Christmas & New Year combo post.

Christmas this year was an interesting one.  Being the only child who isn't married, I'm the only one who doesn't have to worry about switching holidays with in laws and all that crap.  While, I'm sure my parents love having me home, I bet they secretly wish I would magically get hot and appealing to the opposite sex and get married.  Even if that meant that they had to spend one Christmas morning without any of their kids..  Well, I don't think they are holding their breath yet.  I'm just waiting for myself to get motivated to get out of this fat and awkward stage I've been in for the last 20 years ( I think it was 6 that it started.. I'll have to go back and look at pictures). I'm not complaining.  In fact, I'm laughing pretty hard about it because I'm picturing my baptism picture when I was 8 years old.  My lack of athleticism was starting to show but I started to overcompensate with my bubbly personality.  That picture was the start of it all. hahahaha. If I find the picture I'll post it so I can show you.  Mom Dad, don't worry, I'll get there!  Well, I'm sure I will always be awkward but I'm cool, so I feel like that will balance itself out eventually.  In the meantime, I'm just really glad that I was able to be home with my mom and dad for Christmas (even if it means I'm single and have to go to the home ward where people younger than me are married and have two or three kids.  I'll take it!  Plus, it means I get more presents.  BOOM!)

I decided to take the whole week off because my Dad had to work his long campaign shifts once again and I didn't want my mom to be alone.  I have to give props to my dad for a second.  My dad has worked at his job for 30+ years.  Same job, same campaign season every year ( Campaign is October-February-ish where he gets this crazy schedule that has him alternate between 12 hour day shifts and 12 hour night shifts and can't take extra days off outside of his schedule.  Holidays are no exception.)    Boy would that drive me nuts.  It messes up your sleep schedule and basically it gets to the point where I'm sure you feel like you only sleep and work.  Looking back now, I can't remember him complaining at all growing up.  I'm sure it's because we weren't old enough to really understand even if he did complain.  And we probably just never asked how work was.  We had no concept of money or hard work.  I feel bad about that now, but I was only a child so I will forgive myself and forgive my future children in advance.  

The only time I ever really noticed his weird schedule was during Christmas when he'd have to work the night shift.  Cole and Jaym and I could never sleep on Christmas Eve night because we were so excited.  We had a rule that we couldn't go out into the living room and we couldn't go and look at the tree to see what Santa brought until Dad got home at 7:30 am on Christmas morning.  I vividly remember a couple of years running across the living room without peeking and waiting in Mom and Dad's room with the door closed until dad got home or waiting in the hall by the heat vent until he got home.  Dad never complained about opening gifts right when he got home even though I'm sure he was so tired.  I'm writing this all down now because now that I'm in my mid twenties (I think 26 is still mid? well, I'm saying it is) I've realized how hard my dad works for us and how much he (and my mom) would do anything for us.  Even this year Cole and Kier got home at 3am the day after Christmas and we all woke up at 7:30 am so we could open gifts before Dad went to bed.  He didn't complain.

I have great parents.

The good news is that Dad is retiring at the end of May so we won't have to deal with another campaign season again!  I'm so excited about that and I know he is too.  He has senioritis right now.  He's already counting down the days until he's out of there.  I'm so happy for him!  

Back to being the only child that's not married.. this year Cole and Kier were on the off season and spent the holiday with her family and then Jamie and her family stayed in DC.  Since dad worked and we had our Hansen family dinner the day before Christmas eve this year, mom and I just stayed home Christmas eve night.  We watched a Hallmark movie with Grandma and then came home and watched Insidious 2 (I was pretty much done with Christmas movies at that point).  I think when you get older, and don't have a lot of family around, or kids around, Christmas isn't magical, but it's still great when you sit back and appreciate the people you do have around you and the true meaning of Christmas--Love.  I love my Savior! I love my family! I'm so grateful for everything I have.  But this year I mostly can't get over how grateful I am for my parents. 

 Mom kept telling me all week that she kept having this premonition that she wasn't going to be here next Christmas.  Of course I told her that she was being ridiculous, but on my drive home yesterday I kept getting taken back by what she said and may or may not have ugly cried all the way from home to Boise..  What if mom wasn't around next Christmas?  I'm going to bet and say that she will still be here but it's true that you really never know when it will be someones time to go.  I should have been happier this break.  I was happy but I didn't really do a good job of making each day count.  In fact, I spent a lot of time on the couch watching movies and googling random fact that don't matter. (For example--does the "Man with half a body" have private parts?  I'll save you time.  He does.  Mom and Kier and I even started watching the documentary on Netflix because we were THAT curious.  I still feel like I need to see pictures to prove it.  But I'll take his fiance's word for it.) I'm a little upset that I wasted a lot of time this break where I could have made some better memories with the people I love the most.. uhh..I'm going to wrap this section up before I start ugly crying again but since tomorrow is the last day of 2013, I want to just make a simple resolution for this year.  There won't be anyway to really judge it, but I just want to try to live more in the moment and make my days count.  

