Bed before 2 AM? I don't understand..

It's official. I suck at weekend blogging. I think it's due to the fact that I work all day, hang out all night and get minimal sleep...The sad part is that the weekend is usually when all of the monumental blog topic happenings go down and by the time I have a minute to write it all down I have a hard time remembering what I even did two nights ago. It's sad, really.


So just let me do a combined post/recap of some of the thoughts I had based on the weekend:


1.) 24th of July in Utah=long weekend. I fully support everything about this. Even if it does mean that everyone does fireworks for the ENTIRE month of July.


2.) Why do I even go to the drive in? I mean, I totally love it but I never end up loving the movie because I don't pay attention to it [you're wrong.  It's because i'm making out or anything haha] I think I will have to watch Captain America again when it comes to redbox or something because my lack of interest in the movie as a whole kind of bothers me. I really was excited for it.


3.)Jiffpop is the shiz. It was {N}'s idea and well, I think we are all hooked. {A} and I were talking last night and decided we just need to buy it in bulk or something because it's perfect for every party. RIGHT,{A}? (lol) Fun to cook and fun to eat.

4.) Betos=Glorified taco truck. But I'll admit...the nachos were good!


5.) Sleeping on the Trampoline always sounds like a great idea on a perfect summer night.  {W} and I slept on the trampoline and sure, we felt like we had been hit by a bus when we woke up in the morning and we only got about 4 hours of sleep.. but it's funny what you can learn about someone when you put all pull crap or drama aside and you just talk about life in general.  It was fun.  It's confirmed though, I have even crazier dreams when I don't sleep in my own bed.  weird.


6.) I experienced my first trip on the frontrunner yesterday after living here for over a year.  Carli and I went shopping at the Gateway for our day off and long story short...we didn't check the schedule until we were ready to go and realized that they were running every hour and the next one left in 9 minutes or an hour and 9 minutes... we ran to the station (shorts falling off from lack of belt, SUPER full bellies from just finishing the best sandwhiches).  Right as we get to the station what happens? Bye-Bye frontrunner.  Did we spend the next hour laughing and cursing the frontrunner? yea. we did.  At least I got my head massager from Urban :)oot Woot!




... I think I will end it there. I'm too passionite about the other lessons learned from the weekened to simply recap.  I'll post later.


Oh, for those of you who need a little sugar rush pick-me-up today...I made these peanut butter nummers this weekend from here.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

yum.   Later, homies.

Jiffy Pop!

Why haven't I been making this popcorn all along?

It's a crowd pleaser.
Fun to make. Fun to eat. Yummmm :)

The last 12 hours--Three things I never thought I would do:

1.) Let certain friends see me in real pain. I'm not talking about heartbreak, when my feelings are hurt or when I'm an emotional wreck.  I'm talking about the "omg, I don't know what to do, it hurts so freaking bad...AHHHH!" physical kind of pain followed with some tears.  Seriously, if I ever have a Charley Horse again, I swear I'm going to go 127 hours on that shiz and cut off my leg.  Pirates and peg legs are cool, right? 

2.) Be convinced that I was legitimately seeing a UFO.  Now, don't worry. It turned out to be a plane. But me, {A} and {W} (not the beverage...real people) were freaking out for a minute.  It might be because we were talking about aliens and watching scurrrry youtube videos but it looked legit. ewwww I get the heebies just thinking about it.

3.) Get a Utah Drivers License.  Yep! As of this morning, it's official.  I passed the written test and everything..granted I was able to use the book, but still.  I honestly never thought that would happen but I guess I might as well make my living here official.  Utah plates for the new car ordered (check), Utah address for more than a year (check),  and now a Utah drivers license (check, check).. Omg, what is happening to me? !

Source: graphjam.memebase.com via Erin on Pinterest

Looks like I've moved from Potatoes to Mormon. Both good things. I guess I will stay for a little while :)

**Special thanks to {A} for rubbing my leg last night when I was in so much pain and a sarcastic/virtual "thumbs up" to {W} for laughing at me the whole time--Thanks, pals :)

My "long, scattered, weird explanation/pep talk about the dreaded Friend Zone" post

Before I start going off on the subject matter at hand, I first want to clarify that this post is not referring to the "woe's of life from Jennifer Hansen."  In fact, it finally has nothing to do with my personal life at this moment at all. [hallelujah].  However, let's be honest, we've all been there.  We all know how terrible it is. I mean, it's in almost EVERY chick flick on the planet.  It's.....

