How Lovely Indeed

Today when I read my email I was welcomed with this sweet award from D to the Fourth Power . What a sweet gesture!

What I love most about receiving awards like this are the strings. Yes, you read me correctly. I like the strings. After all, that means that I get to introduce some of my favorite blogs to you. Although, I may not write everyday, you can count on the fact that I most likely can be found reading each of these blogs on my phone. My computer runs terribly slow… my phone functions better than my computer. I do LOVE today’s technology.

But wait there’s more. (I’m practicing for a job in infomercials. How did I do?) We must not forget the rules.

1. Claim your award.
2. Post it on your blog along with the name of the person who gave it to you linking it to the person's blog.
3. Pass on the award to 4 more deserving "lovely" blogs (ok, so I didn’t follow the rules… I ran out of time. Some is better than none…. right? RIGHT?).
4. Don't forget to contact the recipients.

So without making you wait a second longer, here are some of my favorites (in no particular order of preference… I love you all):

Adventures of the Reluctant Housewife Her humor keeps me laughing and coming back.

Bloggin’ It From the Burbs I have learned so much from her blog’s “Tech Stuff” and from her photography.

One Hip Mom Let me count the reasons: I love how she changes her blog design each month. (I usually read all blogs via a reader, but I make a point to go to her blog to see her designs). I enjoy reading about her family… she makes me laugh. AND I love her crafty creations.

Decisionally Challenged She’s funny… she makes me smile, laugh, giggle, and maybe even snort (I will never tell).

Lights, Camera, Action!

(I love all her smiles, even the fake ones).

We had been struggling about making the right decision regarding entering Lauren in a Pre-K program at a local school.  First, she has been learning things at home at a level that we know that she wouldn’t be learning at school.  I wish I could take the credit for pushing her, but it was her pushing me to find things for her to learn.  I was concerned that she would get bored if they were just going over things that she already knows.  I don’t think that it would hinder her by any means to homeschool, which was the other option that I was heavily weighing.  We may still have to choose to do that someday. 

Now having said that, if you are a long time reader then you know that Lauren is EXTREMELY social.  She loves her friends.  Since she was 6 months old, she has shown the desire to be around other people.  (She once even cried when the couple that came to give us an appraisal on our home had to leave.  I had to explain… “She hates to say goodbye… TO EVERYONE”).  If she had it her way we would have a house large enough to start a live-in community.

She once listened to me visit with a woman who owned a bed & breakfast.  After listening to her tales of all the new people that came to spend the night in her home, Lauren said in such an excited voice, “Oh Mom, she is the LUCKIEST WOMAN I know!”

So needless to say, that choosing to put her into a school environment was difficult and we probably made our choice based on the wrong reasons.  The only thing that a school environment could offer her that we couldn’t at home is the ability to blossom in a social environment. 

We  went to her new school to register after a busy and exhausting day.  It wasn’t ideal timing, but due to receiving a run-around from the school’s front desk that was the only remaining option.  It was an experience. 

After going through the interview process which she surprised the interviewer by her desire to show off by going above & beyond with her answers to his questions, she overheard me tell him that I still wasn’t sure that we were going to enroll her.  Upon hearing this, her legs gave out and she turned into a heap on the floor exclaiming, “I will just DIE if I don’t get to see my friends everyday!” 

At this point, I turned to the interviewer and asked if his pre-school had a drama program. 

(This was a photo of Lauren during a church program.  She kicked off her shoes and began the comedy show.  She was supposed to be singing a song with the other kids but instead we were watching the beginning of her comedy act.  She did a great job of making the parents laugh).

Are We There Yet

 

(Photo taken from our trip last February.  Corey was not going to stop under any circumstances to let me get one this time.  Clark Griswald, I mean Corey, had a schedule).

During a recent trip to Table Rock in Missouri, Evan (aka "Repeat") was in rare form.

(I was trying to get a cool picture to celebrate our fun day at the park, but little man had a different pose in mind.  “Mom take a picture up my nose and see if I have any boogies!” God bless him). 

I have to admit this was only because Lauren (aka "Pete") was catching up her beauty sleep.

(No, we don’t usually let our kids lay down in the street.  But her legs have a tendency to stop working when she doesn’t get her way.  I’m still looking for the medical term for this ailment.  However, I was extremely pleased to get such a pretty picture out of the ordeal).

My husband on the other hand was in not-so rare form. He was teasing and flirting and making me laugh. (He was harassing me endlessly).

