How Boring am I?

I am disappointed in myself for how boring my blog is. I just hate updating when I don't have pictures, and nothing has really been picture worthy lately. I guess you all just get a random update of the last week of my life (stop reading now if you don't want to be bored)...

*On Sunday Steve experienced the first Jensen family dinner. He was such a good sport to come and I really enjoyed having him there. We Jensen's may be crazy (don't worry, vasectomy's were a topic of conversation) but they are my family and I love them, so sharing them with him is just sharing more of me.

*I simplified the easiest soup recipe, Baked Potato Soup, and it turned out so good! Steve is good about not going out to eat so we make dinner a lot. I was so impressed with my cooking skills, I sure thought it was good and took all of 10 minutes!

* I finally got all caught up on Grey's Anatomy (only to miss tonight's episode). With Steve being so dedicated to school I have extra time to catch up on important things like this.

*I jumped back on the exercise band wagon. I fell off quite a while ago and just barely decided to get back on. I stayed after work on Tuesday and had a great workout. I forget how much I like to work out until I start doing it again. And I even got my sorry butt out of bed this morning and worked out as well, I just have to keep it up...

*We started a new project in my wheel pottery class and I am actually really good at it. I have been awful at the past two projects and finally found something that I can actually do. Throwing tea bowls was actually fun and it was nice to have them turn out without needing someone else to fix them.

*Tonight Steve and I went to his mom's house for their annual pumpkin carving night. One: I ate chili for the first time in my life, I was pretty proud of myself for trying something new I knew I didn't like. Two: I carved a pretty cute pumpkin (maybe a picture to come later). I think this was the first year I have ever carved a pumpkin by myself. I can only remember back to the days of doing it at home and having my dad help me, even in high school. Maybe he just never trusted me with the knife...

*I discovered (more like re-discovered) that being a girl is way over-rated! We have to deal with so much more than guys ever do! From worrying about when to work out because of your hair, to dealing with "that time of the month," to having more emotions than you know what to do with, to being master over-analyzers, to dealing with 10 to 1 grooming expectations (clothes, nails, jewelry, bags, etc.). Guys should appreciate how easy they have it.

*I went to lunch today with Barbara from work. It made me so happy! First off I LOVE Chili's and haven't been for a while, and second it totally reminded me of Stephanie and how much I miss her. I miss our weekly (often times, twice a week) visits to Chili's, chanting "Diet Coke!" when it doesn't come fast enough, hanging out at her house watching TV, and just having her as my good friend and being around.

*I have learned that acting confident and being confident are two very different things, I am still working on the latter.

It has been a good week, but obviously one of very little consequence. Life is good and even with it's ups and downs, how ever slight or steep they may be, it all just keeps getting better!

Excess: An Understatement

Today Amy came down and asked to see what I bought in California. I had a hard time remembering since I didn't buy much, but one thing to be sure of, I did buy some bags. Three to be exact. She asked me when I was going to do my "Bag Post" (her along with several people at work have asked) so here it is. I felt so pathetic as I grabbed bag after bag out of my closet. I guess I should have listed bags on my previous addiction post.

This is one of the most recent additions to my collection. My cute mom bought it for me at the Orange County Swap Meet when we were in California. I get many comments to the massive size of it, but it fits everything...
Another recent purchase that I bought at Santee Alley in Los Angeles, I love the purple color. I have yet to use this one...
The last of my new bags, but I think my favorite. I don't think I can use it until spring, but I love the floral print and the bright blue. It is just a fun, happy bag and I love it...
This bag was purchased on Canal Street in New York (where a large percentage of my bags came from). The print is so popular now, but I like that I bought it a bit before the trend hit Salt Lake...
Another Canal Street find, but this was purchased in a back room. Many of the store on Canal Street have these back rooms that have the "real" bags, or at least the bags with real designer names on them. The back rooms are always an adventure and you usually go through secret doors or stairways to get to them, so funny...
This bag came from a street fair in New York, I really like that it is brown and black, but whatever you wear with it comes out more. It eliminates the brown/black dilemma with a bag...
I wanted this bag while shopping on Canal Street but didn't buy it when I first saw it. When I later realized I wanted it, it was hard to find it again. I love this bag because Amy and Brooke found it at a store and called and asked if they wanted me to buy it. My mom was so confused when I had it later and I told her that "my people" found it for me. Yes, I had personal shoppers...
This bag has one of my favorite stories attached to it. While Jake was living in New York he had me for Christmas that year. It was one of the best presents I ever got, and this was just one part of it. My mom said that he went to Canal Street and called her several times describing bags and asking what I would like. He put so much thought into it and I love it!...
This bag was also purchased at a street fair in New York. I love the bright yellow color and the rope handles. This bag is also huge and could possibly fit a small child in it...
On Malcolm X day we were in New York and traveled to Harlem. We stopped by the ghetto fabulous store that had great cheap clothing, I found this bag and it was $10. I love the colors and the patterns...
This bag is a very old bag and not even a fun story, I think I got it at Ross one day...
This is another boring old bag, but maybe from TJMaxx. I do love the shape of this bag though, it fits perfect under your arm when you carry it, it is like it is barely there...This bag came from Santee Alley in Los Angeles when I was there two years ago with my mom. It was my first time going there and this was another bag I saw and didn't buy at first and had to go back and find which store it was in (which is a challenge when every other store has the exact same things)...
I love this bag but it has no special story or purchasing location. This was a random lunch run to Ross one day...
I don't remember completely where I got this bag, but I believe it was while I was in New York, sad I don't even remember...
Another bag my mom was so nice to buy me. We went to Farmer's Market downtown early one Saturday morning together and I loved the bag (especially the giant zipper-pulls that always evoke a comment by others). The metallic color and the shape is just so fun...

