My People ROCK

So today I was talking to a friend and he said I might need new people...Well to all my people I want to share this with you.

I have the best people in my life...sure none of them will marry me and pay my bills and let me stay home and clean house all day, but I have good people.

Here is a top 10 list of reasons...this is not about who I like the most it is just examples MY PEOPLE

10. My parents are pretty much the coolest parents in the world (I found this out when I went to college and found out how bad other people's parents can be)

9. I have friends in my life since high school...now this is only cool because they are people that have progressed past the high school phase and did not peak really early

8. I have all types of people from the free spirit to the ultra conservative and they all serve an amazing purpose.

7. None of my friends are dumb...it is true they all can verbally respond appropriately in conversation..can your friends do that?

6. Most of my friends are purely dog people...meaning they appreciate loyalty

5. All of my friends are willing to put up with me.

4. I have friends from every stage of life and make new ones on a yearly basis.

3. I have people in my life who are wiling to tell me when I am plain stupid.

2. If they are my friend that means they went through friendship boot camp (people who are close to me know that I put all the worst parts of myself up front as a defense in order to keep the mean people away...it does get better just ask them)

1. They are cool enough to appreciate me!

To Translate Correctly

Today in church we had a lesson on continuing revelation and the topic of translation of the scripture...and a thought came to me.

Translation of the scriptures is a continuing process. Let me explain.

Translate is defined in at least two ways:
1.To change text (of a book, document, Web site, movie, animation, video game etc.) from one language to another.

2. To change from one form or medium to another.

So as I sat and pondered I decided that when we read scripture and then ponder it we are literally translating it. We take the written or spoken work and then use the spirit to understand how the Lord would apply them in our life. Therefore we are changing words from one form into another.

When I stop to think about that process and how often it happens in my life I am in awe with the personal relationship that is available for me from our Father in Heaven.

This enlightenment makes me excited to study the gospel and connect with my Father through the spirit.

Home Sweet Home

Today we celebrate the day the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley and called it home. I want to tell you of how I made a home in the Rocky Mountains.

When I ran away...I mean left...California to come to live in Idaho with my parents in the summer of 2006 I had one plan...

To become the most intimidating single woman alive...okay so it wasn't a good plan, but it was the plan and it led to the decisions to buy a home.

That move proved to be a better plan than I could have ever imagined. Within five months I had gotten my finances in order and closed escrow...after I learned what escrow was. Now there was a lot of stress involved and a huge learning curve and lots of house hunting....and my poor realtor got told off more than once...but it was worth it.

When I walked in my home I knew it was the place for me. I don't really know how to explain the feeling other than it was just right. The home was built in 1950 and it's upper portion was added on by local ward members 10-15 years later (I didn't find that out until later). Everything from the red dining room and built-in bookshelves just seem to say that it was the perfect house for me.

Almost two full years in and all I can say is

There is no Place Like Home!

Seeking 401K Investor...

So this morning I was reading my email and I click on a link that says....

Put aside the romantic notion that love conquers all -- and pull out your calculators. Successful partnerships require a plan, a CFO (usually) and regular progress reports.
Marriage makes people richer.
Not all marriages, of course, and "richer" is relative. But overall, people who get married and stay married build significantly more wealth than single folks.

WOW...okay fine MSN..I guess I will stop putting off marriage and bite the bullet...Oh wait I learned that a long time ago.

Maybe I should change my profile to a financial one...it might look a little like this.

Stable Career Woman and Home Owner seeks 401K investor to build investment portfolio.

Uh...okay maybe not.

More patience is needed!?!?

Wikipedia defines patience as such:

Patience (pā-shənz) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances. This can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast.

So the other day I was told that to get what I want most that more patience is needed...I take a deep breath. That act in and of itself shows I have learned patience (I used to verbalize my frustration with all my possible eloquence, which for those of you who know can be extensive).

However the Lord has given more time to understand and develop patience. Truth be known my ability to be patience has increased by leaps and bounds over the years...but still apparently more patience is needed.

I can do this because I know a couple things for sure.

1. This life is not about getting what I want right now...it is not even about getting what I want in this life.

2. This life is a test, and recently it has been brought to my attention that you can FAIL the test. Now I used to be a straight A student...not in college most semesters but still failing is not something I have done on purpose. So when I realized that I could make momentary decisions that would cause me to fail the most important test of all I have to take a deep breath.

3. Patience is an opportunity to show my steadfastness in the Lord. The Lord asks much of his children. These requests allow his children to prove their devotion and love for the Savior and the Plan he as bought for us.

4. I do not want to fail this test. I don’t want to need the Atonement for sins I can avoid (heaven knows I use it for to many already)

So…

BRING IT ON!

I miss my friend....Bread

You know people ask me all the time how I am doing with my lap band surgery...well I am doing good...except I miss my friend bread.

