25 Random JeNiFuN Facts

This blog is in response to a "TAG" on facebook.

I was tagged by 6 different people,
so I figured it was about time
that I get my booty in gear
& respond!

Rules:

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you.

If I tagged you...well... it's because I want to know more about you!

(To do this on facebook, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish....it's THAT easy! If you're not on facebook, which you SHOULD be *hint hint*, well then...just post any random thing about yourself HERE, on my blog comments!)

Don't be a party pooper...just DO IT!


So, I'm about as random as they can come...here goes:

1. I have about a bazillion freckles & have always been extremely self conscious about them, my entire life...stemming from some severe teasing that I received back in the 4th grade...I'll spare you the details! My dad tried offsetting the pain by insisting that each little speck was hand painted with love by God himself & that they were "beauty marks"...I love you daddy. :)

2. If I were a dog...I think I'd be a cross between a Labrador Retriever & a German Shepherd.

3. If I were a cat...I'd kill myself. (please, no hate mail from my cat-loving friends...it's just a joke...really!!!)

4. I am completely in love with my husband and he still rocks my world, maybe even more than when we first met! I love him more today than I ever thought possible, and for so many new reasons each day. Greg brings out the best in me & he is my best friend. I feel incredibly blessed to have him as a husband & as a father to our children! (even though we are POLAR opposites - we seem to balance each other nicely)

5. I don't like liver, in any form - it makes me gag.

6. I tend to be a neurotic tooth-brusher. I often brush my teeth 4, 5, even 6 times a day.

7. Although I am SUPER organized about certain areas of my life, my bedroom is always a disaster area & I have stacks of clean/folded clothes everywhere - NO ROOM TO PUT THEM AWAY!! I bounce back & forth between being a perfectionist & an adventurer...so if I can't do it perfectly...I just let it go & move on to something much more FUN!!! - this is a huge issue for me that I try to ignore...

8. I would give my life for my children in a nano-second - I never knew this level of love until I became a mother.

9. In general, I am a very light sleeper. I wake up several times each night & sometimes I wonder if I even slept at all! Thankfully...there's Excedrin PM, which seems to be my very best friend for the month of January...as I reluctantly endure this treacherous 4 weeks of graveyard shift. Only 1 week to go - Yipee Skippy!

10. I used to be a smoker - YES, seriously!! I smoked from age 18 until age 24 - yes...a shocker to many of you, I'm sure! :) I decided to quit smoking when I wanted to become pregnant with Wyatt & did it "cold turkey" - it was easy to quit because I had a very strong motivation! I hid this habit from a lot of people because I wasn't very proud of it...

11. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to surprise people! AND...I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to be PLEASANTLY surprised!

12. If I could go back & do school all over again...I think I would have studied graphic design or elementary education. I think I would have made a really great teacher/graphic designer. I secretly would LOVE to have my own graphic design business, specializing in greeting cards, invitations, personalization, etc.

13. I really dig my Verizon Wireless phone - it's a "Voyager" & I am a text messaging fiend!

14. It seems that both Greg & I have recently become addicted to "myFarm" on facebook.

15. I often get disappointed with myself because I feel like I'm not reaching my full potential, career wise. I feel like I should aspire toward greater things. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. Right now, I feel like my highest calling is parenting.

16. I have traveled to Greece, Egypt, & Turkey...and someday would love to go back! I really love to travel & look forward to a day where I can do more of it!

17. My dad is a pastor & I grew up as a "preacher's kid" - although my actions may not have always represented all that was good & pure... (have you seen the movie "Footloose"?)

shut-up, Greg, Paula & Patti.

18. I miss my family every day& often break out into tears because we are too far apart to get together on a semi-regular basis. My mom is one of my dearest friends & I also wish that I could be closer to my sister & her children. I miss all of them...more than you could ever know. Thank goodness for unlimited verizon to verizon calling!

19. I have not eaten any Cheetos in 22 days.

20. I have consumed AT LEAST 132 cans of Diet Coke in 22 days.

21. I need therapy for my Diet Coke addiction.

22. I am extremely competitive & really hate to lose...at anything!

23. I wish that Greg & I had more friends to do things with here...we used to get out with friends SO much more & I really miss that.

