Blogs, blogs, blogs!

I have so much to blog about and so little time!!!

But I always tell myself, Jenifer! You are NEVER going to simply HAVE the time. You have to MAKE the time.

I don't make New Years Resolutions. I find them a little hollow - we say we will do something just for the sake of having something to do! So no, I don't make resolutions. I set goals.

Goals in my life are really important. They keep me going. They keep me challenged. So one of my goals this year is to blog, at least once a week, every week in 2010. Starting with this one. (That will = no less than 52 blogs this year. But I think I can do it!!!)

Like I said - I have so much to blog about! Right now, I am working on a 2 blogs from November (Friend's wedding and Thanksgiving), 1 blog from December (Christmas), and 2 blogs for January (New Years and San Fran Trip).

Also, as promised, the start of the new year will mean the re-start of the Cupcake blogs!!! I won't be doing them as frequently as I used to (every week!!!) But more like once a month. We think we can handle that. I will be writing a blog soon with a list of the projects to come so if you want to jump in and help on one, you are more than welcome!!!

I must apologize to Miss Miranda D'Angelo. She and I were supposed to start our "Wreak This Journal" Journey back in September and it never happened. I PROMISE we will start that before the end of January. But, that will mean that you need to start your own blog, missy!!! Hop to it! ;-)

And lastly, Anthony and I fully intend to take CherryTree Threads to the max this year. We are in the works to become an official Company. Anthony has already designed a logo and is helping me with a website (shout out to showit sites that Bree Shepard introduced me to! They rock!) So I will be making frequent updates about CherryTree as we grow and find our way in this crazy world. Wish us luck!

2010 looks to be shaping up quite nicely! We really are enjoying married life and our jobs. We are so thankful for everything we have coming into this year and feel truly blessed. We hope that our (or rather, MY) goals inspire you to create some of your own. And if you haven't already, start a blog! I'd love to keep up with you by reading your daily adventures!

Happy New Year everyone!!!
-Jen

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Just wanted to take a second to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Anthony and I begin our 55 hour Holiday Extravaganza in t-minus 4 hours and can't wait!

Thursday, December 24th:
3pm: Christmas Eve gathering with my Father's extended family (Dinner at 5pm)

6pm: Drive to Ventura

6:30pm: Swedish Smorgasbord at Grandma Tillquist's house (Ant's Mom's extended family)

10:30pm: Drive to Moorpark

11:00pm: "Midnight Christmas" gift exchange with my immidiate familiy, complete with PJ's, donuts, and cinnamon buns! yum!

Friday, December 25th:
1am (ish): Drive home to Thousand Oaks and SLEEP!!!!

7:30am - wake up, breakfast at home with Anthony for our first ever Christmas at home as a married couple! The gifts are already under the tree, calling my name!!!

8:45: Drive to Newbury Park

9:00am: Christmas brunch and gift exchange with Anthony's immediate family (including our Nephew Max's FIRST CHRISTMAS!

12:00pm: home for lunch, maybe a quick nap?

2:00pm: Drive to Palmdale for Christmas dinner with Anthony's mom's extended family

10:00pm: home!!!

Saturday, December 26th:
SLEEP IN!!!!
2pm: Drive to Moorpark for Day After Christmas dinner with my Dad's extended family.

*whew*

Tired just reading it!!!
And SO looking forward to it all. Gotta start getting ready!!!

Merry Christmas!
-Jen

Book Review

Trying something new here, and hopefully trying out something else new later this week. (Don't hold your breath tho - Holidays = Busy girl = not a lot of time for blogging.)

Just finished a really, REALLY great book. Out of 5 stars, I'd give it 4 and a half. One of those that you really just can't put down.

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown.

I know, I know - the book was just made a movie and was secondary to The Da Vinci Code - blah blah blah.

First, I'll have you know that I read The Da Vinci Code by shear interest before the movie was even being filmed. It stood alone on a book shelf and just invited me to pick it up and read it. I had NO IDEA at the time that it was a series, nor did I know that it was the second book in said series and not the first. But I digress...

The point is that I loved the Movie, "The Da Vinci Code" and really want to see "Angels & Demons." But, of course, that means I need to read the book first, right? ALWAYS!

