My Latest Obsession...You Know You Want to Know

Those of you who know me well, know that I tend to go a little crazy sometimes. When I fall in love with something, I fall in Looove, and can take it to the extreme. Take nail art for example, or Doctor Who... I mean, who sets goals to own 200 bottles of nail polish (and has 100). Or who goes out and buys all of the Doctor Who memorabilia at Hot Topic? This girl, that's who. Okay, so don't own *Everything* that Hot Topic sells that is Doctor Who related. But I do have a couple coffee mugs, a journal, T-shirts, necklace, key-chains, pens, buttons (which are magnets now), DVD's, my mom made me a bag out of Tardis material, and someone even got me a blanket for Christmas. Also my wallet may, or may not, look like a Tardis. lol

Well, the latest thing that I am in love with is TimeHop - yes, the app. I love that it shows you Facebook and Twitter posts, and pictures from your past. Andy and I got new phones recently, and I think I secretly wanted a new phone just so I could have the TimeHop app. Shhh, don't tell. lol But it was one of the first apps that I downloaded.

I know it's not a bad thing to want to remember moments from your past. But you know it's kinda crazy when you find yourself going back through everything, including blog posts. lol So in light of my slight obsession with TimeHop, I give to you, a few past blog posts. I have chosen to post one from this day (or as close to this day as possible) since I started my blog in 2011. Oddly enough the first two were posted on August 16th. The other two in early October. :)


September 16th 2011: http://jessysjottedthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/09/ooooo-what-awesome-find.html

September 16th 2012: http://jessysjottedthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/09/yaymeh.html

October 13th 2013: http://jessysjottedthoughts.blogspot.com/2013/10/things-that-remind-me-of-fall.html

October 1st 2014: http://jessysjottedthoughts.blogspot.com/2014/10/epigraph.html

I really enjoyed going back and reading old blog posts, I hope you enjoyed it too!

Until next time,
Jessy

101 Progress - September 2012

Well another month has come and gone, now let's see what I accomplished this month. :)

~ Blogged about my 101 progress, obviously! ;)
~ Made a pie from a recipe that I found on Pinterest! It was a Kit Kat pie and was SUPER easy!! Graham cracker crust, Cool Whip, cream cheese and Kit Kats. mmmmm The recipe was actually for Butterfinger Pie, but Kit Kat cost less at the store that I went to. lol 

~ Wrote a letter to a friend/a different friend...I'm not sure if I wrote a letter to a friend or not. But we'll say that I did and then next month I'll be sure to write down who I sent my letter to. ;)
~ Finished Reading the following book(s):
         ...um, none :( I was so busy with work and school I didn't even finish the book for book club.
      Oh Wait!! I did read one book, I forgot about it because it only took like an hour to read. LOL It was called "The History of the World According to Facebook." It was basically a bunch of Facebook Statuses from people over the years. It was a little crass, a little sacrilegious sometimes but still hilarious!!! If you are a big history buff you will get a kick out of this book. LOL

~ Attended Book Club meeting...yes I did even though I didn't finish the book. It was a small meeting of 4 and two of us hadn't read the book. So we spent most of the night eating yummy desserts and talking about movies instead of books. LOL (I think I have to start over for my 6 months since I didn't read the book this month. I plan on finishing it but I must start over for my count. I wasn't very "active" this month...lol)

~ Still writing in my journal albeit not as much this month but still writing.
~ Counted my pencils/pens; I'm at 277!! I got 6 new pencils this month; 2 of which were "Smencils" They came in a tube and I got one that smells like Peppermint and one that smells like Watermelon. mmmm
~ Counted my nail polish; I'm at 78. I got 4 new polishes this month which would've put me at 81, but I had to toss out three of my old ones. :( Including my black crackle polish /cry They were all too thick and the two white polishes were almost gone too. Also, if anyone finds my topcoat I would really appreciate it, the stupid thing disappeared!
~ Pedicure of the Month - Well, Dr. Who premiered the first weekend of September so I began my month of geeky nail designs with an abstract Dr. Who pedicure. :)

 ~ Song of the month: Last month I dedicated to Mom-mom, this month I am going to dedicate to my dad; he passed away from cancer on September 1, 2005. His favorite band was Pink Floyd. I listened to Pink Floyd on September 1st in memory of him; ironically this was the first song that started to play.