*insert creepy sound effects*

I recently re-watched the movie "Just Friends."  Funny movie, right?  Light Bulb!--what a perfect topic :) SO here you go...

The number one reason I've found that most people find themselves super snug in the Friend Zone is that they simply waited too long to make a move.  Some hold onto their "more than friends" feelings and never make the move because they are:
1--Too chicken to confront the situation.
2--Don't want to work for it because it seems too hard.
3--Afraid of rejection.
4--They "don't want to ruin what they already have" with that friend.
5--They question where the feelings really come from.  "Maybe it's just because I'm around her all of the time?" or "Maybe it's just because he 'gets' me better than any other guy?" uhhh hello? What do you think that means?!

Do any of these sound familiar? Most likely.  But the above reasons aren't always the case when it comes to the dreaded Friend Zone.  It's not always just because we are lazy or scared or over-analyze the crap out of everything.  In fact, some people quickly find themselves already too deep in the FZ when they decide that they want to be more than just friends with someone.  Once you are in that deep, it's hard to find the motivation and the correct strategy/plan of action to get yourself out.

It's kind of like digging a hole in the ground and looking for treasure.  You're not quite sure what you will find but you really want to know what could potentially be there so you dig and you keep digging because it's exciting and you really want to see where the hole will lead. But alas, you don't find anything.  Zip.  Nada. Nothing.  You take a breather from digging because it's exhausting, you look up, and you realize that you are so deep that there is literally no way for you to climb out of the deep/dark hole. You are stuck.  Way stuck.  Once you've reach this point you have two ways out as I see it.  One. Yelling or waiting for someone outside of the hole to throw you a rope or a latter [plan of action] to help you pull yourself out.  Two. You decide if it's worth it to keep going, you take control of your life, and you keep digging until you are FOR SURE there is no hope of finding any treasure.

If you are deep in in the FZ and it's really getting to you then you have to get yourself out.  No matter what the outcome is. It's hard.  But it's SO do-able.  Either get someone to pull you out (have friends convince you that he/she is ugly, not worth it, or that you could do better [works every time] or find someone else to like if it's not really worth the work with said friend) or you keep digging until you find out what could be.  You might get rejected.  It might be super awkward.  Actually, it most likely will be awkward.  But if it's worth the FZ struggle you've been in for however long, then you have to at least try.  Who knows, maybe the other person has been ticked about the dumb FZ too and is just as stuck or already got themselves "over" it. 

No matter what the outcome... at least you would know.  Just get out so you can move along in which ever direction you are supposed to so you don't have to sit in the hole for years and then have to re coop from being in it for so long. ew.  vomit. not fun.
Need help?  Just say the magic words, "Phone Lines are Open" and I will take a stab at it.  Or just watch any episode of Dawson's Creek. haha.  That show is entirely about the Friend Zone and the positive and negative sides of getting yourself out of it.

Don't be a loser. Be a winner and take control of your life!

Chicken Gyros

I made these delish Chicken Gyros from Annie's Eats and figured I better share!

Source: annies-eats.net via Jennifer on Pinterest

For some reason I already had almost all of the ingredients for this meal so it was pretty inexpensive.  Make sure you read the directions carefully if you are planning to give it a try as it takes longer to prep than expected but it was worth it. 

My tips:  I didn't have any cheesecloth and honestly didn't know what it was (don't worry, I googled it so I know now) so I strained my plain yogurt for the sauce using a fine cheese grater over a bowl over night.  Worked perfectly.  I also marinated my chicken over night which made the chicken extra tasty.  I will probably make just the chicken again with those ingredients and serve it in pasta or with rice because the taste was so good.  Also, the sauce has a wonderful summery/cool taste and goes so well with the chicken but for some reason I ended up with lots of extras that I didn't need! So I suggest either making less sauce or more chicken.  up to you!

Good Luck :)

The Playmill

Seeing one of the besties, Alex Trost, in the Playmill this summer was definitely on the top of my "Summer Twenty-Eleven" to do list.  I had been looking forward to it since the day he called me and told me he had made the cast. He kept me updated through the entire process of the auditions and we knew that no matter what happened, it would simply be meant to be. 

