Birthday Boo

This post is dedicated to my birthday Boo ( get it--- like birthday boy??) He turned THREEEE on December 6th. That's like 80 in dog years! He's getting up there. But last night I told him, "Boo, although you have gotten older, you truly have aged so gracefully. You can't even tell that you are three now instead of two. You only get more beautiful as the years grow... instead of the opposite...which happens to most dogs. Consider yourself lucky!"

Here are some pitures of Mr. Boo throughout the years. Unfortunately I don't have any from when he was a puppy as they are still on my old computer. However-- I am sure you will enjoy these that truly represent the majestic and ever-so-poised MALIBU!

Happy birthday Malibu!

Happy Holidays!

The Okazee's have finally struck Christmas spirit in full force today-- look, even dad joined in! (sorry in advance, dad... I'm crossing my fingers this won't dimish your masculinity)

We decorated our Christmas tree tonight! && it looks marvelous! I love Christmas time :)

Who knew ornaments could be such fashionable earrings??

Doesn't she look fabulous??

My dogs are particularly jolly during the season. Just look at those big smiles!

Too presh.

Lots of love to all my faithful readers && wishing you a very merry Christmas!

<3 J

Cheeeeeese!

My baby cousin! He's growing into such a little man. I adore him.
PS- I haven't mentioned this yet... but he will soon be an official member of our family! We couldn't be happier :)

An explanation.

Sorry for my lack of posts.

I just got on here real quick to notify all of my readers that I am still alive....barely.

College is sucking every living particle of my being away from me. It's best you stear clear until after finals because right now I am just one hot mess. One.Hot.Mess.

Wish me luck as I bring this semester to a (much awaited for) close. I will let you know soon enough if I survive.

Til next time... I hope.

<3 J

Hot Chocolate :)

Mmmm, hot chocolate is perfect on a windy, cold night. I think I'm finally learning how to embrace cold weather. A warm jacket, gloves, scarves, hot tea, coffee and cocoa...and don't forget the slippers. You cannot forget the necessities. Plus I am a big fan of layering, so why not take advantage of the season and pile it on! Garnish the perfect fall/winter outfit with a hot latte and I'm set :)
Have a fantastic night!
<3 J

Things to look forward to

Right now is a busy time for me-- even though I have a little over a month until finals, they are already kickin in full force. Just to put it in perspective: I have three 10-15 page research papers, four presentations, and three tests piling up in my schedule before this semester is over. Needless to say, I will be a social recluse for the next month. I won't be surprised if I pull out all my hairs or if my face breaks out into a million stress pimples or have numerous panic attacks. This week alone has been really stressful and packed full of homework and research and outlines...so for now, I need to make myself happy by looking forward to things that are to come in the future.

Such as.....
Going to The Used concert tomorrow night in Seattle (I consider them my "first band love", a band I will always feel connected to)
I'm getting my hair cut/colored by a very old and dear best friend of mine--I am super excited!
Girls night on Saturday- lots of chit chat and laughter (I need this!!)
Thanksgiving (for the obvious reasons..)
Christmas (also for obvious reasons.. but for some reason, I feel uber excited/festive this year!)
My 21st birthday (January 11th.)
A long break from school (Need to recoup and gain strength to finish out the year)

Lots of good things are coming my way, and for that, I need to stay positive and remain determined to stay focused in school. Thinking of the future always helps keep me grounded for some reason. Knowing that brighter days are just around the corner reminds me to not stress about the little things- it will soon be over and done with. With all that being said, I still know I will be a freakfest come finals week..but it's always worth a shot trying to talk myself into a better state of mind.

I had a conversation with Sam the other night. I couldn't fall asleep, I was too stressed and worried and then I asked him...will life be less stressful after we graduate? I'd like to think so, but something tells me I will find other things to stress over. But what will those things be? Surely it will be better than homework and papers and labs, right? I can manage paying bills or cleaning the house...that seems way less complicated. I bet you're thinking "Jill, my friend, you have a lot to learn." It's true. I do.

I'll admit it, school is hard. Sometimes it gets the best of me. But I keep trying to tell myself that these are the days--I am free. My only true obligation is school. I have it pretty good. PLU is a great University to attend, so why do I waste my time getting flustered over little things? It's time to live it up.
Live it up, Jill.

