My to-do list

1. Finish making some very cute favors for the baby shower I'm co-hosting tomorrow night. I thought I would have them done way early. Oh and did I mention the shower is tomorrow night? Oops. They just need to be assembled so it won't be too bad.
2. Figure out exactly how much flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and mini M&Ms to buy for the brownie mix in a jar activity I'm supervising for Saturday's Primary Craft Day. 3/4 cup cocoa per recipe times 36 recipes equals how many pounds of cocoa to buy? And then I get to do the same calculations for the rest of the ingredients. Wrap your head around it with me - it'll be fun. See how long it takes to compute before your head explodes. Then let's go shopping.
3. Print the recipes and buy the ribbon for aforementioned jars. Round up two more canning funnels.
4. Report 100% visiting teaching. Yay!
5. Plan three fabulous Sharing Times for May. It's my turn AGAIN? Sheesh. ;)
6. Help bake the fabulous desserts for the baby shower (not saying what they are yet since some of the attendees read this blog. I've gotta have SOME surprises.)
7. Wrap the darling baby gift. Crossing my fingers that I have a baby card in my card file so I don't have to whip one up tonight or tomorrow.
8. Find two pieces of paper I had last Wednesday but can't seem to locate now. One semi important, one not as important but still would be nice to have.
9. Get more sleep - still waking up way too early. As soon my eyes open, my mind starts to race and then I'm awake for good. Hmm. Couldn't have anything to do with this list now could it???
10. Get my sister to send me the final mock up for the YW camp t-shirt so I can get it turned in.
11. Make a hair appt. I cannot have roots showing when I turn 41 in 16 days (have you marked your calendar yet? It's May 16, if you are counting-challenged. I'm expecting only a little hoopla, not a lot. Keeping my expectations in check, you know.)
12. Still need to make dental and eye appts as well as get my windshield replaced. Um, let's see. I've been delaying these items for how long now? (Nearly three months but seriously, none of you are counting except me. I'm sure it's because you're too busy counting how many days until my birthday.)

An Open Letter to the Bachelor

Dearest Matt,

I don't know that I've ever watched a season of "The Bachelor" from start to finish until now. But I fell for your sweet British charm the second you opened your mouth and was hooked. Of course, you're also quite pretty to look at so you helped make this at times painful to watch show actually enjoyable this season.

From the beginning, you seemed so different from all of the previous Bachelors. You quickly got rid of the drunk, idiotic drama queens and really seemed to be taking this "journey" (aka the most overused word on this show) to finding a wife very seriously.

But Matt - now I'm confused. You got rid of my pick for your future wife, Amanda, last night. Was it the "meeps?" Were you still creeped out by the fake parents she tricked you with last week? Was it the fact that she nervously used the word "like" 147 times when she was declaring her love for you? (If you didn't watch, oh it was painful.) But what's confusing me the most, Matt, is you've made Shayne and Chelsea your final two.

Seriously?

Matt, Shayne is so going to dump you! Can't you see it? Yes, she's darling and you have great chemistry together but she is 22 and wants to be an actress. Do you really think she's going give up her sunny, shoe-filled, Malibu Barbie lifestyle to live in rainy London doing crummy plays for the rest of her life while raising your rugby-playing children? I just don't see it happening, I'm sorry.

And Chelsea? I guess I can see Chelsea as your future bride, even though you had the most awkward date in history with her. But you obviously forgave her for being distant during the day when that evening, all of America got to witness her tossing her underwear on the bed before she went out to model her "nightdress" for you. (Say it with me now people...ICK!)

So Matt, I don't know what else to say except, good luck and godspeed. I'm just going to trust you know what you're doing since you've already proposed and given your heart and a big old diamond to one of them. Can't wait to see how it all turns out and here's hoping we're not reading about your breakup by the end of summer.

xoxo
J.

p.s. If any of my non-Bachelor-watching friends are worried that they need to stage an intervention for me, it's really okay. The show is over in two weeks and I'll be back to normal soon after.

