freckle on the nose of life's complexion

Where the heart is...

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:37:00 +0000

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34

My heart is...

Buried in books and magazines, oh how I love them.

In small-town Ohio, where I spent four amazing years of college. (My heart is not, however, with my student loans.)

In snowy Afghanistan with Keith (although I'm really glad my heart is not literally in Afghanistan).

In fictional Charming, California with the fictional Jax Teller. I mean, hello. Swoon.

On this blog, and with all the fabulous bloggers I have been lucky enough to get to know.

Near the mountains of Tennessee, with my aunt fighting cancer.

Scattered across the country in California, New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania, D.C. and Ohio with the very best friends a girl could ask for.

Snuggled up on the couch with my kitties.

Still with LeBron. As much as I hate to admit it.

Up in heaven, with my dad, my Grams and my Pop Pop.

With my brother and his family out in the country. And I do mean country. Eek.

With my mom, one of my best friends and biggest fans.

Where is your heart today?

Mason Jar Pinspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:26:00 +0000

Happy Wednesday!

Today I'm linking up with Michelle at The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinteresting!

I love Pinterest. I love that I can pin a board at a time - based on a theme - and pin my heart out until I become bored with the board.

This week I am on a mason jar kick.

I tried painting a few of them several weeks ago and it just did not work. I'm not sure if it was me or the paint, but I think we both know my missing creative gene is to blame. I tried putting the finished product on a top shelf - high enough to conceal flaws from the naked eye - but no. Did not work. Au revoir, jars.

In any case, check out these super cute mason jar crafts that turned out fabulously (mostly because I didn't make them):

Source: etsy.com via Jen on Pinterest

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Source: tiffanylanehandmade.wordpress.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: yummyweddingfood.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jen on Pinterest

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February Photo Challenge 2012 - Days 1-5

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:21:00 +0000

This month I'm participating in a fun Twitter/Instagram event called February Photo a Day Challenge. Prompts are provided and you just snap an image with your smart phone and submit any which way you'd like!

I'm five days in and let me tell you, this is so much easier than that 365 Days of Happy thing I tried to pull off last year. By day 145 I was over it, shucks.

The prompts

Day 1: Your view today

My essentials: Diet coke, gum and a little inspiration

Day 2: Words

Two of my favorite words in the English language

Day 3: Hands

I sort of cheated because this is an older picture.

Day 4: A stranger

This stray cat comes by a couple times a day for food.

I want to give him/her a name, but it needs to be an

ambiguous name. And a human name.

Day 5: 10am

Getting ready for church.

Want to join in? It's not too late! And if you do join in, let me know so I can see your pretty pictures.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

PS - Thank you for your sweet comments on my blog's makeover! :)

Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:09:00 +0000

Hello, lovelies!

I am super excited to share with you my new blog look, designed by the fabulous Dondi at Just My Type Designs. She was so great to work with - I can't say enough nice things about her.

I loved my old design and it suited me well, but it was a free template and I have been itching for my own unique look. And here it is!

I am positive this will be the kick in the butt I need to blog more than a few times a month. I hope you'll stick around for it. :)

So what do you think??

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Pre-Weekend Update

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:31:00 +0000

Hello, lovelies!

Here's a short and sweet update as we make our way towards the weekend.

The weather is cuckoo. The last couple days have topped 60 degrees and we've yet to see a single snowflake this winter. I'd wonder what Mother Nature has up her sleeve, but it's so warm she's probably NOT WEARING ANY.

If the weather isn't consistent, the cuteness of these two guys sure is:

My brother's little guy

My little guy

I don't have an artistic bone in my body, so when I was feeling crafty the other weekend I needed a project that left little room for error and required minimal creativity.

Valentine's Day yarn balls

Paint and tape - I can handle that.

I found a recipe for Blackberry Crumb Bars by Martha Stewart and made these yummy bites with mixed fruit:

I resisted Words With Friends for the first 9 months of my iPhone's life. Alas, I have come over to the fun side - I'm freckleonthenose if you want to play! You will probably win if I keep getting tiles like this:

(PS - the blur tool wouldn't drag down far enough -

I promise I'm not trying to highlight "dickie."

And finally, there was a card from my grandma waiting for me in my mailbox yesterday. The front of the card was a picture of me and my dad that I had not seen before, which was such a welcome surprise.

It is hard to believe that next week will be four years since he died. There are so many things I wish I could talk to him about, and I think it will always be that way.

In other news, Keith will likely be home in a matter of WEEKS. Yes, you heard that right. I have a ton of things to get done before he gets home, but I am really excited because I need more of this in my life:

Have a lovely weekend!

