Thursday, January 31, 2008

Slogan Generator

Found this on Lisa's blog...thought it was cute!

The Coolest Jenn on Ice.

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Generated by the Advertising Slogan Generator, for all your slogan needs. Get more Jenn slogans.



Think Once, Think Twice, Think Jenn.

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You Can't Top a Jenn.

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Don't Leave Home Without Jenn.

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Home once again...

Went back to the doctor this morning because my eye is still really swollen. Turns out, I'm allergic to the eyedrops. FAN-FLIPPIN-TASTIC!! So, I'm on new meds, including an oral antibotic. Yuck!

And it looks as if we'll have a snow day tomorrow too!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Still sick

but I went back to work today. then came home and slept for almost 2 hours. LOL

My eye still hurts and it's swollen...grr..

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Game Plan

watched this movie today...very cute!! :) the little girl and the ROCK...mmm good.

cute line...

Peyton Kelly: My mom says that she fell in love with you because you played guitar and you sounded like Elvis.
Joe Kingman: Really? [Elvis voice]
Joe Kingman: Well what do you think?
Peyton Kelly: I think my mom was tone deaf and you sound more like an injured moose.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Musical Monday: The Day you were Born

You light up my Life - Debbie Boone

I'm 30 years old

and I am home sick with pink eye.


THIS BITES!

I've had a cold for the last week and apparently I caught it in addition to my code. I've already washed all sheets and I will be sleeping out on the couch tonight, so I don't pass it on to dh. Called everyone who I have been in contact with...but this sucks!

Jenn

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Week 3 Weign In...

Another 3.5 lbs lost...bringing my total to 7.5 lbs in 3 weeks!

We had dinner with my SIL tonight...she has a stability ball...must get one of these! I sat on while watching TV and you can totally feel it working your core muscles and calves and thighs!!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

There she is....

Miss America!!

Now that the song is in your head, I watched the Miss American pagent tonight. My friend Marcy and I got together to watch it and well...um...make fun of the contestants. LOL

Congrats to Miss Michigan!

And may we all wish for world peace!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

What kind of donut are you?

You Are a Glazed Donut

Okay, you know that you're plain - and you're cool with that.
You prefer not to let anything distract from your sweetness.
Your appeal is understated yet universal. Everyone dig you.
And in a pinch, you'll probably get eaten.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Schaumburg, IL

where i live now!!

Schaumburg is a village in Cook County and DuPage County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 75,386. As of 2005, the population slightly dropped to 72,690 according to the Census Bureau. A special census conducted by Schaumburg in 2007 shows it had actually increased to 75,936.[1]
The village has the headquarters of Motorola. One of only two IKEA stores in Illinois is in Schaumburg. It contains the Woodfield Mall, one of the largest malls in America in terms of shopping area [2]. The village is also the home of the Schaumburg Flyers, a Northern League baseball team whose ballpark, Alexian Field, is located near the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. Schaumburg's transition from a rural community to that of a suburban metropolis began with Alfred Campanelli's first large scale suburban-style development in 1959 and Woodfield Mall's opening on September 9, 1971.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 19.1 square miles (49.5 km²), of which, 19.0 square miles (49.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.63%) is water.

