FRIDAY FAVES!!

I always know when I've officially slipped into "fourth quarter" mode in my industry.  Although one might think it is just 10/1-12/31, it has backed itself up further into late August/early September for most of us in the insurance field.

The eye twitch begins.

I spend a significant amount of time on the computer during this time.  Couple that with the amazing amount of iPhone usage (and still the occasional Kindle read) and my left eye creates it's own survival mode.

It's been twitching for two days now.

I'm seriously about to poke it out.  I've rubbed it until it's bright red.  I've closed it for long extended blinks a zillion times trying to get it to stop.

It won't stop.

I may just strap on a pirate patch and call it a day.  Anything to tape it down and make it stop.  It's going to drive me absolutely insane.

I thought after a great night sleep I could get it to stop.  Nope.  Didn't work.  Of course the first thing I did this morning was open up and work on a spreadsheet filled with calculations.

And so it goes until the end of the year.  Yay me.

Somehow I've been able to compile a few faves for you in spite of my twitch.  Enjoy!

FAVE CHUBS

Did I mention how excited I am to meet little Lentil?  She is almost here!  One more Friday Faves and I will be awaiting her final few days on the west coast.  I could not be more excited.  So of course I'm constantly finding new legs for her :).

FAVE PALLETY IDEA

Yes, I'm still obsessed with pallets.  I swear I will stop someday.  Right after I figure out how to make this.

FAVE DESTINATION

As fall continues to come, I love pics that illustrate fog and calm.  This is Lake Orta, Italy.  Let's go!

FAVE KICKS

Ooooh.... PLEASE and THANK YOU!

FAVE TRUTH

One of the things I love about fall is all of the new pilots and old fave shows return with new episodes!  I know they have been on FOREVER and worn everyone out but I still love Meredith Grey and always will.  Her truth and honesty is somewhat lost on this generation. 

FAVE YUMMO

Mmmm.  Nothing says fall like APPLES.  So who wouldn't want a big 'ole hunk of this Apple Pie Dump Cake?  This is totally my style.  Doesn't look pretty but tastes incredible!  Click here for the yummo recipe ---->  Apple Pie Dump Cake

FAVE FASHION

Not totally suitable for an office obviously.  But I do love the casual, comfy look of a country girl!  Someday!

FAVE FUNNY

NO - I absolutely, positively would NEVER do this.  NEVER.  That doesn't mean it isn't funny.

Happy Friday, friends!

Not so Little Anymore!

Libra #2 is center stage!  Little guy blessed us on this day 12 years ago.  TWELVE.  Oh my God - I have a pre-teen again!  I may be older and wiser but it's still a mystery to me.  I'm not sure we ever really get this whole parenting thing.

Here are some of my fave pics of my sweet, gentle, funny boy.  He is running all over the house telling me he's a teenager next year.  A middle schooler.  And he's driving in 4 years.  Yeah, he's funny like that.

We love you, Big Coop!  Happy 12th Birthday!!

Momma

Balancing the Birthdays!

It's that week again - the one week a year that we turn our attention to the two Libras in my family.  Davis is first!

(By the way - big shout out to the Man above for NOT allowing Bubba to become a Libra.  Three of them hanging out on the scales would have tipped me over the edge.  And there is no possible way he could have been any later than he already was... two weeks is plenty, thanks).

For those of you that don't know, these Libras can be a tad bit challenging at times.  They want justice, equality and a balanced structure in their lives.

And me being a Scorpio?  I want MY way.  I'm stubborn.  I don't want to compromise.

It's a perfect (ahem) union.

I think a Libra must have coined the phrase "People don't change".  Of course humans do evolve but they fundamentally connect back to the roots of development.  This is especially important for a Libra - that balance of who they are with who they want to become is very important to them.

I happen to have two of them.

As much grief as I give my Hubs over our differences, I absolutely love this passionate balance he desires in his life.  He has never judged his success (nor ours as a couple) on what we accumulate, how much money we make or how we are perceived.  He has always been very comfortable in his own skin and has very little self doubt.  It's one of the MANY things I absolutely love about him, especially considering I worry enough about lots of things that he would never give the time of day.  I strive for this balance, his confidence and ultimately, his faith.  Maybe if we stick together long enough some of that will rub off on me.

Happy Birthday to Hubs on this first day of your sign.  Your horoscope today is quite telling:

Untangling all the mixed signals may be challenging today, especially if you want to take the course of least resistance. Although you have common sense working in your favor now, you still could be overly serious about the current situation. Your need to be practical conflicts with an irrepressible yet irrational optimism, prompting you to quickly move past your concerns so you can truly enjoy the good times ahead. Concentrate on the present moment and take one step at a time.