Valentine's Day Pinspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:23:00 +0000

Happy Wednesday! Today I'm linking up with Michelle at The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinteresting!

Love is in the air! Here is some Valentine's day decor that caught my eye this week:

Source: bhg.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: thecraftingchicks.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: countryliving.com via Jen on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jen on Pinterest

January 2, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:41:00 +0000

Happy 2012!

Happy birthday eve to me!

2011 ended with either a cold or allergies (does anyone else have a hard time telling the difference?). Fortunately I felt much better Sunday, though Kleenex and I maintain a close relationship. I've been reading, napping, relaxing with the kitties and spending a ridiculous amount of time with this guy:

[Source]

I am several years behind in basically everything that is awesome... I only just read The Help and Water for Elephants, and I am just now starting to watch Sons of Anarchy. What a glorious time suck. Why does Jax have such pretty blond hair? This show is amazing. Thanks to a free Netflix trial, I have been streaming it basically nonstop - much to my sleep cycle's dismay.

In other news, I turn 28 tomorrow!!!!

(I hope I never stop being excited about birthdays)

In some ways it's a ripoff having a birthday so close to Christmas, but I always feel lucky to start out the year with a fresh start and a fresh age.

I talked to my grandma on the phone for a good while tonight. I love her so much. She lost her son (my dad) in 2008, her husband of 60 years last August, but she is one of the steadiest, sturdiest, most loving women I have ever known. Just sharing DNA with her makes me feel like a better person. She called to wish me a happy new year and said she hopes almost all of my dreams come true in 2012 - she suggested I save some for future years, haha.

In case you don't have a Grandma Mabel of your own, let me tell you that I hope almost all of your dreams come true this year as well.

Unwrapping Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:04:00 +0000

I’ve mentioned before that a couple of years ago I chopped down a Christmas tree and later discovered it was covered in spider mites, which took over my small apartment.

My fear of bugs still threatens to override my love of Christmas, so I’m sticking with fake trees until I have more square footage to share with those tiny home invaders.

This year I borrowed my mom’s fake tree. She has a ~~destructive~~ mischievous new cat who cannot be trusted with trees, lights or ornaments. One of my favorite things about putting up the tree is unwrapping my ornaments. I am such a cornball sucker for trips down memory lane.

I came across ornaments that make me miss friends with whom I’ve lost touch.

And ornaments that make me miss family members who now enjoy the same role as the winged woman atop the tree.

The old newspapers in which the ornaments are wrapped hold almost as much sentimental value as the ornaments themselves. I unwrapped one from a sheet of newspaper dated late 2005. I was a senior in college, mourning the fact that four years of education disguised as ridiculous fun were nearly over.

I then unpacked a small glass ornament wrapped in newspaper dated December 26th, 1997. I was 13. It was the last year my parents lived under the same roof. My dad was nowhere near as sick as would later become.

I wonder if my dad held that newspaper from 14 Christmases ago. I wonder if he read it with coffee that morning. I bet my mom stepped outside in her slippers to get the paper with our two dogs. It was our puppy Molly’s first Christmas. She stayed with us for 12 more.

I love those times. I love where I am and the relationships I have today, but man, what I wouldn’t give for another glimpse at life the morning of December 26, 1997.

I hope that years from now I will unwrap ornaments from newspapers imprinted with a date of December 26, 2011 and feel as blessed as I do today.

Merry Christmas!

My Favorite Christmas Songs

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:45:00 +0000

I try to make myself wait until mid-to-late October before I bust out the Christmas music, but I need at least two months' worth of musical festivities. It makes me really happy to think that I listen to Christmas music for a minimum of 1/6 of every year. I wish it was 6/6, let me tell you.

That said, I do have some favorites. Some songs that I can't get enough of. And here are my top 10 favorites, in alphabetical order because I can't pick a favorite. That would be like picking a favorite cat (Ollie and Josie are both my favorite).

1) Breath of Heaven
(Amy Grant)

2) A Christmas Song
(Dave Matthews Band)

3) Do They Know it's Christmas?
(Band Aid)

4) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
(Frank Sinatra)

5) Here We Come A-Wassailing
(this is one of my favorites to sing in the shower)

6) I Will Lead You Home
(Amy Grant)

7) Joy to the World
(Nat King Cole)

8) Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays
(the only song for which I'd jump on the mid-90s N'Sync bandwagon)

9) Somewhere In My Memory
(you know... the instrumental/light vocals song from Home Alone
that puts a real lump in your throat)

10) Wintersong
(Sarah McLachlan... that line above about putting a lump in your
throat x1,000)

What song(s) put you in the holiday spirit?