History
19th century
The Village of Schaumburg was incorporated on March 7, 1956, but the heritage of Schaumburg dates back to much earlier times when the first inhabitants of the area were members of the Sauk, Fox, Pottawatomie, and Kickapoo Native American tribes. By the mid-nineteenth century, settlers first began to arrive from Germany and the eastern United States.
Legend has it that one of the earliest settler was Trumball Kent from Oswego, New York. Kent, a "Yankee," as settlers from New England were called in the west, farmed property in the northeast corner of the township. Another Yankee was Hoarace Williams, who owned substantial lands but lived in the hamlet of Palatine in Palatine Township. Ernst Schween settled in 1835 not far from what is now called Olde Schaumburg Centre, in what was then and is now known as Sarah's Grove. Another early settler in Schaumburg Township was German born Johann Sunderlage. According to one legend, Sunderlage was a member of a survey team that divided Cook County into townships around 1833 or according to another legend, worked on a survey team on the Joliet canal. He liked the area so much that, upon completion of the project, he returned to Europe and brought his family and friends from Germany and settled in the area now known as Hoffman Estates in Schaumburg Township around 1836. His home still stands in its original location.
Sunderlage and his family occupied their land in the Township until the federal land sale of 1842 allowed them to purchase the property and obtain the deed. Sunderlage and Kent represented the predominant groups that settled Schaumburg Township in its early days. In 1840, 56 percent of the Township households originated from the eastern United States, while 28 percent were German-born. By the 1850s, the population mix had settled to 28 percent “Yankee” and 48 percent German.
By 1870, Schaumburg Township had become completely German. Land records show that most of the property in the Township was owned by German immigrants or their descendants. This pattern emerged as many Yankee 'settlers' continued to travel west for the promise of newly opened lands on the Great Plains. The land they owned in Schaumburg was then purchased by German-born immigrants.
Schaumburg Township remained almost exclusively under German ownership until the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Depression caused the foreclosure on some German-owned farms which were then purchased by non-German individuals and companies. Nonetheless, German heritage remained important in the area. German was the first language of the majority of households until the 1950s.
St. Peter Lutheran Church, the community's oldest church held services in German as late as 1970. The church remains as a museum, as does the second church of this congregation. Services were first held at the Rohlwing-Fenz store at the Southwest corner of the intersection of Schaumburg Road and Roselle Road until their first church building was completed in 1847. The pastor was Francis Hoffman, who walked from the Bensenville area to hold services in Schaumburg. He was later to become a Lieutenant Governor in Illinois and when he retired from the ministry, moved to Wisconsin where he operated an experimental farm and was editor of a German Language Newspaper addressing the issues of farming. Other names, dating from the 1840s were: Quindel, Winkelhake, Moeller, Fenz, Kastning, Lichthardt, Meyer, Rohlwing, Thies Scheiderling and Freise.
Schaumburg Township was originally known as Sarah's Grove. This name was derived from a grove of woods that ran through the northwest portion of the Township, which was named for three young women whose families lived adjacent to the grove: Sarah McChesney, Sarah Frisbe, and Sarah Smith. However, the name was never made official and the family names have yet to be accounted for in any documentation. Until 1851, the area's official name was Township 41. At the 1850 Township meeting, residents discussed two names for the Township; Lutherville and Lutherburg. In the middle of the discussion Frederick Nerge, a prominent German landowner, put his fist down on the table and called out, "Schaumburg schall es heisen!" (It will be called Schaumburg!). With this statement, a consensus was reached on the Township's official name.
This chosen name derived from Schaumburg-Lippe, the part of Germany where many of the Township's residents originated. The majority of German settlers were from the Hesse-Kassel or Hanover districts, but apparently those from the Schaumburg area had more influence in the community's affairs.
Schaumburg Township prospered during its early days. The area's main occupation was farming, with potato growing, dairy products and raising cattle as main sources of income. The land was a very large meadow surrounded by extensive wilderness. Wildlife such as geese, ducks, quail, prairie chickens, rabbits, pheasant and deer were very abundant.
In 1858, a small market area emerged at what is now the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads. Schaumburg Centre functioned as the central service district for the surrounding agricultural producers. It included two general stores, four cheese factories, a cobbler, a tailor, a wagon maker, and a blacksmith.
Most of the early growth in the Northeast region of Illinois occurred along the Fox River Valley and the major rail lines. Since neither of these transportation networks served Schaumburg Township, the Township remained rather isolated. Few roads existed, and several were often impassable. To reach the market, Schaumburg farmers had to travel 27 miles (43 km) by oxen or horses to Chicago, which only had about 35,000 inhabitants at that time.

