He's just not that into you!

Molly really wants Tyson to be her friend.
Tyson really wants Molly to buzz off.




How can you not want to play with such a sweet little face?


Tyson still is not amused or convinced.

Super Bowl!!

This is to fun not to share!



Ultimate Super Bowl snack stadium

That is one way to pig out while watching the big game.

And who are you rooting for?



I'm not sure on my end.
Steeler-nation, baby! I love Pittsburgh, but I do like the Cardinals and their fairy tale season that they have had. It is a win-win for me.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today was my dad's birthday...I tried to get video of the birthday song, but missed part of it. =\

Regardless, Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Some stuff for Saturday

I saw these gorgeous purple flowers at Target today. I kinda want to go back and get them. Only problem is I am really bad about growing things like that. I have two bamboos that have been alive and thriving for 3 years now, but they are easy to care for as I only have to give them water. Aren't they beautiful, though?



And for those that are interested...check out the Tyson!

LOST! And things.

Oh my! "Lost" is definitely back and just as confusing as ever! Did anyone else catch the season premiere? I have more questions than answers, as usual, but I think the season is off to a great start!

And "Grey's Anatomy"...Tear jerking stuff last night. Bailey, Meredith, and Denny just had me in tears. And if Eric Stoltz doesn't get an Emmy nomination for guest starring role there is some serious injustice in the Emmy world. He was downright creepy, but he sold it.

Audra & Porter over at Little Black Bears
did a cute little 8 Favorite Things survey that I lovingly ganked.

Eight Favorite Things
8 Favorite TV Shows
Grey's Anatomy
Lost
General Hospital
Big Bang Theory
How I met your Mother
Ugly Betty
Sex and the City
Friends

8 Things I Did Yesterday
Worked.
Played with Molly
Fed Tyson treats
Emailed and IM'd with my favorite peoples.
Fed Tyson treats
Took a shower & washed my hair
Fed Tyson dinner.
Watched TV.

8 things I look forward to
Dinner out with the familia tonight.
Going to the movies this weekend.
Going to LA in March with Mala.
Seeing my girls!
Rose coming to visit!
Going to LA in July with my friends.
Lisa's brunch that I am working on planning right now.
Plans for 4th of July in Idaho.

8 Favorite Restaurants
PF Changs
Chipotle
Pei Wei
Papa Murphey's Pizza
Olive Garden
Chick-Fil-A
Carl's Jr
California Pizza Kitchen
(And I have to add Jerry's Deli in LA cuz I love it and I saw Colin Farrell there...and he looked so dang hot!)

I tag whoever wants to do this. :)

Mmm, cookies!!

I recently got hooked on the Hannah Swensen mystery series by Joanne Fluke. The books are fun and there are plenty of YUMMY recipes, mostly cookies, peppered throughout the book. I bought the Christmas book back in the winter time, admittedly for the Laura Levine short novel in there, but became a big fan of Joanne Fluke.

This book contains a recipe for Lemon Whippersnapper cookies. Admittedly I didn't bake them, but if Mike can handle them...they have to be easy. :)


Lemon Whippersnappers – from Candy Cane Murder by Joanna Fluke

Oven – 350 with racks in middle

1 package (approximately 18 oz) lemon cake mix (the size you can bake in a 9 by 13 inch pan

2 cups Cool Whip – measure this

1 large beaten egg

½ c powdered sugar – don’t have to sift unless it’s got big lumps

Combine cake mix, cool whip and egg. Stir until well mixed.

Drop by teaspoons into powdered sugar and roll to coat

Place on greased cookie sheet – 12 per sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10 min. Let them cool on cookie sheets for 2 min. then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield : approximately 4 dozen

Can use different flavored cake mixes for different flavored Whippersnappers

Puppy!

Be Unique...No fear!

So I missed last week's post of who or what I am thankful for. =\ Sometimes I am forgetful on posting. But I have this week's!