Something's are easier said than done... but I will try.

Ok, that was a lot to lay on you. Hope my scatterbrained thoughts make sense.
Have a good night :)
<3 J

Boots Heaven!

I absolutely love a good pair of boots. In fact, I think I could say I'm nearly obsessed with them. If they could go with any outfit ensemble (i.e. sweatpants, slouchy jeans or pjs) I would wear them all day, everyday. For some odd reason, I find them to be totally comfortable, not to mention develishly stylish- so any chance I get- I throw a pair on! I've been perusing around Nordy's (my number one go-to shoe palace) for months looking for the perfect boot for this season. Well you know how the saying goes.. if you are looking for it, you'll never find it...errr something along those lines. That was the case for me. BECAUSE, because, because...guess what. I just scored a brand spanking new pair of Dolce Vita (!!!) boots for free! It is so wonderful to have friends who look out for you and know just how to make you happy-- boots, of course! I am one verrrrrry happy girl :)

P.S. Since this post is about shoes, I figure now is a good time to give a *shout out* (for lack of a better word) to my beautiful (and pregnant!!) cousin because I know she is just as much of a shoe lover/obsessee as I am. Love you girl!

So close I can almost taste it..

Just want to update everyone that I will officially be 21 in 10 weeks!

Where has the time gone?
In the past year alone I have grown so much.
I have experienced so much.
I'm eager for what this next year has to offer but.. for the meantime, I am embracing where I am at now and grateful for how far I've come.
It's been a great 20 years- I am truly blessed.
I have a feeling my 21st year will be an extremely yummy one... :)
<3 J

mmm cupcakes

I'm definitely itching to get back to work at the cupcake shop. I only work weekends there, and I was gone this past weekend at Oktoberfest...so that means I haven't been to work for two weeks! Yikes. I need money PLUS who doesn't love cupcakes?! **This is not a picture from Sweet Things cupcakes-- this was a picture I took during the summer at Indulge Cupcakes.

Chelan

I am finally posting pictures of our Chelan trip.. it has been long overdue.

This vacation was an absolute blast! It was so fun to be with family and close friends && enjoy what Chelan has to offer together. So many memories...

"Halley Barry!"

"Uhhh mom, we need to get to a car wash...now!"

Dean's tramp stamp...

It's a trip I will definitely remember forever! All of the wineries were fantastic, the cash-ino, momma's cookin, Poker (&& Bones!), the water slide (++ bloody noses)-- it all made for a great time. Thanks to mom for making it all happen (love you pretty lady!)

Harvey

Meet Harvey. He is Matt's (a close friend of mine) puppy. Isn't he the sweetest? He went to Chelan with us-- and we all enjoyed him very much.

Wicked!!

Wicked was absolutely fabulous this year!

Some friends invited mom & I to join them in a huge girls night/wicked party--which included a party bus (woohoo!) appetizers, lots of wine (!) and some yummy desserts :)

We had such a blast! Good company and a great show equals one fabulous night! And although we were seated in the 5th to last row..of the entire theatre..it was still just as good as I remembered it the first time!

A big hug and thank you to Jaimie and her momma for including us in a wonderful evening!

<3>

Sex and the City-- The Sequel!

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes!! The girls are back!I have patiently waited (that's a lie! Extremely impatient is more like it.) for SATC 2 to come out and it is finally in the works! I know, I know..don't jump out of your seat! The sequel is said to hit theatres May 28th--perfect timing seeing as that will be my last day of class! It will be a great way to celebrate :) So I'm thinking I need to start preparing for the big day well in advance, say starting...now. My goal is to save up a good chunk of money so I can buy my very first pair of Manolo Blahniks, and wear them to the show!-- wouldn't that be fabulous?? I think so.

I don't think people understand my insane love for Carrie (and the rest of the girls!)..but especially Carrie. She is the epitome of who I want to be (minus the smoking). She is fabulous in every sense of the word. Haha, I would go on and on about how much I love Carrie, but then you would begin to see my crazy side and it's probably best to keep that hidden ;)

Needless to say, I am psyched!