20th century
In 1900, during a period of German nationalism, a 50 year anniversary brochure reported the following account: "Schaumburg has, as an important 'English daily newspaper' said: 'The reputation of being the model community of Cook County. Also, the town of Schaumburg is an example of a community for all other towns in Cook County and probably in other counties, too. Schaumburg is prompt in the payment of its taxes; it supports churches and schools; it has also the best roads in the land and - Schaumburg has never had a jail.' Finally, it is not just for the settlers only, but also for foreigners."
In 1925, O. D. Jennings, the founder of what was once one of the largest manufacturers of slot machines in the United States, purchased a house in the village. It would be his and his wife's home until his death in 1953. On the death of his widow, the house and its surrounding park lands were denoted to the village, and used as the Village Hall until 1971.
This isolation was broken, however, as the automobile became the primary means of transportation. Two projects, the expansion of O'Hare Field into a major international airport in 1955 and the construction of the Northwest Tollway through the farmlands in 1956, and the presence of technical and business people at Pure Oil Company put Schaumburg in an ideal location for suburban growth. In response to development pressures, the area encompassing what was known as Schaumburg Centre, was incorporated in 1956. At the time of incorporation, the Village consisted of two square miles and a population of 130 residents.
Incorporation enabled the village to control its growth and development. Early village leaders are credited with the foresight and planning that has made later economic growth possible. The original comprehensive plan adopted by the Village Board in 1961, reserved large tracts of land for industrial, commercial, and office development. Growth in these sectors has made the village a major area employer and the State's second largest retail center.
Schaumburg's expansion during the 1960s changed the character of the community dramatically. Schaumburg was no longer a quiet rural community. In 1959, Alfred Campanelli began construction of the first large residential subdivision in the Village, known as Weathersfield. The subdivision now contains several thousand single-family homes built in 22 stages over two decades. In all, Campanelli constructed over 6,800 housing units or approximately 20% of the Village's housing stock. In 1967, the International Village apartment complex opened as Schaumburg's first multiple-family housing development. The following year, Motorola began to construct its corporate headquarters in the community on a site located adjacent to the Northwest Tollway.
During this time, country singer Bob Atcher ("You Are My Sunshine"), who had become known on the old WLS Barn Dance, became Schaumburg village president. He held that position until 1975.
The 1970s saw a continuation of the tremendous growth that took place in the previous decade. By 1970, the village population had grown to 18,730. That same year, a second expressway, Interstate 290, opened on the eastern boundary of the village. This provided another link to Chicago and further enhanced its stature in the eyes of the region's many developers. The following year, Woodfield Mall shopping center opened in Schaumburg. During the remainder of the decade, Schaumburg experienced phenomenal commercial, office, industrial and residential development.
In 1978, the Village Board formally established the Olde Schaumburg Centre Overlay District to preserve the character of the area generally located at the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads. The Olde Schaumburg Centre Commission, also established in 1978, reviews new development and restoration projects in the District to ensure the continued historic appeal of the area.
By 1980, Schaumburg had expanded to 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²) of land area, and its population had swelled to 53,305 residents. During the early and mid 1980s, development focused on large corporate office buildings and the emerging Woodfield Regional Center along Golf Road. The late 1980s was characterized by the vast expansion of small manufacturing and warehouse uses in the industrial and business parks in the village's northeast and southwest quadrants. Other development such as large manufacturing facilities, commercial retail centers, and large suite hotels boomed in the 1980s. Schaumburg was profiled in Joel Garreau's 1991 book, Edge City, as a suburb conforming to a new form of urban development in which large concentrations of jobs exist, though outside the traditional downtown city centers.
By 1990, Schaumburg's population was increasing at a slower rate as land available for residential development was rapidly disappearing. The population in 1990 had risen to 68,586, an increase in 15,281 persons since 1980. Although this was still an impressive growth rate, it was apparent Schaumburg was nearing residential build-out and that future increases would be diminishing.
Office development in the 1990s had also slowed. The once booming office market slumped due to the large supply of office space in the northwest suburbs and the limited demand by typical users in the financial, insurance, and real estate sectors. Yet, the Schaumburg commercial market enjoyed substantial expansion during this period. Since 1990, Schaumburg has witnessed the development of 2.0 million square feet (180,000 m²) of commercial space including a variety of retail uses. One Schaumburg Place, now known as Streets of Woodfield after being redeveloped, and Woodfield Village Green were built in the early 1990s. A bright future was also reflected by the Woodfield Mall expansion which included approximately 500,000 square feet (50,000 m²) of commercial space to accommodate Nordstrom department store and several other retail stores. IKEA, an internationally known home furnishings store, opened a 458,000-square-foot (42,500 m²) facility in the Woodfield Regional Center in the late 1990s.
The mid 1990s also experienced an influx of retail food establishments. Pizzeria Uno, Outback Steakhouse, Chevy's, Boston Market, Champps, Chandlers, Hooters, Rainforest Cafe, Joe's Crab Shack and Maggiano's all opened in the village during this time.
In the fall of 1993, the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway opened. This expressway connects Schaumburg to neighboring communities to the southwest and Interstate 290 to the southeast. It also provides convenient access to Spectrum Industrial Park and the nearby Schaumburg Regional Airport, which the village purchased in 1994 and expanded in 1995.
The village finalized the purchase of the Town Square shopping center in 1995, clearing the way for the complete redevelopment of the property. The 27 acre site at the southwest corner of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads has been transformed into a diverse development offering a few stores including Dominicks, the township library, restaurants, general retail development, and a public amphitheater. The new development was designed to respect the historic character of the Olde Schaumburg Centre, providing late 19th century and early 20th century architectural design and a park to entice residents to casually walk the area and stop at the various establishments.
Minor league baseball came to the village in the spring of 1999. Alexian Field, the 7,000 seat baseball stadium, was built in partnership with the Schaumburg Park District just north of the commuter rail facility. Alexian Field acts as home to the Schaumburg Flyers, a member of the independent Northern League.
[edit] 21st century
In 2000, the village purchased 45 acres of land at the northeast corner of Interstate 90 (Northwest Tollway) and Meacham Road. The purchase was made to reserve the last large parcel of property for possible use as a convention center, hotel, and performing arts center. Schaumburg has been working for over 15 years to bring a convention center to the village that would bring new jobs, new visitors, and significant new economic activity.
In July 2004 a groundbreaking was held for the Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center and Hotel on a 45 acre site at Meacham Road and I-90. The showpiece of Schaumburg, this new hotel/convention center propels the Village of Schaumburg into a new realm of commerce and tourism. This mixed-use complex opened on July 29, 2006 and incorporates a convention center with over 100,000 sq ft (10,000 m²) of exhibition space and a 500-room hotel. Guests are expected to enjoy a high level of personal service and amenities including a business center, health club, pool and whirlpool/spa, fine dining and a 15th floor penthouse level executive club with an outdoor terrace. The design is under the direction of John Portman & Associates, known for its vision, creativity and understanding of the human response to space, nature, and light.
As Schaumburg reaches the 50th anniversary of its incorporation, continued expansion is expected albeit at a slower rate than in years past. With a population of 75,386 in 2000, minimal residential growth both in the single-family and multiple-family market is expected as little residential land remains. Office development activity in the Woodfield Regional Center began to increase in 1997 after almost a decade of absorption. Nearly 2 million square feet (180,000 m²) of office space has been added to the Woodfield Regional Center in the last five years. Industrial development has remained steady throughout the 1990s with activity increasing in 1996 and 1997 during a period of economic boom. The majority of industrial development is expected to occur in the Spectrum Industrial Park, Woodfield Business Center and Copley Center. Finally, future redevelopment should also occur around the proposed Suburban Transit Access Route (Metra) transit stop, proposed to be located south the Walden International PUD and north of IKEA and Windy Point Office Park along the Northwest Tollway.

