Saturday, December 31, 2011

no new year's resolution

Everyone these days has some kind of New Year's Resolutions. More times than not they are the ones that vow to shed a few pounds or to tone up or to eat less. Yes, many of Americans resolutions have something to do with weight and a little less to do with something else, but we pretty much kill it before January is even over, so this year I have a bucket list of things I want to accomplish during 2012. This beats having a handful of failed resolutions any day!

In no particular order...

- have a homemade Christmas
- take a vacation, whether it's mini or major with Mark
- send a lot more snail mail
- see a few less pounds on the scale (see how I did that)
- host at least 3 gatherings
- triple my income from eBay
- blog more frequently
- see a lot more money in the savings account
- attend a concert
- go to an NFL or NBA game
- cook at least 4 times a week
- buy a new car
- eat at 5 new non-chain restaurants
- read at least 5 books
- own a android smartphone
- go to bed earlier and stay on a regular routine
- stay at a bed and breakfast

I'm sure I am missing a lot of things that I want to accomplish this year but that's what is great about a blog; I can update it whenever I want. The most important part is that I have other people to encourage me and to hold me accountable to help me accomplish this list.

Here's to nothing but great things in 2012. Cheers!!!

Have a Happy New Year, everyone!!!!



Love & Laughter,
J

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

friendships

Friendships to me, mean a lot; more than I can actually put into words. They are essential to who I am today and important to have, so how come I feel like I've lost most of my friendships in one way or another?


Is it because I work non-traditional hours? Is it because I sometimes forget to send things in the mail? Is it because I don't live in a big city? Is it because money doesn't fall off trees where I live? Is it because I didn't have a car for almost 6 months? Is it because I'm not engaged/married/have kids? Is it because I am embarrassing/loud/blunt? Is it because I don't like being around negativity? Is it because I don't drink/smoke? Is it because I don't like clubs? Is it because I don't have any pets? Is it because I live in an apartment? Is it because I'm not a stay-at-home mom? Is it because I look a certain way?

I appreciate each and every one of my friendships that come and go in my life because they have each taught me something, but there is a distance that has been placed on all of them and not just in the physically sense.

I would like to think that it's not just me because I do try. I send texts, post messages to friends' walls on Facebook, send mail, and think about them each day. Just because I don't call everyday or post everyday or text everyday or can't drive to your house everyday doesn't mean I don't want to be friends. It means that I live a busy life and sometimes I want more than anything to call and chat for hours on end but all I have is 5 minutes and I have to ask myself these questions - is it really going to be that easy to get off the phone? Are they even going to answer or want to talk? Will they only talk about themselves? Are they going to be mad if I have to get off the phone quickly? Yes, I may be over analyzing everything but when it comes to losing friendships, I don't think I'm overreacting. I want to fix it.

I want things to be back the way they used to be. I want to feel like I am needed and wanted in a friendship. I want to be able to have small gatherings together. I want to be able to share the good, the bad and the ugly. I want to be able to give "just because" gifts to my friends. I want to try new restaurants. I want to go shopping. I know I can do all of this with Mark, but I want to do these things with girlfriends.

I don't live anywhere near my best friend. I never have. And I don't think I ever will, but we have an extremely close friendship (closer than most for always living in a different state). We may not talk everyday or even every week but we still buy each other things, send each other mail, and send an "I miss you" text often. She came into my life 16 or so years ago and never left.
So how do I make all of my other friendships like this one?

Love & Laughter,
J

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas, Christmas!

I hope everyone had the most amazing Christmas full of blessings! I know that I am truly blessed with the love of Mark and my family.

I worked about 3 hours on Friday, ran a couple of errands and then my sister dropped off my adorable niece and nephew to spend the night with us. They helped make cookies, and even wrapped some gifts for Mark, their sibling and their mommy and daddy.


 The snowman cookie that Kayla and Mark made together. She instructed him. It was so cute!

They even got to open a Christmas Eve, eve present. Look how excited they were.

Some lovely little goody bags for the movies that we watched together. We had so much fun!!!!!!!

On Saturday, my sister and her husband came over (since the kids were already here) and we enjoyed a mass amount of food...and gifts
My whole menu was a huge hit...especially the sliders. My sister couldn't believe that I actually made all of it!!! I was super impressed that Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake (made from a GF yellow cake mix) came out waaaaaaaay better than I imagined! It was really nice being able to eat everything on the table this time!!!

We even had a blast tearing into our Christmas gifts from one another.