So, on our trip home from Reno over Thanksgiving, I picked it up off of the airport newsstand shelf and started reading. Instantly, I was hooked - the same way I was with Da Vinci Code. Mr. Brown has this ridiculously simple way of writing. It makes everyone from the most intellectual reader to the "I don't read very often" type feel right at home. And history buffs/ conspiracy theorists are just clamoring for the next page. Myself included. I love the fact that while his books are TOTAL works of fiction, they are based in real, HISTORICALLY based fact. These places, these documents, these secret societies all existed or still exist today. How cool is that??? The research he must have done to keep these books true to realty must have taken years. I can't even imagine. And here he is - writing it all out in a way that makes it all visually available for anyone. LOVE IT.

Angels & Demons is the first in a series of at least three books (possibly more - don't know). The series follows a Harvard Professor named Robert Langdon on some pretty astonishing, life threatening adventures through ancient relics and symbols, set in modern day scenarios. Crazy as it sounds - it all somehow works. It's even believable! This stuff could actually happen! (Possible, but not likely... I hope.)

This adventure takes us to Vatican City on the Eve of Conclave, as the current Pope has passed away and the time for a new regime is in order. But conclave and it's ancient traditions are threatened by the Church's ultimate and most aggressive arch enemy - Science itself - in the form of an very old Secret Society called the Illuminati. The legend of The Illuminati goes back to the days of Galileo. These men met in secret all over Rome to discuss scientific breakthroughs and theories away from the eyes of the Church. Eventually the Church crushed the group and forbade them to ever meet again. But Secrecy has always kind of been their thing, and the time has come for them to reveal themselves in a modern world as a fierce alternative to Religion.

In this story, the Illuminati is back, and they are out for revenge!!! I won't tell you what happens - You'll have to find out for yourself. All I can tell you is that you NEVER see the ending twists coming, I don't care how many times you think you know. I found myself saying, out loud, "What??? Wait a minute - how is that.... huh???" And then reading on and saying (again out loud) "ohhhhhhhhhh. I get it." And this happened more than once.

It really is a very well written work of fiction and I highly, highly recommend it. The Chapters are numerous, but usually very short, so it is an easy read. The short chapters are a tool Brown uses to cut from one story line to another n order to keep you abreast of all the information you need to know to keep putting two and two together. It is also convenient for when you need to put the book down for a minute or two to walk the dog or eat - telling someone "just one second, I need to finish this chapter" really only takes another minute or so on average.

So now, I've read Angels & Demons. Looking forward to watching the movie. I am also re-reading The Da Vinci Code (which makes LOADS more sense in the first few chapters, now that I know what the references to The Vatican mean to the story). Once I finish it this time around, I fully intent on going out and purchasing "The Lost Symbol" the third book in the series. I simply can't wait to find out what happens to Langdon and the absolutely riveting half fact/ half fiction adventure.

What are you still sitting there reading this for? Go read the book!

-Jen

Another Day like any other

Hi Gang!

Sorry it's taken me so long to get something up here. It's been 2 weeks! Yikes!

Life has been so busy at home and at work lately, that blogging totally feel to the wayside. Work this week was crazy due to a HUGE computer crash we had. Lost a lot of data that we had to recover by re-entering it all back into the system manually. Not so fun. And on the home front, preparing for Christmas, seeing our families, and trying to start our own traditions has taken up almost all of our time. What time isn't taken up has been devoted to CherryTree. We are up and running on Etsy.com (cherrytreethreads.etsy.com) and I've loving it all. Life is pretty good, tho! Well - mostly...

I'd like to take a moment and say a little prayer for my Aunt Lynda, who passed away one week ago, today. She fought a ridiculously tough battle with breast cancer for the past 15 years, and even though she passed away due to the cancer, I'm proud to say that she actually won that fight. She rode the wave of borrowed time for longer than any Doctor predicted. And she lived up every moment. She had 3 kids - all married - and 9 (nine!!!) Grandchildren. She traveled and worked right up to the end, and I couldn't be prouder of her defiance. In her son's words at her memorial: "Cancer certainly did not define her." She was a trooper and a wonderful woman who will be missed.

A Prayer for my Aunt:
BROKEN CHAIN
“Little knew that morning that God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone; for part of us went with you the day God called you home. You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide, and though we cannot see you, you are always by our side. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.”