Normally this would be where I compile this long post about all of the things I did and learned in 2013 but I don't want to go into too many details because this post is already longer than I planned on it being.  I know what happened this year and if you read my blog or have been a part of my life at all this year then you know that it wasn't a super exciting year.  I will just say this: 2013 was hard.  I've learned a lot, made some mistakes, spent a lot of time praying and fixing them, went through the temple :), figured out that I'm way too hard on myself,  moved again (still in Layton), and wasted a lot of time (Yes, I had some pretty good times too).  I'm not going to beat myself up about it.  I just want to try to do better.  That's the exciting part about the start of a new year.  We get to try and no one can really judge us for changing or being weird all of a sudden (because admit it, sometimes people go a little extreme with this New Years stuff).  Somethings we won't see coming in the new year and we might not have any control over some of it, but we can pick ourselves up when we fall, we can try harder to put our phones down and be more in the moment when we are with people we love and care about.  So, yet again, here's to trying harder..and praying that mom isn't like Sandra Bullock in that one premonition movie. 


The end.

Happy New Year :)

Something new...

Oh hi, it's me, Jenn.  Betcha thought I'd given up on the old blog, huh?!  While parts of me has considered calling it quits, there is this one part of me that always comes back to it every so often and has a desire to keep it going.  In fact, I want to get better at it again but I just never make time for it and mostly I just never feel creative enough anymore. I've written draft posts multiple times this month but I always end up deleting them. Same old story I've had this entire year.  

Isn't that pathetic?  Not enough time?! HA!  I'm laughing at myself about that.  I could see if I had a boyfriend or was working on a project, going back to school or was involved in some after work hobby or service thing.  I'm not.  The truth is.. I have plenty of time. ESPECIALLY since I don't have cable anymore and I cut out more than half of my shows including almost all things "reality."  Yes, that means I'm officially over the Kardashians..  
Oh and I stopped following pretty much every celebrity on Instagram and find out things about them way late when I happen to stumble across some kind of news on Facebook or something.  Funny thing is that I used to be so invested in these people that I'd never meet.  I don't feel super lame about it, though, because I feel like a lot of us do that.  We get sucked into news that doesn't matter and situations that don't matter... But I can honestly say that I don't care anymore.  Seem like a ridiculous thing but I'm actually proud of it. Don't judge.

As I've thought about "time" and as I've reflected on my life this week about this last year and where I'm at, it's left me thinking about how I need to get up, get out and do someone new and exciting! I haven't quite figured out what that is yet but as most human beings, we always end up feeling this way at this time of the year.  We get in a rut and we choose to just keep things going the way they are going because they aren't "bad" really... they're just comfortable. I need to pull it together.

I'm not going to go crazy and learn how to play an instrument or something like that because we all know that wouldn't be my thing.  I'm not coordinated.  I couldn't even do the drums on Rock Band back in the day because it required using my feet and hands.  It's bad.  So I'll do what I always do and I'll just figure it out.  I just need something that really pushes me and gets me out of my head a little bit.  I'll figure it out.

For now, I'm just going to pray that I make it home for Christmas.  Curse you, SNOW!!!!!

Wednesday

Since I haven't posted for a while, and since it's Wednesday I figured I better do a post.  I found a couple of random quotes that I've written down in my phone over the last two weeks so here you go:

"Car for Christmas." -Mason telling me what he wants Santa to bring him
"Maybe when you're 16 you can get a car for Christmas." -Jamie

.....10 minutes or so later.

"Mason, are you a kid?" -Me
"I Sixteen." -Mason
hahahaha He's so smart.  

Dear Mason's Santa: I too am over 16 and would like a car.  Love, Jenn. Thanks!

"The white haired girls are taking us on a walk."
-Myles, my cousin Luke's little 5 year old, telling all the grown ups where he was going
Kids just tell it like it is.  They aren't afraid to ask questions and they don't have a filter.  I loved that he called Kier and I the "white haired girls." I guess it's true.  We both did just get our hair colored... So it's like, Thanks for saying we look fake? Whatever, kid. haha  I'll take it over the other things he was saying to us when he first started talking to us.  He was confused that we were girls at first and kept referring to us as "him," He asked if Kier and I kiss, and he kept calling Kiersten Lori. (Funniest name for Kier EVER). I finally found it all funny after Kier reminded me that little kids get confused over "him, her, she and he."  I'm not going to lie, after I was called "him" for the third time, my feelings were hurt for a second....haha. Kids are funny.  

But for the record, MYLES.. I'm a girl, Kier and I don't kiss, I have blonde hair, and I too would like to start calling Kiersten by the name of Lori.

The end.

