Packing for camp

You remember what my living room looks like, right? (Well, most of the time!) Here it is again:



Here is what it looks like today:


When you're over activities & 2nd YCLs and your camp is made up of roughly 130 YW and 45 adults, you have a lot of stuff. (Consider yourselves warned for when you get this calling.) I successfully pawned off at least a carload of stuff to other people who are going up. My assistant is coming over today and I'm hopeful she'll be taking at least 3/4 of my living room floor with her. Keep your fingers crossed!

It's over!

I hope you're all sitting down for this breaking news but Bachelor Matt Grant and Shayne Lamas have ended their engagement. They were apparently "heading in different directions."

I know!

Like you, I am in utter shock. I mean, he's a finance guy from London and she's a wannabe actress from Malibu? Don't those two lifestyles just scream "same direction?"

Click here to read more.

Two Annoyances and a Wahoo

My keyboard must need cleaning because it skips things that I know I'm typing. So either I have typos all the time or I spend hours backspacing to correct the mistakes. ANNOYING!

My cable internet splitter has decided to give up the ghost. The only way I can have consistent internet is if I unhook the TV and plug the computer cable directly into the wall. ANNOYING! I have to go to WalMart or Radio Shack to get a new splitter, apparently. Thank you ever so much for all of the quality help, Comcast! (her voice dripping with sarcasm.)

Our final YCL meeting went really well last night. WAHOO! I was inspired by this blog entry to challenge both the 1st and 2nd YCLs to fast this Sunday, which is the day before we leave for camp. I made up a handout with a list of three things for them to pray for during their fast:

1. That our camp will be a holy place because of our actions & preparations
2. That we will be able to leave our worldly cares behind us for the week (we have a huge cell phone addiction problem in the 1st YCL group. HUGE.)
3. That we will be spiritually in tune so that we may receive promptings when those around us need our help

We only had about half of each group there but we emailed out the challenge to those who missed the meeting.

My 2nd YCLs are just amazing. They are such good workers. They finished everything I brought for them to do and then asked for more. I think we're pretty much ready.

Except for packing...ugh.

Six days in the woods; wearing flip flops in disgusting showers that have two temperatures: burning hot and ice cold; sinks that only have hot water to brush your teeth with; wearing closed-toe shoes all day and night; 5 hours of sleep per night, if I'm lucky.

Oh but then there's the whole spending quality time with fabulous girls and equally fabulous women; being embraced by the Spirit every single day; seeing the hard work and planning of 15 amazing young women come to fruition.

Sigh. It's basically heaven on earth. Even when it's not. ;)

Bug of the Day

I'm not sure that this will be a new feature here at Jeanelle's Random Ramblings but you never know!

I walk out my door this morning and see this on my storm door screen:



Ick, huh? I know it's hard to tell but I'd say he's at least 1.5 inches long and maybe almost an inch thick. GROSS!

So I come home from work this afternoon and guess what? He's STILL there! So I called my mom and told her and she said "Kenna will love it -- I'll be right over." Kenna is my 4 year old niece. Mom had just this weekend bought a bug cage thing at the thrift store, in fact. Kismet, I know!

So here we are gently coaxing the bug into the cage.


He was not excited about moving. I started hearing this strange hissing noise so once we got him in the cage, I recorded it. Listen closely!

Sick, huh? Anyway, Mom brought him over to Kenna's and he's hanging out there for the day before they let him go.

And that my friends, is your bug of the day!

Okay, I've gotta go post this and then delete the pics from my hard drive because I do not want these photos showing up when my screen saver clicks in.

Our day at the Mall

Kim, Chrissy and I went to the not-quite-finished-but-soon-to-be-renovated mall this morning. Our main purpose was to go see "Mamma Mia." I'd seen the stage production so knew I'd love the film (review a bit later.)

First Kim took our pictures inside the fabulous new theater. Lovely, no?

We were so excited to see this movie but never dreamed for a second that we'd have more fun in the bathrooms.