I caved & joined Pinterest!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:03:00 +0000

It is SO MUCH FUN.

Can we please just have National Pinterest Day
and do nothing but pin, because how am I ever
supposed to get anything accomplished now?

I have no idea how to find people (help?)
and because I waited 327 years to join,
every relevant name is taken.

So I ended up with: http://pinterest.com/blogger/,
which is ironic considering my blogging
frequency these days.

In any case, come see the home decor, jewelry,
colors and designs I've fallen in love with and
impart upon me your Pinterest wisdom and
show me what you've pinned!

Ho Ho Ho!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:36:00 +0000

Hello!

I have missed you, friends. How are you? I'm going to bypass my excuses and get right to the update. In chronological order, of course.

The weekend after my last post I visited Keith's family in Arizona (I'm sort of in love with that state - if only it had snow, sigh). His family is wonderful. Hanging out with the bf's parents without the bf? Could have been weird. Fortunately, is was lovely. It was important to Keith for us to spend time together and I'm so glad we did!

Thanksgiving was lovely - my mom hosted a nice, low-key day. I really don't know how we did holidays before my niece and nephew were in the picture! It's so fun to have little ones around, especially little ones who go home at the end of the night.

My mom and I did our third annual Black Friday shopping and while we were not the crazies who went straight from Thanksgiving dinner to the stores, we did begin at 3am. No pushing or shoving, just pure adrenaline and Christmas cheer, y'all.

That weekend was my nephew's second birthday. Here's their Christmas pic. The niece is as gorgeous as ever and I am crossing my fingers that the nephew really truly is becoming a redhead. Also? I think someone's slipping him growth hormones, because WHAT:

The following weekend was my friend Zoe's wedding in Philadelphia and it was amazing. It was at the Franklin Institute and they got married in a planetarium. The reception was in a beautiful foyer with hugemongous ceilings and marble and pillars and just so much prettiness. It was my first Jewish wedding and somewhere between the chuppah and Hava Nagila, I decided we should all convert because it was just so much fun, so rich in tradition and just so lovely. The bride was stunning and oh man, can I please go back in time? I can't believe how much I love (and miss!) these college gems:

"My" navy one-shoulder dress was amazing. Thanks to the other redhead in the photo above, I learned about Rent the Runway. Since it was a black tie wedding and I have not worn a long dress since prom, I needed a nice dress but not one that would break the bank (my bank is already broken, haaaa). I rented this dress for a fraction of the price, felt super glamorous for the night and then shipped it back a couple days later. Although I clearly 1) do not get dressed up often enough, 2) am not girly enough, 3) am not fancy enough because someone asked who made my dress and I had no idea. But now I know! It was him!

My Christmas package for Keith made it to Afghanistan in ONE WEEK, which is amazing. Some fabulous friends and family (even people he's never met) have sent him holiday mail, which is so kind. Keith should be home in +/- 4 months and that is great because I am about over this deployment business. It is much, much harder on him - I can't imagine being so far from home during the holidays - away from all things merry and bright, not to mention friends and family and oh hey there, combat zone. That said... I don't know how to say this without sounding selfish, annoying and complainy: this is harder than I thought it would be. I'm not in Afghanistan, but this is still hard. Is that terrible of me? I'm so grateful for all the support I've received over the past 4+ months.

I love this time of year so much - it makes my heart feel full and grateful and happy. I miss Christmas music already and there's still plenty of time to listen to it! The Amy Grant Christmas station on Pandora is amazing, which means my taste is pretty much in line with most 40-60 year old women.

Speaking of middle-aged people... I will be 28 in last than 3 weeks. WHAT.

I hope you are enjoying the holidays, my friends!! Are you feeling the Christmas cheer??

Love,

Jen

November!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:22:00 +0000

Hello!

These days are flying by like crazy, lovelies.

Here's a quick update in bullet form:

It's November 12th and I cannot possibly wait any longer to decorate for Christmas.
I have two more states to visit before the year is over (Arizona and Pennsylvania - two climate shock-inducing states!)
My nephew is turning two this month and I demand a full investigation because that is not right. He was just born yesterday.

I really haven't stopped blogging. I've just been doing it in 140 character increments on Twitter.
Keith has been gone for over three months and will hopefully be home in six! I get so excited talking about him coming home and making plans for the future.
There are so many leaves still on the trees that I am concerned it will NEVER snow.
I need a blog makeover. Do you know someone who can help?
I have developed a very delicious habit of baking muffins, but I cannot be bothered to cook a legitimate meal lately. It's not so much about the muffins as it is the cute toppers.