Just thought I'd share that with you :)

<3 J

Missy Higgins

Warm Whispers -Missy Higgins

I absolutely love, love, LOVE this song. So beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VjPa38p4_Q

Enjoy,
<3 J

Etsy

I have found a new favorite website! It's called Etsy.. it's a place where people can buy and sell artsy/crafty things. I have heard of it before but just recently decided to visit the website (thanks to Sarah:))It is amazing! I am already so excited to buy some art for my bedroom and kitchen :D

If you haven't already, you MUST check it out.

That's all for now.
<3 J

Got a job!

So my dream job finally made it's way into my life! Just yesterday I was hired at a brand spankin new ( and super cute if I do say so myself!) cupcake shop/cafe. I have been wanting to work in a bakery for quite a while, so this was just perfect. It is truly a blessing to have good friends who put in a good word for you :)
Tomorrow is my first day-- and I cannot wait! If any of you are interested, (and you should be!!), the grand opening is tomorrow! It opens at 8am with lots of delicious cupcakes to choose from and coffee to go with it. It is called Sweet Things Cupcake and Couture :)
Come check it out asap.

Soon to come:
lots of pictures from our Chelan vacay
update on my school endeavors
pictures of my new apartment

Stay tuned!!
<3 J

Eat, Pray, Love

Here's a fun fact about Jillian: I loooooove to check out books (as well as music) from the library. I have a huge passion for reading, I find it to be a great escape; a way to relax, learn and spend time doing something healthy for mind and soul. Anyways, as many avid book readers know, it is an expensive habbit, especially if you buy your books from Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc. So I decided to start making full use of my library membership and began checking out my books instead of buying them (and reading them once, mayyybe twice if it's THAT good.)
Consider doing this! haha No joke. It is a fabulous (and did I mention FREE???) resource to indulge in your book/music/movie-loving life.
The whole point of this post wasn't to tell you about my library,(although I'm sure you love me for it, right?!) but rather about this amazing book I am reading currently.
It's called: Eat, Pray, Love. It is good, good, GOOD. Ok, so I'm only halfway through it, but trust me, it is good. It's about this woman who dedicates a year of her life (after a tough divorce, && struggling to find selfworth) to travel to 3 places in the world (Italy, India, & Indonesia), where she engages to find pleasure, prayer and love. The author, Elizabeth Gilbert, is entertaining to say the least. Her writing is full of spunk--the way she relates her crazy encounters to real life is truly something that will keep a smile on your face and eager for more.

Go check out a copy of it STAT, you just have to trust me on this. Because c'mon, I'm not a book critic--I can only say so much, so just trust me.

Hope this inspires you!
<3 J

An apoology for my readers..

I feel as though I owe an apology to my many, in fact thousands, of readers...(NOT..in reality there are only a select few) for not being a good blogger. If only I were Julie Powell and started a blog and soon enough thousands of readers were following my blog posts, which turned into getting offered to write a book about my blog and then turned into a movie--wouldn't that be awesome!? Why can't that happen to me? Maybe I need to spice things up a bit. Who knows. I always think about things I want to post throughout my day, but then when I eventually go sit down at my computer-- I completely space out on my blog-worthy stories, isn't that awesome?! So, here I am. I've been so busy this summer/especially lately and have had soo many amazing things happen but I have no idea where to start. Instead of going through it all, I think I'll skip the details and just let you know that life is great. I'm anxiously counting down the days until I head back to school, unsure of whether I am excited or sad to be leaving summer in the dust. I just can't believe I'm already a JUNIOR!! Holy cow, it really really does go by fast. The first year seemed like forever but once you tackle that hurdle it flies by--that is not a joke! Two years left doesn't seem that bad, it is definitely something I feel like I can manage ( && hopefully sustain my spot on the Dean's List :))

Here are a few big things that have happened over the past few weeks (thus leaving me hardly any time to post..unfortunately)