Champaign, IL

Following up on Jess's idea...here is some info about the town I was born and raised in.

Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located 135 miles south of Chicago and 124 miles west of Indianapolis, Indiana. Though in many respects Champaign is still a farm community, it is notable for sharing the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with its sibling city of Urbana. Thanks to the university and a number of well known technology startups (see below), Champaign is often referred to as the hub of, or at least a significant landmark of, the Silicon Prairie.
As reported in the 2000 U.S. Census, the city was home to 67,518 people. The city held a special census in 2007 that showed that its population had grown to 75,254.[1] The mayor is Gerald Schweighart, whose term will expire in 2011.
Champaign was founded in 1855, when the Illinois Central Railroad laid its rail track two miles west of downtown Urbana. Originally called "West Urbana," it was renamed Champaign when it acquired a city charter in 1860. Both the city and county name were derived from Champaign County, Ohio.
On September 22, 1985, Champaign hosted the first Farm Aid concert at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium. The concert drew a crowd of 80,000 people and raised over $7 million for American family farmers.
In 2005, Champaign-Urbana (specifically the University of Illinois) was the location of the National Science Olympiad Tournament, attracting young scientists from all 50 states. The city also hosts the state Science Olympiad competition every year. The University of Illinois is next expected to host the National competition in 2010.
[edit]
Famous people from Champaign
Bonnie Blair, olympic gold-medalist speed skater
Bob Richards, olympic gold-medalist pole vaulter
Bill Geist, CBS News correspondent
Matt Herges, major league pitcher
Michael H. Kenyon, nicknamed the "Enema Bandit"
Alison Krauss, bluegrass singer
Ludacris (Christopher Bridges), rapper
Vashti McCollum won a U.S. Supreme Court case against religious teaching in public schools; her son Dannel would later be a mayor for Champaign three terms
Poster Children, rock group
Jerry Sanders Founder and former CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) W. J. (Jerry) Sanders, graduated from the U of I's Electrical Engineering Department (now Electrical and Computer Engineering Department) in 1958.
Lewis Hastings Sarett, inventor of synthetic cortisone
REO Speedwagon, rock group
James Tobin, laureate of the Nobel prize in economics(1981)
George Will, political columnist
Col. Lee Archambault, Astronaut (University of Illinois)
Commander Scott Altman, Astronaut (University of Illinois)
Jimmy John (Founder of restaurant Jimmy John's)
Starcastle, rock group
Hum, space rock/alternative rock group