I am still recovering from Daylight Saving Time. It gets dark at like 5pm and I don't get up early enough to appreciate the brighter mornings. My quest to become a morning person continues to fail in new and epic ways.
This picture from my daycare days makes me laugh. I would really like to meet the childcare provider who thought plopping a kid on a pony and putting a toy gun in her hand seemed badass.

I don't anticipate going on another blogging hiatus, but if I do - that picture is how I want you to remember me, haha.

o.b. Share it Forward Blog Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:48:00 +0000

I'm pretty sure I have exactly one male reader and I would like to suggest that he click on the big X in the top right corner because things are about to get a little girly all up in here.

With Veteran's Day just passing and Thanksgiving just around the corner, November is the perfect opportunity to remember all that we have and remember those who may be less fortunate. That goes for food, shelter, warmth and... sanitary products (stick with me here).

What I consider to be my least favorite grocery store purchases are considered a luxury by millions throughout the world. There is a serious lack of sanitary protection in developing countries and the consequences can be a lot more than inconvenient - they can be devastating and life-threatening.

Huru International has developed a kit containing sanitary products and educational information to help girls and women safely care for their bodies. The o.b. brand has stepped up with a generous offer to provide as much as $25,000 to Huru International to help fund their mission... but they need our help in order to do so.

O.b. will donate $1 to Huru for every person who visits o.b.'s Facebook page and shares a message about Huru International's mission within their network of friends. And you will have the satisfaction of knowing you helped make life safer and easier for someone in need.

To help, please visit o.b.'s Facebook page and follow these easy instructions:

Step 1: Like o.b.'s mighty.small.movement and click on the o.b. Outreach Tab.

Step 2: Select your state from the drop down box (under the green box).

Step 3: Put a check mark next to the box that says you've read the terms & conditions.

Step 4: Click the pink "Click to Share" button to post the message on your wall.

Step 5: Spread the word!

The ability to help is just one more thing to be grateful for this holiday season!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of o.b. and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

I have a blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:47:00 +0000

Hola!

If I post this today, it means it hasn't quite been a full month since I've blogged. The hiatus was not wasted, but I am glad to be back. When I'm not writing I'm not reading... and I miss both!

September fared well overall, especially compared to August. October is off to a lovely start. Fall used to be my least favorite season, can you believe that? Now it's right up there with winter. And spring. And summer. They're all my favorite. Don't even bother guessing how many Pumpkin Spice Lattes I've the past couple of weeks. We can't count that high.

Keith's almost two months into deployment! I know what it's like to be single and I know what it's like to be in a relationship. The past two months have felt like some weird blend of those two familiar worlds.

I love him. And l miss him. The phone calls are never going to be frequent enough and the emails are never going to be long enough, but I'm grateful for each one. It's hard, but I know it's harder for Keith. He's doing a dangerous job in a dangerous place far away from home. Triple whammy. Continued good thoughts for him are appreciated, as always.

Okay, that concludes the verbal update - onto the visual update.

(Disclaimers: I'm not a photographer and my camera is my iPhone.)

As you may remember, the month started out with this...

I am happy to report that my darling little car is back in shipshape condition.

The weather has been a little crazy, but an all-around lovely mix of rain, sun and some beautiful skies...

I have been trying to decide whether or not to let my hair grow or keep up with a shortish style...

Behold, exhibit A: August hair and exhibit B: October hair.

I have been reintroducing myself to the kitchen...

The first one is drawing a blank. Dip? Chicken dish? And then we have spinach manicotti and banana bread.

I have been enjoying those aforementioned PSLs...

Let the record show that my name is not - nor has it ever been - Ginny. But those magical baristas can call me whatever they want.

I have been spending some time with the royal nephew...

I KNOW. He is getting so big. Make it stop.

I have begun decorating for the holidays...

I traveled from NC to OH and back for my grandfather's service...

It was sad, wonderful, exhausting and cathartic all rolled into one.

And last but not least, I ran my first 5k...

I can't wait to do another one. I think there's a pack-mentality trick to it. I won't stop running if everyone else is running. Peer pressure, gang - I'm still susceptible.

So. That has been my month. And now if you'll excuse me, I've got some major blog reading to do!

Love,

Jen

I thought we were friends, September.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 03:10:00 +0000

You know what I don't like?

Wasting a good cup of coffee.

You know what I really don't like?

