Journal to blog

When working on your character-- where do you start? I need to find out because I want to rid myself of my bad habits. I want to be more of a giver and less of a taker. I want patience and solitude. I want to feel relaxed and in control but not completely. Being a control freak is never a good thing. Sometimes, in fact I want to say always, the outcomes are better when you learn to let go.

-taken from my journal

Updates

Hello again! Been staying real busy these past few weeks. My second to last semester is winding down, which means my work load is really picking up. Lots of papers, projects, and assignments have been flooding my workspace leaving me not nearly enough time to blog!

Here's what's going on in my world:

1. the catnip is growing like wild fire! Skeeter is loving us more and more each day for it. He sits by the pot and sniffs it until he just can't sniff it any more.
2. i got new tires on my car (much needed before the winter weather kicks in)
3. still working at Nordstrom (however, I've been doing a little too much shopping lately....not good, Jill)
4. Moseby has learned to jump down (or rather fall off) from his stoop where his cage is onto the floor, which is a fairly sizeable distance for a little bunny like him
5. I started my book club! We had a little meet & greet on Sunday, and although not many showed up, I had a great time with those that did & I can tell they are all just as excited as I am to be doing this. It makes me happy :)
6. I made my first pot roast! It was pretty delish I have to say. Kyle & I have been making dinner for my parents one night a week for a couple of weeks now. We wanted to start getting practice in the kitchen but haven't taken the step because my fabulous mom always makes the best dinner... but we made a compromise and I think they are enjoying being treated each Thursday.
7. Skeeter is infatuated with me. I think it was ever since I found him under our shed that he developed this strong love. I smother him so much and he actually likes it... my cats in the past get tired of my attention quick and Skeeter just seems to adore me more. Love him!
8. Despite all of the stress that comes along with school, Kyle & I have managed to keep it at bay and still give each other the time, attention, and care that we always have. He definitely keeps me grounded and for that, I am so thankful.
9. I am working up ideas for Christmas gifts this year. I am so excited for the season! I'm hoping to be more crafty and clever and really make each present meaningful. So we'll see what I come up with!

Hope you are staying warm in this weather! I hear it's supposed to snow this weekend :)

J

Crazy for Catnip!

As I came home on Wednesday night from work, after an extremely long day (half yearly's first day), I walk into my kitchen and notice some surprises Ky left for me.

1. Hand dipped chocolate covered strawberries (my favoriteeee)

2. A sweet card telling me how much he loves me

and 3. A pot for planting catnip (he picked out both) for our Skeeter boy

Isn't he the sweetest??? I love the fact that he picked catnip.

He is the ying to my yang; the syrup to my waffles; the the frosting to my cake.

Hopefully it grows without much sun!

Love, Jill

In the spirit

We went to an event called the Hoot n Howl at Northwest Trek last week. It was soo much fun! We took Jaxon, (kyle's nephew)-- he had such a great time! They run a night tram which was pretty amazing. We got to see lots of animals and eat lots of candy. They also had games for the kids to play, trick or treating, and crafts. If you have small children, I suggest you go to this next year. It's totally worth it!

Aren't they the cutest??

Here's Jax wearing an old crazy man's hat.

Can't wait to go trick or treating with him on Sunday!

Luv & hugs,

Jill

A brilliant idea

i hope you think it's as brilliant as i do because i've been pondering this for quite some time now.

i am going to start my very own book club. & i want YOU to be a part of it!

here's what i'm thinking:

i want to start off by reading The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. you can read the synopsis here. i have heard amazing feedback about this series and have been extremely anxious to start reading! however, i thought this might be a good introduction to my masterpiece.

so there's three books (the hunger games, catching fire, and mockingjay) which i thought could be tackled a month at a time. there is going to be a monthly meeting (something which all members can agree upon) where we will discuss our book, chat, create friendships, eat and be merry.

because i don't expect everyone to be completely on board with this at first (which i hope you cave in to eventually because it will be so amazingly worth it) i plan on tackling the first three book club chats with full force. after that, it can be up for debate on who wants to take the reins for the next book, meeting destination, what-have-you's.