 Boy, did my sister and brother in-law put Mark to work...
This was a box of torn up newspapers that he had to sift through to find 25 dollar bills rolled up tightly and tied with ribbon. I thought it was a clever and fun idea!!
 Austin was sooooo excited about opening all of his gifts and he said he loved them all. He also said "sank you auntie and uncle mark" each time he opened one. Soooo cute!!
 This was Kayla's reaction to pretty much everything she opened from us. I'm glad we could put a smile on her almost 10 year old face. Whhhhaaaaaat? 10??!!!!???? When did that happen!!!???!!!
 This picture makes me giggle. I don't think I have seen him smile like this...ever!! This is before he opened some awesome Pyrex baking dishes from us!!
Here is my sister opening the Burlesque CD she wanted ever so bad. Her comment that she made while opening it, "what? no? it couldn't...it is" then...LOUD screams! We didn't know it was going to make her that happy but I am glad that we could!

I love my new camera I got on Black Friday. Soooo many pictures were taken including my three most favorite pictures of the night...
 This is Austin who thinks he is Justin Beiber...
 And Spiderman.
And this is Kayla "dying" because she got Justin Beiber PJ's!

Mark and I attempted to take some cutesy Christmas pics in front of the tree but those didn't come out too well. At least not to my liking so I won't be sharing any of those. However, here is some pictures of Mark opening some of his presents on Christmas Day.

 He definitely needed this new Samsung Bluetooth to go along with his new Samsung Exhibit II phone
 Who can't use a Starbucks card. Everyone loves Starbucks, right?
 What's better than slipping your ice cold feet into a nice, warm pair of memory foam slippers?
And this is just one of the sweater vests that he got.

The other, he wore today while out shopping for Mighty Monday...
He's so handsome if I do say so myself.

Even though we didn't get a white Christmas, we still had the best weekend! Mark and I are truly blessed and I am so thankful that this is the fifth Christmas we have been able to spend together.

I hope your Christmas was just as amazing as ours was.
What was your favorite things about your Christmas this year?

Love & Laughter,
J



Sunday, December 25, 2011

merry christmas

Merry Christmas, friends!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day spending time with friends and family and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas!!



Love & Laughter,
J


Friday, December 23, 2011

decking the halls

Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!!! It's a time to reflect, a time to give, a time to be blessed, a time to celebrate our baby Jesus' birth and of course, to deck the halls!! Christmas is my favorite holiday and not because I receive gifts, but because I get to decorate and give!

This year we have TWO big Christmas trees in the living room with one small tree that holds my Christmas cards I have received in the mail. On a shelf sits a very rustic twig Christmas tree and another Christmas tree that has been with me since 1991 when it was given to me by my great grandma. It started out with dollar bills tied to each branch but of course those were spent pretty fast.

Christmas ornaments are one of my very favorite things about Christmas!! Mark and I have had a tradition of exchanging ornaments on Christmas Eve every year since we have been together. This year, however, I couldn't wait to give him his ornament so he got it early. Take a look...
Mark has thee most loving dog named Debo and he loves him so much. Debo doesn't live with us and since Debo is getting old and may not be around for much longer, I wanted Mark to have something to ALWAYS remember his best friend by. Plus, I love personalized gifts. It didn't exactly come out the way I thought it was going to, but Mark loves it and I love him so that's all that matters!

We also got another ornament a few Saturdays back when we went antiquing. How fun is this ornament and it's right up Mark's alley (which is the reason why we got it). It goes well with his other fishing ornaments.
This is the first year that Mark and I have had a topper on the Christmas tree.I'm not quite sure why we have never had one, but it took some time for me to find the perfect one. It was just screaming at me while browsing the antique store.
 I absolutely ADORE this grapevine star. It's not technically supposed to be a tree topper but I love the simplicity and the rustic-ness of the star so I made it work and we both love it!

Since it's Christmas Eve, eve and I'm most certainly in the Christmas spirit, here is the finished product of our main tree.


And here is the other tree that I am dubbing as my sister's family tree since it has all of their gifts underneath it ready for our Christmas Eve party!

I hope you all have a very, Merry Christmas!!! May you be blessed this Christmas season!

Love & Laughter,
J

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Christmas Eve menu

Each year, my sister, Nicole, her husband, Keith and my niece, Kayla and nephew, Austin, all come over to my house to share in a Christmas party of our own. I usually cook a lot of food, and we open lots of fun gifts from each other and we play games and hang out and talk. I love this time that we get to spend together - especially since my sister and I haven't exactly been the closest of siblings growing up.


This year I wanted an all new menu - things I have never cooked before - and this is what I came up with compliments of my love to cook...love to eat Pinterest board...