I can't wait to see what happens in October!!!
Jessy <3

Remembering Mom-Mom

Last week on August 1st, marked 5 years since my grandma, Mom-Mom, passed away. It is really hard for me to believe that it has already been five years, but then sometimes it feels like longer that that too. I felt bad that I didn't post something about her on August 1st but life happens. I did write a journal entry for her tho. :)

For those of you who don't know, I named Mom-mom. She was my mom's mom so it was a fitting name for her. After I coined her name, it stuck and everyone called her Mom-Mom, whether they were her grand-kids or not. LOL I have some simple thoughts and memories that I would like to share about Mom-Mom.

She was a woman who loved cats, I must have inherited that trait from her.

She was a bargain shopper and taught my mom and I everything we know. Whenever we would go shopping at a thrift store and got a parking place right up front she thought it was a good omen and that we were going to find really good deals that day. I still see those close parking spots as a good omens.

She loved to have people play with her hair. It was kinda funny, maybe gross to some, but she used to have me sit on the back of her couch and pluck out gray hairs. LOL

She must have loved music because a lot of the memories that I have about Mom-mom stem around music. She had a player piano that we would play rolls on and sing along to songs like "Teddy Bear Picnic" and "Great Balls of Fire." Mom-mom also got a music book for her piano. This was a special book that came with stickers for the keys so you didn't have to know the notes in order to play the piano. I got that book out the other day and started flipping through old songs that I remember playing when I was little.

Overall Mom-mom was Spunky, I think that must've been her middle name, Saundra Spunky Gerber. Yep sounds about right! She was funny, silly and a joy to be around. I miss her. I can't wait to see her again someday. Until then, she gets to watch over me and I get to reminisce about all of the great times that we had. :)


Love you Mom-Mom,
Jessy <3

You don't know about Resurrection Rolls?! ...Well now you do!! :)

This year I have been in shock by how many people don't know about Resurrection rolls!!!! It seems everyone that I talk to about them looks at me with a puzzled look and asks, "What are those?." It makes me kind of sad, because they are so great and have such a great symbolism behind them!! For years and years Resurrection rolls have been a tradition at my house. Every Easter it is a roll that we make instead of buying rolls. We make them for two reasons. First they are yummy, yummy, Yummy!! But second, and most importantly, they are a reminder of WHY we celebrate Easter in the first place.

Contrary to some beliefs, Easter is not just about getting candy and having the Easter bunny hide eggs. Granted those are two things that I love about the holiday. I mean, who doesn't love candy?! And coloring eggs and having a bunny "hide" them is just something springy and fun. It let's me know that Spring is here. But the real reason that I celebrate Easter is because it is the day that Christ vanquished death and left an empty tomb in it's place. He died so that I can live. He rose again so that I don't have to sit on the judgement seat when I die. Jesus died so that He could sit in the judgement seat for me. I don't know about you, but I think that is something worth celebrating!!

So keeping all of that in mind, Resurrection rolls are a reminder of the death that Christ conquered. They are baked in such a way that when you split them open, just like Christ's grave on Easter morning, the inside is empty. That is why we bake them every Easter, to give us just another reminder of empty the tomb that Christ left behind.

So here's the basic steps on how to make them: You take bread dough, I usually just "cheat" and get the Rhodes frozen dough, wrap it around a marshmallow and bake it. The coating that you get after baking the roll/marshmallow leaves the center of the roll hollow. The original recipe has you dip the marshmallow in butter and cinnamon/sugar before wrapping it, but I usually don't do it that way.

The original recipe is actually one from Rhodes. I'll link the recipe below so you can follow it if you want to. I am very surprised, but Rhodes actually explains the symbolism behind the rolls, including why you use the butter and cinnamon/sugar.

So, I know that Easter is over, but I hope that you will start this tradition next year. Or if you ever need a reminder some other time of the year, you can bake them then too! Ü

Resurrection Roll Recipe

Ahhhh, Fall

I don't know about anyone else, but Fall is my all-time favorite season! I love how crisp the air gets on Fall mornings, I love wearing long-sleeved comfy shirts, I love sipping hot apple cider and I love how the trees change colors. I think it is simply the most beautiful of all the seasons.

