Ugly Step-Sister 101

I love dressing up as a princess.  It is so fun to wear a big, fluffy dress, tiara, pretty shoes and act sweet and dainty.  However, I have to admit that playing Grizzila, one of the ugly step-sisters in the Children's Theatre recent production of CINDERELLA, was a great change of pace.  It was so liberating to portray a character so unlike real-life self.  I love making faces and this role provided me the perfect opportunity to put my ugliest ones imaginable to good use!

Anytime I would tell someone which role I was playing in CINDERELLA, they would act so shocked.  How could someone so cute and nice (their words, not mine) play someone so awful?  Well, let me tell you, getting ugly wasn't a difficulty at all.  I've never been able to get ready for a show so quickly in my whole theatrical career!

Here is little a step-by-step guide to becoming an ugly step-sister for all of my curious readers...

The "BEFORE" Photo

1. I always started with my hair.  Two ponytails with two braids each.

2. Wrap and Pin.

3. My eyebrows would vary each performance depending on my mood.  Some days  I would go for a uni-brow, other times I would make them dark and bushy.  Feel free to mix it up.

4. Ugly step-sisters should have obnoxious lipstick to accentuate their unflattering  facial expressions.

5. I used Ben Nye black-out to give Griziila a diastema, or gap tooth.  I think it was her best feature.

6. Big, big glasses and there you have it.  Who knew being ugly could be so easy?

Needles... Eek!

Here is a little list of things I'm scared of:

• Heights
• Needles
• The big, black grasshoppers that recently infested our apartment
• Needles
• West Valley City
• Needles

Ok, I'm sure that there are many other things I'm afraid that I didn't list, but I think I made my point... I am so, so scared of needles!!!  I believe this fear began in the fifth grade when we had our HepB vaccinations.  The nurse had to poke me over and over because she hard a difficult time finding a vein.  It was quite traumatic and I remember having to take a rest on one of the classroom beanbags after the whole experience. 

I've always liked the thought of doing something good for others and donating blood. However, since I almost cry every time I have to have blood drawn or get a flu shot, donating blood has just been a nice thought with no action.

That all changed when I made my bucket list.  I knew if I put donating blood on my list it would happen.  That said, I truthfully thought I would put it off until the end of the year when everything else had been accomplished and I had no other choice but to finally do it.  I was wrong!  When a Stake blood drive was announced last month I knew it was time.  I marked May 21st on my calender and there was no turning back!

I have to admit that the whole experience was a learning one for me.  Often we build things up in our minds to be one way, but in the end it turns out the complete opposite.  I really expected donating blood to be a long and painful process but it wasn't in the least.  The nurses were fantastic and I barely felt the needle.  10 minutes of squeezing the little ball and it was all over.  Then, I got to eat snacks and they had two of my favorites- Long Island Stretch Fruit Leathers and Annie's Organic Bunny Grahams!  On top of that, Patrick came along and kept me company the whole time (he sadly couldn't donate because of having recently travelled outside of the US).  Really, could I have asked for a more enjoyable evening?!

This is how I anticipated feeling while donating blood.  Don't you worry, this picture is very staged.  I think I ended up smiling most of the time.

Baby G

Please welcome the newest member of the Jensen family... Baby G!!!

GRANT RAY JENSEN

was born May 13th, 2012 (Mother's Day!) to my little brother, Jay, and his sweet wife, Aubrey.

He was 7 pounds and 20 inches long.

I met Grant for the first time last Sunday.  He is probably one of the most perfect babies I've ever seen, but with such attractive parents, how could he not be?!

He has thick, dark hair and flawless skin.  I couldn't really tell who he looks like, but Grant definitely has Jay's long arms.  Grant reminds me of a monkey. A very cute monkey, that is!

The proud papa!

I am so happy for Jay and Aubrey.  They are going to be such wonderful parents! I look forward to watching this little guy grow-up!

Why I Love Weekends: Part II

Nicole's comment on my post, WHY I LOVE WEEKENDS, inspired this post.  Yes, I do love weekends because of all of the big, fun events that typically take place on them, but it is the little things that truly make them great.