Life is so crazy. My mother always told me, "If you want to make God laugh, then make a plan." She, as always, was right. Plans go awry. My Aunt's passing was jut another example. We thought she'd be here to share Christmas with all of us. So as the holidays approach, I'm not making plans, so much as I'm trying to make opportunities for memories. I plan to have my camera with me every second (much to Anthony's dismay) and fully intend to document our memories here on my blog.

I'll do a blog about our Thanksgiving Traditions (hopefully) this weekend. I have so many pictures to share with all of you. I also have to do a blog on my friend, Danica's Wedding. Then, coming up is Christmas Tree Hunting, Christmas parties, and our Christmas Traditions, followed by our trip up north for NYE. Lots to come.

It is odd to not be coming up with something new to be Thankful for every day and writing about it. Truth be told, I don't have the time right now to do that. But I definitely think about these things every day. And I'm thankful for all of you who read my ramblings!

Work is going well. I've had a hand in two new toy lines that will be coming out in early 2010. Can't wait to show them to you. Dog Lovers out there, get ready for some cool stuff!!!

I promise to do my best from here on out not to go more than a week without blogging. Keep up with your blogs too! I love reading them. I want to hear all about your holiday traditions.

Have a great evening!
-Jen

So many new toys!

Hi All!

Ok, so this blog is going to be a jumble of thoughts and craziness!

First off, CherryTree Threads is online!!! Check us out at CherryTreeThreads.etsy.com and take a look around. Right now I've only got 9 pieces of Jewelry up, but a few blankets, aprons, and a few "Holiday" items are in the works and should be up in the next few weeks. Great gift ideas here people!!!

Also - I want to know what you think! I need all the help and (constructive!) criticism I can get! So facebook me with feedback, or email me at cherrytreethreads@gmail.com

I also will do custom jobs! So if you are looking for something for yourself, or for a great gift for a friend/loved one, let me know! I'd love to work it out.

Onto the next thing - this blog is also a TEST RUN! My friend, Amy, pointed me in the direction of TwitterFeed.com (I stalked the info on twitter, Amy! Thanks!) Supposedly, if I set it up right, this blog should appear on my Facebook, and a URL to it should appear on my twitter. We'll see if I did it right.

If you aren't already following me on twitter - click "Follow Me on Twitter" off to the right hand side of the blog! CherryTree will have one soon. We'll update every time we add an item to the site.

Enough with business... On a more personal agenda - I have to apologize. I know several of you have been waiting patiently for the next installment of "The Cupcake Project." It is to be a replica of "Starry Night" in icing. Crazy, I know. Unfortunately, I must put the entire project on hold for a little bit. With the holidays coming, and us being the Newlyweds figuring out budgets and such, money is not something I can spend at will. And truth be told, cupcakes happen to be one of my more expensive hobbies. So sorry, but Starry Night won't happen until sometime after the New Year. Forgive me. I'll make it up to you. You can come eat the cupcakes when I finally do finish it. ;-)

In it's place, I've taken on a few other (much lower cost) ideas. First of which is a journey my Friend Miranda and I plan to take together and document. In an attempt to open up our creative brains, we are blindly following a book I bought a few months back called "Wreak this journal." It is a journal that tells you to do absolutely outrageous things to it, in it, around it, etc. in an effort to get you to be more creative. It is meant to be totally left up to our interpretations. So that will be fun to see, and interesting to learn what comes out of it. More on that soon.

Next, I took yet another idea from my friend Amy and modified it. Every Year she does a "December Daily" where she writes a short blog for every day of December. In the blog she covers everything from Holiday Traditions, to photo's of the season, to what she's doing with her family and friends in the Christmas Spirit! Looks like fun! But so as not to steal her thunder (just her wonderful ideas!) I'm starting now. And then, of course, the Theme will be "Thanksgiving." Everyday (starting today - right after I finish this blog) I am going to write a small blurb about something I am Thankful for. I'll do it right up to Thanksgiving day! Should be fun! Please feel free to also steal the idea. I'd love to hear all about what everyone around here is Thankful for this Holiday Season.

Lastly, I'm working on some blog ideas for December. The Holiday season is my favorite time of year - not just for the obvious reasons of cheer and good food - but for the togetherness. The events that surround the holidays that ensure I see people I wouldn't otherwise see, and the people I choose to spend my time with. The holiday season brings out the best in people and I love the festiveness of it all. So I'll be blogging about some of my favorite Holiday Traditions, as well as exploring some new ones! Should be a fun adventure.