I am thankful for one of the most inspirational women that I know -- Yeniffer. She has had complete faith in me since I met her last year. From the first time we chatted to the last text I had from her she has always been in my corner. There is something about her when you meet her that just draws you in to the energy that she radiates. Her heart is always open and she embraces everyone in her world. As was evidenced the first time we met face to face at a cute little diner in Los Angeles named Jinkys...from the time she invited my mom and I come to visit her on a movie set...to coming to see me while I was in CA on vacation even though she was sick and had a million things to get done. Her positivity makes her utterly special and I am blessed to know her.


(photo courtesy of Shelley Brown)

Settling down....

So with the job market in Phoenix being so shoddy I have been giving some serious thought to making a big change in scenery. I just don't have that place that I can say without doubt that I want to go. I used to say California without hesitation, but over the years I have discovered as much as I love California (and trust me I love it) it is meant to be a vacation spot for me, not somewhere to live. So I've been considering this for a few weeks now...where is it that I can plant myself and settle down? Where is that state that is just screaming my name and I am somehow deaf to it so far.

I really do have a craving for a new scenery. Tell me about where you live? What do you like about it? Would you recommend living there?

Go Cardinals!!

I have never actually been a football fan before this season. I much prefer baseball (Go Yankees!) to the NFL, but I have found myself spending many hours on Sunday this season watching the game. Now I still don't get everything completely, but I do watch. (And come on, the men are hot!) Today the AZ Cardinals are going for the NFC championship and a trip to the Super Bowl. For twenty years the Cardinals have been in Arizona and they have managed to suck it up each season...FINALLY they have gotten it together!! I'm watching the game and cheering for them! And then I will be watching the other game and cheering on the Steelers!

So now it is your turn, if you wish...what do you want to ask me? Or what do you want to talk about? Anything? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? :)

Goals and puppy breath.

I have worked out a pretty complex list of goals for 2009...I have nicknamed the whole "project" 200Mine and have been working on putting everything in place. There are twelve main goals, as it is said it takes 30 days to create a habit. So that is one goal per month. But I do have lesser goals that I am working on. One of them is de-cluttering my life. First up is my room. I took some before pictures and will take some after pictures when I am done, which I will then post them all together. It should definitely be interesting.

I worked a little on one of my projects today, which was to make my own Valentines cards. They aren't anything fancy as I'm just starting to figure out the self card making thing, but they are pretty cute so far. Pictures will follow soon...probably on Thursday for my creativity post.

Tomorrow brother, Jeremy, is moving in. Liz and I really wish he would blog as I have never met someone who gets in as many interesting situations as him, but he doesn't really think that it is up his alley.

My parents brought home a new little furball to take up residence in the house today...

Little Miss Molly is quite the little cutie, isn't she? Nothing as sweet as little puppy kisses. And as gross as puppy breath really is, it is also one of the best smells.

For those wondering...if Tyson could speak we would probably hear more swearing out of him than imaginable followed by a little bird flipping.

TGIF!!

It's been a crazy week, but it is finally Friday! Do you all have plans for the weekend? I'm going to try to start tackling my de-clutter project, as well as the Valentines cards I want to make.

Who else watched "Grey's Anatomy" last night? We can discuss in the comments to avoid spoilers. Did I ever tell you that I have been to Seattle Grace?

Heh! When I went to visit the set of "General Hospital" we wandered around the lot since both shows tape in the same studio. We only saw The Chief, no McSteamy for me that day. *sighs*

Anyway, last night's GA was just all kinds of good. The first two seasons of "Grey's" were so amazing, it was that show that I could count on to give me quality entertainment. Then seasons three and four happened and I was very dissatisfied with the show and only gave it half of my attention. Season five has gotten back on track and oh my! It is the "do not disturb my tv viewing" show for me.

Any tv shows that you have that are on that level for you? The show that you want complete silence and heaven help the person who disturbs you.

