefore this will remain as interesting fact number two for me.  My new favorite dessert is Chocolate Silk Ice Cream.  OMG!! So delicious. So amazing. So fattening. Which leads me to fact number three about me. 

3.  Powerhouse - I still haven't found it.  And after giving birth to a baby, it would be fabulous if it would make its appearance now.  I no longer think not having one is for the best. As a matter of fact, I wonder if my doctor will put one in me.....after all people get plastic surgery for all sorts of things......why not a powerhouse?  

Interesting things to be continued......

The Bacon Burial

Now that Christian and I live in the valley, I had to find some new food places to frequent.  Thankfully, we have an all American donut shop right down the street from us - ironically called USA Donuts.  Now, before you have visions of me engorging myself with donuts, read on.  This place doesn't just serve donuts, but the best bagel breakfast sandwiches in the WORLD! No, seriously.

So, while I'm on this extended summer vacation they call "Maternity Leave" I get to do my daily walk with Kenzie and then head on over to the donut shop.  I get my Thai Iced Tea and a ham, bacon, egg and cheese bagel.  They are so deliciously good, I could eat one every day (and I think I'm close to that goal).  Anyway, so the other day I went and got my usual and came home.  In between eating and trying to take care of Kenzie, I must have dropped a small piece of bacon on the quilt on the floor.  I didn't notice it until our cat, Samson did.

I watched as Samson sniffed the bacon and batted it around with his paws a little bit.  I figured it would be interesting to see him eat it because Christian REFUSES to give Samson any type of people food at all.  (So yes....I guess I'm the parent that bends the rules a little bit.....we won't tell Kenzie that though.)  So here is Samson sniffing the bacon and just when I thought he was going to eat it........  Next thing I know, Samson is using his paws to use imaginary kitty litter to cover the piece of bacon.  He continues to do this until his paw finally catches the end of the quilt and he flips the quilt over the bacon.  He sniffs around and satisfied, he walks away.

Now picture me with a half eaten bagel sandwich in my hand loaded up with bacon trying to comprehend that my cat thinks this particular bacon that I'm in the process of consuming is in fact crap that needs to be covered by imaginary kitty liter.  For some reason that sandwich didn't taste as fabulous as it usually does......

Wow....things have changed!

Ever sit down and reflect on yesteryear? A friend of mine recently posted her link to her new blog (follow Megan - it's all about food and drinks and who the heck doesn't like that?!?) and it got me thinking......dude - I have a blog too! And have for years. But alas, it's been years since I posted. I was reading some of my back entries and was like - WOW. Life has certainly changed (for the better I might add).


Since last time I posted, I have met an amazing man (need landscaping - Christian's your man!), got engaged (a fabulous ring if I say so myself), got married (in the outskirts of upstate NY), got pregnant (got morning sickness too but I digress), got a new cat (watching him kill and eat a bug right now!), moved into a new home (2 bedrooms and a den!), and finally had my baby. Yes my friends.....life has certainly changed.


No longer is life just about me. No....now it's about me, a husband, a daughter and a cat. And while sometimes it can be a bit stressful, it's also pretty damn awesome. Let me give you a glimpse into just one of those stressful situations (because they seem to be funnier and more disgusting than the awesome situations.....I'm just sayin').


Stressful: Running around with my baby (aka Kenzie) doing some errands. Drive 5 miles out of my way to find a Starbucks with a drive-thru. Why you ask? Because it's just easier then lugging around a child in a car seat. With the drive-thru, it's BAM - order coffee and have it neatly handed to me through my car window. Compared to finding a parking spot, which needs to be close since I now need to carry a baby in a car seat too while juggling my keys, wallet and when it's all said and done....coffee. Go inside, order a coffee while keeping an eye on the baby and silently praying that no one coughs or tries to touch her with their germ filled hands.....let's be honest. I don't know what the hell you were just touching.


No.....getting coffee is not what it used to be. Hence I will drive 5 miles out of my way for the drive-thru. Starbucks should have more of those in my opinion.


But getting coffee isn't the stressful situation I was originally going for. No.....my stressful situation is the day I have Kenzie with me as I pick up my new phone. I happily entered the Sprint store getting ready to pick up my new phone with a WORKING camera. Lady there is getting it all ready and transferring over all my stuff, when Kenzie starts to cry. Ugh - those of you who know me, know how stressed out this makes me. I am now the person with the crying baby. Yes. I know it happens and I should just deal with it but man I hate it. Well, the crying continues and continues. No amount of rocking the car seat or making crazy faces at her will make her happy......and then I hear it. The sound no human, yet alone a cute little baby should make. But I think, "Oh good.....she should be happy now with all that pressure gone from her tummy.". But no....the crying continues. Finally I can't take it anymore and I unbuckle her from the eighteen billion buckles that hold her in and scoop her out and OH MY SWEET JESUS! She has crap all over her backside. And it's now on my arm too. I am grossed out. So is the Sprint lady but she's doesn't show it (must be a veteran mother).