"How old are you?  Do you have a boyfriend? Why don't you have kids?"
-My cousin's kids at Thanksgiving Dinner
I didn't love having to explain my whole life to all the kids ranging from 5-12ish.  Adults have just learned to not ask.  These kids, however, were just so confused as to why I wasn't married and didn't have any kids after I explained that I was 25 (turning 26 the next day.  ((for some reason telling them that I was 26 the next day made me want to hurl.  They were giving me the third degree on my age and my lack of love life and children. Thank goodness I wasn't officially 26 yet.)) The best was when they asked about where I lived and I told them that I lived in Utah with one of my friends who is a girl.  They had never heard of such a thing.  And when I told them I had a spare bedroom they suggested I turn it into a toy room.  I reminded them that I didn't have kids and that started the process all over again.  I finally was able to change the subject by letting them download a game on my phone.  

It was kind of my nightmare.

"I love that hutch!"
-Me about my Aunt Cindy's adorable hutch
"You like the hutch.  You should love people not things."
-Grandma Hansen
Obviously Thanksgiving wasn't my day.  I was being bullied left and right.  I did find this one funny though.  My little grandma was so serious so I laughed and said, "Well, no.  I love people and I love that hutch." haha oh Grandma.  I love her.. but I also love things.  Sue me.  But for the record, I would choose people over things of course.  I'm not heartless.


"Are you going to cry?"
-Nieko after everyone sang Happy birthday to me over the phone.
"haha no." -Me
"Why, wasn't that touching?" 
-Nieko
He knows I get choked up over the most random things so he just assumed that would make me cry.  He's right though.. it was touching.  

Happy 26th birthday to me from my younger, friends! awwwww yeaaaaaah.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner...

Today at church the new first counselor in the Bishopric talked about how we all go through hard times and that it's easy to let our guard down, give into temptations, and let ourselves be sad and hard on ourselves.  I love the simple advice he gave us which was to "always look for the good."  This isn't anything new but I know I forget to look for the good in situations and in people more times than I'd like to admit.  With Thanksgiving right around the corner I gave myself a lot of time today to reflect about all of the good things in my life that I am eternally grateful for.  I could sit and list them all but that would take a really long time to type so I won't.

What I will say is that I don't know how I got so lucky with this great life that I have.  This year has been one of the toughest years of my life and I'm sure there will be harder ones down the road, but I am so thankful for the people in my life who continue to lift me up, opened my eyes, and help me become a better person.  I'm especially grateful for the trials and hard times that I've gone through this year and in my life in general because through them I've realized how much my Heavenly Father loves me, how much I love Him, and that he truly does have a plan for me.  I don't know what that plan is, and I sometimes forget that He thinks I'm special but I refuse to give up figuring out who I'm meant to be and the great things that I'm meant to do and become.

All material things aside (because I'm also overwhelmed with all of the things that I have in general) I'm above all most thankful for this life that I have.  The fact that we're here on this beautiful Earth experiencing everything that we get to experience is pretty amazing.  We have bodies. Complex, weird and amazing bodies! We get to feel happiness, heartbreak, pain, joy and  LOVE..and probably the most fabulous part of it all is that we get to make our own choices!

Like I said before, hard times come in life and I know I let myself get down and negative sometimes but I always end up reminding myself at the end of the day about how lucky I am to even be here and for the life that I have.  We just  have to always keep looking for the good.

 I send my thanks to my Heavenly Father and My Savior Jesus Christ.  All good things come from them.  My life, my family, my friends...everything.  I am me because of their love and sacrifice.  They are the root of ALL of my happiness.  What more could I be thankful for?

Happy Early Thanksgiving :)

Wednesday (long explanation edition)

"A radio station is coming tomorrow [to the rink] and you can enter to win Michael Buble' tickets and I kind of want to win them."
-Nieko
If you know these guys like I do then we probably also would be a little shocked that they love Michael Buble.  I guess it started last year when his songs would play every hour on the hour while they were working at the rink.  Nieko and I had a whole text conversation about Michael Buble, wanting to go to his concert, quoting some of the lyrics and how he was (and I quote) "their nigga." 

omg. I can't.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! I'm so happy! I feel like I just got told I'm going to Disney World." *insert cutest tears of joy
-Kier after getting her early Half Birthday Surprise from Cole on Friday night.

Back story to all of this is that Kiersten loves Relient K.  Who knew? I didn't until last week.  Well anyways, apparently she found out that they were coming to SLC with Motion City Soundtrack so she tried to get tickets. {I'm surprised they still do concerts. They old.}  I'm not sure what happened but she thought they were sold out or something.  So flash forward a little bit to last Friday when Cole realized there were some tickets available so he bought them.  Since her half birthday isn't until the day after my birthday and we will be in Idaho and the concert is THIS friday (as in two days away) he decided he was going to give them to her that night on our way to shopping and the movies.  