After looking at all these bags I realize I need to exercise a little bit of self control when it comes to buying bags. I do not need another bag and could probably start a small business selling them. I do love bags and love buying them in fun places.

*Hopefully this doesn't come across as bragging or showing off, I have just had several people interested in seeing all my bags.

First Step: Admitting You Have a Problem

I have come to the realization that I am an addictive person, once I like something, I can't get enough of it. I have a lot of these addictions currently and I kind of like it. I may be a nerd, but finding pleasure in the little things makes life so much fun.

Some of my current addictions include

* Pink's new song "So What." LOVE IT! I started singing it last night and Steve said "You have had that song stuck in your head for like 5 days!" I had to then admit I had downloaded it and listened to it on repeat ever since.
* French Fries. I just seem to ALWAYS want french fries lately! Cheese fries from Training Table, Iggy's fries, Arby's fries, the list goes on. Luckily I am pretty good at resisting other wise I would probably eat my weight in fries these days!
* Steve. I just can't get enough of that boy.
* Not doing anything for school. Yes, this is an addiction. I quickly become addicted to anything else besides homework as soon as I try to get it done.
* Pictures. I wish I could have a picture for every event in my life. My memory just doesn't seem to capture all of the moments and looking back at pictures is the best. I hope when we get to heaven we can get our life on DVD. I recently put new pictures up at my desk and I love it!
* Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream with Magic Shell. I introduced this treat to Steve a couple weeks ago and I haven't stopped eating it since! That is the problem with having it at both of our houses!
* E-mailing. This is the only thing that gets me through most days at work. Luckily I have a couple people who are good at responding all day. I LOVE checking my e-mail and having new messages! Whoever invented e-mail was a genius!

Luckily most of these addictions are pretty harmless for the most part. I just hope I won't have to be attending any something Anonymous meetings.

Funny, Funny Brooke

I have looked at my California pictures over and over again and every time I can't help but laugh at all the funny things Brooke did. I am sure that being in the moment of when the picture was taken makes it more funny, but the pictures still make me laugh. There are a lot of pictures, but I just have to share the funny-ness.

This was on our way down to California, I think she was drinking something besides Diet Coke...
I don't quite know what is happening here, but it either looks like she is freaky dancing or about ready to punch me...
I think my all time favorite picture, Brooke asked if we thought she could catch the bird, and then she tried...
Again, who knows what she is thinking, but it is random moments like this that crack me up. She just grabbed my mom to console her about nothing...
We were looking at the menu to see if we wanted something and Brooke discovered the cover wasn't locked. She wanted to be on the menu too "I'll have a Brooke please"...

All over Disneyland newlyweds had these hats on, cheesy if you ask us. So needless to say we had to try them on and make fun of them. Brooke looks more like a member of the KKK than a bride...
This was one of the funnies nights. Coming off of a ride Brooke found this little tree thing and didn't stop playing with it. She started her own little parade and danced and was singing, quite the sight. She didn't stop carrying it around and playing with it (or hiding behind it)...
Waiting in line for the Hollywood Tower of Terror we had our own little photo shoot, this is about picture 9 of 15 and she just kills me! To add to the already funny picture she was so taken with the idea that her hand didn't even look like hers...
Brooke's re-enactment of Jack Sparrow...
Never one to take a photo opportunity seriously...

Yet again... Who is this girl? I guess I joined the oddness of this one...
Trying on the Indiana Jones hat THROUGH the box. Where does she find this stuff to play with?...Again, another photo opportunity come while laying in bed and she was killing us, who knew a face could look like that...
On the drive home, I am hoping due to insanity from boredom, Brooke got the novel idea to put my laptop cover on her head as a hat...
When I said I laughed more on this trip than I have in a long time I wasn't kidding. There were so many funny moments and comments! Brooke is sure to keep the party alive when she is around and there is never a dull moment! Thanks for the laughs!!!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things (and People)

I had an incredible weekend, although nothing all that exciting happened, I loved every minute of it.

