Getting to know me, getting to know all about me...da da da

Okay, I've promised Elle I'd do this for weeks, so girly, here it is, just for you :)



Jen

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?Not that I know of....I was supposed to be a boy, so my name was Jeffery the entire time my mom was pregnant.

WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?Monday, when I found out my friend Jen has Cancer

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? uh, well nada, don't like lunch meat at all.

KIDS?One sweet boy

DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?Yes ... my "blog" at http://jenandtanner.blogspot.com/

DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope

DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?Peppermint
SHOE SIZE?8

RED OR PINK?Red

WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?My Grandfather

LAST THING YOU ATE? A sugar cookie

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Jack Johnson

IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? White

FAVORITE SMELL? Lavender

WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My mom

EYE COLOR?Blue

DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, the idea of sticking my finger in my eye is icky, lol

FAVORITE FOOD?Pasta

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Neither, Drama or suspense

LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIE THEATRE? The panda move, can't remember the name of it.

SUMMER OR WINTER? Neither, fall.

HUGS OR KISSES?Kisses

FAVORITE DESSERT? Creme Brulee

WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Favorite TV shows: Not a big TV person, but I do love House, MD. I can soooo identify with him.

FAVORITE Music? Social Distortion, Jack Johnson, Gary Allen, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Brooks and Dun, Brian Setzer, too many to chose just one.


THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?Euorope

WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? Verbatim Memory

FAVORITE SINGER RIGHT NOW? No one specifically

FAVORITE SONG RIGHT NOW? see above

RIGHTY OR LEFTY? Both, yep, both....

WHAT MAKES YOU MAD? People who are chronically late for appointments and people who abuse children or animals. Oh and people who litter.

ONE THING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE? Go to Katmandu and hike to the Everest Base Camp (no not climb it, just to base camp)

BEST QUALITY: Overly optimistic

WORST QUALITY: Perfectionist

FAVORITE QUOTE: Happiness isn't having what you want, it's wanting what you have.

The Carefree life.....

So I was going through photos the other day. Okay, well to be honest I was actually up at 2am, with insomnia and no BPO's to do, lol. A rare thing..anyway, back to my nostalgic trip....and I found a bunch of photos from when I used to snowboard 4 days a week back in California. It made me laugh, I used to live about an hour and twenty minutes from the nearest resort, had a full time job, still trained horses and yet, somehow still managed to snowboard 3-4 days a week. Now I live in the heart of "snowboard-land" and do you know that I've yet to buy a single lift ticket. Now I have gone snowboarding maybe a handleful of time, but all out of bounds, hiking. I mean I live within 2 hours of some of the best ski resorts in the country, but I have not gone. Okay, so before all of you let me off easy by using Tanner as an out.....he's only a year and a half old...I've lived here 4 years....had quite a few winters to go pre-kiddo and still didn't do it. So that got me thinking...here we are (we as in, most Americans) working our tails off in this slow and declining economy (oh my that sounds like belongs on one of my bpo's, lol) for what....retirement accounts are great, savings are necessary, bills must be paid. But let's face it most of us work our azz's off and do we actually enjoy much of the money we make? hmmmm, not sure I can wholeheartedly say yes. Buying things for others makes me happy, but that said I am not a shopper and think going to the mall is torture (just ask my mom, lol). But I tried to stop and think about the last "fun" thing I did with any earnings for myself. I honestly can't come up with one single thing.....and I am not talking about expensive, but just something I did for pure enjoyment, even if I set the monetary investment idea aside...hmmmm, nothing. I suppose on one hand that makes me unselfish, but on the other hand, that makes me seem very dull, way too much work/goal/finances oriented. So ladies and gents, here is my November goal (okay, so it's not yet November, but I gotta start somewhere), I am determined to do something that brings a smile to my face atleast once a month and be selfish with that....now that doesn't mean it must be expensive or a solo activity, but something that is pure FUN. Yes, that three letter word, FUN! So I challenge all of you to do the same. This is one of my favorite quotes:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body... but rather to skid into the grave sideways, chocolate in one hand, margarita in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Hugs, Jen and Tanner

Falling away

Okay, so I have not been nearly as good at posting on there as I thought I would. For someone who spends a good 8 hours in front of her PC a day, you'd like I could squeeze in a few blogs, huh? Bad, Jen, bad, bad, Jen, lol.

