Favorite things.

I cannot believe tomorrow is Halloween, and the end of my birthday month! Glad we already bought all of our candy weeks ago and might I add, we only helped ourselves to one. of each. ;) But then we haven't had any since. Everyone buys their candy for 'trick-or-treaters' only & pledges whether internally or out loud -- this is only for the kids, I won't have any. Then secretly, you help yourself here & there. I won't spill your secret :)  I think I am way more excited for November 1st where all Halloween candy is 50% off or more. That's my indulgence.

Everybody has their loves, or as Julie Andrews calls them -- my favorite things. Besides the obvious ones like Jesus, my husband/pups/family, there are those other great joys of my life. I am going to share nine -- there are many more... 

1) Regardless of how you think of their views of what they stand for -- one of my first fave things is CHICKFILA. My hubs & I ate their tonight actually for a impromptu date night and it was incredible. Especially their sweet tea, iced tea & the spicy chicken sandwich - which is kind of like eating the sun. Tonight I scored free dessert which was great timing w/ my promotion at work that happened earlier today :) I could eat there for every meal if I could afford it.

2) Zumba would be my second. I enjoy it because I can do it in my home and not have that big wall length mirror I've heard about. Makes me feel great and I really enjoy dancing as a work out. Ever since my husband intro'd me to it last year -- its one of my absolute favorite things especially after a rough day.

3) Shopping for kitchenware/more gadgets to cook with. Most of my cookware were wedding gifts & some came out of Pampered Chef consultant days which ended this summer. I love experimenting in the kitchen with different flavors and recipes. My hubs is a picky eater so all these Pinterest recipes I try, only about half of them end up being repeaters. When I cook dinner, there are nights when we do our own thing but I do enjoy making dinner for us. 

4) All things Disney. -- theme parks, merchandise, cruise ships, water parks, movies. I love all of it especially since i married a Disney nerd. Our kids are going to looooove us when they arrive. 

5) Beach days. Since I live in sunny Florida, I have quite a few beach options available whenever I want. Except for Jax Beach -- its gorgeous but too far. I love the time I am there -- out in the sun, with my hubs/family, under the umbrella, wiggling my toes in the sand and the sunny weather making me tan. These are the moments I live for especially if my hubs ever loved seafood, and do one of those cutesy restaurants by the water. Eating a cheeseburger at the beach doesn't scream attractive. 

6) Movies like Harry Potter, Freedom Writers, Bridesmaids, or even 10 Things I Hate About You. With the exception of the last one, all of the movies tell a story. Whether it makes you pee your pants from laughing or just merely takes you away and entertains you -- these are movies I really enjoy the most. 

7) COFFEE. I love me some Starbucks. I remember the first time I really enjoyed coffee. I was staying with my gparents and they let me try some with Hazelnut creamer. From then on, I was addicted. I got my first coffee maker & just absolutely LOVED it. I still have it from time to time but I find that hot coffee puts me to sleep and cold coffee wakes me up. But I do enjoy Starbucks, especially Green Tea fraps. INCREDIBLE. 

8) Thin Mint cookies. There's something about these cookies that are just incredible. They are the majority of what I buy from Girl Scouts and just overall the yummiest cookies. Also really addictive. I like to take them, my manual food processor & make my own blizzard.

9) Scrapbooking. I come from a family of DIY/crafty ones. My mom intro'd me when I was in my teens. I am still in process of working on my first cruise scrapbook, just went on my second & in a few months will be completing my third. Clearly I need to get on it and finish them. These will be great keepsakes for us later and our children over the years to see the adventures that their parents went on, and the ones they will join us on. :)

I could take this list and keep going but this snapshot is good enough for me. :) Tomorrow is Halloween, hope you stay safe & your kids enjoy themselves. I am taking the day off for some dental work. Hopefully I won't be too sore bc tomorrow night while I pass out candy, we're concluding our Harry Potter marathon. 

{jess}

Million dollar winner.

Remember in high school, or on a rainy day, you'd entertain the thought of 'What would I do with an (extra) million dollars? See, I've expanded on that thought today actually at work. If you don't win the lottery and you don't have an inheritance, how exactly do you encounter this million dollars exactly? Is it a check, or piles of twenties in a briefcase at a specific location? Do you know who is gifting you this rather large amount? As a woman who questions alot in her normal everyday life, no one could be surprised that when given this unexpected gift that I'd just take it. After all, there are so many creepers in the world who make even the slightest random acts of kindness aawwkward to the max.