Hey there Delilah

I love this song! I never knew that it was written specifically about a girl named Delilah.



From the TODAY show.....
"As a nationally ranked runner and an Olympic hopeful, Delilah DiCrescenzo is used to being chased — but by other athletes, not by pop singers from Chicago. But, she said on Wednesday, she doesn’t mind the attention the chase has brought her. “What I really hope through all of this is that it spotlights track and field, and it gives the sport a face, which is really important to us athletes in an Olympic year,” the woman who inspired Song of the Year nominee “Hey There Delilah” told TODAY co-hosts Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer on Wednesday.
It’s been a long chase both for her and for Tom Higgenson, lead singer for the Plain White T’s, who wrote the song five years ago after being introduced to DiCrescenzo by a friend. Higgenson was smitten and even though she had a boyfriend, he told her he was going to write a song about her.
“I thought he was just being flirtatious and leading me along,” the 24-year-old athlete told Lauer and Vieira. “I had a boyfriend at the time, so I really didn’t believe him.”
Higgenson and his band played the song for years at club dates and concerts, and it became a favorite with their fans. But it wasn’t until last summer that it broke out into the mainstream and began climbing the charts until it was the nation’s top single. That was when Higgenson performed the song on TODAY and told Ann Curry the story of unrequited love that had inspired it.
DiCrescenzo, meanwhile, remained all but anonymous. A graduate of Columbia University, she had returned to her native Chicago to work. A good but not great runner in high school and college, she gave the 3,000-meter steeplechase a try in 2006 and found that she was good enough in the grueling race to think about trying to make the Olympic team this year. To pursue that dream, she moved to Conshohocken, Pa., where she trains full-time while working as an assistant track and cross-country coach at Bryn Mawr.
She kept casually in touch with Higgenson, mostly through e-mails and instant messages. When the song was nominated for a Grammy as Song of the Year, he called and invited her to come to the Feb. 11 ceremony with him. With her boyfriend’s blessing, she accepted and found herself in the spotlight.
She said it’s something of a relief to go public with her identity and to clear up any confusion about her role in a love song whose lyrics seem unequivocal:
Hey there Delilah, I’ve got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away, I’d write it all
Even more in love with me you’d fall, we’d have it all.
“I knew it was fictionalized, and I’m glad that I finally get the opportunity to say I do have a boyfriend and it is romanticized,” she said. “The song means so much to so many different people. I’m just happy that it’s had so much success, and I don’t mind playing along with it.”
Her boyfriend, who did have bouts of jealousy when the song came out, is also relieved. “He’s a lot happier now that I get a chance to clear up the confusion,” she said. “He’s been a good sport through the whole thing.”
She hasn’t gotten a dress for the occasion yet. “I’ve been concentrating on my training for the Olympics,” she admitted. Her event, the steeplechase, is contested over hurdles and a water hazard. For the first time at this year’s Olympics, it will be run by women as well as by men, and DiCrescenzo will compete in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in June. The top three finishers at the trials will go to Beijing in August.
Asked by Lauer which would be more exciting, seeing Higgenson win the Grammy or making the Olympic team, DiCrescenzo chose to be diplomatic.
“I want both,” she said.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Monday, January 21, 2008

In memory of a great man...

Today, we celebrate this man with either a day off of school or work, no mail, and no banks. I'm attaching the speech that we all associate with him. We have come along way since this speech, but we still have so much more to go!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

music man

probably one of my favorites...this is from the 2003 version with matthew broderick and kristen chenoweth...love this scene!!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Weigh In...week 2

Still a loss, but not as much as I would have liked. But like I said...a loss is a loss!