He played Relient K the entire way to Farmington in my car.  We were singing and I was asking questions about them ( she didn't think anything of it) and she spilled about how much she loved them and how she's seen them a whole bunch of times but LOVES them.  Finally as we were pulling into the Nordstrom Rack he said that he had her Half Birthday present early and that she should guess what it was.  She had no clue.  Finally he was like "it's something that's next week." Still.. no clue.  So finally I just turned up the radio really loud since Relient K was still playing.. her eyes got huge and she screamed all of these things above and was literally CRYING. She was so excited.  It really was like she was told he was going to Disney World.. or won the lottery.  I wish I would have gotten it on video.  I was dying laughing.  She loves them.. but I also feel like she just really likes surprises.  haha Good job, brother :) 

"On a scale of one to Sherri Dew, how single are you at this very moment."
-Mandy
Is this not the funniest thing you've heard all day? (not the fact that she was asking if I was single because clearly I always am.  Ok..ok, that part is hilarious too) If you're not LDS then the joke is that Sherri Dew is this successful older lady in our Church who never got married.  The end. I was DYING laughing.  Not at Ms. Dew's expense of course.  That would just be rude.

Anyways, Mandy somehow got this bright idea that I should meet up with this friend of hers and go on a "friend date."  She was pushing it so hard that day because she thought it was just the  best idea she's ever had.  I of course told her how I don't date.. not that I don't want to but that I just..haven't really. All things that she already knows about me. She went on to tell me that we should just be friends because we'd really get along.  haha she's funny.  She even gave him the link to this blog.  Hopefully he doesn't read this and realize how strange I am.  (Hey dude, if you're reading this..."heyyyyy." hahaha. jk. That was awkward. Can't.Stop.Laughing.)  oh my life.  To make matters worse, I even was Facebook Stalking him on my phone because she told me too and I guess I accidentally added him on Facebook.  It was a nightmare.  Good thing I only cared for like 5 seconds and then got over that real fast.  Whatever!

me=sherri dew status 4 liiiiiiiiife. what?whaaaaaaatt?

jk, mom! If only I could be as spiritual and successful as her ;)

"Ohhh!!! This is the new Batman Trailer!" -Sam
"Not it's not." -me
"Yeah Huh! Keanu Reeves is the new Batman." -Sam
"..No.  Ben Affleck is.  BAHAHA You were sooo wrong." -Me
He was a little hyper that night during the movie.  He knows that one of my biggest pet peeves is when people ask questions during movies that you don't know the answer too.. Luckily he got all of his talking out during the previews.  He was just so sure that Keanu was the new Batman.  First of all, in my book, that would be the worst thing to happen since "Heroes" and "My Life as Liz" just never came back to TV and they left us hanging.  Horrible.  Just like Keanu Reeves is HORRIBLE.  Not as horrible as Nicholas Cage, but I digress.

Sorry to point it out Sam, but you we were so wrong.

What he wasn't wrong about was when he told me that his last inch of his Slim Jim "jerky" looked like a "dried up umbilical chord."  He was right.  It was disgusting. 


"I'm a high up, high salary OR doctor."
-Doctor Douche Bag
I had the worst/most entertaining phone call come in yesterday to work.  Long story short since I'm on the government team at work and with all the stuff that's been going on we've been having a lot of seminars cancel and reschedule for later.  Apparently Dr. DB was too busy "saving lives" and "preforming intense surgeries" that he didn't check his email to see that his course was cancelled.  He gave me an earful about how much money he makes and the time he wasted trying to get to a seminar that was canceled.  He even at one point said he had to show up to work in his "street clothes" and it was embarrassing.  I of course was super nice and apologetic even though it wasn't my fault but I just couldn't even take how rude this guy was.  Out of 30 people he was the only one to show up.. hmmm.. sounds like a personal issue.  The fact of the matter is that, yes, it sucks that he had a "hellish day."  But I don't understand how anyone can be so rude.  Like telling me how much money you make? Do you really think that's going to make me feel bad for you?  Check yourself. I don't care.  You could work at a Fast Food restaurant and I would still feel bad that you had a horrible day and had to change things around with your schedule.  That stinks.  But don't blame me or act that you're better than anyone else because you make a ton of money and you're a doctor.

Newsflash to ANYONE who thinks they are better than everyone.. You're not.  And people you know probably call you a douche behind your back.

Just sayin ;)

The Low Down

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately of what I should update about.  Lately I've been going back and reading old posts and I’m reminded about how much I love that I occasionally write stuff down.  I can just go back and see exactly what I was doing two years ago and how much I’ve grown (or haven’t grown)..it’s great!

Let me just give you a little update (at random) of what's been going on, what I love, what I'm looking forward too, and probably what I hate :

I’m loving that it’s already the holiday season. I feel like that's the only thing on my mind right now.  The holiday season, shopping, days off from work,how much I'm dreading drying in the snow, Parenthood (my recent series relapse) and my birthday.  Such a magical time!

