jenni from the blog

WW: Baby Factory

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:29:00 +0000

This is what lunch time looks like at GG's house...

{my niece, Aubrey- 8m | Reid- 8m | our super close family friend's baby, Hannah- 11m}

I mean... how cute are they?? I just love them so much!

Google Reader is going away on July 1st, and I don't want to lose you in the shuffle!

Zappos.com Mother's Day Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:02:00 +0000

So, did you know that Zappos.com sells jewelry? Me either! Well, until now.

I was so excited when they contacted me about hosting a Mother's Day giveaway, because I don't know any one else, in the entire world, who has a more difficult job.

And us mama's? Well, we deserve some jewelry.

I was so excited to receive this beautiful Dogeared Mom Sparkle Necklace. I'm usually not a fan of gold jerwelry, but I'm really starting to open up to it {I now have 3 gold necklaces. Ahem. ...that's a lot for my silver/white gold/platinum-loving self} and this gorgeous Dogeared necklace is a lovely addition to my little collection. It's so simple and delicate, and I just love the subtleness of it.

It comes in a pretty little box with an adorable special saying that any mom would love...

I mean? So cute.

I'm actually wearing it today {with silver earrings.... shhhh, I haven't expanded my gold-horizons past necklaces yet} and I've received quite a few compliments on it.

See what I mean about it being subtle? That's my favorite part about it. And then the sparkles catch your eye and it just looks so pretty.

Would you like a gold-dipped Dogeared Mom Sparkle Necklace of your very own? Enter the giveaway below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Keep in mind that you will not receive this necklace before Mother's Day... please get your butt up and buy your wonderful mom a gift and give this to her as an added bonus later. Or? Keep it for yourself. ;}

Good luck and Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

Google Reader is going away on July 1st, and I don't want to lose you in the shuffle!

WW: A different kind of before and after.

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:20:00 +0000

As I look back on our trip to the zoo last May on Brynn's 2nd birthday, I just can't help but think...

...what a difference a year makes. {More zoo pics coming soon!}

Happy Wednesday!

Google Reader is going away on July 1st, and I don't want to lose you in the shuffle!

A realtor update and, oh hey, a new rug...

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:37:00 +0000

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful advice on my post yesterday! Here's a quick update:

We met with the realtor and her business partner last night.
We loved them.
We'll likely use them but we didn't sign a contract yet {I'm having it sent over today so that we can review it.}
They want to list the house for basically the same price that we paid for it 7 years ago. {Which we sort of expected.}
Someone please hold my hair back while I puke at the thought of completing $40,000 worth of renovations and losing all of it.
I know it could be worse.
Our house will be listed within 24 hours of signing the contract.
AHHHHHH.

So, yeah. There's that.

But, hey... check out our new rug!

While preparing for both Reid's Baptism party and the listing of our house, we cleaned and organized every room from top to bottom. And our master bedroom? Well, that probably needed the most work. {Sadly.} But now that it's done, man does it feel good to have everything organized. Out with the old, in with the new. And just look how pretty it turned out =)

Oh... do you see that new pretty little thing in the corner of the picture? That's our new area rug...

I love it! And anyone with hardwood floors can understand this... good area rugs are a MUST. But finding quality rugs that are also in your budget? Nearly impossible.

Enter: Rugs USA.

After all that cleaning and organizing, I was finally able to put out my new Keno Trellis rug. I could not wait to roll out this gorgeous rug in my room, but I wanted to wait until it was perfectly clean so that I could fully grasp the beauty it. It totally brightens our room and the quality is fantastic. And the kids love it almost as much as I do...

The rug is so plush, and the trellis design matches the style of our room, perfectly.

Rugs USA is currently having a 50% off sale! Use the code ESMA50 at checkout!

Happy shopping and thanks again for all of your wonderful advice yesterday! Stay tuned for a full "before & after" house post coming soon. :)

I was provided this rug in exchange for my honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Google Reader is going away on July 1st, and I don't want to lose you in the shuffle!

New Listing

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:58:00 +0000

After 7 years, 1 wedding, 1 puppy, 3,268 renovations and 3 babies, we're putting our house on the market.

Like, tonight.

I'm both excited and nervous. Happy and sad. It's bittersweet, ya know? We fixed our house up from top to bottom and built our little family there. We love it to pieces {especially now that it's completely renovated, right?} but it's just time to move on. We've simply outgrown it.

Our realtor is coming after work today. I found some great resources online, but I also want to hear from you, my lovely readers, as this is our first time going through this process as a seller...

So, do you have any tips for us? What things should we know? What questions should we ask our realtor? Should we try to negotiate the commission, or leave it as is? {According to reviews/recommendations, our realtor is pretty bad-ass so I don't want to offend her, after all, this is her living. But to save even .5-1% would help us tremendously considering that we're losing money on the house. Which isn't her fault either, so I go back and forth with this. Any realtors out there?}

Basically? HELP US.

I think I have it staged pretty well and now I just want to "depersonalize" a little bit more {why yes, Bob, I do think I'm on HGTV, thankyouverymuch.} I have things pretty much cleared out and stored away. Closets and drawers are organized, the house is clean, the kitchen counters are bare, for the most part {don't make me put my coffee pot away. Ahem.} So, I think we're pretty much ready.

And for your viewing pleasure, here's a picture of our house the day we moved in vs. a picture I took yesterday.YWIA.