What, you say? Going to the bathroom is fun? Oh my friends, in this beautiful new theater, it truly is. And I have the pictures to prove it.

Just look at the hand dryers. LOOK!

You slide your hands inside and they turn on and dry your hands twice as fast as the old-fashioned air dryers. It sort of reminded me of the drying portion of the car wash.

It was so fun - we all had to try!

Anyway, then we watched the movie (well, half of me watched the movie. We gotta work on the self-portrait.)

We loved Mamma Mia!! It was so sweet and fun. I still find it amazing that they made a complete show/movie using ABBA songs to tell the story. Meryl Streep was beautiful and everyone in the cast was just great. Pierce isn't the GREATEST singer in the world but he's so dreamy to look at, who cares? Anyway, it's a fun show. It's got a couple of naughty parts though so consider yourself warned.

And speaking of naughty, look where we found Chrissy later on!

Thanks for sharing the pictures, Kim!! xoxo

Later I went over to Mom's to work on a camp project and we watched TWO movies: August Rush & Mad Money. My mom, you may remember, is the pickiest person around when it comes to movies but guess what? She loved them both! I loved August Rush but was pleasantly surprised to like Mad Money.

Anyway, a fun-filled and still productive day. The best kind of Saturday!

AARP -- me???

Many years ago, I found myself inexplicably on the AARP mailing list. I get new membership cards from them every year, in fact. Last year, I decided I was tired of it and mailed it back to them with an "I'M ONLY 40!!!!" written across the front of the card in sharpie. It didn't help because I'm still getting their stupid mailings. And even better? They must sell their mailing lists because I get frequent emails from hearing aid centers.

My hearing is excellent, in case you were wondering. And no, not because I bought a hearing aid! Sheesh.

Just a quickie

My Primary presidency meeting just ended and I'm all of a sudden completely exhausted at 8:15 PM (could have been because Sheryl kindly let me unload on her for 15 minutes.) But I have a couple of random thoughts to share:

• I'm sort of obsessed with "Flipping Out" on Bravo. I watched it here and there last season but this season just sucked me in. Jeff is so hilarious to me. I cannot for a second imagine having to work with him and think Jenni is a saint.
• I'm thrilled that I'm going to see "Mamma Mia" this weekend. I loved the stage musical, I love the soundtrack and I can't wait to see what they do with the movie. There is nothing like a good musical.
• I loved the season premiere of "The Closer."
• My google reader is at 92 unread posts. That sort of freaks me out.
• I fear that my TiVo is getting on the full side. I've got to figure out how to get through all of the episodes of "Desperate Housewives" I have had saved on there since April because they're taking up much needed space. I have to cut out and laminate about 190 name tags for camp (the girls did some of the cutting at the last meeting, which helps a lot.) But at least I can be efficient & multi-task -- watch the shows, cut out the name tags. I never just sit and watch TV or a movie. If I did, I think I'd fall asleep.
• What's the best way to laminate a poster? You know, just that white posterboard you buy at the drug store? Is it like 18x24? There's a place in Kent that does laminating but I'm wondering if any commercial laminators will go that big? Any advice? I really don't want to just use contact paper because then it'll be dull looking.
• Someday I'll blog about my fun weekend. I promise.

And...I'm back!

Life got a little crazy busy last week. Monday-Weds nights I stayed up until midnight, IM'ing with my camp counterpart as we cleaned up the registration info. There were tons of discrepancies and that just bugs me to no end. My partner in crime is big on everything being formatted properly so she was teaching me all sorts of cool Excel tricks too. This was all to get us ready for our Thursday night final meeting with all of the adults who are serving at camp. Exactly one half of them showed up.

LAME!

I know it's summer but jeez. How much you want to bet that they will be the ones with all of the questions for the next two weeks and the ones wondering "why didn't you tell us such and such??" I meet with my assistant tomorrow and then have one more meeting with the YCLs a week from tomorrow and then camp begins on the 28th. So much to do... One of the ladies at church yesterday said bug repellent doesn't work year to year. So the stuff I bought last year and didn't use is no good? Anyone know anything about that? It doesn't have an expiration date on it...