Lots and lots to come from the bloggy-blog. Hope I can keep up!

Have a great day, everyone!
-Jen

Thousand Oaks Quilting Show!

We LOVE Quilts!
As some of you already know, one of my ever expanding hobbies is quilting. I got into quilting for my mom last year. We have this family tradition where every year we pick each other's names out of a hat. They person you draw is the person you make a handmade Christmas gift for the next year. Well, last year, I had my mom as the person to make a gift for. She'd loved quilts for a long time and within recent years had started to learn to quilt. But I knew that she wanted a companion to do these projects with, and I thought - sure. Why the heck not? I'll learn.

So, my good friend and co-worker (who's been quilting, the old fashioned way (by HAND) since she was about 12 or so) agreed to teach me the basics. She was an AWESOME teacher. She made everything about this intricate art make sense.

This is a picture of a quilt sewn by hand in the 1930's:

So, I made my first basic quilt: a purple lap quilt in a "chair rail" pattern and I gave it to my mom last Christmas. I told her the quilt was the tangible gift for her to hang on to, but the real gift was that I had learned to quilt so we could quilt together. She cried.

Here we are, and almost a year later, my mother and I have a real love and appreciation for this art, and we've actually been making quilts along the way! I've made 3 so far (the first, plus one for my nephew, Max, when he was born in March, and the largest quilt I've made so far was for my sister as a gift to commemorate her Graduation from CLU in May) and I'm currently working on the most daunting quilt I've tried so far - a queen sized bed quilt called a "wedding quilt" to have here at home for me and Anthony. Imagine! A quilt for me!!!!

Just one of the more intricate quilting patterns possible out there!

Well, my Mom found out that CLU was hosting a local Quilting show, so of course, we had to go. It was amazing! The quilts were fabulous, and the fabrics for sale were too cute to pass up. We had such a good time on our "Mommy/Daughter" day, and we learned some new things along the way! Plus, we both have new ideas for quilts, and some new projects, too! Check it out!

Trunk of trimmings!

A Quilt that my Mom and I bought raffle tickets for. Hope we win!!!

Hippo & Elephant Print! You have no idea how cool/rare this combo is!!

My mom bought the print in 2 colors to make totes for me and my sister.
Our favorite Animals are Elephants and Hippos, Respectively.

Trying out the "Quilting Chair" which is ergonomically correct for quilting!

Historic Themed Quilt! How neat!

I took a liking to the next quilt:

Very cool concept: Bicentennial Celebration of a town, this quilter went door to door collecting neck ties from each family! She embroidered the family names on the ties, then quilted it together - naming it "Ties that Bind" and displayed it at the town celebrations. How great is that????

You can TOTALLY see that it is made of neck ties!
Totes!

Quilt made of old Jeans! How cool! I'm never throwing another pair away again!

Just some more beautiful quilts that I loved:

I can't wait until I'm good enough some day to have one of my quilts in a show. That would be so awesome! But I've got a ways to go before then. This was so much fun, and I can't wait to get started on my next quilt! I promise to blog about it, and a couple of other sewing projects in the works, when they are complete.

-Jen

Things I want, but Cant Afford...

Impulses and I don't always get along. I'm totally guilty of doing the "impulse buy" when I'm out and about - bringing things home that I know I don't need, but still just "HAD TO HAVE." Anthony loves to roll his eyes at me for it.

I do this thing when I'm in stores with Anthony where I see something I want, but know I don't need - I tug on his arm or sleeve, point at it as if I were 5 years old, and pout, "Anferneeee! I want that." 5 years together and it's still never worked. Ha! I guess that is a good thing. Because if I'm honest (and I should be), Anthony rarely deprives me of things I want when we can afford it. It is always the things I want that would break the bank that he turns me down on, and I can't really argue with him on it.

In light of this little rant, I thought I'd put a list of things together that I REALLY want, but can't have. Or rather, can't afford. I bet you anything several of these items will end up on my Christmas or Birthday list in the near future - but trust me. I'm not holding my breath. Promise.

1) RosettaStone in Spanish & in Arabic.
- Seriously people! Ant and I aren't kidding when we tell people we want to be able to actually speak the languages of our heritage well enough to teach our kids. We have every intention of learning the languages, passing them on, and speaking them regularly in our home. But we gotta learn them first. Why does the darn program have to be so expensive? I'll tell ya why - IT WORKS. And supply and demand says that yes, they can charge $500 for the full lesson because who else is going to teach you? That's right. Nobody. Pony up.