Wasting a cup of coffee because it spills everywhere during a car accident. Thankfully I'm okay and the other driver is okay. But my poor little car's hood was smooshed* and it won't start. I'm not unreasonably demanding when it comes to cars, but I would really prefer one that runs.

(*Why can't I say smoosh without thinking of Jersey Shore?)

But like I said - everyone is okay and that's what's important.

In other "count your blessings" news, it rained allllll day, which we really needed. Now if only I could redirect the rain clouds to Texas.

I have been a little more adventurous in the kitchen lately, which wasn't very hard to do since my previous culinary adventures involved reheating my mama's delicious chili.

Here's my new favorite dish:

Sweet corn-stuffed zucchini recipe here

(I made mine sans meat.)

Saucy ribbon vegetable recipe here

I've been able to talk to Keith pretty frequently, which is fabulous. I love hearing from him and knowing that he's okay. Almost one month behind us, y'all!

I am still optimistic about you, September. Don't let me down.

Asheville

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 21:40:00 +0000

Hello, lovelies!

Thank you for the kind words about my grandpa. It's hard to believe it's been over two weeks. I had a dream about him last night and hope I will again soon. I don't always remember my dreams, so I love it when I can remember them and when people I love are in them.

I have been a most terrible blogger! It's a new(ish) month, so here's a new shot at blogging with some regularity. I hope everyone is doing well and that the Labor Day weekend was anything but laborious.

I finished up the month of August with a trip to the mountain town of Asheville (one of North Carolina's gems) with my mom and aunt for my mom's birthday.

Here are some pics from the weekend:

Biltmore House, aka America's Largest Home

Pretty epic house, but no pics were allowed on the inside, shucks.

One of the gardens

Flowers in the shape of a dragonfly

(I do not like dragonflies, but I do like flowers)

Lilypads

A FROG!

Just one of the pretty flowers

Our reward after a day of sightseeing

Mountain sunset

Another Asheville landmark: The Grove Park Inn

Looks so different without snow

A lovely view

Have a fabulous week!

Pop Pop

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 02:00:00 +0000

College graduation, May 2006

August has been a trying month.

On August 8th I said goodbye to Keith as he headed to Afghanistan.

August 9th was my dad's 56th birthday, the fourth since he died.

And today, August 21st, my grandpa passed away.

My grandpa, affectionately called Pop Pop, was one of the kindest, fairest and most generous people I've ever known. The head of our family, he was the patriarch who gave me advice and guidance throughout my life.

And he wasn't just that way towards his family. Whether you were the waitress bringing him his hamburger and milkshake or a passenger sitting next to him on an airplane, he genuinely cared about you.

Pop Pop was married to my grandma for 60 years, which is such a gift... not just to each other but to our entire family. They went through their share of hard times, but getting over each of life's hurdles reiterated the lesson that love prevails.

In losing my grandfather, I am also losing his connection to my father. And while I tend to shy away from religious talk here, I have to say that thinking about what it must have been like when my dad and Pop Pop were reunited makes me so happy.

There are many things I still hope to do in this life and I wish so badly that I could share them with my dad and grandpa. Instead of focusing on that, I'm trying to be grateful for all of the things in my life that the two of them made possible.

In one of our last phone conversations, as we said goodbye, Pop Pop said, "Thank you for everything, Jen." But it's the other way around... I'm the one overflowing with gratitude that he was my grandfather, that he was around for 27 years of my life, and that he will watch over me for all of the rest.

(PS - thank you for the kind words on Twitter - y'all are the best.)

Leisure Time

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:26:00 +0000

I love going to the library.

It's like shopping, the impulse of picking up every title that looks good, every book with a cover that catches my eye.

And then the books sit on a shelf until they are due back to the library, sometimes longer (oops). I don't pick tedious books either - I choose stories that are more entertaining than thought-provoking.
These guys are currently waiting for a little one-on-one time:

Sweet Valley Confidential

Tales from the Yoga Studio

The Long Goodbye

The Postmistress

To Be Sung Underwater

I am just going to patiently wait until I want to read. It begins to feel like a chore when I try to be more disciplined about it.

Maybe once the weather cools down and I can curl up with a blanket and a cup of coffee.

(Speaking of coffee, it has been such a dear friend lately I feel like I should write it a thank you note.)

(credit)

And maybe I'll read more once I finish LOST. It has been such a time sucker, but oh my gosh is it good. I can't have a favorite character because everyone is my favorite and it is so tempting to just read spoilers because watching it is a huge time commitment but I'm trying this new thing called PATIENCE. Oh, and WILLPOWER.