But let's just go with it. If I were to stumble upon a briefcase of piles of twenties in the mall, on a Thursday @10am by a mysterious man in a suit. -- here is how I'd use it. Not to be boring but I have to consider two different scenarios. The first one being that I am still indebted to my student loans and basically my current circumstances.

First, after taxes, I'd take what I need and pay off three HUGE loans: both mine & my hubs' student loan debts in FULL. (Would love to watch SallieMae process this payment). & then my entire mortgage paid off in FULL too. -- gotta be responsible & honestly I am ready to pay these all off.

Secondly, I'd trade our car in and then purchase a 2014 Chevy Volt for myself. My husband is holding out for the self driving cars and I'd put the x amount in a savings account for him to buy the car he wants at the right time.

Thirdly, I'd pay for my own kitchen remodel. I've got my eye on a few things that I wish had come with my house originally but are on the 'house' bucket list so to speak.

Lastly, I'd put a chunk in our savings and the biggest chunk in my IRA. :)

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Now. the other scenario if I were to stumble upon this money in about 9 years when my student debt is paid off.

It'd be a shorter list. By this time, we'd have kids & ready to celebrate our first big anniversary, the 10th (close to it).

So I think it'd only be right if I helped us not only pay for the trip but with generous souvenir budgets.

Secondly, I'd pay off our mortgage in full & take care of any fix-it project regardless of the cost.

Thirdly, I'd take a look at what we're driving. Still want a Chevy Volt, its pricey but oh so worth it. ;)

Lastly, I'd split it between investing in my house, my savings and my IRA.

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Yeah -- I don't foresee a million dollars showing up on my porch. & even if I did, I don't feel spending it on a lavish lifestyle is worth it. I hear people all the time commenting that if they got rich, they'd retire. I'd be in a new tax bracket or five, but I grew up having to earn what I wanted. Even if I was given something, that made me want to work for it that much harder. I feel that if I were in this situation, I'd just keep working. It'd be nice to know that if anything drastic happened, I'd have a cushion but its a time old truth -- Money doesn't buy your happiness. It's up to YOU! :)

{jess}

the last three.

I've said this so much in the past week that I feel like an iPod stuck on repeat. Here in central Florida, we don't really have seasons like those in the other parts of the country. I really miss the days when I lived in South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio, because y'all get to experience the four different seasons. While I love living where I do, I get one season: hot with a thick side of humidity whenever possible. But in the past few days, there's been a nice breeze. Like that makes you want to sit outside all day and just daydream, go to the beach/theme parks or just something outside. For example, my hubs & I took a walk tonight with our pups and you couldn't wipe the smile off my face. It was so dark, but there wasn't a peep in my neighborhood. I was able to enjoy being outside without any humidity and just get some exercise with my family. Usually, I can't stay outside that long because mosquitoes (who must all be waiting in a cluster for me to leave my house) swarm me and bite me, leaving quite attractive welts. It is a graphic, attractive image isn't it? ;)

Anywho, since we've had this cooler weather that I hope is here to stay for awhile -- it really is true that I really live for the last three months of the year. From my birthday month through December, you just can't get me to stop smiling. The weather, the holidays, the seasonal goodies that pop back up into my life -- just make me the happiest lady ever. Granted, I am almost done Christmas shopping much to my husband who isn't as thrilled -- these months just perk me up like the clearance rack. Which side note, helped me score some sweet gems this weekend, y'all :)

Soon the traditions of the season will be settling in. The Halloween decorations will come down, followed by the setting up of Christmas lights, the Christmas tree & all the other Pinterest inspired but husband approved projects that i can get my hands on. This really really excites me. Kind of like back in the day on a Friday night when Boy Meets World came on.

So, to all y'all who stop by my page and are enjoying their real FALL weather, the changing of the leaves and the wonderfulness of the season -- enjoy yourselves a bit more for me. Fall is beautiful and my absolute favorite season. :)

{jess}

My life {in 5 years}.