24. I handle most difficult or uncomfortable situations with much sarcasm & humor. Sometimes...people have a hard time distinguishing whether or not I am serious or joking.
(Sorry for that in advance. I hope that I never unknowingly hurt any persons feelings or freak them out!!!)

25. Much of who I am today, is a direct result of the immeasurable sacrifices made by both of my parents & I am forever grateful to them for their unconditional love & support to me throughout my entire life. I am thankful that I have been blessed with a healthy, happy, & strong relationship with my Dad & Mom & I realize that not many people today can actually say that.

There you have it...that's just about as random as I could get tonight!

I hope that you take the time to make a list also...

I'd love to learn more about YOU!

As always ~ Take good care of yourself!

Love to all,

"Can I take your frickin' order?"

After dinner, this past evening, I was sharing with Greg how excited I was about the new "Redbox" DVD vending center (which is now located in the entry way of our local Super Wal-Mart). I was explaining to him how very convenient this was for me, especially since I never can seem to remember to go BACK to the video store to return my movies on time! I do, however, seem to make it to Wal-Mart just about EVERY day...so this Redbox thing seems like the perfect thing for me to utilize, especially because I can rent/return movies at any hour of the day!

You can even go online & reserve the title that you want,
then it's ready for you when you get there! Just CLICK HERE!!

Not to mention...it's only ONE DOLLAR, yes...$1/day -
WHAT A DEAL!!!
(no, they are not paying me to say this, btw)


Well...then Greg had to go & ruin it for me by saying something to this effect: "See...there Wal-Mart goes again - stealing business from our "mom & pop" video stores...now you'll never patronize the local video store & ultimately, they will start losing money...yada, yada, yada..."

He has a point.

So - I bring up the fact that the "mom & pop shops", in an effort to remain competitive, should offer outstanding customer service & other perks that would cause me to be drawn to them for their SERVICE, rather than an impersonal & unsocial visit to the "Redbox".

We then started discussing how absolutely disenchanting it is to go many places these days because of the pitiful (or complete lack of) customer service.


Greg made the point that he feels that this generation doesn't seem to have acquired the face-to-face communication skills that older generations possess. He feels like our world is much more impersonal, selfish, and "cold" & that this generation is so conditioned to relying on electronic devices for communication...and as a result, they lack the skills/ability to provide quality customer service. (Honey, I hope that I conveyed your point properly?)

I do agree to some extent with Greg, however,
I have my own theory that I shared with him...

I feel that people today, not ALL people, but MANY people have lost their sense of pride for their work. Many people that I have encountered don't seem to exhibit any signs of job satisfaction. It is almost as if they are robots...performing tasks to receive a paycheck...with no feeling...no regard for others feelings...and no sense of pride in their occupation...it's "just a job"...a means to an end, so to speak.

What has happened? Why are people so hateful? Why do they NOT care?

Let me give you a recent example: A few nights ago, I was on my way to work (10:45pm) - I stopped by Wal-Mart & grabbed a movie (at the Redbox!), then pulled up to the McDonald's drive-thru (10:53pm) to grab a Diet Coke & a salad for later (drive thru says it closes at 11:00) - all of the lights are still on, including the drive thru ones...I sit there.

And sit there...I say "hello?"...

Would you believe...after I sat there for over 2 minutes
(thinking that SURELY they were going to respond) Guess what?

They shut it all down!!!!!

No one even bothered to acknowledge me sitting there - HOW RUDE! They could have at least said, "Sorry, we are closed now." Don't even tell me that they didn't see me...I know for a fact that they did & that infuriates me even more! I pulled away from there absolutely disgusted & thought to myself,

"Hmphf! Let's see if I ever go back THERE! Maybe when they call up to dispatch tonight for their escort to the bank I will just go on a huge rant (not really - I DO like my job & plan to keep it)...grumble, grumble, grumble..."

(hey...on a positive note...I suppose this makes my
french-fry boycott just a tiny bit less painful!)