(Have you seen it? Do you have a favorite character? Is it possible to like Sawyer's character and still be a decent human being?)

I've been able to talk to Keith with some regularity, which makes my heart happy. He seems to be doing well! And honestly, the phone connection is so good I'd think he was right here in North Carolina if I didn't know any better.

There are so many things that I did long before I met him - going out to eat, going shopping, going to church - but it's amazing how little time someone needs to be in your life in order to change it, because doing some of these things without him feels weird. I miss my partner in crime.

My grandpa started hospice last week and my family came over so we could have a Skype date with our grandparents. It was so good to see them and I know they loved seeing my little nephew in those rare moments that he sat still for longer than 1.5 seconds.

I am having trouble sitting still today, too. Happy Tuesday!

Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Thank you for the love in my last post. I can't tell you how much it means to know people are sending good thoughts to Keith while he's overseas. And the supportive words you sent my way warmed my heart.

Keith's dad's best friend came to North Carolina to be there when Keith left and he took roughly 500,000 pictures. This one is from dinner about nine hours before he left. It's one of my faves!

I have been fortunate enough to talk with Keith on the phone a few times so far and even if the connection isn't the best, it's good to hear his voice. And email... thank goodness for email.

Today I was the lucky recipient of these little pretties...

I know we're not even a week into this deployment, but the last few days have given me every confidence that we can get through it. And when we do, I'm so excited about what may come.

In other news, I have a new baby sister! This little darling was on my mom's front stoop the other morning. My mom is trying to find her a home, but I not-so-secretly hope she'll keep her. Though you can't tell in this pic, she's teeny tiny and weighs only a couple pounds.

Meet Mia:

PS - Mom, if you've named her, you're too attached to let her go! :)

Do you ever feel like there's something on the tip of your tongue and everything would just fall into place if you could just figure out what it is? I am not a creative person by any stretch of the imagination. I can't tell you how many Etsy shops I've looked at and thought, "I wouldn't have thought to make that in a million years." Still, I feel like there is an artistic niche out there, waiting for me to find it. I don't feel unfulfilled... I just feel like there's more. And I'm excited to find it.

Shoot. I was hoping writing about it would make it come to me immediately.

Have a lovely day!

Keith

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:22:00 +0000

The bf has a name and it is Keith.

In the wee hours of the morning, following a fabulous weekend, his deployment began. We said goodbye twice before he had to leave. His dad, a close family friend, my mom and I stayed until after the troops left base. Until we couldn't see them anymore.

A little girl next to me sobbed after watching her dad leave. She turned to her mom and, as she gasped for air, said, "Mommy, when am I going to stop crying?"

I have thought about that sweet little girl a lot.

Time is too precious to wish away, I know that. But I can't help but wish I could get my hands on life's remote control so that I could push the fast forward button for a little bit.

The rewind button to relive the fun times.

And the pause button for moments I wish lasted a little bit longer.

There's a beer bottle in the fridge, leftover from when he stayed with me last week. I will drink it one of these days, but for now I like that it reminds me that he was just here.

A dresser drawer and a portion of my closet are filled with his clothes. Some of them will become my new favorite pajamas... even the shirts that bear the name of a college team that no born-and-bred Ohioan should ever be caught supporting.

The chalkboard in my kitchen reads Keith loves Jen, written in his surprisingly neat handwriting and I will try not to erase it before he comes back, even if it does take up the whole gosh darn board.

This is where our relationship is right now. And fortunately for us, technology is a third wheel in it.

I'm pretty sure Keith is my most loyal reader. Somewhere across the world, he is sleeping.

So to you I say sweet dreams.

I love you.

I miss you.

Be safe.

I can't wait for you to come home.

(And you're welcome for not posting that picture of you that you thought was so unflattering.)

Nora Ephron Deserves Her Own Post

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Hi lovelies,

I keep letting time slip by without blogging and just realized it's been a week and a half since I've logged in. Oopsie.

I have abandoned the 365 Day project. I'm not devastated about it and I'm confident you aren't either, haha. It was fun while it lasted. :)

Y'all the bf leaves in the next few days. Last weekend we moved him out of his place. Whew, that was tiring. But hard work (and nice, straight vacuum lines, holla!) prevailed.

Anyhoo, we're spending some good time together and the rest is a big ol' post in the making, but in the meantime...

The Pioneer Woman recently wrote a post about her love for When Marry Met Sally.

I agree with it all. Nora Ephron wrote WHMS and I swear, in addition to being fabulous writer, she's also a professional heart string-puller.