Last Thursday, I began my 2.5 day vacation by driving an hour south of my house with my mom to pick up my sister Jenilee and her kids. They came in from Hawaii the week before to attend the funeral for her husband's grandma. We're sad Grandma F. died but we have had the best time having them here! I'll blog later with pictures and stories.

Oh Jesse...

I stayed up to watch because I went walking with Kim and got all energized. (Thanks, Kim!)

I'm still a little shocked that DeAnna didn't pick Jason but I could tell it was headed that way because of all of the family love towards him. The whole show was just so pro-Jason that I knew it had to be Jesse at the end and it made me so sad for him. Since Jason and I both live in the same general vicinity, maybe I can swoop in and help heal his broken heart. ha.

Random thoughts:

• Jesse has huge feet! Did you notice that overhead shot of him walking to DeAnna at the end? HUGE FEET! Maybe it looks like that since he's kinda short? But seriously HUGE!
• I really enjoyed DeAnna's family - they seemed very cool and normal. Her grandparents were darling.
• I just don't know how you declare your love for someone on national TV, not really knowing how the other one feels, not knowing them for more than a few weeks or whatever. Just weird.
• Having Jesse & Jason at her family's house together was just kind of gross & Polyg. like with them both holding her hand at the same time. Ick.
• I agree with Jason - she shouldn't have let him kneel like that. Bad form, DeAnna.
• However, I liked that DeAnna was so heartfelt & honest in her explanation/apology to Jason on the after show. Made me like her a little bit more.
• Matt & Shayne? whatever.
• I really hope they don't end up putting the wedding on TV. Nice honeymoon though!

Oh where, oh where has my happy place gone??

Okay, this is one of those days when I would love to blog a detailed account of something I'm dealing with but don't for fear of certain people reading and knowing I'm talking about them, even though they don't know I blog. But you never know, right? While I hate feeling like I have to censor myself, alas, I must. Let's just state for the record, I'm grateful I have many people in my life who love & support me and I'm amazed that Heavenly Father loves me as much as He does. So life can't be that bad right?

And with that, let the randomness commence:

• I may not be able to stay awake for the Bachelorette tonight. Ugh. Crying wipes you out.
• Dara Torres totally, totally rocks!!!
• Schoolhouse Rock is so wonderful for helping to keep your mind off of your troubles. I'm especially fond of "Interjections," "The Preamble," "Mr. Morton," and "Dollars and Sense." Google it if you're too young or didn't watch Saturday morning TV growing up. Your kids need the DVD - it's so educational!
• I'm rereading Twilight to get myself ready for Breaking Dawn which comes out the day I get home from camp. The question of the day is: should I preorder the new book so it's waiting for me at home or just wait and go to Costco on Monday? I get home Saturday afternoon from camp then have to quickly shower and go to a retirement party so will not be reading that day. What do you think?
• Have you used the USPS website to print your own shipping labels for the packages you have stacked up at home? It's fantastically easy, usually discounted about 50 cents AND you don't have to wait in line when you go to the post office. You can just walk in and smirk at the poor saps standing in line as you throw your boxes on the counter and saunter out. It's AMAZING! And no, they didn't pay me to advertise for them. I just think it's a fantastic tool and thought you all should know about it.
• I get to see my sister Jen and her sweet family beginning on Thursday. I can hardly wait!!! The last time I saw her was November 07. Way too long.

And with that, I must go because "Elbow Room" is on.

Happy 5th of July

If you invite me over, I'll bring you treats because I love to bake for other people.

Yesterday, I baked some of these:

then some of these:

and then some of these:



(If you haven't tried making Denae's Blog Brownies yet, you should. And if you haven't put the leftovers in the fridge to enjoy later, what is wrong with you?)

First, I brought the cupcakes to the Happy Hartman Home for a great lunchtime BBQ with a lot of the Primary children and other church friends. They were so nice to host and the weather held (in Seattle, it almost always rains on the 4th.) Fun party!