Boy, were we right.  He was meant to be on that stage!

I decided to take one of the BFF's, Mandy (left), and even my niece (right) wanted to tag along so we made it a quick weekend trip. Here's us anxiously waiting outside for the doors to open: 



Don't worry, I had just shown them some of the moves they would be seeing in the play. ["We're All In This Together"--insert arm pump dance move X four] haha.

I had never been to the Playmill before but I knew that I was going to love it.  Sure, it was High School Musical AND Alex Trost, both of which I love dearly, but I would have loved the experience regardless.

So here you go--
Reasons for you to trip to the Playmill this summer:

1.) Look how cute the little building is!


2.) It's right in the heart of West Yellowstone, which, despite some of the clllaaassssy people there, is such a fun little town to visit :)  Lots of shops and cute places to eat with delish food. *Tip*--The chicken strips at the diner across the way (not sure what it's called but you walk into it and you basically feel like you are on the set of the movie 'Grease') were SO good.  We even had a nice chat with the super cute gent that works in one of the Men's fishing/hunting stores about a super hazy night he had Canada and something about the strength of Canadian beer.  haha? Like I said, classy but fun.

3.)  The cast is to die for.  No joke.  I honestly felt like I was instant friends with some of the cast even though I never met them. Maybe it's because I was so loud compared to everyone else in the audience and getting WAY into everything [we all know how much I get into movies, tv shows and celebs, right? Well, just picture it all going down live. haha].  Let's just say I was noticed by people in the room--guaranteed. 

4.) Let's not forget to mention that they were all so cute which added to the fun factor.  Sure, Troy wasn't Zac Efron but he was adorable.  Gabriella, Sharpay, and OMG.. Ms. Darbus--SO perfect for the role.  And honestly, my eyes were stuck to Alex's character Zeke.  So funny, and so perfect.  His little crush on Sharpay and his love for baking was adorable and he did such an amazing job doing it and making me believe the character as a whole.  Some of his lines, facial expressions and all of his vocals were like, WHOA.  I was dying laughing through most of it--blew me away! 


Here's me with the little Wildcat himself!  I couldn't be more happy for him and can tell that he couldn't be happier.  There's nothing better than that!

and 5.) They aren't just doing HSM this summer.  They are also doing 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' and 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'  If you want to read more about the shows or look at the schedule for the rest of the summer to plan a quick trip..click here! 

Oh, and if you go to one of the shows and you don't know Alex Trost, tell him I sent you.  He would love it and I would feel even more famous than I already do just for knowing the kid.  haha ;)

Even though I barely got to see Alex before and after the show, it was so worth going to support him and seeing all of the hard work that he's put into the Playmill this summer.  I'm planning on going again in August to see one of the other shows because well, it was THAT much fun.

Don't you just love it when your friends are super talented!?!

'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.' HP7P2. It ends tonight.

I won't say much about the fact that I'm actually thrilled that I didn't really lose or throw away my HP7P2 ticket for the midnight showing tonight like I thought I had.  At first I was mostly just ticked that I was out 9 bucks.  But alas, I'm going. yes.  It ends tonight.
Here are some trending HP pics on pinterest this week:

Source: musingsinfemininity.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Pretty sure if this photo could talk, it would be with a super hot accent.  Seriously.  Tom Felton [Draco]--got it going on.  Daaaaaaang.

Source: society6.com via Bethany on Pinterest

I thought this was pretty cool. However, there's a handful of the shapes I can't figure out what they are and where they come from.  Die hard Harry Potter fan?  I guess I'm not. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the movies.

If you can figure out all of these shapes then I will give you... actually no.  I won't give you anything...uhhh... STUPEFY !

Source: hpstuffs.tumblr.com via Cheryl on Pinterest

Love this one. Look how they've grown up! It's magical. 

Well, Muggles--Enjoy the movie! Or don't. whatever.

Peace and Blessings :)

Guidos, Guidettes and the embarrassing moment of the week.

I've been getting really excited for the guidos and guidettes of JS to come back into my life really soon.  I think my excitement has been reflected in some of my recent actions...