Anyway - about that time...I was kind of wishing for a Fountain Soda/Salad vending machine in the entry of Wal-Mart! See what I mean? I can do without the "personal experience" if this is the type of behavior that I'm likely to encounter. I'd just assume receive my goods from an electronic device...SERIOUSLY! I actually ended up going through the Arby's drive-thru where the young man there told me that he stilled showed it being 5 minutes til 11pm & he would be happy to take my order, which was a huge unexpected & welcomed surprise...HE is the exception! ( "I love you, Arby's dude!")

Over the years, I've had several other experiences with people where instead of them "waiting on me" or helping me with something (which is what they are there for) - I almost feel like I should APOLOGIZE for "bothering them"...know what I mean? It's CRAZY! It's like I have interrupted their entire universe and they can't wait to get rid of me...it's like...

"Hello...welcome to HELL....can I take your frickin' order?"
(as they're texting their bff & rolling their eyes...)

* I hope that doesn't "offend" anyone...and if it does...well then...
you really just don't know me that well.

So - a few questions:

I'm wondering what everyone out there thinks about the decline of (or lack thereof) quality customer service in our generation - Have you ever really thought about it? Do you take pride in your work? Do you enjoy your job? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts/opinions/feelings!

Hey - it will give Greg & I even MORE to debate about
at dinner TOMORROW night! hahahaha

Also - how do you feel about larger "Super-Center's" offering more & more accessible options for people to experience "one-stop shopping"? Do you take advantage of the convenience or do you resent them stealing customers from the local small town establishments?

You KNOW how I love feedback....Let's discuss!

As always ~ Take good care of yourself & those dear to you ~

Love to All,

Oh, and just a disclaimer here: If none of this really even makes sense, let's just chalk it up to the fact that it's 4:00am, I'm sleep deprived, and I just ate an OBSCENE amount of Coffee flavored Haagen Dazs ice cream...okee dokee?

Oh, and also...I love text messaging & use it often...just NOT while I'm on a 9-1-1 call, or helping the public! ;)

Caution: This is Extra Cheezy!

During a recent night out with friends, one topic of discussion was "Guilty Pleasures". We were sitting in a local "Starbucks", sipping our delicious brews when I casually mentioned my unhealthy & very secret addiction to "Cheetos". Well, of course...Greg HAD to point out that he had caught me "orange-handed" in the pantry, just the night before. Yes, I am ashamed...yet pleasantly satisfied all at the same time.

The best part is...it was a secret bag...one that not even Wyatt could find...

*insert evil laugh here*

I hoard Cheetos.



Hey, listen...don't be out there judging...I know that I'm not the only partaker of unhealthy snacks. I mean really, who can resist that cheezy, greasy, cheezy, crunchy, cheezy sensation?!

Ok, so I looked up the nutrition facts for Cheetos & here's what it says:



Woo Hoo, no trans fat! BUT - What they fail to mention is that 1 oz. of Cheetos is like NOTHING! It's like 8 chips & who eats just 8 Cheetos? Not me! A small bag of Cheetos actually contains 2 oz., so we have to DOUBLE everything up there - GOOD GRAVY, that means 20, yes TWENTY, grams of FAT & 320 calories - What am I thinking?!?!

Ok - no more Cheetos for JeNiFuN.

For at least one month.

I feel the need to come clean & purge all of my secret food addictions right now - in an attempt to start the New Year with a healthy & fresh approach! So, with a little hesitation, I will list some items that I have difficulty resisting & could eat BUCKETS of...items that I am going to do my best to avoid during this fresh, new year - here goes:

My name is Jennifer & I am secretly addicted to...

CHEETOS

FRENCH FRIES

&
GIRL SCOUT THIN MINTS


Umm - well, ok - I think I'll stop there for now...I mean, I don't wanna embarrass myself TOO much, in the event one of you might catch me out in public "orange-handed"!
I do have a little pride left here.

Wish me luck as I attempt to escape the evil snares of these guilty pleasures.

It won't be easy. I may need therapy.



Now - thanks to my dear friend, Candace (Hi, Candace!)...I have a NEW addiction for 2009...

I shall be strong & resist all Cheetos...

and instead, settle for...

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Twist



Skinny,
Tall,
&
DECAFFEINATED!
(per Greg's request)
you don't wanna see Jen all jacked up on straight coffee...evidently...I'm like a cyclone.

Please, don't make me show you the nutrition facts...I just can't bear for you to know how many grams of sugar we're talking about here when we add the whipped cream - which is non-negotiable.