I am going to include Thursday night into my weekend happenings because Steve is so cute and planned a perfect date since it was my first night back from my trip. He picked me up at work, made me dinner, had a picnic by Mountain Dell Reservoir (so pretty!), walked around Temple Square, got my favorite treat (mint chocolate chip ice cream with magic shell), and watched a chick flick (he is so good to watch them with me). It was so fun, and he was so thoughtful. It was dark when we were at Temple Square but we tried to get a couple good pictures...
Our efforts to be the next Vanna White (we are such nerds and it's pictures like this that prove it and document it)....
Saturday was the game. It was James' birthday and he came with Heidi and we met up with Steve at the game. I just love a Utah football game! Winning is always good, but just being there is fun...
More documentation of our nerdy-ness (or at least Steve's)...
After the game I needed to kill some time in Salt Lake and went and joined the party at Maga and Papa's. They were so nice to treat us to Cafe Rio and I was able to catch up on some Jamie time...
Although I didn't get pictures, Saturday night Steve played a live show with his friend Trevor at a restaurant. They did a really good job and it was so fun to be with all their friends that showed up.

Today was a perfect fall day and Shannon was smart enough to want to capture it. After church we went to take some pictures to document the beauty. We didn't really have a lot to work with to get both of us in the picture as well as the surroundings. We did the best we could but also ended up with some individuals. I think they turned out pretty well. Shannon is just the best and I am loving this fall weather!... I feel like this should be my senior picture of something, but I did get this new dress and I was so excited to wear it today. Who doesn't love new clothes?...
Steve came up and spent the evening with me going on a walk, making cookies, and watching some movies.

It was a great weekend and I loved getting to spend time with so many of my favorite people! I am so lucky to have such great people in my life.

Abbreviated Recap

I don't have it in me to quite explain the wonderful experience of Disneyland, but I thought I would share with you my favorite pictures. I don't know the last time I laughed so hard and so constantly. The trip was so fun and the laughs just kept coming!

Our first morning in Disneyland, it was so magical!...

The Halloween decorations were so fun, we decided to jump in on this fun...

The classic Castle Picture...
We couldn't go long without Diet Coke and they even had these cute Halloween cups...
Mom LOVES anything Disney and sparkly so this was the perfect entrance for her (No, she isn't being seductive, she is being "playful")...
Even the characters were dressed up. Surprisingly we found Mickey without a huge line for a picture so we seized the opportunity...
I just love this picture, this was by a Brawny billboard and I just think it is so funny... California Adventure, not quite as magical as Disneyland, but still really fun...
This girl kept me laughing the whole time. A post dedicated to her humor is yet to come, you won't want to miss it...
The drive home. I was so sad it was all over, but even the long ride was fun...
Overall the trip seemed perfect! I am so lucky I got to go with such fun travel partners!

And So it Continues...

Our trip continued on this morning with us getting on our way by 8:30 to find a ward to go to. We figured there would be a church around the Newport Temple, we were right and were able to get to sacrament meeting. We headed over to the temple grounds after for some photo ops...
Our attempts at keeping the sabbath day holy ended and we decided to head to the Orange County Swap Meet (Mom would kill me if she knew I was announcing this to the masses). The OC Swap meet is one of my favorite things to visit while in Southern California. Mom's favorite treat (chocolate covered ice cream bars dipped in nuts and chocolate sprinkles) is here and we happened to find a giant one for her...
Sitting and eating yet again...
Round two with the ice cream bars...
After the swap meet we headed to Newport Beach, another one of my favorite things in Southern California. We drove around and rode the ferry from Balboa to Newport. On the ferry we made quick friends with two drunk identical twins who decided to be our photographers. We asked for a simple picture and they took about 10 and went to the extreme of repositioning us and everything. They were quite entertaining and actually got some good pictures...
At the end of Newport Beach is The Wedge, usually a good place to watch surfers. Today wasn't quite so good for that but we got out to enjoy the beach and I loved every minute of it!
I LOVE the beach. When I grow up I want to leave by a beach...
One of my favorite pictures...
It was a rather windy day, but still better than the weather we are missing at home...
It was time to eat again so we went and had dinner at the Rusty Pelican in Newport. It was right on the water and so good. Our schedule permitted us some time left in the day that we headed over to Downtown Disney. It got me SO excited for Disneyland tomorrow! There is something so magical about being at anything Disney.
One of my favorite moments of today was sitting on a bench amid all of the lit palm trees, Disney atmosphere, being there with my mom, and listening to a live violin player play songs from Phantom of the Opera and other classics. It was one of those moments that you feel like reality is so far away and life really does have a soundtrack. I am so grateful to be able to travel so much with my mom, she is one of the best travel companions (having Brooke along isn't too bad either, always the comedic relief).