You know... if you believed in that kind of thing.

Love you!

Jen

FRIDAY FAVES!!

It's been a long week, friends.  Not my jovial self at the moment but I'm certainly working through it.  I have a flurry of emotions crashing around me at the moment and I'm compartmentalizing them as much as I can.  I hate carrying emotions and allowing them to seep into other areas of my life.  My goal today?  Try to see the good in everyone, be grateful for being alive and allow myself laughs and FUN.  Yep, fun.  That should help.

Below are some of my faves for the week.  Enjoy, friends.

FAVE FUR FRIEND

I see pure beauty in this picture (although don't ask Davis what he sees... I'm sure it's jerky or something).  Fall is such a gorgeous time of year in Missouri and I absolutely love the changing of the leaves.  When Jackson was younger he would streak across our back yard at our family home and Davis and I would laugh that we swear a deer just ran through the yard.  Reminds me of him this morning!

FAVE KICKS

Ah... bring it on!  I love boots.  Pretty much ALL boots (just some more than others).  These are awesome to me over a pair of tights or skinny jeans.  Little rugged, little urban.  LOVE!

FAVE TRUTH

I'm struggling with this in my life right now.  I absolutely love this.  Change is difficult for most people but changing the way we think about things is actually hard work.  The key is to decide if you WANT to change the way you think... sometimes changing what you think may not be the best thing for you.

FAVE PALLETY THING

Yep, another one.  Seriously cannot get enough pallets in my life!  I need to just select one, buy the pallets and get on with it already.  Love this!

FAVE REMINDER

I said the "Now I Lay Me" prayer with my Dad for the majority of my childhood every single night.  That makes this rendition even more special to me.  Very good reminder!

FAVE DESTINATION

I have no idea where this picture was taken but I want to be there right now.   Elusive.  Quiet.  Beautiful.  Sign me up.

FAVE FASHION

I see a lot of neutrals in our future this fall wardrobe season.  I love the matching up of the metal colors (which ironically fits hand in glove with the Obamacare healthcare system).

FAVE RELAXATION

I absolutely love long, hot baths.  So relaxing, so indulgent.  Who wouldn't love a dip in this beauty?  PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

FAVE CRAFTY

Now that I am going to be a Nana for a second time, I'm thinking I need a grandma hobby.  Quilting?  Or is this crochet?  I have absolutely no idea but I do love this blankie.  Looks very soft and the colors are quite relaxing.  So maybe I need to start googling how to do this stuff.  As if I have a lot of down time...

FAVE FUNNY

Oh... I wish I could say this is just giggly and not very true but I cannot lie.  Women, you know you do it!

Have a great weekend, friends!

Jen

Forever in Our Hearts

We hopped in the car very early that spring Saturday morning.  It was late May but the rains would not stop pouring down.  As we made our way down the narrow country gravel roads, I was concerned the water on the roadway would sweep us away in one fail swoop.

As we turned into the long, narrow drive my eyes quickly began to scan the area.  I knew the pen must be set up somewhere close to the house and my heart was racing with anticipation.  Who wouldn't be excited to meet their new baby?

I practically lept from the car the moment it was in park (mostly because of the rain).  It had somehow trailed off by the time we reached the house to a slow mist, albeit fog still hung heavy in the air.

There it was.  At first glance my pulse quickened.  It was going to be an impossible feat.  How in the world could we choose just one sweet baby from this giant litter?

Mom was present in a separate area but nonetheless watching over her babes.  She was beautiful - a tall, lean golden lab with a look of majesty about her.  Dad was off somewhere, no doubt trying to find his own trouble.

I slipped quickly into the pen and squat down to get a better look.  Eight beautiful pups, girls and boys, scrambled to get closer to my lap.  They were full of energy, hope and promise for a new home.  As we panned the group, we couldn't help but notice one little guy off on his own.  He was quiet.  Unassuming.  Independent.

He was a Davis.

Our hearts melted.  We quietly lifted him into our arms and smelled his sweet puppy breath.  He was ours.

Fourteen years of unconditional love.  Jackson lived to bring my family closer together.  He layed his head on our laps in time of pain to quietly comfort us.  He snuggled on our beds in attempt to keep us warm.  He protected us with his quiet, unassuming yet amazingly intense glare.

He loved us.  And we loved him.