I mean really. This. (I know you've seen this part 400 times. But watch it again. It's always worth it.)

Nora also wrote, directed, and produced my favorite movie, You've Got Mail. And while I agree with Ree Drummond that When Harry Met Sally has some amazing, swoon-worthy lines, so does YGM.

Behold:

Joe Fox: Kevin, this is possibly the most adorable creature I've ever been in contact with, and if she turns out to be as good looking as a mailbox, I would be crazy enough to turn my life upside down and marry her.

Kathleen Kelly: The odd thing about this form of communication is that you're more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings.

Joe Fox: Brinkley is my dog. He loves the streets of New York as much as I do, although he likes to eat bits of pizza and bagels off the sidewalk and I prefer to buy them.

Kathleen Kelly: What will NY152 say today, I wonder. I turn on my computer, I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: you've got mail. I hear nothing, not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you.

Joe Fox: You know, sometimes I wonder.
Kathleen Kelly: What?
Joe Fox: Well, if I hadn't been Fox Books and you hadn't been Shop Around the Corner, and you and I had just, you know... met.
Kathleen Kelly: I know...
Joe Fox: I would have asked for your number and I wouldn't have been able to wait 24 hours before calling you and saying, "Hey, how about... oh, how about some coffee, or you know, drinks or dinner or a movie... for as long as we both shall live?"

Kathleen Kelly: I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.

Kathleen Kelly: When you read a book as a child, it becomes part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.

Frank Navasky: What about you? Is there someone else?
Kathleen Kelly: No... but there's the dream of someone else.

Kathleen Kelly: Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void.

You're not a dear void, blogosphere. It's been a busy few weeks and I promise I will return with some regularity and catch up on your blogs (as well as my own!).

Jen

NKOTB Weekend Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:15:00 +0000

I was in music class in kindergarten when a fifth grader walked into the classroom wearing a t-shirt that featured the faces of five cute boys.

It wasn't long before I owned a New Kids on the Block nightgown, trading cards, and VHS tapes of singles like Hangin' Tough.

(via)

The hair. It kills me.

Everybody had a favorite. As a sassy little six year old, I was pretty possessive of Joey McIntyre. He was probably my first crush. It's a toss-up between him and little Tony from down the street. Both swoon-worthy in the eyes of a child.

My mom planned to take me to a New Kids on the Block concert when they came to town, but my I had my first heartbreak at age 10 when they parted ways.

Ten years later I met Katelin in college and we recapped our fond NKOTB fangirl memories. Fortunately, she was a Jordan fan... otherwise I'm not sure our friendship would have survived. In 2008, on her way out to visit moi, Kate ran into Jordan Knight at the airport. She is such a celebrity magnet. The same year, NKOTB reunited. So serendipitous.

Fast forward three more years and I landed a couple free tickets to the NKOTBSB concert. Kate flew out here for the show and it was this past weekend and it was fabulous and oh my gosh, my heart is still six years old and I can't seem to end this sentence because I'm still SO EXCITED.

Katelin got here Saturday morning and we spent the afternoon at the pool, grabbing lunch, and taking a quick nap before the show.

Anyway, we got to the venue, grabbed some free food, some wine, and took our seats. The show started right on time and opened with a modern day boy band called Midnight Red. They were pretty precious.

Then Matthew Morrison, aka Mr. Shue, came on to perform a couple Glee songs and a few originals. He plays the ukulele and he was just all-around adorable. Sue Sylvester can make fun of his hair all she wants, but it happens to be fabulous (from a blurry, far away state, anyway). And that man can dance. Wowza.

After he was done, the jumbo screens built up the hype for the main acts by going through a slide show of NKOTB and BSB images. AND THEN THEY CAME ON and I was magically transported back to 1989 and it's a wonder I didn't fall over the plexiglass guardrail because we were in the first row of our section and my knees were all spaghetti noodley.

I thought they were great back in the day and it turns out they are AMAZING now. They sang all of their classics - Step by Step, Hangin' Tough, Cover Girl, My Favorite Girl, The Right Stuff, and I'll Be Loving You.

And the Backstreet Boys? Who I thought were all kinds of annoying? Are actually quite amazing, too. I think a 10-year break from listening to their music helped endear them to me a little bit. That, and they're all mature and man-like now.

The crowd consisted mainly of women between 25 and 45, sprinkled with younger girls and a few guys who maintained a crap-why-did-I-agree-to-this expression throughout the night.

NKOTB and BSB took turns performing, coming together at the end for a couple of songs. And the show, which started at 8pm, ended at midnight. It was one of the best, most action-packed shows I have ever seen. Okay, maybe the best. But I need to let the post-concert honeymoon pass before confirming.

