It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Want to know why? Okay, I'll tell you. There are actually two reasons.

1. Duh. You knew what my first reason was going to be, didn't you? Fall TV!

The Office? Hilarious! Who wants to be on my poopball team with me? And seriously, can Jim and Pam be any cuter?

Biggest Loser? Heartbreaking! However, does yelling & swearing at people like that really make them want to work out, Jillian? Come on, really?

Parks & Recreation? Hysterical! Leslie doing her DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince best at the beginning was so awesome.

Glee? Okay, I don't have an H word for this one because I'm struggling with the naughtiness of this show. I adore the music, hate a lot of the rest. Why do they have to do that with this show? Lots of kids watch it!! :(

So You Think You Can Dance? Happiness! I heard that Adam Shankman is the permanent 3rd judge and that thrills me. I heart him so much.

And the #2 reason why it's the most wonderful time of the year?

It's frog time, Jasmine! (You may have moved away but I wanted you to see what you were missing...hope this doesn't make you too homesick!)

Every year about this time, I come home at night and find frogs hanging out around my front door. In past years, I've even had lizards waiting for me. They kind of freak me out because I'm always afraid they are going to try and hop inside after I unlock my door and then what will I do?

This week, I've had a total of 6 frogs awaiting my arrival home at night. Thursday night, this guy was on the wall/siding, pointed toward my front door, ready to hop in and watch The Office with me.

Please ignore the grossness around him -- I don't even want to know what he was doing before I came home but I'm getting the hose out later.

All sorts of good amongst the not so good

Work has been crazily stressful and busy but I'm so grateful to be employed. Every night is filled with something to do so I have little to no "Jeanelle time" but at least I'm busy and have good friends and family who want to be around me. Ida's in the hospital with pneumonia but getting better and doesn't have more cancer in her lungs, as they thought previously. There's a light at the end of the tunnel at work. Jill's adopting (OH MY GOODNESS!) Mr Crushworthy spent a few hours by my side this morning (SWOON!) And now tonight, I'm watching today's episode of Oprah and literally dancing on my couch. If you haven't watched this yet, please do so now. Seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY awesome!

Here's a link since the youtube video no longer works.

Tell me you loved this as much as me. When that first girl started I thought "what a weirdo!" LOL. There's a more aerial-view video but the sound isn't as good...but it's pretty cool to watch.

I'll blog more later...don't give up on me! xoxo

I'm finally back.

I had a perfectly wonderful 11 days away from my life. Everything went great, nothing went wrong.

The weddings were pure perfection. The road trip was super fun. Meeting my blogging friends was wonderful. Spending time with my longtime friends in Utah was the best. So. California was a dream come true, really. My huge meeting ran so smoothly AND I stayed in the most fabulous hotel with an oceanfront view.

Pictures and stories to come...but for now, I must unpack.

Packing woes plus something funny

I'm going* to Utah soon (and leaving gun-wielding, rottweiler-owning former Navy SEALs in my house while I'm gone so if you are thinking of coming for a visit, um, don't bother.)

I know I've mentioned before that I loathe packing. Hate it. At home, you can take a day off from being cute. You can be sloppy, wear sweats, etc. but on vacation (especially a vacation when you're meeting five beloved bloggers** face to face and attending two weddings***) you have to be as cute as you can be every single day. STRESSFUL! So I'm avoiding thinking about which outfits to bring and sharing something that made me laugh recently.

Katie blogged about some Amazon product comments awhile back and seriously, this is the funniest stuff you will read in a long time. I've shared this with my co-workers and now it's your turn to enjoy it. If you laugh, try this one too.

*I'm driving down with two of my dearest friends. My car is clean, tuned and ready to go. I know it's crazy but I'm totally excited for a road trip.

**The bloggers I'm meeting are: Michelle, Vanessa, Shannon, Holly and Jill. I know! Can you even believe it? I simply cannot WAIT!

***The weddings I'm attending are for Adrian and Callie (gone private.) I am *SO* excited to see these beautiful girls marry the guys they love in the temple next week.

Prayers, please.

Ida at my 40th birthday party - isn't she so stinkin' cute?

I found out this weekend that my dear, sweet friend who had her second mastectomy last year now has cancer in both her brain and spinal fluid. She's 38. (Ida, I know you read this...are you really 38? I never can remember how old you are. I still think of you as 21.)

Her family is remarkably positive and so very strong. Several members of Ida's family have had to fight breast cancer so they handle news like this better than most. They expect and plan to do everything they can to help Ida to fight and win this battle. I know she will because she is strong, determined and well, she can do anything.

I know life isn't fair and I know we aren't given anything we can't handle. I know Heavenly Father loves us and will take care of us. I know He will continue to comfort and protect my sweet friend throughout her painful treatments.

But seriously? I loathe and despise cancer and I wish someone, anyone, would find a cure. And if you are someone who prays, please pray for Ida. Thanks.

Not a lot...

Not a lot on my mind, I guess...except...

• I've been out every night since last Friday. Yes, every single night. I love it but I'm ready for a night off from being social, which won't happen until Saturday. Tomorrow night it's dinner and "Julie and Julia" with a couple of girlfriends.
• Tonight was dinner with a work friend who had to go into detail about how she put her sick dog to sleep last month. I flashed back to putting my own dog to sleep two years ago and started bawling like a baby there in the restaurant. Did that make her stop telling her story? No. Should I have told her to stop talking about it? Yes. Did I expect her to be sensitive and realize I couldn't handle her story right at that moment? Um, YEAH! Sheesh.
• I am trying to not get a cold. I've been trying to not get this cold for the past three days.
• I was running out the door to work Wednesday and pulled a weed out of my pot of geraniums and it was STINGING NETTLES!!! No, I do not live in the woods. My fingers stung all day and night. Very annoying and kind of painful.
• I love tonight's SYTYCD because I love seeing the favorite dances from the season. I'm pulling for Jeanine...I really don't want one of the boys to win. Neither one is as good as the girls.
• I got this fantastic case for my iPhone in Passion Red. The color red makes me so very happy.

And with that, I'm off to bed.

Stuff and junk

• Remember how my friend Greg called me for advice about his date? The next morning, Robert (aka Greg's wingman for this upcoming date and my other favorite guy) called for advice as to whom he should ask. Robert's mom told me later that Robert said he wanted to talk to a girl about his date. His mom said "hello, I'm a girl" and he said "no, not a mom...a real girl like Sister Shaw." Cute. I suggested a fabulous girl from my ward, whom he had never met so I called her and asked if she'd go out with him & if I could give him her number and she said sure. He called her and they went out the other night and it sounds like both had a great time. It was very fun playing matchmaker.
• Kim and I went to see "Into the Woods" at the local high school last night. It was very long but very well done. The songs were hard to sing and the cast was really amazing.
• Upstairs neighbor's boyfriend is back from wherever he was (he's in the military.) I think I'd better wear ear plugs tonight. Oh and he smokes out on her deck and I get to smell it. Ah, condo life.
• I got my hair colored yesterday after work. Bye bye roots.
• This morning I got up and made carrot cake and space needle cake (basically a texas sheet cake) for a very fun birthday party today. Yum.
• I'm doing sharing time this month - not one bit ready. Yeah, I know tomorrow is Sunday.
• I'm going to bed tonight annoyed that the great guys I meet are always married and never single. Boo hiss.