My beloved master, should the Great Master see fit to deprive me of my health, do not turn me away from you.  Rather, hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest... and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands.

We will miss you terribly, sweet man. Thank you for blessing our family.  Our hearts are forever filled with your love.

Celebrating Bubba's Birth!

It was a beautiful fall Friday night.  Visiting close friends to watch a race on television, I felt the first twinge of many I would endure that night.  I was young, scared and full of anticipation.

A few short hours later, we were surrounded by friends and family anxious to meet you.  Little did we know you were in absolutely no hurry.  

As I look into the eyes of the man you have become I see that baby placed in my arms 24 years ago.  The images of that moment are burned into my soul and will never be forgotten.  Your big beautiful (then) blue eyes, your long toes (I had no idea how long they were actually going to be!) and your perfectly laid back nature were my absolute favorite things about you those first few moments together.

On this day, I reminisce those first moments clearly.  I can still smell your sweet baby scent, feel your soft skin against mine and hear those faint sounds of communication that became the intimacy of our unshakable bond today.

I spent much of my motherhood attempting to teach you how to maneuver this world.  But Son, I had absolutely no idea what I was about to learn from YOU.

I am so blessed and grateful to have met you.  You are an inspiration to me every single day.  Momma loves.

Happy 24th birthday, Jeremy.  You are my HERO!

Momma

FRIDAY FAVES!!

It's FRIDAY, it's FRIDAY, it's FRIDAY!  Happy dance happening in my kitchen right now!

For the first time in approximately 18 years, my hubs left our fam for a week long business trip.  If you see a flash of black SUV flying down 435 today, please ignore... it's just me driving Mach 10 to pick him up.

I couldn't miss him more.

In all honesty, it's partially due to the life management stress of this week.  Little guy with a slinged elbow, Jackson taking a giant nose dive (further) south, after hour work commitments, squeezed in doctor's appointments... it's all just been a little much for me on my own.

I used to think that I could do it all.  You know, women's lib, stronger than oak, don't need anyone concept.  In all fairness I didn't think that up on my own - media, movies, women in the workforce - it is surrounding all of women every single day.

It's all bullshit, girls.  Pardon my french.

I'm tired.  I don't really love cleaning, shopping, paying bills, nurturing 24/7, being the designer of my home, stylist for my kid, maker of AMAZING amounts of food and somehow attempting to be THE Worker Bee of the Universe.

But somehow, by some afforded about of grace, I made it through the week.  I survived.  I even came out a little unscathed.

But I'm totally ready to scoot out west.  Sorry, hubs... your turn!

In case you have missed the giant countdown clock on my page, we are 23 days to the arrival of our little lentil.  I could just die with excitement!

Below are my faves for the week.  It was a rough find for me.  I honestly wasn't totally inspired to search.  I'm sure next week will unveil much better picks.

Enjoy!

FAVE KICKS

Although I usually find some sassy kicks for me, I couldn't help but fall in love with these babies!  I think Lentil needs this desperately!

FAVE DISPENSER

Instead of crappy bags of chips and calorie ridden soda, why not install a Novel Idea?  I love this!

FAVE YUMMOS

Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me.  I literally had to wipe drool from the computer keyboard.  These look incredible!!  Click here for the recipe ---->  Dark Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Frosting

FAVE SCAREFEST

AGHGHGHG!!!  In honor of Friday the 13th.  'Nough said.

FAVE PALLETY THING

Okay, I know I am overloading everybody on my newfound love of pallets.  I still haven't figured out where old but in good shape pallets are just laying around for people to take but if I ever find the motherload, I may never leave the garage again.  I love this headboard.  Bring it on!

FAVE TRUTH

This is totally me.  Except if you ask me what you wore yesterday.  Then I wouldn't remember because I spend more time looking at your face, studying body language and listening to you than I do staring at your wardrobe.

FAVE SURPRISE

This past week (or two) we discovered that E.L. James had finally helped select her lead roles for the upcoming sexual trilogy 50 Shades of Gray.  There was a TON of buzz - it was literally on every news station, magazine and social media exploded with the news.  The lead she chose to be our sexy but conflicted Christian?  Well....

Riiiight.  That's exactly what I thought.  I've never watched Sons of Anarchy but this guy was certainly NOT enticing me to run to the theater to watch what had became my fave story line in a long time.

So what's a girl to do?  Research, of course.  I started stalking the dude, trying to figure out what E.L. could possibly have been spiking her coffee with that morning.  Seriously?  Some Charles Dickens movie?  The bad guy in Cold Mountain with Nicole Kidman?  His resume wasn't screaming success to me.