0.6 lbs, which brings me to 4 lbs total! I talked with the people there and got some ideas from my sister, so I just need to work on those for next week! :)

Since I did have a loss, I treated myself to a cinnamon melt and a yogurt parfait! First time to McDonalds in almost 2.5 weeks! :-) The cinnamon melt was a splurge but the parfait wasn't too bad at only 3 points. Plus, I got some dairy and fruit out of the deal!

Friday, January 18, 2008

TGIF!

The title says it all...this week has been CRAZY!!!

This weekend is a three day weekend thanks to Martin Luther King! Tomorrow, I have my WW meeting, which I'm a little nervous about...I hope to see a loss. A few times this week, I was under my points for the day, but I wasn't hungry. I'm going to have to ask about that. Then, I was eating, but it was late at night. The next morning, I felt like crud.

After the meeting, I'm heading to my sisters and will be having a sleepover with the nephews! :) My sister has a girls night out and my bil is working until Sunday morning.

I'll try and update what I hear from Weight Watchers!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

What Uncommon Name?

Your Uncommon Name Is:

Kanesha Sparkle Goods

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Oh, the Places I've Been....

Borrowing an idea from Jess, thought I would put my list together of where I have lived throughout my life. I'm not as traveled as she is though...I've never left the state of Illinois!

1. Champaign, IL - I was born there in 1977 and lived there until we moved in 1989.
2. Schaumburg, IL - moved there in 1989 and lived there until Bill and I were engaged. We got an apartment about 6 months before we were married in 2000.
3. Rock Island, IL - lived there between 1995 and 1999, while I attended Augustana College.
4. Plainfield, IL - First place where Bill and I lived. Were there from 2000-2003.
5. Oswego, IL - Moved there in 2003 and stayed there until we moved in 2006.
6. Schaumburg, IL - Moved back to our hometown. We both grew up in Schaumburg so it was nice to be back home.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Random Questions

What is the highest and lowest that you typically will set your heat at in your home?

During the winter, we keep the heat anywhere from 65-68. It may seem cold to others, but being in a third floor apartment, the hot air rises from the other two floors. I also love the feeling of being a little chilly and cozing up with a blanket (and dh of course)

During the summer, we keep it cool as well. I can’t stand being hot or overheated!

How much do you typically spend on groceries per week?
I’d say about $50 a week, but it depends. We just shop a little bit here and there…so it’s hard to add up.

What is your favorite kind of bread? Do you eat the ends/heels of a loaf of bread? Or do you toss them?

My new favorite is Weight Watchers 100% Wheat Bread! LOL Normally, we just go for the generic brand at whatever store we are at.

Are you hoping to have any more children? Or for those of you who haven't had a child yet, are you hoping to start a family soon?

I can honestly say that my answer changes from day to day on this one. I love kids and I want to have children, but, dh and I are still pretty selfish and we still struggle with just the two of us. I don’t know if adding kids into the mix is a good thing at this point...but ask me tomorrow! 

Have you read anything good lately? I'm always on the hunt for a good book to read.
I don’t read as much as I should. It’s not that I hate to read, I just don’t make the time for it. And when I do read, I either fall asleep in 5 minutes or I stay up TOO late because I can’t put it down.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People who are always complaining, but not willing to change their lives or situations.

Have you ever bought something from the Home Shopping Network, or the like?
I think I’ve bought scrapbooking stuff and I also bought the Tae-Bo videos way back when.

Do you prefer paper or plastic bags at the grocery store? Why?

I tend to prefer paper, but mostly end up with plastic. We end up resuing them for the garbage can in the bathroom or carrying our lunch “stuff” in.

Monday, January 14, 2008

In honor of a good friend....

a little men bashing for the day!

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth - at least that's what they say - he created the birds of the air and the beasts of the field and he looked at his creation and he saw that it was good...
and then God created man and it's been downhill ever since.

Dr. Miranda Bailey
Grey’s Anatomy

Sunday, January 13, 2008

new favorite song

well, new to me...LOVE IT!!

thank goodness it's temporary...

but dh is working the third shift over the next few nights...HATE sleeping by myself...UGH!

another lazy day

haven't had one in awhile and this one felt good. i had church in the morning, with our handbell choir performing. both groups did REALLY well!

our new organ ROCKS...i could have listened to it for hours! especially since the guy who was playing it just is a wonderful musician as well! (also not bad on the eyes as well)...too bad he's gay :-( lol

so yea, our church is an open and affirming church, we means, we basically accept all who come through our door. we have several members of the gay community (couples and singles) as well as a few members of the transgender population. still not 100% comfortable with the whole transgender way of life, but the people who we have are amazing, so it's good.

sorry...rambled there for a sec.

ugh...i need another day off! lol

Saturday, January 12, 2008

lazy saturday...

i had these aspirations this morning to get so much done...and........


i didn't do a damn thing!