Hey, a girl's gotta have SOMETHING to live for!

Sidebar: I hold Candace personally responsible for any additional weight gain

Happy New Year & Love to All!

P.S. Did anyone nearly spit out their drink at the screen
when they noticed that Greg went to Starbucks?

Just TWO reasons!

Just TWO of the MANY reasons that I am SO very THANKFUL
during this Christmas season...and ALWAYS!



My children are healthy, happy, and SO lovable!

Have a wonderful week...

AND...

whatever you do...

DO NOT go to THE MALL...

on the weekend!

You will feel homicidal - trust me.

Love to All!

Turkey Throwdown Finale - Finally!

Grab yourself a cup of hot cocoa & sit down...
this is gonna take me a sec!

Well, Thank You for choosing to tune back in for the finale...
I know that the wait has been painful & unusually long...
I know that you are SOOOOO sick of hearing
about the crazy Turkey Throwdown...
I mean, you have probably been
thinking - C'mon, you
freak...Just tell
us who the
winner
is!


And so - I will proceed with the final moments...

9:30am: Jen reluctantly peeks at Tom's temp...

And what to her wondering eyes did appear?

Tom = 165 degrees

And so, Jen's "near" perfectly roasted turkey...

shall sit...

for nearly 2 hours ...

before the Thanksgiving Meal is served.

9:45am: Jen is B-U-M-M-E-D. Greg is G-L-O-A-T-I-N-G.

Tom is D-R-Y-I-N-G out.

Now, I will spare you all of the other boring junk that happened between 9:45am & 11:05.

11:05am: Poppa, Nanny, Wyatt, & Avery arrive!

11:15am: Nanny makes gravy (because Jen is CLUELESS on turkey gravy - I'm all about sausage gravy with biscuits but, turkey gravy, not so much).

11:30am: Thanksgiving Lunch is served!

Let the JUDGING begin!

Now, hindsight being 20/20 - ideally we would have blind-folded Poppa (Jen's Dad, for those of you who do not know who the judge is) - but, since Jen was FRANTIC about getting the meal on before another droplet of juicy goodness emerged from Tom...the blind taste test did not occur.

For those of you who do not know "Poppa" - he is a man of MANY words...and he's NEVER afraid to use MANY of them to express whatever random thought might be rolling through his big brain! Poppa can be brutally honest...and yet, so lovable... all at the same time. =)

Isn't he adorable?

I love you, Daddy!
(brown-nosing the judge AFTER the fact, is allowed)

I must be completely honest here...upon seeing my turkey being carved into...it was apparent that Tom was NOT as juicy as what Jen had anticipated. (I was really disappointed.)
And, if we are judging this competition SOLELY on "Juiciness" -
Jen quickly admits that Henrietta turned out noticeably juicier than Tom.

11:35am: Poppa takes his first bite of Greg's brined & smoked turkey....followed by a bite of Jen's brined & roasted turkey. He tries both dark meat & white meat - and portions from identical sections of both birds.

Here is Tom - his insides looked a little funky & disturbing...
so I spared you the sight:


Notice the very last minute & bizarre garnish...NOT what I had originally intended...BUT, it'll do in a pinch! Darn those ridiculous looking wings...and the crazy legs that started out all snugly tucked under the cool flap of skin that Butterball already had ready for me. Nice string, eh?
Hey, it's all about the TASTE, right??

And, here is Henrietta the Hen:
(not sure if Greg named her or not...)


I MUST say, my darling husband, your bird is quite lovely!

* Poppa is STILL reluctant to state who's cuisine reigns supreme...*

Although my dad has made positive comments about each of our entries...he is still hesitant to name a WINNER - however - Jen can tell that Poppa seems to prefer Henrietta over Tom.

And that is OK!

Listen, had this been a Green Bean Throwdown, or perhaps...a Sweet Potato Throwdown...or a Strawberry Pretzel Salad Throwdown...or even a Mashed Potato Throwdown...Jen would absolutely be the winner - hands down! Did I mention that my green beans kicked booty?!

But, Poppa - being the generous (and wise) man that he is...

declared the 2008 Thanksgiving Turkey Throwdown...

a TIE!