Low and behold, I figured it out.  THIS is what she saw....

Our quiet, strong jawed, sexy Christian must lie in there somewhere.  Put a power suit on him and clean up that face and folks, we may have a winner.  I hope he knows he is in for the ride of his life.  This movie could make or break his career.  He indicates he holds out for films, selecting not necessarily lead roles, because he wants to be relevant in 60 years.

We shall see.

FAVE ABODE

Since Davis spent the week in East Tennessee, we are now moving there.  Oh, hold onto your panties, friends... we aren't really moving.  There, anyway.  But he is in love.  In love with the Smoky Mountains, the calm and serene landscape and of course, what man wouldn't love Bristol Speedway.  THIS is his dream.

FAVE FALL COCKTAIL

With cooler weather creeping in, I can't help but think of Halloween night.  Homemade apple cider brews on my stove every single Halloween as we carve up our pumpkins for our porch.

Here's a bit of a twist on my fall staple.  I think I've gotta try this!  Click here for the recipe! --->  Hot Caramel Apple Cider

Have a fabulous weekend, friends!

Jen

FRIDAY FAVES!!

It's officially one month until I board that jet plane headed west to meet my beautiful granddaughter.  It's so weird to say it... granddaughter.  It evokes so many emotions inside of me, some that have been buried for many years now.  One of the most influential people in my life was my grandmother.  She had a kind heart, a wisdom so beyond me.  She knew how to live life, completely.  She was confident, calm, consistent and cool!  I have never met another woman like her.  Our bond was unbreakable.  She completely loved me unconditionally and I knew it down in my soul.

I spent many hours talking to my Nana about life, love, heartbreak, disappointment and confusion.  She was a significant source of strength for me during the most confusing time of my life (not quite a grown woman but trying to play one in real life).

I can only hope and pray that I am half the woman to my grandchildren that she was to me.  For now, I'm going to keep chasing E around the house playing "Getcha" or hide and seek, giggle at his vocabulary (No Way!) and help him into his monkey flip flops.  I am the luckiest woman alive.

Below are my faves from around the web this week.  Enjoy, friends!

FAVE ARM CANDY

Oooh.  I love, love, LOVE this one!  It's one thing to say you are going to do something but the truth is you must have intent behind your words for it to be meaningful.  Words are just words.... actions say it all.  I think I have to order this pronto!

FAVE COSTUME

With Halloween (and Lentil's arrival) right around the corner, I can't help but find loves such as this.  Sassy is a giant Batman fan so why wouldn't this make the most perfect first Halloween costume?  Just may have to grab it!

FAVE WINO GIFT

With my annual Hermann trip right around the corner, I'm finding all sorts of loves with wine.  This one grabbed me at first glance.  What an awesome way to give a bottle of wine to a man?  Takes away the feminine aspect of it I think.  To bad I don't know how to sew (although I do know many women I could commission!)

FAVE SPECS

Oh my.  As if my love for TOMS wasn't enough... now they are entering the fashion industry with eyewear!  I absolutely need a pair of these!  RayBan, meet TOMS!  I wonder if they give children a pair of glasses in third world countries?

FAVE DIY

Okay, I am SO not crafty.  But I can't help but fall in love with DIY shows, webpages and ideas I find.  I just wish I was more handy to actually execute them!  My newest obsession is all things pallets, as if I know where to find used pallets just laying around in perfect condition that I could get for free.  But seriously... how cute is this guy?

FAVE FASHION

Ah... bring on the cooler weather.  Give me some long sleeves, some jeans and some boots.  Fall makes me so happy!  I love layering up against the crisp, cool weather.

FAVE YUMMOS

Yes, please!!  Oh my.  Click here for the recipe for these golden nuggets! ---->  Brown Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles

FAVE FUNNY

Momma Bear's UNITE!

FAVE FUNCTIONAL

Don't really love the color but I totally love the concept.  In looking at my sink right now I see a handsoap dispenser and a scraper just laying next to the faucet.  Blah.  How cute is this?  And although I actually purchased a stand years ago that was brutally expensive, this is just a cake stand probably from a dollar store repurposed.  Love it!

FAVE SEASON TO DECORATE

I repainted almost the entire first floor of my house Labor Day weekend.  It's finally time to drag out all of my fave time of year decorations!  This caught my eye for my kitchen.  Cheap and easy.  And I already have the glass containers!  WEEKEND PROJECT!

Have a great weekend, friends!

Jen