New Family Blog

We have decided to use a new blog spot for our family updates and events. Please visit the Jensen Family at http://bljensen.blogspot.com/. We posted pictures of our new baby. Ben-isms will still be used for Ben's personal blog. Thank you.

Final Week!

Well, Thanksgiving was a blast.  I managed to gain only 3 lbs after two Thanksgiving feasts.  I am, however, anxious to start getting back into shape.  Lindsey can't wait to start working out after the baby is born so together, hopefully we can rekindle my desire to stay in shape.  So, we have literally six days until the baby is born.  The doctor was concerned about the baby's heart beat for a little while.  When Lindsey went in for her weekly check-up, the baby's hear beat was a little bit slow so she had Lindsey go to the hospital for further monitoring.  The baby is ok, but if it continues, the doctor wants the baby out by this Friday which is only a couple of days before the due date anyway.  Either way, we are very excited. 

So, we got our Christmas tree.  We strongly recommend a noble pine tree.  They last longer and have more of that Christmas tree look.  We kept an eye out for good trees and good prices and we found a seven footer for $45.  I think that's pretty good considering our first tree was only 6 feet and cost us $80.  Well, as we go into this Christmas holiday, we want to wish all who come to our blog a very merry Christmas and hope that your home is filled with the Christmas spirit.  And once the baby is born, we'll be sure to update the blog with pictures and a name.  

20 Days and Counting!

Well, Lindsey is officially over with the baby showers.  Now all we have left is the baby!  We want to express our thanks to all those who came in our support.  The gifts are amazing.  The baby's nursery is jam packed with clothes, toys, diapers, and lots of other fun baby things.  A neighbor of ours, who was only 12 days ahead of Lindsey, had her baby Saturday morning...on her bed!  The baby literally came unexpected and her husband had to deliver the baby.  That kind of puts into perspective how close we really are.  So, I suggested from now on that we sleep on plastic, just in case.  Lindsey and I are thinking of either naming Calvin or Sawyer with Benjamin as a middle name.  We think that we'll just wait till he comes and see what he looks like and decide then. 

Well, Lindsey and I find it hard to believe how fast time has gone by this year.  We can't believe that Thanksgiving is nearly here.  Each week seems to pass so fast.  I often complain at how short the weeks are and how there just isn't enough time to get done everything we want done.  I guess that's just how time flies when you're having fun!

5 Weeks and counting!

Well, we are only 5 weeks away until Lindsey delivers our baby.  We are very excited and can't wait to receive this baby into our home.  We haven't quite yet determined a name, although we do have a few we like.  We're thinking that we're going to wait until the baby arrives and decide then what name we want to give him.  I like the name Calvin and Lindsey does too, its just that we're not quite so set on it yet.  Lindsey also likes the name Sawyer.  I could work with that. 

So, that latest fad in the Jensen family is the television series Lost.  If you haven't seen the NBC series, I'd encourage you to.  For a while, we were big 24 fans but that got kind of old and to think that that much action could happen within 24 hrs.  Ya, right!  But Lost, we have found that to be far more amusing and action packed (moderate action - not so much as 24).  So far, we're nearly half way through the second season.  The fourth season starts on television this December.  Don't watch it on TV until you have finished the three previous seasons.   I am also a HUGE fan of The Office (Thursday nights at 8:00 pm, NBC).  That is a show that I hope never goes out of style.

So, Lindsey's family had their annual Halloween party.  Lindsey went as a pregnant nun and went as a priest.  Some of the other costumes at the party included Nacho Libre and Incarnacion, as well as the Ninja Turtles, Ketchup and Mustard, and the Tooth Fairy.  We had a good time.  Both Lindsey and I can't believe that Fall is nearly over.  This picture here on the right is from Cascade Springs in AF Canyon.  We took a family outing up there and found Autumn to be in full bloom.  Would Autumn be in full bloom or is that Spring?  Maybe I should say Autumn in full un-bloom.  Well, we're excited for the holiday season and the very special gift we get have for this Christmas season.

What Would Our World Do Without Them

What would our world do without people like Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Spe-han-ton (Spears, Lohan, & Hilton), and Sean Penn? I can't think of a more influential group of icons, along with a few others, that can captivate a global audience like they can. And to think that we're captivated!

I mean, think of all the wonderful things Al Gore has done for our world. He's actually done so much that he has a shot at the Nobel Peace Prize. Wow! If he does win it, then he has proven to the world that ANYBODY can do it. All you need is compelling story, inaccurate facts, and idiot supports and you'll win. If Al can do it, I can do it. Let me put it this way: if I had received the Nobel Peace Prize for any previous work to help mankind, I'd give mine back. It is insulting to think that by educating the world with inaccurate and falsely researched facts on global warming, it can deserve such a prestigious recognition. I'm not saying that global warming isn't true (research ocean currents), but I am saying that he is misinformed and has misled a lot of people. That's a disservice and probably deserves the Nobel Conflict Prize. Think about it. All he's created is world conflict on this matter!