I hate that Jamie and her family won’t be here for Christmas and that I will miss Mason see Santa.  I was there both of the other times and it was the cutest thing.  Of course I'm going to miss the year when he actually gets it and loves Santa.  Right now he points to things that he wants and says “Santa does” meaning that he really wants Santa to bring him that toy.  We’ve started doing that here in Utah too.  For example, every new Home Décor item from Target? “Santa DOES!”.... but really. Kier would agree with me.

I’ve come to terms that I’m turning 26 and I actually don’t feel too bad about it. Honestly, the only thing I hate is that I will no longer have double insurance.  I mostly just hate it because my dental will probably suck now.  I’ve been really luck the last two years, though.  I’ve had a million things wrong with my teeth and haven’t had to pay anything out of pocket.  Blessings.  I just hope it’s all in check now like the doc says.  If not, I’d contemplating pulling them all out and getting dentures like my old coworker Jim at Rocky Mountain Fireworks and Fur Co.  I would totally play it off cool like he did too. Like, gum-it while talking to random strangers and drinking my liquor from my “coffee mug.” Ok, ok. Minus the liquor part.  But I feel like it would be a good time.  I just wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror.  OK, yeah let’s just pray the dentist got it under control like he says.

Cole, Kier and I get to head home in 9 days to spend Thanksgiving with the family. The only good thing about Cole’s birthday falling on Thanksgiving and mine on Black Friday is that I get to do whatever I want on those days and get paid for it .  I do love that.  It will be a little weird this year though because our Aunt and Uncle will be here from California and we’re eating Thanksgiving dinner (lunch actually because we all know that all the sales start at 6:00 pm Thanksgiving night this year) over at my Uncle Gary and Aunt Cindy’s house with all of their kids and grand kids.  I love them the most and It will be great but there will always just be something about having Thanksgiving at Grandma’s house that I will miss.  We haven’t really followed tradition as much on either side of the family for the Holiday’s since both of my grandpas passed away.  I guess it’s also because people have grown up, moved away, and had a crap ton of kids too… and then there’s me.  Single me. ( Haha.  Classic.)  We make it work.  I guess the important thing is that you get to spend time with people you love and I do love our family.  I’m just glad that I get to be grandma’s helping to make the stuffing.. That’s always been my job and always will be!  I just need to do a better job of paying special attention to little details. Grandma is healthy and takes good care of herself but you just never know when a holiday will be the last one to spend with any loved one.  I need to document it better because it will always be one of my top favorite memories of my Grandma Hansen!

I’m pretty much already done with my Christmas shopping. You can applaud me if you want.  I guess that’s just one of the best parts of having a smaller family.. Christmas shopping is a breeze!  I do have to ship pretty much all of it to Maryland (BOOOO. jk Jamie) so it's a good thing that I got a jump start on the holiday shopping anyways.  Boy, I just wish we could all be together.  But we can’t and it’s OK.  Maybe next year.   This will be the first year that it’s just me  and the folks on Christmas morning.  That will be a little weird but I think we’re going to do half of it when Cole and Kier get there the day or two after Christmas.  It will be good! I’m just glad everyone’s time off is working for the holiday’s so they can come home for Thanksgiving AND Christmas!  I'm really just getting excited for some times off from work and to be able to spend time with some of my family.

It snowed on Saturday and Cole and I decided to get up and go to Breakfast and do some Christmas shopping. I'm not a fan of snow but it did start making it feel like the holidays while we were out shopping.  Oh, I love that brother of mine.  We had a couple of tender moments this week where we reflected living together for two years and how even though times were hard for both of us, that we wouldn't change the time that we had together for anything.  It was precious.  Honestly, the older I get the more I appreciate my siblings and how close we are and the time we get to spend together.  Even though Cole is married now, he still makes time for me and I really appreciate that.  He's grown up so much and I love him dearly.  I don't know how my parents did it but they did a good job of raising us all to be best friends.  I always complained about being the middle child growing up but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm right smack dab in the middle and have been able to get closer to each of them at different parts my life.  

Jamie and Cole--I love you!

Oh, and remember when Mason was a Turkey for Halloween last year?! Here's a pic to get you in the spirit and mood for next week:

gobble, gobble!

Wednesday

"Mason, is that another little ship to go with your big one?" 
-me
"This a boat, tha(t)'s a ship." *insert look of disgust 
-Mason

The kid is two and he totally schooled me.  This happened at the end of last week and I'm still laughing about it.  I knew it was a boat but I didn't know that the precious two year old knew the difference between a boat and a ship.  News flash to Auntie.. he does.  

He's so smart.  In fact he called my all by himself on Facetime with the iPad yesterday morning.  Normally when he accidentally calls me he ends up hanging up before he even connects.. but this morning he called me, waited for it to connect, talked to me and hung up after we exchanged "i love you's" and "goodbyes."  He's getting so big.. I could cry.  I asked Jamie about it later and she said she had no clue that he called and talked to me. 
 He had his cute mickey mouse headphones on so she couldn't hear it.  As if knowing the difference between a boat and a ship wasn't enough, Jamie said that he knows what my name looks like and will pick it when they are ready to facetime me.  That kid.  Smarter than me at the age of 2.  Jamie, we're in for some trouble!