Those shrubs! That awning! Those windows! Those shrubs! {I know I said that already, but they still haunt me.}

And here's Bob and I opening our front door for the very first time after settlement. {With his empty wallet, ha!}

Oh, you kiddos you. You've come a long way.

I have an entire post planned for our "Before & After" house stuff, so stay tuned for that.

So, yeah. Wish us luck!

Google Reader is going away on July 1st, and I don't want to lose you in the shuffle!

WW: Reid's Baptism

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:30:00 +0000

As stressful as it was leading up to the big day, it turned out beautiful. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious and the kids didn't destroy the church. What more could we ask for, really?

But can I be honest with you for a second? I had such a hard time in the few days leading up to Reid's Baptism and party. The entire time I was trying to clean, make lists, shop and get things ready, all I could think about was my dad.

This has, by far, been the hardest time for me to date. Harder than Christmas. Harder than New Year's. Harder than anything leading up to this point. There was just a huge, gaping hole in my heart all week and boy, was it hard to handle. I miss my dad every second of every day, but it really hits home when you hold family events like this.

So yeah, there's that.

But the event itself went really well and the food was amazing. We had some of it catered, but the yummy main dishes were made by my mom, mother in law and a good friend of the family and I am just the luckiest person in the world to have so many wonderful people in my life {that are also good cooks... BONUS!}

I don't have any pictures of the party {way too busy running around} but here are a few pics from the ceremony and just after. The weather was a perfect 72 degrees =)

I love this sequence of Reid with his Godparents, Chris and Reenie! He's a lucky guy =)

I still want to get a few pictures of just Reid in his gorgeous outfit, but I had no time on the day of. Hopefully this weekend so that I can order Thank You cards with his sweet little picture on it =)

Happy Baptism Reid Joseph! You are so very loved.

Google Reader is going away on July 1st, and I don't want to lose you in the shuffle!

Satisfy your sweet tooth {guilt free!}

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:00:00 +0000

__________

Werther's is a brand I have loved since I was a little girl. Unfortunately, now the health-consious adult in me tries to stay away from sweets, such as these. But the candy-lover in me finds this extremely difficult. I mean, how can I satisfy my sweet tooth if I can't have any sweets??

Enter: Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy

This is the perfect way to stay on my diet plan, while still enjoying that sweet Werther's taste. Guilt free. But it's not just the Original Werther's caramel flavor anymore. Oh no. They have FOUR flavors of sugar-free goodness to choose from: Classic Carmel, Caramel Apple, Caramel Coffee and Caramel Cinnamon. Yum.

Werther's sent me a beautiful box with a branded little candy dish that has found a new home on my desk at work now.

It's the perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth throughout the day, yet still remain on my diet. I also have 2 diabetic coworkers who are in and out of my office all day trying to steal my candy. This is the perfect alternative for them as well, especially considering that you can't tell the difference between the original and sugar-free candy! No, really. I'm serious. And at only 8 calories per candy, you can enjoy Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy all day long. These are also perfect to toss in your purse when you're a busy mom on-the-go or leave in the car to satisfy that little 5pm hunger pang on your way home from work.

So, tell me... how do you currently satisfy your sweet tooth? {And if you're anything like me lately, up until now, I was enjoying that leftover Easter candy hiding in the cabinet. Ahem. Glad I have a new, healthier option now!}

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Google Reader is going away on July 1st, and I don't want to lose you in the shuffle!

WW: Memorial Tree

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

I apologize for my lack of blogging this week, we have been SO BUSY trying to get ready for Reid's Baptism party this Sunday and also trying to get our house on the market next week {OMG}, that I have barely had time to even sleep, let alone blog! I promise things will pick up around here soon. In the meantime, I want to share with you a picture I took my my dad's memorial tree that was just planted this past weekend.

If you remember me telling you before, we were so sad to have to cut down the huge old Maple tree in my parents backyard in January.

And, since then, the tree stump has sat there as a glaring reminder of all that we have lost these past few months.

Well, on Saturday, the weather was finally warm enough to grind up the old stump and plant a new tree in its place. And it's amazing what that new little tree has done for me, emotionally. It's refreshing to see this new life in a place that once stood a symbol of all the death we have faced recently. It's yet another reminder that life continues and, as hard as it may be to move on, there are still plenty beautiful things in this world.

Although we had hoped to plant the new tree on my dad's birthday in May, we're glad that we get to enjoy it now. I think we've all seemed a little brighter since it was planted this weekend. We're now in the process of ordering a memorial plaque to place beside it, and we plan to hold a little dedication ceremony on my dad's birthday on May 25th.

This tree is for you, Dad. We miss you every day.

Google Reader is going away on July 1st and I don't want to lose you!

WW: It's a Princess Party!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:17:00 +0000

Like I said before, I let Brynn pick her birthday party location this year. She picked Build-A-Bear and she's extremely excited about it.

Since then, she's been hugging the iPad at the thought of making one of these...

And honestly? I'd be excited too.

I also let her pick the theme of the party and then designed the invites myself. When I showed her the finished product, she gasped with joy and it totally made all the work worth it =)

So, without further ado, I present... Princess Brynn Sophia {the First ;}...

I got them from the printer yesterday and they are PERFECT. I love them so much. She's handing them out at GG's daycare as we speak.

Now can someone please explain to me how it's possible for my second baby to be turning THREE?? Sigh.

Happy Wednesday!

Is new construction in our future?