 Ham & Cheese Hot Sandwiches
(a couple will be made with GF hamburger buns instead of the sliders)
 Easy Cheesy Hot Bean Dip
 Cheese & Bacon Potato Rounds
 Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Bread
(I'll be using Bob's Red Mill GF Pizza Mix)
 Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake
(made with Betty Crocker GF Vanilla Cake Mix)
 No Bake Cookies
Snickers Salad

I'm not sure if I have enough carbs. HA! Man, oh man, but it all sounds so scrumptious!! I love to cook for others so this makes me sooooo excited!!! Only TWO more days until the kids get to help me make it all or just play games with Mark in the other room. Either way, I'm excited to have them and I'm excited for our Christmas party and the time we get to spend together!!

What is everyone making for their holiday parties??

Love & Laughter,
J

Monday, December 19, 2011

sleepover time!

I only have 3 whole days and one half day of work that stands in my way of having my niece and nephew spend the night. It not only gives my sister and her husband the time to finish shopping but to also wrap the presents and spend some time with each other. I'm super excited about it because we will be cooking up some yummy things for the family as well as making a couple of gifts for everyone and then having a sleep over filled with all kinds of goodies. Read: JUNK FOOD!!! Then on Christmas Eve my sister and her husband will be coming over for our Christmas together. I can't wait for everyone to open their gifts! I love seeing the looks on every one's faces. Good thing I got a new camera on Black Friday to capture it all.

Be looking for upcoming Christmas posts!! I'm so excited to share with you about what traditions we have and what new things we added this year!!

How could you not love spending time with these two...



Love & Laughter,
J

Thursday, December 15, 2011

wanted: blogger swaps

I've seen a lot of blogger swaps going around these days and I would LOVE to get in on one but I'm not quite sure how. Anyone know of any going on???

I think it would be soooo much fun and I love to buy/make things for other people so it would be perfect!

If you are hosting a blogger swap or know of one, link up below.

Feel free to share this post with other bloggers on your blog or on Twitter and Facebook. I would really appreciate it! Thanks for all your help!



Love & Laughter,
J

Friday, December 9, 2011

crayola explosion

I was able to get in on a deal at Toys R Us for some Crayola products. They are offering a Buy 1 get 2 FREE deal on some of their crayola products.
I spent a whopping $8.23 and SAVED $126.08 on my purchase. Let me just wow you with my steal!!

I got 4 of these...
Crayola Color Wonder Light Up Markers - $14.99

And 4 of these...
Crayola Pip-Squeaks Mix 'Ems Color-Mixing Markers - $10.49

And one each of these...
Crayola Colored 36 Pencils - $6.99
Crayola Big Box of Crayons with Built-in Sharpener - $6.99


Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils - $6.19


 Crayola Dry-Erase Crayons - $3.99

I was able to get all of the items listed above for FREE and I only had to pay for six of these...
which were $1.29 each

I still saved a couple of cents by going through shopathome but I could have saved 7% by going through Ebates but I forgot to look. Either way, I saved a TON of money and my kids at the Youth Center are going to be sooooooo excited!!!

The only thing left to do is to pick it up from the store...

Happy Shopping!!!

Love & Laughter,
J



shop and sell! sell and shop!

I've been ebaying like WHOA lately (I guess that's why I haven't been blogging much)! Buying and uhhh, selling? Yes, I'm now apparently in the business of selling things on Ebay.
I've been uber lucky with getting some AWESOME deals for pennies. Seriously...for pennies. Here are just a few of the items I have purchased in the last ohhhh, 10 days:



And this gem for only $1.75

(Sorry for the horribly, blurry pic - it clearly wasn't taken with my new camera)

I also purchased 8 Christmas ornaments for a total of 30 cents (not each but all together) and 5 yards of Christmas ribbon for 20 cents, a gift for my sister and a Christmas gift for Mark. I'll share that one later (it's a moneymaker deal!!!!)

While busy buying all of my loot, I thought it would be fun to sell what I don't need or want. Let me just tell you that selling is definitely not as easy as buying; it's like a second job almost. However, I am soooo happy to be getting rid of some of the new and used stuff that I don't need or want anymore. YAY for more money in my pocket!!! Mark and I are starting to become quite the entrepreneur (thanks to my job that I can actually spell this word without looking it up or using spell check. Random, I know)

In addition to buying things on Ebay, I have also made a few purchases at Naturalizer (I've heard of it - always thought of it as an old ladies store - but never purchased from it...until now). I snagged all THREE of these items for LESS than $8 bucks. Try not to be so jealous! I saved $93.00 and it shipped to me for FREE! I love FREE!


I also scored 9 of these all-natural face towelettes for the price of shipping...a whopping $1.51!!



In other news (unrelated to shopping or saving money), I have some Christmas posts coming real soon. Hopefully this weekend...if I don't get stuck under the 322298748289472 pounds of laundry we need to get done!

WHOA! Sorry, lots of numbers and math and one long post...thanks for sticking it out! At least there were pictures! :)

Happy Friday!!

Love & Laughter,
J