The following are reasons Nicole believes I also look forward to Saturday rolling around. Hmm, let's see how well she knows me...

#5 TALKING TO/ VISITING FAMILY

Nicole is absolutely correct.  I love the extra time the weekends give me to keep in touch with my amazing family.  You may wonder what this photo has to do with talking to/visiting family.  I'll tell you.  I'm a bit of a multi-tasker and I like to go for a walk when I'm making my Sunday calls.  My latest place to go walking is the Decker Lake behind my apartment.  It isn't very big, and it kinda smells, but I am just happy to have somewhere close by to go for some sunshine and exercise.

#6 TIME TO UPDATE MY BLOG &  #7 TIME TO LOOK AT COLE'S BLOG

*A little side note: I love blogs with pictures so I try to include them lots in my own.  I wanted to make this post a sort of photo documentary of a weekend in the life of Mandi.  I had to use the self-timer on my camera or stretch out my arm as far as I could to take these photos.  They are so posed.  Haha. Feel free to laugh at them.  I did.

Once again, Nicole was right on with items #6 and #7.  I think blogs are such a wonderful way to keep up-to-date on what is happening in everyone's lives.  I am a very loyal follower of both Nicole and Aubrey's blogs!

#8 SLEEPING IN

Dear Nicole, This is where you are wrong.  This girl does not sleep in.  Between rehearsals, princess parties, early morning church, and trying to fit in some exercise or errands, sleeping in is just wishful thinking.  I'd say, "Maybe one day I'll sleep in," but I know from all of my friends who have children, once you have a family sleep is a just thing of the past.

#9 DREAMING ABOUT VISITING MONTANA THIS SUMMER

I dream about Montana not only on the weekends, but also every single other day of the week.  To prove this, I've included a photo of my bathroom mirror.  Look closely and you will see my favorite postcard of the Mission Mountains.  I cannot wait to see those mountains (and all of you!) in person in just a couple of months.  I'm going to start an official countdown! 

Writing this post, I've thought of a million other reasons why I love weekends.  I might just have to post a Part III.  To get your week off to a good start, here's one last photo.  It's a full view of the Decker Lake.  Please picture me walking laps around it when we visit on the phone next! xoxo

Chocolate Pie, Anyone?

Want a slice of Chocolate Fudge Pie?

Well, only if you can keep a secret...

This chocolate pie has a very special ingredient... tofu!  And, no, this isn't an April Fool's joke!

I try to avoid eating lots of sugar,  which usually isn't too difficult for me.  However, once in awhile I really want a special treat.  I've been looking for the perfect "healthy dessert."  I came across a great blog called Chocolate Covered Katie. She has lots and lots of recipes that look fantastic so I decided to make one to see if it tasted fantastic, too.


The recipe was very simple to follow and all of the ingredients could be found at any grocery store (some of Katie's recipe call for ingredients that I wouldn't have the slightest idea where to find them).  I was a little skeptical of how the recipe would turn out after I blended the ingredients in my Magic Bullet and licked the spoon... the pie filling had a very distinct tofu aftertaste.  However, the aftertaste wasn't nearly as strong after the pie had time to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.  And the left-overs I had a couple days later barely tasted of tofu.  So my cooking tip for Chocolate Fudge Pie is time is your friend!  Let this pie sit a day or two before serving.

I thought it would be good to have a sugar-eater taste test this recipe, too.  Patrick accepted the job.  He had just come from dinner at his cousin's house but said if he wasn't already so full he would have asked for a second slice.  He might have just said that because he's a really nice.  I think this recipe has enough potential that I might test it out on my dad, too.  If it gets his approval it is a keeper!

Here's the recipe in case you'd like to give it a try.  Make sure to let me know what you think!

Chocolate Fudge Pie

1 Package Firm Tofu (12.3 oz)

1 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp pure vanilla

2 tbs milk of choice

scant 1/8 tsp salt

8 to 10 oz chocolate chips (I used the 60% cocoa chips)

2-3 tbs agave

Melt chocolate then throw everything into a food processor and blend until super-smooth.  Pour into a pie crust (optional).  Fridge until chilled.  This gets firmer the longer it sits.