I moved to Arizona 10 years ago and I have missed Fall every since. In Arizona (well at least in Phoenix) there is no such thing as seasons. You have hot, hotter, Hellish and a few days that actually feel like fall. It is those few days when the leaves fall off the trees in pure shock and that usually happens in like January. LOL

This "season" cycle is so much different from what I grew up with. I grew up near Salt Lake City and other than my friends and family that live there I miss the mountains the most. October and November are the months of the year when the Wasatch Mountains would change colors. I loved living so close to the mountains and I loved that I was able watch the leaves change as Fall emerged.

*Sigh* isn't that just beautiful?! O I miss those mountains!! Today is the first day that it has been cooler in Arizona, so I guess I am a little reminiscent of what Fall was like growing up.


When I was little I was your typical child and could be found in a pile of freshly raked leaves. As I got older, I would rake leaves just so I could jump and play in them! lol

Playing in the Leaves at Mom-mom's House

Another of my favorite past times was going up to see Grandma Perry in Sugar House and going to the Soup Kitchen. They had the BEST Chicken Noodle Soup ever! I miss the Soup Kitchen. I was just thinking about that restaurant the other day and how I would love to go there. It was this little hole in the wall, where they just served soup, homemade soup! mmmmm It's been at least 15 years since I've gone there; I wonder if it is still around?!

Sugar House Park

Grandma Perry's House

Sugar House Park was not far from where my Grandma lived and it was always very beautiful up there.













This is a picture of me and my Great Grandpa Perry before he passed away. I love the Fall trees in the background and the bloomed roses, such a mixture of the end of summer and the beginning of Fall.








 
 So now, except for the occasional cooler days in Arizona I have to live out my longings for Fall through my mother. I am so glad that one of us still lives where the leaves change. And I'm even more thankful that she thinks about me enough to send me beautiful Fall pictures! :)

I hope that everyone is enjoying some Fall weather this month. I know that in some places you are already getting snow. If that is the case enjoy the snow too! That is also another rarity in Arizona. lol Sit back, sip some apple cider or hot cocoa, watch the leaves change or the snow fall and write down something that you are thankful for.

Today, I am thankful for all of the wonderful memories that I have of crisp Fall weather, of family and friends, of loved ones who have come and gone and I'm thankful that I have another day in which to make more memories.

In Memory of Michael Elm

No, Michael Elm is not a family member, a friend, or even an acquaintance; he is a stranger to me. I never met him and I didn't even know his name before October 17th, 2011. Michael was a soldier in the US Army and he gave his life for his country on October 14th, 2011.

I have the privilege of knowing Michael's aunt and uncle, both of whom are very dear to my heart. I went to Michael's Celebration of Life on Sunday to give them my condolences and my support. I have found that you can learn a lot about someone who you've never met just by hearing all of the stories about their life through their friends and family.

Michael was very loved. He was funny and witty and did extraordinary things with his life. He was very close to his family. He knew how to have a good time. He loved Peanut M&M's. He stood for what he thought was right and never wavered. He died at the age of 25 but he lived far beyond his years. He was a true solider to the end and from what I've heard, Michael wouldn't have had it any other way.

Early last week, I found myself frustrated with the fact that our soldiers are still over in Afghanistan. I thought about how this could've been avoided if he were here on American soil instead of over seas. But after hearing about how much he loved the Army and about how joining shaped Michael's life and made him the man that he was, somehow I'm not as frustrated as I was a week ago.

I have a lot of respect for all of our soldiers and their families. I can't imagine what it would be like to live with the "what if" scenarios that they all have to live with on a daily basis. It takes a lot for parents and loved ones to let their soldiers go and fight for our freedom; knowing that they might not return. But our world is a changed world, a better world, because our soldiers are willing to fight and stand for what they believe.

Michael may be fallen but he will not be forgotten. His life, his stories and his humor will continue to be lived out in everyone's memory of him. I may not have known Michael personally, but I can tell you one thing, I will never look at bag of Peanut M&M's the same way ever again.