Yep you heard me. Bread was my friend...I mean I grew up in a house where my mom baked bread and rolls and cakes and brownies..okay so it is more then bread it is anything bread like. And now my stomach rejects these things. So for instance when I go to olive garden if I want to eat a bread stick there is a 50/50 chance I will throw up...okay the odds are higher that it will come up...but dude those bread sticks are good!!

How about fast food...what is fast food...bread products...no hamburgers, no subway, french fries are hard some days...plus no soda...OH YEAH NO PIZZA...Pizza...it is almost un-american my diet.

What do I eat you ask
Slim Fast low carb (high protein)
Cottage cheese with peaches
Yogurt (sometimes this turns into a smoothie)
Soup (restaurants have really good soup just in case you are wondering)
Chips sometimes..not to many
Sometimes I eat a bun less hamburger...at BBQs and stuff
Cheese
Fiber one bars...thanks goodness for them
pretty much that is it
sometimes I try pasta...not to much

I snack on Oreos...with milk a
and Ice Cream..to bad I can't live off Ice Cream!

Obviously today was a bad eating day...because I haven't eaten anything yet!

Disguised as a Responsible Adult.

The single life is a little weird honestly...the hours we keep, the random things we do to entertain ourselves. I mean how many married people take naps all the time? How many stay out till two or three in the morning on a weekday..or even a weekend for that matter?

Nope...and this weekend proves it once again for me. Friday I was out late at a single adult dance (could be a blog in and of itself) and then tonight I had a BBQ/Swim Party/Bond fire and I am still up at 2 am talking to a friend...this is not the life of a responsible adult.

**Warning** some married people may read this and think...I wish Jen, but no you don't, because to have this freedom as you call it you would have to live without your spouse all the time, no hugs and kisses and whatever whenever, no eternal commitment, no kids. Don't kid yourself for one minute the single life is not better I promise.

Nope we single people do this to fill up our time. (Because you can only spend so much time in self reflection) So here is the truth my married friends, your husband isn't as bad as my last date...I promise. He spends more time doing housework than any man in my life. Your kids might be messy, but at least you get colored pages to hang on your fridge. You might drive a minivan, but at least you don't take road trips alone. You might have laundry coming out the vents, but at least you get hugs on a daily basis.

I know your life isn't easy, but there are lots of things to be grateful for...and if you ever forget then you have your friendly neighborhood single people to remind you.

You don't sew beads on a muslin dress!

Do you know what my biggest pet peeve is...I hate when other people lie. I don't like any lies but the lies I hate the most are the lies we tell to cover up something we know is wrong.

Like when someone tells their friend they are sick when really they just don't feel like doing something. This happens a lot in dating and relationships. And by that I mean A LOT. We fear that the truth will hurt to much...but the question is who does it hurt?

Because you see the lie that is told usually...eventually...gets revealed to the person it was told to. That whole tangled web idea. We don't lie to keep from hurting others...not most of the time. We lie to keep from being thought of as jerks.

So we lie to hide the fact that a feeling or thought we have will not be received well by someone else. We do it to keep up appearances...to save face...to keep an option open. Wow that seems like a lot of work for something that will eventually fall apart.

Here is the parable of the Muslin Dress:

Do you sew? My mom is an expert seamstress. I have spent more than my fair share of time in and around sewing projects. None of these projects were quite so detailed as my older sisters wedding dress. We went and bought fabric and ordered special lace and beads. I was so excited that I got to cut out the pattern pieces. Then instead of placing the pattern on the beautiful white fabric my mom pulled out the muslin...what is muslin?

Muslin is a cheap fabric to tell is simply. It is used for things you won't see. In this circumstance muslin was used to fit the dress. That way my mom could mark the muslin copy so that the REAL fabric could be saved for the finished product.

So after the pattern was fit and the dress sewn the real work started. What happened to the muslin dress you ask...who knows...it wasn't ever meant to be seen. But that REAL dress...you know I spent hours for months on that dress. I sewed thousands of beads and worked side by side my mom. The dress was perfect! The fitting of the muslin dress seemed so simple compared to the careful work on the REAL thing.

The REAL thing. That is what we forget sometimes as people. When you talk to someone, whether it be your best friend or your worst enemy it is a one shot deal. If in that moment you lie...then you can't take it back...you have lied...only mercy can save you now. So just a thought for those of us who are tempted to lie.

You don't sew beads on a muslin dress...don't say something out loud unless it is worth being on display.

Happy Anniversary to ME!

As a single woman I don't get many Anniversaries...but today it a big one. Today is the 10th Anniversary of the day I went through the temple for the first time. The decisions to make and keep temple covenants is the best one of my whole life. I am grateful that the temple has been a constant in my life.

This morning I celebrated by going to an early session. I love the Lord and his House!

My first temple was the Oakland California Temple
and no one forgets their first

I loved the temple in my Mission - Nashville Tennessee

Now I live Next to the Idaho Falls Temple and it is a beacon of peace in my life!

My dinner with Batman

Have you ever been to a satellite radio drawing...today I went to my first one. Not really by choice. I meet with client's family after work on Tuesdays and today just as I am pulling onto their street I get a call.