What to do? What to do? So I do what any good mother would do. I wipe my arm on Kenzie (she's full of it already, what's the big deal?????) and strap her back in the carseat. Grab my phone and head on home. Yes, folks.....I made my daughter sit in her own crap. Tag me whatever you'd like. First time mom, child abuser, or a pro.....whatever. I did what I had to do. I sped home and right into the tub she went. I only hope that if this EVER happens again, that she is with her father. :-)




I know....it's impossible to think that this sweet looking child is the center of that horrible story. But she is.

Room Service, Beds and TV - what more do I need??

Well, I'm officially in New York for the Scholastic gig that I was hired for.  I use that word "hired" loosely because I'm not really paid.  Sure they are paying for all my expenses while I'm out here but that's it.  The rest of it is intrinsic award for me I guess...  :-)

After spending what felt like forever on the plane, I finally arrive at JFK airport.  Managed to get myself a cab and next thing I know, I'm speeding towards the direction of Manhattan.  And I do mean literally speeding!!!  Those of you who know me (well I think all of you do!) know that I like to speed with the best of them - I scare my mom whenever I drive her.  But I'll be honest and say I'm glad I was in the back of the cab not seeing the road ahead.  He scared even me which means Mom - you would have been petrified! Finally pulled about about 45 minutes later to my hotel.  It is only one block away from Ground Zero.  

The hotel is awesome - I'm on the 10th floor with plenty of views all around.  Well actually out my window I just see the skyscrapper in front of me.  But if I walk out of my room down the hall there is an AMAZING view of some buildings and what I believe is the Hudson Bay (but I'm not 100% sure).  

However, the best part is when I was about to order room service.  I thought to myself - this is SO much better than cooking Mac & Cheese in the microwave!!  (Sorry Sheila but really...it  just is!).  And as I was saying that to myself I realized I was laying on an actual BED!!  With a crisp white futon cover and about six feather pillows!!!  And it hit me........no freaking futon for me.  (Little background info - my new place is studio.  I left my bed at the old place and got a futon).  Not that the futon isn't fine.  It is.  But the next three nights are going to be absolute heaven!!!  Seriously.  A comfortable king size bed all to myself!!!  As I laid there soaking all of that in, I realized I was staring at an armoire.  Of course you know what was hiding in there....that's RIGHT!!! A television.  Oh dear God.  Thank you.  (No people - I've currently cut TV out of my life until I get my new one).  Instead I've replaced TV with reading (which I love!) and running.  My body is killing me so a few nights in this bed will be exactly what I need.  Not too mention, I don't have to walk up and down stairs because I'm telling you people.  My muscles are so insanely sore I don't think I could do it.  

Oh and I haven't had to kill a single spider yet.  I kill at least one daily at my new place - I know eventually that will stop but it will be nice not to think about it tonight.  

Now you are talking to someone who used to work in hotels - I know what a nice hotel is and this is definitely a nice hotel.  But when I thought about it....I could be sleeping in a Ramada Inn and just the thought of having a bed....well.  It can't get better than that, can it?  

Well time for me to go enjoy the luxuries around me.  Sorry it's been so long since my last post.  A friend and I were talking about blogs last night and I realized I haven't posted in so VERY VERY long.  But life is getting better every day for me and I'll make sure I write here more often because I do enjoy it and I love getting the emails from you guys about it!  Though I could probably write even if no one read it.  :o)

Summer over - school to begin

I never thought I would make it through the three weeks at the gifted summer camp I do.  But I managed.  It wasn't as fun as it was last year....perhaps because I was back in management and not working with the kids on a daily basis.  Whatever the reason, I'm glad to be finished.  However, the camp seems to follow me into my regular life.  I picked up the mail yesterday and their was a note from the Los Angeles Parking Violations Bureau.  According to them, my car was parked illegally in a red zone on August 8.  Now here is the kicker, I wasn't even driving my car - Chris was (for the summer program - he worked there too).  However, he was letting someone out of the car and was circling around to pick them back up.  According to the ticket, we left before they could put the ticket on the car so they used the camera to know where to send it.  I'm pissed off about the whole thing.  As far as I'm concerned the job we worked for can pay the ticket since instead of renting a car to do business runs they had Chris use ours.  But now I have to spend the little bit of time between meetings to call and get all of this settled.  However, this is the real kicker - the ticket was issued on the 8/8/08 and you have 21 days from the date the ticket is issued.  But they didn't draft the letter to me until 8/19/08 or drop it into the mail until 8/21/08.  Eating up 14 days plus 2 days travel time so 16 of my 21 days are gone.  Freaking ridiculous!  I don't know who I'm calling to bitch out but someone is in for it.  