2)
Coach Purse. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not all that "trendy" when it comes to designer things. But we all also know that I have 2 very distinct weaknesses... purses, and shoes. And not just any purse or shoe - no no! It has to be designer for it to really "wow" the crowd. Now, let's face it. I have one guess purse, and about 20 knock offs, and NONE of my shoes are designer, unless you count Ann Taylor as designer. I don't. I'm talking Calvin Klein, Gucci, Jimmy Choo - ok, I'll stop drooling now... Which brings me to:

3) Calvin Klein Mary Janes. Mmmmmmm. Look how pretty they are!!! I actually want the gray suede version of this, but I couldn't find a pic. But still... I want!

4)
J-Crew Black Dress. As part of my 101 in 1001, I'm on the search for the PERFECT "Little Black Dress." Look no further, people! I've found heaven in black cotton cady (as they call it). I've tried it on, and if looks could kill, you'd be dead! I love it. Too bad it is currently $225, and Anthony won't let me buy ANY one article of clothing exceeding $60. Hrumph!

5)
Elfa Storage Center for my home office. Yes, I have a home office. Actually, I share a home office with Anthony. And it needs help! We are organized people, no doubt! But there is just never enough space. I want to create a space for all of my beading and sewing projects so they won't get mixed up, wrinkled, or start to overlap on to Anthony's precious drawing boards. Help me Elfa! Help me!

6)
New Sectional Couch. Don't get me wrong - the futon ROCKS! But let's face it. We want a house. The Futon will rock the world of the office before too long, and we'll need something to sit on!!! And I've always wanted a sectional. They are so comfy and inclusive, and they just fit me so nicely. Can't you just see me, relaxing with a blanket, a book, and the dog on this? You know you can!

7)
Jewelry Armoire for my every growing collection. I make jewelry, people! My collection is starting to escape it's tiny little excuse for a Jewelry organizer, and I won't stand for it any longer! I need something like this, that holds it all, organizes it all, and matches our bedroom furniture. It's beautiful cherry wood and contemporary look and feel is calling out to me - "Jen! Come organize me!" Oy.

8)
Victoria's Secret Pea Coat. Just because. I'm the biggest cold wuss on the planet, and Anthony would indulge me with coats and scarves (my favorites!) when we lived up north as sort of a "Hey - Thanks for packing up your life and moving to a totally new place that is way colder than you ever expected so we could be together" gesture. Let's just say, it worked every time! I want to go back! And dangit, I want to go back with this in my suit case!

9)
My Siberian Husky. Oh Pup, don't feel betrayed. We love you to pieces. But let's be honest. Pup, you aren't a real dog. You are more of a dog/cat/mountain goat rolled into one, with the neediness of a small child to boot! I am a DOG person - through and through. I would never turn pup away, or get rid of him, or even think of such things! But I am fully aware that when his adorable/funny/crazy little life is over, it's back to big dogs that know how to sit, stay, FETCH, roll over, and heel. And man, am I in love with this breed. Such stunning beauty. Can't wait.

10)
The iPhone... I know, I know... "Jen! You said you hated that thing!" And really, I do. If I had a dime for every time I tried to get Anthony's, Phil's, Gaby's, Morgan's, and now even Beckie's attention away from that thing and failed, I'd take you out to lunch! But, alas, it's functionality, dependability, speed, and convenience have come to outweigh all that. The world is a changing people, and my "media phone" that let's me check email and my bank account and not much else just isn't going to cut it. If I'm going to own my own business someday, I've got to get over it and get one.

BUT I STILL DON'T HAVE TO LIKE TEXTING ON IT!! So there. :-)D

So there you have it. 10 things I really want, but can't afford at the moment. Anthony says that when I win the lottery, I can have all those things and more. Hahaha. I just have to remember, I have to play to win. ;-)

-Jen

Blog Stalker to Blog Slacker!

I know, I know, I know -

I'm slacking. It's been more than 2 weeks since I've posted. Sorry peeps - been a little busy!!

So I did another round of cupcakes (blog to come tomorrow! Promise!) and then Ant and I went on a little vacy to NorCal to visit Ant's parents and go to the Annual Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival (Also, blog to come tomorrow!)