Remember when you were a kid and that question would come around, the one that asks you to forecast your entire life on the spot -- where do you see your life in 5 years. It's fun to kind of put a time capsule on here today and then check back in 5 years to see what happened out of my guesses and dreams. I mean, I remember playing that hilarious game in school 'MASH'. You could see just in the title alone if your future would happen in a Mansion, Apartment, Shack or House.  With frilly options, you could end up with your celebrity crush, how many kids you have, the pet you have, the car you drive, what your job and your husband's job would be. Every time you played this game you could end up with a totally different 'future'.

Well today I won't be resorting to that game because one of the few games I loved from my childhood, I own already and its honestly much more fun than seeing what your future entails, which is Mall Madness.

Today I want to answer the 'where do you see yourself in your 5 years' question?

While I don't have kids yet, hopefully God will be blessing our family in 2015 with our firstborn, happy & healthy. Five years from now, our baby will be three years old. They won't grow up with luxury but a lot of love from family and close friends. They will make good friends in our neighborhood and enjoy their life in sunny central Florida where they will be able to go to Disney World, Universal, water parks, etc on a whim. Whether our firstborn is a darling baby girl who loves to accompany her mom on shopping trips and love the color of pink. Or if our firstborn is an adorable baby boy who loves cars, trucks, planes and choo-choo's.

Also, in the next five years, my hubby, Chris & I will be celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary, actually closer to 9th. I hope we will be traveling more, be in fantastic jobs who pay us generously, enjoying our lives here in central Florida with our multiple theme park passes. We'll be midway onto paying off student loans and have owned our first home for almost 7 years. We'll hopefully have made some improvements to our home that will make us enjoy our home more.

Personally, while I hope to have lost all my weight by next year -- I think five years from now, I will greatly enjoy my life. I will be in my early 30's which sounds so nerve-wracking but yet not really in my control. I will have a beautiful family of my own which expands both of ours. I feel like in the next few years -- in a professional side that my Master's degree will pay off and I will be working somewhere that is simply wonderful. I will be taking great vacations and making impacting memories with my entire family.

Life in 5 years seems so far away but in a blink of an eye, it will be here. Regardless of if all these dreams come true or if they happen differently - I am so excited to see what the future brings in all areas of my life.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

{jess}

come what may.

Sitting here on this Friday night, I feel like my head won't stop spinning. To be frank, this week wasn't the greatest or the most spectacular. I'm still waiting for news from Monday morning for an incredible opportunity that was so graciously extended my way. The last few days, I've been trying to give myself a few key pep talks in a variety of areas.

1st) This weight loss thing. Every time I fall off the wagon and make a few too many choices that result in the scale going up, I keep mentally scolding myself. Why? Because I am a lady and I tend to over-analyze. But honestly, with the frustration thrown my way from work lately -- I took that anger, unfairness and molded it into something powerful and fearless tonight. I finally did Zumba. Not as long as I wanted but I was kind of a super wife, prepped dinner & caught up on my favorite shows. But I learned that if I am going to lose this weight, I have to stop with the negativity and balance the good encouragement in. I've been searching for the spark and I think I found what I need to keep that burn alive, to make myself push hard and lose the weight. So, while I have 2 months left in the year, I am going to really work hard, and kick 2014 off with a bang.

I think its important that we stop remembering the negative and the positive. Women are so catty, and competitive in all the wrong contexts. It's rough knowing that there are so many women who feel that bad about themselves that you thought after middle/high school that you could replace them with really great people, but unfortunately for me -- I feel like all the mean girls I dealt with in middle and high school are mucking up the general population. I encounter people on a daily basis who act entitled, spend money like its the same oxygen they breathe and then turn around and treat me horrendously for no reason. I just feel like women need to forget the stress, not let these areas of weakness consume you and find an outlet to where you can keep being the fantastic woman you are. I know I am not the first woman to do it and not the last.. 

2) Dreams & Ambitions. For the longest time, and when I was growing up, I was blessed to have a Dad who loved me so much and made sure I knew it. He also prayed for me and as I got older, encouraged multiple conversations of what I wanted to do, what goals I had and what I wanted my life to turn out. (My Mom was equally incredible as my Dad).* Sometimes you just need people in your life who are willing to sit down and have a lengthy heart to heart. Everyone has passions and everyone has wants. I feel like its important to not only know yourself but to take those moments to really know what you have to offer and what you want to achieve in this life. One of my friends from college who tragically was killed in a car crash earlier this year, she was full of such wisdom and energy in her short life. One of the quotes I've seen over and over that she lived out -- was 'What will I do with this one and only life?' I encourage you to ask yourself this. Do you want to play it safe or do you want to get out and live?