RIP Spc. Michael Davis Elm (1985 - 2011) ~ Fallen but not Forgotten

Channel 12 News Story

Channel 15 News Report w/ Video

Wow Time Flies....

I really can not believe just how fast time flies. It feels like I moved to Arizona just a few years ago when in reality it's been 10 years! That's right, I moved to Arizona July 4th 2001. It was just a few months after that when our Nation watched in horror as planes crashed and the Towers fell. I, along with the rest of the country, was literally glued to the TV for days. I sat in horror as I watched all of the events of that fateful day unfold.

In the days that followed September 11, 2001 I remember listening to the news casters as they kept tallying up the people missing and the ones that had been found. It breaks my heart to think of all of those people who lost their lives and their loved ones who were left behind. It was just a normal work day that started and ended in tragedy. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how short life is and how much that we should live everyday to the fullest. Because you never know which one will be your last.

I am not a political person. I am a republican, I don't believe in abortions, I do believe that there is one true God who loves each and every person on this whole planet. I don't believe that this world and universe just evolved from the dust. I'm not afraid to say it, but I am not one to pushy either. I accept the fact that other people believe other things. And trust me lots of people do believe very different things.

I love the Country that I live in. I love the fact that I can believe what I want to believe and no one is there waiting to judge me for it. What amazes me the most about our country, is the fact that no matter what each person believes we ALL believe and stand for one thing and that is our Freedom and the Justice that comes with that Freedom.

After September 11, it amazed me how much everyone set aside their differences and worked together to make sure that everyone was taken care of. It didn't matter what the color of your skin was, or what political party you were, or if you were straight or gay, you were taken care of. O how I wish that we could always act like that. This nation would be so different if everyone just set aside their differences and saw people for what they really are, people.

So today as the whole nation remembers and reflects on the events of that tragic day 10 years ago, I hope that everyone can set aside their differences and know that none of our differences really matter. We are all just people and in the end we all really want the same goals. We all want freedom, we all want justice and we all just want to be able to live happy lives. Everyone deserves to loved and to be listened to. I hope that someone takes the time to love you and listen to you today.

Memories, Memories, Memories

This post is dedicated to two extraordinary women. Both of whom touch many lives and will be remembered for all that they did, how they lived and by all of the memories that they gave to us.

Today is a sad day for the Pearmain family. I was told that my great grandmother, on my mom's side, passed away last night. Beth Walters was a great woman who was very sweet and spunky and she will be very missed. She just celebrated her 90th birthday in April. I really wish I had been able to go and see her on her birthday but was unable to go to her birthday party. I really hate living so far away from my family. Even though she was 90, Grandma Walters was very sharp until just within the past few days.

There was another woman who also touched so many lives, and we are remembering her today because it was 4 years ago today that she passed away. That woman was Mom-mom (Sandie Gerber, my mom's mom). She had diabetes and suffered from many ailments in her last year. She passed away at the age of 62.

Both of these women did great things in their lives. And I have so many memories with both of them. I would like to share one about each of them.

My memories about my Grandma Walters always consisted of food and fun. I remember as a young girl we would always go over to her house on Christmas morning. She lived way up in SLC, Utah and would have everyone from the family over for a Christmas breakfast. I especially remember the smell of bacon and eggs and got to see all of my extended family on Christmas morning. Unfortunately I didn't know Grandma Walters as well as I knew Mom-mom. But Grandma Walters will always hold a special place in my heart.

Mom-mom was very dear to me. (I coined her with the name Mom-mom when I was very young, since she was my mom's mom. The name stuck, and I think over the years all the grand-kids ended up calling her Mom-mom)  I did know her better because she lived closer to me and my family. I have very simple memories of Mom-mom. I remember spending afternoons and weekends at her house playing with her cats, watching movies and playing on her piano. She had a player piano and we would sit and play the rolls and sing all the old songs. I did end up with the player piano and it is a joy to have in my house. It brings back a lot of memories.

So today I want to reflect on the past, the fun times that I have shared over the years with both of these very special women. They will never be forgotten. And they will always hold a very special place in my heart. <3