I had all the good intentions of blogging right away, but then - blah - I got sick this week. Fever of 100 Degrees, sore throat, the works! It's been loads of fun, let me tell ya! But I'm on the up and up again, and just had to post this one thing:On Sept. 12th, We did a Family Photo Shoot with Bri (Who else? She's my forever photographer, not to mention good friend from HS!) and we just got some of the photos back from her blog. She did it again! She managed to capture all these great smiles and faces that we make every day together. She isn't afraid to get down in the dirt to get the shot she wants, and she delivers images that will blow you away, not just because they look cool, but because you can actually see the love. I'm amazed.

Ok seriously, Bri - I cried, my mom cried, my sister cried, and both Dad and Ant laughed. Which is the best reaction to get out of them anyway, so good job.

BUT SERIOUSLY PEOPLE - You should call her. ok, I know. I love her, and so I'm biased and think that everyone else should love her too. But honestly - I've never come across another photographer out there who takes the time and care that she does. If you need family pictures done, or a wedding photographer, or head shots, or school portraits, or ANYTHING WITH A CAMERA you need to call her.

Go Ahead. Call her. I'll wait.

Did you call her? Good. Now that that is settled, I can rest easy. Honestly, I'm not just talking here. And she didn't put me up to this. Anthony and I LOVE our wedding photos. I have a book full of our engagement photos and it took me and Anthony 3 whole days to pick just one to be the "official" photo. We couldn't decide because we loved so many of them. I'm so relieved I'm not the one laying out the design for the Wedding album - otherwise it would have over 1000 photos in it (literally!). I have head shots of my sister, we have these awesome family shots, Ant's side of the family is starting to do photos with her too, so we have those, and I've recommended her to about 4 or 5 Brides I know with absolute confidence. Bri is not only an Amazing Photographer, she is an amazing person. And when she'd done with the photos, she goes and blogs about how wonderful and amazing the people/families she shoots are (Myself included), so I wanted to take a second to rave about her.

Bri - You've been so wonderful to all of us. You've been professional, fun & easy to work with, charming, passionate about what you do, and the best part is that I've NEVER seen you work coming anywhere but from the heart. You capture moments rather than images. You make people laugh and you bring out the best in them and you capture it. You make us look good!!!! You find those smiles that JC Penny's will NEVER be able to get, I don't care how great their studio package deal is. You will be taking my family's pictures for years and years to come, and I will recommend you to anyone who will listen. You are more than a photographer - you are a great friend and I cherish having you back in my life.

If you haven't yet, people - check this lady out!

Website: www.briennemichelle.com
Blog: www.brienne.net

Ok, one more because I love it.

Full post of all of my favorites to come soon.
-Jen

Seriously people - CALL HER!

Charming Pet Products

Hi All!

I'm blogging from work (have a little down time at the moment) and wanted to give you all a little update on my new home away from home.

It's been great. I've been here for a few weeks (already got my second pay check! Woot!) and have settled in nicely. I love my hours (although Anthony HATES them because they are so much better than his!). I start every morning between 9am and 9:30am, and leave around 5pm. I get to go home for lunch every day because we live about 10 minutes away, and I bring Pup to work on a pretty regular basis. It's pretty sweet!

I've never had a 35 hour work week before (I'm used to 45-50 with most of my past jobs!) so this is a really nice (and in my opinion well deserved) change. Don't get me wrong - I may only work 7 hours a day, but this is the first job I've had in a LONG time where I work all 7 hours (minus 15 minutes every now and again for things like blogging!) My down time here is really limited. This fact makes the day go by SO fast. I love it. There is always something to do. I could finish 100% of my To Do List for the day, and it wouldn't matter - There is still a ton to get done.

They now have trained me enough to take over the customer service phone - always fun and interesting - plus I do half the orders on a daily basis and most of our in-house shipping. Plus I manage the office (Duh - I'm "Office Manager") so I'm in charge of all the filing and the phones, and the mail, and all that "stuff" that has to get done. No clue how my boss, Christine, was doing it all by herself. Literally, I took half of her job off of her plate and she is still up to her ears in work! Hence why there is so little down time around here.