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:33:00 +0000

__________

New construction. I mean, this is something I've wanted for a LONG time. I've seen my friends & family build new houses. All the while, we'd continue to renovate our good ol' fixer-upper, knowing that our turn would come. Eventually.

Now, I'm happy to say that I've had some experience with the new construction process, and I'm so thankful for that. It has definitely helped prepare me for what hopefully lies ahead for us. My sister Kacy recently built a new home and I helped her with every. single. step. of the new construction buying & designing process. I was so happy that she brought me to all her meetings and I even got to go to the designing warehouse with her and pick out cabinets and hardwood floors and counter tops and faucets and.... you get the idea. SO FUN. While she was overwhelmed with choices, I happily hopped from one thing to the next. I think, at one point, she just let me start picking stuff myself because she just didn't care anymore {what bathroom tile color- cream or ivory? Really?} Ha! But I loved it.

Well folks? It's almost our turn. Almost.

Now part of me doesn't even want to start looking at homes yet. Our current home isn't even on the market {2 more weeks!} and then we play the waiting game. You just never know how long it might take for that perfect buyer to come along. The good news is, it does look like the market is starting to pick up some... I've had two friends recently sell their home in less than a week! Very promising. But I also see homes sitting on the market for months and months. Again, you just never know which way it's going to go for you. And that's why I don't want to really start looking yet.... I don't want to get my hopes up.

But on the other hand? Hopes. Are. Up. There is a NEW HOUSE in sight. I must design ALL the things.

I just can't help it.

So last week, while we were waiting for Carter to finish up his classroom visit during kindergarten registration, Bob and I couldn't help ourselves. We drove through the development we've been looking at and fell in love. We even picked out our lot. {End of the cul-de-sac and backs up to woods? Yes please!} I mean, I highly doubt that will still be available when it's our turn, but you never know. It's just fun to think about, right?

Seriously... it was on Google Maps like that. I think we officially must buy the lot now, right?

And should I even admit that I picked out the house I want? Because I totally did.

How cute is that? We'd want the side garage entrance though {so there would be windows where the current garage doors are and the driveway would swing around to the side.} I'd also consider getting a brick front or even a brick or stone center where the front door is... ya know, if money grew on trees.

Or this elevation. Bob has a porch on his "must have" list.

And again with the side garage entrance. Another "must have" for us.

So, um... want to see the floor plan? Because who doesn't love floor plans? {I'm obsessed.}

First Floor: {with morning room}

The thought of having a study so close to the family room makes my heart happy. It would totally be used as a playroom. Totally. I also LOVE the back staircase. And do you see how big that laundry room is? I picture a Pinterest-worthy mudroom complete with a bench and cubbies with hooks for each family member. Oh, and it has a basement! Ahhhh. We don't have a basement now and storage in our house is seriously lacking. I just can't even wait. {Do you see what happens to me? I should not be looking! But let's keep going anyway, huh?}

Second Floor:

I mean? Do you blame me for looking? That closet. Double sinks. A bedroom for each kid. Their own bathroom. OUR OWN BATHROOM.

I die.

This is new territory for us. Like I said, we currently live in a fixer-upper and we've put so much time, energy & money in to every aspect of the house. The thought of owning a new home that is built to meet the needs of our family {and we can personalize right from the start!} with open floor plans, more storage and more room to entertain and play just sounds like a dream to us!

Also, with the energy efficiency and virtually zero maintenance in new homes, we'd be saving money. I just used this nifty cost-savings calculator on the BHI Website {which compares the average maintenance and utilities of used and newly built homes} and we'd be saving an average of...

Over $5,500 per year! Honestly, with our current home? It's likely WAY more than that. Sigh.

So, can we please fast forward to when this whole home-selling process is OVER? Pretty, please? I just want to move in to my new house now, thankyouverymuch.

See? Hopes. Up.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Amy Kathryn Bags Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hi and welcome JFTB & Daily Mom readers! You guys will certainly love what I'm about to share!

{Wait, you've already skipped down to the pretty bag pictures, haven't you? Okay.}

Some of you might have heard of the new online magazine, Daily Mom, that just launched last month. It's an amazing resource of posts and articles for the modern woman and mom. Imagine Pinterest worthy posts with useful information about all aspects of life - from parenting to beauty, fashion, green living, health, fitness, and more. Once you visit Daily Mom, you will be hooked - jumping from one post to another.

I have partnered with Daily Mom to host one of their giveaways as a part of an extensive 50 Days of Giveaways campaign to celebrate their launch. For 50 days, they will be giving away one awesome prize a day to thank their new readers. So today we're giving an opportunity for one lucky reader to win a $50 gift card from AmyKathryn.

So pretty, right?

AmyKathryn bags are designed with the modern mom in mind. The AmyKathryn bags have large, versatile pockets, matching changing pads available for purchase and are made in bright colors and bold patterns. The designs are fun, and do not scream, "I'm a diaper bag!" like most brands do. Best of all? Once your child is out of the diaper bag needing phase, you can easily re-purpose these bags as a large purse, tote, or laptop bag. Be sure to check out their products on their website, and follow their Facebook and Twitter for updates. And of course, enter to win it below. Read the Daily Mom feature about the AmyKathryn Gladiola Cobalt by Writer Megan and see the adorable photos that she took of her baby with the bag!