3) Being that girl. That sounds pretty light and casual. But I know who I am, I have a voice, I am beautiful and I am blessed. I may not have the bank account of Donald Trump or the amazing closet of an A-list movie star. But I am writing my chapter(s) of success, romance, adventure and making fantastic memories as I go.  The best part about where I am in life is that my life is still being written -- everyday is a new adventure and I am  ready for the next chapter of starting my family. Until I get there, I have to help myself stay focused on the weight loss, my dreams & ambitions and no matter what -- being the best version of myself possible. :)

What things are you prepping yourself on? I'd love to hear from you. 

lately.

Currently, it feels like EVERYTHING in life seems to be stacking up to where its hard to see anything else. I keep sitting down to update everything and those that follow me, and it just feels like my to do list grows bigger. Maybe its the season of knowing the holiday season is right around the corner & excitedly showing up at stores. Now that my weekend of insane busyness is over, and the work week has resumed -- I wanted to get back into blogging with some key words.

Insurance claims suck.// Almost four months ago, my husband & I came home from celebrating our wedding anniversary to water all over our floor. We kept laying down towels but the water kept seeping out. To make a long, frustrating story short -- we had a water leak in our home. We had to have huge dehumidifiers in our house for a week. We started the process of filing a claim with our insurance company and let's keep it simple -- its been a less than stellar experience. We're still drudging along, hoping for a big breakthrough.

Excited over the moon// for the fact that Thanksgiving & Christmas come swiftly after Halloween. When I was a young girl, I enjoyed dressing up for Halloween because as a young kid, the logic is - yes, I'll wear that goofy outfit because it leads me to CANDYYYY! That wasn't your mindset? Oh, awkward. But while I love the holidays, its hard not too. I mean there are just so many awesome things that make their appearance. I feel like the list of these come outta my mouth like the moment in Forrest Gump when Bubba and Forrest are cleaning the floor with toothbrushes and Bubba is impressing Forrest with his love of shrimp and all that he can do with it...  Except my list would start with: Starbucks holiday drinks, pie, my mom's home cooking, TURKEY!, decorating the house inside and out, putting up the Christmas tree, family coming over whenever they want, presents, Macy's day parades, traditions and Charlie Brown influx. There are so many more things about this list but I could go on and on if I so desired.

Relieved//that fall weather is bringing out mu motivation. I recently discovered the store, World Market and my close lady friends know that in my house -- I am obsessed with finding more items for my kitchen, decorating my house and finding ornaments whenever we go on an adventure. There are so many projects I want to do, some of them can be seen on my Pinterest boards. But then when I get to JoAnn's -- I lose myself in the insaneness of prospective projects. I am making a 3 homemade Christmas gifts for my family this year and I am really excited that I am finally able to be crafty. I am learning how to sew, then crochet, then knitting, then more scrapbooking. It's easy to wrap myself up on ideas with Pinterest but honestly -- my big goal right now is making our house into a home in the decor sense.  I think that's my new Pinterest inspiration next to cooking/baking. I love perusing the home section @ Target, and getting cute ideas to reality.

Counting down//for our next vacation in a few months. My husband will be celebrating his next birthday on the Disney Dream cruise ship, where we just celebrated mine at the beginning of the month. I absolutely love cruising, you meet so many wonderful people, Disney's service and onboard activities are incredible -- I am just ready to sail away for a few days and have uninterrupted time with my mister away from life, our dogs, bills, not so nice neighbors that we just deserve a break from at times.

Well, if you can't tell its back to my to-do list and really making a bigger effort to do ZUMBA, make those phone calls. Pinning new ideas to decorate my house in the way that makes us happy & finding creative outlets to relieve stress & sleep well at night. Lastly, I am using my handy dandy app to get myself into a more frequent post-ing schedule. Hope you had an eventful Monday & have a happy week :) Today was a grrrrrreat day for myself and I thank you for all good thoughts and prayers sent my way this week for an awesome result :)