The other half of my job is working with Christine's Husband, Nick. He is our Marketing Department, Design Guru, and all around "Idea Guy." I work with him on up-to-date marketing techniques to help the business grow. I've also helped out on a couple of toy designs and hope I'll get the chance to design my own toy one day! How cool would that be? And part of working with Nick means doing a lot of work for our trade shows (we start this coming weekend with 6 of them back-to back! It's going to be crazy!). I've been helping with our booths and designing an easier set for our out of state Reps so they are more likely to follow through on the look. I even hopped into AI (Adobe Illustrator for the readers not in the trade) and did some design work and had header boards made for all of our floor displays! It was cool to get the final product back knowing I designed them! I'm so used to taking other' people's ideas and making them realities, so it was a big step to start with a blank canvas and make something new. I know I'll get to do it again with this company, and that sparks a whole lot of motivation and imagination for me.

I'm starting to ramble on - thanks for getting to this point, if you are still reading! I'm really enjoying my job. It's keeping me busy and the versatility is keeping me challenged. I'm pleased about that. But the greatest piece of the pie is that they (my bosses) wholeheartedly believe in me. They know (as I continue to prove it) that they can ask for something, on top of everything I already have going, and know that it is still going to get done, and BEFORE they feel the need to ask for it again. I have no one breathing down my neck, or checking over my shoulder. And as the days go by, they feel less and less of a need to "check" my work for errors, as I'm making less and less of them as I go. It's a great feeling to be needed and to know that I was hired to do a job they know I can do. Things are looking good on the Pet Toy front! I promise to do a blog if I get the chance to design a toy!

-Jen

Anthony's Birthday

This past week, Anthony turned 24!

Birthdays are always special for the two of us. We always do something nice for each other like breakfast or a gift we've really been wanting... oh, and let's not forget that Anthony proposed on my Birthday! But usually, it is something simple. This year, however, seeing as how this was his first birthday as my husband, I wanted to make sure he knew just how special he is. So I did a little more than normal this time around.
First, I arranged a dinner for him at his favorite restaurant. When we lived in NorCal, we discovered this burger joint called "The Counter." We LOVED it. Such amazing food. And we were sad when we moved back down to SoCal, knowing we wouldn't be able to go there all the time. But then, we found out that one had opened here! In Westlake! So for his Birthday, the dinner venue was an easy choice! His siblings and a few close friends came to eat with us. It was a lot of fun! And of course, Anthony is always happy to see our niece, Laila.
In addition to dinner, I invited a few friends that Anthony didn't know about. His good friend and college roommate, Ritchie, came out for the evening to be with us. He showed up at the house to suprise Anthony and got a few rounds of Wii games in before dinner. And our good friends, TC and Jane were secretly invited too! They couldn't make it to dinner, but they drove out later that evening (bless them) just to hang out for 2 hours and then go back home. We have such good friends!
Ant's Birthday continued on Saturday with my parents - Our family tradition is that the Birthday Person gets to choose what is on the menu for dinner. Ant chose Poppi's Ribs! Sooooo good! And that was followed by Family Game Night. My parents bought him Wii Resort Sports for his birthday and he was exstatic! He's been wanting that game for weeks! And we stayed and played the game with my parents until 1 in the morning! Always good times.
And lastly, I bought Anthony the final book (DVD collection) to the Avatar Series - something he's been waitng so patiently for - and you should have seen how happy he was! That is the best feeling, when something so simple makes him so happy! And he knows that I'm paying attention to things that are important to him.All and All, his birthday was a total success and we had a great time. Cheers, Anthony! Happy Birthday!

-Jen

Blog Stalker Update

I'm amazed.

Seriously, people! I thought maybe, MAYBE, 5 people read my blog. Turns out more than 15 people read my blog! Including my husband! I didn't know he read it!

So, 12 comments on my actual blog, 3 comments on my facebook, and at least 3 others that I know of that haven't commented and that is 18 people! Holy cow!

I can't tell you what it means to me to know that people are following me. It actually works as a TOTAL motivator to continue on with the writing, as well as completing all of my projects. It's like someone out there is holding me accountable. It's awesome.

So Thanks to everyone who commented. I appreciate it. And I'm so happy to have a few new people to Blog stalk, and even happier to find that my blog has acted as inspiration for a few other people's blog. That is an amazing feeling, and I'm so blessed to have wonderful people in my life.

Bri - you are gonna have to show me this Google Analytics thing you speak of. I want to know!

