Law Office of Kevin Jensen - September 2017

Law Office of Kevin Jensen - September 2017

jensenlawaz.com 480.632.7373 September 2017

The 10-Year-Old History Buff How I Developed an Early Love for U.S. History

As a little kid growing up in a small town in Wyoming, there wasn’t a whole lot to do. One day, I guess to encourage me to try something new, my parents bought me two books cataloging all the U.S. presidents. They sat on the shelf collecting dust until, bored to death one winter morning, I popped open the first one. I was almost immediately engrossed. The lives of the early presidents and the world they inhabited sparked my imagination like never before. When the spell finally

pushing me to read on my own when I got older. I’d always accompany my mom on her frequent trips to the library, but now, instead of the Dr. Seuss books I’d loved so much, or the books my peers liked, adorned with colorful figures of dragons and dinosaurs, I was checking out stacks of books on the founding fathers or heroes from the Civil War.

As I grew older, my love for history only grew, maturing as I began to understand the complexities of our past. I particularly remember my high school U.S. history teacher, Mr. Patzer, regaling us with stories of his time in the Vietnam War, constantly contextualizing the reading we were doing. He managed to make history real to us, rather than standing there and abstractly lecturing. I remember playing a stock market game about the 1929 crash, using my built-up knowledge of the era to work the system. Honestly, my passion for history should have been my first clue that the medical career I’d planned for myself probably wasn’t my style, but it took several more years for me to fully realize it. I have to admit that these days, I don’t read as much as I should, but on those occasions where I do manage to sit down and pick up a book, it’s always either history or historical fiction. I guess in some ways, I’m still that little kid with his nose in a book too big for him, memorizing the names of the presidents.

I’d always wondered what the world of the past had been like, and these books transported me to that older era of action, heroism, and sacrifice. The battles I read about were staging grounds, where the strong defended their valorous ideals, packed with pithy statements from the great men and women of history. Sure, I loved Star Wars, gobbling up every book in the series as fast as I could get them, but when I considered the exploits of these massive figures, I was engaging with the real world. In those kids’ history books, everything was blanketed with consequence and loaded meaning. They were thrilling to my young mind.

“ ... instead of the Dr. Seuss books I’d loved so much, or the books my peers liked, adorned with colorful figures of dragons and dinosaurs, I was checking out stacks of books on the founding fathers or heroes from the Civil War.”

broke, I looked up at the clock, dazed, to find that hours had passed. By the end of the week, I’d read both of the thick volumes cover to cover. I was hooked. My mom had always encouraged me to read. I was the oldest kid, and my parents were adamant that I start out life on the right foot, reading to me at night when I was really little and constantly

-Kevin Jensen

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Every parent knows that a poorly organized tangle of kids’ activities is a recipe for a migraine. As school starts up again, so does sports season, and your kids’ extracurricular ambitions pile up like the falling autumn leaves. Don’t let yourself get burned out. Here are some tips to stay sane in the midst of the extracurricular whirlwind. Consolidate all your scheduling, jotting, and activity-tracking into one system. Let’s get one thing straight: You can’t afford to be scrawling “Abby piano lesson rescheduled 9/21” on the first scrap of paper you come across. That doesn’t mean you have to be hyper-organized, but it does mean that you need to keep your entire calendar in one place, whether that place is Google Calendar, a fridge whiteboard, or the old-fashioned standby: a calendar with a lighthouse on every page. One particularly attractive option is the Cozi app (cozi.com), which not only consolidates an entire family’s calendars, but allows you to include to-do lists, shopping lists, recipes, chore checklists, and more. Whichever system you choose, keep it updated. Its word is law. Form parent alliances. Those soccer practices Jacob’s going to? There are other teammates there, and they have parents shuttling them around, just like you are. Set up carpools — Noah’s mom drives them both Tuesday while you’ve got Thursdays — to manage scheduling conflicts between your kids and drastically reduce the time you spend as a chauffeur. To simplify the process and make sure everyone’s on the same page, check out the Carpool-Kids app at

carpool-kids.com. It’ll let you directly invite other parents and set up weekly or one-shot carpool schedules. Maintain balance. You almost certainly will need to say no to additional extracurricular activities every now and then. Sure, simultaneous baseball, football, and soccer seasons might seem healthy and fun for your kid, but you need to consider your own needs, as well. Many parents give their children free rein over what to choose, but limit activities to one or two per season. Johnny wants to do underwater basket weaving? Strange choice, but sure — though he’ll have to abandon either fencing or ice hockey. Make sure you weigh each child’s needs equally, and keep the rules the same for each of them.