"Hello, Jennifer"
"HI"
"We are not home"
"Where are you"
"We are at so-and-so car wash trying to win tickets to Batman"

Now this is not a crazy person...she is very normal and nice. I actually really like her. so I went to the drawing and she told me about her plan if she won. She was going to do the Price is Right run...don't ask I didn't understand till I saw it.

I did not eat dinner...because I don't do hot dogs but I did see Batman!

Sure enough hers was the very last name called...and it was worth the change in location and standing in the muggy (could rain but its Idaho so it won't) weather.

I might go again...just thought you should know.

AP Primary

So I don't blame my parents for much...being single has allowed me for the more than normal processing of my childhood experiences...plus all those therapy classes...but I do blame them for one thing.

AP Primary.

I don't remember it being called AP primary or even attending a different class than the other kids at church but it has ruined me for life and now as I approach my 29th birthday it is hitting me again. I am old before my age.

Let me give you a few examples so you will understand. I was made a YW leader at 17...which last time I checked was still the age at which point you are going to YW and not teaching the beehives and doing personal progress.

Again at the age of 18 I went to the temple for the first time...my bishop said I was ready...I blame my parents (for which I am very grateful)...because my dad was the previous bishop.

Oh and did I mention that I started going to YSA activities at the age of 16...all because my dad was in a YSA branch presidency...are you seeing how it is their fault.

And now as I approach 29 I am finding that I don't...and I mean at all...fit in with YSA anymore. Don't get me wrong as individuals I love them....but commonality wise I don't fit in.

Top three reasons
3. I own my own house…yep no parents house or apartment I actually even have a lawn to mow.

2. I scare the new RMs with my financial responsibility

1. When a new hunk moves into the ward I can't find a reason to be attracted to him because he has four years of school left and an ego the size of whatever 18 year old is in love with him.

All this I blame on AP primary...why can't I be ditzy!

A sleep over at Aunt Jen's House

So I am inspired by a friend of a friend who I don't really know to do more with my blog. I always tell myself that nothing really interesting goes on in my life. This is only partially true. Everyday my life is crazy, and I have dramatic fun stories...they just aren't the ones I want to have.

So this is my thought for today.

Tonight I had the first ever Aunt Jen Sleepover. Are you excited. I had six of my ten nephews come over and spend the night. They had tacos and nachos for dinner...which they split on the floor along with some milk. Then after playing (now by playing I mean that every other minute one would come up to my crying that so and so had hurt their feelings or that the puppy had jumped on them or that their sunburn was so sore they couldn't not possible find a way to clean up the mess they had created).
I let them run wild for a could hours and then tried to get the place a little clean and everyone laying down to relax and watch a movie.

I covered them up and said prayers and turned a movie on...then one says he has a bad stomach ache and lays on the ground rolling as if he is going to die...my thoughts are do I need to call someone or am I going to end up in the hospital with one of them tonight...luckily he just wanted a drink of water and was fine. Of course they all wanted a drink of water.

JJ came up stairs because he hates to go to sleep. I caved...which I am not known for because I have gotten no sleep lately and let him play my Nintendo DS for about an hour while I chatted to old roommates about my life and well...boys. Mostly how we don't have the first clue what is really going on.

Then of course the ones that are still up finish the movie and come to see me to get more of whatever..another movie, more to drink, help to pester his brother or cousin (the usual)

I finally get them settled and finished whining about the things in life I just don't understand. Then JJ comes up to me again telling me that I forgot to wrap in up in his blanket properly...what was I thinking!

They pretty much are the best things in life...even if they are always dehydrated to the point of desperation...or at least that is how they act.

Happy Raise Day to Me!

So after almost six months at my new job I finally passed of the last requirement to become a salaried employee. That means that after two years of nothing I will have insurance...no $75.50 everytime I need to renew a perscription. Maybe I will even get a yearly eye exam so I can update my perscription...but I won't hold my breath.

I also get a $2.00 an hour raise...that is something to be excited for. Who knew that it would be such a blessing for me to be fired and find this job. That is $5.00 more an hour than I was making in October and my boss is 1000% better, my co workers are professional and the best part is that I love my job.

No seriously I love my job. I love talking about being martians, and turning into animals or wires. I love working with teenagers who will do just about anything for a Big Mac. I love kids who think swimming is the best part of life.

Who could ask for more than doing what you love when you want and getting paid really well for it!

One Year and 75lbs Down

So today is one year from my lap band surgery....drum roll...-75 lbs this last year...weird.

But the weirdest thing of all is that the other day I was looking in the mirror and didn't even recognize my face. Well I recognized it but it looked all wrong to me. It took me a couple hours till I was sitting in Sunday School that I realized that my face was thinner...weird.

Weird is the best way I know to describe this weight loss process...pretty much it all just feels weird.

Oh and now I have to start replacing all the clothes that I have had for less than a year...some days that is exciting..but not usually until payday.