in my mind, i picture a group of about 10-13 ladies, however, i welcome the idea of having more or less. i want this to be a place to socialize and make lasting relationships with those who share a common interest(reading & friendship), a place where we can all let our inner bookworms out.

it is my promise to you that i will make treats and provide tastey bevies to indulge in over our conversations.

i realize this probably won't make a ton of sense right off the bat, so i want to host a meet & greet sesh with all the girls so we can all get to know each other and get to know the book club. it will be a time to establish guidelines and ideas for how our book club will unfold. we will discuss it all.

i just want to have fun and experience something new.

this is merely me just getting my feet wet and seeing who responds. i have been putting this off for a while because i wanted it to be perfect and neat and orderly, but then i thought--what the heck, i just need to submerge myself in it and see what happens.

who's with me?

loves to you all,

j

Moseby's future abode

When we first brought baby Moseby home we invisioned him nestled up in a luxurious, country chic rabbit hutch. It didn't quite pan out like this for many reasons. One, it's time consuming and requires labor and equipment. Two, hutches take up quite a bit of space.. and seeing as we don't have our own place just yet, we weren't sure if it would be a wise decision to go on with buliding one not knowing where our future would be. So we had to make a sacrifice for something less chic and more practical. Boo! We know bunnies don't last forever. But we wish they did.. at least our Mose-man. He is our sparkle, our flame, our peacekeeper (ha! it's true. J&K make sure be on their best behavior in the presence of precious Moseby)

But when we encounted this picturesque bunny barn, I melted and only hoped to one day have one of our own. I got so excited-- I started planning when we could begin the development process. However, we have to wait. Why am I so impatient?! I can't help but get amped up for the future residence of my furry baby. I want it NOW! Wouldn't it be so cool??

But for now, while we still live under the roof of my parents, we must wait. One day, hopefully within a year or two, Moseby will get his hutch. I just hope his ticker last longer than the average bunny's 4 years. I think it's possible.

Love,

the always hopeful and forever passionate Jillian

Punkies!

How to find the perfect punkin': Get a wheel barrow and be ready to find lots of treasures. Some big, some small, some orange, some greenish-orange, long stumps, short ones, short & stumpy, long & slender..don't be afraid of the possibilities.

Try to find one without bumps, bruises, or abnormailities (or if you're like Ky, find one that has all of these qualities)

Make sure you soak up the gorgeous scenery and time spent frolicking in pumpkin fields with your loved ones.

Always, always, always take home a white pumpkin! They're awesome.

Don't get overwhelmed by the massive amount of organe blurr. Take the time to look at each individually (or at least quite a few of them;))

Ask yourself: Does this pumpkin look like me but in an object form?

Be ready to haul it across rows of pumpkins because you forgot your wheelbarrow at the beginning due to sheer excitement of what was in front of your eyes.

*(he liked this one a lot because he thought it looked like butt cheeks...how did I convince him not to bring this one home? He is such a guy.)

We love Spooner's Farm.

Love,

J

The heart of a lion

Remember my last post? The one about how my Ky guy inspires me?

Here is the story behind that post:
One day he decided to start jotting down thoughts that moved him, and little moments that he encounters throughout the day, and words that he likes and wants to incorporate in his daily vernacular (sorry, if this was supposed to be a secret, babe!!) and he suggested that maybe I should do the same, but for my own reasons. I thought: This boy is a genius! We always talk about how I wish my memory was better, or how I have these funny little sayings, or interesting ideas pop into my head only to vanish within minutes because I have moved onto the next thought (Do I have ADHD?!). So I took his advice and started a journal.

This journal is to act as my written memory. I write down certain feelings and emotions I am experiencing, I ask myself questions that I can later go back to and dissect, I write down my to-do's (can't get rid of making those lists!), quotes, and it goes on. And let me tell you-- it helps! I feel a little bit more complete now. It's hard to realize how important and vital memories are to one's life until you can actually REMEMBER them. ;)

Anyway,
I wanted to share with you one of my enteries.

"Like the cowardly lion, I just need courage. If I could change one thing about myself- I'd pick bravery. I need more of it. To speak what's on my mind and feel comfortable doing so would be nice. To stand up for myself and say the things I want to say in front of a crowd-yeah, that's what I want. Hold nothing back, follow my inhibitions, and show people who I really am and feel good about it.