The giveaway will run for a week, and there are only two mandatory entries with many optional ones. All you have to do is follow the directions below in the Rafflecopter widget. This giveaway is open internationally. And be sure to visit Daily Mom tomorrow to see what new item they are giving away and to enter previous drawings! The prizes range from strollers to high chairs, monitors, diaper bags, fashion items, baby clothing and photography products. There is something for everyone.

Need Help? Do not have a Facebook account to enter? Email Daily Mom staff!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New to Jenni from the Blog? Be sure to follow on BlogLovin, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates {plus way too many pictures of my pretty babies!}

And after you've entered the giveaway, be sure to browse Daily Mom and check out some of my favorite posts! I'm loving:

The Coolest New Baby Books

5 Tips for Flying with Baby

How To Introduce Your Child to a Swimming Pool

FEATURED SPONSOR GIVEAWAYS FROM DAILY MOM

This post is for notification purposes only. To see a full list of prizes and current giveaways, please visit our Giveaway page.

Thanks so much for stopping by and good luck!

WW: Registered.

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

So, it's official.

My first baby is all registered for kindergarten! Ahhhhh.

He did awesome. He was so excited that he could barely sit still. I loved the way the school had everything set up... we walked in, they asked Carter his name {which he said AND spelled for them... ya know, just in case. Ahem.} and they had us sit down in a set of chairs set up in the hallway under the "Mrs. Jenkins" sign.

There were about 30 other children there for registration as well, each with their parents and each just as excited as Carter. There were 3-4 children assigned to each of the kindergarten classrooms at the school. After about 5-10 minutes of waiting, Mrs. Jenkins came out and got the 3 kids assigned to her classroom for the afternoon, Carter included.

The whole time I was wondering how he'd act when the teacher came out to grab him and he had to walk away without us. The week leading up to registration, I was preparing him for that moment and he always got upset at the thought of Bob and I not being with him in the classroom. I always repeated "but you'll be having fun in class while Daddy and I are filling our BORING! FORMS!" He then starting joking about all the boring forms we'd be filling out while he was having fun with the other kids.

So when that moment arrived when the teacher came out to get him at registration? He didn't. even. care. He jumped up excitedly, grabbed the hand she held out for him, and walked down the hallway and into the classroom. And that was that.

On one hand, I was breathing a sigh of relief that he didn't have a total melt down in the hallway because we weren't going with him. But on the other? Not even a goodbye?? Seriously? Sigh. My baby!

Our forms were pretty easy and after meeting with someone to go over everything, Bob and I had over an hour to kill while Carter spent the afternoon with Mrs. Jenkins current kindergarten class. When we went back to pick him up, he had stickers all over his shirt and art projects in hand. He had so much fun in his class and now he's even more excited to start school in September!

As for me? Not so much. I'll be taking off that day to cry.

And drink wine.

In other news, I booked Brynn's 3rd birthday party this week and designed/ordered her invitations and Reid turns 7 months old TODAY.

Time is cruel, isn't it?

Take it off Monday

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:55:00 +0000

For some reason this time? That scale just does not want to budge. I think for 4 or 5 days straight this week, I weighed the exact. same. weight. Like, to the decimal point. That never happens to me. {Ever, ever.} I fluctuate on a daily basis. So the fact that it was the exact same weight for so many days in a row? Made me think my scale was broken. I had to grab Carter and put him on the scale to make sure the number changed. {It did, by the way. Ahem.}

But do you want to know what's good about the scale not budging? If I happen to slip off plan {so. many. parties.} I'm not gaining weight either. I'm just stuck.

This week, I did pretty well, however. I lost a pound, which is great. I wish it were more, but I'll certainly take it.

Want to know what else happened this week?

I fit back in to my size 8's. Comfortably.

No muffin top hanging over the sides {ya know, for the most part} thankyouverymuch. They zip up and button perfectly. No sucking in of the belly needed. I'm so excited! This was a major goal for me and I've finally reached it!

So, although the scale may not be budging much, I seem to be losing inches. And I'll take that any day of the week.

How is everyone else doing on their diet plans this week? I'd love to hear from you and/or have you share a link to your most recent post!

___________________________

Week 10 Summary

Weight loss this week: -1 pounds

Weight loss to date: -14 pounds

Weight left to lose: 16 pounds

First Goal: 10 pounds

Reward: Mani/Pedi {Reached: 2.21.13}

Second Goal: 20 pounds

Reward: Massage

Final Goal: 30 pounds

Reward: Head-to-Toe new outfit!

Success: Fitting back in to my size 8's comfortably!!

Set-Backs: That scale just doesn't want to move.

Exercise: Lots and lots of walking this week.

___________________________

If you'd like to join me on this weight loss journey, use my shopping code JENNI56 for 56 free meals with your order of $250 when you enroll in Medifast Advantage. Not ready to enroll? Use the code JENNI50 to get $50 off an order of $275.

Check out some of the other Medifast bloggers and help cheer them on!

The Divine Miss Mommy § Mommy B Knows Best § Kelly with Makobi Scribe § IROCKSOWHAT § Dear Crissy

Shibley Smiles § Couponing to Disney § A Grande Life § O My Family § Two Frugal Mommas

Single Mom on a Budget § Gaithersburg-Rockville Macaroni Kid § Escape from Obesity § A Very Busy Mama (pregnant)
In Maintenance: The Turnip Farmer § The Adventures of Goober Grape and Monkey Man § Unemployed Mom

As a Medifast blogger, I receive Medifast meals and support to facilitate my weight loss journey. All opinions are my own.

Happenings Lately...

