Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cruise Time

So my family has been talking about taking a cruise for a long time but we finally decided to go. We are going January 4-8 to Baja Mexico. I am so excited and I can't wait to go on a cruise. I've always wanted to go and it is on my list of things I must do. Ok the only reason I am writing on this blog is because I am procrastinating. I really don't want to pack anymore.

Oh and I plan to update the blog on my way home with what we saw and where we are so check back to see where we are going that day. We leave NYC November 1 and we plan to arrive in Mesa, AZ November 8th. These are the places we are going. The ones with the stars means that is where we are staying.

New York City
Palmyra, NY*
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada*
Kirtland, Ohio
South Bend, Indiana*
Chicago, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois**
Independence, Missouri*
Amarillo, Texas*
MESA, ARIZONA

We only have rooms booked up until South Bend. We aren't sure how long we plan to stay in Nauvoo and where we will be staying after that but that's just part of the fun or so I've been told. I like to have things planned so I am a little worried but I know things will work out. Keep checking. This will be my last post of the night because I really do need to go to sleep or do some packing.

Good night,
Jeni

Tires have made me TIRED...and frustrated

For the past 4 weekends I have been going to numerous tire stores to get new tires on my car before my long trip home. After many attempts and various tires places and WAY too many phone call I got new tires.

Here's the whole story...

So I thought I would be able to go to one place and walk in get new tires on my car. Oh I was SOOOO wrong! I researched a little online and decided to go with Costco because I would get a warranty and there are Costco's in Mesa too. I wanted to go to a chain because I would usually get some type of discount and I would have a warranty or something that they would honor back in Arizona. So I drove to Queens and went in and told them what kind of car I had. They gave me a price that was higher than I thought. They took a look at my tires and said I would definitely need to change 3 tires, one of my tires didn't look that bad but they would recommend changing all the tires. The guy was a little bit of a jerk and treated me as if I knew nothing. Throughout this whole fiasco of getting tires it has been interesting/frustrating the way mechanics talk to girls than they do with guys, even if the girl may know what she is talking about. I felt as if they were trying to teach math to a preschooler. It was very annoying. So this was my first time actually at a store trying to get tires. I decided not to get tires that day.

The following weekend I called a few more places and decided to go to Pep Boys because they had a sale for buy 3 tires, get the 4th free with a mail in rebate. I called and found that a Pep Boys in Jersey had my tires for a Honda Pilot. I went to Pep Boys only to find out they actually DON'T have my tires. The following week I go to another Pep Boys to be told that the tires that are on my car are NOT stock tires but are after market tires, which means the previous owner put new rims and tires on my car. It also means that they did not have those tires in stock and they wouldn't be in until Thursday of the following week. I knew I had after market rims on my car but I had no idea that the tires would be different. Now I know a lot more about tires and I really didn't know anything before. So, the two previous places I had been to had not realized that my tires were different then what Honda originally put on my car. Both of these people LOOKED at my tires and did NOT read the size of the tires which are on the side of the tire (which I know how to read now). Now you can imagine how frustrated I am at the point but it get worse if that is possible.