-I moved back home!!! Note: it will not be official until the end of summer, but still. It is soo nice to be back home.
-My mom and I have been busy painting and re-vamping some awesome furniture items we found at garage sales--yes it's true, we garage sale shopped til we dropped! (well, sort of. That is a very tiring task, because it takes forever until you find what you want!!)
-I got tickets to go see Rascal Flatts at the Tacoma Dome for Sam and I! (We will be celebrating our 2 year aniversary! And this must really mean something...because Sam is not into country music AT ALL. Just shows what kind of a guy he is- very sweet and thoughtful.)
-I hosted a sushi party at my house this past Sunday; it was sooo much fun! && not to mention yummy :)

I think that's all. I don't really feel like racking my brain on what else I've been up to.
Have a great sun-filled day!
<3 J

Samuel <3

Sam visited this past week, which was fabuloso! We were busy the entire time doing fun things and enjoying the sun && eachother's company. Here is what we did.
Thursday: After I was done babysitting, he swooped me up and took me out to dinner at BJ's (which is delicious, but I always leave feeling really full and slightly sick after the pazookie's...hmm)
Friday: Spent the afternoon shopping at Pier 1, picking up some sweet stuff for mamasan, with Sam and Jaimie. Then we had a family birthday dinner for Peggy and Stef at our house (so much fun- i love them all so so much!)
Saturday: Went to Pike Place Market with Sam and mom, bought some BEAUTIFULLY enormous sunflowers and ate lunch at Matt's in the Market (thanks to Dean's recccomendation).
Sunday: Went garage sale hunting for a queen size bed frame and a dresser...was pretty successful for finding a cute dresser for $20 AND they gave me a rocking chair too! both in really good condition, but I will def. be sproucing them up with lots of flava!
Monday: Went with Sam to Seattle to watch his little brother, Max, play 2 baseball games! It was a lot of fun && plus, when we were leaving, we got a glimpse at the Barcelona Soccer team practice at UW's soccer field. It was awesome..although I couldn't understand a word anyone was saying....
Tuesday: Went on a trecherous hike on Mt. Si. It was crazy!! Either that or...I'm incredibly out of shape. Probably the latter of the two, but still, it was tough. But definitely beautiful.
Wednesday: Went out to lunch at Panera and then had to bid Samuel farwell.

And now I'm one sad and lonely girl :(
But it was a lot of fun! I always love when he visits......
I will post some pictures of our adventures real soon....stay tuned.
<3 J

India Arie

The song that's been playing over and over again in my head:

The Heart of the Matter -India Arie

(you can listen to this song at --->) http://www.last.fm/music/India.Arie/_/The+Heart+Of+The+Matter

It's a beautiful song, full of truth and the awakening of what it means to forgive.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

<3 J

The Okazeeee Vacazeeee

Lake Coeur d'Alene baby!! We did it up this summer. And had a blasty blast while doing it! I never pictured myself in Idaho...but honestly, I had the time of my life. The vacation was so laid back and relaxing..but filled with so much fun and energy at the same time. I got to spend a week with the people I love most, and I guess that's all I can really ask for. We had such great times, we made ever-lasting memories ("HARD LEFT!!!!" dad cranks the boat's steering wheel to avoid hitting the bottom) and I got to bring my doggies too

Here is Nicole ( my brother's lady friend). She was FABULOUS.

Sam got up on the wakeboard. It was a very proud moment for me :)Such a stud, huh?
My brother is a pro at wakeboarding.. he made it look waaayyy too easy.

Slicin' up that water!

Sam is so cute. I can't handle how smokin my man is! He is my favorite travel partner (besides you, mom!!!)

It's time to party!

The gang sitting by the fire and enjoying a beautiful 4th of July. So many fireworks and delicious 'smores!

Kelvin diving off the 1oft pole.

Sam being a macho man.

Ok, so apparently I took more pictures of Sam than I thought.. but I can't help it. I mean seriously..could you?! Look at him.

All of our gear.

Dean && Nicole :)

The boyzzzzzz

The girls (Nicole and Erin)

Just kickin back by the water.

All the puppies on the boat, suited up in their lifejackets :)

Mom & dad-- lookin good you two!Sunsets on the lake = amazing.

And I will leave you with this image. Notice his water boots..aren't those fashionable?

BTW, I am still learning (slowly, I must add) at how to properly upload pictures on this thing... so I must admit...the end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. Not that it makes much difference. Anywho. Hope this pictures give you a slight idea of just how much fun we had. I love my family.
<3>