"I just don't love that they think but can't talk."
-Me to Jamie about dogs
"You would think that because you're creepy and you think way too deep into things." 
-Jamie
I'm not going to even argue with her.  I do think way deep into things that don't really matter.  I can't help the way that my brain thinks!  But you think about that and tell me that it doesn't weird you out that animals can think and have feelings but they can't talk. It's weird to me.  Creeps me out a little actually.

"I can't do this anymore..."
-Easton who apparently was just really tired
By the way he was saying this over and over again you would think that he was just really hating his life and was inches away from ending it.  But nope, he was just tired and didn't want to get up off of my comfortable floor.  My floor isn't comfortable, he was just overly tired.

..and everyone used to call me the dramatic one.  HA!

"I just now realized that nuns were Catholic."
-Amanda while watching Sound of Music
haha.  The best.  I have to give it to her that she realized it when she saw the Pope in the movie.  So at least she got the right church when she saw the pope.  10 points for my roommate :) 

P.s. 4 things I've realized about that movie now that I'm older:

1.) I actually understand why they were running away. I kind of got it before.. I mean, they were running away from something bad but I just never understood the whole "Captain not wanting to be a Nazi thing." Makes a lot more sense now. hahaha.
2.) Ralph is still a douche.
3.) Frederick is the ultimate creeper. 
4.) That one scene where that mother Nun sings a solo is still boring.  We FF'ed through that fo sho!  Some things never change.

"What's in that cup of yours?"
-Coworker
This isn't the first time people at work have asked me that question. I'm not even that crazy at work as I can be outside of work, I just sometimes like to dance when I'm walking through the call center part of our building.  Someone has to give people a reason to smile at work!  I'm just glad that person is me... Even if they think I'm drinking on the job.  I'm just a fun person and like to have a good time.  Sue me.

"I hate the dentist"
"Did you know that cavities are contagious?"
"Officially a Hansen"
-Kier via three different snap chats all in one afternoon
I told my mom about these and she died laughing.  Of course we're not laughing that she had a cavity.. that would be rude.  But it's so typical.  Hansen's have bad teeth.  That's just the way that it is.  I'm pretty sure I take the crown in bad teeth though (pun intended).  But Kier, welcome to the family.  

Oh yeah, I totally heard once that if you have bad teeth or cavities you aren't supposed to kiss your babies and stuff so that you don't curse them with your bad teeth.  Luckily I officially have mine all in check.. for now!  Actually (LOL) my dentist said that my teeth look a million times better than they did when we first started our expensive journey 2 years ago.  All I have to say is God Bless Double Insurance!... for two more weeks.  

omg, I'm turning 26. WAHHHHHHH. :( 

"You just have to penetrate all the different groups in the ward...silly mormons and their 'groups'." 
-Random girl in the ward to Amanda and I
I think out of all of things someone has told me in a new ward, this is by far my favorite quote.  I instantly looked at Amanda as she walked away and quoted the movie, "Pitch Perfect."  ("Noooooot a good enough excuse to use the word penetrate.") 

I mean, really.. was it necessary to use the word penetrate?

never.  Never ever.  

Halloween- For you, Julie :)

I recently got a comment letting me know that I had totally forgotten to post about Halloween!  I'm not sure how I forgot to do that for the following reasons:

1.) I love everything Halloween/October.

2.) It's my favorite Holiday.

3.) We had a super cute party.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who can't believe how fast this October flew by?  Normally I go to a haunted house every weekend and watch lots of scary movies but I just didn't really have the time this year.  I will blame the mid month move this time and the fact that I no longer have TV.  But really, that move took a big chunk out of what I would have liked to do this fall.  I will be sure to note that I don't love moving in October.  If this old brain forgets, someone please remind me. -Thanks.

This year I decided that I wanted to dress up as a Fortune Teller.  It kind of turned into me just being a gypsy but I loved the costume.  I had one guy at work tell me that the gypsy look just really suits me.  I'm really not sure what that means, but I'll take it.  It was fun!  I even googled how to read people's palms because the idea of getting Tarot Cards from the internet got shut down with my mom called me by this one girl's name who in Young Women's brought Tarot Cards and Black nail polish to Girl's Camp and everyone thought it was the biggest deal.  Adult me would have dug it.  Twelve year old me thought she was the spawn of Satan.  Anyways, I didn't buy the Tarot Cards so the fake palm reading just had to do!  

We dressed up for work and as the self appointed holiday party planner for our team at work, I decided to put together a little Halloween Party like we've done for the past couple of years.  