I couldn't get tires on that week and I decide to wait the following week for the tires to come. I couldn't get back to the Pep Boys until Saturday and they couldn't save the tires for me even though I was willing to pay for them at the moment, but they thought they should still have them Saturday morning. They were getting 6 tires and I needed 4. So Saturday morning I go back with my friends because I was also going to get my oil changed and some other work done all at once so I had a couple friends come to keep me company. There is a mall across the street so we were going to go shopping while my car was getting fixed. I didn't call before I left because I had a good feeling that they would have them in stock still. Boy that was a mistake because you can imagine what I felt when I realized that they were OUT. Well I got my oil changed and everything else anyway because I was there and it needed to be done. While we were at the mall we had lunch and after lunch I called around to find my tires. I was calling places miles away. I finally found a Pep Boys about 30 miles away that had 3 tires. They were going to call around and find a 4th tire for me or they would get one for me the following day. I was willing to go but I made a couple more calls and found a Costco that had my tires in stock, however they were a little bit more pricey but they had all 4 tires in stock. I decided to go to Costco so I can just be finished with all of this. We make the drive which took forever because of traffic and just to add misery to my day it had been raining all day so it was just a gloomy day. It was a Saturday so of course there was no parking at Costco. I left my car with my friend and I ran in to see how long it would take and make sure they had my tires. Well they had 9 of the tires that I currently had on my car in stock, HOWEVER they couldn't put those tires on my car because they weren't recommended by Costco/Honda. He came out to my car to look at the tires and told me he couldn't put those tires on my car. It was raining on me as he was telling me this and I was so close to tears. I had one week to get tires on my car and I was running out of time and everyone I talked to had some reason they COULDN'T put tires on my car. I was so frustrated. I was in New Jersey at the time and one of my friends had to get back to Manhattan and so I had to go back to drop her off. I took her back and decided to go to the Costco in Queens. Don't ask me why, I wasn't sure what to do or where to go. I ended up not even going into the tire center because the line was too long. Again, I have no idea what possessed me to go there in the first place but I just needed to do something. I had been calling my mom, my dad, my brother, anyone to see what they thought I should do. I called a Honda dealership to see what they recommended doing and all they could say is they never recommend to change the rims on the car, they were super helpful (that was said with sarcasm). So now I had to decide if 1) I put the same size tire as I currently had on 2) Put the tires that Costco/Honda recommended to put on 3) Wait until my dad made it to New York and we stopped somewhere after Palmyra to get tires 4) Take my chance and keep my current tires for the drive home (this was not my first choice but I was ready to give up). I talked to my brother and he called a few places and went to the tire place my family has been going to for years, since I was a baby. They are like family. My brother went and asked them what they would do if I had brought my car to them and they said to stay with the same type of tire that I currently had on my car. And then my brother called a few places around here and found 4 tires for me at Wal-Mart of all places. I really hadn't even thought about going there but I didn't care where I went as long as I got tires. The problem was this place was in Jersey so I had to go back to Manhattan and then over to Jersey. I got there and I was expecting to be turned down because that was just they way it had been but I got to Wal-Mart and they took my car. They didn't talk to me like I was stupid, they didn't ask questions I didn't know and they TOOK MY CAR!! YAY!! I also knew a lot more about tires this time than I did the first time. I decided to do some shopping to pass the time and got some things for the ride home and some other things I needed. I didn't want to check out until my car was finished so I left the shopping cart right outside the area where you can wait for your car. I wasn't in there very long before I came back out to find my cart was gone. Seriously!! One of the workers who had just come to work didn't realize it was mine and had started to put everything away. Luckily, I found most of the stuff that hadn't been put away yet but I still got my tires and that was all the mattered. I am so glad this whole thing is over. As I was driving home in the pouring rain I was actually a little scared by the amount of rain and almost stopped by the side of the road but I had to get back to Manhattan for my friend's birthday party. I can say that my Wal-Mart tires did really well in the rain and I made it safely home. Last Saturday I left my house at 9:15 and I got back to Manhattan right after 9. It took me just less than 12 hours in the ONE day. Add to the all the other times I had gone places and the phone calls and research I did online and I spent WAY too much time trying to get these tires on my car. That day I was so tired by the end of it all both physically and emotionally. I'm not sure how I would have been if Wal-Mart turned me down, thankfully never had to find out.

That's the full story, it's the long version but the short version just doesn't do it justice. I am so happy it is all over and I leave in 3 days. My parents are already on the East Coast. They are just 3 hours away. Is it weird that I can almost feel them? I feel so much safer just knowing they are close.

I have still not finished with my packing and I have NO idea how I can fit all this stuff in my car along with my parent's stuff. I wish we were like the Jetsons and we can push a button and our briefcases (or suitcases in the case) could fold up small enough to fit in a pocket. I took pictures of everything I need to pack and I might post them soon. Now that I took 2 hours out of packing and it is getting late I think I need to do something productive...but I think I might just go to sleep. :)

FYI here are the dates that I am going to be in Arizona

November 8-11
November 24-30
December 18-FOREVER (or that's my plan but who knows where life might take me)

Hope all is well and I can't wait to be home for a little while.

-Jeni

BUSY TIME!

Do you ever feel like you have so much to do that you just are to overwhelmed
and get nothing done? That is how I am feeling right now. I have way too many
things to accomplish and not enough time. I feel like Jessie on Saved by the
Bell, "no time! there's never any time!" But don't worry I'm not going to start
taking caffeine pills and have a freak out. I wouldn't mind if Zack Morris came to
help calm me down though ;).

I have some good news though! We hired my replacement for the assistant job!!
Yay! Now we still need to hire 2 more people, an after-school babysitter and a
housekeeper. Hopefully we will find them soon! The girl we hired to be the
assistant is actually one of my friends. It makes me feel a little more relaxed
now that I know I am leaving the family in good hands. It has been crazy at the
house between training her and getting things ready at the house for me to go.
On top of all that, I have been trying to pack all my stuff and hang out with my
friends as much as possible. I am feeling a little stressed out and ready to
explode at any moment.

Thankfully I leave on Sunday for my long awaited road trip back to good ole
Arizona. My parents fly to Washington DC on Thursday. I was planning to meet
them in DC but there is just to much stuff for me to do here so we all decided
that I wouldn't go down and we will just meet up in NYC on Sunday and head to
Palmyra afterwards. I can't wait to be on the road. I'm so excited!!

More updates coming soon!! I'm on a play date with Will and have sometime and
wanted to give everyone a quick update.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Time is up...

Recent events have brought me to realize I don't belong here in NYC anymore. I am ready to get back to Arizona to slow my life down and enjoy time with my family. I don't use this blog to vent or share my inner most thoughts but I use it to inform those close to me what I have been up to here in NYC. Well, this post is going to be a little bit different. I apologize in advance and I just want to say, this is not directed towards anyone in particular but just some of the people I have come across in New York...