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:17:00 +0000

I feel like I have so many things I want to talk about here, but no time to actually talk about them. At least in separate posts. So, because it's been awhile since I did a 'Happenings' post {the last one was the morning before my dad died... man how things have changed since then} I figured now is as good a time as any to catch you up on our world lately.

***

Carter.

Ya know, the baby that I feel like I just brought home from the hospital?

{Erin Farrell Photography}

Yeah, him.

He registers for kindergarten tomorrow.

Bob and I are taking him to school where he will meet the kindergarten teachers and visit a classroom while we complete the registration paperwork.

This boy.

{Stephanie Glover Photography}

He's not a baby anymore.

And I just can't believe that he will be 5 in July and off to school for the very first time this fall.

I mean, I remember turning 5. {Crap, guess we need to watch what we say/do now, huh?}

Now my first baby is old enough to have this memory too.

I just can't believe it. I'm in shock.

Please hold me while I sob.

***

Currently, I'm in the midst of planning Reid's Baptism. Like Brynn's Baptism, we're going to have the ceremony at the church and then have the party at our house.

We're a little late in planning this, but I think everything has been a bit delayed since my dad died. Just the thought of holding these events without him hurts my heart immensely. But life goes on, and we're trying to get through these things together. And, in the grand scheme of things, it's really not a big deal that Reid will be 7 months old at his Baptism. I'm still glad we're doing it.

We had a bit of a hard time finding an outfit for the "little" guy though ;) {18 month clothing just isn't normal for a 6 month old. Well, I guess it's normal for my 6 month olds. Ahem.} But I think we picked a winner.

Adorable, right?

Okay, so because we're having about 50 people at our house for lunch on the last Sunday of April, the ol' to do list is too long to even write down. Besides my nephew Ben's birthday party this Saturday, we've basically cleared our calendars for the entire month so that we can get the house ready for the party.

***

Which leads me to the next point.

We're selling our house.

We hope to list it literally right after Reid' Baptism. We got new siding a few weeks ago which now leaves us with only 1 big project left to do: our laundry room remodel. I definetly have to take a "before" picture of this room and post it for you because it will give you a better idea of what the state of our entire house looked like when we moved in.

Disasterous.

I mean, there is drawer-lining contact paper on our walls. Like, for wallpaper.

Yep.

We start that this weekend.

***

Can we talk about the housing market real quick? Great.

Since we've renovated every. single. room. in the house {most of which were complete gut jobs} we hoped that we would eventually be rewarded for our hard work by selling our house at a higher price than what we paid for it {or, ya know, be able to include the renovation costs in our listing price like in a normal market.}

But ya know, this isn't a normal market.

Since everything crashed, we'll be lucky if we can list our house for what we originally paid for it. And, of course, also losing the 30-40k of money we put into the house on things like a new kitchen, bathrooms, windows, roof, etc over the last 7 years.

Awesome.

But, ya know. These things happen. My only saving grace is that we will be able to buy a nicer house at a cheaper price too.

Hopefully, right?

Oh, and our moving plans are pretty settled now. We're going to move in with my mom for a few months. This will allow us to do two things: (1) help her financially since things have been rough since my dad died and (2) save money while we build {or search for a >5 year old} new house. No more fixer-uppers for us, thankyouverymuch. We plan to move into the same town as my mom anyway, so this also works out with Carter starting school in the fall.

More on our moving/new house plans later.

***

Also on the planning agenda? Brynn's birthday party.

She'll be 3 in May. {HOW?}

I'm trying to book the party this week so that I can design the invitations and get them out by mid-April.

She picked Build-A-Bear for her party location, by the way. Which, on one hand I find adorable and I know she loves it there, but on the other, I find annoying because now I have to figure out how the hell to also feed people. I'm going to call the mall today about reserving tables in the food court and then I guess getting some pizzas and/or Chick-Fil-A trays and calling it a day.

Oy.

Anyone been to {or had} a Build-A-Bear party before? What did you do for food?

***

So yeah, as you can see, we're not busy at all.

WW: Easter in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 01:10:00 +0000

{I apologize for my lack of posting this week, work has been INSANE. So please forgive me as I distract you with all the pretty pictures. La la la.}

It's been quite awhile since I pulled out my big girl camera and actually took pictures. But this weekend? I did just that. And it felt good.

We had two Easters this weekend. The first was celebrated Saturday with Bob's family. The second was Sunday with mine. Unfortunately the weather totally sucked on Sunday and I didn't get many pictures besides the few I posted on Instagram, but Satureday was absolutely gorgeous.

Enjoy!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

WW: Spring Pro Pics!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:00:00 +0000

This past Sunday, we had a spring mini session with my favorite photographer and good friend, Steph!

For this session, I mostly wanted pictures of Reid, because he slept through the last session we had and I wanted a chance to capture my contagiously happy boy! Also? I wanted a picture of my three kids together. Which is nearly impossible, I know, so I wasn't very hopeful at all. But guess what? Steph did it! {Thank the dear Lord! Oh, and Steph!}

So, below is a collage I made of some of my favorite pictures from our session. Because I was sick this weekend, these are mostly of the kiddos, but we did happen to sneak in one family picture at the end {blah!} The kids are wearing their Easter outfits and I just love the way the colors look against the greenery and flowers in the background. {For the Philly area people, these were taken at Longwood Gardens.}

Steph, thank you ONCE AGAIN for these fabulous pictures! You are so amazingly talented and I seriously owe you the world for the way you have captured my family so perfectly. You know I love you, my dear.