Bucket List #3

Compared to many LDS members around the world, 4 hours is not a very long drive to take in order to visit the temple.  In Montana, we had the option of traveling east to Spokane, Washington or heading north to Cardston, Alberta.  When I moved to Utah, I knew I wanted to take advantage of living in close proximity to not only one, but several temples found here in the Salt Lake valley alone.  Thanksgiving weekend of 2010, I received my endowments in the Bountiful Temple.  The opportunity to regularly attend the temple has been such a blessing in my life!  

There are three temples I find myself rotating between; Bountiful, Jordan River, and Salt Lake.  I thought it would be nice to branch out a bit and visit some of the other temples in the valley and across the state.  So, the third item on my Bucket List was to attend the Draper Utah Temple.

It rained most of yesterday but cleared up in time for our drive over to Draper.  There were the most wonderful clouds sitting low on the mountain. (I've always told Mom that if I were an artist, all I would want to do is paint clouds!) The temple sits so high on the mountainside that it felt as though we would drive right through them. One of the most beautiful sights is that of a temple all lit up at night.  It takes my breath away every time!  The Draper Temple was no different.

Although, each temple is different in its architecture, size, landscaping, and furnishings, I am grateful to know that the feelings I experience there and the teachings taught are the same.  It will always be safe-haven and place of peace and comfort for me.

Stay tuned to see which other temples made my 2012 Bucket List!

PS I have yet to take a photo for any of my Bucket List adventures.  Thank you Google Image for helping me borrow some images to complete my posts!

Why I Love Weekends...

I love weekends.  There is so much to do!  There always seems to be something to look forward to.  Here's a little list of some recent happenings...

#1 WEDDINGS

Every year when Spring rolls around, my refrigerator is suddenly covered in wedding announcements.  Spring = Love.  The first of many weddings was that of my dear friends Richard and Paige.  It is wonderful to see your friends so happy and to help them celebrate their love.  One benefit of attending lots of wedding receptions is more chances of catching the bouquet.  At Paige's wedding the bouquet couldn't have landed farther away from me than if Paige had turned around and purposely thrown it with all her might in the opposite direction.  No worries though, several more upcoming chances in the near future!  Ha!

#2 BIRTHDAYS

I thought it was very important to include this photo to document a longstanding tradition in the Jensen household.  Many, many years ago my mom purchased a plastic birthday banner at the dollar store.  I can't remember a family birthday without it.  Please note it hanging in the upper-left corner of the above photo.  In addition, our birthday decor always includes a handmade poster that everyone signs.  Jay was the talented artist selected to create Dad's poster this year.  To round out a Jensen family birthday party, all you need is a rousing off-key rendition of the Happy Birthday Song and you're all set.

#3 CONCERTS

One of the absolute best things about living in Salt Lake is the amount of performers and artists who come to town.  This weekend I got to see one of my favorite singers perform a mini-concert downtown at the new City Creek Center.  Not only do I love Mindy Gledhill's music, I also adore her personal style.  I am seriously considering cutting my hair short this summer.  Thoughts?

#4 BUCKET LISTING

Weekends are the perfect time to accomplish items on my 2012 Bucket List.  Last weekend I went to a Utah Grizzlies Hockey game which means I've now finished two whole items on my list.  I have a long ways to go! Anyway, here's a random piece of information for you.  When I was four years old, my family lived in Minnesota while my Dad was attending school there.  My brother Andrew and I would go ice skating on occasion and I decided that one day I wanted to be a hockey player.  My mom told me hockey was a violent sport and that the players loose their teeth.  After that, I wanted to be a princess instead.

It is Sunday night.  Every week at this time I get sad because I wish so badly the weekend could last just a little bit longer.  However, weekends are even better (if possible!) after putting in a good work week.  Time to go to bed and dream up some adventures for next weekend!