The negatives

Disclaimer: my blog is really just for me. It's a method of recording what goes on in my humdrum life since I refuse to keep an actual pen to paper journal and it's also used to write about things that bother me. There will be long and boring posts that appeal to only me and my sister (see today's earlier post) and then there will be too many posts about TV that will make me look like I have way too much time on my hands (really, I just don't sleep enough.) So what I'm saying is, this particular post is not meant to elicit comments from anyone (real or internet) that "it'll all be okay." I just needed to write these things down -- both the mundane and the heartfelt.

I couldn't just talk about the good stuff so here is a much shorter post about what was crappity about my week, in no particular order of importance:

1. No email or internet on my iPod touch since Monday and I have had no time to sit on hold with Apple to try and figure out what's wrong. Yes, I've tried to figure it out myself.
2. Laundry. At least four loads waiting to be done, maybe five. Obviously I've been ignoring it for awhile.
3. Feeling like I've hurt someone's feelings.
4. Buying a new skirt without first trying it on, only to get home and find that it's mismarked so it's not going to work after all. And of course, I called and they don't have the size I need at the store. Fabulous.
5. I have wonderful family and friends and know my nature is divine and all that but that is not enough to curb loneliness that is just painful sometimes.
6. Going to the grocery store with a list and still forgetting to buy three things I needed.
7. Letting someone have a name off of my "if I ever have a baby, this is what I would name him/her" list. Because I'll be 41 in 19 days so really, motherhood is likely not gonna happen for me.
8. Waking up before 6 AM both days this weekend when there was absolutely no reason for it. Monday morning is going to roll around and I am not going to want to wake up before 6 AM.
9. Taking too much time on the internet and being late to church. Again.

This week's wrap-up

Kind of a stinky week in some ways so I'm glad it's over. Instead of dwelling on the negative, I'm going to cover some of the positive things:

1. I had another class and passed the test I needed to pass. One more class to go then I schedule a simulation and then I'm done. What I'll get, you ask? Well, a fancy piece of paper that will make my resume look all pretty and smart.

2. The college kids are coming home! I served in YW for a long time so have a lot of very dear but much younger friends who truly light up my life. I was able to hang out with one of them on Friday night. We went to Target, Panera and then I had the best M&M cookie at the Cow Chip place. (By the way, I always thought I liked their chocolate chip cookies the best but truly, the M&M are the bomb.) Anyway, Friday was fabulous - love you Callie & Kim!!! xoxo

3. I bought a 2nd guitar for Guitar Hero at Target thinking that would be the lowest price around (for just the guitar since I already have the game.) Well guess what? Game Stop had the same exact guitar for $20 bucks cheaper. Yes, you read that right. TWENTY STINKIN BUCKS CHEAPER! Go Game Stop! That store will hereafter be my first, um, Stop, for my Wii purchases.

4. My niece Makenna turns four tomorrow but her party was yesterday. So to her, she's already four and don't even bother telling her her birthday is tomorrow either because it's not. ;) It was a very fun party. We did the old family favorite "drop clothespins in a jar while kneeling on a turned-around chair" game. I have such memories of playing that game with my own grandma at the party, many many years ago.

5. I had two camp meetings this week and yesterday's was with the 2nd YCLs (the girls who run camp.) We got some major things accomplished, which was the greatest. We have a fun new camp song written by some of the talented girls, made decorations for our Camp Kick-off next month AND we decided on our logo and t-shirt color. You'd think this would be easy but you try getting a room full of 16-17 year olds to come to a consensus.

6. I love my TiVo. I've had such a busy week but everything I want to watch is just there, patiently waiting for me to get to it. I did get to watch Grey's Anatomy (loved it, except for the icky roaches and guts stuff. Oh and I love Meredith, but loathe Izzy. In case you were wondering.) Survivor was another surprise. (Poor, gullible Jason. And I cannot stand the lying personal trainer girl with the bad eyebrows - I know they have to lie but she is reveling in her dishonesty. Hopefully it'll come back and bite her.) Oh and The Office! Ryan's a cokehead? Wonder how long before he loses his job and is back in Scranton, working in the Annex with Kelly? And why didn't Phyllis just call her husband Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration to come and get them out when they were all locked in at work? His warehouse is in the same office park, isn't it? That was such a big mistake by the writers. Unless I'm wrong and pay far too much attention to stuff on TV. And that certainly could not be the case.