If you live in the Philadelphia/South Jersey/Northern Delaware area, be sure to book Steph for your next photography session! All her spring mini's are booked {she's kind of a big deal}, but she still has a few 2013 spring and summer portrait sessions available. For more information, check out her website.

So, without further ado.... {you skipped right to this part already, didn't you? Cheater.}

Ahhhhh. My loves.

Spring Ad Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Now is a great time to sponsor JFTB... I'm running a few ad specials in honor of spring! Now if it would just feel like spring, that would be lovely.

Oh hey, here's a little gem for you...

{My sisters and I on Easter circa 1985ish}

{Maaaa.... the bangs. "But they were in style!"}

Wait, what was I talking about?... oh, right. Ad space.

Banner Ad:
I now have a banner ad space available! Banner ads appear at the bottom of every post {under my signature... see below} and get the most views & traffic! There is only ONE banner ad available each month.

I'm offering 30% off to the very first person who purchases that banner ad space for the month of April! Use the code FIRST at checkout to receive the discount!

Large Ads:
I have one remaining large ad available for the month of April! Use the code SPRING to recieve 30% off!

BOGO Medium & Small Ads:
If you purchase a medium or small ad for the month of April, you will get May FREE! No code necessary... just upload your banner for the ad space you select and it will run for 60 days at the normal 30 day price!

Ready to purchase or need more info? Click here.

Happy Spring Everyone!

{Your banner ad would appear here!}

There's still time to get that perfect Easter dress!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:24:00 +0000

Attention busy mom's with little time to shop! With Easter looming in just 5 short days, there is still time to get that perfect designer outfit for your little one!

Borrow Baby Couture, the fabulous company that I've blogged about before and that was recently featured on the Today Show, is having a 50% Easter sale on all of their designer rentals! The great news is, if you order by the end of the day {or tomorrow at the latest!} your beautiful outfit will arrive just in time for Easter!

Adorable right?? JFTB readers can use the code EASTER50 to receive 50% off any rental!

I'm lusting over these dresses for Brynn...

{Il Gufo}

{Moschino}

{Rachel Riley}

Yellow makes me happy.

Also? Borrow Baby Couture has their brand new spring '13 collection available for rent as well, so don't forget to check out all the new designers available. And the coupon code for 50% off will work for the new spring collection too!

And in the midst of planning Reid's Baptism, I just noticed that they also have designer Baptism outfits for rent!! WHAT! Anyone who has planned a Baptism knows just how expensive those outfits are and they're only worn for a few hours {at the most!} Renting them is a much cheaper option, and OMG the cute.

{Isabel Garreton}

{Fendi}

I seriously wish they had boy clothing as well. Gah!

Not interested in renting, but want to BUY?? There is a big selection of the Winter '12 collection listed in the Borrow Baby Couture Private Sale so you can BUY new and nearly new clothing at up to 80% off retail on that site.

Happy Shopping!

Take it off Monday

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:10:00 +0000

Well I had a banner week this week. Partially because I rock. And partially because I thought I might die of the stomach bug this weekend. Again. {What the hell winter sickness... GO AWAY. It is almost April, for goodness sake!}

By Friday night, I was down a pound and feeling great. However, I knew I had a crazy weekend ahead. My mom turned 60 on Saturday. My sisters and I worked so hard at making this a very special birthday for my mom despite the huge hole in our hearts. For months, we planned the perfect event for our mama... A limo. A wine tour. Dinner. And 16 of her closest friends and family.

At 4am on the day of my mom's birthday? I woke up puking. I got the effing stomach bug. AGAIN.

By 9am I was feeling a teeny tiny bit better {i.e. I was no longer puking everywhere but I still had the awful stomach cramps} so I decided to shower and get ready for the day. Nothing was keeping me away from my mama on her 60th birthday. {Especially after all that planning to make it as perfect as it could possibly be... are you serious universe?? Why do you hate me lately!?!}

Anyway, needless to say, I powered through the day and weekend and hardly ate or drank a thing. {The wine! The dinner! I missed it alllll.}

So, I lost a pound on my own and a second pound from the stomach bug diet. {Can I please be finished with that diet? Pretty please?}

Total this week is -2lbs, bringing my total to -13lbs and almost {ALMOST} halfway to my goal of -30lbs.

I'd call that a success. Sort of. {Also, more on my mom's birthday this week!}

So, how is everyone else doing on their diet plans this week? I'd love to hear from you and/or have you share a link to your most recent post!

___________________________

Week 9 Summary

Weight loss this week: -2 pounds

Weight loss to date: -13 pounds

Weight left to lose: 17 pounds

First Goal: 10 pounds

Reward: Mani/Pedi {Reached: 2.21.13}

Second Goal: 20 pounds

Reward: Massage

Final Goal: 30 pounds

Reward: Head-to-Toe new outfit!

Success: I guess having the stomach bug {again} could help contribute to my success this week, ha! Although I did lose over 1 pound on my own, so go me!

Set-Backs: Nada... this was a "good" week!

Exercise: Lots and lots of walking this week. {And puking.}

___________________________

The Divine Miss Mommy § Mommy B Knows Best § Kelly with Makobi Scribe § IROCKSOWHAT § Dear Crissy

Shibley Smiles § Couponing to Disney § A Grande Life § O My Family § Two Frugal Mommas

As a Medifast blogger, I receive Medifast meals and support to facilitate my weight loss journey. All opinions are my own.