Here are pics of my costume and this really good picture I took of my new coworker, Tessa who KILLED it as Cruella Deville:

I'm so glad I decided to take the next day off of work so that Kier, Cole and I could prepare for our Halloween party that night.  I decided to stay the night with Kier while Cole was at work and they took me to this neighborhood haunted house a few minutes away from their place.  This guy who did this is honestly my hero.  He sets up this little haunted house in their huge backyard and has preteen boys from the area work in it for the few days before Halloween then let's people from the neighborhood just get to go for free (I gave a $3 donation). haha.  Seriously the best.  Sure, it's probably meant to scare children but I got scared.  Who wouldn't get scared from a creepy 12 year old with a chainsaw?!  Real or fake, that's a nightmare.  It was a good time! 

The next morning we got up and started shopping for our party.  Note to everyone out there...people hit up the 50% off Halloween stuff really early.  

1.)Don't bother with the Halloween stores until the end because they only give 30% off. However, this might be the only place you will find the good spider webs! I also got this huge caldron for 9 bucks which we used for our homemade rootbeer and it was seriously one of my favorite purchases!

2.) Hit Walmart for $2 pumpkins that will last til Thanksgiving. But we must have just gotten there later because there wasn't too many other things.  Except for our "Happy Hallo-Weiner" and "I'm here for the boos" napkins which I loved.

3.) ALWAYS HIT UP TARGET FIRST!

But really, Target saved our lives.  They had everything 50% off and had a lot of good stuff leftover.  I think most people think of Walmart because it's usually cheaper, but Target is always a good choice, I feel.. I got a fog machine for $15 bucks! They had so many decorations.  So just note that for next year--Target saves lives.

We decorated the house for the rest of the day after going to multiple stores to get all the things we needed.  At the end of the day, it was so worth it.  Everything turned out great.  Sure, it helped that their house was built in 1855 and came with entertainment, namely a creepy old cellar that Cole decided to hide in to scare our guests, including myself.  All in all it was a good night filled with friends, scares and too much junk food.  And my friends, that is why I'm on day 5 without any sugar/treats ect.. until my birthday!

pray for me. haha

Here are some pictures from the party :)  

Laundry room turned into the food area :)

The outside covered in fake webs

Willie from Duck Dynasty and the Dead Dear that Cole hit with his car this past summer :)

Don't mind the spirit on the far left next to Justin. haha nightmare.

Birthday boy with his 5 lb chocolate bar from us Hansen's.  Oink Oink ;)

Also, since it's Thursday and it's my blog and I can do what I want, let's throw back to last Halloween when Nieko had a broken wrist, Jess came down from Logan, her friend out-treed Kier, I was a cat, Willy looked drunk but wasn't, some girl we didn't really know kept jumping into our pictures, and Liz was a creep :) 

Quick Wednesday quote round up

"Why are you calling yourself 'Jennifer?' Your name is Jenn."
-Jamie
I don't know why but I just have this thing where I introduce myself to people as "Jennifer."  Along with that, I also usually answer my work phone saying "FranklinCovey, This is Jennifer!"  Apparently Jamie doesn't like it.  Actually, multiple people have asked why I introduce myself as Jennifer because they just know me as "Jenn" I guess.  I've thought a lot about this and I do it because my name is actually Jennifer.

I guess I just have an internal conflict with my name.  Jennifer is more professional but impersonal, I feel and Jenn seems really casual sometimes. Then there is Jenny that I used to only let Grandpa Stump get away with calling me but Nieko and Kier call me that now occasionally and I've just gotten used to it.  ugh. WHY DO I HAVE SO MANY NAMES?! WHO AM I? 

jk. that's dramatic.  I guess I will stick with this rule: I am "Jennifer" to those I just meet, "Jenn" to friends and family and other people I like...

Actually call me whatever you want, I don't feel like a Jenn or a Jennifer anyways. 

Names are weird. 

The end.

"Did you know that I function at optimal levels with minimal sleep?"
-Easton
Last sunday Easton came over and he was the funniest, most hyper boy. We've figured out that he only gets like that when he's super sleepy.  I wish he was like this more often because he just says the most random things.  At one point of the night he just looked at me in the most serious face after going off on some other topic and said this ^^.  He was serious.  

Don't worry, I asked him if he was on drugs.  He was not.

"I love your watch! Is that Michael Kors?!" 
-Worker at Bath and Body Works at the check out stand
"HA! no. I legit got this for 15 bucks on veryjane.com." -Me
I didn't mean to laugh in her face.  I love that she thought my cheap gold watch was expensive.  I sometimes just talk without thinking.  But really?  I was dressed so slummy that night because my only mission was to get in and out of the mall without being noticed and purchase new holiday soaps and lotions because I was out.  I was half way between homeless and business casual.  Do you think I would be wearing a Michael Kors watch? I don't think so. 

I should have just lied. 