1.) Last week I mentioned on my fbook that I found a DJ mix in my car and I seriously reminisced about DJ Pauly D like he was my friend for a few minutes and I missed him. HA! 

Source: a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net via Jesselyn on Pinterest

hahahaha. He's my fave.

It get's worse...

2.) The other day I caught myself calling someone's behavior in their "relationship" disgusting and I'm pretty sure I said it with an jersey accent.  Umm, Sammi? [don't worry. I didn't add in the clapping and pointing.  At least, I don't think I did]

Last...

3.) Today can go down as my embarrasing moment of the week thus far...I have this wicked scratch on my leg that's kind of deep and my coworker told me I needed to put some medicine on it.  I should have just said, "No!  That will sting" and moved on with work but that wouldn't be the "Jenn" thing to do. No way.  Instead, I lift my leg up [in a shorter dress mind you] and put it on her desk (for dramatic effect) and said..."Um. No.  It's not that bad!"

Well, right as those words came out of my mouth, I looked down the isle to my right where all other cubes are and noticed that there were three extrememly good looking younger guys that I've never seen before at FC sitting in the isle working on computers and happened to look over at that exact moment 

*insert embarassed emotions, light blushing and the desire to say something extremely inappropriate.*

SAY WHHHATT?!  How did they see me for the first time ever?  Half flashing them and saying something that could and was most likely taken in the wrong way given my stance. Awesome. Real awesome.

My instant held back reaction?  Yelling, "Kooka" and shrugging it off like nbd. hahaha. of course.  Like I said, I held back.

But as my friend Nieko said in reference to JS: the whole thing used to be a guilty pleasure but now I just love it.

I think I just confirmed that love for it and all its ridiculousness.  So, for my blog readers and JS fans--You are cordially invited to an Italian party on August 4th at my place for the premier.  No joke.

Dreams are weird.

Aren't dreams funny?

Dreams where you wake up and question your sanity. for real.

Dreams where you jolt yourself awake and possibly scream because you are so scared or were running or falling..weird.

Dreams where you wake up in a pile of drool because you are salivating over Rum? yeah, it happened.  Note--I didn't drink it for realzies  Calm down.

Dreams where you literally have to splash water on your face or pinch yourself so you know that you are truely awake and that it was just a dream.

Dreams where you never want to wake up because it is so wonderful.

Dreams that are so funny that you will never forget it because it's THAT ridiculous.

Dreams that are so creepy that you never want to go to sleep again but you finally fall asleep after praying for an hour for "good dreams" (please don't tell me I'm the only one who has done that)

Source: keesha.be via TaHe on Pinterest

(what a good idea to do this when you can actually remember your dreams! cute )

What about the kind where you are shown an alternative ending to something in your life that is/was real?

Do you know the kind i'm talking about?  It's almost like a reading into the future according to if you would have handled your real life situation differently...

I just had one of these last night and it really freaked me out.  The storyline of the dream started out just like a real life situation from last week--Me.  A couple of friends.  Our immagination/humor/sheer talent running wild and an ending confirmation that we were good people.  Except this dream had an alternate ending.  We weren't good people at all.  In fact, someone in the dream called us heartless! Say whatt?

I woke up from the dream horrified.  What if I would have tried to get away with something like I know I could have?  Would my dream have come to pass?

idk.

Let's just say it all felt super real and after that dream there are certain people that I question trusting and others who I wonder will honestly ever talk to me again....

But then I remind myself that it wasn't real :)

I guess we can learn lessons from our dreams too [like making plans on to how avoid getting yourself into trouble..haha.] Does that mean that it's us teaching ourselves while we are asleep? Whoa. The brain is weird.

Jacqueline, this one's for you!

One of my friends and readers, Jacqueline, let me know a couple of weeks ago that her and her madre tried making the homemade Samoa's I posed a while back. [So proud:)]  They had the same problems that I did. Although, super good, that recipe takes a ton of time and dipping the bottoms in chocolate was painful and had not so pretty results.

LOOK what I found today:

Source: sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com via Adrianna on Pinterest

Samoa Brownies! From "Six Sister's Stuff." I found their blog today and love it. Lots of great recipes and great ideas!

We just love us some coconut.. and guess what?  You don't have to do any chocolate dipping.  Just drizzling.  I think we'll have to give them a try :)