7. I got to try a new cupcake from Trophy Cupcakes this week -- Chocolate Peanut Butter. Yum! Thank you, Kim for being the best delivery person ever!

8. Movies I've watched recently: I saw "Sydney White" last weekend. I was so pleasantly surprised by that movie! I thought it was very entertaining and cute. I went to the theater and saw "young at heart" with a work friend on Monday night. It was really good. (Yes, I know the title has an @ in it -- but I'm not savvy enough to make it work here.)

Gotta go do some stuff for Primary. L8R.

What surprised me about last night's Bachelor:

• That Shayne's still in it -- I think she's cute and fun but doesn't seem like she'd be a good match for him. I don't think she's even close to being ready to "settle down." I'm also surprised she got a rose even after Matt met/saw her mother. Which leads me to the next surprise about last night's show...
• That people still willingly undergo plastic surgery even after they see people like Shayne's mother (I couldn't find a photo -- but if you want to watch the episode on ABC's website and see what I'm talking about, she's on during the first 10 minutes.) But awful, awful plastic surgery. Well, and the darker pink lipliner around light pink lipgloss didn't help her much either.
• That Amanda had such a sense of humor! I'm assuming it was her idea to have the actors portraying her parents but I'm sure ABC helped it along. That was so awkward and painful but hilarious. They did let it go on too long though because her real family got zippo screen time.
• That Noelle didn't get a rose. That was really unexpected for me. But I'm also glad she was one of the few girls who didn't cry her way through the limo ride at the end so I'm thinking she just wasn't into him and vice versa.

Chelsea is probably the dark horse, in my opinion, with Amanda still the frontrunner but really, who knows! Next week they go to Barbados. Is this where they have those icky "fantasy suite" dates? Or is that left for the final two? That's my least favorite thing about this show - the fantasy suite dates. Blech.

A Poll

Please comment and vote yes or no to the following questions:

1. Does a celebrity's image belong on visual aids used in Primary?
   
   
2. Are Derek Hough & Shannon Elizabeth really dating or is it just hype?


3. Are the new York Peppermint Pattie 100 Calorie Wafer Bars the greatest "diet" treat ever invented?


4. Was last week's Survivor with the surprise ouster of Ozzy the BEST sneak attack ever?

5. Is it cheating to chew gum when you fast?

Discuss.

Five Things I'm Loving Right Now

1. The song "I Stay in Love" by Mariah Carey. Click this link to hear it - I love it so much. (the pics at the top of this page are a little icky so click and close your eyes. Don't say I didn't warn you.)


2. Satsuma home fragrance oil from the Body Shop. I think it's the yummiest smell ever.

3. Taco salads. I love taco salad! I had them twice this week already and I'm making them for dinner tonight, but this time it'll be with chicken. I rarely make tacos or taco salads. I think it's because whatever I make, I know I'll have 4-5 meals worth of leftovers. Speaking of, I had the last of that lasagna for dinner last night -- it was really good, even five days later! And no, I did not get food poisoning! lol


4. The BBC version of Sense and Sensibility. I ended up buying it on DVD before I even watched it because Target had it on sale. I'm so glad I did! It's really so well done and perfectly cast. I still like the Emma Thompson version but this one is just wonderful. The DVD comes with "Miss Austen Regrets" but I don't recommend even watching it. It's not worth your time.


5. The Office! My favorite moments of this week's episode? I loved Creed and his chair-hoarding, Andy losing a penny out of his loafer because he had to walk so far to work, Michael ordering his hot chocolate with caramel AND a shot of peppermint, Kevin & Andy putting the "5 families" together to settle the parking lot issue, and Michael calling "Wendy" for a date only to find out it was a Wendy's restaurant. But my most favorite moment? Duh! When Jim pulled out the ring! I had total goosebumps. So what do you think will happen when he actually proposes and doesn't just fake her out by tying his shoe? I hope the writers don't jerk us around and have Pam freak out and run away. They just need to let this happen. They can get plenty of drama and hilarity from the engagement, wedding, marriage.

One thing I'm not loving right now? It's cold and icky outside. Most of the areas around us got snow last night. Yes, snow. In Western Washington. In April. Totally sick and wrong. It was 78 a week ago and today one of the towns up north of me got 10 inches of snow. How does that happen??? Spring will get here someday, right?