Okay, what's new....the economy sucks. I don't think I've ever talked to so many people, all in the same financial woes or getting close to them before. I am sure this is a first in my lifetime. UGH, what next? I realize some people live beyond their means or would just rather put their heads in the sand and ignore the signs of how bad things are, but for myself and my friends we've been watching this for months. And there is only so much scrimping, we can do. None of us live "high on the hog" or excessively, so what do you do when there is nothing left to cut back on? I've been doing alot of online research on energy costs and my trial this month is that I am unplugging all items except my fridge, TV, computer and two lamps, when not in use...so for example, I've unplugged my microwave, cell phone charger, standing fans, lamps in all rooms except my bedroom and living room, radio's, etc. This is supposed to have the ability to really slash your killowatt useage. Especially if the items include alot of things that have digital displays (like a clock on a microwave). So we'll see, can't hurt, right? I also signed up for the level pay plan with the eletctric company. I highly suggest everyone do this, utility prices, atleast here in Colorado will only go up this winter, this plan allows you to pay the same amount each month, and in 10 months they look at the account and will adjust it if needed, up or down, based on your useage. I am very happy to be able to budget in a set amount for the cold winter months.
Now on a good note gas has gone "down", but why are people so excited, it's still inflated.....so we are thrilled it's under $3 a gallon...in reality it should be well under $2 a gallon, if you calculate the actual costs incurred. OH well, I am not complaining, just find it funny that 30 cents a gallon seems to make people think they won the lotto. Oh, that's on my list....no not the lotto, I've never bought a ticket...but to get my tires checked, properly inflated tires are one of the biggest energy drains on your car and can really effect your gas mileage. Most places, will check them for free, especially if you routinely have them service your car.

Tanner Banner is doing great. My pedi suggested he see a speech therapist, but I think he's fine...I have researched delayed speech in toddlers for a week now and he has none of the signs, slow to speak multiple words and sentences maybe, but no other signs...like confusion, frustration, lack of manual skills (pointing, etc.).

Okay, back to work I go, I promise to blog more :)

Cool, Crisp and Apple Pie

Fall is in the air, it's crisp out and the leaves are changing. This is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. I remember growing up in California, I always liked fall, but nothing changes color in California, it's like a canvas that's spray painted, always green, always palm trees swaying in the wind, leaves on the ground, heaven forbid, lol. Today is a light work day, so I have errands planned.....pick up the dogs perscription dog food, one of my Basset Hounds' has pancreatitis and eats special dog food to the tune of $2 a pound, I can buy meat cheaper than that, but to avoid an expensive vet bill, it's a must. I plan on going to see the horses today and riding some. It's a lovely day, I am thinking Tanner will enjoy a trail ride on Cisco. Although the other day, when I talked Gramma into coming down to take pics of him riding, he decided it was more fun to show off for Gramma with the ball, so much for that idea, little stinker. And last on my list is an apple pie. I am not a pie baker, my mother is a pie baker, although I don't ever remember her making apple specifcially. I've always wanted to try an apple pie from scratch, but do you know what's stopped me? The same thing, that's stopped many a budding cooks, I bet, peeling all those darned apples. But today, this is my mission, worse case, I'll grab a bowl and my apples and let tanner play in the yard while I peel them. I can't take "that" long, can it?

My thought for the day: "Why do we stop playing in the leaves, when we grow up? When did it suddenly become not fun or did it?"

Jen

My heart and soul, Tanner

I have arrived...........

Well since I enjoy reading random blogs in my "spare time" I figured I start one of my own. So this shall be my rambling introduction.

The basics: 35 yr old single mom, self employed (real estate and homeopathic equine medicine)

My Joys: My son, he is the apple of my eye as they say and a wonderful, loving, joyful 20 month old. My animals, horses and dogs.

My frustrations: Staying afloat financially

My worries: The future of our country, our land, our food...too many imports form China, too much pollution, too few people even care.

My hobbies: Training and showing reining horses, 3 Day eventing, cooking, snowboarding and travel.

My vices: Diet pepsi, lol.

My strengths: Optimistic attitude about life in general.

My weakness: I can over-analyze anything.

My quote of the day: "Happiness isn't having what you want, it's wanting what you have".