Is it bad to be a quiet girl? To a certain extent- yes.

Make a name for yourself-- a good one. Don't be shy."

That's all.
For now.
Loves and hugs,
Jill

"You. You are everything I want."

My guy inspired me today.

In fact, he inspires me every day.

So thankful to have him.

<3 J

Fear is lifes only true opponent

" For fear, real fear, such as shakes you to your foundation, such as you feel when you are brought face to face with your mortal end, nestles in your memory like a gangrene: it seeks to rot everything, even the words with which to speak of it. So you must fight hard to express it. You must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don't, if your fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you."

- Quote taken from the book Life of Pi

voila!

The finished product. After a lot of sanding and spray painting, this is the new dresser. Kyle wanted to keep the original handles to accentuate a vintage feel.

I wonder what the next project will be......

Until next time, my friends!

J

Bringing bunny home

Big news coming from the two of us. We got a bunny! ( I know right, you never know what to expect from us.. that's the fun part.) It all started out with a trip to a local pet store to pick up a fish for our newly decorated place. This fish would be the perfect accent to bring life to our apartment, however when we stepped into the animal kingdom, it was something much different that caught our attention. It was not a clown fish that we couldn't take our eyes off, it wasn't the ducks, or chickens, or chinchillas... it was this little floppy eared rabbit. As we both stared down, peering into the shifty eyes of this baby bunny... it was fate that he would be ours. I had not planned to go home with a fuzzy bunny, oh no, not at all. But that's what is so great about this life we have been given, it is full of wild and unpredictable surprises.

Bunny rabbits are funny creatures- something I have always dreamt of having one day, but never thinking it would be a reality. And here he is now. We named him Moseby.

Moseby is the ideal pet: loves to cuddle, never barks or scratches or claws, low maintainence, easy to get along with, calm and has a unique sense of humor.

He has his own home, right outside our window so we can keep a close ear on him. He has toys and a litter box (which he uses as his bed) and an endless supply of hay (bunnies looove hay). Needless to say, we think he is pretty happy to be with us.

This is his god-mother (& my best friend, Jaimie). It was their first visit and certainly not their last. She's a natural when it comes to nurturing. Perfect for our Moseby.

We got him a collar to wear, and yes, he actually likes to wear it. It has his name on it and on the back it says......

** Property of kyle & jill

The quintessential bunny goes wild for his carrots. He'll even do tricks.. you should see it.

Moseby completes us. And although you can't tell what he's thinking or even if he is thinking at all... and despite the fact that he cannot control the little pellets he ejects, sprinkling a pathway from his rear end... we love our little bunny foo foo.

Love,

J

One man's junk is another man's splendor

We've been on the hunt for a good bargain dresser for Kyle. And we just so happened to get lucky one day at Goodwill. It only cost 20 bucks! It's a big dresser...and has definitely seen some ups and downs by the looks of it. We decided to take it under our wings and show it the love it deserves.

It's been so much fun working on it together (moreso him than me if I'm being honest...). And I can't wait to see the finished product! More pictures soon to come :)

Love always,

J

Random Facts Day!

I have officially declared today as random facts day! This is a great way for you to get to know me && all of my oddities. And maybe even inspire you to do the same on your blog :)


My favorite summer fruit: Nectarines
4 things that are always in my purse: chapstick, altoids, pen, floss
What habit could I not live without: making lists
Most frequently used word: Boo Boo (as voted on by Kyle) but I think it's 'absolutely'
Biggest summer annoyance: fruit flies
Funniest summer memory: Walking down Broadway and noticing my mom has tp draping out her pants (sorry mom!! but it was hilarious)
Favorite accessory: big, chunky rings
TV Show: How I Met Your Mother, So You Think You Can Dance, Design Star
One of the most random things I could not survive without: Toilet seat covers (public bathrooms scare me!)

I think I might make this a weekly occurance. Maybe just write one random fact a week.. I don't want to overwhelm you! Hope you are enjoying the lovely summer weather :)

Love,
j

To me, he is everything

It is amazing the feeling that this guy leaves me with each day.
It is amazing that he embodies every thing I could ever dream for.