What about Hillary Clinton? What a super example of getting what you want. If I can have her same attitude in life, I'll get whatever I want. All I have to do is be willing to go on rampages and have a hot temper. Or what about Spe-han-ton? I couldn't ask for a better group of young women to set an example of irresponsibility for our young women. They're drug addicts, alcoholics, and sexual icons. Just what I want for my future daughters.

And then there is Sean Penn. I've always thought he was a good actor but boy, I couldn't believe how well he performed in Venezuela. I mean, I was almost convinced that he was actually trying to befriend a communist. He sure had me going for a while.

Maybe the reason why we as a society are so captivated by such public figures is because of their absolute idiocy, ignorance, and self-idolization and we just can't believe our eyes. Thank goodness, though, that there are people out there who do portray positive and optimistic influences, character, and outright good morals.

Summer Is Nearing The End

Each summer, I try to recommit myself to nature with a renewed desire for life in the outdoors. I don't know what happened but this year, I failed miserably. I am not proud to say that I have not been camping or hiking this year yet. I really love the outdoors. At one point I considered myself to be quite the outdoors man and now, Lindsey thinks of me as nothing more than a city slicker. I have all the equipment anyone would need but I'm just missing the commitment. I do go Jeeping a lot and some of you would consider that outdoors, and I do to, but its not the same. I'm talking about doing a weeklong camping trip, or hiking Timpanogas, or even just an overnighter up AF Canyon. I can only imagine that it will more difficult as life continues on. I've got to get something figured out.

So, on a more interesting note, the stock market has had some interesting twists and turns these last few weeks. In case some of you don't know or in case you have noticed but can't explain what's going on, our economy is facing somewhat of a credit crunch. Allow me to explain. Back in the late 70's, lending institutions ran into a problem that disabled them to lend money. It eventually got to the point where there was no more money to be lent out to the consumer. There are fears that we could be approaching the same thing. The reason why this has a negative impacton the economy is because when lending institutions aren't able to lend out money, consumers (you and me) aren't able to buy things like a home, a car, appliance, or simply put, the things that people would normally finance. If we are then unable to get financing for those kinds of things, that in turn slows down the economy in many sectors. But don't worry. These kinds of things are healthy for the economy and the stock market. It also presents great buying opportunities in stocks and options. If you have any questions or would like further explanation, just let me know.

Lindsey and I had the wonderful opportunity a few weeks ago to visit Yellowstone which for me was my first time. I was pretty excited to finally be able to get outdoors. I haven't been able to do that much this year. I guess its not that I haven't been able to but rather that I haven't made the effort to do so. Anyway, I thought the landscape was beautiful. There was still a lot of left over from that huge fire there a couple of decades ago. That fire burned millions of acres there and is still recovering. There wasn't too much wildlife. I thought we would be seeing wildlife everwhere although there was more to see than AF canyon. We stayed in a city called Saint Anthony which is 45 minutes outside of Yellowstone in this lodge. The lodge was pretty cool. We got to float down the Snake River, or should I saw walk down the river. I swear the deepest part in this particular stretch was only a foot deep. I eneded up pulling Lindsey and her sister down the majority of the river. Good thing I wore my sandals! I think, though the corniest part of the trip was when we HAD to go to BearWorld! I have never seen anything more pitiful. BearWorld is basically a place where you can go to see bears up close and personal, a while in the comfort of your own car. All you do is drive around this windy road and the bears jus roam freely. And all of this for only $50 a car! Then, they have this petting zoo with some deer that I swear were dead and pigs like this. I strongly recommend that if you want to see bears, wait it out in Yellowstone. I'd much rather see them in the wild than in an amusement park. Other than that, the trip was fun!

Jeeping is FUN!

So, I really enjoy jeeping. A few buddies from work and myself love going every work or as often as we can. In fact June is our June Jeep Jamboree. Here are a few pictures from last weeks expedition to a place called Little Moab which is about 1/2 hr south of Lehi - very south end of Utah Lake. The area isn't a very large place but it does have some class 5 (most difficult) obstacles and is full of a days worth of challenges and fun. I enjoy what the Jeep is able to do which is just about anything I dare to do. This week we'll be going up AF canyon and four-wheel up to Forest Lake which isn't so much a difficult trail (probably a class 2) but its a beautiful and relaxing drive.

What's fun about off-roading is my ability to climb just about anywhere and then cruise at high-way speeds. I love that. If you haven't ever considered off-roading, I strongly encourage it. It does have those moments when you wonder if you'll have to get a tow home, but it also has those moments when you think there is nothing more fun.