It was such a fun, whirlwind weekend with Katelin and some fabulous girliness and I am just so glad she got to come visit.

The bf spent the weekend in AZ for some pre-deployment family time, so if we have to spend time apart right now, I'm glad it can be for such awesome reasons.

PS - Somewhere around the time he leaves, I will start referring to him by name on this here blog o'mine.

It's like a 20/20 special... The BF: Identity Revealed.

Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Behind the Times

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Because it's 500° across the country and I'm trying to see how many consecutive hours my air conditioner can run before shutting down like the NBA, I have been embracing some lovely indoor activities.

Last weekend I used Redbox for the first time and yesterday I signed up for Netflix (free trial, woo).

I'm clearly behind the times when it comes to my movie-viewing methods, and unfortunately I'm not much better when it comes to what I've seen. Here are a few items from my queue, AKA things I'm ashamed to admit I've never seen:

Harry Potter... all of 'em. I've never read or seen the stories, but the recent hype has me... hyped.

Pretty Little Liars... will I love this as much as I think I will?

Lost... I watched one episode in college, but my viewing pleasure ended there.

The Wire... a little old school, but I hear it's fabulous.

The Big Bang Theory... I fell in love with it last season and I'm dying to see the first few!

And last, but certainly not least, my favorite movie of all time:

I feel pretty strongly that this should be in the Netflix instant queue because hello, Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly fall in love online, so clearly we should be able to watch it online. More to the point, how do I not own this movie?

What do you recommend I watch ASAP?

Pop Pop

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:05:00 +0000

Yesterday I got a call from Pop Pop, my dad's dad.

I struck gold in the grandparent department and he is a sizable chunk of that precious metal. He's as good a man as they come and I'm not just saying that because he's my grandpa. You'd only have to stand in line behind him at the grocery store to know it's true.

But Pop Pop hasn't been spending much time in the grocery store lately. Instead he has been a patient in Ohio's finest hospital, trying to manage his congestive heart failure.

He has a big, kind, generous heart, but it is also old and tired and there is nothing more to be done. Soon he will return home to spend his remaining days in the company of his wife of 60 years.

When I spoke with him yesterday he sounded tired, but peaceful. His grace and unwavering faith are contagious; yesterday's sadness has turned into today's comfort and peace.

The uncertainties may be difficult, but they are tender reminders to trust. To have faith.

And so we will.

22 Days Later

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:34:00 +0000

You know that sheepish feeling you get when you forget someone's birthday and drag your feet about calling because you feel guilty?

I feel like I forgot your birthday. Or at least Blogger's birthday (thank goodness for Twitter). I have hopes of catching up with the 365 Days project, but the more days that pass the easier it is to say maybe tomorrow...

So, maybe tomorrow?

But for today, let's play a little catch up. And then I'm coming to your blog to catch up, because I miss you.

I have been spending time with my sweet little kitties, which includes taking some road trips to the bf's (the car ride is equally painful for all of us). Ollie has spent his summer lounging on cool surfaces (that is not his beer, by the way) and Josie never tires of having her little nose rubbed.

Earlier this month I had my niece over for a sleepover. We ate ice cream, did crafts, went to the movies, and played chess (in what alternate universe does a 7 year old teach me how to play chess?). We also played a long game of hide and seek which, in a three room apartment, is not as scintillating as you might imagine. She finally crashed at 1am, though my energy was zapped by 10pm.

Last weekend the bf and I took a day trip to the Carolina coast, which was fabulous. The air was warm, salty, sticky, and breezy. The seagulls were vocal, persistent, and ravenous. The water was choppy and the beach was crowded. It was divine.

Check out Little Miss Handstand there on the left. She'd be a good fit on Dance Moms.

The bf brought home some crabs for dinner, but I had no part in that because I became too attached. Especially with Mr. One-Claw (RIP).

I have been spending a little (emphasis on little) more time in the kitchen this summer. My favorite: Real Simple had a recipe for tomatoes and cheese on a puff pastry sheet and I just had to try it. Whoa. So delicious.

And last but certainly not least, I have been spending time with this guy. My guy.

He deploys in a few weeks. It's hard for a stubborn redhead to admit there's nothing I can say or do to keep him here, keep him safe, and keep him with me, but I am so looking forward to our time together before then. And, fortunately, he is in the 99th percentile for Male Telephone Conversationalists, which will help while he's away.

And what have you been up to? What has been your favorite thing about summer so far?