Mary - don't worry about adding me to your blog - I facebook stalk you, too. :-)

To everyone else out there reading - THANK YOU! This is such a cool feeling.

-Jen

Blog Experiment

Ok, so I'll admit it. I'm a Blog Stalker.

Yup - you heard me. If we've ever met, and I know you have a blog, I read it. I read all of it. I look at every line, every photo, every comment made. I'm what my husband lovingly calls a "Space Invader" - you know, like the game? He's clever like that.

Anywho - back to blog stalking. Through my friend, Bri, I learned about "Google Reader." If you have gmail, or a google account, you can get Google Reader. You type in someone's blog address, and the darn thing alerts you whenever anyone in your list updates their blog. And I mean, whenever - 24/7 ability to stalk other bloggers. It updates almost instantly after someone hits "publish." So I check my reader at least once (but more like 3-5 times) a day to see who's been online. And I read them all. I know all about who Bri has been photographing mere minutes after she posts. I know what my friend Brenna is up to out in Ohio. I know what photos my friend Amy has been taking on her latest photo journalism adventure. I read my mom's stuff, Sandy's stuff, I even read the blog belonging to the cupcake book that inspired my cupcake project!

So then, that got me wondering. If I read that many blogs, who's reading mine? I have no clue. Besides Beckie, who's got me set up on her Iphone, and my mom because she thinks I'm cooler than I actually am, I have no idea who reads my babble (like, at all, let alone on a regular basis). I know Mary and Amy have read at least one because they commented, but I don't know if they've been back. (P.S. Mary - If you are reading this, I can't read your blog - it's private, which is good! So Can you add me please?)

So here is my experiment: Leave a comment on this one. If you read my blog, or have ever read my blog, leave a comment (saying ANYTHING) on this one. I'm just curious. And YES BECKIE - THAT MEANS YOU TOO! Ms. "I read it all but never comment." :-) I love you!

And if you read this blog and you think I might not have your blog set up in my reader, leave your blog address. I'll start stalking you, too. Promise. ;-)

Thanks guys!!! Cheers to all the other Blog Stalkers out there!
-Jen

I ate new things!!!!

I know, I know. That NEVER happens, right? Jen, try new foods? Impossible. But I did. And Anthony and Paul are my witnesses!

On Marco's last night here in the states, we went out to dinner with him and his family on his dad's side (we are his Mom's side of the family) and there was no getting around it - we were doing things the Lebanese way. No excuses, no backing out. :-)

This is what our table looked like. Look at all that food! The empty basket in front of me was pita bread, but we ate all that!!!
Happy Brothers eating good food:

Saddie (and Paul) with her Felaflels. She loves them.

So here is a list of the new things I tried:
- Hummus
- Almond Rice
- Chicken Shawarma
- and a Lebanese dessert that I can neither spell nor pronounce, but it was essentially a rice pudding soaked in Rose Water with Bananas, Strawberries, and Honey on top. Looks like this:

My Dinner: Shish Kabab (so beef on a stick) with Almond Rice! Yummy!So, here is where it all stood on the Jen eat-o-meter: Hummus - gross. Texture and taste are just NOT for me.

Almond Rice - AH-MAZING!!!!! Loved it. Sooo good. I want to learn how to make it at home. And Saddie (Marco's Aunt) said she'd teach me! Whoo!!!!

Shawarma - Pretty good. Not my favorite, but I'd eat it if that is what they were "serving for dinner" so that is a step in the right direction!

Dessert - YUCK! I immediately tasted the rose water and nothing else, and then the texture of a thick, sticky, rice pudding set in, and I had to wash it down with some coke!!! BUT the point is, I tried it. And they were proud of me for that. Cool!

Oh - and the first night we met them all (2 days after Marco arrived), I tried Kafta for the first time which is a ground beef mixed with a whole bunch of herbs and spices, and grilled on open flame inside a piece of pita bread. That was yummy too! Even Gaby (Anthony's Dad) was proud of me for trying that one!

It was great fun, and we had a blast laughing about my silly eating habits. I'm so glad to have had the chance to get to know more of Anthony's family. They are wonderful people and (now that we know where they live/how close they are!) we'll be seeing them much more often. Cheers to new adventures!!

Take #1 - Saddie trying to feed me - a theme in Lebanese families - EAT MORE!
Ok, normal, nice family. We miss you, Marco!
-Jen