Here on the left is a picture of my buddy trying to pull me up. No, just kidding. He actually thought I was going to tip (which appearred to be very likely in this particular predicament) so he thought that if he could use his 130 lb body to shift weight that it would help. I don't care how heavy you are, gravity will always rule. Needless to say, we were fine and the Jeep showed no sign of trouble. If you have any questions or would like some four-wheel tips and pointers, don't hesitate to let me know.

Ben's Best Practices and Myth Busters to be the Best Father Ever!

As many of you might now, Lindsey is pregnant. We are both very excited. In fact, we went for a check-up a couple of weeks ago. We were able to do an ultra-sound to hear the baby's heart beat. It was so amazing. Lindsey feels as though it might be a boy. I have no reason to argue with a mother's instinct so I'm in agreement that it is a boy. Lindsey will be beginning her fourth month this week. I've imagined before what it would be like to be a father and now that I'm almost there, I want to make sure I'm prepared. As I have spent time pondering what it will be like to be a father and as I learn from other peoples experiences and through my own observations, I have learned a few things and compiled them into my best pracitces and myths about parenthood. When the baby is born, I want to make sure that I am the best father ever and not led astray by tradition and myths. To any of you who might be preparing for fatherhood, or maybe if you are already are a father but just can't seem to figure it out yet, allow me to share with you "Ben's Best Practices and Myth Busters to be the Best Father Ever!"

• Myth #1: Baby wipes are the only way to wipe a baby's bum.
  
• Best Practice #1: Although wipes have been used for decades, why should I stick my hand anywhere near a baby's mess. An ol'fashion bidet will do the trick. I call it a hose.
  
• Myth #2: Gerber is the only baby food.
  
• Best Practice #2: I think I can make baby food just as good if not better than Gerber. All you need are a few veggies and fruits and mixer and there you go! In fact, why doesn't someone compete with Gerber. Why not something like Jensen with baby food that taste so good babies just can't stop eating it?
• Myth #3: If it's surrounds the babies mouth, the baby most likely doesn't want to eat it.
• Best Practice #3: If you find yourself repeatedly feeding the baby the same spoon of food but just off of his/her chin, maybe he/she doesn't want to it? Have you ever thought of that before? Would you like it if food you had stuck on your face was then forced down your chute?
• Myth #4: Babies scream because they're hungry
• Best Practice #4: Food is not the answer. I don't remember screaming when I was hungry. According to my observations, babies scream simply because they are frustrated with their inabiltiy to communicate adequately enough to convey emotion and frustration. How productive would life be if all I was able to communicate was the word "wah?" It would be so frustrating that I think even I would cry.
  
• Myth 5#: Babies are innocent.
• Best Practice #5: In some ways, yes but have you ever thought that some times babies take advantage you? How is that after every diaper change, almost instantly does the baby release its bodily waste? I believe the baby is just playing games and knows very well the cost of diapers and the smell parents endure. Change the baby's diaper only once a day. That way the baby will grow uncomfortable with the smell and squish. You may ask, why doesn't the baby grow uncomfortable now? Because the baby knows that it is only moments until his/her diaper is gone. Beware!

I hope you find these tips to be helpful and useful. I am sure that I will learn so much more when our baby is born. May all of us learn from this important tips and grow as close as possible to the children we raise.

Global Warming - A Fools Guide to Deception

The world will never learn. In case all of you have forgotten, because others have, let me remind you that the world was flat for a long time. I also grew up being taught that Pluto is the smallest planet. Just recently has it been demoted to a star but astronomers have made up for it by discovering a new planet light years away with possible life form (somebody is bored out of their mind). Well, my ancestors were apes, weren't they? History continues to repeat itself.
According to the same group of people (yes, they're still around) who for centuries believed the world was flat, we came from apes, and Pluto was a planet, we are now to believe that mother nature has lost complete control and the world is slowly cooking itself. Actually, not slowly but rapidly. In the "millions" of years the earth has been around, just in the last couple of decades has the earths temprature decided to rise when for "millions" of years have volanoes spewed more crap into our atmosphere than man could ever dream to match. I'm sorry, we, humans more powerful than mother nature, are cooking the world. Humans have gained control over mother nature and are destroying this planet that cows have passed gas in for thousands of years (cow gas = methane- is considered to be a contributor to global warming, just as harmful as car exhaust).