I had my first WW weigh-in...I lost 3.5 lbs! I had planned on going into to work, but chose to come home and be a couch potatoe. Watched a chick flick and napped...just started a load of laundry for tomorrow...

i may try the working thing again tomorrow...we'll see!

Friday, January 11, 2008

TGIF

Thank goodness it's Friday.

This week was weird and long...probably because it's the first full week after the holidays.

Nothing big going on this weekend...just relaxing! Going to my second meeting tomorrow at WW and I'm hoping to see a loss!! I've been really good about my points this week!

Have a good weekend everyone!!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

A new blog

Of course I'm still going to keep this one, but come on join me on my weight loss blog.

Last Saturday, I joined Weight Watchers. Several friends and family have had success on this and it's about time I start myself!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

I Rule!

To quote my brother-in-law...lol

Why do you ask...well, i'll tell you!

last night, we had a "oh so fun" church meeting. we've been dancing around a particular issue for two months and we are getting no where quickly. our pastor majorly lacks leadership skills...she likes to "major in the minors". it's been very frustrating and the negativity in that church is at an all time high.

so, this meeting started out the same discussion...finally, i had the nerve to speak up and guess what....WE MADE PROGRESS!!

One of the ladies told me last night "you are your parent's daughter".

once again, say it with me now...i rule!

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

scrapbook goals for this year

i'm the nerd who sets goals for how many pages I want to create this year as well as books i would like to work on...so here goes for 2008 (5 years since I started scrapping by the way!)

*Finish 2006 scrapbook (almost done...just a few pages left and need to organize)
*Finish 2007 scrapbook (still have about 20-25 pages left for this book)
*Complete Gansch Family Reunion scrapbook (we've done a family reunion on gma's side of the family since 1987...Gma had everything in photo albums, including the magnetic albums (shudders)...want to get that into a book for all to share!
*Start on work on scrapbook from birth-high school.
*Re-do Disney Honeymoon Album (this was one of my first books...VERY basic and they have come out with cool stuff since!)
*Make a book for Bill and his sister with their family pictures

My page goal for 2008 is 150 pages...I've already done 35!!

Monday, January 07, 2008

Quotes from favorite TV Shows...

I also have Facebook and they have fan pages with quotes and trivia...thought I would share some favs of mine...

Gilmore Girls
Rory: Hey, who are the rosary beads for?
Lorelai: They're mine.
Rory: What do you need rosary beads for?
Lorelai: They're cute.
Rory: They're for prayer.
Lorelai: Well, pray they match my blue suit?
Rory: They have just upgraded you to a queen-size bed, Jacuzzi tub, junior suite in hell!

7th Heaven
Matt: What's wrong with Luce?
Mary: God hates her.
Matt: Still? You'd think after 13 years he'd move on to someone else.”

Grey's Anatomy
Meredith: "O,o on the table keep me draped, too many people have seen me naked already. I'd like to keep whatever dignity i have left. McSteamy, MCSTEAMY! Whohu!"
Mark: "O, so thats what your callen me now, McSteamy."
Meredith: "Yeaaa, but i don't think your suppose to know that!"
Mark: "Hows my favorite dirty mistress?"
Meredith: "Haven't you herd now, Im an adulterous whore."

Sunday, January 06, 2008

is it january....

or is it april?!?!?!

today, we hit temps in the 50's or 60's...the snow that we had on the ground from Monday and Tuesday....gone. Below zero temps and windchills...gone. That part I'm ok with, but I miss the snow....only because the ground is muddy and disgusting. Throw in a cloudy day and i just want to be a couch potato!!

I need another weekend!!

Because the other got away from me!

Yesterday was a scrapbook day (which I needed)...thanks to DH for "letting" me go. Not that he wouldn't let me, but he knows that I enjoy it and he supports me, so it's all good!