"I don't ever remember hugging my brother, Dan." 
-Amanda
"My mom says she doesn't have to tell us she loves us because we already know." 
-Nieko
While having a conversation about hugging with Amanda and Nieko I realized that my family is a really lovey, touchy-feely kind of family.  We just always hug, kiss, and say "I love you" whenever we are around each other or talking to each other. I have nothing against families who don't ever do that, my family is just opposite. I was dying when Nieko and Amanda were telling me all about it.  I know their parents and families love each other just as much as mine does but it's just funny how people are raised differently and how some people just don't have to be told that someone loves them or be hugged to be comforted or to feel loved.  

I guess I don't have to be hugged to know that someone cares, but I do love it.  I will agree that hugging is kind of a weird thing if you really sit and think about it, but it is a good feeling.  It's like, "Hey, you're awesome-- Let's embrace as we greet or part ways" hahahahah. OK, it's equal parts weird and fun, I feel.  Just don't nuzzle my neck or embrace for too long.  Then it just gets weird.

....Oh last weekend and all the hugging.  lol

I spent a good portion of the rest of that night trying to get Nieko to agree to hugging his mom and his brother for his birthday next week.  He said no.


"I got bored and googled, "Jennifer Hansen, Zac Efron."
-Rob, coworker
The best/sad part was that my "gorgeous" pinterest board of guys that I will never have or meet pulled up as the first result.  I just laughed but really I was a little embarrassed at first.  Am I obsessive? I don't think so.  I just really appreciate good looking human beings, namely Zac Efron and other hot celebs with facial hair.  I don't think there is anything wrong with that.  You try and find an awesome girl who hasn't pinned a picture or two {or 20} of their celeb crush or other hot Hollywood men, and then we can talk about it.

I think the best was that he randomly googled me and told me about it.  I stalk people on FIT (facebook, instagram, twitter) all the time, but I don't tell them about it. I keep that crap to myself and other people I gossip with... Wow, I'm horrible.

But honest ;) 
whatever.

"Why haven't you blogged in one hundred years? I NEED your blog." -Jamie
"I just want my life to be a little bit of a mystery." -Me
"Good excuse for being lazy." -Jamie
She's right.  Apparently a couple of people still check my blog daily even though I've been doing really bad at keeping it updated.  Yes, I've been lazy.  But I also just have been less than creative and imaginative.  I'll work on it for you, Jaym :) But really, if you have a topic you'd like me to spout off about, you know I'll do it.  I told you I would take requests.  HA.

I'll do better.
*hangs head in shame*

Moms are cool.

This weekend Mama Linda was able to come and visit!  It was a short trip for a little over 24 hours and kind of last minute, but we're so glad she was able to come.  I've said it a million times, but my mom is the best.  She really loves her kids more than anything.  I admire a lot of things about her but I think that is one of my favorite things.  She'd do anything for us and would rather spend time with us than do anything else.  She'd also rather spend money on us than herself.  I haven't quite fully understood that one yet.  I'm sure if I'm ever blessed to be a mother then I will fully get it someday. 

I love that she loves us, and I also love that she's so fun and seriously has the soften skin.  Yes, that sounds weird but I always want to remember that my mom has the silkiest skin of any human being i've ever met.  I even made Cole and Kier touch her face in the middle of Cheesecake Factory yesterday.  They agreed.  She also doesn't really have hair on her silky soft arms really and that also makes me jealous. hahaha moving on.

We took mom to see the Saratov Approach (the movie about those two LDS missionaries who were captured in Russia) and it was so good!  I'm pretty sure it's only playing in Utah, but if you get the chance when it comes to DVD, you should watch it.  I really admire those men.  In fact, I admire missionaries in general who choose to leave their families to serve the Lord and preach the gospel to the world.  A lot of missionaries are sent to really sketchy areas or just knock on a lot of nice doors with sketchy people behind them, but they go and they do what the Lord has called them to do.  I can only hope that I can be that faithful and strong someday.  I know I didn't serve a mission, but maybe I will have a son or daughter someday who chooses to serve, and I will have to have faith and be strong enough to let them go and to trust that the Lord is going to take care of them.   

....seriously, I could go on and on about how grateful I am to be a Latter-day Saint and about missionaries and all the blessings I have, but I won't.  Just see the movie if you can!

We spent the rest of our time with mom shopping at city creek, eating out, and just hanging out at Cole and Kier's house.  I really do have the perfect family for me.  We aren't always patient sometimes, but we are so close of a family that we just get over it,  we talk about it, or we call each other out on our bull.  It just works.  It's the Hansen way.

 

oh, oh, oh! I almost forgot that we are throwing a Halloween Party and C&K's house the day after halloween and I'm SO excited for it.  We finished getting the rest of the stuff for our costumes and it's going to be great. We also started decorating their cute old farm house with orange lights and cob webs that mom supplied us with. It should be lots of fun.  Halloween is my favorite time of the year so I'm just really excited for the festivities this week.  

ew.  But I'm a little apprehensive about going to the new ward by myself today.  This could quite possibly be the worst part about moving so much as a single adult.  

Pray for me.