I went back to work this past week to begin setting up my classroom.  Once again, I changed rooms so it was a big production.  I'm very happy with the outcome.  Pics are available on my website at http://www.msjensenclass.com/ClassPictures/class_pictures.htm 

I have about 5 extra feet in this room which truly makes all the difference in the world.  I'm also looping with my class from last year, which means I'll be teaching the same group of students.  I'm really excited about it.  They were a fun group and I loved their parents.  Plus to be honest, I don't think the incoming group of 4th graders that I was supposed to get could have handled me.  I think my expectations would have been too much for them (or perhaps really their parents).   

Well this is about it.  Tomorrow I get to look forward to a weeks worth of meetings before we begin school next week.  Go ahead - ask me what these meetings are about.  Well we spend a good portion of them reading through the parent/student handbook page by page word for word.  Yes, exciting and productive!  So you can understand why I need to get a good nights sleep.  I figure that meeting will put me in the perfect mood to call about that ticket!  

Okay - Hollywood can be Scarywood

Ahhhhhh....here it is.  10:25 pm on Monday night.  I'm up - wide awake with no vision of sleep in sight.  Yes, that's right.  My summer hours have officially started.  They began Saturday night after I attended a co-workers wedding.  Her wedding was gorgeous.  The two of them are both big sports fans and had met at UCLA.  Their wedding colors and theme was all UCLA.  Nothing tacky....just very beautiful!  

Well I was up until 3:00am that night.  The next day I slept all

 day just about nursing a hangover.  Hangovers sure aren't what they used to be when I was in my early 20's.  Now they are mean and unforgiving.  I of course tried to get up around 10:00am and go eat some greasy food.  Everyone knows that is the cure, right?  Well after eating at the greasy dinner all I felt was sick and it was back to bed for me.  Finally rolled out of bed around 5:00pm.  We decided it was time for dinner about 11:30pm so we walked across the street to Ralphs Grocery.  I had Mac, so I sat outside with him while Chris was supposed to quickly run inside and get food.  What felt like an eternity later, Chris finally came out to see me engaged (or stuck) in a conversation with a man.  Yes.....this man is what makes Hollywood into Scarywood.  

I will give you pieces of our conversation and what he did:

• He does Yoga
• He saw a dog come out of the ocean with glowing green stuff on him (I thought to myself....is he talking about seaweed?)
• He was bit by two dogs and was scared to go home because he "knew the white little dogs would be waiting to eat him"
• He is a reincarnated prince.....who met his reincarnated lover the day before
• He told me about a man who lived a long time ago and killed "do gooders" and was involved in a love triangle.  
• He's happy he doesn't have an ATM card....last time he had one he was robbed.  (Oh he asked if I had ever been robbed....."No thank you")
• He thinks he knew me or my mother in another life.  We were special soul mates.  
• He wanted to know what he could call me....I ask him do you mean what is my name?? (because I'll be damned if I'm going to tell you!)  And he says no.  My reincarnated name.  I shrugged.  He says he'll tell me it and says something that I can even begin to pronounce yet alone type.
• He's working hard at not trying to come off weird (too late I think but I keep my lips sealed).
• He has special connections with animals (well duh....you were bit by two the day before!)

Finally Chris emerges from the store.  I jumped up (I think I pulled a muscle) and excuse myself saying "Well take care".  Yes....scary - very very scary!

All I kept thinking is "Is tonight a full moon?"  Not quite but almost.   I stayed up till 3:00am again.  

I don't plan on leaving the house tonight.  And next week, I go back to UCLA where they lock me up for three weeks.  Good.  I think I need a break from the real world.  It's expensive and has a very bleak outlook lately.  And I for one am tired of it.  I mean really, my bank's (WAMU) stock cost less than a gallon of gas.  So glad I don't have $100,000+ invested in one of these banks that are going under.  See we just found a positive.  I don't have a lot of money therefore I'm okay.  Now I can go to bed with that pleasant thought.  Oh be sure to check out Rodeo Monkey's picture below.  He's awesome too!  Another happy thought!   

Rodeo Monkey