National De-Lurking week!!

According to Laura at Smileygirl it is National De-Lurking week! So I de-lurked over on her adorable blog and said hello! Now it is your turn...if you are reading this and just lurking, then how about giving a little shout out and saying hi! I don't bite...hard. And Tyson...well, he is featured heavily here, but he is really quite humorous to talk about. And we can talk about anything from trashy reality tv (Oh my! The skanks on "Rock of Love Bus" are NUTS!) to cooking to the latest book I'm reading to traveling.

So we know how much I like structure on my little blog, but I think Sunday is a mess. I have so many quotes that I want to put up, but the perfectionist in me is so anal about it that I just can't do it until everything is awesome. Which gives me a headache in the end.

So my new thought is this:
You decide Sunday
You can leave me comments all week leading up to Sunday or you can drop me an email at MissMichB@gmail.com and tell me what you want to talk about on Sunday. I will do my best to answer all.

We'll see how this works out.

Bring on the spring and flowers!

Got Puck?

Our company has a suite at a local arena and sometimes the employees are lucky enough to get tickets. I have seen Dancing with the Stars twice, New Kids on the Block, and Nickelback there...tonight was my first hockey game. The arena is the home to the Phoenix Coyotes. I know nothing about hockey but the fact that fights break out a lot on the ice and it is cold in the arena. Our company once held a mandatory company meeting there while they were getting the ice ready for a game...we FROZE!!! My lips turned blue while we were in there for the meeting it was so cold. So I bundled up and invited my parents to join in the fun. It was free limited edition Phoenix Coyote build-a-bears to all kids and season ticket holders tonight. In the end we came away with cute little stuffed bears, a Coyote win, and a fun night!





Now I'm off to watch the rest of "Empire Strikes Back" and then bed.

Friday! Yay!!

So in addition to trashy reality tv, I also watch General Hospital, the Monday night CBS line up (The Big Bang Theory, How I met your mother, & Two and a half men...and then there is my Thursday night line up! Ugly Betty is just fun and I love watching it. But then we have Grey's Anatomy! Oh how hooked on this show I am! Does anyone else besides Liz watch it?


I love it! This season has been really good. Last season, possibly due to the writers strike, was just not up to the par that the first two seasons were. I'm really loving the McSteamy/Little Grey storyline for this season!

And for your reading pleasure...

Janet Evanovich has a new Stephanie Plum novel out this week! Plum Spooky is a "between the numbers" novel and FINALLY a full length one! I can't wait to settle down and read this one! (I have to finish the current book first and then Plum and I have a date!)

Zuppa Toscana soup

This is the soup that they serve at Olive Garden. I made it last week and it turned out delish.

OLIVE GARDEN ZUPPA TOSCANA

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
1/4 of a bunch of kale

Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients. In the same pan, saute bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 minutes. or until the onions are soft. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in the sausage. Add kale just before serving. Delicious!

**I did see that you could add cauliflower instead of potatoes if you want to do it South Beach/Atkins diet style, which I am sure would be just as good.**

We ate it with french bread and it was filling. It made A LOT. Probably 14 bowls worth. If you don't want it to be really spicy, be sure to use the mild sausage. And you can cut back on the red pepper as well. I think that it actually tasted better on the 2nd day.

Enjoy!! :)

(And be careful you don't burn your hand on the oven in the process of cooking. Pffft! I have an ugly mark on my hand.)

Catnaps!

A yurt is a yurt is a yurt

I love saying that word -- yurt!


So being it is Tuesday that means it is Thoughtful Tuesday...the first of 52 posts about who or what I am thankful for.

It isn't a yurt, though...it is the person that makes me laugh uncontrollably when she talks about running away to Mongolia to live in a yurt. Who now has me wanting to run away to Mongolia and live in a yurt as well...since running away to the circus means dealing with the clowns. Can't sleep...clowns will eat me! (That is a story for another time!)