I have always been fascinated with the human mind. It's amazing to see the things that humans can accomplish through skill and talent. It's even more interesting to see what we can do knowing that humans use only 5-10% of their brain capability. But its even more embarrasing what the human mind can conceive. Never have I been this embarrassed that one could fathom things like global warming and place in human care an actual earth whithout any consideration of its Creator whose earth it is. The philosophies of men (with only 5-10% of their brain power) have discovered a problem that God Himself has lost control over. It's amazing that in a universe full of order and in a sense, perfection, the little earth we live in, of all other planets, had to be the one going down the crap shoot. Man, aren't we in the wrong place at the wrong time! But, thanks to people like Al Gore who tirelessly worked on a movie to show us Mother Nature going through its natural courses does it become clearly evident that God has lost control. Thanks Al. You sure are a smarter than God. Isn't it ironic that the symbol of the democratic party is an ass? Al represents them well. Whoever picked that must have seen something coming. Well, needless to say, all of this hub-bub will not matter (not that it does now). My counsel, amidst this highway to deception, is to keep your eyes glued to the person who's opinions and words matter most - Gordon B. Hinckley. As much as the adversary is trying to distract the world into mindless deceptions, don't take your eyes off of good'ol GBH and the coming of our Savior!

Jeep Safari '07

I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever make a habit out of this. I can't believe that my last post was over a month ago. I apologize to all my fans. Thank you for waiting so patiently. So, Lindsey and I, and the Fowles had a GREAT time in Moab for the Jeep Safari. I couldn't have had a better time. Except, all of us agreed that this year attracted more white trash than normal. The condo was a lot of fun (thanks Blake). We're all excited to go down again. In case some of you didn't know, I'm a huge Jeep fan. I tell my wife sometimes that I would like to take my last breath behind the wheel of my Jeep with her in the bucket seat. We attend the Jeep Safari every year and make it down to Moab at other times throughout the year which is a Jeepers heaven. There is a lot of trails to do here along the Wasatch Front. I hope to do at least 3 new trails this summer. So far, for the Moab trails, I've done Hells Revenge (my favorite), Porcupine Rim (Lindsey's least favorite), Fins-n-Things, Poison Spider, Porcupine 4x4, X-Road, and baby Lionsback. I have been at times a bit hesitant to do some of the other trails since Lindsey and I have to drive our Jeep back home, but next year, I hope to have a truck to haul it down so I can do the more daring. Well, I celebrated my 26th birthday this last Thursday. Speaking of birthdays, Lindsey and I are going to be celebrating a new little birthday some time around the beginning of December. Yes, Lindsey is pregnant. We are both very excited and can't wait. She has already begun to buy things in preparation. We haven't thought of any names yet that we both can agree on, so if you have any cool names (they have to be cool), then let us know.

Something You Probably Didn't Know

So, I'm in a professional band called Johnny and the Rebels. It is a lot of fun and in a small way, a dream come true. I was just about to go into some detail about the band but remembered in fact that I just finished creating our website which is now available at www.johnnyandtherebels.com. This week is our grand opening! Go check it out and learn more about who we are. I bet ya'll didn't know that about Ben.

You know, I was thinking earlier today if you all knew what it was I do for my occupation. I thought I'd settle the matter since I'm tired of hearing all kinds of rumors ranging from being a pig farmer to organized crime. I am actually a market education consultant for a company called Spread Trade Systems. We specialize in investment education dealing primarily in stocks and options. Let me put it this way: I absolutley love what I do. I basically consult investors all over the world with what it is they are missing and what it is they can do to better their results. Yes, there has definitely been a long and never ending learning curve, but my career has proven to already be invaluable. Not only has economics basically become my profession, but I'm learning a great deal about how to make money in the stock market which has brought a significant value to my career and aspirations in life. When I was younger, I often thought what my career would be like. I never imagined it would involve the stock market.

You can visit the company website, www.spreadtradesystems.com, and learn a great deal more about what I do. So, if you're into investing and need help, or if you're considering getting into the market, consider me a contact. This may be a bit premature, but I'm actually writing a book about what I've learned thus far. It's called "What I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Dumped My Money Into The Market." In short, you can refer to it as "My Money in the Market." It's basically a collection of everything I've learned and gathered from conversations I've had with my coaches in our program and indiviudal investors from all over the world. I thought about one day approaching Uncle Steve and Aunt Jan about publishing it, but it has a lot of work ahead of it. Well, until next time...

Introduction

It's funny that after all this time I am finally able to speak my mind and voice loudly my opinion to an unknown, if at all existing, audience without having to worry about publicly embarassing my beautiful wife, Lindsey. In fact, this could very well be an answer to her prayers. Here I will release my feelings, vent my frustrations, attempt to humor, force my opinions, and call people names.

I also wish to take advantage of this opportunity to really share what does happen in my life since I find it to be quite entertaining, adventerous, and in popular demand (yes, there is also sarcasim). This could very well be the beginning of my writing career (I'm working on a couple of books...really!), and my political career (I wish to be president someday).

May this be the beginning of a wonderful blog future. Until next time...