Probably less than 5% of the single members of the LDS church here in New York City are not currently in school or have not finished school. FYI that includes me. I didn't come to New York to further my career or get an education. I came to New York for different reasons. Just because I don't have a college degree or that I am not working on one currently does NOT mean that I am dumb or worthless. Also, just because I am a nanny does not classify me as someone who can't get a "real" job. For those who believe that being a nanny is the easy road, just try it. And FYI I am just not a nanny. For the past 6 months I have been working 2 jobs. I have been working as a nanny as well as a personal assistant. With those two jobs combined I work about 13 hours a day. At least I plan to have a career involving kids and this job has definitely helped prepare me for my future goals involving education. I am sick of people judging me for my lack of education and my job. It pisses me off when people can be so judgmental and think less of a person when they don't even know that person.

Another problem I have with certain people in NYC is that being single is not the worst thing in the world. I have come across way too many unhappy LDS singles. Their unhappiness is largely due to the fact that they are still single. Well, here is my advice to them...you must make yourself happy, nobody can do that for you. If you think that a husband/wife is going to make you happy or solve all problems, you are so wrong! Also, work and school cannot be the sole reason for life and if you want someone to share a life with, you need to make time for that. Yes work and school are definitely essential to living but if you want to get married you kind of have to make time to date. You must also put yourself out there and you are probably going to get turned down or go on really bad dates but if you don't go through with those opportunities you may never find the one you are looking for. I am not an expert at dating or anything near an expert. Just look at my life and you will realize that. The difference is that I am happy with where I am in life and I feel blessed with all the opportunities I have been given.

I'm sorry for venting to whoever is reading this but I just couldn't hold it in any longer. I have been thinking about all of this for awhile and felt it was time to let it out before someone heard it first hand.

To end, I just want to say that I love my job and I am a happy LDS single adult. I am so excited to return to Arizona. I can't wait to start school again and begin the next phase of my life...

So much to do and so little time.

Okay so I know I haven't been around but nothing has been noteworthy. All I am doing these days is trying to finish up my time here in NYC. These next four months are going to be the most stressful months of my life. This month is dedicated to getting everything with work prepared for the next person as well as doing all I want to do in NYC before I leave and on top of that I have to pack my room and try to fit it all in my car to make the long trek home. The following month will be driving home with my parents (that's the fun part) and spending a couple days at home and then flying back to NYC. I will be in NYC for a couple weeks and then back in AZ for Thanksgiving and then back to NYC for my last and final couple of weeks for work/fun in NYC. That takes us to December...December I will be busy FINALLY moving back home and get my room back together. And of course Christmas is in December and I have to get ready for that. And then HAPPY NEW YEAR!! During my time at home on these minications I will also be getting everything ready for college for the spring semester which starts Jan. 14 (I think). In January, I will still be getting accustomed to being home and getting my room situated and going back to school. Fun stuff!! :-/

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Update on the ducks

Yesterday Will and I went to the beach for a few hours and afterwards we stopped by the pond that we guided the ducks to the previuos day. And much to our surprise, they were still there. They were far away but we could see all five ducks splashing around in the water. It made us happy to see them enjoying the water.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Five little ducks went out to play...

Five little ducks went out to play
Over the street and far away

Will and Jeni went out one day
Over the street and far away

They found five ducks on the side of the street
And gave them pops and bagels to eat

And the five little ducks followed them to the pond.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know that doesn't exactly rhyme but that was the best I could do. Here is the real story....

Will and I were taking Bella, the family dog, on a walk with Will's mom when we came across five little ducks on the side of the road. They were just sitting under the tree until we came along and scared them. As we got closer they started to walk away. We were all afraid they would get ran over by a car if they got to close to the street but we kept walking. We didn't get very far when Will decided he wanted to go back and check on them to make sure they didn't get ran over by a car. Will had brought Pops, the cereal, with him as a snack and when we found the ducks again (which had found a new spot to sit) the two of us came up with a brilliant idea of guiding these ducks to the pond around the corner. I would throw some Pops every few feet to make them follow us, we ran out of Pops right as we got to our house so I had Will run inside to get some bagels so we can feed them the rest of the way. After we had finished the Pops they weren't interested in me anymore and had started to walk away while I was waiting for Will. Will came back with the bagels and Henry came along to help. We got their attention again and as we started off again, quite a few cars slowed down to watch this. It was quite entertaining and one lady said, "What a cute picture." When we came to the street, only one car had to wait for all the ducks to cross. It was probably pretty funny watching 3 people coerce 5 little ducks across the street. We finally got them across and then we had to walk them through the parking lot and into the pond. We succeeded in our "mission" (as Will called it) and got all the five little ducks into the pond and boy were they thirsty.



The ducks crossing the street.

Crossing the parking lot

Will trying to gets the ducks into the water

The ducks finally made it to the water.

And off they go. In a way I felt like their mother and I wanted to come back later to check and make sure they were alright but I didn't.
Now that's not some thing you get to see everyday.