It is amazing to know that I have found my one.

J

There seems to be a pattern..

I love to blog.
But, by the looks of it, it would not appear to be so.

I am here to admit one thing. I am a lazy blogger.

There-- I said it. OOfta! I feel much better.


If you will kindly accept my lackluster excuse, allow me to explain myself...
You see, ever since I got out of school I have been going a million miles a minute. (It's true). It started out with a trip to Portland with my handsome, then I left for NYC with my momma. Upon arrival back to the SeaTac airport, I proceeded to (basically) jump into the car and head straight to good ol' Walla Walla Washington to check out the wineries and happenings with my handsome yet again. Can you tell I am loved? I was stuck happily in the midst of a mom and boyfriend vacation frenzy--- experiences I will never ever ever forget. (Pictures, and plenty of them, soon to come)

Days after I returned home from WWW I began my internship at the places of all places, or shall I call it palaces of all palaces? NORDY'S BABY! My home away from home swooped me up into their loving arms and I started to learn everything there is to know about the company. C'mon, quiz me! I was assigned to Point of View, which I have to be honest, wasn't my first choice..but I knew it would be busy so that made me feel better in the end. 8 weeks. The program would last only a mere 8 weeks. Let me tell you- of the 6 weeks I have worked so far, it feels like I have learned a lifetime's worth of knowledge. Not only stuff about Nordstrom, but about life and I even learned a lot about myself in the process. Now, I sit here...taking a break from wraping up my portfolio for my summer intership class (oh yeah, did I not mention I'm taking my first (&&& last- fingers crossed) summer class?) with only two weeks left of being an intern. It is bittersweet. I am having such a good time, I have met so many amazing people, I'm really not sure if I'm ready for this to end quite yet. But, the good news is, once it is over I will stay on as a part time salesperson for the duration of my senior year. After that, I will be in the running for an assistant/managerial role if that is what I choose to do. Big things are in my future, I can feel it. However, I'm not sure yet what those big things will be.... you will just have to stay tuned.

As for me, right now, I am ready to finish up my summer class and let summer take off right where it started... at a little place called Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, OR. Ok, maybe not that exact location, but something/somewhere just as sweet as those treats.

I love you all. Truly. Madly. Deeply.
& thanks for loving me in return.

J

p.s. I know I say this often... but I am going to try to be a better blogger. There-- I said it. Now hold me to it.

Goodnight

Just because it's Saturday

Here's a music video for your Saturday enjoyment. Disclaimer: It is a bit risque, so if that bothers you, don't watch it. I just love the song, it has a very fresh sound and it also makes me want to dance. And because it is Saturday, I hope it makes you want to dance too.

Somebody to love- Leighton Meester
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZg3ibOt964

I have found my somebody to love. And he is taking me out tonight! Yippee!

Enjoy the day,
<3 J

Summer--it's here!

Lots of fun things are already happenin' && I just so happened to capture a lot of it on camera! Get ready, prepapre yourself, this post is loaded with pictures. My ever-so-beautiful dad & mama-- on our way to our first M's game of the season!

Kyle & I made eggs benedict for mama on Mother's Day. It was cold by the time she ate it, but she still had a smile on her face :)

My grandpa: intensly watching our game of botchee ball.

I'm not kidding... it was intense.

Dean & Nicole!

Like a pro

Yup, he's all mine.

I can't get over how amazing she looks in this picture.

Happy Mother's Day-- we love you!!

My mom picked out a new puppy for my grandma as her mother's day gift...

Needless to say, she is my grandma's baby already. Isn't she the cutest??

Bonfire & 'smores night with Jamestown!

Three devishly handsome men posing by the fire.

Jaimie && Kona!

Love her!

Kevin & Dad-- so silly.

Us!

Everyone huddled under the umbrella when it started to rain on our BBQ day (that's Kyle's mom & her fiance, Brian in the picture).

Cheers!

Boo bear!

Having a moment by the fire.

I think this picture miiight be my favorite.

I love summertime, don't you??

Hope that massive amount of pictures didn't overwhelm you. But don't say I didn't warn you. Until next time, friends!

Love,

J