WW: Thankful

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:00:00 +0000

After having a rough couple of months, it can sometimes be difficult to just stop, look around, and continue to be thankful for all of the wonderful things that you still have in your life.

This past weekend? I got a chance to do that.

A benefit was held in loving memory of my dad. It was a light-hearted and fun event, just like my dad would have wanted. Good food, drinks and lots of family and friends.

{Stephanie Glover Photography}

The room was filled to the brim with 250 of our closest friends and family members as we laughed and raised money for some pretty wonderful things.

I have a huge post planned for tomorrow, so don't forget to check back as I tell you how this whole fabulous benefit came together :)

Oh, and happy spring! Now if it would just start feeling like it, that would be fantastic.

Reid is 6 months!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:38:00 +0000

Reid,
Oh, you sweet boy, you.

You have done so much since I last updated 2 months ago. You have grown into the sweetest boy and you get cuter and cuter by the day.

We had your 6 month check up last week and you're still mama's chubby boy {it's just more for us to love, bud!}

Weight: 22.5lbs | 99%

Height: 27in | 75%

Head: 18in | 95%

Short, fat and bald. Still. And I love it!

Everyone asks me if you're my biggest baby, to which I immediately reply "No way, Carter was HUGE!" But you're actually a lot closer to Carter's size than I thought! Carter was still a bigger baby, but mostly due to his height, not so much his weight {compared to yours.} Here were Carter's 6 month stats: {Also? Thank gawd for my blog because I literally had no idea. Mom of the Year right here.}

Weight: 22 lbs 6 oz | 100%
Height: 28 1/2 in | 100%
Head: 46 cm | 95%

So your height and head size are basically the same, but Carter was an entire inch & a half taller than you! I guess that's why you appear to be ~~fatter~~ bigger, sweet boy ;)

I then, of course, had to look up Brynnie, and guess what? You're bigger than her! But not by much. Here were Brynn's 6 month stats:

Weight: 21lbs 12oz | 97%
Height: 27in | 95%
Head: 45cm | 97%

Okay, back to YOU my sweet boy. Some other random stats: you're wearing size 4 diapers and 12 month clothing, although they're getting a little tight, if I'm being honest. ;)

At your appointment on Friday, you were totally flirting with the doctor the entire time and you were a huge fan of the tissue paper on the table...

Reid wuz here. Not exactly the best way to get your fiber though. Ahem. {And do you see the drool spots?}

You've had so many milestones these past 2 months. Let's see...

You're eating food. This is probably your favorite milestone ever considering that you've been staring us down at every meal for awhile now. So far, you have yet to find a fruit or veggie that you don't like!

This is your very first time eating...

See. You loved it immediately.

You're sitting up. This is probably mommy's favorite milestone thus far. I love the short time between sitting up and crawling. It's my favorite stage!

And you have your Poppy's eyes, my sweet boy. I see it all the time and it makes my heart smile. You have his eyes and his name, Reid Joseph... you're a lucky boy.

You also moved up to your convertible car seat. You love it! Now you can easily laugh at your brother and sister in the car and you have a great time looking out the window.

You're also holding your own bottle. It's like you don't even need me anymore.

Real men totally use pink Rock-n-Plays. Just an FYI. {Thanks Aubs!}

We've also started to transition you into your crib. It's going well for naps and we hope that we can start putting you in it at night by this weekend. Since you're slowly {ahem, quickly} inching your way to your RNP weight limit, you need to move it on up there to the crib, buddy.

Mommy and Daddy spent a few hours reconnecting all the monitors to keep you safe. Now let's hope your first overnight trial run goes well! {Ha! Yeah, right. Send mama coffee.}

Also? I'm really going to miss sleeping right next to you. I'm sad just thinking about it.

Your most favorite thing to do is jump. Jumpity jump. Jump all day long.

Even when we're just holding you, you are constantly jumping! Here you are showing Aubrey the ropes...

Let's see... you also celebrated two holidays these past two months... Valentine's Day & St. Patrick's Day {or just "patricks day" as Carter likes to call it}...

Handsome boy!

You adore your brother and sister. And they completely adore you right back. You just sit there and laugh at them... it doesn't matter what they're doing, you think it's the funniest thing you've ever seen. And they just love to take care of you! They always want to give you hugs, hold your bottle and make sure you have a toy in your hand at all times.

Aubrey is your best friend. You guys just love to stare at each other and we are so excited to watch the beautiful birthday twins grow up together!

I mean, the hand holding? SO CUTE!

I'll tell you what else you really love... playing with your daddy...

... and cuddling with your mama...

And we love you right back, sweet boy!

Okay Reid Joseph, let's see how much you've grown!

So big! Can't wait to see what this next month brings... but not too fast now, okay?

Take it off Monday

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:03:00 +0000

This week was good.

And then it wasn't so good.

I'd say by Thursday I was down a pound and things were going really well. I was staying on plan and doing great and then BAM. The weekend. And not just any weekend. A busy weekend with three {count 'em: three} parties. And, not to make excuses, but it is damn hard to stay on plan when you have a crazy, stressful, busy weekend with THREE parties. {One of which was a very special "party" I plan to blog about this week.}

And then I gained that pound back. But. I've been 100% back on plan and I'm working hard again. Just hoping to get past this hump.