Later, I brought the lemon bars (which should have come out of the oven 3 minutes earlier) and the brownies out to Boni's family's home which is on a lake south of where I live. The food was awesome and so was the company. We had a great time just socializing all afternoon. We watched the fireworks from the beach until it was just about to rain. We timed our return to the house perfectly and made it back inside just before a short downpour. The rain didn't last long and we stood out on the deck and watched the most amazing view of seemingly professional fireworks all across the lake. You almost didn't know where to look most of the time because there were that many!

A few random updates:

• I really don't enjoy fireworks unless they're the big, up-in-the-sky type. I completely despise those stupid bees -- you know, the ones that just fly up in the air and you really have no idea where they're going because they might go sideways and land in your eye and blind you? Yeah, I hate those.
• I made the mistake of buying strawberry Carmex. Disgusting.
• I went to the Post Office today! I still have a bunch of stuff to mail but I'm making progress, got the right boxes, etc. I should have everything all mailed by Monday night.
• SYTYCD? I love that show so much! I loved the opening group number on Thursday to that Money song from Cabaret.
• Boni & I made cards today - so fun! Making cards is so therapeutic and relaxing. Love it.

How old is too old?

A woman I know from church called me the other night. She said she wanted my permission to give out my phone number. She had met a man who came into her home to give her a bid on a home improvement project and during the course of his visit, he asked if she knew any single women 45-65 who "had a big heart." She apparently thought of me, even though I'm four LONG years away from 45. She said he was very nice and then she said, "well, he's 57."

Um. Yes, you read that correctly. 57.

I have nothing against 57 year old men. I'm sure this particular 57 year old man is a very nice guy. But I do not want to date someone 16 years older than me. Yet. I know some might think, "hey, it's a date." I say to those people, "it's a date with a virtual stranger who is not of my faith and probably has kids a few years younger than me."

It's just a little icky.

The Bachelorette -- we have our final 2

I still dislike DeAnna. She is so not a nice person and it's more and more evident each week. Sweet, normal, single dad Jason and cute snowboarder Jesse are her final two. Here are my random thoughts about last night's way too long (THREE HOURS??? SERIOUSLY???) extravaganza:

• I still hate the stupid "if you want to forgo your own room and have sex all night you're free to do so" aspect of these next-to-last episodes. I know I'm "peculiar" but ick. Oh but maybe they just hold hands and talk all night.
• Sad for poor broken-hearted Jeremy but he does seem a little odd to me. He seems sad and detached from everything around him. And I figured that out from watching him on TV for several weeks.

• Jesse wants to be a sports agent? Does he have a degree? I thought sports agents were primarily attorneys, not professional snowboarders. But maybe it's an easier field to get into than I think? And I didn't get the impression that "D" is crazy about the moving around thing so he can do all of his "shredding." However, I think personality wise, they'd be a better match. Maybe it's a sign that she'll choose him because he's shortened her name into a nickname. Hmm.

• Jason is too nice for DeAnna but maybe that will work for them -- she's bad cop, he's good cop? But really I just see her chewing him up and spitting him out and leaving him a broken man. Oh and he needs to shave. Stubble is not a good look for him.

• Graham should have dropped the put-upon act after the first time he used it instead of going back to it over and over again.
• I LOVE CHRIS HARRISON! He just cracked me up during last night's reunion show. The mullet stuff, when he reminded DeAnna that she was surrounded by guys who are, well, GUYS and then when he chastized Graham for not kissing DeAnna that first time when she practically begged him to were all fabulous moments. Chris is just a great host.
• Did you see that girl ask Fred out over the closing credits? I want to start a petition to have Fred be the next Bachelor. He just seems darling and fun.

So next week will be the huge (bloated) finale and the TV listings say there will be an update on Matt & his pet monkey Shayne.

My prediction, you ask? I'm thinking she's going to pick Jason but I'm always wrong about these things so it'll probably be Jesse.