Anyway, today I am most thankful for Mala! From her snark to her advice to her general zaniness, there comes none better than Mala. In fact, we are on the phone right now, discussing taking a road trip. And you know that we both came up with the same off the wall place at the same time...Worlds Biggest Ball of Twine!

Followed by a vacation in a Yurt.

Reality TV.

What is it about people that when they get on reality tv that they loose all sensibility and become crazy people? And what is it about reality tv (and especially the trashy reality tv) that just sucks you in? Or maybe it just sucks me in. I love it. The trashy shows on VH1...I eat them up!

Do you watch reality tv? What are your favorite shows?

New Years quotage

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce


A New Year is the perfect day to start fresh with your goals. (Resolutions if you want to make them, but I much prefer goals as they don't make you want to break them immediately.) We all could use a little opportunity to make that fresh start of the new year take place, but how many actually go looking for the opportunity? I know that I struggle with the search. The planning for the opportunity...the wanting of the opportunity - I have that down pat. It is the follow through of looking that I lack at times.

Don't let that book remain blank for you this year...take the pen in hand and write your own opportunities

Back in the Saddle again.

So most of you know that I am crazy about horses. Always have been, probably always will be. When I was in my apartment, I was working on decorating the spare bedroom in a horsey decor. I was being nosy and snooping out the bathroom window today to see what was going on in the neighborhood and saw that the neighbors across the street had a yard sale going on...and there was a saddle out there!! Oooh! It was a nice English saddle and you know that I wanted it. I felt stupid going over there to find out how much they wanted for it. Especially when all I want to do is use it for decoration. But if it is still there tomorrow I will go over and see what they are asking. I may never own the horse, but I will have the saddle. Ha!

I did, however, buy something today...

(Along with various other items.) Target has all their Christmas stuff on 75% off clearance. I bought this Nativity creche. Of course, the nativity figurines do not come with it so I just have the frame. I don't know if I want to pack it away or find something to do with it, though. And for the record, it is HEAVY!

Other than that...I have watched football (Go Cardinals! About time I could say that and not have to hide my face in shame afterwards) and chatted with Leslie.
Meet Leslie:

Leslie is one of those people that just gets "it"...and she gets me so that is even better. :)

Fluff Friday: The List: 100 Ways to Shake up your Life

I love books that challenge you to do something and I found this nifty little book a few weeks back at Barnes & Noble, but didn't purchase it until today.

The List: 100 Ways to Shake up your life by Gail Belsky It contains a list of 100 things to do that will cause a "sensation" in your life...some of these things that may be so simple and every day but maybe you don't do. From write a novel to learning to surf to riding a horse bareback (some of you will love that one) to bungee jump. There are some crazy ideas in there and there are some "wow" ideas. I can't wait to read through the 100 ideas in this book and then start compiling my own list.

A definite must read!

Some structure for this little blog!

I have seen a few people doing this and I think it is probably what will keep me focused on posting on the blog more than anything. So I present to you the "schedule" of Just Jump.

Quotable Sunday

I love quotes...I am always searching for perfect quotes. I will choose my quote of the moment and share what it means to me.

Me Monday

You are basically going to get whatever pops into my head to talk about. Yeah, that can be a little crazy, but it will be all Michelle.

Thoughtful Tuesday

I will post a picture of something or someone that I am thankful for.

Wordless Wednesday

Ganked from many people...You will see photographic posts, but no words in the post.

Creativity Thursday

I'll share something fun and creative...from recipes to artsy stuff...decorating, etc. :) It will also help me hone my own creating skills. Fear all my mad skills, yo!

Fluff Friday

I'm a fangirl! I will share thoughts on movies, tv, books, celeb gossip, etc. All fandom fluff!

Saturday Shenanigans

Another free day...you get whatever craziness that pops in to my head to share with everyone.

I really want to work on posting every day and hopefully this will help spur me into doing it. :)