How To Demystify Your Kids’ Jampacked Schedules

Testimonials I am so happy, appreciative, and grateful that I had my lawyer by my side in court. In a time of fear and distress, he was there, readily available and comforting at the same time. He prepares for anything so there are no surprises. Along with getting helpful advice he was reassuring things will be okay. He got me everything I needed from my case, and I couldn’t feel more accomplished if it weren’t for him. Thank you again so much. Sincerely, – Tim H.

We Take Your Referrals Seriously We know better than anybody how much is at stake when dealing with family law. That’s why we’re humbled every time a client refers a friend or family member to our practice. We’re well aware of the immense trust you put in us as a practice when you encourage your friends or family to work with us, and it’s trust we don’t take lightly. When you refer to us, we strive to make you the hero. We want them to come back and tell you, “Thanks so much for sending me to the Law Office of Kevin Jensen! They were fantastic, and they got me a better outcome than I could have imagined.”

Thank you for all your work! I deeply appreciate all you have done for me. – Maron B.

We want to express a sincere thank-you to all of our fantastic clients. Our firm would not be what it is today without each and every one of you.

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Should You and/or Your Spouse Seek an Annulment? AN ALTERNATIVE FOR DIVORCE IN SPECIAL CASES

Going through a divorce or legal separation can be a messy, complicated process. Luckily, in some special circumstances, a marriage can be dissolved to such an extent that it is deemed to never have existed in the first place, through a process called an annulment. During a divorce, agreements must be made about custody, alimony, and division of property between the two parties, while annulment gives both parties the option to nullify the marriage altogether.

annulment is a much less complicated process, it’s important to note that couples filing for annulment may not be entitled to the same rights as those filing for divorce or legal separation. For one thing, rights and obligations relating to your children or property are completely different for those who qualify for an annulment. To qualify for an annulment, typically the validity of the marriage must be put into question. For instance, if both parties were minors at the time of the marriage and didn’t have the consent of their legal guardians, if some form of deceit or fraud was

involved in the union, or if one or both parties were unlawfully forced or coerced into marriage.

It can be difficult to acquire a judgment allowing the annulment of your marriage, and to determine whether annulment is the right option for you and your spouse or domestic partner. For this reason, it’s vital that you consult an experienced family lawyer to ensure you know all your options and rights during the process. Set up a consultation with Kevin Jensen today, and be confident that you’re receiving outstanding representation — regardless of your marital situation.

An annulment means, essentially, that your marriage or domestic partnership was illegitimate. Though

Apple Cider Chicken

LAUGH BREAK

ingredients

• 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped • 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons butter • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 bay leaves • 2 tablespoons all- purpose flour • 11/2 cups apple cider

instructions

Add flour and stir for 2–3 minutes. 4. Nestle chicken back into

Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 3. Add remaining butter, onion, apple, garlic,

1. Heat oil and 1

tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium- high heat.

pan, add cider, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

thyme and bay leaves. Sauté until apple begins to get color and onions soften, about 6 minutes.

2. Season the chicken breasts with salt and

pepper, add to pan and sear until golden, about 4 minutes each side.

(Recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com.)

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3740 E. Southern Ave #210, Mesa, AZ 85206

The 10-Year-Old History Buff

Extracurricular Overload Testimonials

Should You and/or Your Spouse Seek an Annulment?

The Truth Behind Your Favorite Home Improvement Shows

The Truth Behind Your Favorite Home Improvement Shows

Home improvement and renovation shows are as fun to watch as they are frustrating. They can be inspiring when you see design elements you want to incorporate into your own home. And they can be infuriating as you watch a design expert or homeowner make a questionable choice. But one thing’s for sure: Home renovation shows are more popular than ever, making up the bulk of HGTV’s programming. However, not everything is as it seems. Lurking behind the scenes are truths that don’t make it to broadcast. Home renovation is boring. If you’ve ever been involved in a home remodel, you know that from start to finish, the process isn’t that interesting and can take weeks or even months. Shows leave out many of the dull details, giving viewers a feeling of instant gratification. For younger would-be home remodelers, a real home reno can be an eye-opener when they realize just how much of a time investment it requires — even if it’s a single-room reno. 4 jensenlawaz.com

Home renovation is expensive. And speaking of the investment, even seemingly simple remodel projects can break budgets. Unlike the average homeowner, home improvement shows get to defer some of that cost. Every home renovation show is one big commercial, and they get steep discounts when they use specific products and manufacturers. Sometimes, they get materials for free. On top of that, TV shows often cut corners to minimize costs.

Home renovation is time-consuming. To cut costs and speed up renovation times, on-TV contractors often use cheap, quick-to-install materials. On camera, these materials can be dressed up to look Instagram-worthy, but in reality, they probably won’t last long in the real-world home environment. They want it to look as good as possible in the shortest amount of time, and the camera can hide a lot of the disappointment.

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