Today was church, which started our new schedule. afterwards, came home and had lunch and a quick nap (it felt like 5 minutes). Then, we headed over for an engagement dinner with Melissa and her fiancee and the meeting of the families! It was a nice evening. Mel and Kev are buying a house just down the street from us, so YEA, they will be close!

time for bed...work tomorrow...blech

Saturday, January 05, 2008

already on a roll with my scrapbooks

5 days into 2008 and i have completed 35 pages!! WOW.

The first 20 pages were an 8x8 for my SIL. Late Christmas gift for a scrapbook of her pets! She's had a collection of cats and dogs over the years...so this will be a place for her to put the pictures in!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scrappyjenn/sets/72157603624817660/

This evening, i went to a crop at archivers and got another 15 pages done!! WOOHOO!

Day One...

Of Weight Watchers. I tried doing it online last spring/summer after seeing my sister's results...but no luck. I need to face the music and go into the meetings. Also, I signed up for Discovery Health's National Body Challenge which equals a free eight week membership to Bally's Total Health!

I'm just hoping for a healthier me! I'd like to see me under 200 lbs, but one day at a time!

Friday, January 04, 2008

What's Your Name Hidden Meaning?

What Jenn Means

You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you.
You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries.
You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.
You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.
You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Season of Joy


Picture taken of our advent candle at church...pink one stands for Joy!

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

100 Things About me...Part 1


Items 1-20
1) I was born in 1977.
2) I started playing piano when I was 6 years old, I had to be just like my big sister. LOL
3) I broke my collar bone when I was 3 years old...fell down my grandparent's stairs...parents did not notice right away.
4) In 7th grade, got my hair cut REALLY short (too short for my liking) and was called Doogie Hoswer all year :-(
5) Started playing flute in the 5th grade ( and still play on occasion)
6) Changed my major the summer before my senior year in college and still managed to graduate in 4 years.
7) Although DH and I only dated 10 months before getting engaged, we'd known each other since 7th grade.  Went to junior high and high school together and were in band all those years.  Our senior year, we hung out together for a day while @ Disney.  Everyone thought that we were dating (which was MAJOR drama because I had a boyfriend back home...LOL). 
8) We were married on the same day as my great-grandparents.  Gma's parents were married on September 9, 1916.  We didn't know this until we set the date.
9) Wanted to be a nurse and art teacher when I was in kindegarten.  Problem now is that I faint at the sight of blood and I can't draw worth a crap.
10) Started gymnastics when I was 7...secretly wished I would have kept going once we moved.
11) Found a $20 bill in a McDonald's bathroom when I was 12.  We were on our way out of town and I stopped in the bathroom before my left.  Looked down and saw it...yea, I took it! :)
12) Belong to a wonderful church family that is open and affirming.  We have several same sex couples and a few members that are transgender.  Although it was something new and different to get used to, they are all awesome people and I enjoy worshipping with them!
13)  In college, was in a service fraternity (Alpha Phil Omega) and a music sorority (Sigma Alpha Iota).  My sister also was a member of SAI at northwestern.
14)  Would run away with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney in a HEARTBEAT if they ever came to my door.  OMG, what I would do with those boys. :-)   And yes, Bill is aware of my love for them...lol
15) Secretly wish that I could have been a cheerleader and an ice-skater.
16) I very badly want to be thinner and healthier.
17) I love to work on my scrapbooks.  I started 5 years ago, and I am hooked!  
18) My sophomore year in high school, our band got to play for President Bush (the father).  It was the year of the election ('92) and he was coming to the headquarters of Motorola (which is in Schaumburg).  We are the only high school in Schaumburg, so we were asked to play for his visit!  IT was SOOOOOOOO cool!  The secret service dogs had to inspect all of our instruments and we really had to be on our best behavior. LOL
He ended up loosing the election that year to Clinton.  Our principal said his not getting into office had nothing to do with our playing! LOL Smart ass...

19) I play in our handbell choir, play flute, played oboe and enjoy singing in the church choir.

20) I am the Sunday School Coordinator at my church in Streamwood.  





Tuesday, January 01, 2008

1 post down...365 to go...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hope the start of 2008 has been good to all of you so far and that everyone had a nice NYE.

Two of my friends came over for a night of ice cream and alcohol...yea, don't ask about the combo, we didn't do it at the same time! :) Hubs went to bed early, as he had to work this a.m. at 6...yuck.

just relaxing in front of the fire watching the rose bowl! GO ILLINI!!