Happy Birthday Jen!

My 5 favorite things about Jen:

1.) Jen does life the right way.

She exercises. She eats right. Even though she falls off the proverbial wagon and lets her workouts lapse from time to time, she eventually goes back.

And she doesn't take shortcuts or cut corners (like I do). If the recipe says beat at low speed for 5 minutes, then that's what she does. She does not crank it to "high" for two minutes with the logic that 5 slow minutes is equal to two fast ones. Even if she's in a hurry. And when she is in a hurry, you don't see her running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Nope. She's moving fast, but she's cool as a cucumber.

2.) Jen has the perfect fashion sense -- as defined by Kathy Belinski.

This means that when she is around the house she wears comfy clothes! Not wedge sandals. Not a super-cute blouse with perfectly matched accessories. Comfy clothes! The kicker, though, is that when she does have some place to go she looks fantastic. As in, do-a-double-take fantastic. Jen is the only person that I know that can exist on both ends of the fashion spectrum, and hop from side to side with out breaking stride.

3.) Jen is, bar none, the most organized person I have ever met.

I wish I could run next door and snap a quick picture of the inside of her cupboards. But that might seem odd. Her pantry is amazing. In order maximize space she has placed many items in stackable plastic containers. Everything is labeled meticulously (she has really nice handwriting, too). I have a thing for neatness, organization, and the total eradication of clutter, and when I grow up I want my closets to be like Jen's.

4.) Jen is an amazing cook.

She always has a cookbook propped open on the counter, and she always seems to be trying something new. Everything tastes better when it comes out of Jen's kitchen -- my kids will even tell you that her Kraft Mac-n-Cheese tastes better than mine. I think that is the case with all those who are truly good cooks. You can't really pin down exactly what makes it better, it just is.

5.) Jen is super-mom.

She goes well above and beyond what's needed. Whether it's driving in to the City every week to get her daughter to art class, or spending a weekend getting trained so that she can volunteer at a week-long scout camp, Jen makes it happen.

6.) I know I said five, but "my 6 favorite things" sounds stupid.

Just count this as a bonus item. Jen is the best person to drink wine with for no special reason. The best person to sit by the pool with on a hot summer day. The best person to go to Hawaii with. The best person to eat sushi with. The best person to take the kids into the City with. The best friend.

Happy Birthday Jen!