(In this photo, Corey is pleading with me to never take his photo again.  Of course, my response is “Me no speak Ingles.” Sorry Corey, I love you too much to not ever take your photo. LOL)

So I lovingly helped repeat out and redirected Evan's focus to Dad... All I had to do was ask Corey once, "Are we there yet?" and for the next ten minutes that's all that we heard from Repeat. Each time made me giggle and laugh. Paybacks baby.

 

Our friend’s beautiful home.  Thank you for showing us such sweet hospitality. 

Still ornery,

J

-- Post From My iPhone

Not Posting

I’m not going to post today because… well… I like you.  I Like You A LOT!  (That’s me doing my best Jim Carey impression.  Yes I like him.  I am one of his freaky followers.  He makes me laugh, giggle, chuckle, then grab my stomach and laugh some more.  I’ve warned you about this.  I have the sense of humor of a twelve year old boy). 

But seriously.  I’m not posting because this is a happy place.  I want this to be YOUR happy place.  So I’m not going to gripe about may not-so-blissful marital issues (we all have our moments.  Show me a REAL marriage without them.  If you can then I will become their best student.  I love my husband more than anything.  That’s why it bothers me when there is any discourse), I’m not going to post about the family member that has cancer, and I’m not going to post about my bitterness towards my own frustration.  I suck at faking it.  Faking it makes me bitter.  I was not designed to bottle things up and pretend.  I am no good at smiling and saying “everything is great” when I run into someone that I know and they ask how everything is going.  I would win an award at being the world’s worst actress.  I’m sure of it.  I like awards. LOL.  Anyway, being fake is not my style. 

I may be totally off base here, but doesn’t God want us to relate!  Who knows the person that I may be crossing paths, may have been through this and may have all the answers or at least information about what didn’t work for them.  Isn’t that what we are supposed to do ?  Aren’t we supposed to help each other through the tough times?   Instead it seems that society just wants the “Everything is great” answer so that we can all go about our own business.

So instead, I’m not going to post and not give any details.  I am going to get a coffee a BIG FAT donut and hopefully an attitude adjustment. 

Until Then,

J

I Heart Faces – At The Beach

 

 

The theme at I Heart Faces this week is The Beach.  Our family loves the beach and we have a million photos taken with point & shoot and disposable cameras of beach scenes.  However, this trip to Mexico was the only trip that we have taken since we purchased a SLR.  So here I am holding up these walls… they would have crumbled without my support.  I’m sure of it.

This picture was taken by A Moxie Mom’s Man (a.k.a. Corey).  If our business doesn’t thrive, I tell him that he would make an awesome photographer. 

CAMERA & SETTINGS:

Camera: Canon EOS 50D with a Tamron 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 (IF) Macro Lens

• Shutter Speed: 1/250 seconds
• Aperature f-Stop: f13
• ISO: 400
• Focal length: 50mm

Editing Software: Adobe Photoshop 6.0

Lightened the photo then I used the Burn tool to frame the subject of the photo.

I’m loving each new concept that I learn about photography.  It’s a work in progress.

Lots of Love,

J

Coming Home

Ahh!  The feeling of coming home after a vacation is one of the best. 

Corey & I had an amazing time in Mexico and I really enjoyed Los Cabos. 

The water,

 

the mountains,

the beaches,

the critters… it was an adventure.  One that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.  We had a great time with our friends. 

 

Although after a long weekend, I couldn’t wait to get back to my kiddos.  I missed them so much.  And worried about them.  And missed them some more. 

Although, it did feel good to get away and spend some time with Corey.

 

That quality time is good for every relationship. 

As Corey & I landed in Texas we both jumped on our phones and began reconnecting to the real world.  One of the many delights of returning home was to find that I had won an honorable mention on the I Heart Faces website.  I had scheduled a few posts for this blog while I was gone and it was great to be greeted with your comments as I came back to the US.  I loved it.

Such sweet & simple pleasures!!

Love you all,

Jess

Sweetness

This little girl is my sweet little princess.

And just in case anyone is wondering, yes, I am saving this picture for her senior year. I have already created a “special” folder for that wonderful occasion. Just in case she decided to erase it when she gets older, I have it backed up & hidden. Just thinking of the tortured screams that will follow when she realizes what photos I have set aside for that wonderful senior exhibition, makes me laugh to no end. Ahhh, the simple pleasures of life.