But, crap. I have another crazy weekend coming up. Of course I do. A very special weekend. A weekend in which my mom turns SIXTY. A weekend that will be spent celebrating HER {because no one deserves it more.}

A weekend that will be spent on a wine tour. {Just keepin' it real here folks.}

I feel like this weight loss journey is one step forward, two steps back. Let's hope I can keep it together this week, mmmkay?

So, how is everyone else doing on their diet plans this week? I'd love to hear from you and/or have you share a link to your most recent post!

___________________________

Week 8 Summary

Weight loss this week: -0 pounds

Weight loss to date: -10.8 pounds

Weight left to lose: 19.2 pounds

First Goal: 10 pounds

Reward: Mani/Pedi {Reached: 2.21.13}

Second Goal: 20 pounds

Reward: Massage

Final Goal: 30 pounds

Reward: Head-to-Toe new outfit!

Success: I'm having a hard time with this one.

Set-Backs: Too. Many. Parties.

Exercise: Does running around from party to party count? No? Crap.

___________________________

The Divine Miss Mommy § Mommy B Knows Best § Kelly with Makobi Scribe § IROCKSOWHAT § Dear Crissy

Shibley Smiles § Couponing to Disney § A Grande Life § O My Family § Two Frugal Mommas

As a Medifast blogger, I receive Medifast meals and support to facilitate my weight loss journey. All opinions are my own.

And who doesn't love pancakes?

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:11:00 +0000

__________

If there's one thing that is popular in our house, it's pancakes. So I'm going to be honest now and tell you that I have no idea how to make them. Nope. I've never made a pancake in my life. Bob is the pancake cook in our house and he is damn good at it.

And Brynn? Well she is obsessed. She asks for pancakes nearly every morning {with "syrbup" of course!} With three kids and two parents that work full time, that clearly is just not going to happen.

Enter: Aunt Jemima and their fabulous Lil' Griddles frozen breakfast items.

The new Aunt Jemima frozen breakfast Lil’ Griddles line has three delicious bite-sized options for family fun; new Aunt Jemima frozen Blueberry Mini pancakes, Aunt Jemima frozen Mini pancakes, and Aunt Jemima frozen Cinnamon French Toast Sticks. We, of course, decided to try the pancakes and they're just perfect for our super busy, on-the-go family. And because every batch is made from scratch with real eggs and milk {just like we Bob makes them at home} Brynn can now have her pancakes any day of the week!

Her reaction when I told her I bought her pancakes?

I had a hard time getting the box back from her! Here she is, reading the ingredients and making sure they're going to be just as good as Daddy's!

Once I pried the box from her little fingers, I heated up a few pancakes in the microwave...

{Seriously, 30 seconds... that's it.}

...and she was ready to get down to business.

Eight pancakes later {yep, 8} I think I can honestly say that she loved them! Miss Brynn is going to be one happy girl now that she can have her daily pancake ration. Thank you Aunt Jemima... such a big help for busy parents who still want to serve their families a warm breakfast in the morning.

Thank you to Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

WW: Half Birthday Boy!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni from the blog) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:41:00 +0000

This past weekend? Reid turned 6 months old.

Yes, Reid.

As in... the baby that was just born, like yesterday.

The kid I just brought home from the hospital.

Yep, him.

Six. Months.

{Those thighs. I die.}

This is my 3rd baby, yet it still ceases to amaze me just how fast time can fly.

Happy half birthday, my sweet boy. {Full post with stats coming soon!}

Green Giant's New Veggie Chips!

noreply@blogger.com (jenni) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:53:00 +0000

__________

Everyone knows the mighty Green Giant. They grew up with him. He lives in your freezer. He has provided families with nutritional veggies for a long time and has become part of a well-known and very trusted brand.

Well now he has a giant surprise: New Veggie Chips! The mighty Green Giant is coming out of your freezer {it's cold in there} and into your favorite chip bowl.

Green Giant's New Veggie Chips come in two delicious flavors: Zesty Cheddar & Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips with Seasalt. Below are just a few of the key nutritional values:

The Green Giant™ Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips – Zesty Cheddar Flavor are made with real vegetables, 17 grams of whole grain per serving (48g are recommended daily), and are naturally flavored.
The Green Giant™ Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips – Sea Salt Flavor are made with real sweet potatoes and made with 14 grams of whole grain. Plus, they contains 40 percent less fat than regular potato chips*!
*Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips (6g per 28g serving) have 40 percent less fat than regular potato chips (10g per 28g serving).

Not only are they nutritional, but they taste fantastic. I particularly liked the Zesty Cheddar, while Bob, the huge sweet potato {fry, ahem} fan that he is, liked the Sweet Potato Chips with Seasalt.

As for Carter Man, he is exactly like me... he'll take salty snacks over sweets any day of the week. So I was obviously super excited for him to try these veggie chips.

Let's just say... I think he liked them.

He liked the Zesty Cheddar Veggie Tortilla Chips the best. {Atta boy.}

And the fact that they come from a trusted brand like Green Giant, gives snackers, like myself, an option that they can finally feel good about. More importantly, it gives moms a nutritional snack option for their kids! {I mean, hello... 40% less fat than potato chips and they still taste great?? It's a no brainer.} Try them for yourself with this coupon!

Check out other giant surprises and enter your own surprise talent on Green Giant's Facebook page. You can also check out even more of the Giant's surprise talents at the Green Giant YouTube Channel.

Thank you to The Green Giant™ for being a sponsor. Show the Giant your surprise talent at www.facebook.com/greengiant