Grad school, here we come!

Westminster College doesn't realize how happy they have made Dave and I. Starting this Fall, Dave will be pursuing his goal of receiving his Masters in Accounting and then going on for his Matsters in Business! Just being accepted to this great program fulfills one of Dave's goals, and we are thrilled to be working towards more achievements. I know Dave will be an awesome student- I'm already so proud of him. It will be a slight change for us because I've never known Dave as a student! We'll really have to buckle down, putting studying before The Soup and budget before Zinn Bistro. But we're looking forward to the challenge- Dave with the academics and me with picking up some overtime at work! Congrats to you, Dave!

The Happiest Place on Earth

While in California, we met up with Dave's family in Disneyland! Now you haven't really experienced Disneyland if you haven't gone with Todd and Allyson Bushman. Todd majored in statistics, so let's just say he knows how to work it. We were on about 50 rides a day, with no wait time longer than 10 minutes. We had 4 non-stop, action-packed, fun-filled days. Here's an average day in the life of a Disneyland Fan...

6:45 am- cut in line with Todd who has already been there for 30 minutes. Receive "Honorary Citizen of Disneyland" pins. Open the park with the workers by jumping up and down, counting down 10..9..8.. and shouting "Let the magic begin!"
7:01-9:58: Peter Pan, Dumbo, Small World, Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Storybook Land, Teacups, Alice in Wonderland, Buzz Lightyear. No bathroom breaks. Todd gets fast-passes to big-ticket rides.9:59-11:17: Breakfast in the Park for Tanner's 5th birthday. See such stars as Minnie, Chip and Dale, Tigger, Alice and the Mad Hatter, and Captain Hook. All the girls are in their matching Minnie shirts, of course. Enjoy mickey-shaped waffles and all-you-can-drink chocolate milk.

11:17-1:42: Catch rides on Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Listen to all the birds in the Tiki Room.
1:43-3:08: Head back to the Grand Californian Hotel to catch a nap and get our second wind.

3:09-5:51: Explore California Adventure. Jump on Soarin' Over California, Tower of Terror, California Screamin', Toy Story Mania, Orange Swingers, Mali-boomer, and Bear River Rapids. Tour the Mission Tortilla Factory and the Boudin Sourdough Bread Factory.
5:52-6:01: Get a churro (or two.) Catch your breath.
6:02-8:44: Catch our second round of rides in Disneyland.

8:45-9:24: Wait for the sun to set so that fireworks can start. Contemplate the awesome day we've had and tell Todd and Allyson thank you a million times over for making this possible! Look at Sleeping Beauty's castle and wonder if Mr. Walt Disney himself ever knew what an impact he would have on kids and adults around the world.

9:25-9:47: Enjoy the firework show, complete with a flying Dumbo and soaring Tinkerbell.

9:48: Head back to the hotel. Order pizza to the room, zonk out, and dream of another magical day in store for tomorrow!

H&D with L&B in CAf

Absence makes the heart grow fonder... that's what we discovered after visiting Lauren and Bridger at their new home in Pasadena. We had probably our best weekend of 2009 hanging out with our friends whom we've missed so much!! We made up for lost time by going to Zuma Beach, taking in the smells and tastes of South Pasadena's Farmer's Market, touring the Getty Villa Museum, shopping along 3rd Street Promenade, feasting on Yogurtland, and indulging in hour-long foot massages. How sweet it is to laugh, talk, and relax with such great friends.
All our activities deserve a blog-post of their own, but I'll try to restrain myself. There is something about a good vacation that rejuvenates the soul. Maybe it's the cool ocean breeze. Maybe it's partaking of delicious food with no guilt involved. Maybe it's catching up on sleep and spending time together. Whatever it is, it was just what the doctor ordered! Thanks to the Jensen's for an all-out amazing weekend!

I've been stalking you....

Our garden has been surprising us already this year, much to our benefit. We planted aspargus 3 years ago, not knowing a thing about growing it. We later found out that it takes 3 years after planting before you can actually eat the vegetable! Well guess what? It's the third year. So we have been savoring every delicious bite of our fresh aspargus, preferably roasted with a little olive oil and parmesan. yummmmmm.....

I also planted parsley a few years ago, and it came back last summer even larger than before. So this summer when I found a big sprouting green plant, I assumed it was the herb coming back yet again. But it didn't have a good, strong parsley scent so I decided to dig it up and replant. As I tried to yank it out of the garden, I realized it wasn't parsley at all, but a pile of carrots! Neither Dave nor I can recall ever planting carrots, but they somehow sprouted up right next to the parsley. All this before June 1? Can't wait to see what else our garden has in store for us this year....

my kind of weekend

My kind of weekend is LONG. and SUNNY. and spent with loved ones.

good food, lots of sleep, and an interesting page-turner make a good weekend even better. not to mention some Iron Chef America, morning walks, and lying by the pool.

And to top it all off, look who decided to join us- not just for the weekend, but the whole summer!

vacuuuuuuuuuum

My trusty old Bissell has given up on me, after four years of cleanliness. So the hunt began last week for a replacement. After 2 very disappointing and frustrating trips to walmart, I decided to wise up by visiting my dependable, lovable Target. And yes, they came through for me once again. The Eureka Altima is the coolest- it has a "pet paw" that picks up jo-jo hair better than anything I've ever tried. Plus it has this cool electromagnetic duster that sucks all the dust right off the furniture. Better yet, it was on sale for $70, proving that you don't need to spend $300-400 for a good vacuum (just like you don't need to spend over $100 for a good pair of jeans.) I got the kind of satisfaction today that only a good cleaning product can provide- I haven't been this impressed since I discovered the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Dave even got excited about it and let's face it- that's a deal breaker ladies!

swim, bike, run

Last week dave competed in the 4th Street Clinic triathlon held on and around the U of U campus. The rain made things a little muddy, but it didn't phase dave a bit. Despite very little training, he managed to shave a few minutes off his time from last year. I'm always amazed how Dave can take the winter off from cycling and swimming and just jump right back into gear like it ain't no thang. All the proceeds from the race go to the 4th Street Clinic, which delivers health care to the homeless and needy of Utah. I have many family members that donate their medical and pharmacological skills to the clinic, and this is dave's way of contributing.

I'm also impressed at the wide variety of men, women, and children that compete in these sprint-distance triathlons. Not everybody looks like they could star on the cover of Shape magazine. It even makes me wonder "if they can do it, I can too!" Who knows, maybe I'll join their ranks someday. In the meantime, I'll enjoy supporting Dave with cameras, treats, blogposts, and love. Way to go DW!