You see, as Nanny put it...It's like comparing Apples to Oranges - you just cannot expect the same taste or texture from the two - they must not be compared.

Did I mention that Nanny is also very wise?

12:00pm: Jen & Greg lift their turkey platters to discover something very exciting...

Cha-Ching!

"Winner, winner...chicken dinner!"
(as my brother sings)

Oh, and let's not forget...it was a "TIE"...

And yes, I received a certificate too!
(the pic was really blurry...I'll try again later)

WOO-HOO - Let's CELEBRATE!

Umm, well - I mean...

~ THE END ~

Well, there you have it!

Hope it was worth the wait?

**OH! And the moral of this story: "Poppa's no dummy!"**

Love to All!

P.S. - There WILL be a re-match in 2009!
I know ALL the tricks now...

Throwdown Finale - Later Tonight!

Hey! I promise...I have NOT forgotten. I work tonight & hopefully will have enough down time to share the Throwdown conclusion with all of you!

See you later tonight!

Turkey Throwdown - Part II

So - I'm sure that you are all just completely on the edge of your seats, yes?
(if you are clueless, you may want to go back & read Part I)

The suspense is absolutely killing you, right?

Did Greg win? Did Jen win? Did anyone cry?



NO WAY! Are you kidding me?
Dragging it out is SO much more FuN!

Did she take out the turkey & tuck in the wings?

Did the Muffin Man make a guest appearance?

Did anyone burn themselves?

Are they still married?

SO many questions!

and so, the Throwdown resumes...

6:12am: Jen says to herself - "Just leave well enough alone" & curses the Muffin Man...and the stupid turkey wings...&@!%$...*deep breath*...more Diet Coke...

6:13am: Greg walks into kitchen, taking a little break from the cold weather, and mischievously places his frozen fingers on Jen's bare back...while laughing...and tickling...and laughing.

Greg continues to be in Jen's way, seemingly intending to be irritating only, rummaging through every cabinet and drawer...I really don't think that he needed a darn thing...

6:14am: Jen takes back control of the kitchen.

7:15am: Time for a Turkey Temp Check!

Jen's bird: 109 degrees ~ Greg's bird: 101 degrees

Meanwhile, Jen is preparing the other 11 dishes,
that will also be served alongside our beautifully brined birds.

8:15am: Time for another Turkey Temp Check!

Greg comes inside & does the freezing cold hand thing...again.

Jen's bird: 143 degrees ~ Greg's bird: I have no clue.

* Honestly, at this point, I am so stressed out that my bird is cooking SO fast...and my oven is only set at 225degrees...WHAT is happening? I do the math (well, sorta) and become REALLY anxious because it is apparent that Tom is going to be "done"...WAaaaaaaaaaay to soon!! *

8:20am: Jen considers downing a small portion of the "Jack Daniels" she has sitting out on the counter for the Whiskey Glazed Carrots...hey, just a tiny bit...not like I'm gonna be all schnockered at lunch with my parents & my kiddos or anything - Calm down, friends...I'm not quite THAT stressed.

To clarify: No, I did NOT drink any whiskey at 8:20am - I swear.
(did you SERIOUSLY think that I would?)

8:30am: Jen begins to prepare the table, runs upstairs to throw on some make-up (trust me, this is a NECESSARY step), curses the Muffin Man, makes the bed, cleans the downstairs toilet, & completes other random tedious tasks.

Let's take a little peek at Greg's bird, shall we?

Hmmm...well, Jen must admit...Greg's hen is coming along nicely!
*notice the secret pan, covered in foil...behind the turkey*

9:00am: Jen calls to check & see what time Poppa, Nanny, and the kiddos will arrive.

(secretly hoping that they might be ready for lunch at around 10:00am...considering the fact that Tom is now at 154 degrees).

9:15am: Jen begins to realize that she could have slept in for at least another 60-90 minutes...and curses the Muffin Man...again.

I'm afraid to even take a peek at the digital meat thermometer that I have strategically placed into Tom's torso...surely my turkey is not going to be at prime temperature...at 9:30am?

SAY IT ISN'T SO...

and, yep - YOU guessed it...



Stay tuned for the Throwdown Finale ~
Coming Soon!